Topaz

Hey... I feel like shit even making this post, but this week has been a serious struggle, and my efforts to get through it 'AND' do anything substantial for the site have been an excercise in futility. I'm soooo sorry. I seriously pushed myself as hard as I possibly could, but my jobs have been taking some serious advantage of me this holiday week, and sleep is such a f**king WASTE of time!!! But I can't avoid it. I'm exhausted. Seems OTHER people figured that they wanted to have some 'fun' this week, and stuck me with what was left at BOTH jobs. (Sometimes, the nice guy really does finish last. Sighhh...) Let's just say that some of my co-workers have called in their very last favor concerning my assistance from now on. But I have a half day off tomorrow, and I will be working my ASS off to fix everything that went haywire while I was gone. Starting tonight, with as much energy as I have while I'm still awake. Unfortunately, the site is on hold until next week. Don't worry, I am typing as fast as my fingers can manage, trying to repair it all before the chaos gets too far out of control. It will only take two or three days to finish and get things rolling again if I start 'tonight/this morning'. Cool? My sincerest apologies to you guys who were waiting to hear from me or were waiting to see new additions to your favorites. It really hurts that I have to be so absent right now. So, that said, Monday of next week will start things moving again. My email box was full for a while tonight (I missed over 132 messages since Monday, some of them spam, I'm sure. But I have already started on them again, so there is more than enough room for you guys to write if you need to. Cool? Hearing from you guys always makes me smile when I need it most). I'll be working on emails first! Besides, I love you guys too much to stay away, hehehe! So expect to hear from me soon. Next, I'll be working on maintaining all of the Message boards on the site, including next week's "Speak Week" on Society Vs. Self! So I hope you guys will be able to stop by! Also, the brand new mailing list will be up and running by then, so I will definitely talk to you guys more about that as we depart from Topica (Who became too unpredicatable in their 'top notch' service for their own good). HUGE thanks to Grimwolf, who has offered me a place to send messages out without the bullshit attached. ((Hugs)) Stories will continue on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, of next week ("Billy Chase", "Dream Lover 2", and "Gone From Daylight"), and I hope to hear.....'something' from you guys this time around. ::Shrugs:: The "GFD: Blood Bank" contest is overwith, but Mad Bomber was the only one to enter a response. Naturally, I was hoping for a better response. But...you know, at least his story ending was a good one. A GREAT one! So I totally appreciate the effort to supprt the "Blood Bank" dude! It looks like it's up to you and me alone to run this race and show 'em how it's done. Love you lots, man. I guess this makes you the winner, hands down. Hopefully, some other entries will be made in the near future, but who knows? It's always open to the public. (By the way, the secret prize just for taking the time to enter a submission? It was "Taryn's Song 4"...so...I hope you like it.) Better luck with the next contest, I suppose. If there is one. Also, look for new editions of "Savage Moon", "Untouchable", "A Class By Himself", "New Kid In School", "Kiss Of An Angel", "My Only Escape", "Between The Lines", "All Eyes Watching", "Always", "On The Outside", "Save Or Sacrifice", "Left Without Words", "Pretty Poison", and a bunch of others as the summer goes on. I worked really hard to try to make them enjoyable for you guys. Please please PLEASE let me know *SOMETHING* when you read them!!! Please? If they suck, you can really just tell me that they f**king SUCK and I should fix them. K? Seriously. Just say, "I didn't like it." with the story title in the subject line. That's it. Copy and paste that one sentence into an email, and I'll know that I've gotta do better. That's it. I won't get upset or anything. But silence? Silence only makes me punish myself. And trust me....I'm VERY good at it! So...yeah...say something. Anything. I can take it. Promise. (Heh, who am I to beg for feedback after all this site has done for me? Psh! ) Alright...so I'm gonna start on emails right now. I hope you guys were able to enjoy your summer so far. (I haven't! Arrrgh!) But, both of my jobs have literally used up all of the compassion and tolerance that I possess at this point. They can see it in my face when they talk to me. Even customers tell me that I've been moody lately! LOL! And they only see me for a few minutes a day. What can I say? It's hard work, or serious poverty. But using my kindness for a weakness has reached its limit now, and I expect some favors of my own for the rest of this summer. They really f**ked up by taking advantage when I was just trying to be a good employee. (Good employee = expendable soldier ant in the colony) They won't be getting any more holidays off for a long long time to party with their friends. Not at MY expense. I guarantee you. I can only be a puppet for so long. Anyway, just wanted to say hi and let you know what was going on with me. Let me get to work. Love you lots, and I'll seezya soon. I'm working as hard as I can to keep things moving all by myself. Promise. "In Miami I had to stop the show twice and couldn't go on. A case of overall fatigue." -Edith Piaf

