Creative Lives of Writers, Beyond TUG Stories

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Writers: How would you describe yourself as an artist/creator, outside of writing for these forums?

I exclusively write for tugstories.com.
16
29%
I sometimes engage in non-TUG writing, like fan-fiction or journaling, but mostly for myself.
17
31%
I write regularly, and sometimes share my work with friends or family, or even a wider online audience.
14
25%
I'm a published author, and contribute to tugstories.com as a fun break from my usual work.
5
9%
I'm Stephen King.
3
5%
 
Total votes: 55

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Charmides
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Creative Lives of Writers, Beyond TUG Stories

Post by Charmides »

A quick question for writers. I only bring this up because, bondage aside, I'm often impressed by a lot of the writing that pops up here, from prose to character development to story structure.

I've gotten a little curious -- TUG-writers, what do you get up to when you log off? Are some of you author-folks exclusively TUG-driven hobbyists? Or maybe you've studied writing, and you're putting your skills to work in the world of kink? Hell, for all I know some of you are actually accomplished authors, and stop by here to relieve stress once in a while.

Of course, I'm not asking whatsoever for people to reveal anything personal. Just thought it would be fun to take the pulse of the creators here, and what they get up to writing-wise, out in the big bad world. Many thanks!
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Post by Kyle »

I write sometimes, mostly for myself. I'm not a professional by any means, though a small part of me wants to develop one idea I have and see if I can't turn it into a book. I doubt it'll happen, but maybe...

Though the ideas I'm talking about are mostly non-TUG related (though there might be a scene or two where somebody gets tied up...I tend to like thriller or action type of fiction and write that as well, which does lend to the occasional scene of someone getting bound), a few things I've worked on are heavily TUG-related that I haven't ever planned to post here or anywhere else. Incidentally, the very first thing I ever wrote, back when I was a teenager and that wasn't for a school assignment, was about getting tied up. It was actually on notebook paper which has long since been lost.
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Post by DeeperThanRed »

TUG Stories is the only place I post my stories.

I'm no stranger to writing (I semi-regularly provide translations and original articles for a non-profit blog) but my resume of fiction is more limited. I have a few fanfictions who that don't have any bondage whatsoever and a couple that does but don't have much else. They are more individual scenes than anything so I don't really consider them as complete works.

Either way, most of my writing isn't even in English. So, in a weird way, a good part of my practice comes from racy tales of guys tying each other up.
25-year-old bondage enthusiast who likes cute guys, underwear, and bondage, preferably together.

You can reach my list of written work here: https://www.tugstories.com/viewtopic.php?p=38808#p38808
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Post by MountainMan_91 »

Such a great poll

I actually had a similar line of thought the other day, I realized the next member could be literally anybody!

Anyhow, I share exclusively to TUG's but I have a couple of other writing projects that don't feature tugs, that I work on continuously, fantasy obviously :roll: - I love working out the plots, weaving multiple story lines in and out of each other. Your story Shadow of the Mountain is such an inspiration to me personally, not just bondage related but the story telling ability.

I have taken up journaling a couple of times in the past, and I dabble in song writing (not sure if it's relevant :lol: )...

How about you [mention]Charmides[/mention]?
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Post by Rtj65 »

This is a good idea for a poll, I'm interested in hearing what other writers have to say on this topic!

As for me, I write a fair amount in my spare time, mostly in the last few years really. Most of my work is fiction, although I have written a few non-fiction reports as well - haven't really done the latter since I finished studying though. I've never really given having my work published much of a thought before, though I have shared some of it with some friends. I have a couple of projects lying around that I could probably turn into novels though; maybe that's something to work towards this year.

I also try and keep a regular journal - I'd say it's a good tool for people who really want to get into the habit of just writing regularly. I found that when you try and start fiction writing, that first blank page is very daunting. Getting used to just writing anything that comes to mind, like in a journal, was really useful for me in overcoming writer's block.

I've only fairly recently started posting some of my writing on here, and I can say that it's my first real go at writing any sort of bondage-related fiction. It's good practice though, and something that I've enjoyed doing so I'll probably continue to write stories on here providing that I can come up with more ideas.
Male switch from the UK here, always up for a chat about anything TUGs related!

