How I Put A Story Together

[Aesop]

Well first I get an idea. Usually that just happens. I'll be doing something else and something will strike me about it and *poof!* an idea happens.

Once I have an idea I sit on it for a time. Let it stew in the back of my head for a few days/weeks before I ever put a word on paper. I expand on it and let the idea lead me to the story.

I never use outlines when I write. I shoot from the hip. :gun:

Mostly I'll write until the idea dries up for the session. Sometimes that's ten minutes sometimes it's a couple of hours. I self-correct grammar and spelling as I type; it's become such an automatic habit that it doesn't interrupt my flow.

Once the story is finished I use spell check on it and save it. Then I move on to something else for a day or two. After a bit of time I come back and read it. Try to correct anything the computer missed and change whatever wording or sentences I don't like.

I think that's about it.

[Rabbit1]

Well first I get an idea. Usually that just happens. I'll be doing something else and something will strike me about it and *poof!* an idea happens.

Once I have an idea I sit on it for a time. Let it stew in the back of my head for a few days/weeks before I ever put a word on paper. I expand on it and let the idea lead me to the story.

I never use outlines when I write. I shoot from the hip. :gun:

Mostly I'll write until the idea dries up for the session. Sometimes that's ten minutes sometimes it's a couple of hours. I self-correct grammar and spelling as I type; it's become such an automatic habit that it doesn't interrupt my flow.

Once the story is finished I use spell check on it and save it. Then I move on to something else for a day or two. After a bit of time I come back and read it. Try to correct anything the computer missed and change whatever wording or sentences I don't like.

I think that's about it.

that is basicly how everyone does it ---with the exceptions of using an outline.

I only use an outline for longer stories ---it is to help me keep up with the subjects and what is going on and in the end it helps with the story flow

on the short stories I have writen it is basicly the same except when it is finished and I have done spell check and grammar check once again I read the story and see if any more pops into my head about it ---usually I see something that does not quite flow right or could be better explained using the things we went over in level one ---I try to see and feel the things I wrote just from reading it again

Now the most important thing about this --is ------the story must please you. If when it is complete ---you are completely happy about it ----and each one you see as your best work ----then it is time to leave it alone---publish it or post it or what every you are going to do with it.


Others may have different opinions about your story ---they may not like it ---it may not flow to them ----they may find errors you missed ----

but all in all it does not matter ---as long as you are happy with it

you are after all writing for you ---not anyone else---that is the most important motivator----If you try to write for someone else --it is usually a forced effort---and you will not be satisfied by it.

now many of my intended short stories have turned out to be longer and I usually use my first draft as my outline----making notes on it ---using a highliter on it -----drawing on it ----but that is what works for me---

[Aesop]

Sounds right to me. I don't post stories that don't please me. They end up in the "work on later" pile.

The outline thing always leaves me feeling trapped. My stories hardly ever end up where I thought they would. Take Ghost for example. I have no idea where that's going. I know I'll get back to it because I like it, but as to what's going to happen I don't have any better a clue than anyone who reads it. Had I written an outline the ideas in the outline would have solidified for me. I know they can be changed, but it's simply easier for me to just let the story build on its own.

[Rabbit1]

Sounds right to me. I don't post stories that don't please me. They end up in the "work on later" pile.

The outline thing always leaves me feeling trapped. My stories hardly ever end up where I thought they would. Take Ghost for example. I have no idea where that's going. I know I'll get back to it because I like it, but as to what's going to happen I don't have any better a clue than anyone who reads it. Had I written an outline the ideas in the outline would have solidified for me. I know they can be changed, but it's simply easier for me to just let the story build on its own.

That is why I use the orginal and use highliters --and scribble notes on it ---and use it as the outline---I can go back and look at each subject in the story ---where they have been ---what they might do next ---just a useful tool I have found ---not a lock on creative thought---as I scribble notes I also erase them and change them to suit things ---in my thought process

[Aesop]

A good idea but I wonder if that would work for me. I have only written short works up to this point so I have no practical experience with longer novel-type writing.

[Rabbit1]

A good idea but I wonder if that would work for me. I have only written short works up to this point so I have no practical experience with longer novel-type writing.


it is something to think about maybe even try it ---if it does not work you have lost nothing ---but I found it particularly helpful writing chapter three---as I scribbled little notes about chapter 2 on the orginal---and so on with other chapters---each of us will do things differently ---Most courses insist that you use an outline----this one does not ----some people can keep this all in their head ----remember all the details from chapter to chapter without having to go back an reread the chapters---I find I can not--but I usually do not use a very structured outline unless I am writing a non fiction story ---then I do use an out line --only to keep facts straight and reference material at hand

[Aesop]

Well I use reference materials all over the place when I have to write non-fiction, but that's because those are usually business related. lol If I have to write a lengthy story I'll give your idea a try, but if it distracts me too much (which is what I'm afraid of) I'll scrap it.

I know most course insist on outlines, I've been looking at some of them and that's one of the reasons I haven't participated to be honest. Half the time I don't know the end of my stories. How the hell could I be expected to tell someone else? lol

[Rabbit1]

Well I use reference materials all over the place when I have to write non-fiction, but that's because those are usually business related. lol If I have to write a lengthy story I'll give your idea a try, but if it distracts me too much (which is what I'm afraid of) I'll scrap it.

I know most course insist on outlines, I've been looking at some of them and that's one of the reasons I haven't participated to be honest. Half the time I don't know the end of my stories. How the hell could I be expected to tell someone else? lol


lol I have taken several courses and this one made the most sense to me ---as it gave you suggestions---you decussed it amoung other writers --pick up useful hints and tip from them----and come up with your own way

the outline was really not for the ending just the objective of your story ---but I have found that changes as things progress in the stories ---in mine it has anyhow

I am by no means saying the only way to write a story is to have an outline and do point a to point b -----I am saying ---keep an open mind ---and as you help out with other writers and see how they do things ---you may pick up a useful tip or something to help you do things easier---if it sounds good try it ---it costs you nothing but a little time--and in the end may save you time---I was sort of hoping we would have atleast one more student at this level so we could compare styles ---you have only me ---not alot to choose from ---lol

[Aesop]

Oh I'll keep an open mind and I'll try new things. After all I'm in the course for a reason. lol

Yes it would be nice to have some differing opinions, but I don't think we'll have to wait too long for that.

[submissivewife]

OK, I am here! I made it to Level 3. Happy now?

Oulines? hell, if I used an outline that would just frustrate me. When I write I go from my head and the story develops as I write. I free write as some would say.

Never thought of highlighting. I have written notes on the first draft. Will have to try the highlighting idea.

[Rabbit1]

OK, I am here! I made it to Level 3. Happy now?

Oulines? hell, if I used an outline that would just frustrate me. When I write I go from my head and the story develops as I write. I free write as some would say.

Never thought of highlighting. I have written notes on the first draft. Will have to try the highlighting idea.

This method is fine for a short story --but if you ever hope to write a story with multi chapters like some on the story page with 140+ chapters ---you would have to have a super memory ----Of course I can not claim that kind of writing ---best I have acheived is 80+ chapters and that was a book that was published

there is nothing wrong with short stories but even going for that I still print out my work go over it with the highliter---then make the changes I want to make before I submit it ---

I find sometimes I see better ways of saying something ---shorten long drawn out sentences ---or get more detailed in places that need it.

do I take alot of time with my writing ---not too much for a short story but I do tend to take my time on a story that I plan to have published ---I have taken as much as a year and a half to publish a 80+ chapter book.

So it is according to what level of writing you wish to acheive ---if you want to stick to short stories ---or go on to publish a book

[Aesop]

OK, I am here! I made it to Level 3. Happy now?

Oulines? hell, if I used an outline that would just frustrate me. When I write I go from my head and the story develops as I write. I free write as some would say.

Never thought of highlighting. I have written notes on the first draft. Will have to try the highlighting idea.

'bout time. :p

[submissivewife]

:nana: <----for Aesop


Thanks Rabbit...I have started a story that is multi chapters long. I will have to do this. I was thinking of abandoning the story because I had started it with someone, but since then our friendship went down the tubes. So, I am thinking of starting something different.

[Daes]

Hello, my assignment is to participate in this discussion, so I guess here is my two cents. ^_^

I have no experience with novel writing, and my short stories (to me) are too short to be short stories.. I haven’t written a real short story since I was in high school hehe. But, I do a lot of rping and of course that’s just another way to go about storytelling, instead of characters from one author, you have many that all work together in order to make the story interesting for everyone.

I’m more of a fantasy writer, it’s a part of my style and in creating stories, the first thing that immediately comes to mind is character creation, this is different than writing about yourself but it does have similarities because how you introduce yourself or your character is an important part in creating a mood. The environment and the feeling of that setting should also require attention, it plays upon what is happening behind the actions and dialogue.

When I begin making my stories, character first of course, then choose a theme or mood for my environment that would harmonize with my character. I can write pages about character creation, but that isn’t what this is for. These are just the things I focus on before even contemplating what’s going to be happening in my story- I’ll have a vague idea, but nothing too specific just yet. If the characters and the environment don’t work together then my story won’t flow properly.

Now, once characters and mood have been decided, need something that contrast their normal ideals or endeavors, create a problem that would bring out how this character is, how she feels, reacts, thinks etc. Your antagonist can do this or even the mood itself. =)

When your problem has been established, then comes the fun part. What’s going to happen, what’s the goal for the story? In my last assignment for level 2 the goal was for my antagonist to convince an otherwise innocent, strong hearted girl to submit to him without forcing her to do so because it would give him more satisfaction than simply forcing her to do so and creates loyalty in the process. How you go about obtaining a situation to place your characters in, is up to the author and really depends on how your characters are in my opinion. ^_^

Here’s an excellent example. I am currently working on creating a new roleplay on Adventure Quest’s rp forums. It’s supposed to be a romance roleplay, I don’t know what characters are going to be involved, I just know that I need a good storyline that won’t be soo corny that no one will participate. Hmm.. –takes ten minutes to think-

It has to be fantasy (AQ rules), I plan on this being a tragedy/drama kinda romance and I’ve already decked out a few characters in mind. One is a female mercenary (a lesbian), and a princess (her lover), and one more girl that I haven’t decided on yet. Thing is, when I come up with stories, they just flow through my mind while I’m coming up with the characters and the world around them, in other words, I have a blurred sketch in my mind about what my story will have in it- but as I write- right now- the story will begin to form.. I can’t tell you what’s going to happen yet, I don’t know myself. Just let it flow ^_^

Right now… I’m imagining my mercenary is in love with a princess who was born with a curse (that neither of them know of) that will slowly eat away at her body until she turns into a demon (>.> see I didn’t even know it was going to be a demon, but demon sounds good <.<.. carrying on). The royal family wants her sealed away so she can do no harm when the time comes for her body to begin to change, but her brother (the king) has prevented them from doing so. See the simple story of how the princess came to be what she was could be a short story, or how the king saved the princess from the rest of the family could be a short story as well. That doesn’t even include her lover ^_^ Endless possibilities.

So (for me) this is how I go about short stories:

Character Developement
-Appearance
-Personality
Mood and Environment
-Theme
-Emotional Impact
Problem and Solution
-Harmonize with Environment
-Contrast or Harmonize with Character
Character Interaction/Dialogue
-Affected by Mood
-Work towards solution

[Rabbit1]

Hello, my assignment is to participate in this discussion, so I guess here is my two cents. ^_^

I have no experience with novel writing, and my short stories (to me) are too short to be short stories.. I haven’t written a real short story since I was in high school hehe. But, I do a lot of rping and of course that’s just another way to go about storytelling, instead of characters from one author, you have many that all work together in order to make the story interesting for everyone.

I’m more of a fantasy writer, it’s a part of my style and in creating stories, the first thing that immediately comes to mind is character creation, this is different than writing about yourself but it does have similarities because how you introduce yourself or your character is an important part in creating a mood. The environment and the feeling of that setting should also require attention, it plays upon what is happening behind the actions and dialogue.

When I begin making my stories, character first of course, then choose a theme or mood for my environment that would harmonize with my character. I can write pages about character creation, but that isn’t what this is for. These are just the things I focus on before even contemplating what’s going to be happening in my story- I’ll have a vague idea, but nothing too specific just yet. If the characters and the environment don’t work together then my story won’t flow properly.

Now, once characters and mood have been decided, need something that contrast their normal ideals or endeavors, create a problem that would bring out how this character is, how she feels, reacts, thinks etc. Your antagonist can do this or even the mood itself. =)

When your problem has been established, then comes the fun part. What’s going to happen, what’s the goal for the story? In my last assignment for level 2 the goal was for my antagonist to convince an otherwise innocent, strong hearted girl to submit to him without forcing her to do so because it would give him more satisfaction than simply forcing her to do so and creates loyalty in the process. How you go about obtaining a situation to place your characters in, is up to the author and really depends on how your characters are in my opinion. ^_^

Here’s an excellent example. I am currently working on creating a new roleplay on Adventure Quest’s rp forums. It’s supposed to be a romance roleplay, I don’t know what characters are going to be involved, I just know that I need a good storyline that won’t be soo corny that no one will participate. Hmm.. –takes ten minutes to think-

It has to be fantasy (AQ rules), I plan on this being a tragedy/drama kinda romance and I’ve already decked out a few characters in mind. One is a female mercenary (a lesbian), and a princess (her lover), and one more girl that I haven’t decided on yet. Thing is, when I come up with stories, they just flow through my mind while I’m coming up with the characters and the world around them, in other words, I have a blurred sketch in my mind about what my story will have in it- but as I write- right now- the story will begin to form.. I can’t tell you what’s going to happen yet, I don’t know myself. Just let it flow ^_^

Right now… I’m imagining my mercenary is in love with a princess who was born with a curse (that neither of them know of) that will slowly eat away at her body until she turns into a demon (>.> see I didn’t even know it was going to be a demon, but demon sounds good <.<.. carrying on). The royal family wants her sealed away so she can do no harm when the time comes for her body to begin to change, but her brother (the king) has prevented them from doing so. See the simple story of how the princess came to be what she was could be a short story, or how the king saved the princess from the rest of the family could be a short story as well. That doesn’t even include her lover ^_^ Endless possibilities.

