Comicality

Out of all the stories that I've read online, the ones I remember most, the ones that really stick out in my mind, are the ones that somehow brought an emotion right off of the page and translated it to me in a way that I could understand. Readers relate to emotion. It's an experience, an adventure of sorts, that you're taking them through with every word that you write. However, this isn't always an easy thing to do. You would think that writing down the 'description' of a certain feeling would be enough, but that isn't always the case. So the question for this week is... =How does a writer learn to 'emote' when they write? How does someone take an emotion and cause someone else to feel and relate to it through the mere use of words on a screen?= It would be easy to simply write that your character was angry, or that he was jealous, or that he was scared. But is that enough? How do you MAKE the audience BELIEVE that he's angry, or jealous, or scared? When you guys are reading, what makes you experience the joy, love, pain, and rage of the people you're reading about? The written word can be a powerful thing once it taps into someone's emotions. So let us know what you think about the process of doing that! The board is open!

It has been one year, and his memory is still strong in all of our hearts. Last year, we lost a great writer, and a good friend. "Justin Case" In tribute, the Shack is having a week long holiday to remember him. So from Monday to Sunday, it's all for him. Miss you much, my friend.

Imperfection. The burden of all mankind (woman-kind too). Even the greatest writers, poets, musicians, dancers, architects, and artists are victims of it. Nobody's above a few mistakes here and there. Sometimes the artistic side of the brain isn't so good with the technical stuff. Thankfully, however, there are plenty of people out there who are extremely good at recognizing these mistakes and helping the rest of us out before they become 'visible' to everyone watching. In online erotica, editing is a neccessity. Especially for the stories with the amount of depth and meaning as they have today. The question for this week is... = Do you feel that outside editors are a must for your work? And if so, how do you go about choosing one? Or even BECOMING one? = Would you rather self edit, or let someone else do it? How do you know whether or not you and your editor are 'clashing' in terms of opinion? How do you control who's 'voice' is coming out in the story...yours or the editor's? And what are some of the problems with NOT having an editor? Just stuff to think about! So Writers, Readers, Editors...let's hear what you think about editing? The 'bored'...the 'baord'...the 'BOARD' is open!

There are very few things that would turn me off from a story right away and make me back out without reading any further. The easiest is formatting. If I open a file and see everything merged together into one long paragraph with no breaks or separation of dialogue...then I know it's going to be a real effort to read and understand it. A lot of times, I'll avoid those. Also, I don't mind some spelling errors or grammar mistakes if the heart is there in the story. In fact, if I can figure it out, I may stumble a bit, but generally know what the story is about and can enjoy it anyway. But sometimes it can be so chaotic that I have to stop reading. Those two things more than anything can turn me off. As for some other things, easy sexual situations where it's like, "What's your name? Wanna f**K?" can be a bit disarming. Especially when it jumps from a touching story to "Pee on me, f**K boy!" in the course of five sentences. In the same respect though, if the opening is too long and doesn't seem to be progressing anywhere, I get bored with it pretty quick. I don't mind there not being any sex or anything in the first chapter, or even first FEW chapters. But if I don't feel the story moving forward, if it feels like it's standing still for no particular reason, then I might turn it off and move on. There's a delicate balance in between that makes the difference. Now I know I've been guilty of all of the above 'turn offs' above in my own writing, so I won't pretend to know all about it. But I'm trying to find that perfect balance in between through trial and error. (More errors than trials, I'm sure! Hehehe!) When I'm writing, I try to open on a scene that would mean something to people reading. Something that introduces the character and gives everyone an insight into their mind. I try to give a bit of a description and a personal history without making it sound like a lecture in a classroom. Then, I try to add humor and inner thoughts of the main character to move the plot along in a natural and free flowing manner. Not too slow, not too fast. I try to make sure that EVERYTHING that happens in the story, somehow is related to the plot of the story. I don't want to go too far out on tangent, or introduce characters that won't have any impact on what's going on. If you can hook a reader in the beginning, you can only propell them so far before you have to find a way to hook them again. Otherwise, they turn around and go home. Even if the story becomes an award winning novel at the end, it won't matter if everyone backs out in the first chapter. You know? I think that stories are created by many special moments, little events that create a beautiful scenery once it's finished. The skill comes from being able to 'connect' those events in a smooth and fluid way where people want to get to the next big moment. Carrying them from one event to another in a way that's fun for them to read. Humor can do that. Small pieces of drama can do that. Inner conversations from the main character can do that. OTHer characters being introduced or going through problems of their own can do that. As long as what is happening is relevant to the story in some way, it will keep the rollercoaster running, and people will come back for more. That's just my two cents.

