/lit/ - Literature

From the novel I've been working on nearly a year now. Still a long way to go

>>22544829
................
Here, a collection of periods for you, it seems yours ran out at so some point.

Short story writers, do you just write what you want and hope something you've done will fit a call for submission, or do you write stuff specifically tailored for calls for submission?

>>22544972
I have absolutely no fucking clue what you mean by submission. I just write a story.

>have to delete or somehow edit catbox entry to prove I'm not plagarizing myself
T-thanks Royalroad

>>22545022
...you don't know what submitting a story for publication is?

>>22545087
No because I didn't submit a story to a publisher, I just write, nigger.

I also don't care what some negroid tranny would want from my story to publish it. They either publish as-is with minor editing or they can eat shit.

>>22544782
Excerpt 1

>>22544782
Excerpt 2

>>22545113
>also don't care what some negroid tranny would want from my story to publish it. They either publish as-is with minor editing or they can eat shit.

That's not exat what I meant by a call for submission, I mean like a publication that publishes only horror stories telling you that they're not going to accept romance, or wanting a particular theme for the stories that are being submitted and published.

>>22544829
The problem with these art projects is, nobody can tell if you spent a year or five minutes on that.

>>22545225
Well I meant what I said. I'll publish it wherever I think it fits.

it's friday!! I can't wait to spend the weekend not writing again
>tfw creative mojo died with my capacity to love

>>22545297
>he works for love and doesn't just love to work
ngmi

>>22544829
The prose is OK (maybe cut up those run-ons) but I didn't find anything to latch onto in this particular excerpt like a true character or a narrative. But I'm assuming this isn't the opening and there's stuff to latch onto before this.

What do I do when one chapter is twice as long as the others

>>22545400
doesn’t matter. it’s fine.

>>22545400
Cut it up into two.
Or ignore it.

>>22545400
who cares

>>22545426
>Cut it up into two.
Not an option. There have to be six chapters and one epilogue.

>>22545509
>There have to be six chapters and one epilogue.
Why? Also sounds like your "problem" isn't a problem.

>>22545341
I went to lift after posting that and coming back to this is the motivation I need to write today thanks anon. wagmi

Detroit, Michigan

Levon felt the air around him crackle with energy. It was something he had felt before, just before a fight--the switch that went off in the brain that notched the senses higher, made them more sensitive. The adrenaline flowing through the veins. The feeling that you'd burst from the inside out if the fight didn't commence, and right quick.
This felt like those fights multiplied exponentially.
That's because Levon knew he wasn't alone this time. It wasn't him taking on some gang rival or him debating some white Republican Club sucker at the U. This was going to be flames and blood and struggle and power. This was going to be death and mayhem and hope and glory. This was going to be fucking big.
All Levon needed was the cue.
He'd discussed the cue ahead of time with the reverend. It would come on television, during a press conference Big Jim planned to hold with the mayor in the aftermath of the Kendrick Malone killing. The killing of another young, innocent black man at the hands of the racist white establishment. The police targeting a kid--an unarmed kid, for God's sake!--just because he happened to be black and happened to be out at night at the wrong time.
That shooting had worked out precisely according to the plan.
Levon had one of his boys give little Kendrick a $20 bill to go and harass the cop. Kendrick, of course, thought it was just a piece of good, clean fun--messing with white cops was a rare joy, made you feel like more of a man. And with all the big boys telling him how he'd be a boss in the neighborhood if he baited the cop, he'd been enthusiastic. He probably looked forward to coming home and telling his buddies how he'd told that cracker ass pig to go to hell--stared right at him and cursed him to his face, made the pig back down. Kendrick knew he was supposed to go for his toy gun. They told him it would be a joke, that the cop wouldn't do anything, that the cop would pussy out.
Of course, Levon knew better. No cop could sit still when somebody went for the waistband. Police procedure dictated what happened next.
Levon made sure of one other thing, too: the only working camera at the gas station had the right angle. No sound. Stark spotlight on the two main characters. The blood, black in the black-and-white footage, seeping from the poor black boy. O'Sullivan sitting down, stunned. The other cameras, he'd had smashed or deactivated. One angle, one tape, one million replays on nightly news.
The headline writers couldn't help themselves. "8-YEAR-OLD UNARMED BLACK BOY SHOT DEAD BY WHITE COP," blared the Free Press. "MURDERER!" screamed the headline on the New York Daily News. CNN headlined the case the entire day, and the next one as well. Over on MSNBC, the talking heads could barely conceal their excitement. On Fox News, a few anchors urged caution while others talked of the legacy of racist policing across the country.

>>22545585
The president of the United States quickly sounded off on the case. He couldn't help himself; Mark Prescott hijacked his White House press secretary's gaggle, took to the podium, and told Americans that "the time has come for a great racial conversation in this country. Too many black boys have been murdered merely for the color of their skin. This must end." He announced that he would be sending his attorney general to Detroit to ensure that the local investigation proceeded according to law. "We'll ensure that justice is done for the family of Kendrick Malone. This is America, where there's justice enough for everybody, if we have the bravery to pursue it."
And now Levon waited.

>>22545536
>can't into numerology

>>22545590
>>22545585
This is funny but I have no idea what the Levon character has to do with anything.

>>22544782
Most common words used in the last thread

>>22545650
"Expressing frustration" is two words.

Shall I compare this autumn's vibrant grace,
To seasons past, more bounteous in its yield?
Each day it paints the world a richer place,
The eleventh month, in beauty, takes the field.

Though bright eyes fade as time's cruel hand doth steal,
The fairest blooms succumb to life's correction,
Yet dearest summer's memory we still feel,
In nature's ever-shifting, grand direction.

Eternal slumber, autumn's final bow,
But death can't bind the wandering spirit's flight,
In ceaseless verse, I'll make this solemn vow,
To sing of dawns beyond the darkest night.

Fair autumn ages, but my verse endures,
Preserving youth in its eternal stores.

>>22545280
Have fun footing the bill for all costs and handling the marketing by yourself.

>>22544782

Passage of something I wrote in response to a fantasy prompt. I know it's rough on its face but feel free to rip it apart. I could post more but this works enough for just a taste.

>>22545803
$0 on Amazon. And $20 on 4chan netting 0 sales. Hmm. Advertising is the hardest part.

>>22545920
Look out guys, we got the next F. Gardner here

>>22544782
Working on my second novel. Idk if it's horseshit but the practice of writing makes it worth it.

Is it bad to write the same sequence across two chapters? About about three? (It's a very long sequence).
The story follows only one character, so I can't change perspectives.

>>22546075
don’t break it into multiple chapters just because it’s long, but if there is a meaningful stopping point like a plot twist or any other breaking point then you can separate it there. otherwise just make it a long chapter.

The more I write the more I'm embarrassed by my old works, but I still think the ideas in the old works are better than the current ones

/lit/ I'm writing a short novel.
I have the story planned out, it's mostly written, all that needs to be finished is the final act.

The problem is: it's both erotic and disturbing, and I'm finding it all exhausting to write.
Do I push forward and finish the story? Or should I start a censored version of the draft for the sake of my sanity?

>>22544829

I don't have a problem with the prose. Maybe I even like it. I'm not really a Pynchon reader but it feels to me a bit derivative of that, which is fine. But the bigger thing is the question does it fit? You are dealing with a Chinese (presumably) character in the Gobi and this voice, this type of run-on "ranting" really feels out of character for the type of people and place you are dealing with. In other words, I could never imagine a Chinese writer describing a scene like this because it sounds so damn American, describing an American scene.