Just a reminder to let you guys all know that the Shack Out Back is celebrating its NINTH ANNIVERSARY this year on Tuesday, June 19th!!! So be sure to stop by the website and leave a little note if you can! We'd love to see ya! It's been a long time, and we've all been through so much together! Consider it a 'family dinner'! Hehehe! And, of course, if you can wear a "C" Symbol (June 19th - June 26th), even better! You guys just never know where you might see one! Or who might see yours! (Have No Idea What The "C" Symbol Is? Click Here!!!) Thanks for so many years of your continuous love and support! I can't tell you guys how much I appreciate it! Now.....let's see if I've still got some 'magic' left in these typing fingers of mine! ::EXTREMELY WICKED SMIRK:: "I love being a writer. What I can't stand is the paperwork." -Peter De Vries

You're all ready to start reading a brand new story. You've gotten your computer surfing chair all nice and comfy, you put a beverage next to you, you click on your favorite story site, and look for a snazzy title that catches your eye. You take a chance on something that seems interesting, and before you get into the story...you find yourself reading ten minutes worth of introductory warnings. We've all seen them. If you're under 18, go away. If it's illegal in your part of the world, don't look at it. This work is copywritten by the author, don't steal it. This story is about 'enter subject here', but I don't condone it. I think this celebrity is hot, but I don't know their sexuality, so please don't sue me. Remember to wear condoms in real life. As well as hundreds of other variants. Some even introduce and describe the characters involved, and the type of sex that will eventually take place before the end of the chapter. What do you guys, readers and writers alike, think about these intros and warnings? I've seen many of them stated almost word for word on stories for as long as I've been reading them. Some authors found humorous and creative ways to get around the 'professional' text of it, but get you to read it just the same. And sometimes it just goes on and on and on until you half to scroll down three or four times just to get past it. What are you thoughts on this? Are these warnings necessary? Or do people ignore them, making them a formality? Or do they help? Especially when it describes the story and the sex involved in the very beginning, letting you know what you're in for before you waste your time? When you get a chance, travel on over to Nifty, click on 10 to 15 random stories, and just read the introductory warnings at the beginning of the text. What does it really tell you? How useful is it to you? And tell us if you think it's necessary. I've heard support for both sides, so what do YOU think?

I would be a bold faced LIAR if I said that I began reading material on sites like Nifty for their emotional involvement. I won't pretend that it was my original intention for sticking around and see what was new. I can't even say that I don't still surf story sites looking for something....um....hot! Hehehe! I came for the sex! It was passionate, it was graphic, it was a fantasy come true! And if that sex was attached to a great story with great characters...then I was on cloud nine! It was awesome to find such a release for all of those naughty feelings of mine that I had been having for oh so long. Now, over the years, there have been huge leaps and bounds in storytelling online, and there are countless stories and series that are deeply emotional and work on many other levels besides hot buttered sex between teenagers. But the question remains...would these stories still have the same impact if there wasn't that looming cloud of a few detailed sexual encounters in their future? At least the subtle promise of sex? It can be a very thin line between porn and literature sometimes, but with the line being blurred with (what just may be) the vast majority of online gay erotica, there's a question of how much both sides depend on one another to work. Do you think the emotional and heartfelt stories depend heavily on the sexual aspect of the equation? Or is it the focus of hot passionate sex that is left relying heavily on a good story to make it more than 'stroke material'? Would you, personally, read a wealth of online erotica if you were told up front that there would be no sex involved whatsoever? Would you read a collection of the hottest graphically written sexual interludes between amazingly beautiful boys, skipping right to the 'good' part, if there was no detailed story and dialogue surrounding it? Naturally, we all would love to have a perfect balance between the two, but in your opinion, which side is leaning on the other's shoulder for support? Let us know!

