Held back by my own imagination

[TheExperimentalist]

Anyone else have this problem? I've only got two posted stories, but I'm sitting here with 18 drafts, about a dozen of which are legitimate stories or outlines in various stages of completion. (The other 6 are checklists, reminders, notes, or rambling essays to try to explore my own thoughts that probably no one will ever read.)

I've been itching get at least ONE more of them done and posted sometime soon, and I just haven't been able to. There are a number of reasons for this:

1. Sequel Syndrome. I'm having trouble avoiding that thing where, halfway through a story that I had originally intended as a one-off, I start getting a bunch of ideas for sequels. So I take notes on them, and then don't want to finalize certain scenes in the first installment until I know where the sequel is going to be headed so that I make sure to avoid inconsistencies.

2. Fear of Commitment. Similar problem with the stories that I HAVE planned as multiple parts. I have plans for an ongoing I/T saga with a VERY slow buildup where the siblings don't even broach the topic of their relationship anywhere outside of their own minds until the fourth or fifth installment. I've more or less finished at least two or three installments (still with plenty of, what I hope are, steamy masturbation scenes), but I don't want to edit and post them yet, because in incest stories, I find the hardest part to make believable to be the part where they actually cross the line from thought to action. Until I have at least that much done and I'm sure I'm satisfied with how the narrative flows in that moment, I'm afraid to commit to setting any of the prior story points in stone, in case some subtle change to some earlier detail would make the mood or motivations when they finally get there more believable. Once they cross that line, continuing to explore will be easier, and depend less on what came before or how they got there. Which brings me to my next point:

3. Variety, but having to get there first. Not all of my stories are incest stories, but a large percentage are, and those definitely need to start the relationship from scratch. I tend to prefer incest stories where at least one, if not both, of the siblings start off much more innocent and inexperienced, and then they learn, grow, and explore their sexualities together. On the other hand, one of my top priorities in a story is believability. You can't take characters who have rarely, if ever, had sex before and suddenly throw them into fetishey, kinky, wild crazy monkey sex without developing that comfort and confidence with both themselves and with each other.

Yes, I want to go in a different direction with each of those stories and have a LOT of ideas for sex acts, positions, contexts, and even fetishes to explore, but they have to build up to it naturally. I find that the 'first time' stories, even good first time stories, are all generally pretty similar in mood and tone. At least, the first time stories that I find myself able to write believably are. And one can only write phrases such as "tentatively placed her hand directly on the rigid flesh of his bare cock" or "cautiously let his tongue slide out from between his lips to explore between her folds" or "never imagined it could feel this good, especially not with her own brother" so many times before it starts feeling repetitive and samey.

4. Balancing similar-but-different with variety. Okay, so I like a LOT of different kinds of sex. Different moods, different speeds, different contexts. The first story I posted is a slow build up, third-person, I/T piece set in the 70s with a loving brother emotionally supporting a distraught sister. A bit of a twist reveal about why she's struggled so much leads to some pretty gentle and extremely romantic sex. It got 40k views and 20 comments in the first week (up to 50k and 35 now) and never had its rating drop below I think a 4.56 at the lowest.

The other story I posted was more of a quick intro to the character's sexual history and then get right into it, first-person, piece, with much less specific chronological anchoring, and a fight with make-up sex that veers just slightly toward the aggressive and vindictive side. It's in the BDSM category, though only because that's where it fit best. It isn't really the typical fare that you would find under that heading. That one got only a couple thousand views in the first week, STILL has zero comments, and only managed to finally scrape itself up above a 4.5 rating this past week, when it's seen a small uptick in viewership.

While it's true that I made the conscious decision, when I started writing, that I would be writing the stories that I myself would want to read and wouldn't make narrative decisions based on what might be more popular, it's still a bit disheartening to not even get a few comments from people telling me that they really liked the sensuality of it, or that the concept was really interesting, or that they liked the humorous pop culture reference that I'd thrown in there, or SOMETHING.

I get it, the second story wouldn't really have fit the expectations of either the people finding it through that category or the small following that accumulated from my first story, being that it was a very different style, tone, setting, mood, relationship, presentation, everything. I didn't really expect it to do nearly as well as the first, but I would really have liked at least SOME feedback or interaction on it. Since then, I've found myself thinking 'which of these stories would be the least unexpected for people to see me post next?' And I know it's stupid. I should just post whatever I like and eventually the people who like my eclectic style will find and follow me, some people will only read a subset of what I post, and still others will avoid my unpredictable chaos entirely, and that's all okay. The self-doubt is also really less about 'what would people like' and more about 'what would I MYSELF like to see next if I were just a following myself as a writer and not actually me?' It leads to me jumping around between the different works in progress, doing little bits on each, but never really making solid progress, because all of them feel like the 'wrong' one to be working on next.

5. Difficulty Channeling Alternate Personalities. In truth, this one is less being trapped by the breadth of my own imagination and more one of the few areas where I wish I could expand it further. I'm not so easily able to write characters with differing personalities, so it kind of all comes back to how I would respond were I that character in that situation with those experiences and that backstory. I find believable dialogue challenging. I once managed to get into a mode where I really got into a groove channeling an extremely flirtatious, outgoing, and (in my opinion) witty and charming woman and actually found myself kind of falling in love with her before I realized that the mood didn't really work for the story I had been trying to tell and had to dial her back. And maybe I'll bring her back in some other story, but the point is that I don't really know how to intentionally get into a different personality mode, or how to do a variety of them. It seems like writers really do need to learn how to be several different people all at the same time. Perhaps I should sign up for a beginner's acting class or something...