This incongruency is just a bit hard to get over...

>short story high fantasy
>top magical duelist from an arena is found murdered >raises suspicion as she she was incredibly able of defending herself
>follows a friend who investigates the case
>turns out she killed herself ritualistically
does this sound interesting? if not imagine her as a loli then answer the question again.
still not interesting? or could it work?

>>22546472
Interesting.

What sort of ritual?

>>22546477
I have autistically world build an entire multiverse of the past decade so I just draw from that
basically, theres blood magics and they have special rituals they use for rejuvation and prolonging their health/youthfulness
the character killed herself during one of those for reasons I havent yet thought of

>>22546480
Sounds neat. Keep it up, I like the mystery.

A vignette I wrote a while back.

>>22546472
Premise sounds alright but unfortunately I know of many things that had a sick premise that were fucking shit and vice versa.

>>22546537
Not bad, some of the dialogue and some other bits feel a tad clunky but it's good start anon

>>22546573
I think Ill either blow you away with my take on it or you'll absolutely hate it, because I usually dont write mysteries and I hate the typical murder-solving mystery cliches so itd be very different

I wanted to base an arc between two characters off Great Expectations' Pip and Estella.

However the not!Pip is more resentful of not!Estella here, as this story she was harsher towards him.

I'm wondering if I should include this trope: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BeAWhoreToGetYourMan

With her saying things that she'll do anything for him now, things she'd have never done before

only 13 views and nothing else, how fucked am I

>>22546586
>I think Ill either blow you away with my take on it or you'll absolutely hate it
That's what happens usually. It's one of the extremes.

Not exactly books but examples of "writing" in general:
>Fat friendless loser fuck gets reborn into a world with magic and shit
Actually fantastic despite utterly dogshit generic isekai premise.
>Guy gets isekai'd and immediately backstabbed and framed for a crime he didn't do, slowly grinds his way up from the bottom using every trick he can think of
Sounds great, is actually fucking garbage.

>>22546633
just keep writing.

a little anecdote I wrote for practice, I hope you guys might like this

>>22546201
post an example of the most disturbing stuff and we'll see. you'd be surprised what readers will stomach

>>22546714
its pretty good but you should change "sea of adolescents" that just sounds weird, nobody says that or eventhinks like that ever, and of course "manspread"
why are you seriously partaking in making manspread a valid word?

funny story though, 8/10

>>22546201
Keep writing, Giger. If it's not shit-eating then you just might make it by sheer outrage.

>>22546743
>>22546714
nah I'd say keep the "sea od adolescents" line, I like it, but maybe remove "stood"

>>22546714

I was waiting for the part where someone gets groped. It's a story without any payoff. You are at like 2/10 intensity when you could have it at 10/10.

>>22544972
I write what I want but as someone largely unpublished I'm just trying to build up to writing 1 short story a week, do lots of practice, and figure out what I like to write. When I look to submit stuff over the next couple of years, I'm hoping to be in a position where I have a large catalogue of unpublished stories to fire off, or adjust if needed, rather than write based on a call for submissions or a magazine's preferences. It would be another question if it was about writing to a market, but appeasing the gatekeepers and editors and the like is not helpful to me. Doing the writing every day without fail at a faster rate and higher quality needs to be my #1 focus.

>>22544782
Alright. No more fucking around. Got to get this horror story done just in time before Halloween. Maybe i'll post updates on how it's doing just as a way to keep it in check

Every time I try to write I make it about 1000-3000 words deep and just delete everything. Does anyone else do this? I have OCD maybe that's why. But either way I have to stop somehow.

>>22547295
Dont delete it. Let it rest. Come back about a month or two later. Edit and compare to more recent writing.

>>22547295
How about instead of deleting it you edit it to be less shit?

>improve my realistic character writing by posting LARP threads on /adv/
It's a great exercise

>>22547469
>realism

>>22547295
You need to learn to rewrite instead of hoping for perfect first drafts.

>>22546788
Thanks for the encouragement, but I had to censor it.
Some of the innuendo I came up with as workarounds for having all my cocks on the table seem even more erotic than what I had originally written though.
>you just might make it by sheer outrage
This story will pop certain people off; it was a matter of my own endurance as a writer. Having to sustain a certain hard horror mindset and repeatedly penetrating vile depths psychology has exhausted me and left me shivering...
... with fear ...

Just found out something called the Brooklyn Book Festival is happening this Sunday. Guess where. I'm going.
What should be our code phrase to identify each other?

$600. Two-day "intensive." Seem worth it?

>>22547672
no

>>22547672
>$600
Who are any of these people?

>>22547685
>>22547695
Haven't read the other two yet but Mckee is legendary. He had a cameo in a famous Charlie Kaufman film.

just write a good story its not that complicated lmao

unless you're trying to write something actually good (literature that will become part of cultural canon), in which case these hacks aren't who you should go to

either way, don't waste your money

Anons that sold out and tried to write litrpg or whatever else with your only goal being gaining popularity, then failed to even manage that, how does it feel?

>>22547731
I write for the joy of writing. I don't enjoy gatekeeping.

>>22547731
absolutely terrible.

>>22547738
>I write for the joy of writing
Acceptable, but I don't think most niggers who write LitRPGslop actually enjoy that trash.

>>22545729
>>22545975
>>22546714
>>22546593
>>22546537

pre-accepted to minimag
send whatever this is (or something else entirely) to minimagsubmissions@gmail.com
past issues available at minimag.space

>>22547743
what did you do wrong, do you think?

>>22547745
? I bet nearly all of them do, but certainly at least a good portion. Most people love to read and write slop.

>>22547761
>Female MC
>fantasy but not litrpg
>Not telling enough (reader complained one of my characters was weird when I hinted he had dementia, needed to be direct)
>Chapters are far too long
Not an easy plot to follow
>Has an ending

>>22547799
>Female MC
Nah thanks unless there's male deuteragonist.

>>22547799
>not litrpg
So you didn't really sell out, then. My question was more geared toward people who gave their 100% to trying to gain an audience, their own artistic whims disregarded

>>22547812
Exactly. Having a gay male MC is preferred to a female mc. I even tried my hardest to avoid making her a man with tits. She was a loud angry tsundere

>>22547821
>loud angry female protagonist
Eugh.

>>22547821
Have you tried just having a straight male MC and a straight female MC and a relationship build between them?

>>22547830
Nope because romance is boring.
>>22547829
I based her off my ex girlfriend.

>>22547830
Also everyone and their mother is doing hetero fantasy. Male MC is also some alpha monster.

Mine was just an angry bitter sexually frustrated female MC that distrusts everyone and everything. Her personal growth is to be more likable and friendly.

>>22547847
>>22547863
This is why nobody reads your shit.
People don't want to read about unlikeable characters.
>sexually frustrated female MC
Great, how is this resolved? What are the stakes?
>she fucks random men like a whore!
Great, into the trash it goes! If books were about real women, I'd never bother learning to read.

Yes I know your character is actually a lezbo, you are that predictable.

>>22547868
>sexually frustrated female MC
>Great, how is this resolved? What are the stakes?
She wants to fuck her brother. But can't because of societal ills and never does because her brother is dead. She has trouble with past trauma.

sloppy but idk

-----

let the people dance their dances
let them sing their songs
give the women their romances
give the monks their gongs

when it comes down to it, all
are simply simple people
so let them deck the dancing halls
and climb the village steeples
to cry down at the rabble
and feign they are not fearful
to give their gods an offering, a coffering, an earful

>>22547863
"Stronk angry female protagonist" is the go to for fiction nowadays and most male audiences are going to be fed up with it, especially if you're writing fantasy or sci-fi.