So (for me) this is how I go about short stories:

Character Developement
-Appearance
-Personality
Mood and Environment
-Theme
-Emotional Impact
Problem and Solution
-Harmonize with Environment
-Contrast or Harmonize with Character
Character Interaction/Dialogue
-Affected by Mood
-Work towards solution

Very good so in effect you are sort of using an outline---many authors do --and in using one it helps to keep your story going ---by going back and you can easily create chapter two and three----just by changing the mood and enviroment---coming up with new problems and solutions ---and then add characters or things to make it flow---do not be afraid to try this ---after readers --read a story and become comfortable with certain characters it is easy for them to accept them in different situations---some of the greatest novel writers use this ---John Sanford for one, Kay Hooper---just to name a few---

Now using what you learned in Level one which is basicly details and making your reader feel they are there---being famaliar with the characters is a plus
If you have ever read any John Sanford novels you will be like most of his fans and can not wait until his next (Alex Cross) novel comes out--

Level two was basicly common errors and spelling most new authors make ---the importance of Proof readers is pointed out... not proof reading it yourself--let someone else read over it for you.

When I write I see my story ---I am there and try to bring my readers there with me---if they can feel what you feel, see what you see, smell what you smell ---then you have accomplished your task.

I have posted so good articles in the levels to help. Some you may be able to use ---some you may not as no two writers do things exactly the same, although most classes try to make you use a written outline ---and go thru the steps that have worked for others.

I suggest you read some of them----use what you think will work ---forget what you don't think will work for you ---

Earlier I have decussed my methods for writing a story ---and you can see Aesop's and Subwife's---as well as they see yours---this is a sharing of ideas between writers---you may find something you would like to try


Now a question ----do you write you outline down before you start your story?

[Daes]

Actually it's just a kind of system I use naturally, i didnt really think about putting it into categories until I recieved this assignment. When writing it just comes this way unconsciously. Its near impossible for me to begin on a story without thinking up the characters beforehand, but once the characters are completed, the rest of the story flows very easily for me ^_^ So, nope I haven't used outlines in years.

[Rabbit1]

Actually it's just a kind of system I use naturally, i didnt really think about putting it into categories until I recieved this assignment. When writing it just comes this way unconsciously. Its near impossible for me to begin on a story without thinking up the characters beforehand, but once the characters are completed, the rest of the story flows very easily for me ^_^ So, nope I haven't used outlines in years.


but you are still using the principles of an outline ---you just have a better memory then most if you do not need to write it down.

If like you say you first set your characters then the mood and enviroment then problems and solutions---that is the basis for an outline

ok for you next task I am going to give you a character

using the attached picture --write a story

and along with the story tell us how you developed the character

[Polecat]

Assuming we are talking about a "dirty" story

In those two stories where I was given a topic it was easy. Place a character in that situation, create a context (everything is about context in my book) add some kink and then let the story flow.
It is harder if you have no topic given.
Then it starts with an idea. For instance:The House. Girl going to some place to be dominated or tortured.
Find a person to fill out the Girls character. How old, how tall, physical description. This does not need to be in the story, but I need it written down somewhere so I can "see" the character in action.
Then Why: Why is this happening. How did she get to this position. Since my focus is on context, this is very important. It might not appear on a given story, but I need to have it clearly spelled out, so the story goes somewhere. If I cant't see the Why I can't go any further.
The place comes next: Where is this happening, is the place a house, a condo, a backyard, whatever. If there is any outdoor scene, the season, weather.
Additional players.
Then, the action. This is probably my weakest point. That is why I play out the prelude so much. Often I end the story just before the action starts and leave it to the reader's imagination. I now it is a cop out.
I am trying to work on it though.

[Polecat]

Some more:
I give a lot of importance to context, but that said, my stories are (I think) character driven.
I put a lot of effort in creating my characters, since they will move the story.
Like Aesop I play around with an idea in my head for days, sometimes weeks before starting to write. After the idea clarifies, then I develop the context, and then create the main characters.
If the context is well created, and the characters are flexed out, then the characters will create the story for you.
Does this make sense to anyone else?

[Rabbit1]

Assuming we are talking about a "dirty" story

In those two stories where I was given a topic it was easy. Place a character in that situation, create a context (everything is about context in my book) add some kink and then let the story flow.
It is harder if you have no topic given.
Then it starts with an idea. For instance:The House. Girl going to some place to be dominated or tortured.
Find a person to fill out the Girls character. How old, how tall, physical description. This does not need to be in the story, but I need it written down somewhere so I can "see" the character in action.
Then Why: Why is this happening. How did she get to this position. Since my focus is on context, this is very important. It might not appear on a given story, but I need to have it clearly spelled out, so the story goes somewhere. If I cant't see the Why I can't go any further.
The place comes next: Where is this happening, is the place a house, a condo, a backyard, whatever. If there is any outdoor scene, the season, weather.
Additional players.
Then, the action. This is probably my weakest point. That is why I play out the prelude so much. Often I end the story just before the action starts and leave it to the reader's imagination. I now it is a cop out.
I am trying to work on it though.

Do you use a written outline or try to do it all in your head ----how do you keep up with a with who is doing what to whom----

do you write your story in long hand first --or type it as you go

how do you decide what action everyone in your story should take

[Polecat]

I haven't used an outline yet. The stories have, up until now, been short enough that they are easy to keep track off. Also up until now, there are few characters. The maximum I've played with is 5, and the action is only happening in one place at a time.
I write the story in either Word or WordPerfect; I also keep a Note pad application open with information like, how tall is Bob, what is the color of Martha's eyes, where did Mary go to school, that kind of thing.

As for the action of the characters, I try to create each character as fully as possible. For instance in one story I am working on there is this girl, who has been divorced twice, is aggressive and impulsive and because she intimidates men, she can't hold a relationship. Now, you wouldn't be able to tell this, because these facts do not come out in the story, but they determine what she will do, and how she will go about it, within the general parameters of the story idea.

I then try to place myself within the character and see what he/she would do at any given time.

I do not know if this would work for anything other than a short story. I will have to try something longer, when I get better at this.

[Rabbit1]

I haven't used an outline yet. The stories have, up until now, been short enough that they are easy to keep track off. Also up until now, there are few characters. The maximum I've played with is 5, and the action is only happening in one place at a time.
I write the story in either Word or WordPerfect; I also keep a Note pad application open with information like, how tall is Bob, what is the color of Martha's eyes, where did Mary go to school, that kind of thing.

As for the action of the characters, I try to create each character as fully as possible. For instance in one story I am working on there is this girl, who has been divorced twice, is aggressive and impulsive and because she intimidates men, she can't hold a relationship. Now, you wouldn't be able to tell this, because these facts do not come out in the story, but they determine what she will do, and how she will go about it, within the general parameters of the story idea.

I then try to place myself within the character and see what he/she would do at any given time.

I do not know if this would work for anything other than a short story. I will have to try something longer, when I get better at this.




I also keep a Note pad application open with information like, how tall is Bob, what is the color of Martha's eyes, where did Mary go to school, that kind of thing.


this is a form of an outline ---that is all a out line is supposed to do ---help you keep up witht your characters ---you just expand this to handle more characters and their info in a longer story or more complex story

and add what part each character will play in your story ---it is pretty simple



Your next task is to write a story using this picture ---and post it here also tell us how you developed the characters in the story

[Polecat]

Cold Shower


It was a really stupid idea. In my defense I can only say that I cannot stand braggarts, and male chauvinist braggarts really rile me up. Before you think that these are the ramblings of a mad woman, let me start at the beginning.

I went to a party that Friday; well, it wasn’t much of a party, only 7 people. Alone, like so many other times. It is not easy being a successful career woman. It is even harder if you are half Puerto Rican half Chinese. On one side there are the Puerto Rican, who think that anyone with a pussy is a legal target, and Oh, by the way, it’s OK if I (The guy) is married, I can have a few bits on the side, but if my girlfriend even so much as looks at another guy, I’ll give her the biggest black eye this side of San Juan. On the other the Chinese; they might not fool around so much, but they are no fun at all, so focused on their careers and the pursuit of the American dream, they have no time for a woman. Not for a Chinese-Puerto Rican at any rate; no they want pure bred Caucasian. Then there are the Americans, they have a different stereotype, if you are Oriental, they think you are the “Me so horny” congai from “Full Metal Jacket” or the subservient “Geisha to Go” girl from Channel J. Bottom line, I went alone; as usual.

You should never drink alone. Moreover, you should never drink alone at a party; and if the drink they are serving at the party is Lemoncello, right from the freezer, straight up on a Martini glass, you should immediately run for cover; or home, whichever is nearest.

So; we have established that I went to this party, and I was drinking Lemoncellos. For those of you who aren’t sophisticated enough, a Lemoncello is a drink from Italy, which should be outlawed immediately. It is made by steeping lemon rinds in Vodka, adding sugar, and probably Ruffies for all I know.

So, in the middle of the party, this guy, Jose, a Puerto Rican from San Juan, and also a total Nerd, whom I never even met before, starts off in a rant about why women cannot play chess. He was probably intoxicated, and took off in a rant about Freud, and how winning at chess would not get girls closer to screwing their fathers, or something like that. Now, I am a pretty decent chess player, I could beat my dad, years ago, back in San Juan, and yes, I had had too many Lemoncellos. So I called him up on it. I told him I could beat his ass. I hadn’t played for years, but I figured, what the hell. I could beat him. He was a braggart.

I am not sure how we set the bet up. Loser to be the winner’s sex slave for the evening. I knew I could take this loud asshole. I picked up two pawns. One white, the other black, hid them in my hands. He picked white.

He plays PK4 and so do I. Then he plays KNB3; how original, I respond QNB3, to which he answers B4B, so do I, The Italian game. Then the surprise, 4:PQN4 Well this is going to be easy, BXNP.

I saw him smile at this point. Then I realized my error. The Evans gambit! I had taken it, but I did not know this opening! He gives me more material, a second pawn, and then another. I try to castle, to get my king out of the center, where he is vulnerable, but I cannot. He is ahead in material, I have two pawns on him, but he is now pressing his attack, I desperately try to defend my King’s bishop pawn, but he’s got his bishop lined up against it; then his queen comes out. I haven’t been able to develop any of my queen’s side men. By turn 18, the game is a foregone conclusion. Checkmate.

I sobered up in a nanosecond. I stared at the board. I could not believe this. Nobody plays chess anymore. How could this nerd beat me?

He smiled, winked, and said “Arizona, High school champion 2003”

Groan.

So here I am. Down in the basement. Tied to an X bamboo frame; a cross bar across the top of the X serves as a convenient gag too. Jose is nothing if not efficient. I hate engineers.

My hands are tied behind my back with hemp rope. He tied rope around my chest, above and below my size B tits. Then he snipped off the fabric around my tits. Well it was a cheap white tee anyway. It could be worse. This is uncomfortable, but not painful.
Damn stupid nerd. Doesn’t even know what to do with a defenseless woman.

Suddenly, out of the blue, a flood of ice-cold water falls on me. I scream. I try to get out of the ice cold flood, but I am firmly tied to the bamboo frame. The hemp ropes getting tighter. I scream louder. I look down, my nipples, erect, as if I was excited, rather than freezing.

The ice cold deluge ends. I look up at Jose. He is laughing his ass off. He unties me, and hands me a towel and a white T-shirt. Then he leaves.

Damn Nerds!

[Polecat]

How did I craft the story

First I looked at the picture. She looks very gorgeous, but who is she, andhow did she get into this predicament?
So I decided she was Oriental since I kind of like oriental women, but her tits did not look oriental, so I made her Chinese-Puerto Rican. As a matter of fact, I made her a 27 year old, 5'2" 117 Lbs interior designer. Also her father met her mother in Nam. (All of this has nothing to do with the story of course, but I did not know this at the time of crafting the character)

Then I had to get her into her predicament. How would a young, attractive, successful interior designer find herself tied up to a bamboo frame, with ice cold water pouring over her?

Get her toasted, and get her to lose a bet.

What would be original is to make the bet be a chess game.

I could have been more specific on the actual chess game but a) my chess set is in storage and b) nobody on this site cares about chess anyway.

I decided to end it after the shower, because Jose is a nerd anyway, so obviously he doesn't know what to do with a woman; Does he?

[Rabbit1]

How did I craft the story

First I looked at the picture. She looks very gorgeous, but who is she, andhow did she get into this predicament?
So I decided she was Oriental since I kind of like oriental women, but her tits did not look oriental, so I made her Chinese-Puerto Rican. As a matter of fact, I made her a 27 year old, 5'2" 117 Lbs interior designer. Also her father met her mother in Nam. (All of this has nothing to do with the story of course, but I did not know this at the time of crafting the character)

Then I had to get her into her predicament. How would a young, attractive, successful interior designer find herself tied up to a bamboo frame, with ice cold water pouring over her?

Get her toasted, and get her to lose a bet.

What would be original is to make the bet be a chess game.

I could have been more specific on the actual chess game but a) my chess set is in storage and b) nobody on this site cares about chess anyway.

I decided to end it after the shower, because Jose is a nerd anyway, so obviously he doesn't know what to do with a woman; Does he?


I must say not quite what I was expecting---very good all the same


you next task is to read a story

Sending Her To The Edge by Sybriate D'anguisette

http://www.bdsmlibrary.com/stories/story.php?storyid=1647

Then review it both on the story page and in the
Critic's Circle forum

using this as a guidline for the review

Review writing made easy:

http://www.bdsmlibrary.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5386

[maddie]

How I put together a story depends on a fair number of things. The last story for level two, well, that was raw emotion that basically came gushing out of me. There's really no character development and there's not much of a plot, per se. It was awfully therapeutic, though, and I'll never reveal why I wrote it. :) Must protect the innocent, you know. I will say that it is the basis for a novel I'm working on and hope to actually finish.

For short stories, I tend to get an idea in my head, mull it over for a day or two, then just write. I have a fabulous proofreader, who never backs away from telling me where I've messed up and where I can do better.

I have hated outlines ever since I learned they exist. Even for projects like my senior honors thesis (The Role of Religion in the Indian Captivity Narratives of Early Colonial New England -- how's that for sounding stuffy and self-important?), when I had to come up with an outline, I knew I wouldn't stick to it.

I recognize the need for some sort of notes or basic rough outline if I'm going to write something longer than about 1500 words. So, yes, I've been jotting notes about character backgrounds and how I want the story to unfold for My Great American Novel. I can visualize certain scenes in my mind already and I have a tendency to write stories out of order, just so I don't lose some fabulous dialogue or description.

I write when I'm alone, 99% of the time. It's a very personal thing for me. I remember finishing my senior thesis and holding the printed out pages for the first time. It felt like a part of me. I'd never felt that way before about anything. I'd like to feel it again.

[Rabbit1]

How I put together a story depends on a fair number of things. The last story for level two, well, that was raw emotion that basically came gushing out of me. There's really no character development and there's not much of a plot, per se. It was awfully therapeutic, though, and I'll never reveal why I wrote it. :) Must protect the innocent, you know. I will say that it is the basis for a novel I'm working on and hope to actually finish.

