Do you always write yourself? (Q for writers)

[Ximena]

LOL. So many people I talk to are afraid to write sex scenes! I know it can be one of the more challenging things to write but you really should try it - even if it's only for you! You might find you enjoy it . And I personally think you can say a lot about two characters through a sex scene - how they interact with each other, etc. Can be a good place to move the story forward as well as being steamy .

Of course, I might be biased since I'm working on a sex scene right now, lol.

[Deleted]

Holy crap, a woman goes on holiday and misses all this great chat. So am a bit late to the party but would like to contribute.

Re the original question about putting yourself in the story. I don't know about that. I think it is hard to avoid and to be honest I think that I am very faceted that I don't even know all the expanses of who is me so it would be hard to say. I reckon, yep the female characters are an aspect of me.

I definiately see the stories I work on as movies and I usually do a play list and atleast one song I see the story as a music video. At the moment it is I'm Yours by The Script.

I find that I have to write about three stories at a time and move from one to the other as I get bogged down and it loses its freshness or fun with me. Hence why I take ages to update the story I put on here.

I also pretty much "live" with my characters 24/7. Like at the moment I am working on a story about a double amputee and when on holiday imagined him sort of with me and how he'd get out of the pool etc.

I over edit myself also and to the point that I grind myself to a hault but it is something that I try and get over as like Xemina says, when you read it back after a bit of time, it usually sounds pretty good and you think to yourself why was I so worried?

Also with all of this penis talk can I ask, if a high level compete SCI guy can get an erection at all. It was strangly a discussion I had with my boss recently as he did some research into MS and knows a thing or two about the spinal cord but I always thought that erections were possible even if not really hard?

There I think that is me for now....

[Deleted]

Jun 27, 2012 15:14:23 GMT -5 @tab said:

I definiately see the stories I work on as movies and I usually do a play list and atleast one song I see the story as a music video. At the moment it is I'm Yours by The Script. .

Argh! I cannot believe I forgot about the song bit. I do that all the time, I play a music video. Pretty much everything I write is song-based I guess that's why I'm totally addicted to my iPod.

Can't help you on the erection front if it's about MS. I have no clue about any disease. When it comes to SCI, yes, they can. High levels (even some high level paras, can't remember the exact level, though) can get psychogenic erections, but it doesn't really last too much, unless help by medication.

[Ximena]

Yeah, as crista is saying and as I mentioned earlier, there are two pathways for erection in men - one is high and one is low so it really depends on where the injury (and its completeness) how they'll be affected. A man with a really low injury might actually have less function in some ways because one of the pathways is in the sacral region if memory serves.

But glad you were able to join in the discussion, Tab! It's definitely been interesting and branched out beyond the original topic - but that's fine with me! One of the things that makes this board great .

I do know what you mean about "living" with your characters, though (although this is part of being a dev). The other day I was in the grocery store and I noticed how nice and wide the alleys were. Really would make crutching or wheeling through much easier. Kept thinking of Santiago in the novel I'm working on.

[Ximena]

Just saw this article on twitter and thought it was pertinent/interesting -

www.vancouversun.com/health/family-child/Fatherhood+longer+dream+with+severe+spinal+cord/6845310/story.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

I've read about some of the techniques but didn't think it was really possible for a man with SCI to conceive naturally (especially since sperm counts/motility are often an issue).

[Valkyrja]

Okay... I was reading and I had my doubts if participate or not (because I am not a real writer)...
When I wrote, my female character was never like me. perhaps some personality traits and some tastes were mine, but nothing else. And, about the male character... well, I used to describe how I would like him

And about writing sex scenes... I never had and I will never have any problem with that ;D . Even more, it's way more easy for me to describe a sex scene

[ruthmadison]

Here we go again with the "real" writer! lol. Don't be afraid to participate! If you've ever written anything, then you have something to contribute to writer discussions.

I forgot to mention a new thing I've been doing: visual inspiration boards. I tend to have problems with scene setting and description and the visual side of stories (despite the movie aspect in my head). So I made Pinterest boards of images that make me think of the story. It's helping me to move past some writer's block.

pinterest.com/ruthmadison/inspiration-board-parallel-loves/

[Ximena]

Yes, to reiterate AGAIN what Ruth says - feel free to participate in any of these posts even if you only write for yourself! If you write - you're a writer. Period.

That's an interesting idea, Ruth. I sometimes will include pictures in the reference section of Scrivner, although I have more of a problem with plot than scene setting. Sometimes I worry I spend too much time on the scene and dialogue than what actually happens! LOL. Although so far everything seems to be going well with UnConventional. I'm guessing I'm about 2/3 done with the first draft, so hopefully I'll have it finished by the end of next week.

Very excited.

[ruthmadison]

I can't wait!

I definitely know my own weaknesses and I'm jealous of writers who go nice and slow and take their time with things. It might be a grass is greener affect, though.

[janewheeler]

I actually had to lay out a floor plan of Jeff's house. (It comes into play more a bit later.) I have to say that I've had a few songs in my head for certain scenes, but I haven't gone so far as to write them down or actually make a mix. But there are some that help me think of a mood.

[Valkyrja]

I appreciate your thoughts, girls but for me... I am not a writer.
Asimov was a writer, Connand Doyle was a writer.... Anne Rice is a writer.... I am just an amateur that used to scribbles words in a notebook. LOL

[janewheeler]

Everyone starts somewhere!

[Ximena]

Jun 29, 2012 13:23:32 GMT -5 Valkyrja said:

I appreciate your thoughts, girls but for me... I am not a writer.
Asimov was a writer, Connand Doyle was a writer.... Anne Rice is a writer.... I am just an amateur that used to scribbles words in a notebook. LOL

Don't be so hard on yourself, Val! Not to discredit the greats, but just bc you're not published doesn't mean your not a writer!

And Ruth, I do think it can feel like that... I've always been jealous of writers who are more prolific, and so UnConventional has been a real surprise.

Jane... I know exactly what you mean! I have a sketch of the apartment from my soap and actually was planning on doing Santiago's this weekend (the hero of UnConventional). I have it in my head, but sometimes it helps to look at it to make sure it works.

[Deleted]

I just wrote my first sex scene. Yeah, that's all I can say now I so love watching - and actually making - stories come to life...

If it wasnt for this thread, I wouldn't have done it, so..thanks, all

[Ximena]

Awesome, Crista! Glad we could be inspiring!