Well, I've always been partial to romance stories that end happily. (I'm a romantic, can't help it. Hehehe!) The whole point of the story is to make someone feel good. To give hope and possibly an air of magic to whoever is reading. So that someone who is in a similar situation might find some of the answers they're searching for. Maybe getting past some of that doubt and that fear, and taking a chance on something more. Life ISN'T that easy. It hardly ever is. But I can honestly tell each and every one of you, that I can look back at my life in junior high and high school, and clearly SEE all of the possibilities and chances that I passed up because I let my pessimism get the best of me. Because I didn't believe it was possible. Because back then, there were no happy references for gay teens that I could draw from. None. If you kissed another guy, you got teased, outcast, and possibly beaten up. That was it, and everything I did, I felt like I was doing it blindfolded...hoping not to fall off of the tightrope. BUT...there were some times when I DID take that special chance, and I DID follow my instincts, and it turned out that the opportunity was there all the time. My first boyfriend, Jason, was GORGEOUS! Just tall, and blond, and light brown eyes...basketball team, nice ass, well endowed, sweet, funny, smart...I could have PASSED on that by being scared! And even in the middle of sex (Mmmmm...hours and HOURS of sex! Hehehe!), I'd be thinking "What the hell is this boy doing with ME???" and "How the f**K did I work THIS out???" So, sometimes that optimism may seem foolish, but it DOES happen! And I wanted people to know that, and maybe take a chance. I have gotten emails from lots of teens who have had bad experiences with love and sex, and nothing is really 'happily ever after' in real life. But the stories aren't about that. The stories are about hope, and making an attempt to go for something that you want. They're about finding yourself and knowing that being happy is possible no matter what doubts you have. It won't be perfect, but it's not some intangible dream that can't be reached either. And I'm sure that many people have regrets right now about things they 'could have' done and 'should have' done or 'WOULD do' if they could go back again. If nothing else, the stories are made to show readers what could happen if they took a chance on instinct, and it just so happened to work out. So no, I don't really see the online portrayal of love as a 'deception'. It's more of a motivation, and I hope that people see it as so.

Before I start, I sincerely want to give my love and hugs to all of you guys for the kind words up above! ::Giggles:: I wasn't fishing for compliments, ya know! But they're MORE than well appreciated. Thanks! Have I been affected by stories to the point where it spilled over into my own life? DEFINITELY! A lot, actually! The people who knew me when I started, can see how incredibly different I am now since I first started reading and writing these stories. Without them, I can honestly say that my life would not be as rich as it is right now. I NEVER would have come out to my best friend Mike, I NEVER would have come out to a few other friends of mine either, I NEVER would have flirted with cute boys at work, I NEVER would have written about my life, my love, my abuse, my suicidal thoughts, or my sexual attractions to teens! Basically, I never would have accepted myself the way I can now....had it not been for these stories. I still remember stories by "Savoir Faire" on Nifty, Jaxsper Finn and Dean Lidster (Who are like HEROES to me), and many many more! Then once I started writing stories of my own, just being 'colleagues' and friends with some of the amazing authors online who were also writing these incredible stories was even MORE inspiring! Eggman, IOMfAtS, Ty (Stormfront), JT Lizard ("Strawberry Boy" and "Sky InHis Eyes"), DeweyWriter, DaBeagle, and too many others to name. Just comparing notes and being side by side with what they were doing inspired me to dig even deeper into myself. And it gave me purpose, you know? I grew because of the people reading and the people writing stuff of their own. Nowadays, although I don't get much of a chance to read other people's stuff anymore (Not like I WANT to), I've found an amazing amount of enjoyment from the 'next' generation of people writing series online. "Carrots and Celery", "Just Hit Send", "Perry And Jesse", "Always Joey"....there's so much. Zustara Ourur, and MadBomber, and....just this wealth of talent coming from every corner of the net. If this is the new generation, than the people in the next generation that THEY are inspiring is going to be UNBEATABLE! That's so incredible to me. Anyway, the stories have molded my life in many ways, and I can honestly say that I'm forever changed because of them. It changed my life for the better. Believe me.

