Resources for becoming a better writer?

[Yogma]

I started off writing stories for myself (and it is still my main driving force), so initially the main part of my enjoyment was just to come up with the erotic scenes or explore how a person ended up in the position they are in the story. At the time the act of getting the story from my head onto the page was merely a semi-pleasureable technical challenge. However, having been writing for a couple years now, my view on the process has changed slightly, so I now actually want to get better at the writing part.

To that end, does anyone have any book recomendations related to creative writing that fits in with our choosen field?

Because I came to writing in a hapazard way, I feel that everything from sentence structure all the way up to world-building would be useful to me at the moment.

Thanks.

 

[StillStunned]

Honestly, a good place to start would be the various threads here in the Authors' Hangout:

On Writing threads, collated
Self-editing for authors
A place to discuss the craft of writing: tricks, philosophies, styles
(I'm not honking my own horn here: the threads are the combined wisdom and experience of dozens of posters and writers. Not everything will work for everyone, but it's useful to be aware of some of the issues and solutions, and if you see something useful you can make it your own.)

You can probably also learn a lot from reading reviews in the Story Feedback forum:
Anthy's Authorial Advice - The AAA Review Thread
Yowser Yelps
AwkwardMD and Omenainen Review Thread

 

[Cagivagurl]

If I could offer one singular piece of advice...

Search out a group of friends who you trust to read, and help edit your creations...

The best thing that happened to me was finding such people. They helped me, urged me on, criticised and cajoled. I am atrociously hopeless regarding grammar, and the craft of writing it self leaves me floundering.
I have though been blessed to have found friends I can lean on. People whose knowledge and skills far exceeding my own.
Having such amazing friends allows me the freedom to just try and tell the story...
I have always questioned and doubted that I have any talent aside from scribbling garbled crap, but I met and became great friends with a couple of people that encouraged and pushed me.
For those people I am eternally grateful...

My advice.... Find some friends to help, and if you are lucky enough that they are also great writers (As was my case) Listen to them, let them guide you...

Cagivagurl

 

[Duil2]

I'm part of the volunteer editor's program on Literotica and at the attached link there is a plethora of possibly helpful articles and how to guides on all aspects of writing. The resources available on Lit are HERE

My advice would be to pick one aspect you'd like to improve at a time, and focus on that for a few stories. Read up on that one aspect and when you feel more proficient in it, move onto something else.

Also, loosely linked to what @Cagivagurl advised, as a volunteer editor, I'd be more than happy to read over any works in progress you have, to try to help and guide you. I've been writing for about thirty years, all told, and have taken a few more generically focused courses online through over the years.
Through places like Reedsy and the Institute of Continuing Education from the University of Cambridge, along with the Writer's Bureau Comprehensive Writing Course and some Guardian Masterclasses. I'm not sure I've ever come across anything specifically about writing erotica, outside Literotica, but I can't say I've really looked.

Good luck with your future endeavours but another piece of advice I'd give, is to be a little careful about getting too hung up on the 'rules of writing'. Naturally, you want it to be grammatically correct, readable, enjoyable and evoke emotions or reactions in your readers, but sometimes trying to make your writing really good, can smother your creativity.
I learned that the hard way and now I've pretty much thrown the rule-books out the window. Of course, if some of the rules have imbedded in my brain and I happen to apply them, then yay, but I don't beat myself or my works up if not.

Best of luck

 

[EmilyMiller]

I started off writing stories for myself (and it is still my main driving force), so initially the main part of my enjoyment was just to come up with the erotic scenes or explore how a person ended up in the position they are in the story. At the time the act of getting the story from my head onto the page was merely a semi-pleasureable technical challenge. However, having been writing for a couple years now, my view on the process has changed slightly, so I now actually want to get better at the writing part.

To that end, does anyone have any book recomendations related to creative writing that fits in with our choosen field?

Because I came to writing in a hapazard way, I feel that everything from sentence structure all the way up to world-building would be useful to me at the moment.

Thanks.

