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Dipping my toe in the water - advice, please

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Blackandstrong

Experienced
Joined
Oct 19, 2016
Posts
96
Have submitted a short story for the first time. The FAQ's suggest it will take between 5 - 7 days to be approved (or not). Is that members experience of how it is currently working or is it often faster/ slower? Thanks.
 
It's varied. For my last story under this account name, I had to ask what happened to posting after six days. I only asked after six days because one I'd subsequently submitted under an alt to the same category posted in two days. The one I asked about posted today finally, but no explanation was given to my query about it.

I've had to ask about dropped stories a couple of times this year.
 
Blackandstrong said:
Have submitted a short story for the first time. The FAQ's suggest it will take between 5 - 7 days to be approved (or not). Is that members experience of how it is currently working or is it often faster/ slower? Thanks.
Click to expand...

For an established writer it's usually 2-3 days, but can take longer under some circumstances: a contest is underway, the site is doing maintenance or upgrades, it's especially busy, and so on. It probably will take longer for a first-time author. Laurel seems to read first stories more closely.
 
Seems like they are currently running at around 3 days. I uploaded on on the 6th and it just posted this morning (the 9th).

I always wondered just how much Laurel reads through the submissions? Does she really check all of them? Skim them? Or more so for first timers and less for established?
 
china-doll said:
Seems like they are currently running at around 3 days. I uploaded on on the 6th and it just posted this morning (the 9th).

I always wondered just how much Laurel reads through the submissions? Does she really check all of them? Skim them? Or more so for first timers and less for established?
Click to expand...

I fantasize that she hangs on my every word, but as long as the submissions go though eventually, I am content.
 
Still not published, yet. It is not exactly Charles Dickens in terms of its literary prowess but it would be great to see it go live.
 
Blackandstrong said:
Still not published, yet. It is not exactly Charles Dickens in terms of its literary prowess but it would be great to see it go live.
Click to expand...

Send a PM to Laurel. You will find her name at the top of this forum as author of one of the sticky threads.
 
Is it up now?

Another thing that might also delay the publication is if you make any edits to your story while it is waiting to be approved. It will always return your work to the bottom of the pile.
 
rescatooor said:
Is it up now?

Another thing that might also delay the publication is if you make any edits to your story while it is waiting to be approved. It will always return your work to the bottom of the pile.
Click to expand...
Indeed. Once submitted, DON'T TOUCH IT! Just wait. Patience, grasshopper...
 
Hypoxia said:
Indeed. Once submitted, DON'T TOUCH IT! Just wait. Patience, grasshopper...
Click to expand...

Rejected, because it was less than 750 words. That is unfortunate, I hadn't realised it was a numbers game. If I had, I'd have majored on making it longer. As the quote broadly goes "I made it longer, because I didn't have the time to make it shorter". Making it shorter can sometimes require considerably more skill. Size isn't everything ... well maybe, just maybe, sometimes it is.
 
Blackandstrong said:
Rejected, because it was less than 750 words. That is unfortunate, I hadn't realised it was a numbers game. If I had, I'd have majored on making it longer. As the quote broadly goes "I made it longer, because I didn't have the time to make it shorter". Making it shorter can sometimes require considerably more skill. Size isn't everything ... well maybe, just maybe, sometimes it is.
Click to expand...

My first submission was rejected for incorrect formatting. I know that it is disappointing. I hope you'll try again.
 
It really varies. I dumped a load of stories and the admin seems to be getting through them in reasonable time, especially assuming that there are lots of other submissions needing review. I think the batch will all be completed in about a week and a half.
 
Oh. Things to think about before your next story:
A) Read the dropdown list of story categories thoroughly and carefully, then choose the one you feel is most appropriate (or least misleading to the reader). Helps people find stories they are likely to enjoy, and reduces the number of complaints you're likely to get in comments.
B) Treat anonymous comments with all of the respect that the reputation of their source deserves. In other words, pluck any useful information and don't sweat the insults.

And...
C) Congratulations on writing and submitting! I assume you do this from the joy of creation; that and a degree of pride in your own work. That's my motivation, at any rate. Bravo!
 
