Story authors

Writing tips - a thread

Hello everyone!

Since there is a demand for it, I'm making a thread with tips and tricks I've learned to be a good writer.

There will be multiple posts as I want each post to focus on one specific topic. Feel free to ask questions or post your tips and tricks.
11 months

Writing tips - a thread

Pacing!!!
11 months

Writing tips - a thread

GETTING STARTED

In my opinion, the most challenging part about writing a story is getting started. Maybe you don't have an idea. Perhaps you have too many - or even something in between. We've all been there.

The best thing you can do is write. Don't worry if it's good or bad. You can punch up a bad story, but you can't fix something that doesn't exist.

I've included some articles with different tips and tricks to help out:

www.masterclass.com/articles/a-beginners-guide-to-writing

www.masterclass.com/articles/a-beginners-guide-to-writing

www.masterclass.com/articles/a-beginners-guide-to-writing

www.masterclass.com/articles/a-beginners-guide-to-writing
11 months

Writing tips - a thread

All of these links are really good advice for any writer.

The hardest part is just staying committed to one idea at a time. Writers have this really annoying thing where you'll be into a WIP(Work in Progress) and all of the sudden you'll get a great new idea.

So many writers stop writing their current WIP to start on a new one, and then it happens again, and nothing ever gets done.

When you get ideas like this that invade your mind, write them down on a piece of paper or a document to later find.

Commitment to your work is the most important thing. Finish the work. Sounds simple but it's not.

Also, use a spellcheck.

Let's see. Have a good environment to work. A messy place is a distracting place. "I need to do the dishes, I need to clean the floor. I need to do so much more,"

Perform daily maintenance around your place so you can focus on the real work. Time management is important, but if you make a routine for yourself, you'll be fine.

When writing out numbers. Spell the word. Don't say 10, 12, 140. Whatever. Spell it out. It just looks better nine times out of ten. More professional at least, to me it does. A good habit to get into.

Use a spell check. There is one on your computer. It's free. Like a turn signal. Use it.

Put spaces between your words. I've read some trash stories on FF that do this HiIlike cheese andyoushouldtoo. I am not sure how this passed the quality inspection, but I am sure there isn't one here. Do better.

Learn about things like Quotation marks. Where the best place to put a comma is. I know we have a grammar check on our computers but never rely on it. Machines are not perfect.

Tone. When writing a story, try to keep the tone consistent throughout. The best way to do is to read. That's mentioned in the links up there but you must read all that you can to understand this concept. Read your own work outloud.

and your endings. Things should pay off, it doesn't always have to be a happy ending but it should at least feel right to the rest of the story.

Avoid Deus ex Machina. God in the machine. The hero is cornered by a horde of angry spiders and you can't think of a way out for them? Sudden thunderstorm to wash away all the spiders out of nowhere isn't the answer.

Foreshadowing. If you have a gun in the first act, you better use it by the third. Don't hint at something for the whole story and then abandon it. You can, but people might not like you very much.

Logic. Fiction sometimes has to make more sense than reality. You'll hear people argue about superheroes all day. Something terrible happens in real life, eh, bad things happen, no point in thinking too much about it.

Most people will put more effort into making sense of fictional things, so keep that in mind.

Pacing. Especially for fetish stories. A lot of them just jump into the action way too fast. We met last night and now I got her tied up in the basement and its great? What, no. Let your readers want a little more, make them want to turn the page. Nothing wrong with a slow burn now and then.

Character development is important. Make people want to know more about your characters, make them as memorable as possible, give them challenges, struggles. personality. Make them relatable as possible but avoid trying to make them a version of yourself.

Creativity. Any book on the planet can be looked at and said "Hey, that's just like this other thing" As a reader we are willing to read the same plot a million times over, as a writer we are sweating bullets trying to make it original as possible.

Take it easy. If you're willing to read ten thousand stories about dragons and all those dragons breathe fire, yours can too. It's okay. Trying to be too original can break you if you're not careful. Imposter syndrome is a real thing to experience, and it will eat you alive if you let it.

Try everything. Write as many things as you like. There is no rule that says you can only write one kind of thing. You like erotica, great! Try romance, try action, mix and match. Go crazy. There is no limit. Don't be afraid to try something new.