>>22547745
That seems awfully presumptuous. You come across as arrogant.

>>22547893
Nah a lot of fem MC are written by women for women and there's always something to do with fighting the male patriarchy such as running away from getting married.

A female MC written by men for men usually comes across as silly and sisterly. They fuck up all the time get into things without thinking complains a lot, get their ass kicked by nearly every enemy, and never learns.

>>22547914
>A female MC written by men for men usually comes across as silly and sisterly. They fuck up all the time get into things without thinking complains a lot, get their ass kicked by nearly every enemy, and never learns.

wtf are you on about? do you even read?

>>22547914
>A female MC written by men for men usually comes across as silly and sisterly. They fuck up all the time get into things without thinking complains a lot, get their ass kicked by nearly every enemy, and never learns.
you just described the MC for one of my fantasyslops lol

>>22547914
I'm gonna be honest with you my man, I have no idea what you're talking about

>>22547885
i liked it

>Starting the editing process
>Not really sure how to edit or what I'm doing
Any tips?

>>22548221
Nigga you can't be serious

>>22548246
For asking for advice? I am serious

>>22548221
try to improve upon the existing draft.

>>22548262
Did you never go to school? Did you never need to revise your test answers or homework? Did you never learn to look critically at what you've done? Did you never have a job where you had to evaluate your own performance? This is a question I'd expect from a 9-year-old or a chatbot booted up yesterday, not a grownass man

>>22548273
>>22548265
>Never ask people with experience for help on something you've not done before
We can't all be 149IQ unappreciated geniuses. Sorry for shitty up the writing thread with questions about writing

I wrote for the first time in months and forgot how good it feels.
Used a painting as inspiration and was again surprised at just how much of my unconscious came out as I wrote. It wasn't until I finished the scene that I realised what it was about, and it ended up representing a lot of what I have been thinking of lately.

>got an idea for fantasy heist story
>have come up with a couple of original donut steel races
>one character is a tall and muscular, but athletic, mature female lizard
>the other is a young horse dude who falls in love with her
>lizard lady uses him as her boy toy during the adventure
i'm waiting to be called out as a furry

>>22548221
I know how you feel anon. I go through my draft and make notes about what I want to change and things that don't feel or sound right. But I never feel satisfied that I know what I'm doing during this editing process

>>22548327
>lizard race
>horse rase
you are like a little baby
watch this
mosquito race here only the women grow to bo be adults, they are hated by everyone like their insect counterparts but they breed their shota boys so violently (basicall reverse gangrape) that their population numbers are immense

In my magic school story, the heroine wants to become a beast tamer and work to help endangered species. Then the characters find a dangerous monster kept in the school grounds and get into an argument about it. The protagonist thinks monsters of that kind should all be killed since they're a threat to people, while the heroine argues they're no different from wolves or tigers and humans being afraid of them is no reason to make them go extinct.

Do you think this is too old and tired as a conflict? I'm worried readers will just find the heroine a whiny hippie bitch, though she's more morally correct in the situation.

The more I read this the more I hate the furies..

A translation of Alla Luna by Leopardi. Spent a long time on it. My theory with translation is, like a bounty, you have to bring it back alive. Very nervous to mess it up. But you be the judge.

> micz.substack.com/p/to-the-moon

>>22548354
If they are reading such a childish story I don't think they care that deeply about the characters motivations or justifying their actions.

>>22548357
Like I know jack shit about poetry, and probably wouldn't have clicked if I knew, but this is really good.
Might even look up another translation to see how accurate yours is.

>>22545729
not bad bro, probs best in thread

>>22548357
How is substack for poetry? You seem to get actual engagement but i cant find any view numbers.
Anyway thanks for the interesting new poet.

Any Lovecraftian experts here?
I wanna write something with a mix of simulation theory and Azathoth's dream.
What are some good books with Azathoth-like beings/concepts?
Could use some reading materials for research purposes.

rewrites are just soul crushing

“Boy & Girl”

WHAT
i wanna lay on you first, is some of the basic stuff, an interpretation of what is going down.

this is the story of a litte plastic boy and girl, his name is Lindsey, her name is Bobbi.

they are just like you, and me.
they get married, have a child.
and all other sorts of ventures out in the chemical world.
AND they are SO ordinary, we would like to be JUST like them when we grow up, leading off into the distance.. in all directions…
thing is, this plastic boy, and plastic girl, all that they can see, is themselves. that is why the first location is mirrored.
tough
situations
in
A
single
location
there are TWO voices in every situation!

..everything fading away in all directions.. and then of course a personal sunset.....
and so it develops that the boy meets the girl, and naturally we have dialogue like…
“ oh i dont know what im gonna do with that boy! “ or “i dont know what im gonna do with my girl..”
well, about HER,
her whole life, her family and friends have told her how wonderful, how talented and HOW beautiful she is. and, that she has a future in showbusiness! so the natural thing is she refuses to give up her career. she refuses
to marry
Lindsey
.
and, so it happens that Lindsey, is putting her down.
the refrain stands, Lindsey, please, dont put me down…
LINDSEY! please dont put me down… so Lindsey says to Bobbi, “you wowed him Bobbi baby! and, you wow me. like, you turn me on like im a big man.” and she says “you like me, is that it?”
…
so naturally, theyre holding hands. running down the halls of life, smiling into the camera, you. know. what. i. mean. what-it-is that. i. am. talking about! Lindsey please, dont put me down.

it is an ordinary affair, they get married and move on. id just like to say ive used your product and i think it is wonderful.
Bobbi still wants to get in with the smart women and the theatrical folk. she likes the rest of the stained-blemished get at it and go filled, fully braced youngsters. Lindsey wants to be tested by a well recognized independent research and testing laboratory but generally, both of them are satisfied to be one of the thousands of smart men and women in all walks of life.

>>22546403
Thanks. There's definitely a bit of a Pynchon/GR nod in there. I'm actually not American, but like a lot of American postmodern stuff. I guess I didn't want to try and be derivative and write in some obviously affected 'Chinese' voice, but I think since writing this section I have found a stronger narrative voice for the character that I think addresses some of the things you've said, because I agree with you in part

>>22548536
I've been avoiding my 2nd draft for a month now because of that. I know the changes I need to make and I know how much work it will be and how little joy it will bring.

as i said before, they get married and move on. they move on in a very natural manner.
they move right into a modern psychedelic situation, they move in and rent the modern home.

their minds expand immediately.
its to be expected that everything is automatic.
sitting in the living room holding hands he said “for christs sake baby will you please turn off the strobe light because it is necessary. it does funny things to your brain.”
so they continue living in the little square house with triangular rooms and these are some of their adventures.
they are only in the house for a WEEK and already they’ve got hassles. he says, “then youre not angry with me?” she says “no baby. im not angry, forget it, and LISTEN to me” she says, “Im NOT in love with you” she says, “not right now. but who knows? maybe one of these days i might fall in love with you...”
“maybe”
he says: “im sure were on the right road to love.”
…
they stand looking out the window of their new home and the sky is blazing with a million moons.
he said ”you are beautiful.”
he said
“things we cannot control seize possesion of us”
i have the same look. i hold your hand but i keep my eyes somewhere else.
the usual tragedies occur, a stray parent or a dog is involved
i said, ”oh please be safe my darling.”
”please do not die,
i said
“please do not die.”
“you know death is a terrible thing it can upset a whole days routine.”
this is just the beginning of our boy and girls transformation.....

