Quick look over

So the second chapter of my WIP novel was published today, which is always exciting. I go to see if anyone has read it yet, just find there are already 2 votes. And it's rated a 2.00. T_T

Wow, is it really that bad? I thought it was better than my first chapter, which is 4.20 after 10 votes. And I know it is scores better than my first work on here, from over 7 years ago, that is 3.97/35 votes. I can't submit this chapter to my main writing crit site since they don't allow scene with explicit non-con, so maybe there is a significant problem with it that I am not seeing.

I know the piece isn't as explicit as most on here because I am intending to publish this at some point. Non-con is a kink of mine, but the point of the scene isn't to titillate. The narrative is more about recovering and moving past trauma. Maybe that is why the rating is low?

Now I am not sure if I should continue to publish on here. I really needed a boost in confidence, since editing my novel is soul crushing. I already have way more views on here with just the two parts I have posted, then I do on the 3 other sites I published on, combined. And those sites have 11 total chapters. I guess I am struggling to find my audience.

If anyone could read this and tell me honestly if it is just bad, I'd appreciate it. Maybe I am freaking out over nothing, given that the story is merely a few hours old.

I don't like non-con stories so I couldn't tell you if yours is good or bad. My impression of N&N is that it has a very low readership. Why not post your story over in Sci-Fi & Fantasy? Or if there's going to continue to be a lot of non-con, perhaps the non-con category? I have no idea if fantasy stories go over well there.

Hey Xanaphia! first of all, don't sweat the ratings, especially if you only have a handful of votes. They literally don't mean anything at this stage. Later on, when you have more votes, the ratings will say something about your storie's popularity, but not necessarily about its quality. Depending on the subjects you write about and in which cathegories you post, your stories may get better or worse ratings than they "deserve" (whatever that means).


I've read the 2nd chapter (but not the 1st). Your writing's really quite good. You don't have to worry on that front. Your language is very dramatic, and that will put some people off, I guess. But it's consistent, and ultimately a matter of taste. I quite liked it, although it took me a paragraph or two to get used to it.

The subject is not to my taste, but it's written well. If the gender of the protagonist was reversed, you'd have me 100% hooked.

My only major critisism is that you could allow the reader to savour the sex more. You almost rush through it. But it also works well enough as it is now.


Unrelated to your writing, I suggest you have the series moved to sci-fi/fantasy, where it's more likely to find an audience; and I would put a short disclaimer at the start of at least the first chapter, where you mention some of the more extreme themes (non-con, sex with demons.) Latter is just a courtesy to readers, and also good for your ratings.

Xanaphia said:

Non-con is a kink of mine, but the point of the scene isn't to titillate. The narrative is more about recovering and moving past trauma. Maybe that is why the rating is low?

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Ok, I only just realised you wrote this. I think this is fundamentally a bit problematic, and will possibly put some folks off. But it does explain why you "rush through" the rape scene.

I have been reading stories here for sometime and like most failed to remark.

8letters said:

I don't like non-con stories so I couldn't tell you if yours is good or bad. My impression of N&N is that it has a very low readership. Why not post your story over in Sci-Fi & Fantasy? Or if there's going to continue to be a lot of non-con, perhaps the non-con category? I have no idea if fantasy stories go over well there.

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Thanks, maybe that's is my problem. I am already doubting myself and whether my work has any merit. Or if there is an audience for my story, which is too adult for most platforms, not serious enough to be literary, and just doesn't fit well anywhere. Thanks for the quick reply and suggestion. It's not much more non-con. There is a dub con scene already edited and ready to be published (on here, but I haven't submitted it yet), and there is a later non-con scene I haven't gotten around to editing yet.

BTW, you said, "I don't like non-con stories so I couldn't tell you if yours is good or bad." Does that mean you read it and have nothing to compare it to, or you didn't read it? Fair enough if you didn't, I know my piece isn't for everyone.

Xanaphia said:

BTW, you said, "I don't like non-con stories so I couldn't tell you if yours is good or bad." Does that mean you read it and have nothing to compare it to, or you didn't read it? Fair enough if you didn't, I know my piece isn't for everyone.

