The Advanced Writer's Club

[abbie-sama]

I'm trying very hard to learn how to just write without being a constantly-editing control freak and THEN edit once I finish the story. It's soooo hard for me, but I know that that's why I've never finished a story -- I just get fed up of editing even though I don't really realize that and just think I lost interest when really I'm just fed up with the editing which is making it not fun. - BREATH - Old habits die hard...

Does anyone have any tips?

[aphelion ✧]

I'm trying very hard to learn how to just write without being a constantly-editing control freak and THEN edit once I finish the story. It's soooo hard for me, but I know that that's why I've never finished a story -- I just get fed up of editing even though I don't really realize that and just think I lost interest when really I'm just fed up with the editing which is making it not fun. - BREATH - Old habits die hard...

Does anyone have any tips? :)

Oh hm...I don't have the best advice since it really takes self-discipline not to be tempted to go back and edit. What I found helpful though was keeping each part or chapter in a separate document and telling yourself not to go back to edit until you've gotten to a certain part or completed. That way you also have it all nice and organized too! omg I have horrible advice

[Artesian]

I'm trying very hard to learn how to just write without being a constantly-editing control freak and THEN edit once I finish the story. It's soooo hard for me, but I know that that's why I've never finished a story -- I just get fed up of editing even though I don't really realize that and just think I lost interest when really I'm just fed up with the editing which is making it not fun. - BREATH - Old habits die hard...

Does anyone have any tips?

I have a strict rule not to fix grammar and syntax until after at least half the project is done. That way, if I end up rewriting a bunch, I haven't wasted a bunch of time polishing a bit that just gets deleted. ^-^

And honestly, the way I resist the temptation to edit, is not to reread my work until I'm done with a huge portion. I try to never give it a straight read through unless I've honestly forgotten what I've read. I don't know, it seems to work for me. >->

@Rose: Oh, life lessons, my favourite! (honestly not being sarcastic). Well, if and when you'd like a beta, I'd love to read it over. :3 Do you know where it's going, I mean, do you have it plotted out?

[Artesian]

@ Rose: Sounds like some classic themes. And of course, I understand. (My first drafts are horrible messes I don't ever want to show to anyone).

So... I could use some advice. I frequently want to include a romantic relationship in my stories. However, I find rather untraditional things attractive in a guy (I'm heterosexual and sapiosexual - attracted to intelligence far over any other traits). I just don't get most attraction to physical features beyond what tells my subconscious that they're healthy, so when my friends gush over the appearance of say, Thor, my fictional crush is on a four foot nine inches, charming, super-intelligent, caring and driven cripple. Thus my writing for my characters is generally not based on what I find attractive, because I'm pretty sure I'm in the minority opinion there.

So. I'm curious what you all find sexually (or romantically) attractive in others? (I'm especially curious for the queer perspective on this, as I find writing characters of non-hetero orientation difficult). Also, do you have any tips for writing romance?

((And because there's been some confusion about the term queer, I'm not using it in a derogatory way. ^-^ Where I come from, it's just used to mean non-heteronormative. I couldn't think of another non-clunky term to cover everything...so.))

[Jadeghost]

Username: Jadeghost
Nickname: Jade
Writing Preferences: I am both a novelist and an avid roleplayer. I am inexperienced at writing poetry but I really hope to improve once I begin taking classes for it in college!
Example: I'd like my example to be my story I recently posted in the "Share your Writing" board, which I will link to below.
Links to stories / roleplays: Fire and Ice, My best writing example and The Last Stand, my best roleplaying example
Other: I'm already a member of the semi lit roleplayers club, does this mean I am free to post or do I have to wait to be accepted? Either way is fine, I'm just wondering C:

[rose;]

@ Rose: Sounds like some classic themes. :D And of course, I understand. (My first drafts are horrible messes I don't ever want to show to anyone).

