Can I assume you feel the same about the term "gay sex"?
I've never thought about this before. Must ask some of my gay friends.
Interesting thread; I look forward to the responses.
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clum
1 month ago
Bisexual Cis Male, 35
0 miles · Scotland
Forum
Clumeleon
She'd have to make a pretty persuasive argument for me to allow any sort of sharp instrument near my dongle.
I can't imagine this ever coming up, but then it's the norm to be uncircumcised in the UK. I think there are probably some problems in the relationship when cosmetic changes begin to be requested.
I can't imagine this ever coming up, but then it's the norm to be uncircumcised in the UK. I think there are probably some problems in the relationship when cosmetic changes begin to be requested.
Clumeleon
My first sexual experience was... pretty great. I was 19 and it happened at a uni party. A friend lured me to her room and before I really knew what was happening I was face-down in her pussy, trying to put into practice all I had read and watched online. Left with my underwear in my pocket - good times.
I recounted the experience in a story, Smokin' Aces. Give it a read.
I recounted the experience in a story, Smokin' Aces. Give it a read.
.
Clumeleon
One of the most common issues Story Verifiers encounter here on Lush Stories, even among the most talented and experienced writers, is improper formatting of dialogue. All too often, good pieces of writing are ruined by the lack of this basic skill. We, as moderators, have decided to produce this simple resource for the authors of Lush so that they may produce better work, benefiting both themselves and us.
It is almost impossible, given the numerous complex cases, to give comprehensive coverage of this topic but we hope that this illustrative guide will prove helpful for the majority of the amateur writers here.
Punctuation and format of dialogue
Speech/Quotation Marks
All direct speech and quotations should be enclosed by speech/quotation marks. Double quotes (" ") are the norm but single quotes (' ') are also acceptable; the most important thing is that you are consistent using the same ones throughout your story.
Punctuation & Upper/Lower Case Letters
Direct speech should always begin with an upper-case letter and end-of-speech punctuation is always contained within the speech marks. If dialogue occurs more than once in one sentence, then subsequent dialogue may begin with either an uppercase or a lowercase letter.
"Stuart," she yelled, "Don't stop! Fuck me until I come, baby."
Alternatively:
"Stuart," she yelled, "don't stop! Fuck me until I come, baby."
Both forms are acceptable.
Note the comma after "Stuart" but before the closing speech marks. I should point out that "she" is not capitalised; in this type of sentence, the dialogue tag ("she yelled") following the speech should not be capitalised unless it's a proper noun. The same applies for question marks and exclamation points:
"Who's your daddy?" he cried out, smacking the insatiable slut's ass.
From one writer to another, I would advise that you mix up your dialogue in this way to prevent it from becoming stale and repetitive. However, it's just as important to be correct as to be exciting, so don't forget these rules.
This is really the bread and butter of writing dialogue and something everyone should have learned in school. Don't let your story down by messing up something so simple.
As a slight aside, I want to draw your attention to the comma when used with the word "stop.” This is an important comma which is often omitted; without it, the sentence takes on a completely different meaning (and, indeed, is quite confusing).
Take the sentence: "Stuart, don't stop." Here the speaker is imploring Stuart not to stop.
However, in the sentence: "Stuart, don't, stop," the meaning would be the exact opposite. This is why punctuation is important.
Similarly, "Let's eat, Mom!" is a request to be fed, whereas "Let's eat Mom!" is an initiation by cannibals!
It is important to remember that when someone (Stuart) is addressed, there is a comma either before or after their name. The same applies to phrases like "good morning" or words like "well".
"Good morning, Stuart. How did you know that I was here?"
"Well, it was Lisa who told me."
Also, note if the name appears mid sentence, it should look like this:
"Sit down, Stuart, and start eating."
Quotes within quotes
If you quote within a quote, for whatever reason, use the other speech marks in order to set it apart, i.e., if you ordinarily use double quotes then use single quotes and vice-versa. This is not something I would recommend doing too often in fictional prose as the extra (though necessary) punctuation can be messy and distracting. It is usually better to use indirect speech in these instances.
Example:
"I can't tell you how much I want that big, black cock," sighed Susan.
"Well," Pat replied, "It's too bad that 'big, black cock' is attached to your best friend's husband."
"Yeah, I know. Linda once said, 'If anyone goes near my husband, I'll claw her eyes out', and I have no doubt she would."
Pat doubted that she would "claw her eyes out" but was well aware of Linda's mean streak.