There are literally millions of stories to choose from online right now at this moment. All of them with their own special vibe and purpose. I'm sure that there are as many undiscovered classics online as there are undiscovered stars in the universe. And with all of these choices, there has to be something to truly grab a reader's attention if you want to keep them from passing you by. Some kind of 'draw' for an author's audience. If you bring it out too fast, it might make the story seem like you're skipping details just to get to the 'good stuff'. If you do it too slow...people may get bored with it and won't read long enough to get to the 'good stuff'. There's a definite pacing and technique involved when trying to pull someone into a story, and it's an important part of the writing process. So this week's question is... =What can a writer do to 'hook' a reader into reading their work from beginning to end? And how can they pace it so the story stays interesting and fresh?= This is for readers and writers alike. What is it that makes you start a story and get sucked into it almost instantly? Is it the word usage? The characters? The storyline? Sometimes it's the title. There are many people who don't judge a story until they've read it all the way through, but how do you give them enough encouragement to do so with that first initial burst of creativity? Then...once you've got them interested...how do you keep those 'hooks' coming at an even pace to keep things from 'sleeping' in between major events? The board is open! Let me know what you think!

The stories we've written and the stories we've read online, have become a part of our lives. For some, a BIG part of our lives. I know it has for me. The stories I've seen in the past few years have given me such a different outlook on things from what it was before. And I'm happy for that. However, I HAVE received emails in the past from people who know that, most times, life is far from being the neat package that is portrayed in many of these stories. In fact, it is much more difficult than any story can describe. So the question for this week is... =Are the stories we write, and the stories we read, giving a somewhat 'false' vision of what love and life is and what it should be?= Have the internet stories become the 'Barbie Dolls' in the life of gay teens? Where they think they have to be that or live that or expect that in their relationships? Do you think these stories give false hope, or maybe raise expectations to a level that can never be met? OR...should the stories be viewed as that magical situation that COULD happen to anyone at anytime? Maybe GIVING hope and a sense of confidence to those that are reading and have given up? Do you think that these stories show a sensitivity to teens that may not have known it was there before? The board is open! Let's hear what you've got to say!

I remember when I first found the Nifty Archive. It was years ago, but I remember it vividly. It was like a treasure chest filled with every answer to every question and every feeling that I had ever had. I can honestly say that I am a VERY different person today thank to finding that goldmine online. From my interaction with other people, from writing stories of my own, and from finding parts of myself in other people's stories. It's an incredible thing to be so moved by someone else's words that it affects your real life in such a profound way. The question for this week is... =Have you ever read a story online that has moved you to do things you wouldn't have normally done in your real life?= Have you been so inspired that a story could cause you to talk to that cute boy at school or at work? Or maybe it got you out of a depression that you were going through at the time. Or maybe it helped you find the courage to 'out' yourself to a friend. I know that it was a few well told stories that caused me to start writing online in the first place (Thanks to Dean Lidster and Jaxsper Finn for that!) and over time I've read some others that have made it possible for me to grow and change in the best ways possible. So...as readers, as writers, have you been uplifted by the work of others to a point of postive change? The board is open!

There were some really good points brought up in the last discussion, and if anyone else has further input, I'd love to hear it. It's true! A vast majority of interracial romance stories online are treated as fetishes or something from some 'other' category than your so-called 'normal' love story. Why is that? How can we all change that? I've had a few interracial stories myself that have never been completed or posted on my site (Except for "From The Heart", which was announced in 2002 and will finally be done this summer), and it would be great to see some good stories address this issue. I will be more than happy to have your stories posted on the Comicality Library on my site, and wish you guys the best! If anyone else has thoughts on this, please post them here! I'd love to hear more!