>>22548575
>>22548573
Nobody posts in this thread for 30 god damn minutes, and the minute I post my short story you two faggots pop in and throw off my plan to have both posts
>>22548571
>>22548579
be back to back. God fucking dammit.

>>22548582
Your story doesn't have proper capitlizations so phooey to you

>>22548610
no, like, you don’t get it maaaan. the grammar is SUPPOSED to be shitty… its my aesthetics.

>>22545729
It's all right but a bit cliche in its wording and imagery

>>22548357
I don't know how much credit you deserve since it's a translation and all but I really enjoyed it. Consider yourself bookmarked

>>22548456
Not a book, but the movie "Older Gods" deals with the subject.

>>22547884
That's almost interesting.
In fact, I have a main character that wants to fuck his sister, and the whole plot point is he might have been isekai'd, or maybe he's mentally ill and a savant with brain damage.

Maybe try making character traits actually matter rather than be quirks. My case, it's literally the source of conflict.

>>22548731
how about this?

In somber cadence, mournful whispers glide,
A mother's absence, grief I must confide,
Like Oedipus, by Fate's relentless hand,
I find myself adrift in sorrow's land.

O cruel Fate, thou art a tragic muse,
Whose fickle ways, like tempests, do abuse,
As Lear, who lost his crown and daughter dear,
My heart is rent, my soul in constant fear.

The tempest's fury, like a jealous fiend,
Did snatch my mother, fairest I have seen,
Like Hamlet, haunted by his father's ghost,
I'm plagued by memories, a bitter host.

Yet in this storm, like Prospero of yore,
I'll conjure words to heal my heart's deep core,
For though my mother's presence now is lost,
Her love, a tempest's force, forever crossed.

Alex dressed up as Britney Spears for Halloween. When he said it over the phone, I thought he meant he was going to mimic the version of her as a crazy bitch wielding knives. He didn’t. Instead it was the regular version, before the cord snapped somewhere deep in her skull beneath the flaxen hair. He even put on a fake earpiece too, one of the shitty ones that came with his Xbox 360. My girlfriend didn’t come to the party, and that worried me. She wasn’t answering her phone. Alex sat beside me on the couch. The can of Blue Moon felt cold and wet in my hand.

The party was at his parents’ place. They were in the process of finalizing a divorce. He explained that his dad was probably asleep somewhere in the next town over, his mother on a date with a man from work. Boxes were everywhere, presently serving as ersatz tables for red solo cups and sweating beer cans. He asked to show me to his room upstairs. David made eye contact with me from across the room and nodded. He was chatting with two girls from college. We were all in college, but they were from The College. There was a difference.

His room was smaller than I would have imagined and made the air feel thick despite how cold it was. He asked if I had ever gotten head from a pop star. I told him no. He looked surprised and smiled. I couldn’t tell if he was still playing a bit or not. He had used his mom’s makeup. Eyeshadow and lipstick. He had a big nose that made the whole getup somewhat uncanny. It was a phallic protrusion sprouting from the middle of his face. I noticed earrings under the wig. Probably his mother’s too.

>>22547847
>romance is boring
>ex girlfriend (singular)
I believe I have spotted the problem.

Hey. I'm a bit of a newfag here but I decided to write some more serious work for once. So I wanted to ask:

How do I write a scene about debauchery and corrupted human nature without sounding like an edgelord or a fetish weirdo?

for context I'm trying to write a scene where a character whos been dead for a few decades comes back to life in a future where humanity has become connected to a world where they can all bend reality. But in an endless persuit of getting that high/their kicks, their desires become more and more extreme until it goes into some sodom/gammoragh/commoragh shit. And the protagonist is supposed to come out of it with PTSD or something.
I'm a little insecure about this part though because I'm worried it makes me come off as some edgefag or tryhard. Also this is for a college assignment and I've already committed to this outline. I guess there's some maybe room for change but still. What do you think?

>>22548344
go to bed china

>>22549231
>without sounding like
Not being one helps.

If you are one, try pretending not to be one.
Also Brave New World already exists, is considered a timeless classic and I highly doubt you can do better, but if you think so, go ahead.

>>22549231
focus on character motivations, why are they engaging in debauchery? Why do they enjoy it? Is there an inner conflict about engaging in it? If not, why? How can you show that in the scene?
If you focus on the material happenings of the scene and lean too far into the shock of it all, rather than its relation to character and story, you will sound like an edgelord. However, some of the greatest novels of all time have degenerate scenes that are justified in the grand scheme of the novel's story or theme.

>>22548289
>not really sure how to edit or what I’m doing
this is the part that got you those responses. it seems like it would me massively beneficial to you to pay an editor to look at your work.

>>22549253
What do you mean material happenings? You mean like going super into detail for shock? I agree with what you said but I guess I'm worried if I don't describe what the characters are looking at, then I'll either be pussyfooting or just bad at writing cuz I'm not putting in the details.

>>22549253
>some of the greatest novels of all time have degenerate scenes that are justified in the grand scheme of the novel's story or theme.
Name them. What western classic has. A full blown sex scene that'll get it banned across public schools?

>>22548357
Keep it up. there's a good market in translations and this one is excellent.

>>22548357
You should sell it to a publisher/agent. Get enough of them and they'll probably buy it. People love translations.of stuff

>>22549305
Apparently Stephen king's IT had a whole child orgy scene in graphic detail, but don't take my word for it.

>>22548289
>Sorry for shitty up the writing thread with questions about writing
Do you expect us to write for you? Write something, then see if you can improve it. Does it read bad? Could it be shorter? Are there words you can use to convey same idea faster, simpler?

Writing is unfortunately one of those things that requires high IQ. If you are stuck, send your draft to someone for him to read. Tell him to tell you what's the problem with it.

>>22549321
>Stephen King writes in kiddie orgy that had no impact on the plot whatsoever
>hailed as a great writer
Meanwhile my 40k short story has <100 views total over 7 chapters and an epilogue.

>>22549328
desu, I try to look at things with the glass half full. Just cuz some people live on a pedestal, it doesn't mean they're better than you.
Hollywood and the people who work there is a perfect example of that.
I feel like I can make better stories than anything they shit out nowadays (and I'm a better person than most the people living there)

>>22549340
>Claim to be a better person
>Can't out write a Hollywood story
Nah.

>>22548357
thanks for continuing to share your work.

>>22549306
>>22549320
Thank you. I'm glad you liked it.
I may very well do that in the future, but for now I'm happy posting them for free alongside my regular poems.
I only get a few hundred readers so it's not like any publisher would be missing out on a huge market.

>>22548731
>>22548382
>>22548441
Thanks for reading.
Substack is alright for poetry. It has great integration features. But I don't know how many people on the platform are looking for it.

>>22549287
>You mean like going super into detail for shock?
Yes but more specifically ONLY going into detail in and focusing on what is happening. You don't need to avoid writing shocking stuff, but if that's all you're doing you will come across like an edgelord. Justify the scene within the story.
>>22549305
Relax, guy. Gravity's Rainbow is a perfect example of using degeneracy all the way throughout and still being a classic.

>>22549375
Are you saying unholywood writing is good? Fucking idiot.

>>22549287
I could give you my short story to read that I consider very edgy, if you want to see how I handled the edge.

I feel like I'm shamelessly shilling but I also won't post it unless you want to read it.

