What type of writing quirks do you guys have?

[TheLobster]

What you do is as equally hard to fathom for those of us who don't do that.

And those like me, who usually do it somewhere in between -- start with a general idea for the setting, characters and just the rough outline of at least the beginning of the plot -- think that all of you pure pantsers and pure plotters are clearly weirdos ;P

 

[BuffysInsta]

Warm water is my quirk. It seems most of the time the characters are interacting - sex or not - in or around a bathing feature like a spacious shower, or a hot tub. If one or more is searching around the house (or whatever) for another of the group, "Check the big shower!" or "On the patio, talking to [X] in the tub," and hilarity, sex, or both soon follows. Related was an entire scene at a home improvement store buying a new water heater.

Secondary quirk is conversation in the kitchen over breakfast after a night of loving. Characters have to start their day, too.

I also am a fan of the conversation in the kitchen over breakfast after a night of loving quirk. It's a necessity!

 

[MythMaker]

Adding alliteration at all attainable affairs.

 

[BuffysInsta]

Sex on a a chaise lounge or divan. Either outdoors on a patio type chair, or the lounge portion in a hot tub or a separate piece of indoor furniture or part of a sectional couch. It's like the ultimate piece of furniture made perfectly for sex. I'll bet 3/4 of my stories feature one.

I need to invest in a chaise lounge I think. Maybe it'll help with my comically non-existent sex life. lol

 

[Otto26]

I use way too many details that only I care about. They aren't necessary for the story and 9 out of 10 readers don't give a damn about those details.

 

[NoTalentHack]

If a character is at a low point, they will take up smoking again. I have no idea; I am not, nor have I ever been a smoker.

Confrontations happen at kitchen tables or apartment balconies.

People in my stories sigh, shrug, nod, and shake their heads a lot. Like, a lot a lot.

Tall, athletic men with short, often slightly chubby women.

You can have my adverbs when you pry them from my cold, dead hands; same thing with my semicolons and--and I cannot stress this enough--my em-dashes.

 

[Lumiere_Amie]

I use the word ‘laved’ a lot when describing cunnilingus. “I flattened my tongue and laved her engorged lips.”
I like using obscure words.

 

[Erozetta]

If I had 90% figured out in my head I wouldn't bother writing it.

This right here.

If I know 90% of the story before I sit down to write, I ain't writing it. I already know the story and my interest in finding out about these characters and what happens has already waned.

I can make myself work off of an outline, but feeling shackled while writing it will show through in the end product and the story will suffer because I won't enjoy anything about it. It will be formulaic and cold.

 

[Taylor_Knight]

I found that my quirks, or "kinks" as I see them, tended to reveal themselves only after I'd written several pieces. Then I quickly learned how much "they" all seem to enjoy drinking so much. And I encourage them. I want them to drink. To me, the more they drink, the more they reveal their true desires. I like that about them.

 

[AlwaysDancing]

I tend to write about someone who doesn’t make choices and lets life happen to them with strong consequences.

With flowing dialog and clunky narration.

Cool thread topic btw.

 

[riverboy]

For the last year or two just about every story I've written features weed smoking. Perhaps it's not a coincidence that weed was legalized in my state about two years ago, and I'm now well versed (once again) in the pleasures of it. I also use a lot of...ellipses.

 

[BuffysInsta]

I've noticed a few authors seem to have a thing for food. Once in a while I come across a story that goes into some detail about making dinner, what people are eating. Maybe the pleasure food gives has a certain sensual quality that's similar to sex? I don't know.

I use way too many details that only I care about. They aren't necessary for the story and 9 out of 10 readers don't give a damn about those details.

Like you describe

If a character is at a low point, they will take up smoking again. I have no idea; I am not, nor have I ever been a smoker.

Confrontations happen at kitchen tables or apartment balconies.

People in my stories sigh, shrug, nod, and shake their heads a lot. Like, a lot a lot.

Tall, athletic men with short, often slightly chubby women.

You can have my adverbs when you pry them from my cold, dead hands; same thing with my semicolons and--and I cannot stress this enough--my em-dashes.