For short stories, I tend to get an idea in my head, mull it over for a day or two, then just write. I have a fabulous proofreader, who never backs away from telling me where I've messed up and where I can do better.

I have hated outlines ever since I learned they exist. Even for projects like my senior honors thesis (The Role of Religion in the Indian Captivity Narratives of Early Colonial New England -- how's that for sounding stuffy and self-important?), when I had to come up with an outline, I knew I wouldn't stick to it.

I recognize the need for some sort of notes or basic rough outline if I'm going to write something longer than about 1500 words. So, yes, I've been jotting notes about character backgrounds and how I want the story to unfold for My Great American Novel. I can visualize certain scenes in my mind already and I have a tendency to write stories out of order, just so I don't lose some fabulous dialogue or description.

I write when I'm alone, 99% of the time. It's a very personal thing for me. I remember finishing my senior thesis and holding the printed out pages for the first time. It felt like a part of me. I'd never felt that way before about anything. I'd like to feel it again.


Lol ---I have wrote things out of order before ---and yes a outline of sorts helps you put it in the proper place later----and the purpose of this course is not to tell you that you have to have an certain type of outline---but to help you develop your own writing style---one of the novels I had published started out as a short story ----like I said on short stories I usually do not even thing of an outline----but when I finished my short story --more and more kept coming to my mind ---so I used the first part as an out line after I printed it out---using notes and a highliter---I turned it into an outline ---now that is all I use---That is my style----the main purpose of this decussion is hopefully for others to pick up tip to try on their own to help develop their own style ---something they may not have thought of --to make things easier on them. A good proof reader is a great asset---and good luck on your great american novel ---my first one took 5 years to write


your next task is to write a short story about this picture ---you have two weeks to do so

and PM me when the task is completed

[maddie]

Ooooh. Interesting picture. Thank you, Rabbit!

[Sir_G]

A very interesting thread this and full of wonderful information. I must confess I'm a little awed by the company I am in. You are all so talented and well educated; Maddie, a senior honors thesis even. I, as I informed Ruby, only managed three years at high school and have learned what I do know in the school of hard knocks. By the way Ruby, thanks for your last PM. It made me sit back and indeed take a deep breath instead of baling like I was going to.

I would call myself an intuitive writer. The stories I have written thus far have been based on people I have met here on the forums or in real life, apart from the story contest when the Right Honorable Rabbit gave us the photo theme. The roleplay "The Taking of Khaera" of course was Daes' brainchild, that I have been really excited to be a part of. The Pony Ranch role play was my own idea but sadly, due to the server move, two characters that had joined lost their posts and have not rejoined the fray.

I digress. I was saying I write intuitively. I get an idea for a character usually from someone I have met and take it from there. I seem to have a pretty good memory for the characters I develop as I am writing the story and haven't bothered with an outline, but having read this thread I am beginning to see the benefits of having one, possibly some notes as well. This would be really handy for longer short stories and books.

Without wanting to sound like some kind of Prima Donna, I tend to see myself as an artist and rely heavily on creative flow to fuel my stories. When my muse sings it's nothing for me to bang out a story like "Crossing Diana - The Awakening" in two to two and a half hours. I tend to be a little punch drunk after that, it is a very intense creative burst if you like. The inevitable writers drop (is there such a term?) is equally intense.

I hope what I have written here makes sense to you who read it and it covers what Ruby assigned me to do.

[Ruby]

Congrats, Gregsta!

You did it. I knew you could. An "intuitive writer"? That term applies well to your style.

About how many stories do you have in progress at any particular time?

Do you prefer to write short stories or longer ones?

Do you want to take some of the stories you are already writing and use them for your assignments or do you prefer to have writing assignments that stand apart from what you are already writing?

What is your preferred genre of storytelling?

The reading assignments for everyone at Level 3 are here:
http://www.bdsmlibrary.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6313

You can get started on those at any time.

Does anyone have any questions for Gregsta?

[Ruby]

Hi Gregsta,

Your next assignment is another photo story.

Your task is to pick one person from this picture, and create a short story from that character's point of view.

This story it to be told in the "First Person Perspective".
To read more about this perspective, check out the first reading assignment.

Here is your photo:

http://www.bdsmlibrary.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=7592&d=1157104565

Please start a new thread - in the Level Three area - for this assignment as we will be practicing different view points for the same photo.

Have fun!

Ruby

[Sir_G]

How many stories do I have in progress at one time? I think the most was two. I tend to like finishing what I start before moving on to the next, otherwise I feel very scattered and lose motivation.

At this stage I've only ever tackled short stories. I've quite enjoyed the slightly longer short stories though. The feeling of satisfaction when they are finished is quite a high. When I finished "The Awakening", I felt stoned. Awesome experience.

If I think a story is good enough for an assignment I will use it as the assignment. Seperate assignments that have a specific theme or task are usually very challenging and force me to write outside my comfort zone. I'm trying to get my head around writing the next one from the photo in the first person. Very uncomfortable prospect that. (So thanks Ruby. Not.)

My prefered genre is anything that interests me at the time. I put together a newsletter for my Long board club and it is obviously surfing related. I love writing about it and the characters we have in the club. BDSM is a passion so I find it very easy to write about.

[Ruby]

Seperate assignments that have a specific theme or task are usually very challenging and force me to write outside my comfort zone. I'm trying to get my head around writing the next one from the photo in the first person. Very uncomfortable prospect that. (So thanks Ruby. Not.)

:) Excellent. It sounds like we stepped way out of your comfort zone. Purrrrfect!

[TheKnothead]

How do I put together a story? I’m kind of like Aesop in the old “shoot from the hip” style. I have an idea, or am given a topic. I let it germinate for a few days. I think about it, but I try not to think about it too hard and I don’t try to direct it in any way…just let whatever comes to mind show up. I should, but rarely ever have, written these ideas down…in no particular order.

At length, I have a basic idea of what my story is about, who’s in it and roughly what is going to happen. I then sit down and literally blast it into Word as fast as I can download it out of my head. I don’t care about structure, flow, spelling, grammar, or even if things are out of sequence. I just try to get all the highlights, key dialogue, imagery and action out of my head and on to paper, (into the document).

I then spend the next several days, or weeks cleaning it up, filling in gaps, finding the right words. Edit pass…after edit pass…after edit pass. I use version control; after each pass I do a save as and create a new document, so that my previous versions are still available to me. This lets me feel freer to chop things out, or mix things up, because I can always go back and retrieve discarded pieces if I want. I haven’t written very many stories and I should point out that the story I set out to write and the story I ended up with were rarely the same.

I would much prefer a more structured approach. I was just introduced to the triple “O” outline in level two. I think this has great potential use for me. I also am greatly impressed by the way some of the others here in this thread develop and focus on characters prior to giving much thought to the story line. I think that’s a fantastic idea…just never occurred to me, my characters just kind of develop in front of me as the story evolves.

So, how do I put together a story? So far, I’d have to say by dumb luck and determination.

[Ruby]

Thanks, TheKnothead, for sharing your tips and techniquies with us.

The Triple O outline, huh? I'll dash over to Level 2 to read up on that one.

As for longer pieces, those that start small and just keep getting bigger and bigger, character planning sheets can be a great aid.

Here are a few samples:

http://www.readwritethink.org/lesson_images/lesson932/planning-sheet.pdf

http://www.gailmartin.com/character_work_sheet.htm

http://www.eharlequin.com/cms/learntowrite/ltwArticle.jhtml?pageID=030113wz01001

Search on google for "character outline" and you'll find a bunch more. Find one you like and modify it for your own use. If you are writing a short story, you may need one, but if you are writing a series or anything bigger, they do come in handy.

Please let me know when you're ready for your next writing assignment.

Ruby

[cariad]

I have not written enough fiction to have an established pattern of how I work. However to date…

Assignment one for both level one and two. The basic idea evolved from seemingly nowhere, and I really cannot remember the process which led to the plot of the first part. Having got the basic plot worked out in my mind – something which could have been summed in about 25 words I then spent a little time, very relaxed, with my eyes closed ‘seeing’ that part of the story almost as a series of stills from a film. During the process the characters became real and as did their setting, and a few key lines also emerged. I made a note of those lines, although I found they were lodged in my memory anyway.

A few days later, when there were no time pressures or other distractions, I sat down in a favourite chair in a still part of the house with my laptop on my lap. I then closed my eyes, relaxed and allowed myself to drift back into the scenes I had previously imagined. I then just typed what was important, action, description, reactions, all as I saw them. At this point not bothering about spelling, typos, grammar or anything else. It took a few sessions like this to write each submission.

At the end of each session I went back and corrected any major errors, particularly typos which I might not be able to translate into English if I left them unattended too long!

When the whole was written, I read through it first silently to make sure there were no logistical errors, and then aloud to correct, or in cases to ‘de-correct’ the grammar and ensure that the flow was as good as I could make it.

My assignments in level 1 were then proof read. Those in level 2, for different reasons were not.

Assignment two for level one. Having instantly made the decision that this was not going to be a ‘so I was taken into the manager’s office and fucked by all the staff’ type fantasy story I thought it would write as though it were real life. I spent a little time choosing my characters and visualising the setting, and then I just sat down and wrote it, each time just thinking, and what would happen next. Having finished it, it went through the same proof reading process.

As I said, my pattern of writing is still in the very early stages of evolution. I would be reluctant to start recording an outline on paper/screen because it would then start to feel dead, although with a longer piece of work I can see myself putting down a series of key words or phrases.

cariad

[Sir_G]

Welcome to level 3 cariad. Ruby is a great teacher/mentor I think you will enjoy the challenge. Above all enjoy the writing.

[cariad]

Thank you Gregsta! I just hope I am up to it - but am determined to give it a shot - and with a little help from my friends - who knows....

hugs

Now then - where did maddie hide that chocolate? Quick, you can tell me now whilst she is not looking.

cariad

[maddie]

I am always looking at my chocolate, cariad. But I'm also always willing to share it with you. :)

[Ruby]

Did somebody say chocolate???

cariad,

Welcome to Level Three.

That was a wonderful explanation of the process you are going through with this story.

I sent you a PM with some options for your next assignment. Either way, let's keep your story going forward. Please open a new thread in level three, drop the first two parts of your story in it, and then continue. If you'd like to do a spelling and grammar refresh on the second part before your drop it in here, go for it.

To your continued success,

Ruby
:rose:

[Rhabbi]

Like most of the respondants here, I tend to trip over ideas wherever I am. They just seem to pop up and then float around my head for a bit. The good ones seem to take on a life of their own, and develop plots and characters.

When writing I do not use an outline as this seems to stifle me. This is true even in school work where it would seem that I should be able to make an outline in advance. I recently took a college level course where I was supposed to turn in three different5 outlines for a research paper I was working on. This assignment was literally impossible for me to complete, the only way I can do an outline is to write the paper first, and I did not have enough time to write three seperate papaers, so I simply told the instuctor that I would not do the assignmet. As you can imagine this did not go over well, it seems I was the first poerson ever to say that to her.

Writng, to me, is about the free flow of words onto paper, not trying to force them into a preconceived notion. Every course I have ever taken has stressed the importance of outling, but my mind does not work that way. I have driven coworkers and study group members crazy as they tried to keep up with me. I put things off and do not folow a schedule, yet I always meet the deadline.

[anonymouse]

How do I put together a story?

I rarely draft outlines before I begin writing. What usually happens is I pick an idea (I always have a storm of them in my thoughts) for characters, setting, and something Stephen King calls the 'what if?'

My characters are an amalgam of various people I know or have met. As people I've known for many years, both in reality and through use of them in my stories, they become characterized with the idiosyncracies I know them to have. I find this very useful to invent characters that have a solid and believable identity. It also makes it very easy to write interactions of characters because, at one level I'm 'inventing' this but on another, I simple ask myself, 'What would (real person A) say in this situation?' or 'How would (real person B) react?' In other words, I find it a good way to animate my characters.

Settings are often also based on real life locations, or amalgams of various places. As with character animation, settings can be made more vivid when I add in memories of little details I might have noticed in the real world source. Often, as in real life, it isn't the big things that catch our attention but rather, small and seemingly insignificant details will pop out of the landscape. In other cases it might be something that is slightly incongruous to the setting -- an old-fashioned hat stand in an otherwise ultra-modern office, for example. It opens the gates to questions like 'Why is that here?' and 'What type of person wears a hat to work these days?' (refers back to characterization).

And lastly, the 'What if...?' factor. (Paraphrasing from memory) Stephen King describes it this way:

You take something you see every day that is so familiar to you that you never notice it. For example, one of those mechanical space ship rides you see in shopping malls everywhere. What if a five year old got into one of those and it really took him into space?

This approach isn't really any different to that used by researchers, except they refer to it as their problem statement or hypothesis.

So anyway, I wasn't sure whether this is Assignment 1 here, but there you have it -- how do I put together a story.

anonymouse

[Ruby]

Rhabbi and anonymouse,

Thank you for those wonderful posts.

It's clear you are both ready for this level.

Rhabbi, I chuckled through your comments about research paper. I once asked an programmer to estimate how long it would take him to write a new feature for a customer. He told me he didn't work that way and instead coded the feature, then informed me how long it took him. I'll spare you and won't ask you to do any outlines. :-)

I'm looking forward to reading your next assignment.

Anonymouse,

I nodded my head as I read your methodology for characters and places. I also find the "what if" a wonderful tool.

Please check your PMs in a few minutes and we can define your next assignment together.

Ruby

[anonymouse]

Thank you, Ruby. It's great to be here :)

anonymouse

[moptop]

I have so far used the 'shoot from the hip' method, because I have not completed anything other than short stories. However, most of the short stories I've written really aren't, or could not be: they could very well be the first chapter or two of something much bigger. My beginnings are easy: the characters (central characters), the place, the environment, the mood, the words, all flow out. Much the same as writing a poem: it is the moment of inspiration.

However, where I stick is with plot. I have several things that I have written, where this image, this world, these people have plonked themselves into me (and I have had to plonk all that onto paper quickly, because it is an over-riding demand on me). They appear unasked, unlooked for.

And then - what? some of these are years old. But I still think about them, still know them, and in fact am still working on them. The stories are emerging, gradually, gradually... and I know damn well that to make them come to fruition, I actually will have to sit down, concentrate and make myself write that plot down. I don't believe any outline I do will ever be chapter by chapter - that is part of the flow of the writing. And I certainly reserve the right to allow my plot to change as I go! but I know that I will need the tool to help me cristalise and clarify my ideas, and to understand whether I actually have a story that works.

