The Library of Spanking Fiction: Wellred Weekly


Wellred Weekly
Volume 1, Number 2 : November 22, 2011
 
Articles
Items of interest regarding all things spanking

Do We Really Write Only For Ourselves?
by Linda

Over the years I have heard many authors say, "I write for myself. If other people like it, that's a bonus, but that's not what is important to me." I have also seen established writers advise beginners to write for themselves, and not follow any rules, or be influenced by what others say.

Now, I agree - up to a point. The kind of fiction I write is the kind I like to read - about adults in a loving domestic discipline relationship, with the male as the disciplinarian. Yes, I have experimented with F/M and F/m, but my preference is M/F. So to that extent, I write to please myself.

However, this begs the question - why do I, and hundreds of others, publish? Surely if we were writing for ourselves alone we would simply keep a diary, a private record of our fantasies? Do we want to share our ideas, showcase our talents, receive comments?

For me it's all three. If something I write strikes me as amusing or moving or exciting, then I want to share it, in the hope that others will be similarly affected; I believe, rightly or wrongly, that I am a competent writer, and I do enjoy working with words; comments are generally positive, which I enjoy, though I admit I have been hurt by negative feedback. Personally, I'm with Thumper's mother - "If ya can't say nothin' nice, don't say nothin' at all."

If we accept that we do not write purely for our own entertainment, we might consider another question: how far should we be influenced by our readers? Or to put it another way, should we pander to them?

Given that the majority of Library members are located in the United States, should I adopt American spelling? Is it necessary for me to use 'curb' instead of 'kerb', 'faucet' rather than 'tap', or 'broiler' as opposed to 'grill'? I think not. I credit my readers with intelligence; if they don't know, they can ask, or, since they have the Internet at their fingertips, that can look it up. Certainly, if I were to use a particularly obscure Scottish word like 'scunner', 'dreich' or 'glaikit', I would probably add a footnote, but other than that, I would put my trust in the good sense of the readers.

Incidentally, the validators are specifically told not to change US English to UK and vice versa, and I occasionally had to ask one of the American authors about words such as 'defense', 'dialog' and 'snuck', none of which exists in UK English.

More important than spelling or word choice is, I think, the actual content of our stories. We are writing for an audience; ought we to take on board the comments of those readers who do not like our plots or characters, and change them accordingly?

I have read several comments in which the reader has said that a punishment was 'too severe' or 'unfair'. Katie B, who has given her permission to be mentioned in this article, has received many comments along these lines, often complaining that the father-figure in her stories is harsh to the point of cruelty. Should she change it? No. These are her fantasies, and she should write them as she pleases. Katie's work is tremendously popular, and those who don't like harsh punishment scenes know where the back button is! I was criticised for including a hand-strapping sequence in one story, but that won't stop me writing another should I feel the story requires it. Of course, the commenter has a right to express his opinions, but I don't believe any of us should change our style and content because someone expresses disapproval. The Library at the time of writing holds over 16,000 items. No-one will like all of them, but everyone will find something to his or her taste.

So, what do we owe to our readers? I believe that if we write for an audience, our work should be the very best that we can do. Know the 'rules' of short story writing, but know also when to break them; think of them as guidelines, not The Ten Commandments. Learn or brush up on the basics of punctuation and grammar - and again, know when they can safely be disregarded. Spell-check and proof-read, or better still, have someone else look it over. Simple things, but they do go towards making your stories an enjoyable experience for your readers, and giving you the satisfaction of a job well done.
 
27 comments:
canadianspankee said...
I agree with Linda on a lot of things, just a comment about comments.

If a author gets no comments on a story then the chances are the writer will conclude it was not liked by most people. If one gets positive comments that is great. I think most commenters fit into this area. It is a good thing as too many critics can spoil anything.

However not commenting because we think the story was too harsh or too cruel is not good either. One has to be tactful but at least the author knows someone read the story and cares enough to comment. Negative comments have their place and can contribute to encouraging the writer to continue.
22 November 2011 04:18
bendover said...
For me, I enjoy those who comment. For me, I write not only what pleases me, but also what pleases those at the library as well. Most of my stories are F/m - F/M - f/m. Why? I just like the idea and get excited about the idea of a woman or young girl in charge. I believe a man feels a bit more humility in giving up his masculinity. Women are stronger in more ways than one. That's the bottom line.