This may not be the answer you want, but just write. Write and write and write. Try things. Challenge yourself. Be prepared to fail and fail and fail (insert Beckett quote here). Learn a little each time.

As an ex-scientist, I’m big on book learning, but it only gets you so far with something organic as writing. What works is writing.

The other element is feedback. Not the, “That’s so good,” variety, but also not the, “here are ten reasons you suck, it’s tough love, baby,” either. Something in the middle. Supportive but not shying away from highlighting areas for improvement.

That’s mainly done best with people you have a degree of established trust with. So try to make friends and acquaintances.

Good luck

 

[yowser]

There's a handful of books on writing you might find helpful on the Litbook list I've compiled at
https://www.librarything.com/catalog/Litbooks (use the tab at the left labeled 'all collections' and choose 'writing.')

Two in particular are Susie Bright's How to Write a Dirty Story: Reading, Writing, and Publishing Erotica
and The Emotional Craft of Fiction: How to Write the Story Beneath the Surface by Donald Maass

 

[NotWise]

@StillStunned already listed local sources.

There's a ton of advice available on the 'net, but you need to ask specific questions in order to use it, and then you need to filter through a range of answers.

"How to end a story," is a good example. It's also a case where Google's AI summary isn't very useful because of the range of answers, the complexity of the solutions, and the limited applicability of different methods.

 

[BobbyBrandt]

Honestly, a good place to start would be the various threads here in the Authors' Hangout:

On Writing threads, collated
Self-editing for authors
A place to discuss the craft of writing: tricks, philosophies, styles
(I'm not honking my own horn here: the threads are the combined wisdom and experience of dozens of posters and writers. Not everything will work for everyone, but it's useful to be aware of some of the issues and solutions, and if you see something useful you can make it your own.)

You can probably also learn a lot from reading reviews in the Story Feedback forum:
Anthy's Authorial Advice - The AAA Review Thread
Yowser Yelps
AwkwardMD and Omenainen Review Thread

I would also recommend browsing through the "How-To" category on Lit. There are several useful articles that, unlike generic writing advice, are tailored more to what works best here.

 

[SimonDoom]

If you are an American author, I recommend the Chicago Manual of Style. You can get it in hardcover, or an online version. It's huge and intimidating, but it is THE grammar and style guide for American fiction, and it's very comprehensive. I've had many questions on grammar and style answered by referring to this guide.

There are a variety of writing guides among the "how to" essays published at this site, and I recommend them.

I like Elmore Leonard's short book "10 Rules of Writing." Of course, any book with a title like that should be taken with a healthy dose of salt. Writing cannot be reduced to simple, universal rules. But it's still useful advice.

My number one piece of advice is to be curious and to do your homework. You can ask for advice, but the best way to learn more is to seek information on your own. Fortunately, the Internet provides tools to do that to an infinite degree.

 

[consistentlyrepudiated]

I recommend the Chicago Manual of Style.

Which reminds me 5.250: Glossary of Problematic Words and Phrases...

 

[WaxPhilosophic]

To do it on the cheap, look up Brandon Sanderson on Youtube. His university lectures have been recorded and uploaded.

If you don't mind paying a little, find a creative writing course at your local college/university. Getting feedback from someone who actually knows what they're talking about is invaluable.

Read. Read. Read. Not the crap here. We're all a bunch of amateur hacks. Read classics or best sellers from an era you're interested in.

Write. Write. Write. Like everything, you get better with practice.

 

[Duil2]

Which reminds me 5.250: Glossary of Problematic Words and Phrases...

View attachment 2620906

Every day is a school day.

 

[Voboy]

Read. A lot. Read good stuff written by talented authors. They know all the things you're struggling to do, OP, and their books are a demonstration of hundreds of good ways to do those things. Pay attention to how they string words together, how they describe rooms, how they construct sentences. Then, read some more.

You'll write more fluently because you'll have been steeped in how words can (or maybe "should") flow on the page. Best of all, if you have a library card, your only investment is time.