Additionally, I have never written down my characters; but, I know this is because I always start with my principle characters, and they live in me, or I am them, when I write. There are some exceptions - generally, stories I have written as a specific exercise in writing, rather than ones that have arrived from the muse. In fact, only one story I started from inspiration has characters in that I really don't understand and need to study and consider in order to create them. I do recognise, however, that if I ever get my act together to work on one of the novels, then I will have to introduce various other characters, who I will have to create specifically. These people, I will actually need to make up a description and personality for, I know.

I read, re-read, re-type, read on screen and on paper (the printed word very often has a life of its own that just does not come out on screen. I make a lot of changes when I have the physical paper in my hands). I agonise. I put it away in a drawer...

I find writing from photographs an immense challenge. That is mainly because the photographs - at least, the ones given here - all seem to be the end of the story. How to get from the end back to the beginning, well! I would find it extremely difficult, but probably also very salutory, to have to do that. After all, it would make me actually create a complete story, rather than just having an idea and some words and throwing them at people.

Rhabbi, Anonymouse, very pleased to join you here.

[anonymouse]

Welcome to Level 3, moptop :-)

Your comments about writing stories to photos are interesting. Like you, I find it challanging but never really understood why it should be as difficult as it can be. You've clearly answered that for me and in fact, your explanation about having to write a reverse narrative makes the task much easier.

anonymouse

[Ruby]

Hi moptop,

Welcome again to Level 3!

About plotting:
If you think it's important, what is keeping you from doing it?

I often have a story idea in mind, with a few things that will happen, but other than that, I let my characters lead. Sometimes, in order to be true to them, the ending must be changed. Many times, I start in the middle of a story and write from the front and the back at the same time.

It's about whatever works for you.
Finding the right tools can be a huge timesaver.

Your comment about photographs is very interesting. I can see how many of them here appear to be the end of the story. Let's see if we can find some for you that are waiting for the "what happens next?" question to be answered.

Write on!

Ruby

[tessa]

I just typed out my whole "How I put a story together" post and it got eaten by the evil server monster! And since all I have right now are bad words, I'll have to come back and redo later.

2nd damn time today. :mad:

[Mad Lews]

I just typed out my whole "How I put a story together" post and it got eaten by the evil server monster! And since all I have right now are bad words, I'll have to come back and redo later.

2nd damn time today. :mad:

And the lord spake unto the multitude... "Thou shalt back up, though the time is short and thy skirt be raised "Back up" without fail and you shall be rewarded in the ether life."

Mad

[Rhabbi]

I just typed out my whole "How I put a story together" post and it got eaten by the evil server monster! And since all I have right now are bad words, I'll have to come back and redo later.

2nd damn time today. :mad:

Try typing it in a word file and then pasting it. It is how I do all my work around here, especially when Rabbit is busy catching up on his work.

[tessa]

And the lord spake unto the multitude... "Thou shalt back up, though the time is short and thy skirt be raised "Back up" without fail and you shall be rewarded in the ether life."

Mad


You are a helpful lil' cuss, aren't you?

:madfire:

[Mad Lews]

You are a helpful lil' cuss, aren't you?

:madfire:
always happy to be at your cervix Ma'am :)
Mad

[Ruby]

Mad, you crack me up.

Rhabbi, great suggestion.

Hang in there, Tessa.

[tessa]

Ok, here I am again, pasting it from Word this time. ~a look towards Mad~ Thank you, Rhabbi.

How do I put a story together? Actually, it kind of puts itself together. I have an idea, a flash of a scene, a character that emerges in my mind and won't shut-up, and from there, the story just starts itself. From there, ideas come together and flow from me. Getting the story out of my mind and in type is a rush of doing. None of my stories, to date, have had an ending in mind at the start. It's as if the story "grows up" as I write, with the present being known but the future yet to be set.

After it's in it's rough form, I like to let the story just be for a while. During the "let it be" time, other ideas and ways of getting what I want from the story come to me. When I go back and read it after letting it alone for a few days, I am able to better see what works, what needs to go, who needs to have sex with who- that sort of thing. :)

Outlining is not an easy tool for me to utilize either. It tends to make things less organized for me. I like to make notes about characters, plot or settings, but that's about it. It's important to me to keep the details straight, not start off with a "Mark" and end up with a "Drake" (which I did once). It just helps the flow of writing if details are managed in some way, for me anyway. Because if I don't manage the story, it manages me. While the latter may be all right for certain things, it's not so great in my writing.

This Writer's Block has been a wonderful way to take risks in my writing, ones I might never have attempted otherwise. The use of dialogue or plot to weave my story for me have not only been encouraged, but supported, so I'm trying more of that as I develop ideas. Don't know if every idea will be worth its thought, but that's what we are here for, to find out, right?

~giggles a little cause I'm here~ Woohoo!

tessa :wave:

[anonymouse]

I just typed out my whole "How I put a story together" post and it got eaten by the evil server monster! And since all I have right now are bad words, I'll have to come back and redo later.

2nd damn time today. :mad:


Sometimes, my 'quick replies' turn into much lengthier essays. When this happens I usually copy the post to the clipboard just before posting to avoid possible problems.

If it's a really long post, I'll copy/past into word at some stage during writing it. Something to remember about MS Word is it doesn't always paste neatly back into message windows. In order to avoid word-wrap issues, save the MS Word document as plain text, open in Notepad, turn off 'word wrap', then copy/past back into the message window. It seems a terribly convoluted way of doing things but, it's Microsoft and 'life wasn't meant to be easy'. hehe

anonymouse

PS: If just copying to the clipboard BE VERY CAREFUL if you're using the shortcut keys that you click 'C' for copy and not 'V' for paste! There's nothing more annoying than accidentally erasing a post at this stage!

[tessa]

always happy to be at your cervix, Ma'am :)
Mad

Oh, Mr. Ma-ad? I told my cervix all about you. She can't wait to meet up with you, have some intense inter...

~realizes my notebook is missing...looks around for it, doesn't see it, sees my pen but not my notebook...a bit frantic as it has all my notes and ideas...finally spots it under the table, bends low to reach it, then sits back up, adjusting my tiny lil' tank top, so I don't flash anyone :o ~

Anyway, what was I saying? Oh yeah, my cervix and you, meeting up for some...

~pulls my skirt down as it inched up a bit too high on my thighs~

intense...

~thinks of uncrossing my legs, but remembers that I still don't know what panties are~

interdenominational discussions regarding your use of verse earlier.

Hey, what can I say? She's into such things. The perv...

:)

[tessa]

Why thank you, anonymouse! That is an incredibly thoughtful, not to mention extremely helpful, thing to do for me.

~gives a hug~

tessa :wave:

[anonymouse]

Why thank you, anonymouse! That is an incredibly thoughtful, not to mention extremely helpful, thing to do for me.

~gives a hug~

tessa :wave:

You're very welcome, Tessa. I've had the same thing happen to me and I know how maddening it can be :)

anonymouse

[Rhabbi]

drools

Tries to recover from all the flashing that just occored.

Tessa, gald to see you finaly got to post. lol

[tessa]

Thanks, Rhabbi. It might take me awhile, but I try to do it right when I finally do get at it.

:)

[Mad Lews]

Oh, Mr. Ma-ad? I told my cervix all about you. She can't wait to meet up with you, have some intense inter...

~realizes my notebook is missing...looks around for my it, doesn't see it, sees my pen but not my notebook...a bit frantic as it has all my notes and ideas...finally spots it under the table, bends low to reach it, then sits back up, adjusting my tiny lil' tank top, so I don't flash anyone :o ~

Anyway, what was I saying? Oh yeah, my cervix and you, meeting up for some...

~pulls my skirt down as it inched up a bit too high on my thighs~

intense...

~thinks of uncrossing my legs, but remembers that I still don't know what panties are~

interdenominational discussions regarding your use of verse earlier.

Hey, what can I say? She's into such things. The perv...

:)

:hubbahubb
Tease if you must tessa,

I was only trying to be helpful. HONEST!

Go a-head tease me again, I can take it.:)

Mad Lews

[Ruby]

Flash away, Tessa!


Don't know if every idea will be worth its thought, but that's what we are here for, to find out, right?

Yes, indeed. We are here to take risks and have fun while helping you flash or flourish.

[tessa]

Yes, indeed. We are here to take risks and have fun while helping you flash or flourish.

Ruby, you are the *Rock Star* of writing instructors!! Very cool! :)


Go a-head tease me again, I can take it.

Mr. Mad, I wanna find out if that is, indeed, true. ;)

Woohoo! Lovin' Level Three!!

:wave:

[H Dean]

Tessa! Do not feed the Mad Lews. We have a strict policy here. You are allowed to pet the Mad Lews. You are allowed to look at the Mad Lews. But you are not to feed the Mad Lews. By "feed" I mean tease. It is strictly forbidden. Did you not see what happened to the last person who fed the Mad Lews? (shudder)

Ah well...another day at the zoo.

[tessa]

Tessa! Do not feed the Mad Lews. We have a strict policy here. You are allowed to pet the Mad Lews. You are allowed to look at the Mad Lews. But you are not to feed the Mad Lews. By "feed" I mean tease. It is strictly forbidden. Did you not see what happened to the last person who fed the Mad Lews? (shudder)


Well, Mr. Dean, if it made even you shudder, I might have cause for concern. But I've fed Mad Lews quite a bit, and on numerous occasions, and have never felt the need to be concerned for myself, so there is that.

And if there is a policy to violate...

~smiles~

Do you have pics of the happenings to the last person to feed Mad Lews? Might be something I want...um, need to see?

[H Dean]

In a stunning display of cliché self-taught bear expert, Timothy Treadwell, proved that, indeed, some days you eat the bear, some days the bear eats you.

On monday his body and the body of his girlfriend were found in Alaska's Katmai National Park and Preserve. Apparently, they were mauled to death by the same brown bears that he had declared as "harmless".

Following a drug overdose, and after several encounters with bears in Alaska, he decided to devote himself to the study of the large omnivorous animals and even established a non-profit bear-appreciating group called "Grizzly People".

He had spent several summers living alone with and videotaping Katmai bears. Such was his confidence around the bears that he had touched them and given them names. On one occassion he was even filmed crawling along the ground singing as he approached a sow and two cubs.

Apparently, the Bears had formed their own people-appreciating club. Their first meeting included live music followed by dinner.

Following the meeting, the bears reportedly said that Treadwell tasted sort of like chicken.

http://bastardpowered.com/more_darwin.htm

I repeat...do not feed the Mad Lews.

[Mad Lews]

I repeat...do not feed the Mad Lews.

Sure let him go hungry, Then see what happens.

tessa Love,

You have nothing to fear. I'd never even dream of eating you.
Well maybe in my dreams, but I won't bite (much) or swallow.
Yours
Mad & the lustful Lews

[tessa]

Hey, Mad? You dream of me? Oh, how lovely to know! Makes me smile all over. And I swallow, so don't worry about your issues with it. :blurp_ani

Mr. Dean, I've heard of that pitiful idiot, Treadwell, bless his heart. His biggest mistake was to have the audacity to believe that wild can co-exist peacefully with tame. I would never ever make that mistake. Mad, nor lustful Lews, is anywhere near tame. Being the wild sort like myself, he makes for a delightful feed. :)

And it is for that very same reason (wild-on-wild), that I dare to venture by your cage from time to time. While it might not be the sanest thing to do, it sure makes for quite the adventure.

Besides, who does sanity anymore. It is soooo last week. :rolleyes:

[Mad Lews]

Hey, Mad? You dream of me? Oh, how lovely to know! Makes me smile all over. And I swallow, so don't worry about your issues with it. :blurp_ani

Besides, who does sanity anymore. It is soooo last week. :rolleyes:

Fear not sweet tessa,

While Mad & Lews may both have their dark dreams about bending you over the kitchen table, flipping your skirt up for panty inspection, (which you never seem to remember,) and then brightening your bottom to a warm glowing red (for failing to wear your panties) before bathing your sweet ass in kisses and licks.

Believe me, I’m too much the gentleman to mention such fantasies on a semipublic forum. Nor would I mention the inevitable kissing licking and nibbling of your inner thighs until such time as you begged (convincingly) for Lews to stop. (Usually some 30 to 45 minutes later?) I promise I’ll never reveal such thoughts to others, for I’d hate to make such a shy young lass blush.

Yours

Mad

[tessa]

~blushes from the top of my head all the way down my body to the tippy-tips of my toes~ Mercy me! Who turned on the heat! ~fans self~ ~looks over at the smiling Mad and the panting Lews~ Oh, I think I know who.

Well, Mr. Mad and Lews, it's a good thing you don't discuss such things in this semi-public place. 'Cause if'n you did, I might just have to find a corner around here to, umm...discuss it further?

My, my, my, my and my!!!

:wave:

[Ruby]

* fans self *

Mad, Lews and Tessa you are very distracting.

Do continue. ;)

[Rhabbi]

* fans self *

Mad, Lews and Tessa you are very distracting.

Do continue. ;)

I agree Ruby, how can we write with all this going on.

*contemplates helping tessa to coll off by taking off her dress.*

[H Dean]

This is ertainly not something that was on the syllabus. Lews, Mad and Tessa, kindly turn your attention to where it belongs. You are making a mockery of the class and I won't stand for it!

Do not make me get the ruler!

[Ruby]

Oh, yes. Get the ruler!

This instructor is having a delightful time.

[Rhabbi]

Ruler, did someone say ruler?

[tessa]

~leans completely over Ms. Ruby's desk to see (again) what my next assignment is...bounces and wiggles my ass just a bit 'cause Ms. Ruby has the best music playing in her office...turns to look back at Mr. Dean and his...ruler...then smiles~

Whatcha gonna be a doin' with that? Hmm??

[tessa]

Oh, yeah, I wanted to say to Mr. Mad (and Lews, if he's settled down enough to listen). You mentioned these things called "panties" again. I've heard that term thrown around in here. I've tried to google it, but all I come up with is "Page Not Found-Server Error". Seriously. What are these mysterious things?? Inquiring bottoms want to know.

~resumes the ass-wiggle, making it sway just a bit more sensuously as I now know exactly what I'm listening to~

[anonymouse]

I searched "panties" at Alta-Vista and the page redirected to "ankles"

[tessa]

I searched "panties" at Alta-Vista and the page redirected to "ankles"

~laughs so hard I cause Ms. Ruby's cup-holder to fall off the desk~

Oops!! ~looks down at the poor thing on the floor~ I'm sorry!! ~looks again~ Hey, he's really cute! Where'd you get him, Ms Ruby? Never seen anything like him at OfficeMax.

anonymouse, that was brilliant!