My stories
Causality (F/M) - https://tugstories.com/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=9909
A Grey Area (M/F) - https://tugstories.com/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=12604
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Post by drawscore »

Writing, like bullshit, is an acquired skill - something that must be practiced, in order to become proficient.

Some of us get in to it early, like writing for a junior high newsletter, or the high school newspaper, then honing those skills in what just about everybody I talk to, thinks is a pain in the ass, at least here in the USA, and that is Composition 101, more commonly called "Freshman Comp" in the first year of college. A passing grade is required to graduate.

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Post by andrewtied »

i try to write engaging stories and im currently writing a draft on a new story.
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Post by Charmides »

Really interesting answers so far, folks; thanks kindly for your responses.

I see a few people have mentioned ideas for non-TUG projects they might want to have a crack at one day, like [mention]Rtj65[/mention] and [mention]Kyle[/mention], which I think is super exciting. I mean, it's very revealing that our interest in tie-ups led us all here, instead of, say, just to some bondage-related pornography to quickly slake our thirst. I think it may speak to an appreciation of language, and the life of the mind, that we all share. (Sad to hear about you losing that pen-and-paper Tug story, Kyle; I don't know how long the odds are that it will ever show up again, but I'll cross my fingers for you.)

[mention]DeeperThanRed[/mention], I don't think I've ever fully registered that English isn't your primary language -- you've got some smooth prose, pal. But hey, if you feel as if writing about bondage helps keep you in top form, who am I to discourage you?

[mention]MountainMan_91[/mention], I didn't know you were into songwriting! Amazing. And really, I'm genuinely humbled you think so highly of Shadow. When I started, I didn't know if there was anyone else who would be interested in this extremely niche mash-up of fantasy and kink, but if at least one person is as into it as I am, I can rest easy. (Though once Shadow is done, I'll be certain to start a TUG project that doesn't go on quite as long...) By the way, I finally just started Stormlight Archive, and after that I'm moving on to the Broken Earth trilogy. If you ever want to talk fantasy, hit me up.

As for me personally, I'm pretty much in the same boat as the rest of you. I love writing for this site, and try to write regularly in everyday life... but, more pressing obligations distract me pretty easily. I will admit, I couple years ago I had one short story published, which was spectacularly exciting. I'll keep on trying, but if that one publication is all that's in store for me, then at least it'll be a cozy little burning ember that I can warm myself with, whenever I need a happy thought.
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Post by boundking79 »

Rtj65 wrote: 3 years ago
I also try and keep a regular journal - I'd say it's a good tool for people who really want to get into the habit of just writing regularly. I found that when you try and start fiction writing, that first blank page is very daunting. Getting used to just writing anything that comes to mind, like in a journal, was really useful for me in overcoming writer's block.
This has been a interesting read so far. I too am hoping to write some stories for this site, and find that reading others work and chatting with users has helped greatly so far.

This idea of Rtj65's about keeping a journal is a good tip that I wouldn't have thought of normally. So thanks for that one. :)
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Post by Charmides »

Agreed, [mention]boundking79[/mention] -- I don't have a personal journal, but I'm one of those cringe-worthy folks that writes down dreams every morning. Not much, but at least it keeps the juices flowing; I envy folks who journal in a more disciplined way.

(By the way, I'm shocked that two or three Stephen Kings haven't popped up in the poll so far. But aside from that, our respondents have left us with a pretty even spread! Very interesting.)
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Post by Rtj65 »

[mention]boundking79[/mention] - Glad you found the tip helpful, looking forward to seeing what sort of stories you have in the works!

[mention]Charmides[/mention] - By no means do I consider myself a 'disciplined' journal writer - it's just something that helps me stay in the habit of writing and getting words on the page - I too envy those who take it more seriously. And I'd probably do the same as you if I was any good at actually remembering my dreams! :roll:
Male switch from the UK here, always up for a chat about anything TUGs related!

My stories
Causality (F/M) - https://tugstories.com/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=9909
A Grey Area (M/F) - https://tugstories.com/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=12604
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Post by boundking79 »

[mention]Rtj65[/mention] Thanks. Am hoping to post something in the next month or so. [mention]Charmides[/mention] This was a good idea for a topic. Be nice to see it continue getting comments.