This short dialogue is rich with examples of how to use speech marks in a variety of contexts. Pay close attention to the punctuation used (or not used) in each case. I will go into more detail about this as we go on. In the last line, although nothing is actually being said, we use speech marks to indicate a direct quote.
Note: In the third example, the comma goes outside of the quoted quote 'If anyone goes near my husband, I'll claw her eyes out'
This is because the comma is punctuating the entire sentence and is not part of the quoted dialogue.
Finally, for this section; note the position of quotation marks, when quoting a question:
“Is it right that she said, ‘John called Dan a liar’?”
The Question mark is part of the dialogue and not part of the quote, there immediately preceeds the closing quotation marks.
Paragraphing
No discussion on formatting dialogue would be complete without mentioning one of the most hard and fast rules in the book: you must take a new paragraph every time the speaker changes. This is a rule that cannot be compromised under any circumstances. I can't emphasise this enough - it's a pet hate of many moderators (and rightly so). Failure to do this only causes confusion, lack of clarity and break in flow as the reader tries to figure out what the frick is going on.
Example:
He smiled and asked, "How do you want it?"
She leaned back onto the pillows and looked directly at him, grinning.
"Rough!" she responded.
"You got it."
Even though these sentences are very short, a new line is absolutely necessary every time the speaker changes. A second line of narrative can go between the dialogue in a separate paragraph or could have been combined with the third line.
No matter what effect you think you're attempting to create in your writing, you can never bend on this rule. Got it?
In-Line Quotes
I already gave an example of this above but this tricky technique probably needs a little more attention. Sometimes it's necessary to quote someone without having them say it explicitly and this is when you should use what I have dubbed an "in-line quote" . These should run fluidly into the sentence and they don't require the stringent punctuation rules of direct quotes (but you still have to learn how to do them right).
Example:
Upon reading John's text message, he was feeling a bit "hot, hard and horny" himself. What he wouldn't give to be taken "hard up the arse".
It's clear from the way these sentences are constructed that the text in quotes is taken directly from the aforementioned text message. Notice how the quotes integrate seamlessly with the rest of the sentence. The most important point is the final period - it falls outside the speech marks. This is not in contradiction with my earlier remarks; different rules apply to this kind of dialogue.
Don't over-think this technique; simply enclose the text which is directly quoted with speech marks and you can't go far wrong. If you're unsure, avoid it or ask a friend who knows.
This stuff is not difficult - learn it! If you can get this right, you're halfway there and your story is much less likely to be rejected. With the ever-increasing number of submissions, verifiers are taking a harder line with stories and not taking the time to fix what you, as writers, should already know. If you want to write good prose, it has to be technically accurate.
Read this, absorb it and implement it. Come back to refresh your memory whenever you are in doubt.
This Lush Service Announcement brought to you by Clum, DanielleX, and Principessa.
It is almost impossible, given the numerous complex cases, to give comprehensive coverage of this topic but we hope that this illustrative guide will prove helpful for the majority of the amateur writers here.
Punctuation and format of dialogue
Speech/Quotation Marks
All direct speech and quotations should be enclosed by speech/quotation marks. Double quotes (" ") are the norm but single quotes (' ') are also acceptable; the most important thing is that you are consistent using the same ones throughout your story.
Punctuation & Upper/Lower Case Letters
Direct speech should always begin with an upper-case letter and end-of-speech punctuation is always contained within the speech marks. If dialogue occurs more than once in one sentence, then subsequent dialogue may begin with either an uppercase or a lowercase letter.
"Stuart," she yelled, "Don't stop! Fuck me until I come, baby."
Alternatively:
"Stuart," she yelled, "don't stop! Fuck me until I come, baby."
Both forms are acceptable.
Note the comma after "Stuart" but before the closing speech marks. I should point out that "she" is not capitalised; in this type of sentence, the dialogue tag ("she yelled") following the speech should not be capitalised unless it's a proper noun. The same applies for question marks and exclamation points:
"Who's your daddy?" he cried out, smacking the insatiable slut's ass.
From one writer to another, I would advise that you mix up your dialogue in this way to prevent it from becoming stale and repetitive. However, it's just as important to be correct as to be exciting, so don't forget these rules.
This is really the bread and butter of writing dialogue and something everyone should have learned in school. Don't let your story down by messing up something so simple.
As a slight aside, I want to draw your attention to the comma when used with the word "stop.” This is an important comma which is often omitted; without it, the sentence takes on a completely different meaning (and, indeed, is quite confusing).