Overall, I'm finding writing to be a lot more complicated than I had initially expected. Definitely enjoyable, and definitely providing the additional outlet for self-exploration that I so desperately needed in my life, but complicated all the same. So I've been wondering if anyone else has encountered any of these challenges, and if they have any strategies for overcoming them? Thanks.

 

[TheLobster]

Anyone else have this problem? I've only got two posted stories, but I'm sitting here with 18 drafts, about a dozen of which are legitimate stories or outlines in various stages of completion.

I believe @StillStunned might know someone who has exactly this problem

1. Sequel Syndrome.

If you already have plenty of ideas for a follow-up when you're just finishing the "first" part of the story, it probably means what you think of a complete narrative really isn't. Hold off publishing until you have sorted out the entire series -- be it by actually writing multiple parts, or at least tracing the steps of all those plot bunnies and seeing that they're likely going nowhere after all.

2. Fear of Commitment.

This one is simple: only publish complete stories. Write the entire thing before you publish the first chapter.

3. Variety, but having to get there first. Not all of my stories are incest stories, but a large percentage are, and those definitely need to start the relationship from scratch.

That's funny. I find incest stories somewhat easier to write precisely because you don't need to start the relationship from scratch. Your characters are already related (hah), and roughly everyone has an idea what a typical relationship between siblings or parents look like. There is already a basis to build upon; all you have to do is to add enough specific details to the "normal" part of the relationship that it makes the "abnormal" (i.e. sexual) part sufficiently plausible.

The other story (...) STILL has zero comments,

Isn't BDSM on the slower side when it comes to Lit categories? It might be that readers just don't comment much there in general.

I should just post whatever I like and eventually the people who like my eclectic style will find and follow me, some people will only read a subset of what I post, and still others will avoid my unpredictable chaos entirely, and that's all okay.

Exactly that. I write in a plethora of different categories, some of them one-offs, and I like to think I picked up some followers from other stuff and not just incest

5. Difficulty Channeling Alternate Personalities.

I can relate to this. At the end of the day humans aren't all that different, but it's the subtle things that make each of your characters unique. It's sometimes difficult to get into the correct headspace to invoke them.

My usual way of dealing with this difficulty is to write close in 3rd person PoV. This way, there is only really one character whose personality you have to immerse yourself in. Scenes involving multiple characters who talk to each other at length are also relatively easier, since mutual interaction tends to both highlight the specific idiosyncrasies of each person and elide the less distinctive traits that you'd feel obliged to give "proper" treatment in solo settings.

Overall, I'm finding writing to be a lot more complicated than I had initially expected.

Nah, it's easy. All you need to do is select the right words and put them in the right order

 

[ElectricBlue]

Overall, I'm finding writing to be a lot more complicated than I had initially expected. Definitely enjoyable, and definitely providing the additional outlet for self-exploration that I so desperately needed in my life, but complicated all the same. So I've been wondering if anyone else has encountered any of these challenges, and if they have any strategies for overcoming them? Thanks.

To be brutal, stop indulging yourself with a long piece of excuse making like this and write the damn stories. You're doing too much thinking that's not productive.

Your main issue, I think, is that you're planning all these big long interconnected thematic stories, the next great erotic novel. Try something shorter, a whole bunch of short, complete in themselves pieces, very simple, two protagonists meet, do whatever, story done. Get a dozen 4 - 6k stories (2 Lit pages) like that under your belt, different categories, different moods. That way you'll nail your technical chops, find your own voice as a writer, get a bit of a following, learn how to write. Walk before you try running.

Right now, it seems to me that you want to get onto the well travelled conveyor belt of stories we've all read before. Try something different, be yourself, but just write the bloody stories. Right now, you've got the wrong moniker. Should be TheProcrastinator .

 

[TheExperimentalist]

That's funny. I find incest stories somewhat easier to write precisely because you don't need to start the relationship from scratch. Your characters are already related (hah), and roughly everyone has an idea what a typical relationship between siblings or parents look like. There is already a basis to build upon; all you have to do is to add enough specific details to the "normal" part of the relationship that it makes the "abnormal" (i.e. sexual) part sufficiently plausible.

I'm gonna try to say this gently, because you've been quite kind to me in our interactions so far and I don't want to make enemies before I've even had a chance to settle in here but... uh... based on at least the story of yours that you directed me to from the 'hated tropes' thread I... suspect that I may have something of a higher bar than you do for what to consider "sufficiently plausible".

By "relationship" I didn't mean "interaction" I meant "sexual exploration". i.e. Unrelated people can plausibly jump right into sex pretty quickly, depending on the circumstances, but it's not generally something that relatives would do. So, in my opinion, to be believable, the idea of a sexual encounter needs to build up very slowly, feelings and taboos need to be addressed and overcome, and there generally needs to be some impetus that is much stronger than just "they both find each other hot".

