sweetmamajama

I checked one of your stories out, I won’t say which one because I’m embarrassed lol. I don’t read M/F but… you write a good sex scene sir! 
I’m not new to AFF, but I also have never been a large contributor… I’m glad i saw this topic because that’s why I’m here on the forums... A few months back I too posted a story which I felt was one of my best works. The old ones had maybe 100 comments each, I was so sure I wouldn’t have an issue and I’d get some feedback, but 2 comments…. lol. It really scared me and made me doubt myself. I did a lot of editing and I’m back to post again, but since that happened to me, I’m seeing how much of an affect I can have on my fellow writers. We can always offer each other encouragement. We can show each other support. We can really make someone’s day by leaving them a simple message. I feel VERY socially awkward, but I’m here to give support. Because like all humans, I need a little support too :-P I’m going back to leave you a comment, Melrick  Nice to meet you!

So I’ve been thinking, what are some of the good ways to leave hints in a mystery? I like being subtle, but how subtle is too subtle? What if the audience doesn't seem to notice or even search for clues? Should I let them know that there is a hint and they can look for it if they want to find out “who done it”? Or should I just leave them to figure it out by themselves or just miss everything and only see the things in hindsight? Isn't it the point of leaving clues that a reader can figure shit out by themselves? That’s certainly the fun of it, at least for me.
So what do you think? Any advice/suggestions?
 

In my case its mostly about fantasy vs reality. For example in real life I am very squeamish about things I put near my mouth and face and butthole but I read and write m/m and find it pretty hot. I also find rimming very hot in fantasy but in reality I wouldn't wanna have my tongue anywhere near an asshole.
I have a lot of underage shit going on in my stories too (both written and still in my head) even though I don't find teenagers sexually attractive. I think that maybe that's because I find ‘sexual awakening’ interesting to write about. Also there are stories of mine that kinda demand it because of the marriage customs and the ideas of consent and sexual maturity are different in the story’s universe than in our own. And of course, since a lot of my characters have terrible childhoods, there are the backstories and flashbacks that are usually very... unpleasant to write. Hmm...when I look back I wrote a lot of things that were unpleasant to write…
But I think I got a bit off topic, sorry my brain is just not working properly today...idk did I answer the question? I forgot what I was gonna say! Whaa am I so broken?!

Aww my poor bobo! What story are you talking about? Crawling within?

But to answer the actual thread: I'm currently writing a story that in my opinion is my best (though that isn't saying much...) both in writing style and plot. And out of all of my stories it received the least lovin! I had stories (on other websites btw) that were total shit and ppl loved it! And its so bad I feel really embarrassed now by the shittynes of the plot that didn't make sense, the characters that were ether empty shells or sadistic fuckers and all of the grammatical errors. And it was my most beloved story… ppl suck!

In my case its mostly about fantasy vs reality. For example in real life I am very squeamish about things I put near my mouth and face and butthole but I read and write m/m and find it pretty hot. I also find rimming very hot in fantasy but in reality I wouldn't wanna have my tongue anywhere near an asshole.
I have a lot of underage shit going on in my stories too (both written and still in my head) even though I don't find teenagers sexually attractive. I think that maybe that's because I find ‘sexual awakening’ interesting to write about. Also there are stories of mine that kinda demand it because of the marriage customs and the ideas of consent and sexual maturity are different in the story’s universe than in our own. And of course, since a lot of my characters have terrible childhoods, there are the backstories and flashbacks that are usually very... unpleasant to write. Hmm...when I look back I wrote a lot of things that were unpleasant to write…
But I think I got a bit off topic, sorry my brain is just not working properly today...idk did I answer the question? I forgot what I was gonna say! Whaa am I so broken?!

But to answer the actual thread: I'm currently writing a story that in my opinion is my best (though that isn't saying much...) both in writing style and plot. And out of all of my stories it received the least lovin! I had stories (on other websites btw) that were total shit and ppl loved it! And its so bad I feel really embarrassed now by the shittynes of the plot that didn't make sense, the characters that were ether empty shells or sadistic fuckers and all of the grammatical errors. And it was my most beloved story… ppl suck!