As far as comments by the readers. I enjoy a comment that tells me that person enjoyed my story and will probably remember it. What I don't like is when someone will mention what I should have done, what is plausable, and what should have happened here and there. I say, fine, then write a story YOUR way.
22 November 2011 04:36
jools said...
A very thought provoking article Linda. Thank you.
22 November 2011 07:30
Seegee said...
I know a lot of what I write is my own fantasies and if I share them with others and people get some joy out of them then I'm happy about it.
22 November 2011 08:46
lusher said...
Linda, I liked your article a lot and especially liked that you used Katie B's fiction as an example of writing to audience. As an enthusiastic fan of her stories, I get frustrated by negative comments by readers who are clearly familiar with her typical style, yet continue to read and comment about "sick" or "perverse" themes and characters.

Thoughtful criticism of form - whether a story is plotted and written well, with believable dialog and action, with characters whose motivations and conflicts are clear - should always be welcome to writers. However, telling a writer over and over that their stories are too harsh or perverse seems less like literary criticism and more like a judgment of personal character. It's pointless at best and potentially hurtful at worst. It discourages when it happens to writers whose fantasies jibe with mine, and honestly makes me reluctant to share my own.
22 November 2011 09:37
blimp said...
Excellent article Linda. I think a lot of us are guilty of saying I write for myself. Perhaps slightly hypocritically as nearly everyone enjoys praise and likes to feel that their stories can make an impression on someone else.
22 November 2011 11:07
rollin said...
A thought provoking article. I write what intrigues me and these days it seems like it's mostly melding spanking themes into stories that belong to other genres like mystery-thriller, romance or sci-fi. So is it for me or for my audience? I have to conclude it's me, mostly. If were to write mainly to pander to the largest sector of readers here, I'd write childhood school or family type pure spanking stories. But I don't. What I do is grab a concept or story line that interests me and run with it. Around here that makes me a niche writer with a limited audience, but that's ok.
22 November 2011 19:33
TheEnglishMaster said...
Thanks, Linda, for a very thoughtful and thought-provoking piece. A beautifully crafted essay!
At first, my motive for writing was about 90% for myself and the fun of fictionalising my favourite fantasies. But that wears off and it's natural to seek a wider acknowledgement. Yes, there's vanity in it, but the desire to affect others is also a noble one.
22 November 2011 21:45
AlanBarr said...
Thanks for a very clear and well-argued article, Linda. I agree with CS that negative comments have their place - if only to make the positive comments more credible. And they may bring some defect to the writer's attention, which the writer agrees with, once they are aware of it. In one story i abandoned paragraphs for what I thought were good artistic reasons, but more than one commenter found it difficult to read, so I won't be trying that again!
23 November 2011 00:36
corncrake said...
This is a very well-reasoned argument, and the number of comments it has attracted are indicative of how important the topic is to all of us. Thank you, Linda, for making us think!
23 November 2011 08:29
DannySwottem5 said...
A very well constructed article and all the more authoritative with Linda as it`s author.

As one of those who could be accused of posting less than helpful comments about Katie B`s stories on occasion I feel obliged to make a response. Katie B is a very accomplished writer and she is, as the article quite rightly points out, very popular and her stories attract much more praise in the main than criticism.

On those occasions when I have made somewhat negative comments I have tried to balance it out by also making reference to what is good about the story. The tone of my comments have been prompted by a sense of concern about stories involving excessively cruel and degrading practices involving minors and I stand by that.

I am very well aware it is fantasy and I wouldn`t be visiting this site if I didn`t fantasize about spanking and that being so many might say I should not be adopting a holier-than -thou attitude because it smacks of double standards. This site caters to so many people with different appetites and much as you wouldn`t order food you do not like in a restaurant why read a story that you`re not going to fully enjoy and ,of course, as Linda quite rightly points out there`s always the back button.

The synopsis as provided is very important because whilst it should not spoil the enjoyment of potential readers maybe it should carry more than the usual hint when the story contains extreme practices.

I`m not advocating any form of censorship here because that isn`t on with a site of this nature and besides which we are all denizens of a strange land and who should judge what should or should not be censored.

I would also like to add that in commenting on her stories I am in no way passing any form of judgement on Katie B`s personal character or moral compass or anything of the like because I wouldn`t dream of doing such a thing. It is writers of her calibre that make this site the wonderful place it is and I would never wish to cause anybody hurt.

The moral is stick to what you know because whilst experimenting can be fun and broaden your horizons you also run the risk of getting burned fingers now and then.
23 November 2011 12:36
KJM said...
Excellent and thoughtful essay, Linda. I also think that most of us start writing for him/herself and then - because Internet permits it - decides "I can do as well as most, or even better, let's see" - and sends his/her first story to a site.

The joy of being accepted and “published” for first time is only damped if there’s no reaction from the readers. After all, there was a reason why I sent that story.