I talked about trying to find ways to inspire feedback a few weeks ago, and how important that feedback is to an online author and his inspiration. And it's true, the more feedback, the better. It's the only way to really 'grade' yourself on how much of an impact your work is having on the people who read it. But what if, in that glorious rush of thankful and inspiring email...you begin getting those often dreaded criticisms in your inbox? And I'm not taking about suggestions for improvement here. I mean a true FLAME of the story that you just poured your heart and soul into. There's no way around it, no way to avoid it. Trying to please everybody with any type of creative or artistic talents is simply an impossible pursuit. And when I say 'impossible'...I mean *IMPOSSIBLE*!!! So when you do get those nasty little emails, ripping you apart from the first sentence to the last, how should an author respond? Ignore it and toss it in the trash without looking back? Read through it, take the emotional 'punch in the face', and then try to make the next one better? Answer back with as much rudeness and sarcasm as they sent your way? Try to answer politely and tell them you respect their opinion? Hunt them down with a high powered sniper rifle? I mean, how should somebody really react to something like that, and continue to write something fresh and new afterwards? Also, how do you differentiate a 'harsh criticism' from 'constructive criticism'? You've gotta be able to go on more than just your current level of sensitivity at the time. Let us know your thoughts! Those flames can leave some awfully bad burns on your typing fingers sometimes, let's try to clear some of that up.

Naturally, a great majority of the stories you see online about teenage boys in love....are NOT written by teenage boys in love! Some are, of course, and I LOVE you boys out there who have taken the opportunity to tell your story while you're living it! But most are written by people who are out of high school. Some have been out of high school for a very long time. There's a challenge in trying to capture the true feelings and emotions of a teenager, experiencing these things for the very first time. And if you slip, people are going to know it. You can't have 14 year old boys talking with the grace and wit of a graduate student. But you certainly can't have them acting so naive and lost as to insult the entire high school population either. There has to be a way to create a believable dialogue and storyline that truly represents the age of your characters, but how? How does an author find a way to give his character a personality that fits their age and level of experience? Have you guys read any stories that were way off in their presentation? Do their characters seem too old? Too young? Why does it seem that way to you, and how can they fix it? Whatever your thoughts are, let us know! Someone who is fifteen shouldn't think and act like a 7 year old, nor should they speak like a 30 year old. How do we find the balance?

Oh yeah! Hehehe, sorry, Justyn! This *IS* Comicality. I was putting "-Words From Comicality-" at the top of all of my posts, but I kept forgetting to do it so much that I just stopped doing it. Anyway, Topaz was awesome in offering to make posts for me here on the board from now on! So her answers are my answers if you need me! K?

Oh wow, thank you! Thank you sooo much! You know, honestly, I'm glad that I took some more time and added all of the newer parts of this story that exist in it now. I think it makes it a lot better, and a lot smoother. Even though it would have been kick ass to have it in the anthology with the others. That's the THIRD one that I've started writing for and couldn't finish in time. I used to be able to write a story from beginning to end in two days, easy. (Of course, my 'one time' stories were MUCH MUCH shorter back then) Now I get all out of control with the story and have to split it all up and get crazy with it. But I'll work hard on the summer one for this year! I've already got a few ideas floating around for that one. Thanks again! It means the world to me that you liked it!