Hehehe

[H Dean]

~leans completely over Ms. Ruby's desk to see (again) what my next assignment is...bounces and wiggles my ass just a bit 'cause Ms. Ruby has the best music playing in her office...turns to look back at Mr. Dean and his...ruler...then smiles~

Whatcha gonna be a doin' with that? Hmm??Why is it that I always get that look from you when I get the ruler out? That's the same look you give me when I get out chocolate.

I just don't understand.

[H Dean]

Oh, yes. Get the ruler!

This instructor is having a delightful time.Do you think can measure up to my rule?

[Mad Lews]

Oh, yeah, I wanted to say to Mr. Mad (and Lews, if he's settled down enough to listen). You mentioned these things called "panties" again. I've heard that term thrown around in here. I've tried to google it, but all I come up with is "Page Not Found-Server Error". Seriously. What are these mysterious things?? Inquiring bottoms want to know.

~resumes the ass-wiggle, making it sway just a bit more sensuously as I now know exactly what I'm listening to~
tessa,
Get thee to level 4 wench and all (of you) will be revealed. No, I'm sorry, that was Lews talking. Uhm I'll try and find a definition and use for these mysterious tidbits by the time you make it up to the high windswept Plato(eau) (a Deanism). Meanwhile try to keep your skirt down gurl you're just plain distracting.
Mad

[Ruby]

Distracting? The student has earned a spanking!

I was hoping one of you doms would give her a few whacks for me to help with her assignment.

Riiiight. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. For now.

[tessa]

Why is it that I always get that look from you when I get the ruler out? That's the same look you give me when I get out chocolate.

I just don't understand.

It's no surprise you're having trouble.

This is my look for chocolate- :)

And this is the look for rulers- :bdsmsmile

Not the same at all. Chocolate is yummy, don't get me wrong. It just doesn't do for me what a ruler does. Now if you dipped the ruler in some chocolate, well, that might be a different story.


Get thee to level 4 wench and all (of you) will be revealed. No, I'm sorry, that was Lews talking.
I do like that beast. :) I'm gonna pet him all over when I get to Level Four. Which reminds me that I have got to finish my assignment for Ms. Ruby!


Meanwhile try to keep your skirt down gurl you're just plain distracting.
~walks over to Mr. Mad, turns around and reaches back behind me, sliding my hands down over the tiny black skirt that covers my ass, finding the hem and quickly flipping it up, flashing a bit of my cute little dierriere~

I have a note from the teacher that says I can be naughty, so there.:blurp_ani

[Mad Lews]

It's no surprise you're having trouble.

~walks over to Mr. Mad, turns around and reaches back behind me, sliding my hands down over the tiny black skirt that covers my ass, finding the hem and quickly flipping it up, flashing a bit of my cute little dierriere~

I have a note from the teacher that says I can be naughty, so there.:blurp_ani

And I have a hair brush that says there will be consequences.

bad tessa:crop:
whoops that's the crop. Well when I find my little hairbrush you're going to be in big trouble young lady.
The very authoritative (but not that mad)
Mad

[tessa]

And I have a hair brush that says there will be consequences.

bad tessa:crop:
whoops that's the crop. Well when I find my little hairbrush you're going to be in big trouble young lady.
The very authoritative (but not that mad)
Mad

Yikes!! ~quickly finds nearest chair and runs to sit on it, tugging my skirt down as far as it obviously just isn't meant to go~

Hehe? Umm...just kidding??

~has an idea and says in a so-sweet-it'll-make-you-sick voice ever~

Hey, Lews! Come on over here, you sexy beast. ;) I don't have to be in Level Four to pet you all up, now do I? Come on! Come on over here and tessa will make you feel all frisky. :hubba:

~keeps an eyes on Mad, hoping to distract him once again~

[H Dean]

And I have a hair brush that says there will be consequences.

MadLook out! Mad hair stylist at large!

[Mad Lews]

Look out! Mad hair stylist at large!

Damn straight I'll curl the hairs on that one. Let me at her!
Lews

[anonymouse]

My goodness, Lews! Be careful with that styling wand. You could poke an eye out with that thing!

[tessa]

Look out! Mad hair stylist at large!

And he styles hair! Ah, the perfect man. Well, of the beast-y variety at least.


Damn straight I'll curl the hairs on that one. Let me at her!

Don't know who "her" is, but dang she's a lucky bitc...erm, chick.

~dances around the classroom a bit 'cause Ms. Ruby honest to goodness plays the best music!!~

Oh, yeah, actually working on my assignment again. Had some inspiration. :)

:wave:

[anonymouse]

~cringes at mention of assignment~

Ms. Ruby, I'm afraid I have been procrastinating on my assignment and spending too much time fooling around in the forums :) I can multi-task in the forums -- but not so easily when I have to write. As soon as I get a good long break in work committments, I'll get onto it.

anonynaughtymouse

[Mad Lews]

In a stunning display of cliché self-taught bear expert, Timothy Treadwell, proved that, indeed, some days you eat the bear, some days the bear eats you.

On monday his body and the body of his girlfriend were found in Alaska's Katmai National Park and Preserve. Apparently, they were mauled to death by the same brown bears that he had declared as "harmless".

Following a drug overdose, and after several encounters with bears in Alaska, he decided to devote himself to the study of the large omnivorous animals and even established a non-profit bear-appreciating group called "Grizzly People".

He had spent several summers living alone with and videotaping Katmai bears. Such was his confidence around the bears that he had touched them and given them names. On one occassion he was even filmed crawling along the ground singing as he approached a sow and two cubs.

Apparently, the Bears had formed their own people-appreciating club. Their first meeting included live music followed by dinner.

Following the meeting, the bears reportedly said that Treadwell tasted sort of like chicken.

http://bastardpowered.com/more_darwin.htm

I repeat...do not feed the Mad Lews.

I do believe Mr Treadwell is a prime candidate for a Darwin award.
These prestigious prizes are awarded to individuals who have made enormous contributions to evolution by removing themselves from the gene pool
http://www.darwinawards.com/

[tessa]

I do believe Mr Treadwell is a prime candidate for a Darwin award.
These prestigious prizes are awarded to individuals who have made enormous contributions to evolution by removing themselves from the gene pool
http://www.darwinawards.com/

I was able to contribute to a conversation Saturday night because of your "Darwin Award" information, Mr. Mad. You helped me out when you didn't even know you were going to. You're that good.

~big hugs for the Mad one and strokes for Lews~

[Mad Lews]

Yikes!! ~quickly finds nearest chair and runs to sit on it, tugging my skirt down as far as it obviously just isn't meant to go~

Hehe? Umm...just kidding??

~has an idea and says in a so-sweet-it'll-make-you-sick voice ever~

Hey, Lews! Come on over here, you sexy beast. ;) I don't have to be in Level Four to pet you all up, now do I? Come on! Come on over here and tessa will make you feel all frisky. :hubba:

~keeps an eyes on Mad, hoping to distract him once again~

Sometimes tessa a really incorrigible student needs to be dragged out of the classroom sent to IM (with hairbrush in hand) and is given a few dozen swats to remind her exactly why she's here.

To write DAMN IT!

Don't make your next writing assignment a private report on exactly how painful a hairbrush can be.

If you don't own a hairbrush we could always double up a stiff leather belt for practice. Please do continue with your assignment and stop distracting the inst err other students.

Yours Mad & Lews

[tessa]

I am working on my assignment. It's taking some time as I need it to be what I need it to be.

Paddled with belts and hairbrushes? And you call me distracting?!

:p

[Mad Lews]

I am working on my assignment. It's taking some time as I need it to be what I need it to be.

Paddled with belts and hairbrushes? And you call me distracting?!

:p
I've found that sometimes a few well placed stripes will help focus a subs attention and allow her to concentrate on her tasks.
In any event I'd enjoy it :blurp_ani
so concentrate now or be the focus later
Mad

[tessa]

In any event I'd enjoy it :blurp_ani
so concentrate now or be the focus later
Mad

~walks to my desk and leans over it, my cleavage showing so obviously from the white see-through fabric of my too tight, too low-cut shirt...looking intently at my assignment, concentrating as instructed...not even taking the time to adjust my tiny school-girl skirt which has ridden way far up my cute lil' butt, showing cheekage and everything ('cause I'm ignorant on the subject of panties and all)...can't keep my hips from swaying a bit as I can still hear Ms. Ruby's too cool music~~

Focusing, Mr. Mad, focusing. Yes, Sir!

[anonymouse]

LOL @ "cheekage"

[Mad Lews]

~walks to my desk and leans over it, my cleavage showing so obviously from the white see-through fabric of my too tight, too low-cut shirt...looking intently at my assignment, concentrating as instructed...not even taking the time to adjust my tiny school-girl skirt which has ridden way far up my cute lil' butt, showing cheekage and everything ('cause I'm ignorant on the subject of panties and all)...can't keep my hips from swaying a bit as I can still hear Ms. Ruby's too cool music~~

Focusing, Mr. Mad, focusing. Yes, Sir!


~Walks up behind that cute little butt. Lews stands between her wide spread legs. He’s so close she can feel his body’s heat. He sighs in appreciation of the sight. Tessa shudders when she feels the touch of Lew’s hands on her waist. The movement makes it quite apparent to Lews that she’s not really concentrating. Lew’s raises her hips and in the process quite accidentally brushs against her, because he is standing so very close. His wandering hands brush tessa’s skirt up checking for any misplaced panties and feeling quite relieved that she has yet to discover this mysterious and utterly useless garment. Tessa’s bottom is now perfectly exposed and she wiggles it most seductively.

“Maybe you just need some encouragement dear. This should help you concentrate.” Mad says kindly.

He reluctantly steps back from between her legs and sees her straining to look back over her shoulder. It is quite obvious she’s only pretending to work on her assignment!

Mad takes up a position behind and to her left, gently stroking her swaying ass cheeks, while he offers constructive tips on focusing the mind. Tessa continues to squirm and twist trying to keep an eye on Mad and Lews. Her eyes widen most delightfully when she sees the ruler raised triumphantly over her cute buns. (sorry H_Dean you never should have set it down.)

Mad’s left hand presses down on the small of her back; helping to calm her. The right hand slowly guides the ruler up her inner thigh. Tessa shivers, completely forgetting the beat of the music as the ruler taps deliberately against a rather damp juncture between her legs. The firm steady tap of the ruler encourages her to raise her bottom a little higher. Tessa closes her eyes and turns her head back toward the desk, too late she decides to bury herself in her assignment. She whimpers as the stiff wood is pulled away, knowing it is once more raised high over her trembling cheeks.

“I’m sure a dozen will help immensely; aren’t you?” Mad inquires benevolently.

[tessa]

~frantically fans self~

Mr. Mad, it's a rare day that I'm left speechless. I just can't think when I'm this turned on.

Holy hell, I've GOT to go read that again!

Oh yeah, please pardon that wet spot. :o

[Mad Lews]

~frantically fans self~

Mr. Mad, it's a rare day that I'm left speechless. I just can't think when I'm this turned on.

Holy hell, I've GOT to go read that again!

Oh yeah, please pardon that wet spot. :o

Well I hope you've learned your lesson young lady.
I'd hate to have to go through this every day.;)
Mad

[tessa]

~rubs my fire-red bum a lil' bit...leans back over the desk to really and truly focus on my assignment...just can't help but wiggle a bit 'cause of the awesome music~

I'll be good girl from now on. A seriously good girl.

:wave:

[Mad Lews]

~rubs my fire-red bum a lil' bit...leans back over the desk to really and truly focus on my assignment...just can't help but wiggle a bit 'cause of the awesome music~

I'll be good girl from now on. A seriously good girl.

:wave:

When she's good she's great
butt when she's bad she's just awesome
Mad & Lews (agreeing for once).

[tessa]

~looks back over my shoulder and smiles...blows Mr. Mad and Lews~

[tessa]

OOPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A kiss!!!! Blows them a KISS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:o

[Mad Lews]

I would ask all the good students to avert their eyes,

I would never encourage teasing the instructors (especially Mr Dean or worse yet Ruby) as some modicum of order will be maintained here.

Certain unnamed teasing little gurls are going to end up in detention if they don't learn a little R E S P E C T

I assure you good students these punishments will be administered with great reluctance and only for the betterment of teasing little (unnamed) sluts.

So please

DO NOT READ THE PREVIOUS SEVEN POSTS or even the next one.

Disobedience in this matter could result in corporal punishment at Ruby’s discretion and I suspect she may be in an agitated mood by now.

Just a (fair?) warning

Mad & Lews

[Mad Lews]

~looks back over my shoulder and smiles...blows Mr. Mad and Lews~

Hey tessa,
Didn't your Momma ever teach you it's not polite to type with your mouth full?
Don't make me get out the tennis racket.
Lews


OOPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A kiss!!!! Blows them a KISS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:o

And I suppose that was an honest mistake?

sigh... some girls never learn.

I can hardly wait for you to finish your assignments so we can get our (instructional) clutches on you.

Of course Ruby might be reluctant to let you go now; I think she finds you quite entertaining. Maybe I could arrange a joint custody type thing. Mondays, Wednesdays and every other weekend you have to return to Level three for instruction and correction. I'd be there to watch, so you'd be in little real danger until you returned to level four.

I should warn you there is a Dean in level four and he makes Lews seem downright calm.

So get those damn assignments done girl I don't have the patience of Job

Keep juggling the fire sticks luv. I'm not sure that skirt is flame retardant so you may have to slip it off before entering level four.:rolleyes:

your very own Mad

[tessa]

Hey tessa,
Didn't your Momma ever teach you it's not polite to type with your mouth full?
Yeah, Lews, she did. ~strokes him in just the right spot~ Too bad your Momma couldn't get that lesson across to you. :blurp_ani


Don't make me get out the tennis racket.
Lews
Aww! Why not?!? Might be fun to play a few matches against you. Be fun to watch the drool fly around at least.


And I suppose that was an honest mistake?
Would I make any other kind??? ~innocent blink~


sigh... some girls never learn.
Very true, Mr. Mad. But some do. And oh, the things they learn! ;)


I can hardly wait for you to finish your assignments so we can get our (instructional) clutches on you.
Make that "instructional teeth" and I'll finish those assignments up in no time.


Of course Ruby might be reluctant to let you go now; I think she finds you quite entertaining. Maybe I could arrange a joint custody type thing. Mondays, Wednesdays and every other weekend you have to return to Level three for instruction and correction. I'd be there to watch, so you'd be in little real danger until you returned to level four.
You do make me giggle.


I should warn you there is a Dean in level four and he makes Lews seem downright calm.

