Submitting A Story

Hi,

Can someone direct me to a guideline on submitting stories?

Something that covers both the mechanics (how to actually go about it, any html tagging that should be done, etc.) and what to expect when you have submitted the story (time frames, review process, etc.) would be very helpful.

Thanks!

https://www.literotica.com/faq/05235347.shtml

Keep your text clean, with a minimum use of html code - I suggest only italics and bold - and then, only if you really must. Think mainstream publishing - how often do you see italics and bold? Not often.

I write straight into a .rtf file and, where I (rarely) use italics I use standard html e.g.: <i>text</i>, remember two returns at the end of each paragraph. Avoid "wall of text" - many people read on small devices, give them plenty of space around the text. After a while, you'll find yourself keeping your para lengths roughly consistent - for me it's a simple, visual thing, roughly what you see in this reply is my default para length.

When I upload an rtf file it doesn't give me a preview, so I've learned to scrub my raw text using every trick I've learned. Run spell check, run "'find text' reviews on all of your bad habits, proof read, edit.

Avoiding the desire to submit immediately. Many writers learn a set of self-edit techniques, but even the best of us never get 100% perfect copy. Something will always get through - but for everyone's sake, get rid of the stupid mistakes, be at least competent with your grammar, especially dialogue punctuation. Do NOT put any web-links in your text.

There is only one site editor, Laurel. She vetts every story, newbies can expect their early stories to take longer to check, because she will read more closely to make sure content complies with the basic rules (no sexual description for any character < 18; no rape unless the victim ultimately enjoys; no bestiality etc...). Newbie stories typically go up in 4-6 days, 2-3 days once you're established - if you are entering a competition it's usually quicker (comp entries get priority).

If a story get rejected, the site uses a set of standard reasons, usually couched as questions. Review your text, remove or correct any problem content, and resubmit. If you need to clarify anything, use the "Notes for Editor" box.

Good luck - and drop by here if you've got any more questions. Someone will help you.

Thank you! I appreciate the input.

I've noticed that a number of authors put disclaimers up before the story starts. Is that suggested? The two most common that I've seen are a statement that all sex is between people 18 or over and that the author retains all rights to the story and that if it's not being read on Literotica, it was stolen.

Thanks.

The rights to a story disclaimer is a pointless thing - if a story is stolen, what are you going to do about it? Nothing much. If you eventually end up publishing for money, you'll have done more homework as to what your rights are, and then it's more important. But on a free publishing platform?

The under eighteen disclaimer can be more contentious. There are many writers writing high-school teenager sex stories, and somehow, miraculously, they have all just turned eighteen.... yeah, right. Laurel vetts stories based on the language used and the circumstances described, not whether you "say" they are 18. The thing to keep in mind when writing young characters is that a sixteen year could be convincingly "up-aged" and written as an 18 year old, but a fourteen year old never could.

It's much easier to graduate them all from high school and make them naive 18 - 19 college under-grads; or write characters who are clearly adults in the first place, and then it's never a problem. I suspect many writers have written their First Time stories to get it out of their system (I have) - just up-age to 18 if you lost your virginity around 16-17. If you lost it younger, don't write about it here.

Note: you can write, "Janey lost her virginity at sixteen." You might get away with "...in the back seat of a car." You will not get away with any more than that, so don't even try. This comes up regularly, with writers trying to push the age threshold - I'm not assuming you want to, just heading it off at the pass if you were.