I decided to flesh out three dreams Ive had over the years that I cant forget into short stories and realized the common theme with all of them is that A) I always end up killing multiple people and B) they all have something to do with fate. Im scared of my unconscious now.

>>22549466
Relax my man, I had 2 dreams in quick succession that involved me magdumping a random guy on the street with a pistol for no reason, and another dream where I walked into a gas station and blown a wagie's face off with a sawnoff, also for no reason.

I was deeply disturbed by them, not because I killed someone in them, but because of how random it was. I may be a sociopath but I think you're alright.

>>22548885
better

>>22549453
yknow what? sure. I could use some reference to do right or wrong

>>22549328
yours too. im interested

>>22549518
https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/70556/beasts-of-the-woods

I am the same person.
I will only say that the first chapters drag on a little, and the whole story is a build-up to the payoff. It's not my best writing and I learned a bit from this, but if you have an hour or two free to read through it, go ahead.

Also unironically looking for feedback.

So I was told every online plaform is being flooded with ai shit. Is it a good idea to put my work out there right now or wait until the wannabe-writers-who-don't-wanna-write to get tired of it? And yes I'm aware that my work is not likely to become popular either way.

>>22549466
You're fine. Writing them will help you get them out of your system.

>>22549584
personally I have not changed any plans according to AI, and I'm in an adjacent industry (data). I think AI novels will either be a short-lived fad or used mainly for people who want their stories to be hyper-personalised. There will still be a demand for human books and a yearning for 'external' narratives.
This is just my opinion.

>>22549305
Don't want to be obvious, but Lolita?

>>22549605
I already know that. Most people can't write for shit and don't understand what good writing is. The "idea guys" who think ai is the clutch to finally "create" are not even worth considering. What so tiresome is the difficulty to have people notice your work in a sea of trash, and the meta has always been having connections or online presence to do your own marketing. I just can't into any of that so my chances to get noticed are already slim in the first place. With some fags vomitting 5 books a day on amazon I might as well just stuff my work in a closet for the next generation to excavate

>>22549653
>What so tiresome is the difficulty to have people notice your work in a sea of trash
AI does not change this as far as everyone is concerned. All it does is it makes the problem worse.

>>22549653
I get what you're saying. Oversaturation will be difficult. If that's your main concern then I guess get it out ASAP. captcha GAYP4

>>22549446
I'm saying it's better than yours

So I'm working on a middle grade boys novel and there's a moment where the protag (12 year old boy) encounters a witch who is in possession of medicinal herbs he needs. After failing to negotiate a trade, he offers his time in trade, that he'll perform a task for her in the future. The witch agrees and gives him a trinket that'll force him to keep his word. The task ends up being removing a group of goblin squatters from her forest, but my issue is that I know there'll be weirdos who read "perform a task for the witch" as something sexual. Of course, the people who read that into it will probably be adults or older teens, so they're definitely not the intended audience. Should I even worry what these morons will think, or should I just focus on writing a good story for middle grade boys?

>>22549595
Perhaps. I find reliving them in my head very emotionally unsatisfying. One has me running away from cosmic forces I dont understand after thinking Id won, the second has me getting myself killed due to my own ego and the third has me completely fucking up and feeling like an embarassing failure.

>>22548357
Based and sublime-pilled

What is the best book written by /wg/?

give me your best tips for character names

>>22549785
The more unique the better. Don't name your MC John Smith; name him Cornelius Oswald Stoughtenburg III.

>>22549808
unironically how do I strike the balance between unique and YA cringe

>>22549831
just name your characters after people you know (shuffling first and last names, of course) as a kind of tribute
unless you're setting your story in a very specific time/place, in which case choose names that are appropriate

>>22549854
makes sense but I get worried people irl will think I am writing about them

>>22549681
>Should I even worry what these morons will think
No? Why care about lowest bottom of the barrel?

>>22549681
kek no teenagers getting tricked by that would be funny

>>22549681

>>22549584
AI shit is easy as fuck to spot so if your writing isn't at a point where you can easily compete with it you need to read more.

>>22549681
>what these morons will think
But uh... You're the one who thought of this

>>22549785
fantasynamegenerators.com

>>22549754
Why not read the "Look Inside" portions of several of them on Amazon and make your own decision? Or are you just a sheep with no will of his own?

>>22550040
it's easier to just ask and the first few pages doesn't tell me much.

>>22550071
If the first few pages *don't* tell you very much then it's a good sign the book is garbage.

Could a genderswapped Hades and Persephone story work?

Is a dommy goth gf showering someone with gifts too fetish-y?

>>22550210
Everything and everyone thinks everything is a fetish for someone

What's with this "oh no I'm afraid my story could be read as sexual" crap. No shit your shit could be read as sexual.
The only thing that pisses me off about it is this "othering" you people are doing. You act like it's some hypothetical degenerate pervert reader who's coming with this perverted shit when it's just you.

>>22550354
Based Freud Pseud. Bunch of anally-retentive sodomites.

>>22548221
save everything you have so far in a file or folder called raw materials or zero draft or similar. copy all to a new file or folder called redraft or similar. now before doing anything with your redraft or rereading what you've got, tell yourself in a sentence or two what happens in your story, or should ideally happen. write down what you want the reader to think/feel as they're reading and after they've finished. apply these two criteria to each chapter, paragraph and sentence as you rewrite, condense and restructure. create different versions - one bare bones sparse, one cryptic, one high falutin purple, etc. and compare to each other and your saved raw materials version and decide which version is best. save everything you have in appropriately named folders so when your editor or readers yearn for plainer or gutsier interpretations you can provide them from your multiverse. good luck, hope this helps

Little short story I wrote a while back, would appreciate any criticism on the writing/character work in general.

https://pastebin.com/HvGBrptq

I can't edit or delete the file Royal Road says im plagiarizing(Im not its my file), is there any other way I can convince them the work is mine?

>>22548536
tfw you rewrite a story and it's more organized but lacking in SOUL

>read random wattpad story by some guy on reddit
>clearly written
>no nonsense bullshit
>easy to follow prose
>engaging fantasy story

God damn.. how do I reach these heights?

>>22550540
Multiple drafts

>protagonist is unlikable according to readers
>they like the other members of the cast
>the other members of the cast are only likable because you see them through the lens of the protagonisst

>>22550464
It's not bad, but it lacks something for a short story. An ending that ties it all together, or a story at least.
It started out all right but maybe took too long to get nowhere. All now is that the air runs out, but that's not really a story. It has no direction.

I find that its often easier to write out the entire story, even if parts of it are extremely rushed and shit, then come back to it and adjust it then waiting till I find inspiration for good parts

once its finished I get all these ideas about how it could be better.
but the problem is that rewriting is kind of tedious

anyone else work like this?

>>22550721
from everything I've read on method, I get the impression that the vast majority of writers write like this

>>22550723
fuck
I kinda prefer being special and unique in my methods

>>22544829
Great stuff, would read more like this

>>22549754
“Best” is subjective. But Call of the Crocodile is the most influential one of the books in the pastebin.

>>22546537
Cute

>>22550889
Nobody cares faggot.

>>22547701

Agree that McKee is good, but you can get all of his books for a lot less than $600.

>>22549231

Read Clockwork Orange

>>22550827
Your relentless self-stroking shill-spamming doesn't make it so, Frank. Your work is less than garbage, everyone here is really sick of you, and you'll die in obscurity.