Take the sentence: "Stuart, don't stop." Here the speaker is imploring Stuart not to stop.
However, in the sentence: "Stuart, don't, stop," the meaning would be the exact opposite. This is why punctuation is important.
Similarly, "Let's eat, Mom!" is a request to be fed, whereas "Let's eat Mom!" is an initiation by cannibals!
It is important to remember that when someone (Stuart) is addressed, there is a comma either before or after their name. The same applies to phrases like "good morning" or words like "well".
"Good morning, Stuart. How did you know that I was here?"
"Well, it was Lisa who told me."
Also, note if the name appears mid sentence, it should look like this:
"Sit down, Stuart, and start eating."
Quotes within quotes
If you quote within a quote, for whatever reason, use the other speech marks in order to set it apart, i.e., if you ordinarily use double quotes then use single quotes and vice-versa. This is not something I would recommend doing too often in fictional prose as the extra (though necessary) punctuation can be messy and distracting. It is usually better to use indirect speech in these instances.
Example:
"I can't tell you how much I want that big, black cock," sighed Susan.
"Well," Pat replied, "It's too bad that 'big, black cock' is attached to your best friend's husband."
"Yeah, I know. Linda once said, 'If anyone goes near my husband, I'll claw her eyes out', and I have no doubt she would."
Pat doubted that she would "claw her eyes out" but was well aware of Linda's mean streak.
This short dialogue is rich with examples of how to use speech marks in a variety of contexts. Pay close attention to the punctuation used (or not used) in each case. I will go into more detail about this as we go on. In the last line, although nothing is actually being said, we use speech marks to indicate a direct quote.
Note: In the third example, the comma goes outside of the quoted quote 'If anyone goes near my husband, I'll claw her eyes out'
This is because the comma is punctuating the entire sentence and is not part of the quoted dialogue.
Finally, for this section; note the position of quotation marks, when quoting a question:
“Is it right that she said, ‘John called Dan a liar’?”
The Question mark is part of the dialogue and not part of the quote, there immediately preceeds the closing quotation marks.
Paragraphing
No discussion on formatting dialogue would be complete without mentioning one of the most hard and fast rules in the book: you must take a new paragraph every time the speaker changes. This is a rule that cannot be compromised under any circumstances. I can't emphasise this enough - it's a pet hate of many moderators (and rightly so). Failure to do this only causes confusion, lack of clarity and break in flow as the reader tries to figure out what the frick is going on.
Example:
He smiled and asked, "How do you want it?"
She leaned back onto the pillows and looked directly at him, grinning.
"Rough!" she responded.
"You got it."
Even though these sentences are very short, a new line is absolutely necessary every time the speaker changes. A second line of narrative can go between the dialogue in a separate paragraph or could have been combined with the third line.
No matter what effect you think you're attempting to create in your writing, you can never bend on this rule. Got it?
In-Line Quotes
I already gave an example of this above but this tricky technique probably needs a little more attention. Sometimes it's necessary to quote someone without having them say it explicitly and this is when you should use what I have dubbed an "in-line quote" . These should run fluidly into the sentence and they don't require the stringent punctuation rules of direct quotes (but you still have to learn how to do them right).
Example:
Upon reading John's text message, he was feeling a bit "hot, hard and horny" himself. What he wouldn't give to be taken "hard up the arse".
It's clear from the way these sentences are constructed that the text in quotes is taken directly from the aforementioned text message. Notice how the quotes integrate seamlessly with the rest of the sentence. The most important point is the final period - it falls outside the speech marks. This is not in contradiction with my earlier remarks; different rules apply to this kind of dialogue.
Don't over-think this technique; simply enclose the text which is directly quoted with speech marks and you can't go far wrong. If you're unsure, avoid it or ask a friend who knows.
This stuff is not difficult - learn it! If you can get this right, you're halfway there and your story is much less likely to be rejected. With the ever-increasing number of submissions, verifiers are taking a harder line with stories and not taking the time to fix what you, as writers, should already know. If you want to write good prose, it has to be technically accurate.
Read this, absorb it and implement it. Come back to refresh your memory whenever you are in doubt.
This Lush Service Announcement brought to you by Clum, DanielleX, and Principessa.
Clumeleon
I did a bad thing.
