All Comments on 'Where It All Comes From'

Thanks for sharing!

5

Behinder* The Scenes

(*as a non-native English speaker I'm allowed to do that, trust me! [and, authors, just in case you thought having parenthesis in fiction is a good idea, well, there is a two-letter answer to this {it's spelled "N-O"}])

Now, with more than a year gone, when one day I stumbled upon one 'jezzaz' asking in the Editor Forum what the problem was with the Editor Program, having received nil response when trying to contact editors to actually help with a Twenty-Thousand Words Installment - that's why you don't use figures, it's way more dramatic than the lousy '28k story'! - which happened to be 'Ten Days At Sea' and took two, three? weeks to go through in two rounds - and still comes with quite some things that have been missed. I'm pretty sure I don't come close to any of the names given on the first page here, but working on this and with a total stranger at that time gave me one hell of a learning curve. And I'm quite grateful to have had that chance and even feedback from the author on my editing job. That's really rare, which just makes it even more precious.

Apparently, Ten Days At Sea came with a happy end - and maybe those things only happen in 'Romance' (I think that category choice was a very good decision). Seeing it on the June 2020 monthly contest podium was a huge WOW moment .

Well, time moved on, and '28k' have become several Hundred of Thousands of Words of, more or less - I think one take-away message here is, "If you do strive for perfection, you'll never get anything published." - proof-read words, not only working with jezzaz. But from him, I've got a lot of feedback about editing, input on writing in general, advice - passed on from the big names on page 1 - on very specific style elements, and a lot of experience about what authors really want (and need, [an editor coming up with alternative ends isn't on that list, just in case you wondered]).

I even had the chance to have such a 'glimpse behind the curtain' described in short in the beginning, how a story unfolds in his hands. It's as described; short (REAL! - logic and grammar-wise) sentences that sum up ideas for the scene and which become more fleshed out in the process - pretty cool insight, so THANKS again for this opportunity.

Of course, where's light there's shades - btw. if you want a terrifically written book with 'Shades of Grey' in the title (quite non-sexual, but soooo goooood) get that by J. Fforde - like, what I think, our shared hate-love for punctuation. For different reasons, we both would like to get a family pack of commas and dashes (still no parenthesis!) and place them throughout the text wherever we'd like - the problem is, we happily agree to disagree on where they should go.

So, to sum up my experience of the past 15? months, here's my advice:

* Writers, go AND find an editor! - the brutal truth is I don't know if I would need all the fingers of one hand to count the stories where I didn't stumble upon spelling or punctuation issues. The less readers are distracted by missing letters, commas or whole words, the better your chance of not getting low ratings.

* Nitpickers, if you do like to look for errors of logic, grammar or facts, why don't you make good use of it and become an editor and help out those in need? The world of Lit might become a much better place.

* Readers, it's pretty nice to hear from you how you liked a story, constructive critique is about both, things that didn't work, but also those that did, told in a plausible, neutral tone

* Haters/Overcriticals/One-Bombers, hmm, get a life, outside, AFK.

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Would be nice to come back for a 'Where It All Comes From II', in let's say ten years?

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Thanks for reading till the very last word

I never put a lot of thought into the process of writing these stories, but after spending a several hours consuming the works of jezzaz here on Lit, I am glad he shared this with us.

Thanks for posting this. I'll probably reread it a few times. I've thought of doing something similar, once I actually have enough stories posted to talk about.

Really interesting to learn about your writing process. Thanks for sharing.

Though your politics in Stone Cold are rather atrocious and unrealistic (if you want to see a fascist America, look no further than Woodrow Wilson and FDR), you’re a very talented writer. You do a good job of projecting three-dimensional characters. You, furthermore, have a knack for dialogue that surpasses all but a few on this website. Keep writing!

Well, I went to Amazon and bought all the omnibus books, so that worked.

Thanks for sharing, jezzaz! Your character development is top-notch. I actually thought the "friends" in Out of Love were well enough developed for story but hey, that's just me.

That is actually my favorite story on Lit. I've read it so many times and, despite the flaws you point out, is still a great yarn. J's and Chloe's up and down and up (you get the picture) emotional states are wonderfully depicted.

I anxiously look forward to more new stories including, yes, how Ryan from the Live from the Game/Long After the Game series ends up.

Thank you sharing your writing processes. There is so much to digest in this article. I've collected a few 'golden nuggets' to bear in mind as I strive to improve my characters and plots. Your detailed plan in mapping out stories is so far different than my own. I sit, a thought percolates up, and the few fingers that I have left peck out the thoughts.It's a Stream of Conscious approach to writing, I guess for lack of a better term. I don't have the mental stamina it takes to discipline myself for a long, thought out story the way you do.

Neither have I the courage to ask someone else to edit my work! That takes a lot of bravery!

Literotica is relatively new in my readings. Admittedly, I've not read your work. I will, though! It's easy to see your are in love with writing and pour your soul out into your character development. I'll look for a short one to start - at my age I might not be able to get to the end of one-hundred-thousand word, (100,000) master piece. [See! I learned something already] ;-)

dmallord - fledgeling Literotica writer - most proud of my 'Rescuing a Snow Angel' series!

All this superfluorius introduction/autobiography- bibliography told me one thing when you boil it down to gravy. You can't or won't write about a male (husband) character who possess self respect and a set of balls.

Granted I haven't read everything, but basically one just has to study the ratings on a story to get a just as to whether or not it's RAAC/cucky.

So few writers on here have demonstrated that it's okay to write of a betrayed husband getting justice, and the slutwife getting comeuppance, atonement, retribution....

I've found people write about things they relate to (Steven King doesn't wrote romance) ergo, it's disturbing how many "male" writers use their talent to just go beyond the pale with unrealistic bullshit.

So nothing since this last year... how's Ryan coming along?

Hope you’re still with us, jezazz! Please write again soon

I love your work, granted don't always love the endings, after the game caused me pain, I loved the way he burnt them, didn't like that they didn't reconcile, although I do understand that Ryan probably would never have trusted her again.

When Auggie died in her story, I was pretty low, sobbed my heart out, I get very invested mentally in these stories, I felt his pain, literally.

When Clarissa/Miranda (?) died in the spy drama, I was choked, she wasn't fundamentally bad, working for Q&C, I know some shady characters, grey men, your portrayal was excellent, details resonated, I'm glad the main character found happiness, and Clarissa doing her bit to get the pub back cemented her in my heart.

Ultimately, I'm a romantic who loves people to be happy, I have chronic mental health issues, am hyper empathetic, I'm always seeking the happy ending.

Keep doing what you are doing, forget this country, it's becoming shitter by the day.

Fellow Pom.

Simon_Masters

Simply, where's Ryan?