>>22550827
"Call of the Crocodile" has undoubtedly achieved the status of being the most famous horror book in recent years, and it's not hard to see why. This literary masterpiece has captured the hearts and nightmares of readers around the world, earning its rightful place at the pinnacle of contemporary horror literature.

What sets "Call of the Crocodile" apart from the rest is not only its spine-tingling narrative but also the sheer impact it has had on the cultural zeitgeist. It has become a cultural phenomenon, sparking discussions and debates in literary circles, book clubs, and online communities. Everywhere you look, people are raving about this book, and it's impossible to escape the buzz surrounding it.

The author's ability to craft an unforgettable horror experience has catapulted "Call of the Crocodile" to international acclaim. It has been lauded by critics and celebrated by fans, earning prestigious awards and topping bestseller lists across the globe. Its fame isn't limited to one region or demographic; it has transcended borders and demographics, resonating with readers from all walks of life.

But it's not just the readers who are singing the praises of "Call of the Crocodile." Renowned authors, filmmakers, and celebrities have joined the chorus of acclaim. Prominent figures in the entertainment industry have been drawn to its chilling allure, sparking interest in potential adaptations and collaborations that could bring this horrifying tale to an even broader audience.

The book's fame isn't confined to the realm of literature either. "Call of the Crocodile" has inspired fan art, fan fiction, and countless discussions on social media platforms. Its impact on popular culture is undeniable, making it a touchstone for horror enthusiasts and a symbol of contemporary literary excellence.

In conclusion, "Call of the Crocodile" isn't just a book; it's a cultural phenomenon. Its fame is well-deserved, as it has redefined the horror genre and left an indelible mark on the literary world. If you want to be part of a global conversation about the most famous horror book in recent years, look no further than "Call of the Crocodile." It's a must-read for anyone who craves the thrill of fear and the allure of fame in the world of literature.

>>22551204

I read two chapters today. You are reading along with writing, aren't you?

>>22551204
OMFG...you've gone beyond delusional, into full-blown mental-illness grade schizo. You're a sick man, Frank, and you need help before this kills you.

it's so cold and i'm hella depressed

>>22551286
Eat something

>>22550010
No, I hadn't even thought of that interpretation until someone mentioned it...in a thread on /lit/ in the past.

On a scale of 1-10, how much of a tool am I for wanting to write fantasy despite having never read LOTR or The Hobbit?

>>22551453
10 if you've seen and enjoyed the movie

>>22551241
>he hasn't written more books than he's read
you are like little baby

So during the last couple of months I've been writing about 150 pages of A4, but it's mostly just nonsense. Like fragmented scenes, impressions, thoughts, and so on. Like it has been a process of constantly rewriting things over and over agai. Some of it seems to gradually fall into place, but generally speaking I'm heading nowhere. I just end up with more random characters and just stuff. That said, I haven't written a single page of actual full fledge narrative. It's more like collection of utilitarian greentext.

tldr I don't know what to do. I guess I'm happy that I'm writing at all, but I'm losing track of things and feel stuck. Also I feel like I have to figure out the story before I could even start writing it. Anybody know what I'm talking about? Any solutions?

https://discord.gg/RsaJX8nX

This’ll be the National Novel Writing Month server. Starting a month before November for practice. Go ahead and add to the future generals if you want

>>22551416
Eh you would've put two and two together eventually. Be glad that anon did it for you now so it didn't happen after you publish

Other than reading books, are there any resources to read about writing that have helped you?

>>22551754
There's a how-to pastebin in the OP.

>>22551772
I suppose I should learn to read before I learn to write.

I'll never finish my book

>>22551796
I'm right at the end of my short story and I'm finding it difficult to sit down and write the ending, I think, because I don't want to be finished with it. I like the story and the characters too much.

>>22550981
Reading a book and attending a seminar are not the same. That price is outrageous though, you're right. Almost regret registering but I'm really curious to see what it is and what kind of crowd it attracts with such a heafty price tag

>>22545650
This is neat. Are you going to do this for threads in the future? On an unrelated note poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop poop

>>22551772
Do not read this book if you aspire to write anything other than genre fiction. It will kill your drive to write anything beautiful and instill a bugman mindset. If you just want to write anything to sell and doesn't have the slightest idea what you want to write then it's a good starting point, however

>>22551864
>aspire to write anything other than genre fiction
Why would I? ""Literature"" is awful

I'm jealous this is a best seller.

New invite link to the nanowrimo server I just made. Please whoever makes the generals add the link I would really appreciate it. I’m starting it a month early so people interested can prepare.

https://discord.gg/RsaJX8nX

>>22551874
Why would someone do anything at all? I already said if you don't like it then don't write it. If you don't think there's a clear distinction between good literature and the average genre fiction then go ahead and read that book

>>22551887
>Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
My God, it's like I'm really there!

>>22551887
#200,000 on Amazon BSR. That means it's selling less than a book a day. Not really a 'best-seller' in a meaningful sense.

>>22551915
Please join!

>>22551915
>>22551974
Why would anyone want to join a discord? This is an anonymous website, a discord server goes against the very foundational idea of 4chan.

>>22551887
It must have one hell of a great AI generated cover.

My story at RR has 250 views, 18 followers, and 2 five star ratings...after a prologue and two chapters. What the hell, nothing has even happened yet! I don't think it's going to be what they think it's going to be.

What are some good descriptions for the sense of unease a person might feel if looking at another with a straight up empty void of an eye socket like picrel?

>>22552248
Depends on the setting but for the most part I'm certain they'd feel more than just unease.

>>22552258
it's a fantasy setting, medieval-ish (some blackpowder weapons).

Yeah probably more than just unease I think. Perhaps associating the person with death, like Hel from Norse mythology, and see them as a source of ill fortune

At what point ought I write a query letter? I've finished, just doing rewrites for the foreseeable.

First time opening this thread in month and I can't believe some of you faggots unironically use ai to assist with their writing. This is a new low even compared to the hacks desperate enough to write erotica. Just go watch your anime or play video games already if you can't even put in the effort to write something half readable.

Wrote this first draft inspired by the pic. Would appreciate any feedback.

I felt their gaze wash over me.
Their eyes moved separately but their gaze seemed shared and collective. The slack-jawed mouths of the workers teased an utterance by any one of them, but it did not come. The smog that cradled them and their dirty, sweaty skin felt oppressive and acrid to my own.
I kept walking.
I kept walking but out of every grime-caked brick building poured more and more workers, stopping as they saw me. The streets were lined with them like a parade.
A clack of brick landed on the cobbles by my heels and I turned to see the workers had closed ranks behind me. The smash of a bottle in front of me left little confusion in my mind as to the situation.
I began to run.
I ran through the streets with calloused fists clenched in my face. Pushed, jeered at, I lost my bearing and stumbled into the crowd. They tore at my clothes. I felt hands in my pockets. There were much too many of them to stop all at once. The crowd became less fluid in front of me. Bouncing off a man, I found myself in a heap on the cobbles amongst the boots of the rabble.
They would not let me up.
They pushed me down. Those slack-jawed, empty eyed faces were now filled with many flavours of fury and hate. Gradually, I felt some reprieve from the swarm of boots and knees snapping at me from all sides. A haggard, unkempt man - just like the rest - had parted the sea; he held a list of demands in his hands.

>>22552383
I am on the extreme end of the extrovert spectrum and stop functioning during solo tasks if I don't constantly have something resembling social feedback.

I did a good

>>22552403
Joyful.