As for your suggestion to finish an entire work before posting the first part... that still leaves me with the problem of never posting anything because none of it is EVER done and I may always continue to come up with more. (The multipart sibling saga I mentioned, for instance, is one that I don't really intend to have reach a particular stopping point for the foreseeable future. If it arrives at one naturally, then I'll end up having to wrap it up, but my intent was to have them continue to explore their kinks and fetishes together for a long long time.)

To be brutal, stop indulging yourself with a long piece of excuse making like this and write the damn stories. You're doing too much thinking that's not productive.

Your main issue, I think, is that you're planning all these big long interconnected thematic stories, the next great erotic novel. Try something shorter, a whole bunch of short, complete in themselves pieces, very simple, two protagonists meet, do whatever, story done. Get a dozen 4 - 6k stories (2 Lit pages) like that under your belt, different categories, different moods. That way you'll nail your technical chops, find your own voice as a writer, get a bit of a following, learn how to write. Walk before you try running.

Right now, it seems to me that you want to get onto the well travelled conveyor belt of stories we've all read before. Try something different, be yourself, but just write the bloody stories. Right now, you've got the wrong moniker. Should be TheProcrastinator .

If I was looking for a writing Dom, I'd have asked for one, and degradation isn't my kink. (But conceptually you're probably right in what you're saying.)

 

[StillStunned]

I believe @StillStunned might know someone who has exactly this problem

Hey, my WIPs only outnumber my published stories by 2 to 1!

 

[FidelityBoss]

Anyone else have this problem? I've only got two posted stories, but I'm sitting here with 18 drafts, about a dozen of which are legitimate stories or outlines in various stages of completion. (The other 6 are checklists, reminders, notes, or rambling essays to try to explore my own thoughts that probably no one will ever read.)

I've been itching get at least ONE more of them done and posted sometime soon, and I just haven't been able to. There are a number of reasons for this:

1. Sequel Syndrome. I'm having trouble avoiding that thing where, halfway through a story that I had originally intended as a one-off, I start getting a bunch of ideas for sequels. So I take notes on them, and then don't want to finalize certain scenes in the first installment until I know where the sequel is going to be headed so that I make sure to avoid inconsistencies.

2. Fear of Commitment. Similar problem with the stories that I HAVE planned as multiple parts. I have plans for an ongoing I/T saga with a VERY slow buildup where the siblings don't even broach the topic of their relationship anywhere outside of their own minds until the fourth or fifth installment. I've more or less finished at least two or three installments (still with plenty of, what I hope are, steamy masturbation scenes), but I don't want to edit and post them yet, because in incest stories, I find the hardest part to make believable to be the part where they actually cross the line from thought to action. Until I have at least that much done and I'm sure I'm satisfied with how the narrative flows in that moment, I'm afraid to commit to setting any of the prior story points in stone, in case some subtle change to some earlier detail would make the mood or motivations when they finally get there more believable. Once they cross that line, continuing to explore will be easier, and depend less on what came before or how they got there. Which brings me to my next point:

3. Variety, but having to get there first. Not all of my stories are incest stories, but a large percentage are, and those definitely need to start the relationship from scratch. I tend to prefer incest stories where at least one, if not both, of the siblings start off much more innocent and inexperienced, and then they learn, grow, and explore their sexualities together. On the other hand, one of my top priorities in a story is believability. You can't take characters who have rarely, if ever, had sex before and suddenly throw them into fetishey, kinky, wild crazy monkey sex without developing that comfort and confidence with both themselves and with each other.

Yes, I want to go in a different direction with each of those stories and have a LOT of ideas for sex acts, positions, contexts, and even fetishes to explore, but they have to build up to it naturally. I find that the 'first time' stories, even good first time stories, are all generally pretty similar in mood and tone. At least, the first time stories that I find myself able to write believably are. And one can only write phrases such as "tentatively placed her hand directly on the rigid flesh of his bare cock" or "cautiously let his tongue slide out from between his lips to explore between her folds" or "never imagined it could feel this good, especially not with her own brother" so many times before it starts feeling repetitive and samey.

4. Balancing similar-but-different with variety. Okay, so I like a LOT of different kinds of sex. Different moods, different speeds, different contexts. The first story I posted is a slow build up, third-person, I/T piece set in the 70s with a loving brother emotionally supporting a distraught sister. A bit of a twist reveal about why she's struggled so much leads to some pretty gentle and extremely romantic sex. It got 40k views and 20 comments in the first week (up to 50k and 35 now) and never had its rating drop below I think a 4.56 at the lowest.

The other story I posted was more of a quick intro to the character's sexual history and then get right into it, first-person, piece, with much less specific chronological anchoring, and a fight with make-up sex that veers just slightly toward the aggressive and vindictive side. It's in the BDSM category, though only because that's where it fit best. It isn't really the typical fare that you would find under that heading. That one got only a couple thousand views in the first week, STILL has zero comments, and only managed to finally scrape itself up above a 4.5 rating this past week, when it's seen a small uptick in viewership.

While it's true that I made the conscious decision, when I started writing, that I would be writing the stories that I myself would want to read and wouldn't make narrative decisions based on what might be more popular, it's still a bit disheartening to not even get a few comments from people telling me that they really liked the sensuality of it, or that the concept was really interesting, or that they liked the humorous pop culture reference that I'd thrown in there, or SOMETHING.