Failing that? Work on verbs. The one thing I pay attention to in my own writing is verbs. I always try to make them stronger. Other than that, I'm a HUGE believer that writers need to develop their own organic ways of doing things like plotting, outlining, editing, etc. All of that will be easier if you understand the language, and you do that by... reading.

 

[StillStunned]

Read. A lot. Read good stuff written by talented authors. They know all the things you're struggling to do, OP, and their books are a demonstration of hundreds of good ways to do those things. Pay attention to how they string words together, how they describe rooms, how they construct sentences. Then, read some more.

And when you've read the good stuff, read the bad stuff. See if you can spot *why* it's bad.

(And by "bad", I suppose I also mean "styles that aren't what you aspire to". You can learn a lot from seeing how you don't want to write.)

 

[Duil2]

And when you've read the good stuff, read the bad stuff. See if you can spot *why* it's bad.

(And by "bad", I suppose I also mean "styles that aren't what you aspire to". You can learn a lot from seeing how you don't want to write.)

I second that - I've certainly learned as much from reading something bad and thinking, 'no that's not right, or I don't like that' but then trying to figure out why. Sometimes I even try to re-write to see if I can make it better. Better still is when you recognize something in someone's writing that you can see doesn't work and realize you do that yourself.

 

[caleb35]

If you are an American author, I recommend the Chicago Manual of Style. You can get it in hardcover, or an online version. It's huge and intimidating, but it is THE grammar and style guide for American fiction, and it's very comprehensive. I've had many questions on grammar and style answered by referring to this guide.

There are a variety of writing guides among the "how to" essays published at this site, and I recommend them.

I like Elmore Leonard's short book "10 Rules of Writing." Of course, any book with a title like that should be taken with a healthy dose of salt. Writing cannot be reduced to simple, universal rules. But it's still useful advice.

My number one piece of advice is to be curious and to do your homework. You can ask for advice, but the best way to learn more is to seek information on your own. Fortunately, the Internet provides tools to do that to an infinite degree.

I second the suggestion to learn Leonard's 10 rules -- whether you agree with them all or not, or disagree on how far you want to go in implementing, they're still great advice. In the same vein, I recommend Stephen King's On Writing. I still think it's the best thing he's ever written; same as with Leonard, even if you disagree with some of King's advice, it's all worth learning. One of the first things that King recommends is reading and using The Elements of Style by Strunk and White. It's one of the best style/grammar books out there (Chicago Manual of Style is outstanding but I use it only occasionally as needed; I think Elements is better suited for a more introductory, general style book).

One thing King and Leonard agree on is to use a direct, plain style of writing. It used to be long ago that flowery prose was all the vogue -- don't do that. Write so that you're clear, so that the reader gets what you're trying to communicate. As you get more practice/familiarity/confidence, you can embellish your prose where you see fit, but that comes with time and experience.

Remember the four pillars of a good story -- characterization; plot; description; dialogue. Every author/writer is better in some areas than others but all are important. Work on practicing those areas that you're not as strong in. Being an erotic literature website, description is arguably a tad more important than the other categories but honestly all are vital.

Others have recommended reading as much as you can and they're completely correct (and you'll find many published authors also sharing that advice). The more you read, the more you learn of various styles and approaches; you learn what works and what doesn't. Last but not least, reading other stories inspires you in the creation of your own.

Last but most important bit -- just start writing. Put words on pen (screen). Keep doing it. The actual process of writing is the hardest part so just keep grinding away and pushing that wheel. You'll surprise yourself with what you can accomplish.

 

[StillStunned]

Probably the fastest way to become a better writer is to find an obscure author whose writing you admire and then stealing their work.

 

[consistentlyrepudiated]

One thing King and Leonard agree on is to use a direct, plain style of writing. It used to be long ago that flowery prose was all the vogue -- don't do that. Write so that you're clear, so that the reader gets what you're trying to communicate. As you get more practice/familiarity/confidence, you can embellish your prose where you see fit, but that comes with time and experience.

