Real Life Stories (how to write a better story)

[Abigail]

I've notice a few of them have popped up, the stories that are true, and things that have happened to members. I think this is great, now before I go on, please note that this is MY opinion.

Stories generally follow a plot structure.

• Introduction
• Rising Action
• Climax
• Falling Action
• Conclusion

In a story you should also have basic things, things that every story needs, such as:

• Character Description
• An actual plot
• Explanation of events, or a background of -why- these things are happening.

In a couple of the real life stories that I've read here, they fail to follow story structure. Those couple are better served as a post, rather than a story.

For example, you are writing, keep in mind when things happen to you, then you have a better sense of what is going on. Other readers don't have that. You know that it was a rainy day, and that's why you fell off your bike, and as insignificant as it may seem to you, it may be essential for your readers to know to understand what is going on, I've been guilty of this myself.

Here are two examples, the first one would be writing an experience from my memory.

I went to check the mail, but my friend was with me! So I couldn't just bring them into the house like nothing happened, so we ended up putting them on and running up and down the street, I have to admit it was fun, and even though it was over my bathing suit I still got a rush. I couldn't pee in it which made me kinda sad because they were a waste, but whatever, I shared something with my friend when she didn't even know it, I was living out one of my deepest darkest secrets, and she had no clue!

Now that's pretty hard to understand, a vague description isn't it? Let me put that into story form.

It was summer, so the weather was pretty nice. We were swimming and tanning all day, which wasn't too good for my skin, my beet red shoulders were already starting to sting even though I was still in my bathing suit.

Mom sent me to go check the mail, and since our mailbox is all the way down the street my best friend decided to come with me. Tammy is 2 years my senior, but we get along very well, I think it may have to do with the fact that we've known each other since I was 4, and she was 6. I opened the mailbox and my diapers were there! It was a free-sample I ordered from Tena, so I didn't think they would come this quickly, it's only been 4 days!

"What are those?" Tammy asked me with curiosity dancing in her eyes.
"I dunno, let's open it!" I said to her, knowing full well what they were. Tena was stamped right on the package, but I was smart enough to not use my name, so she wouldn't know they were for me.

We opened the package and there were my 2 pull-up samples in there.

"Oh my lordie!" Tammy managed to say through her hysterical laughter. "Dude! Lets put them on!"

"Yeah, that would be hilarious!" I said, trying to go along with it, I didn't want to seem too eager, but at the same time I didn't want to shoot down the idea right away, because she would suspect something.

We both grabbed one and slid it up our legs. We looked really funny, in adult pull-ups over our bathing suits! With our new found energy, I shut the mailbox and we ran back to my house, throwing the mail and keys on the porch. We danced on the grass, and spun each other around, the wind whipping through our hair.

It was awkward, I have to admit. Here I am, living out one of my deepest, darkest secrets, and she doesn't have a clue. I wanted to let go, and soak the pull-up so bad, but that would look terrible. It's one thing to wear it, but to use it would be a whole different thing, and I didn't want to raise suspicion.

Okay guys, even if you didn't bother to read through the whole second part, you can still see that the second one is a much better read than the first, even though when I myself read both of them, I still have the same image in my head, because it was ME that it happened to. Also, which one looks more intelligent? I actually put some thought and time into writing the second part, but not so much in the first.

All in all, if you are going to post a story about something that happened to you, put it in story format, so everyone can fully understand, while enjoying a good read!

Chromos' A Weekend With My Cousins is a great example of a true story written in story format, with intelligence.

[Chromos]

Good post, Mandi, and I completely agree with you! But I would like to point out that only parts of my story are true.. that is why I took the "this story is true" part from the first chapter.. Originally, I was going to write a tale of what actually happened, but I decided it would be too boring, so I changed it to make it more exciting!

[Abigail]

Oh! Well if you don't mind, I'm going to keep your name there, since the first chapter is true. Yours was the best example I could think of!

Also, thank you!

[Chromos]

Not at all..just thought I would point that out..

Your welcome, btw!

edit: my story has been updated, if you want to read the next part.

[Kenshin Himura]

This event took place on Friday, December 27, 2007 everythink in this post really did happen.


Day at the mall.

