COVID-19 RESOURCES
LIT CAMS (200 Free Tokens)ADULT TOYSVOD MOVIES

An ethical question for y'all...

N

Nathan_Brazil

Literotica Guru
Joined
Sep 12, 2015
Posts
613
We've all experienced unfinished stories here, and I believe we are in agreement that this is a frustrating problem on Lit. It leads to suspicious and disgruntled readers and that affects all of us in a negative manner.... (Feel free to disagree)

What do y'all think of an author who posts part of a serial here... Only to remove it and try to sell you the ending?

Yes, this is a free site, but doesn't an author owe it to his readers to be more honest than this?
 
I'm not sure if Lit is the correct vehicle for jump-starting sales of a book, but it is not unheard of to release free chapters in hopes of garnering a future purchase.

I think Lit is a better vehicle to promote an author. He/she gives free stuff here, then points you toward their commercial arm for other works.

I would not be pleased if I was tricked into reading something incomplete. You would get zero dollars from me if I felt unwittingly baited. Probably would cross that author off completely.

Others who actually sell their works may give you a different opinion.
 
I don't think what the OP outlines is ethical and I think Lit. should give the author who does it the heave if/when they find out they are doing it. (And then give the new alt the heave when they do it again under a new name.) What I do and what I suggest is not to post it to Lit. until sometime after you've given it a life in the marketplace and then to post the whole, already completed, series here in a timely manner. (That's what I'm doing right now with "Gotta Keep Trying.")
 
I'm in complete agreement with you.

I just deleted an author from my reading list. I loved his work and would likely have been willing to pay for other projects, but not now... It feels like a bait and switch operation.
 
Nathan_Brazil said:
We've all experienced unfinished stories here, and I believe we are in agreement that this is a frustrating problem on Lit. It leads to suspicious and disgruntled readers and that affects all of us in a negative manner.... (Feel free to disagree)

What do y'all think of an author who posts part of a serial here... Only to remove it and try to sell you the ending?

Yes, this is a free site, but doesn't an author owe it to his readers to be more honest than this?
Click to expand...

Owe? Why would the author owe you anything? Like you said, the site and the author allow you to read their work for free. It's their's to do with as they see fit, not how you see fit.

And maybe the author got a deal with a publisher that required him to take down his works elsewhere?

Did you ask?
 
In my previous Lit lifetime, an author did exactly what the OP describes - posted a couple of chapters of a book here, which she also drew attention to by starting a thread with particularly hot pics that, shall we say, whetted one's appetite for her book. That campaign went on for a few months or so, as I recall. She then offered the finished book on Amazon, where I believe it did very well.

At the time, I thought it was a pretty slimy thing to do, but a very effective one. On the other hand, I had to shrug - she broke no rules.
 
legerdemer said:
In my previous Lit lifetime, an author did exactly what the OP describes - posted a couple of chapters of a book here, which she also drew attention to by starting a thread with particularly hot pics that, shall we say, whetted one's appetite for her book. That campaign went on for a few months or so, as I recall. She then offered the finished book on Amazon, where I believe it did very well.

At the time, I thought it was a pretty slimy thing to do, but a very effective one. On the other hand, I had to shrug - she broke no rules.
Click to expand...

This sounds like the one that, in addition to what you mentioned, I edited for her with the assumption it was for free read at Lit. and it ended up as a for-her-profit in the marketplace. If the same one, she certainly broke one of my rules for editing someone's Lit. stories.
 
legerdemer said:
In my previous Lit lifetime, an author did exactly what the OP describes - posted a couple of chapters of a book here, which she also drew attention to by starting a thread with particularly hot pics that, shall we say, whetted one's appetite for her book. That campaign went on for a few months or so, as I recall. She then offered the finished book on Amazon, where I believe it did very well.

At the time, I thought it was a pretty slimy thing to do, but a very effective one. On the other hand, I had to shrug - she broke no rules.
Click to expand...

Oh, dirty pool! I reckon:-
If a Lit member does the editing or makes some other contribution to the final production, which is then published on Lit, FINE.
If, on the other hand, the final text goes into the commercial arena, those who have contributed should gain a percentage of the selling price.
 