:eek:


So get those damn assignments done girl I don't have the patience of Job
Do you realize how incredibly difficult is to write from the male perspective?? It takes some major effort to turn all those grunts and growls y'all make into actual readable prose. Get a language and maybe I'll have more to work with here. :32:


Keep juggling the fire sticks luv. I'm not sure that skirt is flame retardant so you may have to slip it off before entering level four.:rolleyes:
~checks label and sees that the skirt isn't at all retardant (to certain stains or fire)...slowly slides it down over my hips until it puddles down around my ankles...looks up at my very own Mad~
I got your fire stick. Rest assured I'll be juggling away. :eyes:

Your most serious-minded of students-
tessa

[Rhabbi]

Lews, you see why I am running late with my assignment, how do you expect me to write when all this is going on everytime I cum through here?

[Mad Lews]

Lews, you see why I am running late with my assignment, how do you expect me to write when all this is going on everytime I cum through here?

Rhabbi,
I believe post #106 specifically warns you not to read this stuff. Deduct 50 words and don't look here again until you finish your assignment. (You were almost down to 1500 right? 1450 will be a cinch. ;)) and please bear in mind rule #3 just because you're my only vic..er student doesn't mean you can flaunt the rules.
Your beloved Leader
Mad Lews

[Mad Lews]

Do you realize how incredibly difficult is to write from the male perspective?? It takes some major effort to turn all those grunts and growls y'all make into actual readable prose. Get a language and maybe I'll have more to work with here.
tessa

tessa dear

I do want to be helpful here (and so does Lews)

I really don't see the problem. It's just a matter of empathy. I can write from the male perspective using nothing more than both index fingers. Some women claim they can appreciate the finer nuances of a masculine point of view only after several hours of sustained masturbation but I suspect that's a load of crap.

Still if all else fails.

Mad

[Ruby]

This thread has blossomed into a delightful example of roleplaying. Tessa needed inspiration and Mad Lews gets extra points for providing that much appreciated "ruler relief"! Tessa, of course, gets extra points for following the instructions on her note to "Be naughty and have fun!".

And students think this is such a hard level. Hmmmm.

Ladies who are attempting to write from the male perspective, read over Mad Lew's posts at least twice. Even though he isn't writing from first person, you can easily understand what our leading males - Mad and Lews - are doing and thinking.

Tessa, dear, I believe your skirt is on the floor. If you continue undressing, I'd be happy to bind your naked self to my chair so you can finish your assignment. Be warned you may have an audience with groping hands.

[Mad Lews]

And students think this is such a hard level. Hmmmm.


True Ruby,
but some of the instructors find 'it' kinda hard,
but that might just be a guy thing....
Go ahead and tie her down, I'll keep my hands off her; my tongue is an entirely different story, you'll have to discuss that with Lews.
(then we'll really see if she can concentrate)
Mad

[H Dean]

Do you realize how incredibly difficult is to write from the male perspective?? It takes some major effort to turn all those grunts and growls y'all make into actual readable prose. Get a language and maybe I'll have more to work with here. - Tessa

I have no difficulty writing from the male perspective. Mostly because I am male. When writing from the female perspective I think of something completley logical and sensible and then write the exact opposite.

Incidentally, it is not your job to write readable prose. We prefer cons...especially Lews. He is such a contrarian!

Please note that I wrote the above from the perspective of Mad, sitting under the desk making funny faces into a mirror and chatting with my penis. Also, you should note that my penis doesn't actually chat back. He is shunning me for abusing him.

[tessa]

~looks over at Ms. Ruby's bindings placed on the seat of the chair, glances over at Mad and Lews (aka "Tounge and Drool") then at the abusive H Dean...very slowly and carefully backs into the corner, settles myself down in the desk and becomes the model student, going back for a 15th read of Mr. Mad's example of the male perspective~

[H Dean]

I think Lews put crazy glue in that chair. I know that Mad put itching powder in it. They are such children.

[tessa]

I think Lews put crazy glue in that chair. I know that Mad put itching powder in it. They are such children.

Well, these rubber pants may be permanently attached to the chair now, but I'm thinking I can wriggle out of them and avoid the itching powder as well.

Now this chastitiy belt on the other hand...not sure what the hell I'm going to do about it. Mad had Lews swallow the key and this belt thingee is as foreign to me as those panty thingees.

Gonna have to go wander the Forums and see if anybody knows a way out of this contraption. It's putting a real kink (the bad kind) into my self-love addiction.

[Mad Lews]

Gonna have to go wander the Forums and see if anybody knows a way out of this contraption. It's putting a real kink (the bad kind) into my self-love addiction.

Who luvs ya baby? :bukkake: Would you like me(us) to give you a hand with that?
Mad
&
Lews

[tessa]

Who luvs ya baby? :bukkake: Would you like me(us) to give you a hand with that?
Mad
&
Lews

~grins and giggles and full body hugs~ Mr. Mad, Sir, you're so cute when you get all kinky-fied.

Lews? You need to watch that thing! You could put an eye out, waving that around like that!

But yeah, gotta key for this? ~shows you "this"~ It's a real bother. Chastity, in any form, is really not a good look for me.

And so I don't get tied naked to the desk, I have finished my assignment and am getting a bit of input on it, see if it needs any changes or anything.

Speaking of input, oh Mr. Ma-ad.............

tessa :wave:

[H Dean]

Where is that assignment? Show me the way and I shall hop over to it and rip it...offer constructive critisism and stuff.

[tessa]

Where is that assignment? Show me the way and I shall hop over to it and rip it...offer constructive critisism and stuff.

I came to talk to you about it Mr. Dean, but once again, my "timing sucks".

Yeah, you'll be able to rip this a new one all right. It sucks about like my timing does.

~sighs~

[Mad Lews]

~grins and giggles and full body hugs~ Mr. Mad, Sir, you're so cute when you get all kinky-fied.

Lews? You need to watch that thing! You could put an eye out, waving that around like that!

But yeah, gotta key for this? ~shows you "this"~ It's a real bother. Chastity, in any form, is really not a good look for me.

And so I don't get tied naked to the desk, I have finished my assignment and am getting a bit of input on it, see if it needs any changes or anything.

Speaking of input, oh Mr. Ma-ad.............

tessa :wave:

Mr. Mad is eager and oh so very willing to offer his input.
Lews is straining to find the key (but lets not go there)
Meanwhile you could while away the time working on your assignment between super moderator missions (congrats on that:) )
Be good (if you must)
Mad & Lews

[Ruby]

~cringes at mention of assignment~

Ms. Ruby, I'm afraid I have been procrastinating on my assignment and spending too much time fooling around in the forums :) I can multi-task in the forums -- but not so easily when I have to write. As soon as I get a good long break in work committments, I'll get onto it.

anonynaughtymouse

I didn't forget you, naughty mouse!

Now that Tessa has turned in her assignment, perhaps it's time to bind you to the chair at my desk and give you some quiet time to work on yours.

* wicked grin *

What would help you put this story together?

Perhaps instead of a good long break, a 15 minute block here and there may help.

You can do it!

Ruby

[anonymouse]

I didn't forget you, naughty mouse!

Now that Tessa has turned in her assignment, perhaps it's time to bind you to the chair at my desk and give you some quiet time to work on yours.

* wicked grin *

What would help you put this story together?

Perhaps instead of a good long break, a 15 minute block here and there may help.

You can do it!

Ruby

Alas, I read this just as I was about to log off to go shopping. It's a delicious thought nonetheless. Will get busy soon :)

[Satan_Klaus]

First of, there are different ways I go about creating a story. It’s never the same but there are some patterns that I have recognized:

1. Like Dean pointed out, stories are a lot about problems and solutions. Struggle is an integral part to my story writing and some start by envisioning an imaginative or arousing struggle/problem/conflict or two and the story evolves around it. Characters appear, develop a personality and interact or solve the problem in their own way. Along the way background and further problems to be solved pop up.

2. I never start with the ending but sometimes I write about a captivating problem/struggle or just stumble across a powerful sentence and in that moment I KNOW that I want my story to end with this conflict resolved or this sentence answered. Sometimes it will take half a page to get there, sometimes several chapters and it doesn’t matter because its fine either way. (hope this makes sense)

3. I rarely start a story based on a character. If I do, it’s usually not the protagonist but a central figure (usually in a position of power), that the protagonist and other main characters interact with. So he is more a living part of the background.

4. I have started several stories from the background alone. After creating a world setting, I just thought about what people in my world might do and thus a story was born. (Maybe this tendency of mine is explained by my background in roleplaying.)



Once my characters emerge from the setting, they quickly develop a personality and take over. Basically the background, that sets the rules of the world and the characters, who decide how to act in it, take control of me and I become a chronicler, simply writing down WHAT HAPPENED. There may be set goals (i.e. problems that I want to see addressed or scenes that I have planned out) that have to be reached but the characters will go there on their own time.

To flesh out all of my story ideas, no matter on what they are centered (including the fixed assignments of the writers block, I lean back and set my mind adrift (something I’m very good at :) ). Hopefully, after a while, problems with my initial idea pop up and are solved, additional details are revealed and a theme and tone emerges as I envision sentences and fragments of dialogue.

In this stage, the flow of the story that makes the thrill reading it, as well as basic erotic content is established.

Satan_Klaus

PS: I also want to comment on rabbits posts on outlining in this thread. I chose this single post becasuse I think it pretty much sums up his ideas.




Do you use a written outline or try to do it all in your head ----how do you keep up with a with who is doing what to whom----
do you write your story in long hand first --or type it as you go


So far, I have only done short stories and I was able to juggle the outline (if one existed) in my head. More often, it is just a collection of background details, topics that are to be adressed and personalities.

I keep a list of tiny details at the bottom of my digital drafts including names, ages, hair and eye colours, secondary characters, places and the like for reference but the important things I keep in my head.

I have started work on a longer story (25000 words at the moment) and I realize that an outline might have been a useful tool. However, when i started writing, I did not know myself in which direction it would develop so I could not have written it in the first place. I guess I will stick to my "background and key event" method for the time being.



I'm a child of the digital age. I do all my writing directly in electronic format. All of it. I still have my school handwriting because I never used and evolved it.

Sometimes I write a sentece or paragraph I like very much only to realize that it needs more built up before it can be used. I just cut/paste it down and keep it in store until it is ready to be used.

If I'm unhappy how a paragraph sounds, I cut/paste and move around the sentences and replace words until I'm happy.

For highlighting and comments to self I use the editing fuctions of my word processor.

Satan_Klaus

[Ruby]

Thank you, Satan_Klaus,


Once my characters emerge from the setting, they quickly develop a personality and take over. Basically the background, that sets the rules of the world and the characters, who decide how to act in it, take control of me and I become a chronicler, simply writing down WHAT HAPPENED.

This happens to me, as well. I find can be the most fun and also the hardest to manage time. Sometimes my characters take control of the story and truly surprise me.

Ruby
:rose:

[moptop]

Oof. Eesh. Wumph.

There's me trying to think about, not only the assignment I'm supposed to have done - and am also anonymousingly procrastinating over - but also the additional half-way there assignment of redoing my sum domming domme thing - and then I go and read THIS!!! And I've gone and read all those bits I wasn't supposed to as well - oh dear.

Tessa, Lews, Mad - lor luv us - I'm all of a thingy.

On a separate note - Satan K - fascinating. You sound frighteningly self-disciplined!

[Satan_Klaus]

Self-discipline...don't make me laugh.

If I'm lacking in one thing, it's self discipline. Where did you get the idea that I had any?

Satan_Klaus

[Beswitchingly Positive]

All my literate life, I have wanted, no, needed to write. It started with obssesive journaling, and led to making most of my personal decisions based on whether or not there might be an intersting story involved.

I was once a tour guide telling ghost stories (I also conducted purely historical tours) for 9 years, I only worked for tour operators who let me write my own 'scripts', these were basically retellings based on many older versions. I took them and twisted some of them not changing the crucial actions but rather interpreting the motivations, making the tourists empathize with the characters before they met their inevitable sad ends that turned them into ghosts...people really liked my tours. I loved it when people would cry, shed a tear for the dead. I don't do that job anymore.

It seems I can write a fairly wicked short story. I have a million ideas as I have been deliberately collecting inspiration here in my beloved New Orleans and other locations for many years. I have little murder stories, Voodoo stories, bar stories, travel adventure stories, disaster stories and love stories. I am a whore for the details.

I have also been bartending for over a decade, on and off. I am very approachable, and a good listener; people tell me their stories. I have plenty of my own, but I am continually studying, observing people and making up a story, seeing them as characters even if we don't meet or speak.

This is not how the erotica started. I have always liked sex. A lot. A few years back I had a lover who was a professional writer and a bit of a sadist. He adored my writing and to entertain him I would send him tons of short stories. I found his attention very inspiring, especially when it came to writing out sexy scenes.

Alas, our fairytale, happily ever after, was not to be.

This may sound like a copout, but it seems the quality of my erotic writing is related to whether or not I have a very sexy, sadistic man in my life. Thank goodness this is not a factor with my non-erotic attempts at writing.

I have not had much schooling; but I have decent intuition. Somehow I stumbled on this site; I didn't know I would find such a cool writing class. I liked the assignments in level one, taking a bit of suggestion and running with it was fairly easy for me. All it took was a sentence and I could easily get going. Level two was harder, the 'write whatever you want' assignments, well, I wanted to write something juicy, not just get through the assignment.

Outlines are something I feel I need but have not been able to grasp and use, but I want to. I have plenty of short stories and scenes and I want to be able to make them into a longer work. It helps when a character or two are really strong for the story to take it's own form around them. The writing just flows. If it isn't (I got all blocked up for a while in level two) I make myself write anyway.

How do I put a story together? I take everything I know, I sit down. and it flows. If it is an assignment, I just make myself do it, over and over, badly, until something better flows.

I have three abandoned, completely different attempts at my last assignment in level two which I think were just crap. Finally I decided to write something that might not have been very erotic but had been knawing at me...it is like the stories are using me sometimes to achieve existence. It turned out that I got some nice compliments on the last one and I was certain no one would like it.

Wow, I am really glad to be in this level; seems like I got here when things are getting pretty exciting. When I saw how many pages this thread was I got worried. I am happy it was mostly Mad Lews helping Tessa write.

Sadly, I could not read any of cariad's posts as the dark color of the back ground made it impossible. I really want to read her posts.

Thanks,
Beswitchingly

[Satan_Klaus]

Sadly, I could not read any of cariad's posts as the dark color of the back ground made it impossible. I really want to read her posts.


You can try highlighting the text. In most browsers the letters will turn white.

But I truly don't know why cariad is still writing in blue after the change in colors on the forum.

Satan_Klaus

[Ruby]

Beswitchingly,

It's a pleasure to have you join us. Thank you for sharing so much of yourself.