That's great advice for writing bestsellers, not necessarily for becoming a better writer. Catering to the lowest common denominator might make you popular, but it won't make you better. Thrillers, plain dramas -- sure, plain and direct works. But some stories need a different approach.

Philip K. Dick had a dense, archaic, almost gritty style. It takes time to get used to; he forces you to stop and think, to ponder. He doesn't flow. He wasn't a bestseller. If not for Blade Runner, he'd probably have been forgotten. But he was a literary giant.

OP, if you want to become a better writer, read his work. Read it s-l-o-w-l-y. Study his phrasing, his syntax, his vocabulary, his dialogues, his brilliant use of adverbs. Then move on to the next giant.

King and Leonard are good. Read them too, just don't confuse readable with good, or popular with great.

 

[caleb35]

That's great advice for writing bestsellers, not necessarily for becoming a better writer. Catering to the lowest common denominator might make you popular, but it won't make you better. Thrillers, plain dramas -- sure, plain and direct works. But some stories need a different approach.

Philip K. Dick had a dense, archaic, almost gritty style. It takes time to get used to; he forces you to stop and think, to ponder. He doesn't flow. He wasn't a bestseller. If not for Blade Runner, he'd probably have been forgotten. But he was a literary giant.

OP, if you want to become a better writer, read his work. Read it s-l-o-w-l-y. Study his phrasing, his syntax, his vocabulary, his dialogues, his brilliant use of adverbs. Then move on to the next giant.

King and Leonard are good. Read them too, just don't confuse readable with good, or popular with great.

Okay, this is just flat out wrong and insulting to boot. I am not suggesting to anyone that they cater "to the lowest common denominator." Having a clear, direct style is not just for the masses. It's a good idea for most writers, particularly ones who might be newer or starting out. Is it the only way to go? Hell no. Once the writer becomes confident of what their style is, confident of what to describe in depth and elaborate on and what not to, then they should explore their style. But the bottom line for any writer should be, have I successfully communicated what I wanted to in this scene? The best way to ensure that is to start with a clear and direct style.

Readable IS good. You are not out here trying to prove to everyone how smart you are -- well, maybe you are, I don't know. You're trying to tell a fucking story. Popular is not always great, but sometimes POPULAR IS GREAT, and that's fine too.

Lastly, I don't object whatsoever to you offering advice to OP, but you didn't need to piss all over my post to do so. In closing, go fuck yourself.

 

[AwkwardlySet]

That's great advice for writing bestsellers, not necessarily for becoming a better writer. Catering to the lowest common denominator might make you popular, but it won't make you better. Thrillers, plain dramas -- sure, plain and direct works. But some stories need a different approach.

Philip K. Dick had a dense, archaic, almost gritty style. It takes time to get used to; he forces you to stop and think, to ponder. He doesn't flow. He wasn't a bestseller. If not for Blade Runner, he'd probably have been forgotten. But he was a literary giant.

OP, if you want to become a better writer, read his work. Read it s-l-o-w-l-y. Study his phrasing, his syntax, his vocabulary, his dialogues, his brilliant use of adverbs. Then move on to the next giant.

King and Leonard are good. Read them too, just don't confuse readable with good, or popular with great.

A difficult subject.

What makes a writer great? Is it being read by an enormous number of readers? Is it the message the writer conveys in their work? Is it the artfulness of their style? The depth they reach? All of it together? It's the lack of definitive metrics that makes this particular kind of discussion subjective.

In general, I do agree with differentiating between popular and good writers. I mean, I see way too many writers who earn big bucks even if their books show barely passable writing skills. The taste of the masses isn't a good benchmark. And we don't even need to take a look at popular or good mainstream writers. You can see this phenomenon even at our level of writing.

In a recent online discussion with a friend, we touched on the subject of popular genres and Patreon as a platform for publishing and generating income. There's an author who is earning ridiculous amounts of money from his patrons, while I can say with a straight face that he's not even at my level in the sense of writing skill, as subjective and perhaps vain as that might seem.
And don't get me wrong, this is in no sense me saying that I'm a good writer, far from it. It's the content that sells so well, not the way he's putting it into words.