I get it, the second story wouldn't really have fit the expectations of either the people finding it through that category or the small following that accumulated from my first story, being that it was a very different style, tone, setting, mood, relationship, presentation, everything. I didn't really expect it to do nearly as well as the first, but I would really have liked at least SOME feedback or interaction on it. Since then, I've found myself thinking 'which of these stories would be the least unexpected for people to see me post next?' And I know it's stupid. I should just post whatever I like and eventually the people who like my eclectic style will find and follow me, some people will only read a subset of what I post, and still others will avoid my unpredictable chaos entirely, and that's all okay. The self-doubt is also really less about 'what would people like' and more about 'what would I MYSELF like to see next if I were just a following myself as a writer and not actually me?' It leads to me jumping around between the different works in progress, doing little bits on each, but never really making solid progress, because all of them feel like the 'wrong' one to be working on next.

5. Difficulty Channeling Alternate Personalities. In truth, this one is less being trapped by the breadth of my own imagination and more one of the few areas where I wish I could expand it further. I'm not so easily able to write characters with differing personalities, so it kind of all comes back to how I would respond were I that character in that situation with those experiences and that backstory. I find believable dialogue challenging. I once managed to get into a mode where I really got into a groove channeling an extremely flirtatious, outgoing, and (in my opinion) witty and charming woman and actually found myself kind of falling in love with her before I realized that the mood didn't really work for the story I had been trying to tell and had to dial her back. And maybe I'll bring her back in some other story, but the point is that I don't really know how to intentionally get into a different personality mode, or how to do a variety of them. It seems like writers really do need to learn how to be several different people all at the same time. Perhaps I should sign up for a beginner's acting class or something...

Overall, I'm finding writing to be a lot more complicated than I had initially expected. Definitely enjoyable, and definitely providing the additional outlet for self-exploration that I so desperately needed in my life, but complicated all the same. So I've been wondering if anyone else has encountered any of these challenges, and if they have any strategies for overcoming them? Thanks.

Wow, you’ve really thought deeply about your writing process, and it’s clear you’re passionate about creating believable, nuanced stories. It’s totally normal to feel overwhelmed by the number of ideas and drafts you have—it’s a sign of a creative mind! Here’s a quick take on your points:

1. Sequel Syndrome: Maybe try outlining the sequels loosely so you can finalize the first story without feeling boxed in. You can always tweak later!
2. Fear of Commitment: For ongoing series, consider writing the pivotal scenes first (like the incest line-crossing) to anchor the story, then build around it.
3. Variety: Mix it up! Alternate between slow-burn and quicker stories to keep things fresh for yourself and your readers. 4. Balancing Similar-but-Different: Don’t stress too much about audience expectations. Write what excites you—your passion will shine through and attract the right readers.
5. Alternate Personalities: Acting classes could help but also try immersing yourself in different characters’ perspectives through reading or even role-playing in your head.

Writing is a journey, and it’s okay to feel stuck sometimes. Keep experimenting, and don’t be afraid to post what feels right to you. The right audience will find you!

 

[gunhilltrain]

Anyone else have this problem? I've only got two posted stories, but I'm sitting here with 18 drafts, about a dozen of which are legitimate stories or outlines in various stages of completion. (The other 6 are checklists, reminders, notes, or rambling essays to try to explore my own thoughts that probably no one will ever read.)

I've been itching get at least ONE more of them done and posted sometime soon, and I just haven't been able to. There are a number of reasons for this:

1. Sequel Syndrome. I'm having trouble avoiding that thing where, halfway through a story that I had originally intended as a one-off, I start getting a bunch of ideas for sequels. So I take notes on them, and then don't want to finalize certain scenes in the first installment until I know where the sequel is going to be headed so that I make sure to avoid inconsistencies.

2. Fear of Commitment. Similar problem with the stories that I HAVE planned as multiple parts. I have plans for an ongoing I/T saga with a VERY slow buildup where the siblings don't even broach the topic of their relationship anywhere outside of their own minds until the fourth or fifth installment. I've more or less finished at least two or three installments (still with plenty of, what I hope are, steamy masturbation scenes), but I don't want to edit and post them yet, because in incest stories, I find the hardest part to make believable to be the part where they actually cross the line from thought to action. Until I have at least that much done and I'm sure I'm satisfied with how the narrative flows in that moment, I'm afraid to commit to setting any of the prior story points in stone, in case some subtle change to some earlier detail would make the mood or motivations when they finally get there more believable. Once they cross that line, continuing to explore will be easier, and depend less on what came before or how they got there. Which brings me to my next point:

I looked at your story list, and the two stories you have did very well (red H's) for the first time out. Also, they are of a reasonable length, I think. That should be enough to motivate anybody to keep going.

I'm not sure why you've had this fit of "overthinking." It does seem like you have too many stories in progress. Some people can handle that, but they are probably a minority. I can only have one or maybe two going actively at once.

Sequels sometimes happen naturally. If you plan out a series, that's fine. But you can't worry about sequels that haven't even occurred to you yet. It's just too much to anticipate. People asked for a certain sequel but I had no plans for one. Somehow a prequel came to mind with the same character twenty years earlier. I had enough info about her (like where she's from) to go back in time.

