New author - Please be kind!

[lunaswift]

I've been writing erotic short stories for me and my partner to read for years but have decided to send them out into the world! I submitted a story on here before Christmas but it was rejected. Could it have been because I mentioned at the end that the sequel to it was available on amazon?

I've submitted one of my short stories today "The skiing accident." Once its approved (if it is!) I'd appreciate any feedback. If anyone wants to add me on facebook my name is Luna Swift on there and if you want to give feedback about the books I have on Amazon, such as product descriptions or the cover images you can look for Luna Swift on there too.

Hope to meet some nice people on here for the two of us to chat to!
Luna
x

[sr71plt]

Originally Posted by lunaswift

I submitted a story on here before Christmas but it was rejected. Could it have been because I mentioned at the end that the sequel to it was available on amazon?

It possibly could have been rejected for that reason, yes. It's against the Web site rules to promote that way. (Some other ways are permitted, though). But a rejection comes with a reason for rejection (albeit the reasoning can be a little hazy). How was the rejection reason worded?

Originally Posted by lunaswift

I've submitted one of my short stories today "The skiing accident." Once its approved (if it is!) I'd appreciate any feedback. If anyone wants to add me on facebook my name is Luna Swift on there and if you want to give feedback about the books I have on Amazon, such as product descriptions or the cover images you can look for Luna Swift on there too.

When the story goes up post this request to the "Story Feedback" forum along with a link to it. And once you are established as a Literotica author, you are free to post information on your published books on the thread at the top of this forum.

Welcome to the AH.

Hope to meet some nice people on here for the two of us to chat to!
Luna
x[/quote]

[lovecraft68]

Welcome aboard and yes, I think the amazon plug at the end of your story got you rejected.

However feel free to link your amazon page in your signature like many others do, you should have no problem with that.

[lunaswift]

The rejection message I got was:

"Were there URL links, site addresses, or other advertisements within the story?
While we welcome authors to publish shorter fiction on Literotica while promoting ebooks or other offsite projects on their profile page, out of respect for reader's feelings, we would rather not publish partial works as "teasers"."

I posted a full story (part 1 of a trilogy)and at the end said it was available for kindle if you searched on amazon for it. I also said part 2 was on amazon separately. I presume this was the problem.I didn't want to post all 3 parts (around 30000-40000 words) I thought that would be too long in one go along with the fact I haven't finished the revisions to part 3.

I've had a go at putting a link in the signature, but am not too technically minded at that so apologies if it hasn't worked!

Thanks again for the advice and I'll wait to see if this story is approved and take it from there.

[TxRad]

Welcome to the madhouse.

Yes, you will find some very nice people here but like everywhere else, you have to pick and choose.

Have fun.

[sr71plt]

Originally Posted by lunaswift

The rejection message I got was:

"Were there URL links, site addresses, or other advertisements within the story?
While we welcome authors to publish shorter fiction on Literotica while promoting ebooks or other offsite projects on their profile page, out of respect for reader's feelings, we would rather not publish partial works as "teasers"."

Yes, then, that's why the story was rejected. That's good for you to have pinned down because we have people asking questions like this who spin their wheels for a while in a misunderstanding of why the story was rejected.

[glynndah]

A welcome for the little newbie from the good little witch.

[TE999]

Welcome Luna & partner to Lit and the AH.

You may wish to review the rules and regs and FAQ's regarding submissions to the site to forestall future problems.

You may also wish to post your stories on the Story Discussion thread if you'd like feedback from the members who post here.

Also post a link to future stories as most of us are too lazy to search for them.