Yet at the same time, there's an author who writes in the exact same genre, who can write circles around me, yet even if he's reasonably popular, he earns maybe a tenth of what the other guy does. It's baffling.

And to complete the picture, there's an author in the same genre who seems to possess all the writing skills of a ten-year-old, yet still places in income somewhere between the two guys I mentioned above. I can't make sense of it all.

But either way, before we jump to conclusions, maybe the O.P. should be a bit more specific about which skills he needs help honing.

 

[Duil2]

Yeah, I'm totally with you, @caleb35 . We all have to start somewhere and if that needs to be with clear and direct prose that gets our message across so be it.
None of the so-called literary greats woke up one morning with the writing style they eventually came to in their careers fully formed. I'm sure if we had access to their early attempts we would find they worked through many iterations of themselves as writers before reaching the style that they were eventually acclaimed for.
Here we are again back to the subjective judgement of what is 'good' and what is 'great' in writing or in anything for that matter.
I'd really hope that there is space in the literary world for all kinds of writing.
The absolute bottom line for me is that once a writer has mastered the basics, ie clear direct prose that can be read easily and understood and conveys the story to the reader, then they work on finding their own writing style. Where the inspiration for that style springs from will be totally and absolutely personal to that writer.

 

[consistentlyrepudiated]

Okay, this is just flat out wrong and insulting to boot. I am not suggesting to anyone that they cater "to the lowest common denominator." Having a clear, direct style is not just for the masses. It's a good idea for most writers, particularly ones who might be newer or starting out. Is it the only way to go? Hell no. Once the writer becomes confident of what their style is, confident of what to describe in depth and elaborate on and what not to, then they should explore their style. But the bottom line for any writer should be, have I successfully communicated what I wanted to in this scene? The best way to ensure that is to start with a clear and direct style.

Readable IS good. You are not out here trying to prove to everyone how smart you are -- well, maybe you are, I don't know. You're trying to tell a fucking story. Popular is not always great, but sometimes POPULAR IS GREAT, and that's fine too.

Lastly, I don't object whatsoever to you offering advice to OP, but you didn't need to piss all over my post to do so. In closing, go fuck yourself.

Not sure what triggered that tantrum, but I forget sometimes what this platform harbors. In closing, Caleb means dog in Hebrew, which brings to mind Proverbs 26:11.

 

[caleb35]

Not sure what triggered that tantrum, but I forget sometimes what this platform harbors. In closing, Caleb means dog in Hebrew, which brings to mind Proverbs 26:11.

For anyone who's wondering, the passage this asshole is quoting is: "As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly." It's a way for him to be an asshole to me while pretending that he's not. And he's sidetracking this thread from its purpose, which is answering OP's question and providing tips/advice on improving as a writer. His profile also shows NO posted works to this website so I don't even know why they're participating in Author's Hangout, other than to extol Philip K Dick and shit on me simultaneously. In closing, this dog will defend himself all day long.

 

[StillStunned]

For anyone who's wondering, the passage this asshole is quoting is: "As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly." It's a way for him to be an asshole to me while pretending that he's not. And he's sidetracking this thread from its purpose, which is answering OP's question and providing tips/advice on improving as a writer. His profile also shows NO posted works to this website so I don't even know why they're participating in Author's Hangout, other than to extol Philip K Dick and shit on me simultaneously. In closing, this dog will defend himself all day long.

A while ago I noted a resemblance to Tilan/Plathfan.

 

[caleb35]

A while ago I noted a resemblance to Tilan/Plathfan.

Don't know either of these. Looking for a profile for "Tilan," the site says that user is "gone." Of Plathfan (Plath fan?), the site has no record of a profile. Oh well. Thanks for weighing in, @StillStunned, and sorry if I'm taking away anyone's enjoyment from what is otherwise an informative and useful thread.