Any other tips for aspiring writers that might be of use?
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Post by RopeBunny »

Like this poll, some interesting answers.

For myself. Mostly it's TUGs stuff I want to write, and within that mostly I'm drawn to supernatural/magic based stories. A way to put my sometimes overactive (keen tabletop roleplayer/wargammer, though not so much in an active sense anymore) imagination to good use. My daydreams tend to be more in the area of 'what if I had such a such a power' rather then 'what if I was rich and/or famous'. This board let's me write about all the Demons my brain can conjure into existence, so long as I twist the tale towards someone getting tightly bound and gagged.

However. That said I have written non TUGs stuff. For example I've a long time Ghost Train based short story that I'm forever tinkering with, just for fun, which I have shown/shared with family. Sometimes a non TUGs idea is too good not to attempt writing.
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Post by David Han »

I like to write more than just kinky stories. I write fictional crime shows, reality television stories, fantasy stories and more. In the 2nd grade, we had a writing story assignment and all the kids stories would be written into a class book. Most loved my story about my dog and I, so this fueled my passion for writing
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Post by Straitjacketed »

I write stuff only rarely and it's almost always related to the things that turn me on: primarily bondage that is or becomes non-consensual. As a kid, English/Creative Writing was my best subject but, these days, work takes up most of my time and I generally write when I have a few days' break. It's something I do mostly for myself but I share my stories with various like-minded friends and, in recent years on this and similar forums.

I haven't quite worked out the relationship between writing tie-up fiction and getting tied up. I used to think the one was a substitute for the other - when I went many months without the chance to be bound and gagged, the writing became an outlet for my frustrated bondage libido - but there have been several occasions when a bondage session has actually inspired me.

One time, following a particularly successful chair-tie - where I was absolutely helpless to remove rope, gag, blindfold or hood and had no option but to stew for several hours - I came home and wrote a story in a single sitting, it seemed to spew out of my unconsciousness. When I'm utterly helpless and left for a length of time, my mind wanders and sometimes it wanders to creative places.
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If M/M overkill bondage in stupidly excessive amounts of gear is your thing as well as mine, here's a list of my TUG stories.
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Post by Treville »

I have published three books (but not in English), and I write a lot in my work.

For me, this is very much a fun way of practicing writing in English.
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Post by wataru14 »

I only write for here. I used to be in journalism, but mostly as an editor. My writing was rather cringeworthy and I had to overcome a lot of self-doubt to create even something for this site. But the community has been so supportive that I got my confidence back and I think my skill has improved significantly.

Nut other than that, creatively I am an actor. I've been performing in musicals since I was 15. It's been rough over the past year with most theaters shut down, but stuff is starting to reopen slowly. I have a cabaret concert in November and we'll have to see what comes from there.
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Post by Minerva »

I write both NSFW and SFW stuff, both for online audiences and for my friends + people I know and care for. Some people around the site probably know how fond I can get with the charachters I've written and drawn myself lol. Most of the stories I write, (aside from the stupidly horny non-con stuff), have a seed of envy that sparks them to life, in a way, I think it gives them the soul so many people say they see in said stories.

I get, quite often, demotivated from posting on the site, (I've recently just finished a story that I've been putting on and off for too long), part of me really wants to write something grand, but that's terrifying in its own right.
The author of the original post said they're impressed by the writing of some of the authors here, maybe it's a difference in tastes (god knows there's so many M/M stories I can't even keep track lol, there must be some good stuff there),time period, or I've grown out of it. I've been disapointed plenty of times,and I've realised that this stuff's kinda just not fun anymore, to the point where I've given up on surfing the story section of the site. Many times it's just stories of self indulgence and no plot or interesting charachters (FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN SO FAR), many authors here have the incredible knack for descriptions, but that's kinda it, not to say I don't do that sometimes,we all have our moments where we need to satisfy our lust and cravings.

This seemingly endless want from people to satiate their lust and cravings has imprinted itself into my mind. I'd love to write more stories, especially slow burns that aren't horny fuck fests and have plot and charachter development, but I get discouraged a lot (despite the fact I'm not even sure I fully belive in it) that people might just be interested in this self indulgence bit of the site.

