Don’t you hate it when you think you’ve got a sure thing, only to realize that the people who matter don’t agree? Yeah, got my very first rejection in this wonderful world of publishing. I know, I know, get used to it. It’ll happen again…
Short answer, it’s coming. Had some things come up in my life that put a temporary hold on the writing front. First one was good — a trip to Cali for a friend’s wedding. Second one was bad — break-in while we were away that resulted in both of our computers stolen. But I choose to see the sunny side of this. Nothing that couldn’t be replaced was taken. No one was hurt. Cat’s still alive. All our files (including photos and stories) were backed up. And I got to upgrade my three year old computer (although Adobe CS is going to be a bitch to replace).
I was about 50% through the editing of a completed story when this adventure began. That should be finished and posted shortly. Then I have a few other things I can hopefully get back to without too much trouble. Not sure I’ll be able to finish one of those projects in time for Literotica’s Summer Lovin’ story contest, but I was beginning to wonder if maybe I should try shopping that story around, anyway (and I do have a back-up plan).
I’m over half of the way through a fairly short piece that I’ve been working on my phone (crazy, I know, and really inefficient, but something is better than nothing).
Oh, and there’s also that short paranormal contest that I haven’t forgotten about. That one is coming along in stutters. Will get there. It’s only early August, right?
“Sometimes, a story can take a life of its own and lead the author down a path he or she least expected.”
I’m sure nearly every writer has heard some variation on this thought. The theory behind it is a simple one (a good one, even): we’re not just wordsmiths, we’re creators of entire universes, populated with characters so vivid that they could drive the stories on their own. They live and breath in a world of our making, plucked from our imaginations. It’s what we hope to achieve when we set ourselves before a computer (or tablet/iPhone/pad of paper/whatever).
I’m pretty sure that I’ve even given this advice in the past because it’s so noble a goal. But there’s such a thing as taking it too far. Your characters do not dictate the flow of the story; you do. (I bolded that because it’s important to keep in mind.) There is no such thing as freewill when it comes to your stories. You’ve got some say in the matter. You are, after all, writing it. If you don’t want Scott running away with the maid, then don’t let Scott run away with the maid!
Here’s the rub: you can’t force it. There has to be a balance between your carefully structured plot and how your characters navigate it. If you (via your characters) keep getting pulled down a particular avenue that wasn’t intended, then you probably need to analyze your characters. Most likely, there’s a good reason for the draw. Why does Scott want the maid over the flawed yet beautiful Genevieve? The answer lies in how you’ve written Scott.
I wrote a 45k novella in which I “was true to my characters.” But in the end, I neither liked the story I told nor the character I wrote, and when I wanted to force a happy ending, it felt forced (shocking, I know). Hindsight being what it is, I should have paused as soon as things started to spiral out of my control and asked myself: why are we headed in this direction? The fix wouldn’t have been to simply course correct the plot. It would have required me to readjust the motivations and actions of the characters. And it would have been a small amount of work then, rather than the daunting task of a complete rewrite I have now.
It’s a fine line, for sure. You want your characters to thrive and mingle and play and have thoughts of their own. One of the most pleasant things about writing are these little surprises along the way. But you also need to mind the story you intend to tell. You’re not the historian of your imagined world; you’re its creator.
[message_box title=”UPDATE (3.30.2012)” color=”black”]Interest in what “erotica for men” has continued to grow since the day I posted the thoughts below. Clearly there’s a market for it, but I’m no longer convinced this market is all that different than what “erotica for women” is. In…
I’ve been writing creatively for over 15 years. I don’t say this to brag (after all, it’s been over 15 years and I’m still writing with adverbs and expressive eyes). I say this for context. The quality (and subject matter!) has changed over the years…
They can be great to attend. Enriching, educational, even inspirational. I’ve had some amazing experiences at them, and if you can get your employer to fund a trip to one, I highly recommend taking advantage.
Working them is an entirely different. You’re on from the time you get up to the time you go to bed, and I don’t think you can understand the full extent of the pressure until it’s over. That’s how I feel, anyway, every single time one is over.
OK, so what’s the point, you ask? Well, somewhere, squeezed in the moments between receptions and plenaries and set-up and tear-down, I wrote a story about the conference experience. 14k words, too! It’s making the rounds, but I think it’s a pretty good one, too, that explores the unique situations that crop up at these kinds of things. And hilariously (since the last story was mis-posted under Mature) this one actually is a Mature-themed tale about a sexy older executive and a young programmer and how he comes to view his boss in a new light.
Look for it in the coming weeks!
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My latest story is now posted on literotica.com. Check it out here:
Fresh out of high school, Andy is pressured by his friends to hit up the Orchid Lounge, a high class gentlemen’s club in the city. As fate would have it, his history teacher, Ms. Fischer, has just started waiting tables at the strip club. Even though their student-teacher relationship is officially over, will Andy be able to get past protocol? Will Ms. Hayley Fischer explore her darker desires with this “safe” young man? Find out by reading After School Special.
Oddly, it was categorized under “Mature,” which isn’t where I’d placed it (I don’t think). I’ve submitted a request for it to be moved to Erotic Couplings as I refuse to believe that 28 is considered “mature.” Makes me feel old. /whimper
I’ll put this up on my site when I have a free moment, but for now, you’ll have to read it on Literotica (and please don’t forget to vote!).
Just submitted my fifth story, After School Special, to Literotica. Love the anticipation! In advance, much thanks to my friend Jake for helping me work this short (but hopefully good) story out, and my wife for editing my mistakes. When I asked her if she’d ever thought she’d edit a line that contained “g-string” in it, she just laughed.
I’ll post again when it’s up.
Oh, and I’m playing around with a subscribe option for updates and blog posts. That field should be to the right.
With a mention on Lucy V Morgan’s blog, I feel like I need to prepare for new guests, and since vacuuming and putting away the laundry wouldn’t exactly be appreciated by most readers (unless you’re my wife), I’ll just make a little post here. I’ve…
I have the basic concept of Elaine’s next adventure worked out in my head (i.e. that thing she confesses to Hayden at the end of Little Miss Communication that the reader isn’t privy to), but when I went to execute said adventure, it fell flat. Not that the actual fantasy is at fault, but I think I tried to force it a bit too much. So it’s back to the drawing board with El and Hayden.
This kind of speaks to the difficulty of the sequel. If the story stood on its own, then it would have worked. But since I’m dealing with characters that already have their (recent) pasts written, there’s a bit more care needed. The expectations aren’t just for the reader or the writer. The characters themselves expect to be treated with respect.