Outlines are something I feel I need but have not been able to grasp and use, but I want to. I have plenty of short stories and scenes and I want to be able to make them into a longer work. It helps when a character or two are really strong for the story to take it's own form around them. The writing just flows. If it isn't (I got all blocked up for a while in level two) I make myself write anyway.

Very interesting!

I hear some future assignments being created for you and your desire to use an outline. Be warned, sometimes those strong characters will take control of the story and turn the ending into what it should be, versus what we thought it would be, when we started. Pushy characters!
I adore them.

Have you ever tried using "character sheets"?

Thanks again,

Ruby
:rose:

[Beswitchingly Positive]

I have not tried using character sheets, but it sounds like a good idea for a longer piece. I love the pushy characters too. I hardly ever know how a story is going to end when I start, unless it is autobiographical.

I am so happy to be here, thanks for the warm welcome Ruby.

I am ready to work hard.

Beswitchingly

[Satan_Klaus]

I have not tried using character sheets, but it sounds like a good idea for a longer piece.
Beswitchingly

Hello Beswitchingly,

Ruby just got me started on charactersheets as well. They really help on longer pieces. If you like, I can send you the one I created and write down my thoughts on using it.

Satan_Klaus

[Beswitchingly Positive]

Hello Beswitchingly,

Ruby just got me started on charactersheets as well. They really help on longer pieces. If you like, I can send you the one I created and write down my thoughts on using it.

Satan_Klaus

Sure I would love to see what you did. I am sure this is going to be a helpful tool and a template would be very helpful. Send it to me any way you like.

Thanks,
Beswitchingly

[Mishka]

Basically I wing it. That's my style.

When a scenario gets into my head I play it over and over in there...like watching a movie. The conversation comes out, the conflict, the drama, the emotions...the rest of the world fits around their lives, the good and the bad of it.

I start up a Word Document and just type. Sometimes I close my eyes and don't look at the screen or the keyboard and just type what I have been watching in my head. Sometimes it's just bits here and bits there of a story. Sometimes it's an entire scene that ends up being hashed, rehashed and edited some more before I like it (and I never like it, it's never good "enough").

My handy dictionary and the tools in Word are my only assistants at this time. I've tried character outlines but I found them unnecessary because a character I want to write about it I already feel an understanding for, a connection with him/her, I already know them as if they're real.

[cariad]

*Slips back into my old desk hoping that my extended absence was not noticed.*

I hope that life will now permit me to properly start this level, and hopefully even complete it. Is good to be back.

cariad

[Ruby]

Basically I wing it. That's my style.

When a scenario gets into my head I play it over and over in there...like watching a movie. The conversation comes out, the conflict, the drama, the emotions...the rest of the world fits around their lives, the good and the bad of it.

Mishka, we have a lot in common. This is how most of my stories begin, often with the characters in my head telling me their tales and showing me different versions until they think I've gotten it right.



My handy dictionary and the tools in Word are my only assistants at this time. I've tried character outlines but I found them unnecessary because a character I want to write about it I already feel an understanding for, a connection with him/her, I already know them as if they're real.

I find the longer the story, the more involved the characters, then those other tools can come into play and really help. It's not that I don't know the characters, it's that I have many competiting for attention.

When you are done with a story or you done with those characters or do you write about them again?

[Ruby]

*Slips back into my old desk hoping that my extended absence was not noticed.*

I hope that life will now permit me to properly start this level, and hopefully even complete it. Is good to be back.

cariad

Welcome back, cariad!

It's great to have you with us.

[Mishka]

Mishka, we have a lot in common. This is how most of my stories begin, often with the characters in my head telling me their tales and showing me different versions until they think I've gotten it right.



I find the longer the story, the more involved the characters, then those other tools can come into play and really help. It's not that I don't know the characters, it's that I have many competiting for attention.

When you are done with a story or you done with those characters or do you write about them again?


Depends on the characters. I don't mind. I've only written one story that had a part 2 and that was for an assignment. Half in Level 1 and the continuation in Level 2. I want to bring them back to Level 3. I'm open if someone wants some more attention...we'll see if I like the idea.

[cariad]

Welcome back, cariad!

It's great to have you with us.

Thank you Ruby, will try to stay here this time.

*passes Ruby an apple*

[Ruby]

Thank you, cariad

* Taking a bite of the pretty apple from cariad, I smile and wonder if anyone will notice if I go back and fix my silly spelling and "use of the wrong word" mistakes in previous posts. *

[cariad]

nope....there will only be the editing comment there for posterity.

[Razor7826]

Regardless of the genre I am writing, I start thinking about the setting and story structure well before I think about the characters. I'll always jot down a brief outline of what generally happens, but on one-shot erotica pieces that tends to not be substantial. I don't do full character sheets for short pieces, and instead opting to just write a few lines about them instead; if the story is only going to be a few pages, I do not believe a full character sheet would add enough, if any, to justify the time spent.

For a longer length story I plan to start writing during National Novel Writing Month (or whatever it is called), I am doing extensive outlining, character sheets, and world building. While characters are what make a story work, it is easier to design them once the world that they live in feels more 'real'.

Stories only a few pages in length, like those in my Bad End series, I can knock out in about 5 hours total, including editing. I've only been writing fiction since the beginning of the year, and I'm proud of my progress. but I probably have to keep an eye towards higher quality and longer length if I am going to ever make money writing (which is something I hope to do someday, but I know how unlikely that is).

In summary, I put my stories together by developing the world and setting, then the characters, then the words themselves.

[Ruby]

Ah, very interesting, Razor.

Do you have any particular tips or tricks that you've learned over the last year that you'd like to share with the rest of us?

[Razor7826]

Always know the ending before you start writing the beginning. If you know the final state in which the characters and story end up, character development will fall into place, as each event will naturally bridge the gap between the present and ending.

[Nikita]

Hi, My name is Nikita. I started writing bdsm stories a little over 3 years ago and posted my first one, Walking on the Wild Side, on this site. It's going to be a novella, but it's been slow going. The main reason is I get side tracked writing short stories. I like them...a lot.

My first book, a collection of those short stories called The Whipping Post, was published earlier this year. My reward was seeing it on an ebook site with a price tag next to it. :) Let's say, with the money it's generated to date, I can pay for a couple of months' worth of Starbucks lattes.

One of my short stories, was accepted for publication by Carol Queen, More Five Minute Erotica: 35 Tales of Sex and Seduction. She sent out a call for submissions with general guidelines on what she was looking for. The book will be sold on Amazon.com in December.

Why am I here? I want/need to learn more, move out of my comfort zone and work on writing assignments set by someone else, AND, be another set of eyes for Ruby and Dean.

How do I put a story together?

I just tell a story. Sometimes, the need to put it down is so strong, I can close my eyes and type away until I have to stop. This can go on for 10 min. I peek once in awhile to make sure my fingers are still on the right keys.

Characters drive my stories. I think they are the most important part of a story. I'll go even further and say they are the story. They each have a part that I know, can relate to, have seen at one point or another. In other words, drawing from personal knowledge and experience makes it easy to write.

Like Rhabbi, an outline stifles me, but after I've written several scenes, one is needed to put the story together. It is easier to connect the dots on paper than on the computer screen.

I don't have any tools other than reading books and stories I like. Observe how the author put it together, etc.

There are two books I refer to often, Write Great Fiction: Characters, Emotion & Viewpoint : (Techniques and exercises for crafting dynamic characters and effective viewpoints) and Plot & Structure: (Techniques And Exercises For Crafting A Plot That Grips Readers From Start To Finish).

As to tricks...music feeds a side of my brain that needs to be occupied while I write. The selection is relative or random.

These days, I work on pottery, tinker with photography, and draw. These activities keep me from being so anal retentive. hahahaha To be honest, my brain needs rest from over thinking.

I also write a little everyday. It maybe the constant stream of emails, blogs, responses to forum topics, etc. But, it is still writing.

Looking forward to the writing challenges and interacting with you.

[Ruby]

Hi Nikita,

Welcome to the Level Three.

You get sidetracked? :) Me, too.

I agree, the characters make the story. If I don't have any strong feelings for them, then I can easily put down a book or stop reading any story.

Thanks for the book recommendations. They sound great.

I'm looking forward to having you as both a student and extra set of eyes.

Ruby
:rose:

[Razor7826]

I too have a problem with getting sidetracked, but I don't view it as a problem like some people seem to do.

Too many of my friends have a 'linear' stack of books, videogames, or stories that they want to complete, one-by-one, in order. I have great difficulty imagining any process less productive than that, as I am many times more productive when I am focusing on what interests me rather than what I feel obliged to do.

[ladychipmunk]

Ok. I read all five pages of that thread (well sort of skimmed some of it.)

How do I put a story together… Well, I don’t really know. I suffer a lot from blank page syndrome. I have a hard time coming up with stuff to write about but once I know. It’s a piece of cake. I found using a character sheet for my second assignment in level One helped a lot. For the third assignment I was stumped for a while. I thought and thought about it. (Big secret – The real reason I love this forum is the assignments give me something to do during my commute. Nothing makes a commute go by faster than thinking up a really steamy story :D
I haven’t written a lot of fiction since I was in school and that was too long ago to reveal:) . Now as a mature adult I find that I like dirty stories A LOT better. I like to read them but the ones in the bookstores are not so interesting. And you begin to feel like a perv surfing the net for them (Not that that has stopped me! – I guess that makes me a perv too! Lol.
Ruby asked - Do you have any tools that you recommend to others?
I have no tools. I write because I read. I like all kinds of genre depending on my mood (except maybe westerns – But if it was sexy enough even a western may work)

I am allergic to outlines. Outlines make me feel penned up. I suppose I do outline in a way… I sort of sketch out what I want to write about (ion those long drives) and capture the gist beforw I truly start the real writing. I am an old RPG’er so the character sheet was a great find. But I think it would be tedious for many short stories. It's probably something I need to do but methodical things make me stop.

I’m not sure I’m ready (translate that to patient enough) to write anything much longer. Eventually I'd like to but I think I need to build my confidence. That's why hanging out here has been so great.:cool:

[Ruby]

ladychipmunk,

Welcome to this level and thanks for your input.

Hoping to make your commute go even faster,
I'll be preparing an assignment or three for you.

Being allergic to outlines? I can relate. I write them, my characters trash them and I think, why did I bother?

I only use character sheets on my short stories, if they have the same characters in them. Then it's proved to be a huge help.

Have fun. We're all looking forward to your feedback on the various assignments of your peers,

Ruby

[Playfulsub]

Hey Y'all! What a great thread.

How do I put a story together? Like many others here, I tend to shoot from the hip. The two novella length stories I'm working on started out as short stories that I couldn't seem to finish. Once the characters came to life, they had stories to tell that couldn't be told in 2,000 words. I'm not certain I will finish either of them without quite a bit of re-writing, but I'm determined.

I have never used an outline for fiction. I spent so many years doing technical writing as a job that when I began to write fiction again, I wanted nothing to do with structure! lol! On the other hand, I have tried to put some general structure in anything new I write.

I'm currently on hiatus from the novella and writing primarily short stories and poetry. One important thing I've found is that writing poetry is making my prose writing tighter. I'm learning to use far fewer words to say the same thing. I recommend poetry writing to anyone who suffers from excessive word usage! Haiku is especially helpful at cutting out superfluous words.

I wrote my first erotic short story last year and was quite pleased with the reaction from my friends and dom (who is also my husband). All that positive reinforcement made me want to write more. :-)

[Euryleia]

I start putting a story together by getting a wicked idea (usually at 2am) and must make sure to write it down or I will have the devil of a time going back to sleep. Of course, if I do manage to fall asleep without having done so, I will be tormented for the next several days about how the perfect story got away.

From my hastily scrawled notes, I create a Word file for the new idea and roughly draw out the main characters--they won't get names yet but I might already start to hear their voices in my head. I'll put down those conversations and any other brilliant ideas and then put it away to marinate for a few days.

When I come back to it, I usually have a better idea of what kind of story it will be--a short story or a novel, erotica or mainstream, or maybe it is something that isn't ready to be written yet. If it is clamoring to be written, I then write a basic outline of the plot arc. By this, I mean I figure out the set-up, the action, and the resolution.

I have really found that an outline is very helpful as a starting point, especially for the longer stories to make sure that I tie up any loose ends. However, I find I get more use out of a pack of yellow stickies (aka post-it notes) than the outline process I was taught in school. I basically create a storyboard for each of stories I may be working on at any one time.

On my stickies, I put character descriptions down as I write them in the story (hair and eye color, background info like job or parent’s names, their particular kinks, etc) and stick 'em up on the bulletin board. I also put down the main plot points to make sure that I'm keeping the tension high. I can quickly and easily rearrange things as I write and reference back (were her pubes shaved?) as I work.

I try to write something everyday. If the muse isn’t cooperating, I end up hopping around from one story to the next. Instead of having to reread everything I’ve written so far before I can start the days work, I can glance up on the board and see the stickies for each project.

When writing the story itself, I rarely work in a linear fashion. Mainly because I am easily bored, I jump around and write the fun stuff and then have to buckle down and write the nitty gritty transitions and explain how we got from point A to point D and why they don’t have any clothes on.

As I get close to finishing, I start rereading the story, making obvious corrections as I go. These read throughs help me to fine tune the story and resolve any plot holes. Once I finish, I usually put the thing down for a week or better before I start editing. I have to get some distance and perspective first. If I start editing too soon, I might catch the grammar errors but I won’t see the extraneous paragraphs that don’t do anything to move the story forward.

[theladystouch]

Hello, all. Quite an interesting, not to say provocative, thread. ;) I’m afraid I have no chance of holding my own with that part of the conversation, so I’ll just get on with my assignment and try to explain (at least to myself) how I put a story together.

Ideas for stories come out of the blue. I have no idea from what dark crevice of my mind they appear. Once I have an idea, I start writing. I put the idea down on paper, and any character info I can think of.

I don’t use an outline because I never know where my story is going to go. I do use character sheets, but only after I’ve been working with a character for a while. My characters tend to quickly develop their own “voice,” and that allows me to “ask” them about themselves. I am not clinically schizophrenic, I promise, but after I’ve been working with characters for a while, they just start talking to me. I write down what they say, and, voila! I have a story.

This is not always good. Often, they take me places I hadn’t planned on going, did not want to go, and have no idea how the hell I am going to get out of there. Sometimes a solution eventually occurs to me. When that happens, I produce some of my best stories. When it doesn’t, the manuscript sits on the shelf, often for months, until I decide to take another stab at it.