Zeb_Carter said:
Owe? Why would the author owe you anything? Like you said, the site and the author allow you to read their work for free. It's their's to do with as they see fit, not how you see fit.

And maybe the author got a deal with a publisher that required him to take down his works elsewhere?

Did you ask?
Click to expand...

Doesn't this imply a a certain amount of disrespect for one's readers?

I've got a couple of serials going here now, and I'm grateful for my faithful readers. I'd never leave them unfinished.
 
legerdemer said:
In my previous Lit lifetime, an author did exactly what the OP describes - posted a couple of chapters of a book here, which she also drew attention to by starting a thread with particularly hot pics that, shall we say, whetted one's appetite for her book. That campaign went on for a few months or so, as I recall. She then offered the finished book on Amazon, where I believe it did very well.

At the time, I thought it was a pretty slimy thing to do, but a very effective one. On the other hand, I had to shrug - she broke no rules.
Click to expand...

Slimy... Yes, just the right word.
 
sr71plt said:
I don't think what the OP outlines is ethical and I think Lit. should give the author who does it the heave if/when they find out they are doing it. (And then give the new alt the heave when they do it again under a new name.)
Click to expand...

^^ THIS! ^^

Especially since that author's teaser chapters are still on Lit and everything but a hot link on where to buy the rest of the book are found in the comments section of the third one. Course, good old "anonymous" posted the info since no author would dare be that crass. :rolleyes:

"Slimy" is being much too kind to her.

.
 
I thought there was some sort of a rule that lit doesn't allow that to be done? But if there is its not enforced or rarely because I see it a lot here including a person who was once lits #1 author they've done a lot of 'read the rest of it here'
 
Nathan_Brazil said:
Doesn't this imply a a certain amount of disrespect for one's readers?

I've got a couple of serials going here now, and I'm grateful for my faithful readers. I'd never leave them unfinished.
Click to expand...

When the majority of readers show some respect to the authors other than Gimme gimmie gimmie, maybe the author might owe them something.

Right now what's owed to them is two things, jack and shit and as the saying goes jack left town.
 
lovecraft68 said:
I thought there was some sort of a rule that lit doesn't allow that to be done? But if there is its not enforced or rarely because I see it a lot here including a person who was once lits #1 author they've done a lot of 'read the rest of it here'
Click to expand...

I don't see how it could be enforced. In fact, I don't see how it can be - Lit allows authors to retain the copyright to the authors' work, which means the authors can post anywhere they wish to, and more than one place at once.

It is, however, really slimy, especially when the author in question takes advantage of another's unsuspecting and freely-given good will. Yes, I am referring to the author for whom Pilot edited.

Edit: JKD, feel free to substitute any word you deem more fit in for slimy. I'd probably agree with you.
 
legerdemer said:
I don't see how it could be enforced. In fact, I don't see how it can be - Lit allows authors to retain the copyright to the authors' work, which means the authors can post anywhere they wish to, and more than one place at once.

It is, however, really slimy, especially when the author in question takes advantage of another's unsuspecting and freely-given good will. Yes, I am referring to the author for whom Pilot edited.
Click to expand...

Well anything-most things anyway- can be enforced, but it takes effort and I'll leave it at that is sorely lacking here.

Also people can report it. readers can report a final chapter and say the author is selling the rest.

I knew of one author that had a page full of stories that were chapters 1-4 and the finale was always on SW. At some point they pulled all their stories(not banned as their page is still there and I saw them posting recently) so I wonder if something was ever said to them.

I agree the really shitty thing about the person we're talking about-and I know who it is and recall the comment JK is referring to-was using Pilot like that and I'm sure it happens all the time.

Funny how different people are. I had a VE editor do a story for me here for free of course, then when I decided to publish it I offered to pay them something for the work seeing I might make something on it and they turned me down but appreciated the offer.
 
lovecraft68 said:
When the majority of readers show some respect to the authors other than Gimme gimmie gimmie, maybe the author might owe them something.

Right now what's owed to them is two things, jack and shit and as the saying goes jack left town.
Click to expand...

LC... With respect, without readers, we are nothing. I owe my readers everything.
 