In the end, there’s no real “the one true way” to name a character, and it depends on the nature of your story.  Tolkien was creating his own world, he could name as he saw fit for that world.  Mine, trying to hold some semblance of realism, well, need to generally be something you’d likely find in the phone directory (you know, those old collections of sheets of paper used to level furniture and monitor stands).  For me, I lean on random names/trait pickers as my mind doesn’t do well when facing a blank page, and to avoid ending up with a thousand clones of the same character with very similar names.  As most of my characters won’t make it to the actual page, I’m generally not fretting over whether his/her name rhymes with another’s.  (For MCs and other important characters, I will generally fill out their family trees a bit, to get a feel, ie, siblings, cousins, etc.)

I don’t know. I partly agree and disagree. Like, I see what you’re saying. As a reader, I usually don’t go around checking into the meaning and etymology of a character’s name. But for me personally, names hold power the same way words hold power. Sometimes I’ll avoid reading a story just because the naming is too generic or too indulgent. And it can be an interesting extension to a character if you make a statement with their name, such as a timid little mouse of a character named Butch lol. There’s also the emphasizing or expressing some aspect of your character’s background or personality through naming, but that kinda thing is so subjective. It has more to do with sound for me than meaning. For others, meaning is very important. 

very true, but a name can help make the character memorable, for better or worse.

If you want to leave hints and clues to your mystery, then you’re playing a  dangerous game. Keep them subtle enough that the reader will recognize them in hindsight rather than use them as foreshadowing.
 
Or in other words. Make your clues subtle enough that the reader won’t see it on the first read through but will recognize things during the second.  The best clues are usually not what you show happening, but rather just alluding to something that happneed off page.
Having the main character notice a tear in the cuff of the butler’s sleeve. Have an off hand comment that  the woman was seen talking with someone named Marcus.

Easy. DOn’t overthink it. Go with the combination of phonemes that create just the right emotional impact you’re trying to go for.

No set process. I just pick whatever rolls off the tongue. If I get thoughtful about it. I ask myself. What did their parents name them. Which gets me thinking about the background of the parents and the family upbringing.
 
I rarely do that anymore since the name, is basically the most unimportant part of the character. You can name a character anything.A great souding name will not save a poorly written character.

I was gonna ask if the multi-appendaged people jumping school girls are female multi-appendaged people, but I’m afraid we may have gotten off topic. Um, so yeah… Diversity is good. 

Another thing about writing a diverse cast I really like, is that research GeorgeGlass mentioned. It kinda forces you into learning about other types of people, and learn a little about things you’ve never experienced before. If you do it well, it’s an excellent lesson in empathy. 

Fuuuuck yeah! Ppl who do that should be stoned to death! Long live the Matriarchy!

As someone who has tried to show a rather diverse cast of characters within my writing (of which, unfortunately, only one has achieved this at this point in time; others, not posted, have done so as well, but...), I’m curious and, in all fairness, perhaps this curiosity can help someone in writing their own endeavours.
Firstly, how do you attempt to drastically avoid the cliches and stereotypes of the characters who aren’t, so to speak, your background?  Secondly, as writers, do you often have concerns that, who or what you’re writing about will be disrespectful to that culture?  And thirdly, for aspiring writers, is it better to avoid making references to the diverse cast and allow the reader to otherwise insert their own thoughts and ideas for the cast?
In my attempts, I usually do a fair amount of research, sometimes relying on friends who are there or know people who are, or, and this is the usual aspect, I do a lot of research into the culture (religion, views, thoughts on the aspects in the story, cultural history).  This isn’t always perfect.  (Logically, one takes the internet and, even, written word research with a grain of salt based off who is writing it (every man, woman, child, dog, cat, and parrot seems to have some opinion on some culture somewhere in the world). 
As for point two, I’m always worried about how it will come across when writing my characters.  CR can verify that much (...surprised CR hasn’t ended up in fetal position in corner mumbling incoherently as a result of my worry...), which usually means lots of discussions...  Not sure if there’s anything that can really be done there…
I had asked myself quite often while writing mine and figured others might have had the same thoughts or even may be able to offer advice and tips that can help.
 