 

[BobbyBrandt]

Are you writing with pen and paper?

If not, embrace the ability that you have to go back and change course when necessary.

Try story-boarding rather than outlining. You can write scenes, dialogue, and plot twists on virtual index cards (I use an Excel spreadsheet) and then shuffle them around until their sequence flows for the story as you want them too. If an idea comes to you for a climactic scene before you have figured out the rising elements, go ahead and write it. Control+C and Control+V can be a writer's best tools.

 

[VerbalAbuse]

Get a dozen 4 - 6k stories (2 Lit pages) like that under your belt, different categories, different moods[...] you want to get onto the well travelled conveyor belt of stories we've all read before[...]

Try something different, be yourself

There's tension between the two -- writing different things, different categories, different moods -- and being oneself.
If you're trying your hand at different things just to develop your skills, if you practice styles and subjects, you're not being yourself.
And if you are yourself, you many not have all that much to say -- especially if you're looking to come up with something different, something not written already as 10,000 other stories on lit.

Authors like James Clavell have spend their lives writing the same story over and over again -- same (types of) characters in each story, same interpersonal dynamics, same themes, same techniques. There's nothing wrong with that.

 

[ElectricBlue]

There's tension between the two -- writing different things, different categories, different moods -- and being oneself.
If you're trying your hand at different things just to develop your skills, if you practice styles and subjects, you're not being yourself.

My point is, when someone is just starting out as a writer, nine times out of ten they don't have a clue what their natural voice is, what their natural style is. There are many who don't know the basic technical stuff, like grammar and punctuation.

Writing a bunch of small pieces helps one discover those things, prepares the way for writing something more ambitious. It's like doing an apprenticeship first.

 

[VerbalAbuse]

My point is, when someone is just starting out as a writer, nine times out of ten they don't have a clue what their natural voice is, what their natural style is. There are many who don't know the basic technical stuff, like grammar and punctuation.

Writing a bunch of small pieces helps one discover those things, prepares the way for writing something more ambitious. It's like doing an apprenticeship first.

That's what I'm saying. You don't aim for authenticity when doing your apprenticeship.

 

[lovecraft68]

The answer is to just relax, write, and see where it goes and where it will go will begin to define a stye you have organically created without "but, what about, how..."

To be clear I am saying just do it, in the purest sense as opposed to EB who is saying don't overthink, and I agree, but then proceeds to tell the OP exactly how to do it, which means thinking.

I am the simplest writer in this forum, 17 years into writing, and I still write raw as in "Hey, that sounds good, I'm going to do it" and where it goes it goes.

No over thinking, no worry about length, should it be chaptered, this isn't consistent, I should try this, I should do that, what if, why if how if...

FFS some people here take writing, which is a gift from the creative powers that be and should be fun and turn it into a complicated mess with more than a dash of pretentiousness.

Relax, and don't write the story, let it write you.

It's that simple if you let it be.

They have those cheesy sayings "Dance like no one's watching." well, write like no one's reading. Make yourself happy first, then decide if you care what others think.

Pick a path and go. You can always try different things once you've learned to do one thing.

 

[Cagivagurl]

When writing a long series story. My advice is (I am no writing expert BTW).
Don't publish the first one until the last is finished.
If you start releasing the earlier ones before the last ones are finished. You run the risk of putting pressure on yourself to finish.
If that happens, the writing becomes more difficult. You've placed expectations on yourself...
It might start to feel like work...
What I do, is. Write it as one story... If after completing you feel it's too long (It never is BTW). To post as one story, then you can break it up into several segments, or chapters...

As an avid reader, my personal experience is.
I don't even start reading multiple chaptered stories any more. I've been let down by authors in the past where they either get sick of it, or just can't be bothered finishing.
If it's a long story, I just immerse myself in it.

Your other concerns are only natural, and what all creators go through. The internal assessment...
The only way through this is in this case... WRITE, and keep writing... If you feel like you have a voice and there's a story to be told...
Tell it... Write it. Enjoy the process...
If you can't do the last bit, it will be very hard work..

Cagivagurl

 

[TheExperimentalist]

Wow, you’ve really thought deeply about your writing process, and it’s clear you’re passionate about creating believable, nuanced stories. It’s totally normal to feel overwhelmed by the number of ideas and drafts you have—it’s a sign of a creative mind! Here’s a quick take on your points:

1. Sequel Syndrome: Maybe try outlining the sequels loosely so you can finalize the first story without feeling boxed in. You can always tweak later!
2. Fear of Commitment: For ongoing series, consider writing the pivotal scenes first (like the incest line-crossing) to anchor the story, then build around it.
3. Variety: Mix it up! Alternate between slow-burn and quicker stories to keep things fresh for yourself and your readers. 4. Balancing Similar-but-Different: Don’t stress too much about audience expectations. Write what excites you—your passion will shine through and attract the right readers.
5. Alternate Personalities: Acting classes could help but also try immersing yourself in different characters’ perspectives through reading or even role-playing in your head.

Writing is a journey, and it’s okay to feel stuck sometimes. Keep experimenting, and don’t be afraid to post what feels right to you. The right audience will find you!

