Join the best erotica focused adult social network now
Login

10 Second Tip: "What about your Readers?"

last reply
18 replies
3.1k views
0 watchers
0 likes
First Person Smartass
0 likes
10 Second Tip:
"What about your Readers?"


As writers and artists, all too often we focus so much of our energy on Creating that we forget about the impact it will have on the people who will See it.

Consider: How do we want people to FEEL after they experience our work?

That's why people read stories, view art, and even watch movies--for the Feelings it gives them.

"I couldn't care less about the reader. I'm writing this story strictly for myself!"
-- Oh, really? Then why are you posting it in a public place where people can find it? When "I" write strictly for me, I certainly don't post it where other people will see it--not even on my private, friends-only Live Journal. No one sees it but me.

Tell the truth and shame the devil.
-- If you're posting your work where others can see it--even if it's merely a tiny private story site like Y! Gallery or Hentai Foundry , CLEARLY you want other people to see your work and hopefully, like it. Which means that during the creative process, you really ought to consider what you want your readers to feel when they're done reading it:

Touched - tears of joy
Poignant - tears of heartache
Laughter
Inspired
Horny
Embarrassed
Fear
Anger
Loathing
Disgust

To quote Edgar Allen Poe:
~~~~~~~~~
“In the whole composition there should be no word written, of which the tendency, direct or indirect, is not to the one pre-established design. And by such means, with such care and skill, a picture is at length painted which leaves in the mind of him who contemplates it with a kindred art, a sense of the fullest satisfaction.”

Enjoy!
Morgan Hawke
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Purveyor of fine Smut.
Morgan Hawke's DarkErotica ~ My Website
DarkErotica Blog ~ My Writers' blog

"If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough."
Albert Einstein
Lurker
0 likes
So much of what you say is what I think a good writer almost unconsciously does, yet to see it accurately summed-up in this fashion really focuses my mind...

I'm awakening to the difference between one who writes for pleasure and plaudits and someone who works hard at being a genuinely talented writer...

xx SF
First Person Smartass
0 likes
Quote by stephanie
So much of what you say is what I think a good writer almost unconsciously does, yet to see it accurately summed-up in this fashion really focuses my mind...

Thank you. I've found that if I closely examine the steps I go through to make a good story, my following stories turn out far more consistent. These essays are from the notes I took on how and why certain things worked.

Quote by stephanie
I'm awakening to the difference between one who writes for pleasure and plaudits and someone who works hard at being a genuinely talented writer...


Talent is when you do something right by Accident.
Skill, on the other hand is when one does it right On Purpose.
Morgan Hawke
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Purveyor of fine Smut.
Morgan Hawke's DarkErotica ~ My Website
DarkErotica Blog ~ My Writers' blog

"If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough."
Albert Einstein
Purveyor of Poetry & Porn
0 likes
Interesting topic Morgan...and btw, that was more than ten second by my estimation...you lied...

I always write for others...I can't write without an audience...my writing involves a certain "push-pull"...the "push" being my inspiration, and the "pull" being the audience...

I had a bit of an awakening last year, when I realized just how much my words could affect my readers and how seriously some people actually took my writing...I would almost describe it as "scary" at the time...
I had written a love story called "Sexual Healing" in February 2010. where a woman is diagnosed with cancer and told she has one year to live. Her husband quits his job and becomes rather attentive and loving, and the cancer goes into remission...
I couldn't believe the heartfelt response I received on that story...I was getting letters from widowers, cancer survivors and the like...mostly thanking me, and really pouring out their heart in some cases...
I had even started a forum thread last year afterwards, asking the question if some ever felt a "Moral obligation" when writing...

http://www.lushstories.com/forum/yaf_postst9283_Do-You-Ever-Feel-A-Moral-Obligation-When-Writingand-how-does-it-affect-you.aspx

That story "Sexual Healing" was actually an unfinished story from October 2009, and going through my other unfinished stories I had another about a cheating wife...I was afraid to finish it, because I really don't feel people should cheat, and coming on the heels of "Sexual Healing" which is really quite the opposite, I never did finish that story...

Yes, readers do read your stuff and often take it very seriously. Prior to that one, I had received messages from people who obviously could not separate fact from fiction, but never anything quite so heartfelt...
The experience did change the way I look at my writing...

You know you want it, you know you need it bad...get it now on Amazon.com...
Lush Erotica, an Anthology of Award Winning Sex Stories
First Person Smartass
0 likes
Quote by DirtyMartini
I had a bit of an awakening last year, when I realized just how much my words could affect my readers and how seriously some people actually took my writing...I would almost describe it as "scary" at the time.


Writing a story is a bigger responsibility than you thought, ne?
Morgan Hawke
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Purveyor of fine Smut.
Morgan Hawke's DarkErotica ~ My Website
DarkErotica Blog ~ My Writers' blog

"If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough."
Albert Einstein
Purveyor of Poetry & Porn
0 likes
Quote by MorganHawke


Writing a story is a bigger responsibility than you thought, ne?


LOL...yeah...and one of the major changes that my writing took over the last couple of years is that it has become increasingly "personal"...
When I started writing erotic stories it was just a challenge to myself to see if I could write a story that would make the "Hottest Story" list on the site I started on. My earliest stories were just sex and some humor, but starting with "Young Lust, First Lust. Sweet Devotion." I started getting rather personal, and actually wrote stuff about my childhood I had never before shared with another human being...