Hehehe, sweet! You guys know how much it makes me smile to see you have your weekly "BC" discussions on the board! Hehehe! Anyway, I can't give up any secrets or anything, but I CAN tell you this.... - The Billy/Bobby/Brandon relationship....far from over! - The Billy/Lee/Jimmy relationship...has been brewing for the last week of Billy's life! You'll soon find out why! - Sam and Billy...hehehe, I'll just keep that one quiet for now! - And sex? Isn't this the Saturday after Jamie Cross' party? Hmmm.... That's it! No more, promise! Lips sealed! Seezya soon, and thanks again!

I wish that I could fully grasp the beauty of poetry and understand all that goes into it. But I always feel like I'm missing the full potency of it all. I love the concept of poetic verse, and I've read some that has truly gotten the point across. It can be so emotional, and so heartfelt at times. THAT part I get. There have been poems posted on the Library on my site that have truly struck a chord with me, and I understood the feeling they were going for. But I've seen poetry on some other websites online that I didn't really understand, but there were so many great compliments about it's form and power. Likewise, there have been poems that I've liked, that others didn't like at all. So I think my biggest flaw is realizing what makes a poem great, or what makes it terrible. And that, alone, tells me that I don't understand what goes into it enough to make that call. I still read it when I can, and I have my own ideas about poetry and what I like and don't like. But I can hardly say that it's much more than an uneducated guess on my part. So to our poets out there, you get a 'Comsie' salute! Keep doing what you do. Lord knows that I couldn't do it. Hahaha!

You know, it's really hard to create something that will inspire feedback. I do agree with that, wholehartedly. Sometimes you write something that you're really proud of, and you don't get so much as a whisper from your readers. And other times, you write something thatyou're not entirely happy with...and those same people go absolutely apeshit over it. There's no real formula to it. No predictable design to it all. Not as far as I have seen. I've learned, over time, that I can only write stories for 'me' and nobody else, and that's where the actual joy of writing comes from. But I always want it to be entertaining. I always want people to feel something, or smile, or cry. Whatever he emotion..I want it to have some EFFECT! So there are plnty of times when I might leave a story hanging with JUST enough suspense to make them want to read the next chapter. Or I might introduce a conflict where readers are stuck in a dilemma as to which way the story is going to go. Plus I love to have characters that (even though they're a huge problem for our main romance) aren't really 'bad guys'. People who you love to hate and hate to love, but end up not knowing which side you're going to be on from one chapter to the next. (Like Chris in "Class", or Tyler in "New Kid") Basically, there's no real way to get people to send you emails and tell you whether or not they liked what you worked so hard on. But I've come to find that if the story is involving enough, and readers can find a true attachment to what's going on, with a desire to know what's going to happen next...then you've got a better chance of getting more feedback. Good feedback! Pull them in, get them involved, and always leave them wanting more. Hehehe...sorry readers! Yep, I did it. And I'll do it again. Watch....

I'll be completely honest and let you guys know that poets completely baffle me with the way they are able to not only express deep and meaningful emotions in what they write, but can also structure it in such a way as to make it 'sing' on the page. (Or in this case, the screen) Poetry is an artform that has been well respected for as long as ink has been put to paper, and there are a lot of folks out there who are very, VERY, good at it. Some of the online poets that I've talked to have told me that they create poetry the same way I write my stories. That's simply how they think, and they write their feelings out better in poetic form. It comes natural to them, and that's an incredible way to see the world, I would imagine. However, when it comes to other people reading poetry...people who aren't poets themselves...is it possible for them to truly appreciate the art in its entirety? Can they see the rhythm of the words, the well structured design, the true 'voice' of the poem, in the same way that the poet intended for it to be seen? Let us know what your thoughts are. And I'd love to hear from some of you poets out there as well on this one! Do you guys feel as though you get the proper attention and respect for your work? Do you think that people understand you and what you write completely? Or do you think it's a manner of writing that can only be truly absored from another poet's point of view? Tell us what you think!

