cheating in story telling

How do you tackle it in story writing?

Do you detail it from experience or is it totally imaginary?

 

I think you may need to clarify. Are you talking about cheating in (fictional) romantic relationships?

 

I am talking about cheating in general.

 

I treat writing as war with a bit of love, otherwise why do it?

As you know, all's fair in love and war, so if there's shortcuts that I can use to write my stories I'll take them. So far, though, the only "cheating" that's worked for me is using good writing software, Prowriting aid and using character sketch techniques as part of world building.

I do second @ChickenFreak in saying I'm not quite certain what your question is really about and I've probably missed your question, actually probably not even on the same planet as what you were aiming for, but my 2c worth nevertheless.

 

If I cannot dazzle readers with brilliance, I baffle them with bullshit at every opportunity.

 

I meant cheating in a fictional romantic relationships.

 

I mean cheating as in infidelity.

 

I think of times when I say 'Thank you, see you later,' but instead I say 'You smell delicious, I'm going to eat you up, mmm mmm ,on my desk' moments. I just say it inside my mouth and then write it down quickly.

 

I don't think she's asking for personal experiences. As to OP, I am writing peoples singular claims on each other out of society in favor of community based intimacy and child raising.
For the other story, the male in the tuple (m/fff) has very traditional ideas about fidelity. They will be challenged and shown to be ridiculous.

 

I am not totally convinced because if you have never cheated in your life how
then are you able to flesh it out in a story. Just pondering that is all.

 

I don't think that George R. R. Martin ever, even once, met a dragon.

 

You could base it on other people's experiences. You may know someone who was cheated on, or someone who did the cheating. If they were a good friend or a close relative, you may have known something. You may even have witnessed it. Who knows.
I have cheated in the past, and also been cheated on. You could probably call that karma.

 

I've never had a daughter, anorexic or otherwise, and I've never done a technical climb, parachute or even bungie jump, let alone wingsuited, yet those two shinies under my name say that the assembled membership thought I could write about those situations pretty well.

 

Hi katina,

Are you asking because you would like to discuss this in your own story?

If yes, then have you been cheated on or have you cheated personally?

If yes, then use that experience in your story.

If no, then use your imagination, research, ask a friend, use other recommendations in this thread.

 

Long ago, in this post:

https://www.writingforums.org/threads/does-religion-play-a-role-in-your-stories.160221/page-2#post-1724695

you said

As far as I could ever make out, you seemed to be saying that things that exist in reality have no place in fiction.

Now you seem to be saying that things that haven't been experienced by the author can't be in fiction.

These two positions are not consistent.

 

I've only featured cheating in one story. If you don't want audience sympathy toward the cheater to just evaporate, it's a tricky thing to portray.

My first novel (a blend of fantasy, superhero, and post-apocalyptic elements) involved it as part of a subplot. The protagonist is part of an arranged marriage with the heiress of a major bank, which is intended to secure a relationship between the bank and the protagonist's crime family (who he despises).

The two eventually develop a certain fondness for each other, but it falls well short of love or passion.

After the protagonist suffers nasty wounds one night during his vigilante operations, he's rescued and nursed back to health by a minor villainess he'd tangled with before; an agent of an extremist group. He discovers she's been coerced into working for said group and helps her out.

They form a connection, then a brief relationship. He's hesitant about breaking vows, even forced ones, but relents because for once in his life, this is something he can choose. Things break off when she's forced to flee the city.

The protagonist is pretty guilty about the whole affair and confesses to his wife. They resolve to work toward building a relationship where neither of them has to look outside it for support or comfort, but the fundamental lack of passion lingers.

 

Hi there Mish yes I was thinking of outlining cheating in a short story but hesitated.
I have been cheated on yes but I have never cheated on anyone and so I kind of questioned whether fleshing it out would be accurate and relatable from my part. I guess one speaks better from experience thus lack of it can be tricky.

 

Interesting I have never thought about sympathy I am more concerned about accuracy.
I liked the fact that you mentioned
''lack of passion lingers''.

 

@see/feel proof in @Iain Aschendale's new artificial testicles

 

Perhaps you could write from the perspective of the victim in your story, it could even become a cathartic experience for you, writing down on paper for the protagonist's experiences you have gone through yourself, can be a type of relief. I know, because I am guilty of projecting some of my personal feelings onto my characters and I have a feeling this is a common occurrence in the literary word.

Go ahead, there's nothing to lose.

 

I imagine cases of infidelity are varied enough that you can portray things any way you please and still be "accurate" as long as you're sensitive to the emotions of the involved characters.

And yeah, it didn't feel right to just wave away the underlying issues. They get along. They're friends. They care about each other. But they just don't click romantically.