Thanks for taking the time to address my concerns seriously and directly. I do tend to outline loosely, and definitely jump around to try to write the pivotal stuff first, but there's kind of a back and forth where I write a later scene, it feels like it needs a bit more context, so I either write or outline the earlier scene, but then when I'm writing that one the role-play leads somewhere slightly different, so I have to go back to the future scene and readjust... lather, rinse, repeat, and suddenly you're stuck in the shower forever because you didn't know "repeat" didn't mean forever...

Wait, where was I going with this? Anyway, I do like your suggestions of balancing shorter stories with longer ones. I had considered that but I my gut reaction was that I want to be writing stories with depth rather than strokers... but I was thinking that just because a story is short doesn't mean that it can't have depth. Over the weekend I came up with premises for three or four more stories that can be shorter and more self-contained while still having some depths, and I'm going to write a quick outline for each so I don't forget and then sit down and pick ONE to focus on. So thanks for that.

I looked at your story list, and the two stories you have did very well (red H's) for the first time out. Also, they are of a reasonable length, I think. That should be enough to motivate anybody to keep going.

I'm not sure why you've had this fit of "overthinking." It does seem like you have too many stories in progress. Some people can handle that, but they are probably a minority. I can only have one or maybe two going actively at once.

Sequels sometimes happen naturally. If you plan out a series, that's fine. But you can't worry about sequels that haven't even occurred to you yet. It's just too much to anticipate. People asked for a certain sequel but I had no plans for one. Somehow a prequel came to mind with the same character twenty years earlier. I had enough info about her (like where she's from) to go back in time.

Thanks. The second one did take a while to get itself up to the 4.5 that, as far as I can tell, is the criterion to get the red H, but if you're saying that's rare then pff, I'll take it and just take the lack of comments as a sign that no one had any complaints.

Are you writing with pen and paper?

If not, embrace the ability that you have to go back and change course when necessary.

Try story-boarding rather than outlining. You can write scenes, dialogue, and plot twists on virtual index cards (I use an Excel spreadsheet) and then shuffle them around until their sequence flows for the story as you want them too. If an idea comes to you for a climactic scene before you have figured out the rising elements, go ahead and write it. Control+C and Control+V can be a writer's best tools.

Thanks. I definitely do shift stuff around... I have completely switched the order of whole days worth of story because I found that it flowed more realistically. The idea of having a more manageable method for shuffling stuff around by using index cards is a thought I hadn't considered, thanks.

The answer is to just relax, write, and see where it goes and where it will go will begin to define a stye you have organically created without "but, what about, how..."

To be clear I am saying just do it, in the purest sense as opposed to EB who is saying don't overthink, and I agree, but then proceeds to tell the OP exactly how to do it, which means thinking.

I am the simplest writer in this forum, 17 years into writing, and I still write raw as in "Hey, that sounds good, I'm going to do it" and where it goes it goes.

No over thinking, no worry about length, should it be chaptered, this isn't consistent, I should try this, I should do that, what if, why if how if...

FFS some people here take writing, which is a gift from the creative powers that be and should be fun and turn it into a complicated mess with more than a dash of pretentiousness.

Relax, and don't write the story, let it write you.

It's that simple if you let it be.

They have those cheesy sayings "Dance like no one's watching." well, write like no one's reading. Make yourself happy first, then decide if you care what others think.

Pick a path and go. You can always try different things once you've learned to do one thing.

I gotta say, I'm a little starstruck right now, if that's not weird. I've read a lot of your stories, and I also read your guide on writing good incest before I started. I don't really know the community dynamics around here yet, but in my head you're kind of a legend... so... uh... pleased to meet you, I guess!






To everyone else who seem to all concur that I'm overthinking and should just go with the flow, then that's what I guess I should do. And I know that like... writing stupid porn stories on the internet isn't really all that important in the grand scheme of things, but if I'm going to be creating something, I want to create the best something that I can possibly create. It's a problem, I've always suffered from chronic perfectionism. But perhaps I should just force myself to be content with writing some quicker, less elaborate works just to flex the writing muscles and save the overthinking for the works that I really want to put my heart and soul into... (Hey, baby steps, right?)

Anyway, thanks for the replies, everyone, even if I didn't reply to you by name. Very much appreciated. I guess I'd better just get back to work rather than continuing to yammer here.

 

[lovecraft68]

I gotta say, I'm a little starstruck right now, if that's not weird. I've read a lot of your stories, and I also read your guide on writing good incest before I started. I don't really know the community dynamics around here yet, but in my head you're kind of a legend... so... uh... pleased to meet you, I guess!

Wow, I need to hire you as a hype man.

Good to meet you to, hope you stick around the forum.

 

[TheExperimentalist]

Wow, I need to hire you as a hype man.

Hang in there, the idea overload and struggle to pick a path will clear itself up over time, in the meantime just write what calls to you most and go from there.

Haha! Happy to, but I'm afraid that I might just end up dithering forever about the best way to keep the hype I drum up consistent

Thanks again.

 

[TheExperimentalist]

I should also maybe clarify, this isn't my first serious creative endeavor, but most of them haven't been solely text, nor have their believability been this heavily rooted in interpersonal interaction. Some aspects of what I've done before translate over easily, but many don't.