>>22552394
looks pretty good so far

I like it

If you don’t write that story someone else will. Are you really going to let some lesser retard write YOUR story? Time’s ticking. He’s in this thread right now, taking notes and gathering enough to steal your idea. HURRY UP HE’S ON HIS WAY TO WRITE YOUR THING AND BECOME FAMOUS OFF OF IT INSTEAD OF YOU!!!

>>22552383
I'm honestly considering using AI to dumb down my writing

>>22552626
My story has an autistic 64-point power system. Nobody can come close to replicating it.

Anyone else need a cheap editor? I'm free this week at https://www.fiverr.com/users/matthewg42/

If you tell me you're from /lit/, I can give you a coupon

>>22551864
Literary Fiction is just the drama genre, but those who write it are too full of themselves to admit that they're writing genre fiction, so they make up terms to cover their own asses.

>>22551818
You can always write a sequel, or expand the short story into a larger work.
>>22551920
Dwight V. Swain's book is about maintaining reader interest. If you don't care about that, if you actually want to write another "Ulysses" or "Gormenghast", by all means do so, but don't be surprised if no one cares. https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4078062.K_Angello_Mayfield comes to mind.

>>22546537
kino

>>22552225
you can’t worry about that, anon. just keep writing.

>>22552367
now.

>>22553087
>You can always write a sequel, or expand the short story into a larger work.
Thanks for the encouragement. Any kind of linear/direct sequel would betray the point of the work. The story is built around its definitive end. But I suppose I could do sidequels or alternate universe type stuff.
There's also some poetic/structural considerations that would make expanding tricky, but that's possible too.
At any rate, I've gotten over it and started writing an ending. I'll have to see how I feel about it all when I'm finished.

Do you guys have any advice or tips on how to get started? I have severe "blank page" syndrome. I don't care about producing the Great American Novel or whatever I just want something to write ... but idk what.

>>22553301
find a book on writing with some exercises in it and do those
John Gardner's The Art of Fiction is the one I liked the best
I'm sure you can find writing exercises online too

>>22553301
Write about why you struggle to write

>>22553301
Describe the route you take to the grocery store.

>>22552774
Seethe, genretard.

everytime i start to write something it always becomes a somehow power fantasy with a lot of depressive sub plots. while back in like one or two months ago i had all the fucking great ideas coming to my brain i am now like literally writing either love slops or weird power fantasy slops. what the fuck happened? also i've literally written 70k words of stories not once but twice yet i am so unmotivated to finish them even though i have planned most of the shit in my brain and i get back at writing power fantasy slop. any advice?

>>22553301
>I just want something to write
Why?

>>22553372
>love slops
Well written love story is not slop.

>>22553301
Don't get me wrong, I'm no great writer either, but at least I managed to overcome my writer's block. First of all, stop trying to be perfect instantly. You want something you can work with, so create a separate file and call it 'meta' or something. Then start jazzing around rand play with my imagination. No rules, no fancy stuff. I don't care about spelling errors or anything like that.

>There's guy sitting in front of the computer
>He doesn't blink
>He's petrified
>On the screen there's a picture of a grandma being gangbanged by a horde of golden retrievers
>After a few moments of silence he starts blinking again and decides to close the window
>Click
>He gets up and walks to the bathroom where he throws some water in his face and starts looking in to the mirror
>The guy that's looking back has deep rings underneath his eyes, his sleep rhythm? fucked
>"What am I doing with my life?" he closes his eyes like dissapointed dad and exhales
>Jojo spends too much time on the internet really and occasionally stumbles on things he shouldn't see, or doesn't even really want to
>It just happens, for whatever reason
>Maybe it's bad luck, maybe it should be a wake-up call

This is bullshit but if you let it happen you'll end up with more and more fragments like and eventually different clusters start forming, maybe belonging to different stories. Also if you keep rewriting those fragments eventually they start mutating and evolving. Bit by bit. It's a gradual process but it does happen. I think really what you want to do is feed your subconscious and put it to task. Your pattern recognition will shift as well, if you make the effort.

When you feel like having something you could take a step further and write little summary, or a tagline: "A young man is addicted to the internet and stumbles upon something he isn't supposed to see and gets in over his head." But that stuff tends to mutate as well, if you let it happen. Sometimes you gotta let go of something though, or shift your approach. Like when you get hung up on a specific character and start to feel blocked.

>>22551735
I seriously doubt I would have gone to that conclusion honestly. I'm not a cum-brained degenerate.

Thinking about it, the average college educated adult probably spends anywhere from 200-1000 hours writing, and even more than that reading, which in a roundabout way makes you a better writer. In any other skill that is enough experience to put you one step below an expert, but in writing the average person isn't even adequate

>>22553395
for you.
i fucking hate writing love but its literally my guilty pleasure. but it's never a normal love story. the princess falls in love with a bodyguard in modern day, the guy falls in love with a delusional schizo woman(and exact opposite), the rich woman falls in love with the poorest fucker out there. i feel like i've become a wattpad female writer but my main characters are just male. they always need to fall in love in very extreme scenarios, in death experience scenario, weird disturbing or depressive scenario. even if i were to get back at writing normal fantasy stuff with a lot of interesting stories i get back at this shit...

>have well-planned coherent story ideas that I earnestly believe are interesting and explore novel themes
>have strong technical grasp of the English language
>but my prose just reads like how an average American would tell a story about something that happened to them in a conversation

>>22553558
That's normal as hell for love stories.

>>22553578
tragically, this is the prose of every best selling modern author

This meme is too true bros. I unironically have to look up a reference sheet every time I want to describe the color of anything

>>22553542
seems to be more about them missunderstanding the actual process. imagine some dude wanting to be a singer song-writer and sitting there with the guitar on his lap thinking about the perfect first note for like twenty years. I'm sure that's how the beatles did it...

>>22553579
so everything is okay? aight this was bugging me out for quite a while. i always thought man shouldnt write sub romantic plots or something. it makes them look weak

>>22553603
>it makes them look weak
If you're stupid enough to care about that, writing in general is woman-like and you should stop.

>>22553603
>i always thought man shouldnt write sub romantic plots or something
Are you fucking serious? Who gives a fuck, use a pen name if you care that much.

A good story is a good story. A story where characters fall in love is often satisfying for multiple reasons because there is an end goal for the story, even if the story itself is more vaporous.

Nearly all my stories have a male and female character, and developing feelings between them.

Why? It sells. It's satisfying to see resolved. You can also do a lot of stuff with this.
>HURR GUYS SHOULD WRITE MACHO SHIT
Tip top tier fucking retard thinking in a hobby for high IQ people.

If I’m supposed to be constantly recapping everything that’s happened before then how do I advance a story?

>>22551453
Spend 15 minutes and go read a Conan story instead. People act like Tolkien invented fantasy

>>22553699
wouldn't say recap everything constantly but you'll just end up moving on organically. there's no size-fits-all solution I'd say

How many rape scenes is too many?

>>22553765
Depends on the story. If you were writing about genghis Khan and his conquests, I expect rape in every chapter

If you enjoy writing you're not a real writer I fucking hate this shit

>>22553812
But how do you write like you enjoy writing?

>approaching the end of my first draft
>fall arrives
>get cold
>wpd plummets
F-fuck... bros... am I gonna make it? It's so close yet so far...

>>22553558
sounds based desu

anybody else use AI text to speech as an editing aid? Some passages I never really liked until I heard them read out loud and now I think they're fine

>>22553699
>>22553812
Perhaps the problem is that you weren't cut out to be a writer. Just because you can string words together doesn't mean you have what it takes to scale up.