This some advice from someone who has been posting stories for well over ten years. First... I don't read other author's stories, ever! Next, but it is a simple thing, don't use the word 'The' at the beginning of your title. You can guess the reason why. Don't let troll comments get you down. I use to let them pass, but now I reply to every single one. These stories are free. I won't take abuse from assholes.

You will soon find out that certain topics are popular and other topics are hated. I find that the cuckold topic is not loved by male readers. Find your groove and run with it. Don't let others rule your stories.
 
Very, Very Short

Blackandstrong said:
Rejected, because it was less than 750 words. That is unfortunate, I hadn't realised it was a numbers game. If I had, I'd have majored on making it longer. As the quote broadly goes "I made it longer, because I didn't have the time to make it shorter". Making it shorter can sometimes require considerably more skill. Size isn't everything ... well maybe, just maybe, sometimes it is.
Click to expand...

I usually don't consider a story finished unless it's around 6,000 words. My shortest was 3,742 words and I thought it might get rejected due to length. I have several I am working on that are over 30,000 words, and I will most likely have to break them into parts. If I were you, I would look at how much detail I'm using to describe my characters and my setting. Those are two areas that usually need work in my stories. Using an editor will save you a lot of trouble as they will help you with continuity, grammar, and will tell you if your story is too short.
 
Delete

standingstones said:
This some advice from someone who has been posting stories for well over ten years. First... I don't read other author's stories, ever! Next, but it is a simple thing, don't use the word 'The' at the beginning of your title. You can guess the reason why. Don't let troll comments get you down. I use to let them pass, but now I reply to every single one. These stories are free. I won't take abuse from assholes.

You will soon find out that certain topics are popular and other topics are hated. I find that the cuckold topic is not loved by male readers. Find your groove and run with it. Don't let others rule your stories.
Click to expand...

I won't take abuse from assholes either, and I don't let criticism about my story's content (when it is appropriately categorized) stay on my comments page. You're right, cuckold is hated, so is interracial and cheating wives. I have gotten criticized for writing an interracial story posted in the Interracial Love category. I delete those. I keep those who are simply giving advice, or point out an error.
 
Cockhole said:
I usually don't consider a story finished unless it's around 6,000 words. My shortest was 3,742 words and I thought it might get rejected due to length. I have several I am working on that are over 30,000 words, and I will most likely have to break them into parts. If I were you, I would look at how much detail I'm using to describe my characters and my setting. Those are two areas that usually need work in my stories. Using an editor will save you a lot of trouble as they will help you with continuity, grammar, and will tell you if your story is too short.
Click to expand...

3742 is your shortest? Wow... I'm approaching 100 stories, and I have only seven that length or longer. Granted, I tend toward the vignette and the scene as opposed to the novelette.

Anyway, outside of meeting the site restriction of minimum word count, I don't really notice the length of the stories I'm reading. Unless I hit a noticeably slow spot in the narrative, that is. If the OP considers 400 words correct for the tale, then that's fine and it just gets sent somewhere else. I have 24 stories (granted, that count includes the intentional flash pieces) that can't be posted at Literotica. I have no motivation to change them - they're true to their nature.
 
Cockhole said:
.. I have several I am working on that are over 30,000 words, and I will most likely have to break them into parts....
Click to expand...

Not for Lit you don't unless you feel like it. I have a few up that are over 35k words and one that's 70k. I do make sure I put a note for readers at the start telling them roughly how long it is.
 
ChloeTzang said:
Not for Lit you don't unless you feel like it. I have a few up that are over 35k words and one that's 70k. I do make sure I put a note for readers at the start telling them roughly how long it is.
Click to expand...

I suspect that there is a difference between a 70k story and a series of 14 or 15 thematically-linked 5k 'chapters' which are, in fact, short stories in themselves. If the reader is looking for a 'big read', that's very different from wanting to read a single-sitting short story or two. And then there are the stroke readers ... :)
 
Blackandstrong said:
Have submitted a short story for the first time. The FAQ's suggest it will take between 5 - 7 days to be approved (or not). Is that members experience of how it is currently working or is it often faster/ slower? Thanks.
Click to expand...

I just registered yesterday and have yet to submit my first story.
Good luck with yours.
:)


Several days, huh. I'm already finding this thread useful.

I'm kind of concerned my style might be problematic, being quite the amateur in this. How are they like with those experimenting with writing styles?
 
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