Do you ever think about what we do?

[gunhilltrain]

This is far too ambitious an idea for me to take on, (I think, but it's also 10 am and I had a loong night) and I think all of maybe three people would be interested, but a Lit writing challenge wherein you envision the scenario of a Lit writer and one of their more avid fans discovering who they are and professing their undying, if nothing else, appreciation, for what their writings have done for them, meant to them, etc.

I can see a lot of fun possibilities, but at the same time, NO.

It's a pretty good idea. I have a plan for a story that is about two women critiquing online porn - what they like and what they think is ridiculous. They also happen to be lovers. Actually, that is just the first 30% of the story.

 

[PeytonMirabelle]

There's not a clear dichotomy between "writing for myself" and "writing for my reader" for me because I write to please myself as a reader. My experience has taught me that there although many readers don't enjoy what I do, enough do to make it worthwhile. So I would say that as I write I think constantly about pleasing the reader, but the reader is me.

I'm a complete attention whore because I love getting positive feedback on what I write.

But whether or not comments existed... I think I'd probably still write. And I can't say I've ever been influenced by what readers might think. Last night for example I was tinkering on my next work, which was supposed to be light and gentle... and suddenly the lead character is unpacking a huge host of shit that happened to her that wasn't even there thirty minutes before.

My process isn't a process; it's... more like I'm seeing bits of a real life or series of events and trying to capture them for other people to read. There's no scope in that for pleasing whoever reads it. Best I can hope for is to please myself.

I'm somewhere between these two positions. I like to write, I like to tell tales. At the same time, it's very gratifying when someone else says they like what I wrote. I do like that I've given someone else a bit of enjoyment. Would I still write if literally no one liked my work? Yes, but I'm certain my enthusiasm would suffer.

 

[DeLaFaye]

It's a pretty good idea. I have a plan for a story that is about two women critiquing online porn - what they like and what they think is ridiculous. They also happen to be lovers. Actually, that is just the first 30% of the story.

Not trying to write your story for you, but add two more women, call it "Thank You For Being A Friend," and you got yourself a foolproof recipe for success!

 

[Zootonius]

It's what I do.

Oh! I know the cartoon that phrase, anatidaephobia comes from.

 

[JaxRhapsody]

I just hope people read it. Liking it is just a bonus.

 

[DeLaFaye]

Oh! I know the cartoon that phrase, anatidaephobia comes from.

I don't think Gary Larson gets credit for the word, (He totally does, I'm an ass.) although it is a good cartoon.

Personally, I'm just fascinated with fears. And that's a good one.

 

[Zootonius]

I don't think Gary Larson gets credit for the word, although it is a good cartoon.

Personally, I'm just fascinated with fears. And that's a good one.

In Larson's Prehistory of Far side, he claims he coined the word, after thinking 'quackaphobia' didn't work.

(citationg 89, I'm nerdy like that)

 

[DeLaFaye]

In Larson's Prehistory of Far side, he claims he coined the word, after thinking 'quackaphobia' didn't work.

(citationg 89, I'm nerdy like that)

I didn't want to know this.

Just kidding...

 

[Zootonius]

I didn't want to know this.

Just kidding...

Sorry, I have an ability of ruining people's day.

And somehow, I unintentionally created an emoji. (I wasn't sticking my tongue at you)

 

[DeLaFaye]

Sorry, I have an ability of ruining people's day.

And somehow, I unintentionally created an emoji. (I wasn't sticking my tongue at you)

Oh stop! Nothing ruined, (except my love for that word ) and look! Fun frog emoji!

 

[Zootonius]

Oh stop! Nothing ruined, (except my love for that word ) and look! Fun frog emoji!

And I learned that the colon can be a dangerous punctuation. Who knew?

 

[gunhilltrain]

Not trying to write your story for you, but add two more women, call it "Thank You For Being A Friend," and you got yourself a foolproof recipe for success!

Well, it will be a sequel to something else, so I already have a setup. (It will be based on my in-progress Geek Pride story.) They're actually both bisexual, and one of them just landed a boyfriend too. But that one says, in Geek Pride, (it's told in the first person) about her sexual orientation, "It's one thing that makes me seem hip!" Of course she's being tongue-in-cheek.

 

[gunhilltrain]

Sorry, I have an ability of ruining people's day.

And somehow, I unintentionally created an emoji. (I wasn't sticking my tongue at you)

Just so you know, the message can be edited and any emoji can be added or deleted at any time. By the way, once you get past the first batch, any emoji you try to put in will result in an empty square. I wonder if Manu is working on it.

 

[oneagainst]

I don't mind having a crack at it. It sounds long and involved. Just my cup of tea.

Post it and leave it open for a follow-up! The only rule is that it has to involve a real author on Lit? Now, who'd be dumb enough to give their permission to be included in that??

 

[ElectricBlue]

This is far too ambitious an idea for me to take on, (I think, but it's also 10 am and I had a loong night) and I think all of maybe three people would be interested, but a Lit writing challenge wherein you envision the scenario of a Lit writer and one of their more avid fans discovering who they are and professing their undying, if nothing else, appreciation, for what their writings have done for them, meant to them, etc.

I can see a lot of fun possibilities, but at the same time, NO.

Done:

The Hyacinth House (three parts, a long tale).