I guses I'll try my best to summarise this sleepy-drunk rant:
Writing stuff is nice, sharing it is scary, ESPECIALLY on the site that's made for bondage specifically, because I usually do more than just pure bondage stories.
DM's always open.
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Post by KidnappedCowboy »

I write regularly and am published.

I write here for fun -- to indulge my love of fantasies of the adventurous hero getting kidnapped, bound, and gagged!
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Post by Bigballgag1 »

Minerva wrote: 1 year ago I write both NSFW and SFW stuff, both for online audiences and for my friends + people I know and care for. Some people around the site probably know how fond I can get with the charachters I've written and drawn myself lol. Most of the stories I write, (aside from the stupidly horny non-con stuff), have a seed of envy that sparks them to life, in a way, I think it gives them the soul so many people say they see in said stories.

I get, quite often, demotivated from posting on the site, (I've recently just finished a story that I've been putting on and off for too long), part of me really wants to write something grand, but that's terrifying in its own right.
The author of the original post said they're impressed by the writing of some of the authors here, maybe it's a difference in tastes (god knows there's so many M/M stories I can't even keep track lol, there must be some good stuff there),time period, or I've grown out of it. I've been disapointed plenty of times,and I've realised that this stuff's kinda just not fun anymore, to the point where I've given up on surfing the story section of the site. Many times it's just stories of self indulgence and no plot or interesting charachters (FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN SO FAR), many authors here have the incredible knack for descriptions, but that's kinda it, not to say I don't do that sometimes,we all have our moments where we need to satisfy our lust and cravings.

This seemingly endless want from people to satiate their lust and cravings has imprinted itself into my mind. I'd love to write more stories, especially slow burns that aren't horny fuck fests and have plot and charachter development, but I get discouraged a lot (despite the fact I'm not even sure I fully belive in it) that people might just be interested in this self indulgence bit of the site.

I guses I'll try my best to summarise this sleepy-drunk rant:
Writing stuff is nice, sharing it is scary, ESPECIALLY on the site that's made for bondage specifically, because I usually do more than just pure bondage stories.
I think you raise some excellent points and i can echo about sharing a story can be quite daunting here. I’ve wondered for a while about writing a non bondage story and although its against what this site is about, I wonder whether there would be the popularity for a subsection of this kind?

I realise the whole point of this site is specifically targeted around bondage and tie ups and thats fine, no complaints from me. However if there was a non bondage subsection it might encourage more potential writers to try some things out and possibly tempt them, with confidence and feedback (and time of course!) to add more content to the other boards on the forum thus it being a win win for the forum.

Not sure what others think? But its just an idea :)
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Post by Minerva »

Bigballgag1 wrote: 1 year ago
Minerva wrote: 1 year ago I write both NSFW and SFW stuff, both for online audiences and for my friends + people I know and care for. Some people around the site probably know how fond I can get with the charachters I've written and drawn myself lol. Most of the stories I write, (aside from the stupidly horny non-con stuff), have a seed of envy that sparks them to life, in a way, I think it gives them the soul so many people say they see in said stories.

I get, quite often, demotivated from posting on the site, (I've recently just finished a story that I've been putting on and off for too long), part of me really wants to write something grand, but that's terrifying in its own right.
The author of the original post said they're impressed by the writing of some of the authors here, maybe it's a difference in tastes (god knows there's so many M/M stories I can't even keep track lol, there must be some good stuff there),time period, or I've grown out of it. I've been disapointed plenty of times,and I've realised that this stuff's kinda just not fun anymore, to the point where I've given up on surfing the story section of the site. Many times it's just stories of self indulgence and no plot or interesting charachters (FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN SO FAR), many authors here have the incredible knack for descriptions, but that's kinda it, not to say I don't do that sometimes,we all have our moments where we need to satisfy our lust and cravings.

This seemingly endless want from people to satiate their lust and cravings has imprinted itself into my mind. I'd love to write more stories, especially slow burns that aren't horny fuck fests and have plot and charachter development, but I get discouraged a lot (despite the fact I'm not even sure I fully belive in it) that people might just be interested in this self indulgence bit of the site.

