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How long does it take you to write a story?

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Lurker
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How long does it take you guys to write and completely finalise a story?? I ask because i find that i CANNOT stop finetuning/making little changes to mine until it does my head in.
Active Ink Slinger
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Anything from an hour to a week. The better ones take a lot less time.

If you're into re-drafting, a friend who is a published author says that if it's not right on the 6th draft it never will be.
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Why not read some stories instead

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Active Ink Slinger
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I usually take a few days to get mine done. I don't do a lot of rewriting and drafts though, and I know my work could be a lot better if I did. I wouldn't worry to much about being so critical of your work though. I'm never 100% happy with anything creative I do, I just got over the anxiety I had about nothing ever being good enough.

Just put something out there, and don't be upset about the bad reviews. The good usually outweigh the bad anyway.
Her Royal Spriteness
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Two weeks is about average for me. i sit down and write in bursts and that's usually about a week long process, depending on my story, then i sort of take a week to edit and rewrite it a bit - my writing time is usually limited to about an hour a day, otherwise it might be faster, plus, i tend to write longer stories and some of them just need lots of attention. Paris in Flames and the Mrs V stories all took about 3 weeks to from start to finish.

You can’t truly call yourself peaceful unless you are capable of violence. If you’re not capable of violence, you’re not peaceful. You’re harmless.

Lurker
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I agree with Sprite here. In general, about 2 weeks for a Lush length story. I write the basics and try to edit it a maximum of four times, before declaring it finished. I did write one that I posted on Lush in a day once but usually I write for about an hour or so at a time. If I am really into it, I keep going.

I have been working on a full length novel that has taken nearly three years. I know the ending I want, but can't get there but I nearly have enough material for a follow up now.

I enjoy the editing part the most.
Lurker
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I find a lot of the writing is in thinking about the story before typing it. I listen to my body, and what is stimulating my fantasies at the time. I consider what arouses me the absolute most. Often I fantasize about people I know. My brother-in-law is always a good one, but I also can use a doctor I have, neighbor, husband's friend, or sometimes even a girl I was attracted to whom I met that day. Then, depending on their personality I think about what the erotic, sexual fantasy would be. As writer, you get to play God in an alternate universe, so I think about what I'd like the situation to be, and mostly what emotional themes I want to get to. Because I think ultimately, describing sex is OK, but mostly it's the emotional stuff that drives the eroticism. Mostly your mind and body response to your sexual musings can tell you where to go.

BUT.. all of that thinking is spread out over time, while I'm doing other things all day, or falling asleep at night sometimes. Once I think I have enough to go on, then I start to write the story. I always pick a time when I can be undisturbed for an hour or so (hard to find that time sometimes. Usually it's late at night), and I'll start to write what I've been thinking about. I also light a few candles and masturbate while I write. That way it's easier to guide myself. So the writing only takes an hour or two, but I go rather quickly to keep up with my fantasy as it unfolds while I'm touching myself.
Lurker
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If I'm really interested in the story that I came up with, I'll write it in an hour, give or take, and those are all my Busy Daughter stories. My last story took 4 months to write just because I wouldn't sit down and write it out. It just depends on how quickly one writes. I'm one who doesn't do drafts, because I recheck what I've written as I'm writing constantly. It's actually a hindrance haha I'm sure mine would be much better if I were to actually check mine over >.>
Alpha Blonde
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It totally depends on time constraints. If I'm motivated and have free days over a weekend (or insomnia), I can finish a story in a couple of days, and then an extra day's evening hours for edits etc. I'd say that as long as I'm not procrastinating, the whole process usually averages around a week.

For me, the plotting is always the most intense part of the process... the writing itself is fairly easy. When I write a story, I always have the plot points very carefully fine-tuned ahead of time, so from there it's more like I'm just describing the 'movie' playing in my mind.
Her Royal Spriteness
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i should add that, like Doll, when i sit down and write, the basic story is firmly in my head - sometimes it wanders a bit, but i know where it starts, where it's going, the twists and turns, and where it should end up. always have a clear vision in your head - i rarely write notes, other then a simple line, btw, but i sort of imagine it over a period of time before i ever open up the lap top and being writing.

You can’t truly call yourself peaceful unless you are capable of violence. If you’re not capable of violence, you’re not peaceful. You’re harmless.

Wild at Heart
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For me it varies quite a bit. Sometimes a couple of weeks. Sometimes a few hours depending on my mood and boredom level. Some stories I feel are better than others and edit and work on them more, adding a pinch salt here and a dash of pepper there. Sometimes I'll send them to a friend to proof read and this can add a week to the process because usually I'll try their suggestions. Ironically though, the story that took me four hours to write is my most popular in terms of number of views and votes... The one that has taken me the longest is my least popular but I consider it my best. Hard to tell what people will like.
Lurker
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Between one hour, several months, and many years.

I am serious about that. For me it isn't about the length of time but being true to the nature and quality of the story itself. Nevertheless, in general I take my time and am the harshest critic of my own work. I proofread, edit, reread, edit, read again, fall into the pits of despair, reread or cry on the e-mail shoulders of friends, and re-edit the darn thing.

That is just one more reason why it takes me so very long.

My most recent story - see my sig - was relatively quick for me, since I started and finished it within a two month period. It was still two weeks too late and four hundred words too long for the last Lush comp, which is what inspired it.