I went to London this weekend and spent a night at my ex-girlfriend's house. I was really tight with her family and I wanted to visit them. I know I shouldn't have stayed there, I know it's not healthy considering how I feel, but I just... I'm weak!
The worst thing was that I couldn't even build up the courage to tell her I was still in love with her (despite the perfect opportunity presenting itself on numerous occasions).
On the plus side, I had a lovely time. It was great to see her family again - I always feel really welcome in their home. I also spent a lot of really good, quality time with her, as friends. We talked until the wee hours about almost everything and it was so natural and nice. I wasn't constantly distracted by how much I want her.
So, yes - I'm crazy. But it's becoming less consuming day by day and I still get to have this amazing friendship. For the first time I felt like I'll be okay if we never end up together.
Thought I'd update y'all.
I went to London this weekend and spent a night at my ex-girlfriend's house. I was really tight with her family and I wanted to visit them. I know I shouldn't have stayed there, I know it's not healthy considering how I feel, but I just... I'm weak!
The worst thing was that I couldn't even build up the courage to tell her I was still in love with her (despite the perfect opportunity presenting itself on numerous occasions).
On the plus side, I had a lovely time. It was great to see her family again - I always feel really welcome in their home. I also spent a lot of really good, quality time with her, as friends. We talked until the wee hours about almost everything and it was so natural and nice. I wasn't constantly distracted by how much I want her.
So, yes - I'm crazy. But it's becoming less consuming day by day and I still get to have this amazing friendship. For the first time I felt like I'll be okay if we never end up together.
Thought I'd update y'all.
Clumeleon
Ask yourself this question: Why do you want people to see you naked?
I used to have cock pics up and then I asked myself that question. My answer was, "I don't." I don't have a good body and I don't have an "impressive" penis; I'm not sexy (to look at anyway).
Everything you put out there will have an impression on what people think of you. I'm not against naked photos but it's not what expresses me on my profile. Use your profile to create the image of yourself you want people to see. Maybe that image is different for "friends" and the general public.
I used to have cock pics up and then I asked myself that question. My answer was, "I don't." I don't have a good body and I don't have an "impressive" penis; I'm not sexy (to look at anyway).
Everything you put out there will have an impression on what people think of you. I'm not against naked photos but it's not what expresses me on my profile. Use your profile to create the image of yourself you want people to see. Maybe that image is different for "friends" and the general public.
Clumeleon
Quote by sprite
i love pixar, i think you know that, and the film was gorgeous to look at, but from a story point of view, it was a little lacking. i think part of it was that i have come to expect romance in Disney/pixar films of some sort, although thinking about it, the pixar films not so much... i think the biggest issue was that Merida really didn't grow - she got her own way, which is good, but she got it at the expense of her family, and there wasn't any growth - yes, you could argue female empowerment, but empowerment at the expense of others rings wrong to me... i don't know, it just was a little lacking - i gave it a B, only the second Pixar film not to earn a solid A from me (Cars 2 was just... unwatchable, sadly).
I hear what you are saying; plot-wise, it left something to be desired. Part of me really wanted her to get married at the end, to someone. I think you underestimate the value of the female empowerment element and also the cross-generational family bond - the development of Merida was reflected in the development of an entire society, embracing a "new way". I guess I was much more impressed from a visual standpoint; Pixar never disappoint on that front and this film impressed me a lot, especially with the landscape.
I suppose it spoke to me culturally as well. Of course, Scotland is nothing like that now but a lot of the attitudes were recognisable and compatible with present-day Britain. It's also likely that the Scottish-based humour meant a lot more to me, too.
Clumeleon
I was going to say The Artist because I saw it in 2012 but I think it's technically a 2011 film.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey was right right up my alley but, from a less subjective standpoint, I guess it wasn't all that.
I actually very much enjoyed The Woman In Black which I went to see on Valentine's Day. There's a good chance I'm just associating it with the rest of that day though.
The Avengers Assemble - incredible film, cinematically speaking. Serious contender.
I also have a fond memory of The Hunger Games. It's a very interesting story and well-captured on screen.
Alas, I am a Scot and it's only right that I give my backing to a film inspired by (but NOT set in) my own fair land. Disney Pixar's Brave was really wonderful and a film you can watch again and again. And it's made Scotland a hot topic in animation circles, which is good news for my flatmate (who is an animator).
Still to see Les Mis and Life of Pi.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey was right right up my alley but, from a less subjective standpoint, I guess it wasn't all that.
