One thing I can add to this lovely thread is to dip your toes into fanfiction.
It’s a very popular way for people to get into writing and hone their craft. You already have a world and characters laid out for you, so it’s easier to jump right in and write. However, there’s a huge subset of fanfiction that takes place in AUs(alternate universes) which allows you the chance to place these characters in very different circumstances.
This used to be frowned upon forever ago when I first started, but it’s considered a very acceptable means of exploring your writing ability these days.
I actually have a horror AU fanfiction that I will be reworking a bit to turn into an original short story or translate it into a screenplay.
If there’s a fictional IP(intellectual property) that you particularly enjoy, definitely give it a try. There’s also quite a few weight-gain themed fanfiction as well, so you can try out some ideas on the already established characters. Oh, and you don’t even need to post it. Just do it for you!
Otherwise, some of the best advice I can give is to not push yourself to write like someone else. It’s obviously important to read as much as possible, but don’t try to compare your “voice” to others. Learn from what you’re reading. See what’s popular. Then hone your own style. It’s just like “art”: everyone has their own style and it’s what sets them a part. It would be a pretty boring world if everyone wrote or drew the same. Minds work different and yours is beautiful!
I have a clear writing style that I’ve been molding since the long, long ago. The before time. High School. People either like it or they don’t. Not everyone is going to love what or how you write. I’ve read critically acclaimed stories and couldn’t get into them at all. Or just didn’t understand the appeal. Try to make yourself happy first. Someone will love it just as much!
The show don’t tell is very important. I read a lot of stories that go WAY too in-depth with descriptions that it feels jarring. I like to write just enough so the reader can imagine the rest. I have used numbers twice in the story I’ve posted here, but always framed as a maybe. Never a set weight. I use the descriptions of the overweight character to fuel the reader’s, and another character’s, imagination. Unless the character is actively weighing themselves all the time, or it ties into the theme, I don’t believe an average person will know their EXACT weight at any given time. It’s been a year since I’ve weighed myself and I just have to ballpark it. Ha!
Re-read your work, use a beta reader, or even take advantage of the plethora of online tools and apps that will double check your grammar. Don’t trust the automated help implicitly. Take the suggested corrections as they are: suggestions. Compare to what you’ve already written and go from there. Sometimes it’s just enough for you to go, “Oh, man! I could totally write that differently!”
There are also some interesting guides on erotic writing on Amazon Kindle Unlimited that I’ve perused. I don’t agree with all the advice, but the books impart some concepts that may help if you’re looking to write more erotica.
Hopefully, my input is somewhat helpful!
Edit: Just to drive home the “re-read your work” advice: I re-read already published works all the time. If I find an issue, I go in and edit it. I found a few just now re-reading ‘The Wolf’ and dived right into the editor to fix the issues.
It’s a very popular way for people to get into writing and hone their craft. You already have a world and characters laid out for you, so it’s easier to jump right in and write. However, there’s a huge subset of fanfiction that takes place in AUs(alternate universes) which allows you the chance to place these characters in very different circumstances.
This used to be frowned upon forever ago when I first started, but it’s considered a very acceptable means of exploring your writing ability these days.
I actually have a horror AU fanfiction that I will be reworking a bit to turn into an original short story or translate it into a screenplay.
If there’s a fictional IP(intellectual property) that you particularly enjoy, definitely give it a try. There’s also quite a few weight-gain themed fanfiction as well, so you can try out some ideas on the already established characters. Oh, and you don’t even need to post it. Just do it for you!
Otherwise, some of the best advice I can give is to not push yourself to write like someone else. It’s obviously important to read as much as possible, but don’t try to compare your “voice” to others. Learn from what you’re reading. See what’s popular. Then hone your own style. It’s just like “art”: everyone has their own style and it’s what sets them a part. It would be a pretty boring world if everyone wrote or drew the same. Minds work different and yours is beautiful!
I have a clear writing style that I’ve been molding since the long, long ago. The before time. High School. People either like it or they don’t. Not everyone is going to love what or how you write. I’ve read critically acclaimed stories and couldn’t get into them at all. Or just didn’t understand the appeal. Try to make yourself happy first. Someone will love it just as much!
The show don’t tell is very important. I read a lot of stories that go WAY too in-depth with descriptions that it feels jarring. I like to write just enough so the reader can imagine the rest. I have used numbers twice in the story I’ve posted here, but always framed as a maybe. Never a set weight. I use the descriptions of the overweight character to fuel the reader’s, and another character’s, imagination. Unless the character is actively weighing themselves all the time, or it ties into the theme, I don’t believe an average person will know their EXACT weight at any given time. It’s been a year since I’ve weighed myself and I just have to ballpark it. Ha!
Re-read your work, use a beta reader, or even take advantage of the plethora of online tools and apps that will double check your grammar. Don’t trust the automated help implicitly. Take the suggested corrections as they are: suggestions. Compare to what you’ve already written and go from there. Sometimes it’s just enough for you to go, “Oh, man! I could totally write that differently!”
There are also some interesting guides on erotic writing on Amazon Kindle Unlimited that I’ve perused. I don’t agree with all the advice, but the books impart some concepts that may help if you’re looking to write more erotica.
Hopefully, my input is somewhat helpful!
Edit: Just to drive home the “re-read your work” advice: I re-read already published works all the time. If I find an issue, I go in and edit it. I found a few just now re-reading ‘The Wolf’ and dived right into the editor to fix the issues.
1 year