(ETA: And yes, I overthought those things just as much before I found my groove there too.)

 

[Britva415]

That's what I'm saying. You don't aim for authenticity when doing your apprenticeship.

I mean, you can. "Don't be authentic" isn't some kind of a rule for noobs.

 

[FidelityBoss]

Thanks for taking the time to address my concerns seriously and directly. I do tend to outline loosely, and definitely jump around to try to write the pivotal stuff first, but there's kind of a back and forth where I write a later scene, it feels like it needs a bit more context, so I either write or outline the earlier scene, but then when I'm writing that one the role-play leads somewhere slightly different, so I have to go back to the future scene and readjust... lather, rinse, repeat, and suddenly you're stuck in the shower forever because you didn't know "repeat" didn't mean forever...

Wait, where was I going with this? Anyway, I do like your suggestions of balancing shorter stories with longer ones. I had considered that but I my gut reaction was that I want to be writing stories with depth rather than strokers... but I was thinking that just because a story is short doesn't mean that it can't have depth. Over the weekend I came up with premises for three or four more stories that can be shorter and more self-contained while still having some depths, and I'm going to write a quick outline for each so I don't forget and then sit down and pick ONE to focus on. So thanks for that

You’re on the right track! Balancing shorter, self-contained stories with depth alongside longer projects is a great strategy. It keeps creativity flowing and builds momentum. Outlining those new ideas is smart, focus on one at a time to avoid getting stuck in the “shower loop.” Keep experimenting and adjusting; you’ve got this!

 

[FidelityBoss]

When writing a long series story. My advice is (I am no writing expert BTW).
Don't publish the first one until the last is finished.
If you start releasing the earlier ones before the last ones are finished. You run the risk of putting pressure on yourself to finish.
If that happens, the writing becomes more difficult. You've placed expectations on yourself...
It might start to feel like work...
What I do, is. Write it as one story... If after completing you feel it's too long (It never is BTW). To post as one story, then you can break it up into several segments, or chapters...

As an avid reader, my personal experience is.
I don't even start reading multiple chaptered stories any more. I've been let down by authors in the past where they either get sick of it, or just can't be bothered finishing.
If it's a long story, I just immerse myself in it.

Your other concerns are only natural, and what all creators go through. The internal assessment...
The only way through this is in this case... WRITE, and keep writing... If you feel like you have a voice and there's a story to be told...
Tell it... Write it. Enjoy the process...
If you can't do the last bit, it will be very hard work..

Cagivagurl

Solid advice! Writing the entire series before publishing avoids pressure and keeps the creative process enjoyable. Breaking it into chapters later works well for readers who prefer shorter segments. And you’re right, writing should be fun, not feel like a chore. Trust your voice, tell your story, and enjoy the journey.

 

[Nynah]

but if I'm going to be creating something, I want to create the best something that I can possibly create. It's a problem, I've always suffered from chronic perfectionism. But perhaps I should just force myself to be content with writing some quicker, less elaborate works just to flex the writing muscles and save the overthinking for the works that I really want to put my heart and soul into... (Hey, baby steps, right?)

High five, fellow perfectionist.

The beauty (this term is used loosely) of Lit is that there are so many types of writers who publish here. You have people who write novel length works and you have people who write barely enough to fit one page. You have those who write amazingly in-depth characters and descriptions and populate their worlds with detail and attention. You also have those who just get straight to the action with very little preamble or world-building. You have those who write with the lushest prose and wonderful wordplay. And you have those who write with simple phrases that are just meant to get the point across.

Every type of writer has a place here. Personally I find it easier to split the difference between all the examples I listed above and find a balance that works for me because otherwise I'll spend too much time trying to be that amazing author who writes novel-length works with descriptiveness out the wazoo and the artsiest prose.

Don't be afraid to put your work out there, even if you don't think it's the best. I can guarantee you that there's a lot worse stuff that's been put on this website. Everyone has had great advice in this thread. Give new ideas a shot and stretch your creative muscles. You'll find your style eventually but only if you let yourself try first.

 

[ICantLeafYou]

Try story-boarding rather than outlining. You can write scenes, dialogue, and plot twists on virtual index cards (I use an Excel spreadsheet) and then shuffle them around until their sequence flows for the story as you want them too. If an idea comes to you for a climactic scene before you have figured out the rising elements, go ahead and write it. Control+C and Control+V can be a writer's best tools.

I write whatever part of the story the muses are shouting about first, whether it's in the middle or the beginning or whatever. I'll often move pieces around eventually to somewhere else in the story.

My WIPs generally look something like:

"Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet. Ex temporibus officia sit nostrum reiciendis sed saepe aliquam qui facilis quam ut alias molestiae. Eos quasi reprehenderit et quaerat rerum et maiores asperiores ut rerum laborum.

~~~~~~~

Ut ullam tempora sit inventore soluta et delectus laudantium sed laborum omnis [WORD]. 33 voluptas galisum sit sint ipsum sed illo aliquid a nihil recusandae ea quae commodi quo doloribus fuga [CHARACTER THOUGHTS?].

~~~~~~~

Et iusto aliquam ut distinctio alias ad vitae accusamus ut eaque debitis et dolorum galisum id voluptatem vero rem placeat odio."