I went to the mall on Friday with a few friends and we started off by going to Gamestop and I traded in some old games and got DBZ: BT 3. After that we went to the food cort and I got a kids meal at Subway and just started acting like a 2 yr old while eating and talking to my friends. Once we were done eating I got on the caracel and was having the time of my life with my toddler side having full control. While I was doing that I could see my friends just looking around and I could tell that they were saying "I don't know him, he's not hear." that just made me laugh and I continued to have fun.
Unforchanetly, that didn't happen for long. As I was having fun a guy looked at me and started to insalt me. I just looked away and tryed to stay happy but then he said something to which I can't remeber I just know that it made me start crying and I jumped off the ride and over the baracade and ran to the bathroom. Nick one of my friends saw what had happend and came to check on me.
The next thing I know I was in his arms and we were cuddling and I was crying into his sholder. To my suprise Nick started talking to me like I was a toddler because he knows i'm a TB. I was confussed but then I just went with it. After about 5 minutes he asked me if I was ok and if I was ready to go back and join the others. I said ok like a toddler and smiled at him and then he patted my head with a smile.
When we left the bathroom and joined the others I had about 50 people looking at me like I was "special", I just turned away for a minute then I looked at them like I was going to kill them and they backed off. We started walking again and then Nick pulled me aside and said that if I wanted to stay close to him I could and he treated me like I was his "baby" brother for the rest of the day.
The guys desided to take me to the candy store to try and cheer me up and when we got there thay said "Get whatever you want and we will pay for it." I said ok and then started to run aroud the store like a toddler looking at all of the different candy and I got a weird look by one of the clerks and Nick told him that I had been though alot the last few months and was going thought regretion. The clerk just said "Ok, just keep him under control." Nick said that he would but I know that he was just playing. I got the candy that I wanted and my friends payed for it like they promised and I said "fank you" to the clerk and we left the store.
We walked to one of the fountains and just sat around talking about normal stuff and Nick was cuddling with me. Then a girl which looked to be between 16-18 came up to me and it turns out that she saw what had happend and wanted know if I was ok I said that I was "otay" and she smiled and ruffled my hair and walked off.
About 30 minutes later Larry, one of my friends I was with called his dad and we started walking out of the mall to wait for him.
We walked thought the food cort and I got a few weird looks and just ignored it. I saw the girl again and with out thinking I walked up to her and gave her a hug and said "I wuv you mommy." She smiled and said "I wuv you too sweetheart." That made me blushe and giggle. Then she suprised me and gave me a kiss on the forehead and then on the cheek. I tryed to talk but all I could say was "goo."
She thought it was cute and said "My cute baby." I responed by saying "Me no baby mommy me umm...." then I held up 3 fingers. She smiled and said "That's my big boy." I said "yep Kenshin big boy." and smiled cutely.
"That's a nice name." I blushed and giggled. But my happness didn't last long and Nick said that it was time to go and she saw that I was tearing up and she wiped away my tears and kissed me on the forehead and said that she would see me again and I said "Otay" hugged her and then walked to join my friends.
As we were walking out I looked back at her and she waved at me and I smiled and waved back.
Then I walked out with my friends and noticed that they were looking at me and I smiled and said "See I told you guys, I pays to not act your age." they nodded and wished they were me and then we got into the car and left.

Yes I know it sounds weird the way I was acting but I have multiple personalties.

[Abigail]

Why did you post that here?

[Kenshin Himura]

You said real life stories and that is one.

[Abigail]

Did you read the first post?

[Rance]

Mandi, this is such a wonderful reminder of a post!

I love infantilism. I love writing. So it should then make sense that I like it when infantilism and writing are put together, right? Wrong. I hate AB/DL stories -- real, fake, whatever. The majority of them are complete, unforgivable crap that have no redeeming value as pieces of written work. There are, of course, plenty of exceptions -- Chromos' story, for example, and Mandi's stories, as well as BabyMullet's and others. We have a lot of good writers on this board who are capable of developing a story with the best of them!

It just so happens that all of those terrible AB/DL stories that I read, upon whose author I wish painful death, adhere to none of the rules that Mandi expresses. That is why any aspiring writers here should take the lesson in her post -- she's trying to help you understand what will make your story shine!

Every story that comes down the line does not need to be a masterpiece. It does, however, need to have the proper care and time put into it to be sure that it can not only be respected as written work, but respect its readers as well.

But Rance, what if my story is uneventful or boring and I just want to write about it in a paragraph? Then don't post it in the Stories section. Or, refine it. You know what? No matter how true a memoir is, there are always lies in a memoir. They are not so much lies as they are exaggerations or fill-in-the-blanks. Do you expect the author to remember every conversation word-for-word? You are always allowed a certain percentage of flexibility with a memoir to do with it as you please, but just don't take advantage of that.

Maybe I hate AB/DL stories. I think more accurately, though, I hate shitty AB/DL stories, and Mandi's suggestions are trying to help those stories break free.

Remember: No story is bad or boring. It's the way the author tells it that makes it suck.

[genbaby]

You need to follow her structure idea. I see that allot of story's here that are real life ones don't have a plot at all.