I've become an em-dash addict myself. I can't stop it! And about shrugs/nogds/sighs etc, I was reading a fantasy book recommended to me called Mistborn, by Brandon Sanderson. He's very popular with fantasy fans. I couldn't finish the book because one of the main characters is always smiling. It's literally every sentence he's in. "Character X smiled at her as he crossed the room." "Character X smiled as he looked at her..." It's freaking terrible. lol

 

[BuffysInsta]

I tend to write about someone who doesn’t make choices and lets life happen to them with strong consequences.

With flowing dialog and clunky narration.

Cool thread topic btw.

Thank you!

 

[BuffysInsta]

I use way too many details that only I care about. They aren't necessary for the story and 9 out of 10 readers don't give a damn about those details.

Do you edit some of them out or usually keep them?

 

[Otto26]

Do you edit some of them out or usually keep them?

I keep them. I'm writing what I want to read. Which is just one of the many reasons I'm a hobby writer and not a professional.

 

[TheLobster]

Confrontations happen at kitchen tables or apartment balconies.

Not necessarily confrontations but I've advanced many a plot over breakfasts.

People in my stories sigh, shrug, nod, and shake their heads a lot. Like, a lot a lot.

Yes, sighing, especially sighing. And also smiling, grinning, smirking, chuckling, laughing, and tittering.

You can have my adverbs when you pry them from my cold, dead hands; same thing with my semicolons and--and I cannot stress this enough--my em-dashes.

Add colons for me. Lots, and lots, and lots of colons -- and I don't even write anal.

 

[soflabbwlvr]

I have a tendency to get very specific about the cars my characters drive. Make, model, color, sometimes even the year get mentioned. I'm not really a "car guy," but you would never know that from my stories.

 

[AG31]

I use way too many details that only I care about. They aren't necessary for the story and 9 out of 10 readers don't give a damn about those details.

I'm going to look at some of your stories. I feel like lots of detail adds richness, depth. Which of your stories is the most detail laden?

 

[Kumquatqueen]

I have a weakness for semi-colons. And more hyphens than LibreOffice thinks acceptable.

Characters tend to have long conversations through morning after, over breakfast which is often a full English (or Scottish or Irish), and often in hotels. I often have characters staying in hotels, for that convenience and away-from-home factor. I've mentioned before that Premier Inn really should sponsor me...

 

[Koboldwithaquill]

Off the top of my head:

- The almighty em-dash
- "Ah, em, erm..."
- He or she smiled, smirked, grinned, etc.
- Gasped, groaned, huffed, etc.
- Shy friend/outgoing friend character duos
- Cocks described as girthy and/or veiny
- Hot, steaming, molten, searing, etc. When describing cum

 

[Rob_Royale]

Another writing quirk I have, is my description of facial expressions. I find that it makes a difference for me, in a story.

"Really?" he said with a wry smile.
and
"Really!?" he exclaimed, his eyes going wide.

They define the emotion being expressed and let me see the characters better in my mind. But, I think I do it too much. No one has yet called me out on it, but it's something I don't see as often in other writers. They let the punctuation do the work.

 

[TheLobster]

Another writing quirk I have, is my description of facial expressions. I find that it makes a difference for me, in a story.

"Really?" he said with a wry smile.
and
"Really!?" he exclaimed, his eyes going wide.

They define the emotion being expressed and let me see the characters better in my mind. But, I think I do it too much. No one has yet called me out on it, but it's something I don't see as often in other writers. They let the punctuation do the work.

I do it. All. The. Time.

...he said with a proud smirk

 

[OtterlyMindblowing]

I noticed this about my writing about a year ago: When I'm struggling to figure out a scene, I will, without realizing it, put my characters in hallways. Either that or I have them sit down to dinner. You'd think I was a writing for a food magazine or creating a cookbook. Why are my characters always so hungry? Who eats that much?

Do you guys have any fun or weird ones you'd like to share?

For me personally, there are a few.
First off, my narrators tend to be smartasses. Even when it’s a 3rd-person story.
Second, a reader pointed out that “coffee is love.” Every time coffee is served in one of my stories, it indicates at LEAST close friendship and usually love between the characters.
Third, I land chapters in the 4k to 4.3k word range. Like… every time, with VERY few exceptions. Out of 100 submitted chapters, only five landed outside of this range.

 

[BuffysInsta]

That's a good point about the coffee.

 

[Ian_Snow]

I have a bizarre number of climactic basketball scenes for someone who doesn't really care about the sport all that much beyond a pickup game here and there.