It's no secret that getting feedback from the people who read your stories online is the ONLY true reward that an online author gets for the time and effort he puts into every project they take on. Without it, writing can be a very tedious and thankless process. Hehehe, it's the truth, no way around it. It seems, many times, that some authors get more support than others. More emails, more feedback, more fans. And it's not just a matter of 'writing a good story', because I've read a LOT of tremendously great stories that didn't get the same reaction, or the recognition that the story truly deserved. Is there a secret to it? Is that the result of planning, or just a freak occurrence in the author's favor? The question this week, for readers and writers, is...do you think there's a way to write a story that actually INSPIRES feedback? Is there a trick to getting your readers to actually sit down and write that magic email that says, "Wow, I really loved what you wrote?" Is it the romance you write into a story? Is it the heartwrenching drama? Maybe it's the graphic and extremely hot sex scenes? Is it the careful use of cliffhangers, witty dialogue and humor, the frequency of newly posted chapters? What is it about certain stories that makes you want to respond? Let us know! If you're a writer, what do you use? If you're a reader, what doyou look for? There's gotta be something there, right? Give us your opinion!

What's up you guys? I just wanted to leave a message to let you guys know that I got a few notices that I had private messages sent to my GA mailbox here, and I REALLY would love to check them out! Unfortunately, I don't have access to my GA account anymore. I haven't had access since the boards were upgraded months and months ago. I'm sorry. I'd still LOVE to hear from you though! Please send any and all messages to Comicality@webtv.net and I'll get back to ya. K? I always keep my emails private, as well as any information I get with them. So no worries there. Thanks again, and I hope to hear from you guys soon!

We've all read many of these stories online since we've run across them. Many of us have even taken to writing our own, putting our own thoughts and emotions into words for other people to read. Some of the folks who do read these works regularly can be pretty impressionable when it comes to a subject like this. (And I'm not just talking about underage teenagers. Adults too.) Being a homosexual can be an uphill battle for a lot of people, and finding a story or series that truly relates to them and makes them free can be a highly influential experience. The question is...do you think that these stories might have a possible 'negative' impact on the people who read them? Do you think it encourages certain behaviors? Maybe it advocates casual sex? Maybe it sets false standards and hopes for that magical romance? Maybe it inspires a poor self image for people who aren't always slim and blond and 18 years old with a bubble butt and bright eyes? It may even cause a slight depression in people who are looking for something special, and just can't seem to find it? No matter what the case is...do you feel that the stories and their authors should take some responsibility for what they write and what effects it has on people reading it? Let us know your thoughts.

I think you hit it right on the head, Graeme. Definitely. I know that a lot of my own characters speak and act a lot alike, and it's hard to really separate them with a personality trait or a manner of speech that doesn't sound like a 'gimmick'. The last thing I want is for someone to read my work and have them say, "Oh this is the one thing that is supposed to make this person different from all the others." It's supposed to be subtle, and almost invisible, and yet....it has to be noticeable enough for it to make a difference. That can be a hard trick to pull off sometimes. Since I always write in the first person, it's easier to tell my main character from the story's love interest. And in my 'mind', I can see everything the way it's supposed to be. I know what everyone looks like, I imagine what their voices sound like, and what their gestures and movements are. Basically, my mind fills in much MUCH more than what I'm writing down for other people to read. So when I go back over the story to make changes and all, I have to try to see if someone else would be able to see the characters and what they're doing the way I imagined it. If not, then I have to add certain details, or insert some more dialogue to explain it. I'm always hoping that getting readers to visualize the scene the same way that I did will give them a clear enough picture to know which character is which. Especially with so many stories going on at once, it's important that I try to keep them as 'visible' as I can so they don't get lost in that confusing shuffle of cute teenage boys! Hehehe! It's never easy, but I know there's a secret out there somewhere that'll allow us to get it right every time. There's just gotta be.