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I read a few paragraphs and decided that, though the writing was fine, it was too dark for my taste. But it was enough that I thought that it would do better in Sci-Fi & Fantasy.

If you decide to move your stories, I'd wait until Ch 3 is ready to go, delete all the existing chapters, submit chapters 1&2 again with a note in the Notes section saying that you are republishing them in a different category.

Thank Hylas for your kind words and analysis. I really needed to hear that. I think I will look into having the piece moved to the fantasy section, and include content warnings.

hylas_ said:

Ok, I only just realised you wrote this. I think this is fundamentally a bit problematic, and will possibly put some folks off. But it does explain why you "rush through" the rape scene.

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Could you elaborate on this point some more? Am I glamorizing rape? I thought I was doing the opposite, showing the ugly nature of it, as well as the ongoing repercussions. I wanted the rape scene to stay in because much of her trauma in future scenes come back to this rape scene, and how it warps my mind and view of herself. Now I wonder if I should just rearrange the plot and remove this part, which would open my story up to new avenues.

^ If your story is going to take the horrors of rape seriously, then it has in my opinion no place on a platform for erotica. And in that case, the rape scene as you currently wrote it is still too titillating, even though you don't draw it out that much.

If your story is just a rape fantasy, only meant for titillation, then "recovering from the trauma" has no place in it.

Judging by that one short chapter I've read and your comments here, I think at the moment your story is in an awkward in-between spot that makes me a bit uncomfortable. It's like you want to talk about rape as a serious issue, but you're also kinda turned on by it. I can appreciate either perspective, but they don't mesh well at all.

hylas_ said:

^ If your story is going to take the horrors of rape seriously, then it has, in my opinion, no place on a platform for erotica. And in that case, the rape scene as you currently wrote it is still too titillating, even though you don't draw it out that much.

If your story is just a rape fantasy, only meant for titillation, then "recovering from the trauma" has no place in it.

Judging by that one short chapter I've read and your comments here, I think at the moment your story is in an awkward in-between spot that makes me a bit uncomfortable. It's like you want to talk about rape as a serious issue, but you're also kinda turned on by it. I can appreciate either perspective, but they don't mesh well at all.

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This is great analysis, and just what I need to hear.

When I started off writing this work, the intention was to be titillating. It was to scratch an itch, so to speak. But the story evolved and became this healing and redemption narrative. I think I can rewrite this scene to eliminate the sexy aspects of it. I have a few more scenes (a dub-con scene and a full out violent non-con), and I think they are better written to convey the horror of rape, so I think I can make this scene reflective of that theme.

Now, you said, "If your story is going to take the horrors of rape seriously, then it has, in my opinion, no place on a platform for erotica." Do you think I should remove it from here on those grounds? Should I decline to publish the future scenes that feature non-con and dub-con? Should I just remove everything I have and decline to publish this story on here? My story contains consensual scenes, some of which feed into the healing narrative. Should I stick to publishing the stand alone smut scenes, sans context?

In any event, two votes isn't enough to base any analysis of voting on here. One disgruntled 1 and you've got a low vote for a while--and it could be just that: one disgruntled reader disgruntled for "whatever" reason. Your third vote had to be a 5. Should we be wondering why that happened as much as what were either a 1 and a 3 or two 2s in the first two votes?

sr71plt said:

In any event, two votes isn't enough to base any analysis of voting on here. One disgruntled 1 and you've got a low vote for a while--and it could be just that: one disgruntled reader disgruntled for "whatever" reason. Your third vote had to be a 5. Should we be wondering why that happened as much as what were either a 1 and a 3 or two 2s in the first two votes?

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Honestly, this was a minor freak out indicative of a larger issue of feeling insecure over my writing. A knee jerk reaction. That said, I have gotten some rather valuable feedback concerning the tone and theme of my novel, and I am glad I asked.