I actually very much enjoyed The Woman In Black which I went to see on Valentine's Day. There's a good chance I'm just associating it with the rest of that day though.
The Avengers Assemble - incredible film, cinematically speaking. Serious contender.
I also have a fond memory of The Hunger Games. It's a very interesting story and well-captured on screen.
Alas, I am a Scot and it's only right that I give my backing to a film inspired by (but NOT set in) my own fair land. Disney Pixar's Brave was really wonderful and a film you can watch again and again. And it's made Scotland a hot topic in animation circles, which is good news for my flatmate (who is an animator).
Still to see Les Mis and Life of Pi.
Clumeleon
Oh, I have another one. I have an extensive collection of The Broons and Oor Wullie annuals, dating as far back as 1958 and with no gaps from 1970 onwards, including special compilation editions released every year since 1996. I receive an annual and compilation every year as a Christmas present (even though I'm a Buddhist).
http://www.thebroons.com/
http://www.thebroons.com/
Clumeleon
It depends who it was and if I was able to explain how I came across such a picture/video. Close friends, definitely. Casual acquaintances, probably not.
I worry about this sometimes when I'm looking at porn. But then, I suppose someone could easily stumble upon my profile here on Lush and it would be a similar predicament.
I worry about this sometimes when I'm looking at porn. But then, I suppose someone could easily stumble upon my profile here on Lush and it would be a similar predicament.
Clumeleon
I guess the quintessential example is the famous "man crush" - when a, usually heterosexual, male is taken with another (often a celebrity), has great admiration for them and would/does very much enjoy spending time with them, yet professes absolutely no sexual attraction whatsoever.
Then, you could argue that the sexual element is still there on some level.
I've certainly had crush-like feelings for people with very little thought to sex.
Then, you could argue that the sexual element is still there on some level.
I've certainly had crush-like feelings for people with very little thought to sex.
Clumeleon
Sometimes I've found myself in the situation where I genuinely do not know what score to give a story. In those situations I leave a comment trying to articulate my feelings about the piece.
Other times, I've known exactly what score to give but have nothing to say about it. If I don't have anything constructive to say, I'd rather not comment at all.
Other times, I've known exactly what score to give but have nothing to say about it. If I don't have anything constructive to say, I'd rather not comment at all.
Clumeleon
I found myself looking for The Rage Cage but, now that I'm here, I'm not sure who or what I want to "rage" at.
Probably myself, for putting myself through this. I know what to do and numerous people have told me to do it but... I just can't help myself. Now I've gotten myself into even more of a mess and I just don't want to deal with it. Why can't I do what my head tells me to. Fuck you, Clum. Fuck you, you fool.
I want to be angry at her but I can't....
Fuck it, I don't even know what I'm doing here. I got emotional, then got angry because I was emotional. I have a fucking story to write! (My goal: to not cry before I finish).
Rage Cage? Someone direct me to the Emotional Wreck... Auditorium(?). Sorry. Carry on.
(Also, just read through this post before actually posting it and the "here" in the first line was spelt "hear". What the fuck is happening to me?)
Probably myself, for putting myself through this. I know what to do and numerous people have told me to do it but... I just can't help myself. Now I've gotten myself into even more of a mess and I just don't want to deal with it. Why can't I do what my head tells me to. Fuck you, Clum. Fuck you, you fool.
I want to be angry at her but I can't....
Fuck it, I don't even know what I'm doing here. I got emotional, then got angry because I was emotional. I have a fucking story to write! (My goal: to not cry before I finish).
Rage Cage? Someone direct me to the Emotional Wreck... Auditorium(?). Sorry. Carry on.
(Also, just read through this post before actually posting it and the "here" in the first line was spelt "hear". What the fuck is happening to me?)
Clumeleon
It was a great body of work. What I read of it was very well-written, incredibly erotic and thoroughly thought through. You managed to keep it captivating over many long chapters and you made each one fresh and exciting. Although I stopped keeping up with it, I was sad when such a good and popular series was taken away from the site.
Should you continue it? That depends very much on why you stopped in the first place. Don't finish it for the sake of finishing it; finish it if, to you, it's worth finishing. I know there will be many people eager to read it but are you eager to write it?
Good luck with whatever you decide.
Should you continue it? That depends very much on why you stopped in the first place. Don't finish it for the sake of finishing it; finish it if, to you, it's worth finishing. I know there will be many people eager to read it but are you eager to write it?
Good luck with whatever you decide.