A LOT of very good points made here! Thanks you guys! I'm definitely taking notes! I find it really difficult to get into stories where the dialogue is stiff, unrealistic, or just plain boring. I truly judge a character by two things....'said' and 'unsaid'. If the 'said' part of that equation is off, then there's a huge hole left for me. I'm not saying that dialogue has to be overly witty or award winning stuff. If it just sounds somewhat natural and fits the mood and tone of that particular person, then I'm happy. If they're infatuated, if they're sad, if they're angry, if they're uncomfortable, een if they're meant to be unlikeable...fifty percent of that personality is transmitted through the words they use and the conversations they have with other people. So I think it's really important to make it work. I always try to create some kind of natural flow by thinking of all of the characters involved in a certain scene, and simply start off with a single sentence. I start with the 'plot point' that I want this conversation to have (For example, if this conversation is going to explain to Justin how to find the vampire Zero, or if it's supposed to hurt Derek and get him to leave the opera house without telling Tanner, etc). What is the actual point of this conversation, and what will be accomplished when it's over? That's what I ask myself, and begin with a single phrase or statement. After that, I just think about the characters involved as real people. I think about what is going through their heads, what their life is like, and what their current emotion is. Keeping that in mind, I just let them 'talk' to each other naturally, and try to keep up with them. You almost have to put yourself in their shoes and become that character while they react to what's being said, and then switch over to the other character and do the same. If one character says, "Hey, let's go out on a date sometime. My treat." Different characters react to that in different ways. If someone is extremely shy and insecure, they may only answer with a single mumbled word or two. "Um....I guess....sure." Someone who is head over heels in love and unbelieveably nervous at the time, might babble or stumble over his words altogether. "Go out? Well, I mean, 'go out' go out??? Like, on a date? You did say DATE right? So like kissing and stuff afterwards? NOT that we HAVE to kiss or anything! Or that you'd even want to! But if you did, I'd totally let you do it, you know? Shit...am I talking too much?" Someone who was hurt by this person or angry, might act as if though they don't care, or may make a snide remark to hurt them back. "Oh, I see...now you're interested in going out all of the sudden? What's the matter? Is Kevin too busy to 'go out on a date' with you?" And a character that has had bad experiences with love, doesn't know how to handle the pressure, or has a low self esteem may withdraw from the question entirely. "You know...I'm kinda..'busy' that day. I can't do it. You know what? I should go. I'll see you later, k?" Whatever the character's personality is at that point in the story, that's what guides his or her reaction. And of course, the boy who did the asking for the date will respond differently to each answer above. And that conversation will bounce back and forth easily until the plot point I wanted involved in the story has been reached. And then I can move into the next scene. So if any author can match their dialogue to their characters, and throw in the 'unsaid' mannerisms to support who that person is (A shy person staring at his feet, an angry person turning his back on the boy he's talking to, a hurt person wiping a tear from his eye, or an adonis gently brushing his long soft hair out of his eyes), then I'm hooked. You've got me. But that dialogue has got to be there to keep me locked in. Without it...my mind starts to wander.

I know that I definitely get attached to my stories and characters very easily. So it's always hard for me to think about ending their stories and not writing for those characters anymore. It sucks to say goodbye to some of them. But if I was literally out of ideas, and didn't have anywhere else to go with the series or any future plans or storylines ready...then I would want to bring the series to an end. Not abruptly without resolving what had to be resolved, but I'd definitely leave off while I was ahead and let folks know that 'this story has been told'. There are some one time stories on my site that I won't make anymore sequels for, simply because I did exactly what I set out to do with it and didn't want to stretch it out if I didn't have to. So, instead of trying to 'fix' it, I think an author should let it go and start all over again with a completely different story if they want to keep writing. Lightning can definitely strike twice. I usually plan my own stories out from beginning to end before I write these days, and then wing all of the extra stuff in the middle. Most of the ongoing stories I have on my site already have their endings set in stone. I already know how they're going to ultimately turn out, and most of those details for the end of the story were already introduced in the beginning of the story. So my iggest problem is usually 'getting to the end' as more and more ideas pop up in between. (Hehehe, originally...."Gone From Daylight" was only going to be 4 to 6 chapters long, tops! Oops...)