If I can't think of a word [thanks, aphasia!], I just skip it and input [WORD] or similar. If I'm skipping part of a scene, I input ~~~~~ to show that it needs to be filled in later. The more I write, the more gaps get filled in and it all comes together nicely by the end.

 

[TheExperimentalist]

I write whatever part of the story the muses are shouting about first, whether it's in the middle or the beginning or whatever. I'll often move pieces around eventually to somewhere else in the story.

My WIPs generally look something like:

"Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet. Ex temporibus officia sit nostrum reiciendis sed saepe aliquam qui facilis quam ut alias molestiae. Eos quasi reprehenderit et quaerat rerum et maiores asperiores ut rerum laborum.

~~~~~~~

Ut ullam tempora sit inventore soluta et delectus laudantium sed laborum omnis [WORD]. 33 voluptas galisum sit sint ipsum sed illo aliquid a nihil recusandae ea quae commodi quo doloribus fuga [CHARACTER THOUGHTS?].

~~~~~~~

Et iusto aliquam ut distinctio alias ad vitae accusamus ut eaque debitis et dolorum galisum id voluptatem vero rem placeat odio."

If I can't think of a word [thanks, aphasia!], I just skip it and input [WORD] or similar. If I'm skipping part of a scene, I input ~~~~~ to show that it needs to be filled in later. The more I write, the more gaps get filled in and it all comes together nicely by the end.

I don't lorem ipsum it, but I do this a lot, including the brackets. Stuff like:

"Gross??? Nah, I actually think it would be pretty hot," she [?????], her sapphire eyes flashing that same horny glint from earlier.

[Some response indicating surprise. She reasserts.]

"But would you want to actually try it?" he asked[????? maybe better word than "asked" here?], suddenly aware that there was a very real possibility that he might be experiencing his darkest fantasy within the next few minutes.

"Yes," she replied huskily, sending his excitement soaring[?????this phrasing sucks. Come up with something better.]. "But not today. I'll want to prepare properly first. Maybe Saturday..."

"Saturday it is."

He found himself a little let down, but not terribly so. He had waited this long, he could wait another three [????? might need to change this if the order of the days gets adjusted] days.

"But in the meantime, we can still have other fun..." she [?????] playfully, rolling back over on top of him.

[?????More sex here, playful, not entirely sure what. Then a brief description of the next few days.]








By the time Saturday came around, he was walking around in a complete haze. [????? blah blah blah, necessary filler. They get ready, they get each other naked, you know the drill.]







Finally, she was ready. Face to face with both his greatest fantasy and his greatest fear, he once again questioned whether he ought to back out.

"How are you feeling?" she asked.

"Nervous, but excited," he [?????].

"Me too."

And yes, if You're wondering, I just wrote that on the fly as an example, but it's true to form for how I write. I often leave large gaps of white space to indicate "a lot of missing narrative that still needs to be filled in here" and I use five question marks to make the things that still need filling in easier to search for. (Even with strong emotion, I have a limit of three punctuation marks in a row, so five will only ever appear in notes.)

 

[gunhilltrain]

Thanks for taking the time to address my concerns seriously and directly. I do tend to outline loosely, and definitely jump around to try to write the pivotal stuff first, but there's kind of a back and forth where I write a later scene, it feels like it needs a bit more context, so I either write or outline the earlier scene, but then when I'm writing that one the role-play leads somewhere slightly different, so I have to go back to the future scene and readjust... lather, rinse, repeat, and suddenly you're stuck in the shower forever because you didn't know "repeat" didn't mean forever...

Wait, where was I going with this? Anyway, I do like your suggestions of balancing shorter stories with longer ones. I had considered that but I my gut reaction was that I want to be writing stories with depth rather than strokers... but I was thinking that just because a story is short doesn't mean that it can't have depth. Over the weekend I came up with premises for three or four more stories that can be shorter and more self-contained while still having some depths, and I'm going to write a quick outline for each so I don't forget and then sit down and pick ONE to focus on. So thanks for that.


Thanks. The second one did take a while to get itself up to the 4.5 that, as far as I can tell, is the criterion to get the red H, but if you're saying that's rare then pff, I'll take it and just take the lack of comments as a sign that no one had any complaints.

Red H's are not that rare. Some people collect a lot of them, while others have none. There is speculation that they are easier to get by meeting "reader expectations." Others scoff at that as "pandering." Comments can be hard to get, except for Loving Wives. This is a huge site, with a large ridership, and most of them don't bother with detailed analysis. They almost never respond again to anything you may comment in return, but it's worth thanking a person for a complimentary comment.

You can always ask in Story Feedback for more - well, feedback - and usually people will respond.

As for scores, if it comes out as a 4.00 or above, I'm contented.

 

[SimonDoom]

I would start by making it easy on yourself. I agree with EB that too many newbies get wrapped around the axle because they have these huge ambitious novel ideas they want to express. Start by just writing short stories. Don't think about it too much. This is how I do it. I just think, wouldn't it be sexy if somebody did THIS, and then I plan the story, come up with the characters, and get writing. I don't think about sequels and chapters in most cases. By concentrating on short stories you get things done, you get feedback more promptly, and you give yourself the chance to improve and breathe.