Just wanted to toss this one out there. I've found that most authors have little things they do that helps them write. Thought I'd share a few of mine, see if they help anybody else. If you've got some, I think it'd be fun to hear. - I like to write early in the morning, because I can tap in to that stuff I got working out the story before I went to bed and while I was sleeping. (Sometimes, I find that I have to do rewrites, but that's where my second technique comes in.) - I like to reread everything up to where I am currently writing in order to work on flow before I start writing again. This also allows me to do a "Second Draft" before even publishing since I'll catch errors and inconsistencies. If I haven't worked on a project for a while, I like to reread the WHOLE thing, just to make sure that I'm keeping consistent with what I've established. - I smoke a bowl and listen to folk metal. (Actually, folk metal, southern rock, eighties hair metal and game soundtracks mashed up, but that takes way too long to explain, and makes much more sense if you do the FIRST part of that ritual first.) -I can't write with a TV on. Just can't do it. One of the reasons I write so early in the morning is because everything everyone else in my house wants to do is turn on the TV as soon as they get up.
-I'm more of a night owl but I try my best to write when I can as I like to keep my stories on the front page. -I keep detailed stats of likes received and chapters written. I also set goals for something to strive to. -I listen to all sorts of music whilst writing, but I'd say the Fantasy EP by Eternity Forever and Chaos in Motion by I the Mighty are the songs that really get my mind on writing erotica. (The former for it's general vibe, and the later because it reminds me of that one time I woke up and re-wrote an entire chapter whilst listening to that song on repeat.) -I try my best to alternate sex scenes and more story/character building chapters between threads, so I can write what I want when I'm in the mood. -Grammarly is my savior and my writing would be a complete mess without it
- I write in a dark room to simulate nighttime - I purposefully do not reread things to keep my writing somewhat new every time -I listen to hard metal when I write...mainly Sabaton or Powerwolf -I let the writing just flow from me in word vomit
* I have to write with a picture next to the prose I am typing, thus I always write in a word processor program. For erotica, it's unsurprisingly sexy, but it's usually not x-rated. Most commonly it's a PG-13 picture of a pretty girl that is somewhat related to the story I am writing.
I come up with the title first. The title is, for me, everything. The whole idea I'm trying to encapsulate, to write to. The title is the decision point for the branch, the path taken. That probably shows in my plotting (or lack thereof).
I'm a complete basket case, I do all of what Y'all have just listed: SOMETIMES. (Except the smoking and the rock or metal, anything in the background with words to it just kills my mojo if I can't block it out...) - The weird thing I do is I write based on snatches of songs. Not an entire song, just like one line, and that will inspire an entire chapter...
No drugs, no drinking. It kills my writing, completely. Unfortunately. I save my alcoholism for my reward, and I've in the last couple years laid off pot entirely, except socially. Not by design, but after a decade long binge I guess I (sorta, and not by design) outgrew the stuff. I write off my damn cell phone. Laying down, privates in hand. It wasn't always this way, but it's the only way I can write now. No music, no tv. Nothing auditory. Just me and my perversions. Lotsa porn, though.
One questions the nature of this *tabbaco* Since my phone won't even allow me to spell the damn made up word.
I admit to being a cannabis user. Light, mostly before writing because I come up with some neat crosswires. (The Supernatural plot for Special Hell, for example, I never would have come up with had I not been smoking, reading Robert Graves, and noticed that my female fantasy characters correlate nicely to Three of my favorite goddesses...) Not a big fan of drinking, because I turn into an asshole. Not so with Pot, so that's why I stick to it and use it. I get romantic, which is perfect for both my relationships and my writing. And of course, the jokes above caused this to run through my head...
It's definitely music for me...Although I mostly use it to blot out whatever is going on around me(I live with family.) Sometimes it's an Anime Theme. Other Times It's Metal. Yet other times it's a mix of both.
Well for me I write before I go to sleep, probably not the best time I suppose but it works for me. Everything is quiet, neighbors are asleep and traffic is gone for the most part. Not so many sirens haha. For sex scenes, I’ll admit my first few I’ve written I’m not so proud of. I was completely new so they were all practice, but my current erotic scenes I put myself into the mood first before describing fantasy thoughts onto the page, describing the emotion and situation the way I experience it. Does it work? So far yes. Are the scenes appealing? I hope so haha! And I don’t get too many but on my days off I take advantage of being in bed and writing a few extra chapters too hahahaha
outside chyoa with my normal writing, i tend to print every page i write and look at it as draft, it feels like a complete piece of work, one done... on to the next page. especially when the writing gets tough. on chyoa, i need to plot ahead in my mind while writing, and consider any or every open option... i've had trouble though