TCR
 

I’d totally love to see more autistic or aspergers characters. Or aliens! Aliens are fun too. Tentacle monsters with deep, multi-faceted personalities need more representation in erotica. 

I’m sorry! What do your people prefer to be called? Tentacled gentlemen?

Obsession?  You?  No, say it ain't so!  Lol.
As a wildly ranged reader of all sorts of weird random stuff...  To me, the numbers don't matter much.  If I'm engrossed in a chapter, for example, I'm not likely to notice if it's five pages or twenty-five pages.  In the flip side of the statement, if it's boring and drags on for all unnecessary eternity, then five sentences feel like five hundred pages.…
As a writer, I'm bad...  I set myself up, not with a word count, butane average page count (for ones which I'm trying to publish).  It has to be an average of ten pages!  No more, no less!  The line must be drawn here!
On here...  I tend to go with what a chapter feels like...  If it feels complete to me, I end it...  Which isn't always a good thing, as sometimes a chapter isn't entirely done.  So my page counts vary wildly...  From as little as two and a half to as much as nine....

This is actually something I think about a lot. Like way more than I should: word count. I really do obsess over it. I have a certain number range in which I try to keep most of my chapters (though some deviate if there isn’t a natural scene end within the range). And as a reader, I get intimidated easily by long chapters. 
As readers, what are your thoughts about word count (or page count)? What’s the ideal length for the first chapter of a story you’re reading for the first time? 
As writers/readers, do your preferences when you write differ from your preferences when you read? 

That is helpful. It’s good to know not everyone gets intimidated by a longish page of text like I do. 

Haven’t I said that many times?  lol.
On a personal level, I feel that if you have the same, repetitive nature of a two page chapter system without any change, it becomes boring and monotonous IF you don’t keep the audience’s attention.  A ten page chapter that draws you in can feel like a two page one; a one paragraph chapter (which, admittedly, pisses me off), can feel like a twenty page chapter if it’s plain boring…  Longer chapters are fine, if they’re not draw out to impossible sizes by multiple tangents, thus boring people to death.

Umm I’ll have you know good sire that “tentacle monster” is a racial slur! My ppl deserve respect god damn it!

Personally I hate short chapters. When I see that a story has like 20 chapters and get super excised to read that shit and then discover that all the chapters are like super short I get pissed! So I’d take a longer chapter any day. But I get it, super long chapters can be a pain in the ass for a reader and sometimes intimidating. So honestly medium is the best. Now idk how much this is when it comes to word count, so the words “long” and “short” are subjective. So I don't think I helped much here...but I gotta get that post cred! #thuglife

You’re probably right, DP, but that made me shudder a lil bit. I try to make my characters so vastly different than me or anyone I know so it’s more fun to explore them and get to know them lol. 

Anyway… TCR, I totally used to do the all-white cast thing. Which is weird, because I grew up in a neighbourhood with like 50% plus of plains cree. But I guess since my experience was of a white person, my view of the world was pretty white-washed. It never really even occurred to me to put in a diverse cast in my first few years of writing. Even when I wrote a story that took place in the Louisiana bayou, they were all white. I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing, but it sure does leave a lot to be desired. So in the last 10 or so years, I’ve been enjoying creating more diverse casts. Trying to make my worlds seem more real, and my characters more varied in all aspects. 
I don’t really try to steer away from stereotypes, though when I do use stereotypes, I want them to be so well rounded, they don’t feel like a stereotype, you know? Because when you think of a stereotype for gay men, one of the first that comes to mind is effeminate. And effeminate gay guys do exist, and shouldn’t be excluded just because they’ve been treated like the butt of a joke, you know? So when writers use stereotypes, I just expect them to put a lot of love into developing them. Same would go for cultures. If you’re going to use a negative cultural stereotype, I’d definitely hope there’d be something in their character to balance them out.