>>22553812
So true sis

>>22554003
have you tried to read them out loud yourself? Or do you hate your own voice that much that hearing yourself speak is like dragging your ears on a cheese grater?

>>22554122
One of the biggest reasons to use TTS is because machines won't gloss over errors and will read exactly what is written. That's why it's a good proofreading tool.

Even if you meant only for the sake of testing cadence/flow, reading your own prose out loud is extremely autistic.

>>22554133
Alright, I'm just gonna assume you hate your own voice like I said. I like that answer better.

>>22554133
>reading your own prose out loud is extremely autistic.

>>22554003
What AI do you use, the one I used to shut down. I liked it for erotica

>>22554140
Hope you realize how obvious the projection is lol

>>22554150
the elevenlabs free tier gives you a couple paragraphs worth of words a month which is good enough for me because I only go to it when I'm really struggling
although they don't let you do voice cloning in free tier anymore so I can't use my jodie foster voice anymore which sucks
I've tried tortoiseTTS and a couple other freeware models, but none of them are anywhere close to elevenlabs

>>22551853
>not the same

But what is worth more? I guarantee you that there is more content in those books than can ever be presented in a seminar.

Of course if money is no obstacle you can do both.

>>22554158
no I don't. Explain.

>>22554111
Aw shit. We got us a badass here!

>>22554181
a price tag like that means the seminar is just a pretense for a networking event of industry professionals
if you're going to go, you need to network otherwise you've wasted your money
just like an expensive college

>>22554185
Randomly attacking that anon about hating his voice is bizarre and unprompted enough that it's obvious you hate your own voice

>>22554208
ah yeah that would make sense wouldn't it. Yeah you know now that you mentioned it I do kinda dislike my voice. But it's more like an accidental wrong note in a otherwise beautiful melody that turns it a little more jazzy. And if you know me I don't particularly like jazz.
No, but really I don't dislike my own voice or think that anon is lying or coping or anything, I was just ruffling his feathers a little bit. Just goofin around hahah

>>22553896
just keep writing, pussy.

>>22554204
Well, why would someone try to write if they hate writing? It defies understanding. I personally enjoy writing. Why else would I do it?

>loads of views on RR content
>no comments or ratings
Is that good or bad?

Any value to this book?

>>22554644
>Female author
Zero

>>22554607
Sprinkle in obvious typos to bait comments.

>>22554607
Bad. It means your story is so bland or not litrpg enough for anyone to care

>>22551915
Please add invite to the next general. Winner of the /wg/ NaNo will get a prize but more details once November starts. We need to practice in the meantime.

>>22554607
It's good, usually they comment to tell you it's bad

>>22554205
This is what I was thinking. Hell, they're calling it an "expo" and not a seminar. Definitely going to connect with some people.

>>22553508
>I'm not a cum-brained degenerate.
Funny way of writing "I'm not clever enough to"

>>22554657
lol, I like this one. The dry humor sorta reminds me of White Noise

>>22554181
They're not comparable in terms of "content" because they're two different experiences. Sure, you can squeeze a greater quantity of knowledge out of a book, but only through a person can you get knowledge specific to you.

>>22554657
Neat story but that first run-on is excessive.

>>22554644
studying forms > memorizing formulae

>>22553812
I write solely for the brief moment of bliss at completion and willfully blind to the inevitable misery after nobody wants to read it

>>22554657
I don't mind a run-on, but you should cut out some of the filler to make it flow better. The art of the long sentence is in dragging the reader through it, which means each idea needs to directly flow into the next idea. When you write something like "when in fact it was revealed after a brief moment of bewilderment from the crowd to be nothing more than" you've spent 20(!) words doing nothing but putting uncomfortable space in between ideas. You already established that the crowd was bewildered when you wrote "Everybody thought". I'd edit down the opening to something like this:
>Everybody thought it was the umpire firing his gun to announce that the match was now in session when a crazed suitor ran onto the court in hopes of winning the heart of the up-and-coming American-Slavic contender...

How the fuck do you organize long form fiction? I have the ending set and can describe the plot in a sentence. I have my treatment written out in bullet points but the whole thing gives me anxiety for some reason. Is there some kind of color-coding system for plot threads?

>>22555170
I just stop writing at 10k and start something new

>>22555172
That's smart.

>>22555184
not really but thanks I needed that

>>22553812
>le tortured artist
shut the fuck up faggot

>>22554272
I just ripped ass in the worst possible way and now my room is filled with the stench of rotten eggs

>>22554657
It's a good story. IMHO, I would drag it out a bit and space it out into multiple paragraphs. Maybe split up after >she was. The veil

Then, I would add more descriptions of her playing with the veil and how ridiculous it is. (How does it move when she plays, does it ever fall off? etc.)

Get rid of the run-on sentences. The last paragraph is good.

i got to the part about the missile's irresistible field and didn't care enough to continue.

>>22555263
there's nothing wrong with a long sentence, it just needs more attention put to it
people write bad long sentences because it comes from a place of stream of consciousness, but when properly controlled for rhythm and content, they can read just as clearly and smoothly as any paragraph. Read Thomas Mann—he writes incredible long sentences with a variety of effects and tones.

>>22555218
Wet or dry? Or was it some kind of in-between limbo?

>>22554657
you must realize how much of this just screams infinite jest. it's written well enough, but it's so much less than an homage to the point that it practically undoes any good that you might have done.

The official /wg/ National Novel Writing Month server is already getting a good amount of members! There will be a grand prize once November begins so this will be the biggest NaNo /wg/ has ever had. Not too early to start practicing since November will come quickly! Please copy paste invite to next /wg/

https://discord.gg/RsaJX8nX

>>22544829
Needs a small bit of editing, but this is pretty good. I really like how the prose flows; it's complex enough to be interesting, but not so complex you have to reread it to understand it. Keep at it man, I think you're onto something.

I think we need to talk about this heavy bias for short, snappy sentences. Maybe it made sense when people still read books and you could count on the average reader being barely literate, but 90% of any modern published book's sales are going to be audio books. You should focus on writing lyrical sentences that sound best when spoken aloud.

How should a 21st century PMC (like Wagner Group) semi-covertly transport an army across the Atlantic? I was thinking decommissioned cruise ships, each outfitted to accommodate ~3,000 soldiers. Does anyone have any better ideas? It's okay if it's a bit silly, as long as it's logically plausible in a grounded setting.

>>22555357
I’ll join eventually. Run banner ads for it. Maybe link the ads here to the generals.

incredibly depressed today TIME TO WRITE
PROMPT IDEAS?

>>22555415
You'd have to explain a cruise ship filled entirely with young, fit men. I think you know where this is going.

>>22555444
One day, a sentient blade of grass named florpinburg________

>>22555476
>>22555476
>>22555476

>>22555444
"As soon as I shove this hot poker up my ass, I'm going to rip my dick off!" the Pope shouted to a room filled with stunned archbishops.

>>22555415
depends on the tone of your story. who is going where.
maybe in waves, as individuals. eventually a few cargo containers with weapons. sleeper agents, whatever. 3k is a lot, but it would be easy over time.
it could be more elaborate. a trade/show or international event.
maybe they took the same channels the cartels use.

>>22554657

I think the audience would just assume she's a Muslim not that she's mourning anything.

>>22555030
based

>>22555018
>>22555138
That's not a run-on sentence, retards.

>>22550771
>>22555373
Thank you both, nice to know that the direction is at least an engaging one