Purveyor of Poetry & Porn
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Quote by sprite
i should add that, like Doll, when i sit down and write, the basic story is firmly in my head -


Yeah, I'd have to pretty much agree with that...otherwise I'd just sort of sit down and stare at a blank screen...

I figured out once it takes me about an hour per page in Word to write a story...for all that's worth...

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Lurker
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Generally I can write one in about 2 hours (and it probably shows, especially on Ronnie, Jack and Marie, I'll admit, that one is total balls, but there was no editing, I literally wrote it and submitted it the same day without looking it over), but I tend to write and then put it away for a few weeks, go back and edit it over a couple of days. My follow up to Ruby and Katya took about a year and I'm still not satisfied with it, but it's out there and I never give myself second chances. Sometimes though, I'll write in bursts but that takes too darn long and I get frustrated, but the end results are usually pretty good.
Story Verifier
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I lose interest easily, so my stories take a long time. At least a few weeks...sometimes even a few months. I'll get inspired and start something, then lose steam when it comes to writing the sexual details. For some reason that always trips me up. I also get distracted easily, and find myself chatting and reading instead of writing. I have three unfinished series and about a half dozen half-finished stories on my computer!
When truly inspired, I can crank it out though. I wrote a 60,000 word novel in three months.
Lurker
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If I’m not distracted or thinking about so many things, it’ll take me less than a week.
Lurker
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If it's a poem, they usually take up to half an hour

If it's a story, the longest took about 3 hours in total - now if only I could find that sort of focus in the real world...
Lurker
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I just observe the routine, read about the ideas that pop into my mind, and start writing them out. It usually takes me longer, than I expect, to post them.
Internet Philosopher
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That's a tough question. I have written some well received poems as I could type but on the other side of the scale my more complicated story lines like the last chapters of Kelly's Passion literally took weeks each. Ironically my most popular work, the Survivor is also one of my most complex but only took a few hours to pen. For me it just depends on how I feel.
I have noticed that writing in the first person is far easier for me then the 3rd person perspective is. I plan on mainly staying in the first person in the future simply because it is easier and seems to be generally well received.
Lurker
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Writing the Story, once I have the idea in my head, normally takes a couple of hours.....

Editing the story can take days, and I never get it perfectly right......

xx SF
The Linebacker
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A couple of hours of writing on my college stories. I have no idea on the editing. I am dyslexic so my first draft looks comical its such a mess. That last story I wrote (fiction) took much longer than usual.

I had to edit this forum post!

Lurker
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It depends. Apart from my 2nd story (which took 3 hours), I take days. sometimes 2 weeks. It depends on how much time I have and editing takes me even longer. But I rather take my time and write than hurry with a story.
Active Ink Slinger
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Since I only seem to be able to write a sexy story when in the mood, it usually takes a few weeks. Perhaps it takes only a few hours to write the exposition, but then I tend to get interrupted by life, and I can't get back to it until I'm feeling inspired or horny again. When the first draft is done, I need a few hours to clean it up, which I can do even when not quite as inspired. However, a few hours get spread over a few days because I can't get that much time to myself unless I stay up very late and I'm no good at editing late at night.

It's rare but a lot of fun when a story sort of stumbles out on its own without a big effort.

Full time writers have a very difficult job!
An old favorite story of mine: The Chaise Lounge
Purveyor of Poetry & Porn
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Quote by gypsymoth
Between one hour, several months, and many years.



That is a classic answer there Gypsy I must say...glad you don't charge by the hour...would be a bit rough if you had to submit an estimate in advance, me thinks...

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Lurker
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Quote by DirtyMartini


That is a classic answer there Gypsy I must say...glad you don't charge by the hour...would be a bit rough if you had to submit an estimate in advance, me thinks...


LOL! I don't get paid at all for writing Alan, so it comes out to the same tarif.
Active Ink Slinger
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Sometimes they leap into my head, practically complete.m Then, it only takes an hour or so to put it into writing. Other times, I mull them over for many years, before they come to fruition.
"There's only three tempos: slow, medium and fast. When you get between in the cracks, ain't nuthin' happenin'." Ben Webster
Active Ink Slinger
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It depends on how strong the inspiration is. If the inspiration is strong, the words come pretty quickly and I just have to formulate them and edit the story. My more recent stories haven't taken more than a few hours to write.

I'm expecting inspiration to strike tomorrow ;)
In custody.

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Rookie Scribe
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This always depends on what type of story I would be writing, like the story I am working on right now took about a month to develop (Characters, Back story, Reason, Details etc.) But when I actually write it doesn't take me more then 2 days.
Active Ink Slinger
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It was Oscar Wilde who summed up some of my writing days perfectly:

"I spent the morning inserting a comma. Then I spent the afternoon taking it out again."
News of ALL my novels (and where to get free copies) via charmbrights@yahoo.co.uk
Lurker
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I hadn't written a story since my schooldays (mid 70's) before joining Lush. Now I carry my "Lush notebook" everywhere. My stories have taken between twenty minutes and six months. I guess it depends on where one draws one's inspiration from. The story I'm currently working on is an audio one. Five takes already..it could be out by Christmas!
Active Ink Slinger
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Typically an 80 page book takes me two weeks to write and edit. But on the other end of the spectrum, I have a 650 page book that I'm still tossing around after almost two years. Really depends on the writing level as well. Anything written at university english lit level is going to be brutal to edit. I've heard of some people taking 10 years.
Leigh Jarrett
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Come Play In My World...
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