With all of the stories that you've read online, stories of gay romance and relationships, you would think that homosexuals would be overjoyed to find something that they can relate to. I know that when I first started reading these stories, I finally felt like it was ok to feel the way that I felt. And that was a truly special moment for me. However, you see movies and television and music videos and the like...where the everyday 'boy meets girl' scenario is displayed proudly. And a lot of times, we can find the same enjoyment. So, shouldn't it be logical that straight guys and girls could possibly find enjoyment out of what we write as well? The question for this week is... -What do you think the 'crossover' appeal is of our stories to a straight audience?- Do you think heterosexuals can truly enjoy and appreciate these stories the way we sometimes appreciate theirs? Why or why not? Is it not literature? There were gay themes in "Romeo and Juliette", and "Interview With The Vampire", and many other stories too. If the actual 'story' is more important than the sexual preference of the main character....does that mean that it's as universal a story as any other romantic tale ever written? Think about it. The board is open!

Even out of all the variety and all of the quantity of really good stories out there, there are still huge gaps missing in terms of content and storyline. Everybody has a story, and some of them never get represented in the stories they see online. So the question for this week is... =As readers, as writers, what concepts do you think are missing from the stories you read online?= What is it that you would 'like' to write about, or would 'like' to see someone else write about? Maybe there are certain situations that you've been involved in, and have never seen anyone else do a story on it. Maybe there's something inside that you want to express, but shy away from it. Maybe it's something too depressing, or too angry, or just something that you think you wouldn't be able to write well. Who knows? Bottom line, readers and writers are looking for a shared experience, and it's important to konw what we're overlooking. So tell us what you think! The board is open!

Ahh, yeah, the board is moderated. That's why. So you might post a story there, and even approve it...but it doesn't show up on the library until the moderator approves it. (Either me or Jalaki) That's why it didn't show up at first. I would love to have all of the boards updated at least twice a day, but it doesn't quite happen that way and we might get separated from it for a day or two. If you look now though, it should be at the top of the list. Kewl?

So far so good! Folks seem to be really loving the first chapter so far, and I thank each and every one of you for the comments!!! I wanted it to be big, but didn't want to dig too much deeper than an initial 'set up' for the first chapter. So hearing that you guys like it before it really gets into the "other stuff" means an awful lot! Dn't worry, it'll go from 0 to 60 really fast, so I hope you guys will enjoy the next chapter! (Untitled as of right now, but the wheels are turning) I'll try not to make the wait so long. There are some other sequels and extra chapters that I have been working on forever, as well as brand new stories, and I really want to finish them up. All of last year was spent trying to improve my writing and stretch out a bit more, and none of that work ever got posted. This year, you all will finally get to see the finished product of all that hard work ("Savage Moon" was the first 'improved' story to be posted). So I'll be showing more soon, k? There's no growth without challenge. So I hope I didn't stretch beyond my abilities on some of these. Hehehe! I'll seezya soon, and thanks again you all!

Well, I used to give exact dates on stories before, but considering that life tends to get in the way more times than not, I kinda stopped doing that. I CAN tell you that I'm working on it though. The next story should be "Left Without Words 2", and the rest are just gonna be posted when they're finished. So...soon means...um...later than right now. Hehehe! (Great Comsie. I'm sure THAT helps! Psh!)