Although I’ve been a technical and business writer for years, I have no formal training in how to write a story, a novel, etc. In fact, some of the terminology I’ve run into on this forum is unfamiliar to me. I just put ideas on paper, make sure the spelling and grammar appear to be correct, read it aloud once, and hope for the best. I am terrible at editing my own work, because I fall in love with my own writing. * Sigh *

While I don’t use an outline, ideas for bits and pieces of the story tend to come to me at odd times, including 2am, so I keep my laptop with me everywhere I go (it’s on the bedside table at night). When an idea or a scene leaps to mind, I just scroll to a new page and start typing. When the rest of the action gets me to that point, I revise as necessary, but those scenes that come to me in toto, and out of the blue, tend to be pretty good and need little revision.

I’m usually at the halfway point of a story before I know what the crisis is going to be, or how it will end. So, that is my willy-nilly way of putting a story together.

Tips and things I’ve learned:

1) Draw from your own experience. It sounds more believable that way.

2) In general, draw characters and surroundings lightly; it allows the reader to “buy-in” to your story by making the hero(ine) and locale into whatever they feel comfortable with.

3) If you don’t like it, don’t write it.

4) This one isn’t a tip so much as something I’ve learned, plus a query. I find writing the crisis part of a story to be very difficult. I always fall in love with my protagonists, and usually hate my antagonists. So when I do awful things to my heros, it hurts. My brain also usually wends its way through some VERY dark corridors as I imagine what is happening. The stuff that ends up on the page is usually much milder than the creepy and icky stuff that slimed up my mind while I was working on it.

My query is this: do other authors have a difficult time writing these hard bits? And, if so, do they have any tips on how to deal with it?

Well, that's my two cents...

Lady C

[H Dean]

A good two cents it was, too. Thank you.

[Euryleia]

4) This one isn’t a tip so much as something I’ve learned, plus a query. I find writing the crisis part of a story to be very difficult. I always fall in love with my protagonists, and usually hate my antagonists. So when I do awful things to my heros, it hurts. My brain also usually wends its way through some VERY dark corridors as I imagine what is happening. The stuff that ends up on the page is usually much milder than the creepy and icky stuff that slimed up my mind while I was working on it.

My query is this: do other authors have a difficult time writing these hard bits? And, if so, do they have any tips on how to deal with it?

Lady C

Oh, yeah, I certainly have trouble. Especially when I've come to care for my characters. And, sometimes, my fantasies disturb even me.

The best way that I've learned to handle it is to just take a break. Let the ideas marinate for a day or two before I committ unspeakable acts on my heroines (boy characters are icky and they don't count lol). Let the light of day shine on on the creepy stuff and see if it still makes your pulse race.

ER

[H Dean]

3) If you don’t like it, don’t write it.

Are you speaking of subject matter or your tale in general? I tend to look at things that I don't necessarily like to write about and push myself by writing about it a bit. That isn't to say that I write on subject matter that i really dislike. I've no want to commit a M/m story to the printed page since I have no passion for it. Still, it may be a way for me to expand my abilities and I have thought on it once or twice.

4) This one isn’t a tip so much as something I’ve learned, plus a query. I find writing the crisis part of a story to be very difficult. I always fall in love with my protagonists, and usually hate my antagonists. So when I do awful things to my heros, it hurts. My brain also usually wends its way through some VERY dark corridors as I imagine what is happening. The stuff that ends up on the page is usually much milder than the creepy and icky stuff that slimed up my mind while I was working on it.

My query is this: do other authors have a difficult time writing these hard bits? And, if so, do they have any tips on how to deal with it

Oh, but I enjoy the dark stuff. I can't recall a story I wrote where bad shit didn't occur. In fact, the story I was most proud of writing was extremely nasty to my protagonist. The ending was entirely written (in my head) before the rest of the story was even thought of.

I do have a tip, though: Compartmentalize. Write the bad shit as the bad person doing committing the evil acts. Get rid of the nice person and write like you are evil. It sure worked for me on "Mel and the Sadist". The main character was a real prick and I relished eliminating the nice guy from me while I wrote that little tale. I just wish I had not been in a hurry to get that one in the library - oh, the mistakes!

[Nikita]

My query is this: do other authors have a difficult time writing these hard bits? And, if so, do they have any tips on how to deal with it

I do. There are a couple of stories that are hanging around because I still have a difficult time with the 'hard bits.' In fact, I'm generally not happy with bits that I've written to 'just do it.' It leaves a sick feeling in my gut. I don't want to put a piece like that out there.

One of the exercises in level three helped me push through that wall. The assignment was to write a piece from the pov of the opposite gender, first person. The first try was appalling. :rolleyes: So, I put myself in the mental space of the character, to be him and think like him. It turned out okay. I can live with it.

[theladystouch]

3) If you don’t like it, don’t write it.

Are you speaking of subject matter or your tale in general? I tend to look at things that I don't necessarily like to write about and push myself by writing about it a bit. That isn't to say that I write on subject matter that i really dislike. I've no want to commit a M/m story to the printed page since I have no passion for it. Still, it may be a way for me to expand my abilities and I have thought on it once or twice.

A succinct way of stating that if I can't generate some interest or passion for the material I am working with, I will write substandard junk. :)

At least in my case, I find fiction-writing to be a very emotional thing (rather than technical writing).




4) This one isn’t a tip so much as something I’ve learned, plus a query. I find writing the crisis part of a story to be very difficult. I always fall in love with my protagonists, and usually hate my antagonists. So when I do awful things to my heros, it hurts. My brain also usually wends its way through some VERY dark corridors as I imagine what is happening. The stuff that ends up on the page is usually much milder than the creepy and icky stuff that slimed up my mind while I was working on it.

My query is this: do other authors have a difficult time writing these hard bits? And, if so, do they have any tips on how to deal with it

Oh, but I enjoy the dark stuff. I can't recall a story I wrote where bad shit didn't occur. In fact, the story I was most proud of writing was extremely nasty to my protagonist. The ending was entirely written (in my head) before the rest of the story was even thought of.

I do have a tip, though: Compartmentalize. Write the bad shit as the bad person doing committing the evil acts. Get rid of the nice person and write like you are evil. It sure worked for me on "Mel and the Sadist". The main character was a real prick and I relished eliminating the nice guy from me while I wrote that little tale. I just wish I had not been in a hurry to get that one in the library - oh, the mistakes!

I like the compartmentalize tip. Most of my stuff has some dark stuff in it somewhere, that's where the drama comes in, but nowhere near the coal black stuff you write. :)

[theladystouch]

My query is this: do other authors have a difficult time writing these hard bits? And, if so, do they have any tips on how to deal with it

I do. There are a couple of stories that are hanging around because I still have a difficult time with the 'hard bits.' In fact, I'm generally not happy with bits that I've written to 'just do it.' It leaves a sick feeling in my gut. I don't want to put a piece like that out there.

One of the exercises in level three helped me push through that wall. The assignment was to write a piece from the pov of the opposite gender, first person. The first try was appalling. :rolleyes: So, I put myself in the mental space of the character, to be him and think like him. It turned out okay. I can live with it.

Thanks for the perspective, Nikita. I'm working on the same assignment, LOL, and having the same difficulties. I'll try your advice before submitting it to H Dean, but I still expect him to shred it. I just don't know how to think like a man! :)

[Nikita]

Thanks for the perspective, Nikita. I'm working on the same assignment, LOL, and having the same difficulties. I'll try your advice before submitting it to H Dean, but I still expect him to shred it. I just don't know how to think like a man! :)

Oh oh oh.... :rolleyes: I just can't say it. We are outnumbered. :span: <stares at ground...> Nope...I can't.

[Euryleia]

I just don't know how to think like a man! :)

Gosh, who would want to? ~shudders dramatically~ Who knows what evil lurks in the minds of men?

[H Dean]

I just don't know how to think like a man! :)Raise your IQ about 30 points to find out.

[Nikita]

Raise your IQ about 30 points to find out.

What if we are already past 30?

<mumbles about being underestimated>

[H Dean]

What if we are already past 30?

<mumbles about being underestimated>Yes, Nikita, you should be proud of having an IQ in the high 30s. I am proud of you and so are the rest of us.

[theladystouch]

Oh oh oh.... :rolleyes: I just can't say it. We are outnumbered. :span: <stares at ground...> Nope...I can't.

:bdsmsmile

[theladystouch]

Gosh, who would want to? ~shudders dramatically~ Who knows what evil lurks in the minds of men?

Clearly we don't...and apparently we have no interest in finding out.

I think my grade on this assignment is already dead. :faint:

[theladystouch]

Raise your IQ about 30 points to find out.

Ya see! Men get so confused the can't keep "raise" and "lower" straight. :rolleyes:

[theladystouch]

Yes, Nikita, you should be proud of having an IQ in the high 30s. I am proud of you and so are the rest of us.

Bad Dean! No biscuit!

[Mad Lews]

Actually the idea of the gender switch story telling is a good one.
Try a couple things,
1) Listen on the sly to a group of men/women talk among themselves. That helps with character dialog. In addition, it gives an insight into common assumptions within the gender.
2) Use your imagination, figure out how biological differences will affect the big picture, the minor details, and the mindset of men/women.
3) In Biology form determines function, and one gender is much more important to reproduction which makes the other more willing risk takers. Also consider the physical act of copulation and what the ramifications are to the mind set.
4) Use your cultural cues, They exist and are a common background but of course in the story you create you play off them and challenge them. Just remember they need to be in the reader’s gestalt for you to do that.

[theladystouch]

Actually the idea of the gender switch story telling is a good one.
Try a couple things,
1) Listen on the sly to a group of men/women talk among themselves. That helps with character dialog. In addition, it gives an insight into common assumptions within the gender.
2) Use your imagination, figure out how biological differences will affect the big picture, the minor details, and the mindset of men/women.
3) In Biology form determines function, and one gender is much more important to reproduction which makes the other more willing risk takers. Also consider the physical act of copulation and what the ramifications are to the mind set.
4) Use your cultural cues, They exist and are a common background but of course in the story you create you play off them and challenge them. Just remember they need to be in the reader’s gestalt for you to do that.

Really useful post, Mr. Mad. Thank you. I'm going to save it for future reference.

[H Dean]

Bad Dean! No biscuit!Then no gravy for you!

[Horatio Palmer]

Hi there.

One of greatest personal challenges in my life is writing (OK maybe that's a bit of an exagerration, but it's pretty tough). It isn’t because I find it difficult to get the words out or that I’m too critical of myself; it’s because of my situation. See, I’m still pretty young. I go to school so, as you might imagine, I’m still living at home. Luckily I have no annoying younger siblings to disrupt my flow, but that doesn’t mean I’m free to write. The computer that I write on is located in the kitchen purely for the reason that powers that be dictate that “there are no secrets in this house”. Well, I’m afraid there are. There is usually someone hovering around intent on viewing what I’m up to, so I keep several tabs open for when I want something to vanish with a click and I get somewhat angry when people deliberately attempt to pry. Actually, as I write, something has just occurred to me- why don’t I buy a laptop? I think I will do shortly. It’ll give me a lot more freedom to conduct my scribblings in peace.
But I digress. My story ideas always come to me in one of two places- the shower or in bed those few minutes between getting in and falling to sleep. If I’ve a lot on my mind, sometimes I jot down the ideas I have. Usually, a story just drifts into my head, fully formed so if I do go to write it down, I give a summary of the whole story. It isn’t that I use outlines; it’s just to get the idea down before it disappears. More often though, I just store the stories in my head until the opportunity arrives to do something with them. I find it easy to spill the story from my head onto the page. The trouble is getting the opportunity to do so. I try to snatch an odd quarter of an hour here and there. Some times are easier than others to get working.
Because I live in the absolute middle of nowhere, I can’t very well set my stories locally. I usually set them in places I’d like to visit or that conjure up interesting images- London, New York, Paris (though I have been there), San Francisco, Seattle etc. This is made far easier by a wacky invention I use called the internet. I have an idea of the places I’m looking for and establish exactly where they are using Google Maps or something similar. I find that nothing lends an air of authenticity better than accurate place names and descriptions of the locale. I don’t let missing details ruin my flow. When I’m writing, I’ll usually fill in place names with an XXXXX or a YYYYY, then I’ll go back later and look them up. In fact, by this method, I could almost set a story in any city, filling in the details later. It’s easier though, to set stories in the US because of the TV shows and films that I watch. This gives me a better feel for the dialogue and locations too.
I like my characters to have some unusual quirk or feature. I’m not a great believer in writing about everymen or everywomen. They usually have an interesting occupation or personal trouble and past. I’m not exactly brilliant at dialogue so I try to keep it to a minimum (in real life as well as in my stories).
When I’ve finished writing, I usually leave a couple of days between completion and final edit. I read back over my work and try find better ways of saying things and reducing the verbosity. Generally, I edit as I write, so the final edit doesn’t take long.
Hopefully, it’s something of an insight into my work and methods. I like to understand how other people work- their methods and so on and this is my take on the challenge of writing.

[Venom]

Almost never I can just sit down and write. The act of writing is only the execution of a long story-building process.
It all starts with a motive; an idea or a theme, or just a sentence that sounds cool. My motives can come from books, pictures, newspapers, movies. I can find them at work or in the street. Mostly I don't even have to search for them.

Once one of these little bastards has dug its claws into my mind, I start to construct a rather rough story layout. By and by, more details are added to this frame.( Better make sure you have a notebook at hand during this phase; afflatus doesn't care about time of day. :))

I usually work with lists (mostly actually collections of passages): the upgraded frame becomes the story list. It contains the story's keywords, chapter titles, phrases, short passages and so on, in the order in which they will appear in the final narration.

If needed, a timeline list is created, too. Here, the mentioned elements are arranged in their chronological succession. The timeline , of course, is only used if the story works with flashbacks or similar.

Of immense importance are character cards. All main characters get one. Here are their attributes and peculiarities listed. It begins with aspects like the colour of hair and eyes, their height or what country they come from. Then it goes deeper: likings, fears, abilities - whatever I need to get (and give) a feeling for the characters.

Last but not least, there is my collection of (semi-)synonyms. It is really helpful when writing foreign-language. An example:



female
girl
lass
damsel
vixen
harlot
...
...
...



As you can see, these are not all real synonyms but nuances of the term "female". This collection enables me to narrate variedly and to create the desired atmosphere.



That's it - the rest is brilliancy. :D

[H Dean]

Seems like you have an entire process. I usually write my stories at night, in bed and as I go to sleep and then slap them on the page after they have fermented enough to make me drunk with the urge to write.

Good stuff. Look for another assignment very soon but be patient with my critiques. I am now working two jobs and it's gonna be a long fucking year.