I think it's safe to say that a vast majority of the stories you read, online or anywhere else, are going to have more than a few main characters in the foreground. Adding other characters can add depth to your protagonist through interactions, conflicts, motivations, and dialogue. It's a tried and true method for building a three dimensional story and a well rounded main character. But, with the exception of giving the characters different 'names', how does an author go about making them seem like different people entirely? Is it the way the speak? The way they act? What is it that separates one character from another on the page, when you can't actually 'see' them? Have you read many stories where everyone acts, walks, and talks a lot? Uses the same words and phrases, or has the same reactions to a certain situation? Whether you're reading or writing, tell us what you think about splitting up some of those personalities to give us the impression that all of your characters aren't all just talking to clones of themselves.

Have you ever been reading a story with a decent concept, a decent story, and decent characters...but were so completely thrown off with the bad dialogue that it just ruined the story for you? "I certainly do love you Joe. I hope that you and I can be boyfriends for the rest of our years on this planet." "Me too, Bobby Jo. I, too, feel as though I would like to love you with all of my gosh darn heart. Please kiss me." "Ok. I will kiss you." Smooch smooch smooch! Hehehe, there's no way around it, sooner or later, your characters are going to have to talk to one another. And when they do, they'd better be interesting about it. Now, that doesn't mean that sparks have to fly with every word they speak...but there should be some sort of natural flow to the way they interact with one another. Even if it's an awkward and bashful situation, even that has to have a certain 'rhythm' to it that will keep the reader interested and match the mood of that particular scene. The question is, how can an author go about doing that? What makes dialogue 'work' for you when you're reading it or writing it out? What do you like? What DON'T you like? Whatever your thoughts are on dialogue, let's talk about it!

No matter how good a series may be, or how much you like the characters, there may come a time when they begin to lose a little bit of their luster from chapter to chapter. They may still have a few good surprises here and there, and some really fun scenes thrown in every once in a while...but do we just hang on for nostalgic value? How does an author know that he's taken a story as far as it can go? Whether you're an author or a reader, how can you tell when a story is suffering from its own longevity or lack of ideas? And when this happens...should the author 'end' it and let it go? Or do something to refresh it and give it new life? What do you guys think? Let us know!

"Words From Comicality" I definitely think that putting time and effort into an appropiate title for your story is an important part of the whole process. I know some people who won't start writing a new story until they have a title ready to go. Others let the title come to them while they're writing. And some wait until the story is finished before tacking up a few words to describe it all. So I guess it's just a matter of how you feel about the story in general. I personally try to come up with a decent title around the same time that I begin taking notes on the idea for a story. I'm one of those people who just can't concetrate on writing until I've given it a name. I don't know why, but it bugs me the whole time I'm trying to focus. Hehehe, weird. Even though I may change the title later on, something has to be there from the very beginning. Then there are story titles that I was planing to change later, but I'm thankful that I left them as they were. (For a long time, I agonized over the name "Gone From Daylight", because I didn't think it sounded 'dark' enough. It got the point across, but I was searching for something much more foreboding at the time) As for creating a title for a story, I usually try to come up with something that tells you what the feeling of the story is going to be in as few words as possible. Maybe including a subtle play on words ('Class' By Himself, On The 'Out'-side). But mostly, I want to convey a certain mood with the title alone. If someone sees the name, "My Only Escape", and they read the story, they should know why it's called that half way through the first chapter. That way (During one of my merciless gaps between chapters), just seeing the title appear brings the reader right back into that emotion again, and they remember what the story is about. I think it's cool that the title and the content go hand in hand. So I use that to the best of my ability with everything I write. As for what I look for, while browsing through a long list of story titles? I'm not really sure myself. Naturally, if it sounds like some quickie in the backseat of a car, I might avoid it altogether. If it has 'cum' or 'suck' or 'cock' in the title, then I know exactly what that's going to be like. There are no romantic love stories called "How Ramon Got His Ass Pounded", hehehe at least not YET! But I do look for titles that express a certain emotion clearly without coming right out and saying it. Something that implies sadness without just being called, "Joey's Sadness". Or a title that sounds like there will be a longing involved, or a hopeless infatuation, or a chance meeting between two like souls...things that I can relate to and enjoy. They make a difference when I'm searching quickly. Of course, I've probably missed HUNDREDS of really good stories because I didn't give them a chance. And because of that, I missed out. But luckily I have folks reccommend great stories all the time. So hopefully I'll be able to catch some of the ones I missed.