As far as dialogue is concerned, I really do agree with what the both of you have said. It's true, the characters do have a voice of their own, and once they exist as real people in your mind, they begin to act and react as individuals. They guide me into what feels like a natural conversation, and I try not to go against that too much. I have some trouble writing everyday chatter sometimes, trying to make it somewhat interesting when there are parts of the story that I'm trying to 'get to'. For example, I might have two events that I want to happen in a certain chapter, and after writing one of those events out...I usually have a hard time trying to naturally build up to the 'next' event. You know? (I hope that makes some kind of sense) I try to put as much trust in the characters as I can as far as dialogue goes, but sometimes I have to give it a little push in order to get through it. Anyway, easily put, the more you concentrate on character, the easier the dialogue. They do all the talking themselves. Hehehe, The Eggman ("A New Life") and I usually joke about the fact that our characters are like tempermental actors most of the time. I ight have something in mind, and it's like they'll turn to me and say, "I'm not gonna say that. My character would never say something like that!" So I have to change it. It can be fun figuring them out though sometimes. Thanks you guys for adding to the board. I let the topic stay up for another week to hopefully get more info on it. ::Shrugs:: Who knows, maybe next topic. ps- Don't worry Taima! Hehehe, it's not you. Some folks are just LAZY! J/K Glad to see you put your two cents in though. Keep it up!

Within every romantic story written, there is a certain relationship between the two main characters. And occassionally outside characters as well. In order to make them believable, there has to be a three-dimensional feel to them and their individual personalities. One of the biggest ways to bring this across is with dialogue. There are very few stoies that can be carried without it in some form or another, and it really does wonders when bringing out the strengths and weaknesses of your characters. So the question for this week is.... =How do you create and write out meaningful dialogue in your stories?= What goes through your mind while trying to build a conversation between two people? How do you keep it from sounding choppy and mechanical? How do you keep everyone from sounding the same? And are there any times when you have TROUBLE with dialogue? Maybe it's harder to write something romantic, or harder to write something angry, or sad, or just typical everyday banter. Some folks have trouble with humorous conversations. Whatever your thoughts and feelings are on writing dialogue...share it with us! Both readers and writers alike are dying to know! The board is open!

Nope! I'll definitely be adding to this story soon! So look for "Pretty Poison 2" soon! (Originaly, it was only going to be a 2 part story. But I doubt it'll stay that way) Thanks dude! By the way, you can catch some cool posts from ysd at the Comicality LIbrary on my site! Don't be bashful man! Plug your shit! Hehehe!

THANKS TAYLOR!!! Yep, I remember reading your email, and I still have it somewhere in my email. So you'll hear from me in the near future. K? Thank you sooo much dude, and come by whenever you get a chance! I really want to see this Cafe grow! As for "GFD" and "MOE"..they will both be getting new chapters soon! But it will take a while, ok? I'm working on it though, promise! Take care! And I'll seezya soon!

Hehehe....me ignore an email? Nah, it doesn't happen fast! Of course there are flks who probably THINK I've forgotten, but chances are that it's still in my inbox somewhere! I'm sorry it's taking so long. I was doing both emails and "Savage Moon" at one time, but had to just concentrate on the stories because it wasn't moving fast enough to meet my own personal deadline for it. Plus, I've had some inspiration for some other stories too. (Which you guys will see soon!) Kewl? Hehehe, now don't go prnting out anything I write you! I'm a big idiot and it'll just look silly when you look back at it! I'll be talking to ya soon though! Promise. K?

Out of all of the stories that you've read online, you might have noticed that there's a slight divide between the types of stories out there. There are stories that you read to read, and stories that you read for...um...'other' reasons. Hehehe! No disrespect to either side, they're just different from one another. What's strange is that there doesn't seem to be any real set of 'rules' concerning what separates one side from the other. Nor are there any explaining those stories that walk the line in between. So this week's question is... = What separates 'porn' from 'romance' in the stories you read and write? = Is it length? Is it the 'amount' of sex? Is it cuddling up afterwards? Is it characterization? What is it? When I started, every chapter, every story, every series, had HEAPS of sex in them. Nowadays I don't indulge in it nearly as much, going for sexual 'tension' and a love affair instead. Then again, I've read stories that have gone from a wonderful romance to hardcore porn so fast that I felt like I missed a chapter in between. So where, in your opinion, is the line, and how do you flirt with that line when writing sexual situations into your story? The board is open! Let us all know what you think!