No reaction at all, or worse, a cruel or thoughtless comment can kill the new author in the bud. A positive word, or even a constructive criticism means a lot to someone who just opened his/her very soul – even if anonymously – to the public.

So, why do I send stories for other to read? I want to tickle my ego, first by getting published and second by getting feedback. The more, the better.

Oh, yes and in my particular case I also want to know if my English is at least reasonable enough to be appreciated by English speaking community.


24 November 2011 01:50
njrick said...
I'll be honest - I DON'T write for myself. I write for the throngs of readers who adore my stories ("throngs" being properly interpreted as a half dozen or so). I DO write about themes, situations and characters that I enjoy (rather than writing either to requests, or to what I think readers MIGHT like), but still I want my stories enjoyed by the reader.
24 November 2011 01:57
Alef said...
I have to agree with Rick; I don't think I can honestly say that I write only for myself anymore. Perhaps I could claim that for the first two or three stories (which were written with a clear self-therapeutic purpose), but there is no way I could have continued to write without a hope for readers.

The first stories I wrote were published on a site with no feedback facilities, and it took more than a year before I got the first indication that somebody had actually read the stories (and then the website were this chance meeting took place immediately collapsed). Still the feeling that somebody might actually be reading what I wrote provided a great impetus to go on.

It's horrible to admit, but I have become spoiled and these days I feel depressed if only a few bother to comment on a new story. Negative comments are definitely better than no comments — at least as long as they are honest, polite and constructive!
24 November 2011 16:59
Miss_Naughty said...
A very interesting article which indeed highlighted a very thought provoking question. For myself, I'm very new to writing and it’s only something I've been doing for the last six months. I was encouraged to write a story every week and as I wrote my imagination began working. I didn't post anything in the library for several months for many reasons, I didn't think I was good enough, who on earth would want to read my stories and I lacked self belief at what I had compiled.

My online top at the time told me how gratifying it was to receive comments. I must agree when you get the feedback it is exhilarating, constructive criticism is also very helpful, particularly when one is so new to writing.

In all honesty, at the moment I write for myself and I am intrigued with the thoughts that come from my inner self. Ask me again in another six months and the answer could well be very different.
25 November 2011 15:55
barretthunter said...
Yes, thoughful and clear, thanks, Linda.

There's a distinction between not taking notice of what other people say and not thinking about your readers. Inexperieced writers can easily be put off by negative comments, or can be led out of the style that is distinctively theirs into a pale imitation of someone else's, losing what they're best at - so it makes sense, early on, not to take too much notice of comments except the praise! But I think all writers should consider their readers. It makes no sense to write something you know people won't understand, or not to clarify an ambiguity because you know what you mean (though of course, sometimes it's good to put in deliberate ambiguities). Creating suspense, for example, depends on the writer imagining how the reader will react: after all, the writer nearly always knows what will happen, so for him/her, there's no suspense.

As for the point about different variants of English, to standardise would be an act of intolerance. Most of us can perfectly well understand defence/defense, tap/faucet and so on, though I do find "curb" confusing because it also means a restriction, as in "a curb on freedom", and a kerb is not a curb in that sense. I think a few understandable variants add to the credibility and interest of the story. I'd expect a story set in Australia to include people talking in an Australian way, and one set in Nigeria to include a few distinctive African constructions.
1 December 2011 12:08
opb said...
A call to honesty Linda! Do we write for ourselves ?

Initially I wrote partly out of a sense of obligation to the community that had allowed me to read their stories for free and so I felt I should put something back, and partly as Alef admits, it was self-theraputic. Having done it for a few years I now have less urge to write, so perhaps the latter reason is more important.

As regards to material, like Rollin if I were to want to pander to the audience I'd end up writing the very stories which I don't read, so they'd end up very under-edited.
6 December 2011 14:53
tribemen said...
I started to write my stories several years ago in order to share what I write with everyone but alas I don't post my stories anymore because unlike some of you "better" writers I made or make too many mistakes and do not have the ability or know how to fix what I write and for that I'm sorry.
I presently just write and save my stories and eventually send them to my personal friends who don't seem to care if I messed up somewhere.
But no I never have just written any story for myself.

JCP

5 January 2012 04:21
catmama said...
As a person with little or no creative ability, especially I am fascinated by learning how people with creative talents do what they do. Oddly enough, I use to teach creative thinking, which is another example of the old saying, "those who can, do, those who can't, teach." I have enjoyed reading all of these comments on Linda's essay from all of you, as you are all authors I have read and admired. I do have a few thoughts about it, myself.