So, my whole relationship with my writing, and my readers has changed rather significantly since I started writing in April 2009...

You know you want it, you know you need it bad...get it now on Amazon.com...
Lush Erotica, an Anthology of Award Winning Sex Stories
Advanced Wordsmith
0 likes
Quote by MorganHawke
Talent is when you do something right by Accident.
Skill, on the other hand is when one does it right On Purpose.


WORD. Well said. In fact, I'm going to tweet that. So there.
Lori
L. A. Witt (gay male erotic romance)
Lauren Gallagher (heterosexual erotic romance)
Twitter: GallagherWitt
My Website * My Blog * Marginally Unhinged (my webcomic)

"Service with a Smirk, that's you." - Morgan Hawke
First Person Smartass
0 likes
Quote by DirtyMartini
Writing a story is a bigger responsibility than you thought, ne?

LOL...yeah...and one of the major changes that my writing took over the last couple of years is that it has become increasingly "personal"..


Your writing has most likely become more Powerful too. When real emotions are engaged, it shows.
Morgan Hawke
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Purveyor of fine Smut.
Morgan Hawke's DarkErotica ~ My Website
DarkErotica Blog ~ My Writers' blog

"If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough."
Albert Einstein
First Person Smartass
0 likes
Quote by GallagherWitt
Quote by MorganHawke
Talent is when you do something right by Accident.
Skill, on the other hand is when one does it right On Purpose.


WORD. Well said. In fact, I'm going to tweet that. So there.


You're welcome!
Morgan Hawke
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Purveyor of fine Smut.
Morgan Hawke's DarkErotica ~ My Website
DarkErotica Blog ~ My Writers' blog

"If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough."
Albert Einstein
Lurker
0 likes
Quote by MorganHawke
Quote by GallagherWitt
Quote by MorganHawke
Talent is when you do something right by Accident.
Skill, on the other hand is when one does it right On Purpose.


WORD. Well said. In fact, I'm going to tweet that. So there.


You're welcome!


She's only here 5 minutes and already she's plagiarising you???!!!!

However do you put up with her!!!!

(But at least I bet she can spell 'plagiarise'...... )

LOL! xx S
First Person Smartass
0 likes
Quote by stephanie
She's only here 5 minutes and already she's plagiarising you???!!!! However do you put up with her!!!! (But at least I bet she can spell 'plagiarise'...... ) LOL! xx S


It's not plagiarism, Lori has permission to borrow anything she likes from me. I believe in sharing. That's what friends do!
Morgan Hawke
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Purveyor of fine Smut.
Morgan Hawke's DarkErotica ~ My Website
DarkErotica Blog ~ My Writers' blog

"If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough."
Albert Einstein
Active Ink Slinger
0 likes
Your writing has most likely become more Powerful too. When real emotions are engaged, it shows.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Totally agree with this.... I think as any kind of creative person at some point you will eventually draw on personal experiance and emotion for your work and then it becomes a lot more powerful for others to experiance because you are sharing something with them.. Also the reason why artists can become somewhat "precious" about their work, because they are laying something quite personal out there..
Her Royal Spriteness
0 likes
Quote by DirtyMartini
Quote by MorganHawke


Writing a story is a bigger responsibility than you thought, ne?


LOL...yeah...and one of the major changes that my writing took over the last couple of years is that it has become increasingly "personal"...
When I started writing erotic stories it was just a challenge to myself to see if I could write a story that would make the "Hottest Story" list on the site I started on. My earliest stories were just sex and some humor, but starting with "Young Lust, First Lust. Sweet Devotion." I started getting rather personal, and actually wrote stuff about my childhood I had never before shared with another human being...

So, my whole relationship with my writing, and my readers has changed rather significantly since I started writing in April 2009...


personally, i find that stories that DO feel a little personal, are more likely to draw me in - there's real emotions, needs, wants, desires, etc there, and it add a dimension - i'm not talking about real life stories or autobiographies, but certainly, something that retains the personality of the writer.

You can’t truly call yourself peaceful unless you are capable of violence. If you’re not capable of violence, you’re not peaceful. You’re harmless.

First Person Smartass
0 likes
Quote by sprite
personally, i find that stories that DO feel a little personal, are more likely to draw me in - there's real emotions, needs, wants, desires, etc there, and it add a dimension - i'm not talking about real life stories or autobiographies, but certainly, something that retains the personality of the writer.


I agree 100%. That essence of Truth is what makes a story really resonate, especially with anyone who has experienced those feelings before.
Morgan Hawke
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Purveyor of fine Smut.
Morgan Hawke's DarkErotica ~ My Website
DarkErotica Blog ~ My Writers' blog

"If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough."
Albert Einstein
First Person Smartass
0 likes
Quote by Irishgirl
... Also the reason why artists can become somewhat "precious" about their work, because they are laying something quite personal out there..


That's very much the case with me. When I'm working from an emotion I've experienced, especially a strong one, it can be very hard to separate 'me' from my work.
Morgan Hawke
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Purveyor of fine Smut.
Morgan Hawke's DarkErotica ~ My Website
DarkErotica Blog ~ My Writers' blog

"If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough."
Albert Einstein
Lurker
0 likes
Quote by MorganHawke
Quote by stephanie
She's only here 5 minutes and already she's plagiarising you???!!!! However do you put up with her!!!! (But at least I bet she can spell 'plagiarise'...... ) LOL! xx S


It's not plagiarism, Lori has permission to borrow anything she likes from me. I believe in sharing. That's what friends do!


Ms. Hawke!!!! I was joking!!!!!
Lurker
0 likes
*Sighs in relief* "Phew!"

(You don't wanna piss off Ms. Hawke.... Trust me.....)

MWAH!

xx S