Hehehe! NO dude, you did great! Don't be nervous, I'm glad you posted. That's what I WANT! I want folks to talk to each other, trade ideas, announce new stories, ask questions. I'm not conducting a lecture here. ::Giggles:: Glad you stopped by Marcus. Missed ya, where've you been, anyway? To answer your question, it's kind of a hard thing to balance, the good and bad elements of a story. And you're right, nobody wants their story to swing from one extreme to the other too predictably or mechanically. Something I try to think about while writing is to have one with an 'awareness' of the other. So while something good is happening, there are references to darker parts of the story. And while situations are bad for the character, it's the thoughts of the good things that pulls him through. In storys like "My Only Escape", "Final Hour", "Taryn's Song", and "Gone From Daylight"...even when things are going badly, there's always a good vibe to latch onto that let's you know that there's a good chance that things will be ok. But while they're having a great time and life seems perfect, you're also aware of this impending doom just around the corner, and you know that it can't stay perfect forever. So there's a balance, but hopefully both elements are present enough at all times in the story, where nothing jumps into this sudden drama without warning. (Unless, of course, that's the intention) So when do we get to see this new story of yours M?

I honestly think that one of the biggest keys to keeping a series going is getting readers to care about the characters. Without that connection between an author and his audience, a lot can get lost. I try to give all of the characters some kind of three dimensional personality if I can, trying to get deeper into who they are and let everyone reading get to 'know' them a bit. That way, even when there's no bg drama or conflict or sexual tension going on, there's still a somewhat likeable character to hold onto. And that leads to more story ideas over time. After about three or four chapters, I usually start building up some kind of plot twists and turns that can further the story along in the future. It can be anything from a certain event, or the introduction of a new character, or just some random occurrence that I think I can build on later. I might drop little hints in chapter three that won't have an impact until chapter 6 or 7, and that little 'open ended' question kinda helps to keep people wondering where I was planning to go with that. So even though I'm telling ONE story from beginning to finish, I'm also hooking them with a little something extra. While one short situation is coming to an end, the other is just beginning, and while THAT one is going on, I'm working on another underlying story to take center stage later on. One example, in "New Kid", when the love between Ryan and Randy isn't the focus of the story, the tension between Tyler and Ariel is built up. When Tyler and Ariel are finally coming together, circumstances between Randy and Ryan's father are coming into play. Then there's two new characters, Cody and Sean, who will have another impact on the story. And by the time that situation is coming to an end, I can easily bring the focus back to Tyler and Ariel again. If you do it smoothly enough, it plays out like one long story, instead of a bunch of little chapters. That's how I want it to read. Like you're getting the chance to peek in on the lives of real people. So that's what I do personally. Create characters that folks will fall in love with, pull your readers along with multiple plot points when you can, and just keep things rolling as smoothly as possible. I hope this helps, for anybody reading.

I just started editing this past Sunday! I'm hoping to have it done for Valentine's Day!

Don't worry, "GFD: Prophecy" is already being planned and plotted out, a little bit has been written, some of it is leftover from the last chapter...it takes time, but it's always in progress. The thing about "GFD" and "Savage Moon" and "Magic Man" and stuff like it...it REALLY takes a lot out of me to finish one and get it right. It's more exhausting than you can imagine, especially if I'm working with plots and storylines that tie into something that happened earlier on in the series. (Everything that has happened to Justin so far in the story will have meaning and an impact by the time it is finished) So yeah, it takes a lot longer to write than it does for you guys to read. I'm SUPER glad to hear that you love it though! Hehehe, I could NOT read through it that fast myself! As for working on one story...not possible. If I just worked on "GFD", the "New Kid" fans would be furious (SOON, by the way! Before anyone even asks! Hehehe). If I only worked on "New Kid", "A Class By Himself" fans would be upset. And there's still tons more that have to be updated. I work on them all depending on what mood I'm in. Mostly because it's always gotta be fun, and natural, and filled with a true expression. In the long run, I think it makes for a better story. But like I said, don't worry. I'm working on something almost every single day. And even though that leads to 15 or 20 unfinished stories at once...they are always moving forward. I guarantee it. The stuff I'm working on now, will hopefully be a lot better than the stuff you've seen before. I've just gotta FINISH the damn things! ::Giggles::