[NaokoSmith]

Hey Luna! your link works.
Try resubmitting the story without the link.
I had a story rejected once. I remember the heart-stopping horror. What had I done wrong!!! Oh God, I misunderstood the formatting directions. I felt totally stupid but then I realised the message was quite kindly worded and that lots of people probably do the same thing and then just tidy it up and resubmit.
I post a lot of stories from a series some of which I publish [whisper: elsewhere!]. I've never quite got my head around the rules as to how to publicise this but I think keen fans find them anyway, as I actually sold 1 this month! That doesn't sound that exciting until I tell you that it's a 253K word coffee-table breaking epic romance badly in need of a very firm editor. (And I sold the one that came after it too which is much shorter.)
Have fun here! Publishing on Lit is great, see my blogpost for comparison with other sites:
Blogpost
xxx

[NekoParks]

Hi Luna!
I will be glad to read and review your story once it is published. Just PM. Good luck. Neko

[lunaswift]

Thanks for the replies. Still waiting to hear if its approved or not. If so I'll hopefully be inspired to start getting some others up there. The feedback offered should at least encourage me to stick my head out from under the bedcovers to see what the world thinks of what's in my head rather than keep it hidden away.
I will post a link to the story if/when it is approved and thank you to those who've offered to critique.
I decided to put some stories up on Amazon back in November after being persuaded by my partner to bite the bullet and go for it (her levels of optimism never fail to impress the Mr Scrooge in me). I've sold about 30 copies spread over the books I've put up there so far. Not enough to buy the mansion just yet but enough to encourage me to keep writing! I just wish someone would write a review on there, so I know if they enjoyed reading them or regretting paying for them (at least nobody's asked for a refund yet! - though can you get refunds on e-books?)
I've managed to create an author page on there too and a facebook page. Are there any facebook groups such as on here to chat to other like minded erotica authors?

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Originally Posted by lunaswift

Thanks for the replies. Still waiting to hear if its approved or not. If so I'll hopefully be inspired to start getting some others up there. The feedback offered should at least encourage me to stick my head out from under the bedcovers to see what the world thinks of what's in my head rather than keep it hidden away.
I will post a link to the story if/when it is approved and thank you to those who've offered to critique.
I decided to put some stories up on Amazon back in November after being persuaded by my partner to bite the bullet and go for it (her levels of optimism never fail to impress the Mr Scrooge in me). I've sold about 30 copies spread over the books I've put up there so far. Not enough to buy the mansion just yet but enough to encourage me to keep writing! I just wish someone would write a review on there, so I know if they enjoyed reading them or regretting paying for them (at least nobody's asked for a refund yet! - though can you get refunds on e-books?)
I've managed to create an author page on there too and a facebook page. Are there any facebook groups such as on here to chat to other like minded erotica authors?

The trick is to get to the place where you dont care what other writers think, the competition isnt with other writers, the competition is with yourself, to improve NOT win approval.

[NekoParks]

Hi Luna,
I admire your courage in posting your stories. I will be glad to help in any way that I can. I read many different types of erotica and a wide variety of literature. Also, I am a highly rated reviewer on Amazon and Good Reads under different names. If I can write a positive review of your work, I will. Likewise, I will be honest in my assessment as a reader and offer constructive criticism of your work. There are many talented and knowledgeable authors and professional editors on this website. Take care and don't be discouraged by any negative comments on this forum. Neko

[Boxlicker101]

Hi, Luna, and welcome to Literotica and the Authors' Hangout. Once you are established here, (one story minimum) you can advertise your books on Amazon and elsewhere. There is a thread at the top of this forum about that.

[sethp]

Welcome! This is a great place!

[NaokoSmith]

Hey Luna
I publish here, on Amazon and on Smashwords and have written a blogpost about what I think of the three sites:
Where to Publish Your Hot Stuff

Don't worry if you do get returns. I got some for my latest story and I think the cheeky dogs are actually just reading the story and then getting their money back whether they enjoy it or not! Not that I mind since the story is available free elsewhere and I'm just boggled they're willing to buy it at all.

