Writer's Guide Author - GaggedUtopia  [Email Author]  [Profile] Unique Views - 0 Post Date - 10/25/2009

This is a first draft of what will be an evolving article. I have received dozens of emails asking for tips and ideas for posting quality stories. Like anything, practice makes perfect but there are some tips to speed the process along. Some of these will seem obvious but if you are fans of this site, you have seen them made over and over again.

Lastly, I welcome all feedback and suggestions for making this better! Click the contact link for my contact and email address. ~gu

Submission Guidelines

• Format the story like you would see in a book or newspaper. Paragraph's ranging from 3-8 sentences are preferred. Huge blocks of text are hard to read and stories will receive a lower rating.


• Stories should be complete and have a natural stopping point. Chapters are OK.


• Stories/chapters should be at least 1,000 words in length. Average stories are typically 3,000 words.


• Use a word processor. This isn't 1990, if you have the tools to send in a story, you have access to (free) word processors. http://openoffice.org is one of the best (and free) office suites out there.


• Proofread, Proofread, Proofread. Most of us do not have someone that can proof the story for us. A great method is to put it on the shelf for a week or two and re-read it. You will find dozens of small errors that spell and grammar checkers won't.


• Don't go wild with HTML tags. Bold and Italics are typically OK if used sparingly. Other tags will usually be stripped or the story rejected if there are too many to edit easily.


• Stories featuring underage persons (even if only implied), incest or murder will not be published.


• Submitted stories must be 100% your own work. Revised work from other author's will not be accepted.

Writing a Better Story

• Trim the fat, add meat! When proofreading the story, remove any details that don't add to the story. While you're at it, use this opportunity to touch up areas that may not be as clear and could use more detail.


• Don't be afraid to mix things up and use your imagination. The more unique the concept, the more people will enjoy it. Be sure to keep away from cliche's whenever you can (see below).


• Character and scene development is always important. Your readers are trying to paint a picture from your words. Think of people you know in real life, change the names and use them as templates.

Cliche's

• "She had an amazing (36-24-36) body". It's not very creative. Think of how you would describe her to a friend -- "My date last night was amazing, absolutely gorgeous! Breasts a big as melons with a figure that would make a model jealous."


• "Within moments of her kidnapping, I could tell she was getting wet". There's a fine line between fantasy and unrealistic. If you are painting a fantasy scenario, take some time to explain the actions of the characters.

[rev 1.1 | 12/05/2009]