Xanaphia said:

Now, you said, "If your story is going to take the horrors of rape seriously, then it has, in my opinion, no place on a platform for erotica." Do you think I should remove it from here on those grounds? Should I decline to publish the future scenes that feature non-con and dub-con? Should I just remove everything I have and decline to publish this story on here? My story contains consensual scenes, some of which feed into the healing narrative. Should I stick to publishing the stand alone smut scenes, sans context?

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If you manage to rewrite the rape scenes in a manner that eliminates the titillating aspect -- and to be honest, I'm a bit skeptical here, but let's say you can do it -- and there are enough consensual erotic scenes later on that are part of the redemption/healing narrative, then I think the story could fit into the sci-fi/fantasy section here.

hylas_ said:

If you manage to rewrite the rape scenes in a manner that eliminates the titillating aspect -- and to be honest, I'm a bit skeptical here, but let's say you can do it -- and there are enough consensual erotic scenes later on that are part of the redemption/healing narrative, then I think the story could fit into the sci-fi/fantasy section here.

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Well, I have now been reported for having rape. I thought the point of having to be approved was to eliminate this from happening in the first place.

Xanaphia said:

Well, I have now been reported for having rape. I thought the point of having to be approved was to eliminate this from happening in the first place.

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The initial approval is IMO fairly cursory. A lot slips past that gets reported later. I had one of my stories reported. I re-wrote a scene and was able to re-publish it.

8letters said:

The initial approval is IMO fairly cursory. A lot slips past that gets reported later. I had one of my stories reported. I re-wrote a scene and was able to re-publish it.

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Fair enough. I think I am just going to delete it. Thanks to everyone for commenting and trying to help me out. I have a better, sexier scene (no non-con!) I can post instead.

I am trying to find submission guidelines to double check that I don't submit anything that breaks the rules, but I only see that beastiality and scenes with underaged characters are forbidden. Is there a more comprehensive list somewhere I can check? Or was I reported because my rape scene wasn't in the non-con section?

Xanaphia said:

I am trying to find submission guidelines to double check that I don't submit anything that breaks the rules, but I only see that beastiality and scenes with underaged characters are forbidden. Is there a more comprehensive list somewhere I can check? Or was I reported because my rape scene wasn't in the non-con section?

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Read this post:

http://forum.literotica.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=175666

Rape is always going to be borderline. Gratuitous description will most likely be rejected, as will outright non-consent.

The victim must ultimately come around to consent, even if reluctant.

Also, the first editorial pass can often miss content. If a story is subsequently reported it WILL be read more closely, and may be pulled down. Remember, Laurel's determination as site owner and editor is absolute - if you have issues with the reasons why a story is taken down you have to take them up with her - PM Laurel or resubmit an edited version and argue your case in the Notes to Editor box at the bottom of the submit page.

Or, don't write rape.

electricblue66 said:

Read this post:

http://forum.literotica.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=175666

Rape is always going to be borderline. Gratuitous description will most likely be rejected, as will outright non-consent.

The victim must ultimately come around to consent, even if reluctant.

Also, the first editorial pass can often miss content. If a story is subsequently reported it WILL be read more closely, and may be pulled down. Remember, Laurel's determination as site owner and editor is absolute - if you have issues with the reasons why a story is taken down you have to take them up with her - PM Laurel or resubmit an edited version and argue your case in the Notes to Editor box at the bottom of the submit page.

Or, don't write rape.

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Thanks for that. I didn't realize there was an acceptable version of Non-Con and an unacceptable version. I haven't used this site in years.

I am considering listing off a brief description of the various scene I have written, to get a consensus of whether or not they are appropriate for here. Should I continue in this thread or start a new one?

Xanaphia said:

Thanks for that. I didn't realize there was an acceptable version of Non-Con and an unacceptable version. I haven't used this site in years.

I am considering listing off a brief description of the various scene I have written, to get a consensus of whether or not they are appropriate for here. Should I continue in this thread or start a new one?

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You probably should take it up with Laurel (the site editor) directly by PM. You're just spinning wheels to seek consensus of those on the forum.