I guses I'll try my best to summarise this sleepy-drunk rant:
Writing stuff is nice, sharing it is scary, ESPECIALLY on the site that's made for bondage specifically, because I usually do more than just pure bondage stories.
I think you raise some excellent points and i can echo about sharing a story can be quite daunting here. I’ve wondered for a while about writing a non bondage story and although its against what this site is about, I wonder whether there would be the popularity for a subsection of this kind?

I realise the whole point of this site is specifically targeted around bondage and tie ups and thats fine, no complaints from me. However if there was a non bondage subsection it might encourage more potential writers to try some things out and possibly tempt them, with confidence and feedback (and time of course!) to add more content to the other boards on the forum thus it being a win win for the forum.

Not sure what others think? But its just an idea :)
I don't agree. This site is for tie up stories, and the stories we write should have tie ups in them, that's kind of the point. But if the stories are the stepping stones for a bondage scene, think of it like a small novel, I think they tehnically belong here, even if most people probably wouldn't be interested in it.
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Post by wataru14 »

I only got into writing very recently. With my first story on this site, actually! I recently went back and read "The Film Student" a little while ago and I can see it's rather amateurish, but I'm always hypercritical of myself. I'm still proud of it, but I feel like I've improved a lot since then.

As for my writing background, I am several decades removed from a failed career in journalism. That's what I got my Bachelor's degree in. My old high school paper stuff was cringe-inducing to the max, but no one ever had the decency to tell me, so I got "American Idol Syndrome" and pursued it post-HS. Criticism is how you improve, but I guess people were more concerned with protecting my feelings. I was always a much better editor than writer, and I realized that mid-college, so that's what my journalism career turned into in the real world. Sadly, the print news medium is dying a slow, agonizing death, and I got out before it crashed. After getting an education, I found my old news stories were decent, but I was hardly Woodward and Bernstein here. It wasn't until I decided to bite the bullet here and write that I feel like I've come into my own. And it was the feedback from those early readers that encouraged me to continue doing it. Lurkers, take note. Even the smallest response can have unbelievable effects on someone's confidence.

That being said, I only really write for this site. As a writer, I am much more about plot and character than I am about "the goods." Often I find that I will write an entire chapter without a single instance of tie-ups whatsoever, and then I have to go back and find a way to organically include it. Which, in turn, changes the plot. Some people are just here for smut (and I do quite enjoy reading those stories, myself), but for my writing, I feel that if you're not engaged with the characters and the plotlines - if they don't feel real and well-developed - then it doesn't matter how tight the ropes are. The authors whose stories I'm most drawn to are those who also prioritize strong, fleshed-out characters.

My creative outlets other than here don't really lie in writing. I have been a DM for Dungeons and Dragons since the early 90s and love to create original worlds. Although it's kind of funny that my three most successful games were all adaptations of existing (non D&D) worlds that I adapted into a tabletop game. I love creating political systems and lore, more so than running the actual game. I find it to be completely fulfilling to watch your creation come to life for people to experience.

Other than that, I do theater. Well, up until 2019 because COVID shut everything down for two years and now my work schedule prevents me from doing it. I have been performing in musicals for 30 years (since I was 14) and have even gotten some paid gigs out of it. I also work backstage, which is not as creatively fulfilling, but still part of the magic. I recently ran spotlight for a production of Footloose, which will probably be it for the immediate future.
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Post by Trammel »

The only place I write fiction is here. I blog regularly and professionally and author a professional, technical newsletter.

I really enjoy the more realistic writing with good character development and plot. [mention]slackywacky[/mention] and [mention]banshee[/mention] (Girlfriend to the rescue) do this very well with a great balance of plot and bondage. I generally don't like reading long, involved novels on here with only a smattering of bondage thrown in. Probably the best longer writing I have read on here is by [mention]Caesar73[/mention] (The Weinstein Collection).

I don't guess my plot development is great but since most of the professional writing I do is non-fiction and technical, I am pretty new to plot development.
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Post by Bound to Please »

This is the only place I write fiction, but I am a coauthor of two books and I have had a few articles published.
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Post by AlexUSA3 »

I suppose I answered this poll wrong once upon a time. Outside TUGs, I am still an author of sorts. Not only am I an academic researcher (meaning I write and publish papers), but I also do a lot of composition of classical style music.
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