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.



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