You can get great feedback here and also find volunteer editors to help you with your work. Have fun and don't worry if someone comes and picks a fight in your thread - they do that sometimes. It can be very funny, they often do it so intelligently, but ignore it if it's not your thing.

xxx xxx

[NekoParks]

Originally Posted by NaokoSmith

Hey Luna
I publish here, on Amazon and on Smashwords and have written a blogpost about what I think of the three sites:
Where to Publish Your Hot Stuff

Don't worry if you do get returns. I got some for my latest story and I think the cheeky dogs are actually just reading the story and then getting their money back whether they enjoy it or not! Not that I mind since the story is available free elsewhere and I'm just boggled they're willing to buy it at all.

You can get great feedback here and also find volunteer editors to help you with your work. Have fun and don't worry if someone comes and picks a fight in your thread - they do that sometimes. It can be very funny, they often do it so intelligently, but ignore it if it's not your thing.

xxx xxx

Thank you for the link, Naoko. I'm so glad your werewolf story is doing well on Amazon. I downloaded from Smashwords and from here.

[NaokoSmith]

Originally Posted by NekoParks

Thank you for the link, Naoko. I'm so glad your werewolf story is doing well on Amazon. I downloaded from Smashwords and from here.

Did you like the Anonymice blogpost? (Three Cheeses for the Anonymice.) Ah, the Anonymice. I love them so! and a special for you .

I am totally boggled my story is doing so well on Amazon. Werewolves are hot stuff it seems! xxx

for Luna (who with a name like that is possibly a were fan herself?)

[lunaswift]

Hoorah, it was approved. If anyone would like to read it, the address is below:

http://www.literotica.com/s/the-skiing-accident

It's one of the stories in the frustrated fantasies collection. Nearly 3000 views since it was submitted, didn't realise there was such a big audience out there!
I've submitted another short one from my other collection so will see if that gets approved. Any comments welcome but don't be too rough. Went to see les miserables with my partner and am a bit of a nervous wreck now!

[lunaswift]

My second story has been approved. Comments so far seem positive (see the comments!)
Its had 13,000 views so far so am very happy. Need to get the sequel finished now as it seems people like the theme.

If you'd like to read it and tell me what you think its at:

http://www.literotica.com/s/desperate-in-the-lift

Luna
x

[SEVERUSMAX]

Originally Posted by lunaswift

The rejection message I got was:

"Were there URL links, site addresses, or other advertisements within the story?
While we welcome authors to publish shorter fiction on Literotica while promoting ebooks or other offsite projects on their profile page, out of respect for reader's feelings, we would rather not publish partial works as "teasers"."

I posted a full story (part 1 of a trilogy)and at the end said it was available for kindle if you searched on amazon for it. I also said part 2 was on amazon separately. I presume this was the problem.I didn't want to post all 3 parts (around 30000-40000 words) I thought that would be too long in one go along with the fact I haven't finished the revisions to part 3.

I've had a go at putting a link in the signature, but am not too technically minded at that so apologies if it hasn't worked!

Thanks again for the advice and I'll wait to see if this story is approved and take it from there.

Fortuna be with you.

[lunaswift]

I've submitted a third story after the positive comments to the second. "Computer problems" is the first of my new short story collection. Fingers crossed it'll be approved.
Feel free to visit my website for more information about me and my books:
http://misslunaswift.wix DOT com/lunaswift

[NekoParks]

Originally Posted by lunaswift

I've submitted a third story after the positive comments to the second. "Computer problems" is the first of my new short story collection. Fingers crossed it'll be approved.
Feel free to visit my website for more information about me and my books:
http://misslunaswift.wix DOT com/lunaswift

Thanks for the heads up. I will try to read it today or by Friday night. I really enjoyed your last story.

[lunaswift]

Story one from delicious dilemmas has been approved. I've also submitted a new draft of desperate in the lift which is my most popular story so far. Comments appreciated.x


http://www.literotica.com/s/computer-problems-4

[NaokoSmith]

Originally Posted by lunaswift

Story one from delicious dilemmas has been approved. I've also submitted a new draft of desperate in the lift which is my most popular story so far. Comments appreciated.x


http://www.literotica.com/s/computer-problems-4

Well done!
Keep on writing.