"Words From Comicality" Thanks so much for coming back to the Cafe, you guys! I seriously LOVE seeing you here! Makes me fel all 'gummy' inside! (Oh yes...I said 'gummy') Anyway, to answer the question about how you guys will know if it's me talking or not (Besides the fact that it will sound like the ridiculous ramblings of a very sick man), is simple. I'll be putting the 'fine print' at the head of all of my posts from now on. "Words From Comicality" will be at the top of all of my posts and replies. Cool? I hope that won't get confusing.

"Words From Comicality" Did I mention how much I always love these discussions? Hehehe! Ok...so the timeline explanation... When Billy Chase started out, I was putting dates (month and day) on all of his entries. And it seemed logical enough to do that at first. But in time, I saw how it could possibly break up certain parts of the story that I wanted to keep simple. For example, if I wanted Billy and Brandon to hang out for Spring break in the next few chapters...and looked at the dates to find that it was the middle of October. Or if I wanted Billy to have Simon as a tutor, but looked at the dates, and saw that there was only five days left until summer vacation. Basically, school breaks, holidays, weather conditions, and other factors had more of a talent for messing up the gameplan than they did for giving it an added dose of realism. So I 'cheated'. Hehehe! He's locked in this eternal school year with no escape. But it gives me complete control over certain details without having to worry about getting everything too backwards. Then again, don't doubt my ability to screw it up anyway! Hehehe! For now this just makes it slightly more difficult.

"Words From Comicality" I'm sorry that it has been so long since I've been able to make my own posts on this board. Unfortunately, I'm working with a limited technology here at home, and GA's awesome improvements have gone beyond my ability to interact with you guys as much as I wish I could. But I HAVE been watching! I check the board all the time (The "Billy Chase" discussions always thrill me! I LOVE you guys!) Thanks to you all for keeping things moving for me. I'm happy to announce that I now have an official 'ambassador' to the Cafe now! Someone to make posts for me and take care of things that I can't necessarily get to on my own! So please give a wonderful round of applause to lady 'Topaz'! She's gonna help me come back and give the Cafe the attention that it so rightly deserves! So I am looking forward to completely starting over from scratch and breathing new life into this place! I hope you guys will be here to join me! First off, I really want to start the weekly writing discussions again! This board was created with the intention of bringing writers and readers together to talk about the online erotica culture. (Make no mistake...it IS an entire culture revolving around this, and it's always growing) Basically, it's a place for readers to discuss what they like and want to see, and for writers to discuss what they go through and how they do it. SO...from now on, check back every Monday night for a brand new topic to talk back and forth about for the week. We went through about 50 topics last time, and I might be repeating some of those questions again to get a new perspective on them. (Don't worry, they were posted years ago! Hehehe!) I hope to see you guys much more often. Also, I thought about adding a new feature as well to the board. Every two weeks, I'll post the name of a story or series that was either posted here on Gay Authors, or Nifty, or anywhere else online. Id love for you guys to check these stories out and come back here to discuss certain elements that you liked or didn't like about them. Sort of like a form of 'public feedback' for other authors and readers to talk about amonst each other. I call it the "Gradebook Selection". I'll give a brief description of the story, the title, where to find it, and the author's name and email address. I've got a bunch of titles that I've got ready to go, but suggestions are always welcome! So don't be shy! Alright, that's it! Thank you all for sticking around! Make sure you let everyone know that we are fully operational once again, and looking for more friends all the time! I'll be here often as well, now that I've gotten my 'voice' back! ::Grins:: Thank you lady Topaz! You made all of this possible! :: Enjoy the board folks, and I'll seezya soon! (Weekly, in fact!)