So... I could use some advice. I frequently want to include a romantic relationship in my stories. However, I find rather untraditional things attractive in a guy (I'm heterosexual and sapiosexual - attracted to intelligence far over any other traits). I just don't get most attraction to physical features beyond what tells my subconscious that they're healthy, so when my friends gush over the appearance of say, Thor, my fictional crush is on a four foot nine inches, charming, super-intelligent, caring and driven cripple. Thus my writing for my characters is generally not based on what I find attractive, because I'm pretty sure I'm in the minority opinion there.

So. I'm curious what you all find sexually (or romantically) attractive in others? (I'm especially curious for the queer perspective on this, as I find writing characters of non-hetero orientation difficult). Also, do you have any tips for writing romance?

((And because there's been some confusion about the term queer, I'm not using it in a derogatory way. ^-^ Where I come from, it's just used to mean non-heteronormative. I couldn't think of another non-clunky term to cover everything...so.))

I it helps any, none of the characters I write for in a romantic situation, I don't ever include that they think their partner is attractive, mostly because I've forgotten what the character looks like xP
I sort of... Just... Write their actions, and feelings, but not what they find attractive or what they think the persons best trait is, etc? Wow that's probably no help
I guess in trying to day that it doesn't really matter if you find the person they chose for a face claim attractive or not, and you really don't even need to focus that hard on why your character finds them attractive (unless they ask)

[Make_a__Scene]

I just want to pop in and say that I like making characters who like certain, unusual traits of a person. I have a character who has a thing for hands. Another one who really likes collarbones. Eyes are always a good fallback.
I don't know how much help this is from a "queer" perspective, because I'm bisexual with a boyfriend, but I honestly can't really think of any differences in my attraction to guys than girls, other than the clearly morphological aspects.

[aphelion ✧]

@Arty - Usually, whenever I write anything romantic or sometimes friends in general, I separate what I like in people from what my character might like in people. For example, I may like people taller than me when concerning guys, but my character might like men shorter than him. Another good one would be that I'm pansexual, but I won't limit myself to making a character that likes one gender or the other only. When I considered myself still straight, I roleplayed only gay guys all the time even though I preferred straight guys and being treated like a princess. (I played the prince most of the time so yeah) Going out of your comfort zone and forcing yourself to try something new might also help, such as a character that is too focused on looks to see the personality of someone. Another good thing to think of is that someone that you loved was probably your friend at a point, so you're dating your closest friend unless you are into speed dating. wow, what happened to my advice giving skills


And talking about "queer", I'm not that much help either. Being pansexual, every gender is attractive since I simply don't have a defined preferrence. (this makes for a lot of problems cause gender doesn't restrict me and I'm like wow, everyone is hot) Women just like me more than men do, so I usually say I lean more towards women. Any gays I roleplay usually tend to like guys because that's just in their personality to do so and they find a man's body more attractive than a female's body.

Also, what I find attractive in people romantically or sexually isn't what I go after. I like every type of girl and most types of guys, so you could have blue eyes or brown eyes; I wouldn't care. I go for traits/personality/quirks that I enjoy and like to have around me. (I really like people with a cute laugh for example and people that are laid-back and people who are slightly awkward in social situations and people who don't like to always debate) Most likely, I'll fall for the personality before the physical qualities and just become physically attractive after awhile. fluffy hair and cleaniness is almost a must though, mainly cleaniness though

[glassea]

{ just gonna throw it out there. from a biological perspective, it's almost a given that if you love someone, you like one of their physical traits as well.

[Make_a__Scene]

There's truth to the saying "love is blind", which I think people tend to forget when they're writing, since it's so much easier to write inner character dialogue gushing about some sort of physical trait rather than a quirk. And besides all of the previous advice given - if we're talking about true love and not just flings - love and attraction morphs when you're with someone. So even if the initial attraction is to appearance, there's something more to that person that keeps you around. Same goes for characters, because characters are people, too, of course.