Clumeleon
My sex scenes are often much less explicit than is the norm for Lush and I reckon that has an effect on my views and scores (some might disagree). I guess it's that fine line between "erotic literature" and "sex stories" and I think both are very acceptable and very prevalent on Lush.
The majority of readers, in my experience, will prefer more detail but don't do it to the detriment of the story. Write true to yourself and to your characters; don't deviate from the tone of your piece just to satisfy the sexual urges of other members. It's more important, in my opinion, to maintain consistency of style and natural flow.
In the current story I'm writing, I had a great sex scene thought out in my head and I was ready to write it. When it came to it, I realised it didn't add anything to the story - by the time they came to have sex, I had made my point. So I omitted it, although it's clear from the story that the sex did take place.
Use your own wisdom.
The majority of readers, in my experience, will prefer more detail but don't do it to the detriment of the story. Write true to yourself and to your characters; don't deviate from the tone of your piece just to satisfy the sexual urges of other members. It's more important, in my opinion, to maintain consistency of style and natural flow.
In the current story I'm writing, I had a great sex scene thought out in my head and I was ready to write it. When it came to it, I realised it didn't add anything to the story - by the time they came to have sex, I had made my point. So I omitted it, although it's clear from the story that the sex did take place.
Use your own wisdom.
Clumeleon
Sorry to ignore the question of the OP but I think the subsidiary conversation is far more interesting.
When I was a story verifier, there was (and I think still is) a mod who refused to read stories submitted to the Interracial category. I respected that, in the same way that some refused to do stories or BDSM or (in my case) Anal. Everyone had their individual reasons for this and they were all valid.
Should the Interracial category exist? If there are people who want to read and write those kinds of stories, then yes. No one is forced to read them but there are some who will want to. Some say that race shouldn't be an issue but, in truth, sometimes it is. The stories in this category shouldn't be in there simply because people with different skin colours have sex in them; the stories, in my opinion, should make an issue of race - it should be a key device in developing the story. The sense of strange and new and, sometimes, can create the excitement and heat that makes an erotic story great.
A great example is Indian girls whose families are still very traditional and/or religious and to whom it would be a very big deal if she was in a relationship with a white boy. True, this is becoming less of an issue as time goes by but this does still happen (I know for a fact it does). There's a great story of forbidden love in there which would fit well in the Interracial category.
I've never written in that category, although I've used an Interracial tag and that was mostly because I imagined the story a very particular way and wanted the readers to get that. In general, I make no or little mention of race in my stories although most readers would probably assume the majority of my characters to be white (which is usually how I see them because I grew up surrounded almost exclusively by white people). Like I say, in general it isn't important but, to some stories, it is and there is nothing wrong with that (in my opinion).
When I was a story verifier, there was (and I think still is) a mod who refused to read stories submitted to the Interracial category. I respected that, in the same way that some refused to do stories or BDSM or (in my case) Anal. Everyone had their individual reasons for this and they were all valid.
Should the Interracial category exist? If there are people who want to read and write those kinds of stories, then yes. No one is forced to read them but there are some who will want to. Some say that race shouldn't be an issue but, in truth, sometimes it is. The stories in this category shouldn't be in there simply because people with different skin colours have sex in them; the stories, in my opinion, should make an issue of race - it should be a key device in developing the story. The sense of strange and new and, sometimes, can create the excitement and heat that makes an erotic story great.
A great example is Indian girls whose families are still very traditional and/or religious and to whom it would be a very big deal if she was in a relationship with a white boy. True, this is becoming less of an issue as time goes by but this does still happen (I know for a fact it does). There's a great story of forbidden love in there which would fit well in the Interracial category.
I've never written in that category, although I've used an Interracial tag and that was mostly because I imagined the story a very particular way and wanted the readers to get that. In general, I make no or little mention of race in my stories although most readers would probably assume the majority of my characters to be white (which is usually how I see them because I grew up surrounded almost exclusively by white people). Like I say, in general it isn't important but, to some stories, it is and there is nothing wrong with that (in my opinion).
Clumeleon
One thing I have found helps me is writing on paper. I put my laptop and all its distractions away, take out a pad of paper and just write. It's a much freer way to let your creativity flow out and, even if a lot of what you write doesn't end up in the final piece, at least you're getting it out there and building a basis for the story.
Another bonus of this is the extra time to edit and proof-read when you transfer it on to your computer later.
Another bonus of this is the extra time to edit and proof-read when you transfer it on to your computer later.