Nathan_Brazil said:
LC... With respect, without readers, we are nothing. I owe my readers everything.
Click to expand...

That's your take and what works for you.

For me and others? The incessant where's the rest story huh huh huh and the bitch threads here that someone had the nerve to die or have issues or stop writing are sickening when in return maybe one reader out of ten votes and one out of a hundred comments

And as I said on that thread go look at the sorry turnout in the annuals to see reader appreciation and that was across the board in every category. Hell if you had a dozen friends helping out you could win a third of the categories.
 
lovecraft68 said:
That's your take and what works for you.

For me and others? The incessant where's the rest story huh huh huh and the bitch threads here that someone had the nerve to die or have issues or stop writing are sickening when in return maybe one reader out of ten votes and one out of a hundred comments

And as I said on that thread go look at the sorry turnout in the annuals to see reader appreciation and that was across the board in every category. Hell if you had a dozen friends helping out you could win a third of the categories.
Click to expand...

Have you always been this bitter about Lit?
 
Nathan_Brazil said:
Have you always been this bitter about Lit?
Click to expand...

He's not bitter in any way, shape, or form. He's talking about the reality of things. Anything i post here on Lit, i get dozens of when is the next chapter coming out. I normally don't write chapters. When I've posted a next chapter, the votes are lower than the first one and so are the scores. So i don't do a third and get yelled at for leaving something unfinished. See any problem with that?
 
Readers

I think we all have some readers who are less than socially graceful; I'm going to choose to focus on the readers who are polite and helpful. Sure I've had a few rude comments, but I'm not going to let them make me angry or bitter.

Again...without my readers, I'm just talking to myself.
 
Nathan_Brazil said:
Doesn't this imply a a certain amount of disrespect for one's readers?

I've got a couple of serials going here now, and I'm grateful for my faithful readers. I'd never leave them unfinished.
Click to expand...

But you don't owe them anything. You do what you do because you want to please your reader base. There are no ethics involved.


It's unethical to do something wrong, but not posting a finish to a series here, at lit. isn't wrong.

How many threads are there of unfinished series? From authors who seem to have wandered away from lit? Is that unethical?
 
No

Just leaving something unfinished because you couldn't finish it... Or lost interest isn't unethical. Maybe a bit lazy...but we all get lazy.

Getting readers interested only to fail to finish them unless they pay you... Is.

Like a lover who only cares if he gets his.

Selfish.
 
Realizing one's value

I don't write stories but I do edit for a very small group. These were writers who I thought were pretty good but had some issue or another which needed work - and I volunteered.

One did as related by Pilot. A couple of free chapters which contained plot contradictions (she forgets what she wrote previously) followed by others for pay.

'Hmm' thought I -' that's a bit much,' but decided to say nothing, to wait and see what happened next.

Some time later I received another story with a request for editing, and a day or two later a cheque, a modest cheque; in fact, a cheque so modest it might not have been sufficient to treat one or two friends to coffee and perhaps a Danish. Foolishly I enquired with feigned innocence, 'Is the cheque for work done or work to be done?'

Her reply was brilliant, totally aced me: 'Well I rather hoped it would do for both.'

I no longer edit for this author, but I kept the cheque, it's pinned to a board a couple of feet away and still elicits a wry smile from time to time.

The daft thing is of course, I would have quite happily worked on her stories gratis had she told me beforehand.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

MediocreAuthor
  • Locked
A question (primarily for male readers) about mentioning the menstrual cycle in a story:
2 3 4
Replies
76
Views
2K
YDB95
YDB95
EmilyMiller
Reading for pleasure…
2 3
Replies
62
Views
1K
ElectricBlue
ElectricBlue
Bamagan
An Idea I Kind of Hope Gets Ridiculed
Replies
20
Views
478
AchtungNight
A
jaF0
Are Stories Being Pulled for Using AI?
2 3 4
Replies
76
Views
3K
FreyaGersemi
FreyaGersemi
lovecraft68
Loving Wives is the only place hotwife stories are abused
2 3 4
Replies
96
Views
3K
bobsyouruncle55
bobsyouruncle55
Back
Top