Avoid burnout. Write for a couple hours each day, four at the most. Then quit. Do something else. Burnout is the worst thing and moderation is the key to avoiding it.

Writer's block is a thing. To get rid of it. I just write complete nonsense in an empty page. One time I wrote about a Ninja frog and his Villain was Boilmaster. It was dumb, but it worked. If I can write that, I can write anything. Don't take it too seriously. Seriousness puts the block up faster than anything else.

Join NanoWrimo. Challenge yourself. You don't have to win but push yourself a little bit and see what happens. You never know, but don't feel bad if you don't win. Never feel bad about that. It's a contest in November that challenges writers to do Fifty thousand words in a month, also, its free.

Be a Ghostwriter, write someone else's idea
11 months

Writing tips - a thread

Here are some general tips, specifically as they relate to fetish erotica:

1. Outline when horny, write when sober.

2. Numbers don't really mean anything in the imagination when describing body changes or food volume. Unless there is a plot element specific to it, you don't need numbers. It will free you, I promise.

3. Describe how the changes impact the environment, outfit, or mood of the room not just what is just physically happening.

4. Revising and outlining count as writing.

5. Jot down every single idea, no matter how silly! You don't have to finish the story now, but I promise it will come into use at some point.
11 months

Writing tips - a thread

STORY CRAFTING - PART I

When it comes to creative writing, it's not the idea but the execution that makes a good or bad story. Think about all the great stories you've seen with weird premises. Or, heartrendingly, the terrible stories with great ideas.

No matter how wacky, any idea can make a good story. This brings us to the main elements of story crafting:

-Characters
-Setting
-Theme
-Tone
- Point of View
-Conflict
-Plot

It's okay if you don't have all of these hammered out when you start writing. Usually, developing one develops the other. It's not uncommon for things to morph as you figure things out.

There's no one right way to develop any of these aspects. So think of these posts as general guidelines rather than definitive rules.
11 months

Writing tips - a thread

STORY CRAFTING - PART 2

Characters

Arguably, creating characters is my favorite part of any story. I've made entire universes (and multiverses) just for one character to live in.

Here are some links with tips to make good characters:

www.masterclass.com/articles/writing-tips-for-character-development

www.masterclass.com/articles/writing-tips-for-character-development

www.masterclass.com/articles/writing-tips-for-character-development

I mentioned this in another thread, but having references goes a long way with character creation - especially ones that involve weight gain. I'm fond of using this site, but there are others out there:

www.masterclass.com/articles/writing-tips-for-character-development

If you struggle to get characterization right, try taking a personality test as your character. It will help you better understand them.
11 months

Writing tips - a thread

This is a wonderful thread. Thank you to @Munchies for making it! And for all the great contributions!
11 months

Writing tips - a thread

LoraDayton:

2. Numbers don't really mean anything in the imagination when describing body changes or food volume. Unless there is a plot element specific to it, you don't need numbers. It will free you, I promise.


I agree with this completely, but I will also say that numbers are *extremely* popular. I get more positive feedback from weighing segments than from almost anything else.

So while I don’t just write to please the reader (anyone who has read my current story can attest to that), sometimes it’s nice to give people what they want, too! But all things in proper moderation.
11 months

Writing tips - a thread

LoraDayton:

2. Numbers don't really mean anything in the imagination when describing body changes or food volume. Unless there is a plot element specific to it, you don't need numbers. It will free you, I promise.


Letters And Numbers:
I agree with this completely, but I will also say that numbers are *extremely* popular. I get more positive feedback from weighing segments than from almost anything else.

So while I don’t just write to please the reader (anyone who has read my current story can attest to that), sometimes it’s nice to give people what they want, too! But all things in proper moderation.


My take on the numbers is that they can be used effectively, but most people in the community do not know how. To be clear, this issue isn't FF-specific. I see it in a lot of fetish spaces.

It's essentially a case of "show, don't tell." It's the difference between saying, "It's 32 F/0 C outside," versus "The biting cold froze the puddle of water." One tells you what's happening, while the other immerses you in the experience.

That said, I believe there is a time and place for numbers. For example, maybe you're writing a fit-to-fat story where the protagonist is coming to terms with their weight. Since her weight is integral to the plot, you could include that when it moves the plot forward.
11 months
123   loading