Brooke Works at the Hardware Store, Part Two (the second part of four x 750 Word stories, a short tale).

 

[djrip]

This is far too ambitious an idea for me to take on, (I think, but it's also 10 am and I had a loong night) and I think all of maybe three people would be interested, but a Lit writing challenge wherein you envision the scenario of a Lit writer and one of their more avid fans discovering who they are and professing their undying, if nothing else, appreciation, for what their writings have done for them, meant to them, etc.

I can see a lot of fun possibilities, but at the same time, NO.

How about a husband and wife both write erotica secretly, and are each other's biggest fans, unbeknownst to either of them. Maybe they're in a rut sexually, both getting off to the other's stories behind closed doors. They begin to PM and role play and get off with each other. They plan a meet-up...

 

[Seadog777]

We spend hours of our time hunched over a pad and paper, old computer or laptop, crafting narratives laced with experience, fantasies or just plain made-up scenarios to titillate and turn-on people we will never meet or encounter, OR, even if we do encounter them, wouldn't know them from Adam.

It's something that boggles my mind when I pay heed to it, but when I'm in the middle of a story, writing character arcs, plot devices and even good old fashion sex scenes it's the last thing I'm thinking about. All I'm thinking about then is how I can progress the story to a logical and satisfying conclusion, and judging by the nice comments (and emails) I've got now and then it's something my readers seem to appreciate as well.

So, before I went off on my usual plot-based tangent (as I do) how much thought do you give to the enjoyment of your reader, intellectually as well as physically, whilst creating your stories?

I make sure to add a bit of humor to my stories.
Everything in life is better, when you add a bit of laughter to it.

 

[CyranoJ]

So, before I went off on my usual plot-based tangent (as I do) how much thought do you give to the enjoyment of your reader, intellectually as well as physically, whilst creating your stories?

I basically give thought to how much I enjoy the story and hope that it finds like-minded people to connect with. I can't run focus groups to suss the readers out, I just have to hope there will be an audience for this piece or that one.

Some of the work I'm proudest of is some of the least-read as a result. I was especially into a novella I created off-Lit called "The Serpent's Kiss" that was a kind of love letter to the trashiest sector of late Victorian erotica, but that included "interracial" kink, a boundary even the most prurient work of the era was generally unwilling to cross. It only found a small audience, though. That's the risk you take, but I couldn't write any other way.

 

[Alitaptap]

We spend hours of our time hunched over a pad and paper, old computer or laptop, crafting narratives laced with experience, fantasies or just plain made-up scenarios to titillate and turn-on people we will never meet or encounter, OR, even if we do encounter them, wouldn't know them from Adam.

It's something that boggles my mind when I pay heed to it, but when I'm in the middle of a story, writing character arcs, plot devices and even good old fashion sex scenes it's the last thing I'm thinking about. All I'm thinking about then is how I can progress the story to a logical and satisfying conclusion, and judging by the nice comments (and emails) I've got now and then it's something my readers seem to appreciate as well.

So, before I went off on my usual plot-based tangent (as I do) how much thought do you give to the enjoyment of your reader, intellectually as well as physically, whilst creating your stories?

I write for purely selfish reasons - this quote comes to mind:

“Playing lifts you out of yourself into a delirious place.”

Jacqueline du Pre

I see it as taking the reader on a ride with me, writing it (hopefully) well enough so that they can feel as I feel and experience that freedom as I do. The best artists that I’ve encountered, be it in literature, music, film, or art, have done that for me, and in a way, I want to do that for others in turn.

I see erotica as another branch of art, feeling the pleasure in the body, not just through sex, but through all the senses. As I get better at this, I hope the journey for them and for myself will be a worthwhile one.

 

[Zootonius]

I write for purely selfish reasons - this quote comes to mind:

“Playing lifts you out of yourself into a delirious place.”

Jacqueline du Pre

I see it as taking the reader on a ride with me, writing it (hopefully) well enough so that they can feel as I feel and experience that freedom as I do. The best artists that I’ve encountered, be it in literature, music, film, or art, have done that for me, and in a way, I want to do that for others in turn.

I see erotica as another branch of art, feeling the pleasure in the body, not just through sex, but through all the senses. As I get better at this, I hope the journey for them and for myself will be a worthwhile one.

You had me at Jacqueline du Pre.

 

[onehitwanda]

You had me at Jacqueline du Pre.

Oh, ditto. God, she was glorious.

 

[Zootonius]

Oh, ditto. God, she was glorious.

Wanna go toe to toe on how many recordings of hers were have?

(okay, only two)

Or would that be tow to tow?

 

[oneagainst]

Done:

The Hyacinth House (three parts, a long tale).

Brooke Works at the Hardware Store, Part Two (the second part of four x 750 Word stories, a short tale).

You work quick. Or you went back in time...?

This is such an interesting concept, the start of Hyacinth House, the not being at all like the character in the story... yet.

 

[DeLaFaye]

How about a husband and wife both write erotica secretly, and are each other's biggest fans, unbeknownst to either of them. Maybe they're in a rut sexually, both getting off to the other's stories behind closed doors. They begin to PM and role play and get off with each other. They plan a meet-up...

The real question, would they be enamored or livid with one another?

 

[Zootonius]

The real question, would they be enamored or livid with one another?

That song from Annie Get Your Guns come to mind

"Anything you can do, I can do better."