As a reader, who cannot write, I appreciate the opportunity to read the diverse works in this library. If I read something which does not appeal to my tastes, I stop reading. I certainly would not feel it is appropriate to tell the author that they are wrong in their choice of topic or actions in the story, just as I would not tell the public library to censor their collections. We are all adults here so we have the right to choose.

I especially enjoy the variety of terms used and spellings. We all read and write in English, but the variations denote our different cultures and help to establish the scene. If I don't know what something means, I will ask. It brings about dialogue. I now know what Pease Pudding is, because I asked and the recipe was left on the notice board. I seriously doubt that I will ever eat it, however!

I do make it a point to try and comment on the stories and poems that I read. Although I don't feel that I am qualified to offer a valid critique, I do try to let the author know that their work is appreciated. I think, we,the readers, owe it to you to show our enjoyment and gratitude for your work and talent.
5 February 2012 01:25
alfent said...
Most interesting article. Lots of food for thought.
4 June 2012 15:18
gail said...
I really enjoyed this article and all the commentary on it - it starts to crystallize what this communities' motivations are.

When I am having a writing mood, I love the creative outlet that a site like this provides. It's a bit like photography; I can take photos and enjoy them and even post them on Flickr - but I get an instant kick when someone finds them and comments or fave's them I would suspect that this is a natural reaction for any artist, and at the end of the day, writers are artists.

Catmama commented: "If I read something which does not appeal to my tastes, I stop reading." I do too; in fact my reading tastes are very limited and I suspect my click-through rates are higher than most. Consequently, I am not a prolific commenter, and my declining to comment on a story is more a reflection of my taste than any shortcoming of the author. I understand that this site has an intense focus on getting comment levels up, but as an author I would rather have a smaller, more discerning audience with a few well considered comments, than a multitude of comments from a readership who felt morally obliged to comment because that is what the community expects.
8 July 2012 19:45
EvieLee said...
That's such a good point you make about some of the comments. As a new reader, I was surprised at how many comments are concerned with whether or not the writer's plot meshed with the commenter's own spanking fantasies (like the "too severe" or "unfair" examples that you used). As to critical comments, I think I was expecting to see critiques of the writing itself rather than the storyline.

But I do understand how that would come about. As others have mentioned, the library strongly promotes commenting and the first thing that's going to pop into most of our heads is whether or not the storyline was erotic and satisfying on a personal level. But I love reading the literary critiques the most. I'm glad so many authors take the time to comment; I think it raises the bar a bit ;)

Thanks for the interesting article!
30 July 2013 01:53
Redskinluver said...
Fine article, and with which I totally agree. I like comments, they show people are reading my work.I I think I'd rather have someone saying my work sucked than just totally disregarding it. Though I'd prefer constructive criticism.

As for my commenting, I have to go with Linda and Thumper's Mom. If a story is not something I like, or am not interested in I don't read it, or don't continue. But I know that it may be just what someone else loves.

As for why I write, yes, in part its to prove I can do it, show that I can stand up there with other writers. But I write what I like, about events I'd like to read about. I love F/F stories and have been irritated when I have have seen on other sites that this is somehow an "inferior" genre, that only M/F is valid. Yes, I like and have written M/F, even tried my hand at F/M and M/M. But to me its the storyline not the gender of the characters that is basic.

Likewise I have written stories where spankings are given over clothes,be they tight jeans, spandex shorts, swimwear, panties, etc. But I know there are those who say if its not bare, its not a true spanking.I don't write for "purists" like that obviously.

In a nutshell, I write what I like, and if others enjoy it, wonderful.
30 July 2013 13:00
mobile_carrot said...
I probably write for myself initially on the premise that if I don't much like a story I've written how can I expect others to like it? However I try to vary between M/f, F/m and something in the middle, plus school stories, and if there's too much caning going on how about the slipper or belt? I also ask, if I took the spanking out and presented it as a piece of fiction to a more vanilla audience would it still stand up as an interesting read?
4 August 2013 09:27
gr8sh8kes said...
Excellent points all round. I think your balance between the most-read language and your own is excellent and helpful to me: with a varied audience, I have been struggling with that problem for years, and not just with these stories.

Also, I love a lot of your stories! More power to your elbow!
28 July 2014 15:25
holymoses said...
I know the stories are supposed to be fiction. If fact, most of us have triggers from real events that we draw upon when creating a story. I had a very strict Mother that gave me a lot to write about. When I read stories on the subject, many times it takes me back to a day when I dreaded having my name called.
The reason we continue reading these stories, is, they strike a memory, or wish in our reasoning.
Just my $.02 worth.
8 September 2017 20:14
CarolinaPaddler said...
This is a fine article. Linda was a treasure and I appreciated her guidance on a story, I had written for the library.
7 July 2023 03:35

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