How do you solve a problem like Maria ?...or a story that doesn't gel

What to do about the story that doesn't seem to gel ? Ever start writing a story down that seemed to be such a good idea when you 'wrote' it in your head and then, after an hour or two of writing, you find that it doesn't seem to gel; the story might not have enough momentum, it is not sexy enough, it is too sexy, or whatever.

You then have to make the decision as to whether to finish it off and post a 'less-than-best' submission, or scrap it. What do you typically do ? Try and salvage it or put it on ice ?

It has to be one of the most frustrating emotions for a writer; I am sure we all face them!

That describes what happens almost every time I've tried to write a story. There have been only a few times that I've been able to plow right through to the end without running out of steam.

I have a bunch of unfinished stories (and outlines for stories that never started).

I suspect it's better just to finish what you have, and submit it, even if you don't think it's up to snuff. You might be surprised that lots of folks disagree with your evaluation!

I've had this happen in non-spanking stories over the past few years. I just let it sit, sometimes I can come back to it, tweak it and make it work. Other times I know it just won't work. If I'm not sure I have people whom I trust that can give me constructive comments (good and bad). I found that if I'm not happy writing a scene/chapter/story it comes through the writing.

I have one story that's been revised some 4 different times and I'm still not happy with it.

I Don't remember ever scrapping a story entirely, but I have several "on ice". When I find myself running short on story ideas, I go back to them. Sometimes one will suddenly "jell" and demand to be finished, but sometimes not.

Guy

I have more unfinished stories in my computer than finished ones, ctm. (I just made that up, not laughing out loud, but "chuckling to myself") I know there are at least three versions of one story, one completely finished that I don't like the ending, except that there is no other ending for it.

The one I submitted for the Christmas collection was a story that I had started so long ago that the only working copy was one written in long hand in a small wire bound notebook, written in my "secret code", from the back to the front, reading right to left, and from the bottom of the page to the top, and believe me, that was a long time ago. (15 yrs?) When I found that the one I was already writing couldn't be used for copyright reasons, and I needed something desperately, that one suddenly finished itself.

So, usually when I have started something that doesn't pull together, I just let it sit until sometime in the future when I am trying to weed out the overload in my computer, and more times than not, one will end up finished, and none will have been deleted, because I am a hoarder like that.

I have a number of stories that i have started, but have not taken them any farther than the opening paragraphs. Sometimes these are merely placeholders--the idea is sound and I want to get enough down that I don't forget about it. I'll come back to these later.

On occasion I do get into a story and run out of steam or run into an obstacle, usually a plot point I can't resolve. There is only one cure for this--put it down and go to something else for awhile. Your subconscious will work on it. When the muse gives you a hint finally, jump on it right away and finish. I recently had this experience with a novel I wrote. It languished for nearly a year before an idea on how to move the plot forward came to me. I made myself sit down and finish the thing and I'm glad I did. It's finally done and nearly ready to go.

Like DarkRiver I've had it happen with non spanking material. Although I refer to myself as a pantser (seat of the pants writing, no outline) I do have a lot planned out in my head before I start anything. I find sometimes that once you start to write, though the story can take a different direction. One of the most successful experiences in writing I've had (a novel I hope to get published one day) started like that. I had the basic idea in my head and just started to write it as I wrote it evolved and grew and the organic nature of it allowed me to put in other bits that had not originally been there and I think it became a better story as a result.

I've only scrapped one story that I started. I just didn't think it was up to MY standards. What I do when I hit a brick wall with what I believe will be a strike out is to simply go back and look at various ways I could put the character(s) in a more embarrassing situation, a more sexy situation, and a bit more descriptive data all the while remembering some of the comments I received in the past. Who liked this and who liked that.

No, I write for myself not others, but my story has to please the ones who even bothered to comment. Those may include college stories, camp stories, heartfelt stories involving guilt, marriages headed for the rocks, and others that I see received the most comments and the most favored. I change the scenarios here and there to make it a bit more unique from the others.

Then I have to think about the orientation. I found that a lot more readers are giving F/M and F/m a bit more consideration when reading a story. I started out by writing more in the femdom style, but over the past few years I've been mixing it up quite a bit. It's the storyline, the plot, the setting that will make or break a story as far as I'm concerned. Without those my stories would become hum-drum I fear. Just another slam-bam thank you ma'am just as in sex. So, in essence, I just go over the plot and the setting in my mind first, then put it to the screen. The spanking parts always ring through for me in just about every author's story on the LSF.

We can agree to disagree on stories; too much bullying, too mean, abusiveness, double standards. All of these scenarios are a factor for me, and for other authors I've read. It's the storyline and plot that catches the eye and keeps people reading. The comments show that. That's what so wonderful about commenting and getting comments. I believe that's what the admins are looking for and why they want to see more commenting. It keeps the LSF alive and fresh.

How many of you authors read your stories and say, "Where the hell did that come from?" There are times our sub-conscious takes over without our knowing. In other words, the character(s) take over for a brief moment. In typing so fast and furious at times, we don't realize our own thought pattern. Sometimes it's good, and sometimes it's not so good. I use the word 'our', but realize this is my way of thinking and not everyone's. However, it just might ring a bell with a few of you who, like gail, asked about this type of problem.

Sometimes I start one and it peters out or I lose interest or something else comes up in the meantime and I just set it aside, in an "unfinished" folder. Once in a while, I rewrite or reuse a story that I think could be "improved" later (one I never posted. I have a lot of those). Sometimes, something comes up and an old or unfinished story now seems relevant to the current circumstances or occurances. Keep your old stuff, maybe they'll come in handy someday...

Quite elaborate, and not a little difficult to do, I would think. If you really wanted to go all out, you could have written it in Hebrew. You already have some of the characteristics...