Hey! New and a little confused

[Altara]

Hey everyone!

I'm pretty new to the whole genre of writing erotica - all of my other writing has been much more vanilla and standard, but I thought I'd try this out. I'm usually used to writing fantasy, or normal fiction, and this is my first real foray into the romance/erotica zone - emphasis on erotica.

I found literotica a while ago and was enjoying reading the stories just using the search terms, but I never knew about the forums or anything like that, or ratings or anything, so I was reading a real mixed bag - some really great stuff, some great stuff that ended unfinished, some badly written stuff, some badly spelled stuff. A bit of a whirlwind really, but I've been enjoying it. I've done some roleplaying in the past, and I've gotten the point where I want to write and maybe submit something, but I'm not sure exactly how to go about it.

I've written the first chapter (well... "Chapter" of 3 pages, but you know how it is), as well as a small prelude, and I've begun the second chapter. It is not particularly long, but I'm currently between semesters, so I don't have much else to do and I'm enjoying the process of writing something out!

Here's the thing. I'm not sure if its any good, and I'm a little afraid after seeing this whole forum filled with experienced writers. I'm also not sure if I'm going too far - I'm writing a story about mostly non-consensual sex. I saw that it had to be 18+ (that was an easy change from 17 to 18 though), but I'm not sure what other hard restrictions there are, and even once I've worked around them, I want to produce a quality work. Should I just post my work here? Whats the deal?

Thanks!

-Altara

[glynndah]

Everyone here was new once. Don't be scared. If you'd like additional help, there are volunteer editors available. If you'd just like another pair of eyes to look at your work, you could ask for beta readers.

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

[lovecraft68]

Welcome to the AH

You can write "mostly non con" stories as there is a rule about "hard rape" there needs to be some enjoyment on the part of the victim or it has to turn into a role play or some other type of game

Here is the link to the most common rejection reasons

http://forum.literotica.com/showthre...hreadid=175666

This is the last rule and pertains to your question


Was there excessive violence, snuff, or abuse of characters in your story?

Your story was too extreme for our guidelines. These judgments are subjective, and thus we can't give an exact definition of what exactly is "too much". Certain "violence" in a BDSM situation between consenting adults may be allowed, while the same "violence" between strangers in a non-consentual situation will not. Tone and respect for characters, as well as the "violent" scene within the context of the story, are what we make our judgments upon. If your story is rejected for this, feel free to send the story back with a polite request for an explanation and we will tell you why it was rejected. If you disagree with our assessment, you are more than welcome to publish your story elsewhere rather than alter it to our guidelines. We respect your rights as authors to write on whatever you like, however you like.

Added by Laurel for clarification: While we do accept submissions with graphic violence, we don't accept "snuff" - i.e. death & extreme torture with the aim of sexual titillation. We generally do not accept submissions of nonconsensual sex in which the "victim" gets absolutely no sort of thrill or enjoyment from the acts, or is seriously and /or permanently physically harmed/abused.


As for being nervous about how your stuff will be received there is only one way to find out and that is to Submit! (you can also put your story up)

Then you can get some feedback from readers and there is also a feedback forum where when the story is up you can post the link and request feedback and get some of the authors takes on it as well

[sr71plt]

Not here on the forum, no. Jump in and submit it to the story file and then if you want feedback on it, ask for it in the "Story Feedback" forum, giving a link to it after it's posted to the story file. Everyone has to start somewhere and this isn't the New Yorker. But, no, the forum is not the place to work over full works. The Web site does have selection criteria and something wouldn't be any less published to the Web site here on the forum than in the story file. If you post it here you are circumventing the Web site's privilege of decided what it will publish on the Web site and what it won't. Welcome to Literotica. Have fun sharing your stories here.

[NaokoSmith]

We were all new and nervous once!

Glynndah is right, you can get a volunteer editor. I'm onto my second and they have both been absolutely great and improved my stories no end. Pilot and Lovecraft are right too, though, ultimately the only way to find out how people will take to your stories is to post them.

Don't be worried about bad feedback. One of my books has been labelled 'depraved filth' on Amazon, and has a string of one star reviews. Man, that thing is flying off the shelves!

Be and totally ignore it if anyone is rude or mean to you, cuz sometimes they get bored and go and give someone a poke to see if they can get a rise. Do not post in Loving Wives without TXRad's sharkproof suit. Have a play on the threads, you can practice writing Make Me Dirty or Six Word Stories and flirt, I mean make good friends while doing so.

I have the best fun on here! Absolute party. Promise to make you pancakes if you show your nose next time we have a spam thread, there's an offer.

[Altara]

Thanks so much! How do I go find beta readers? And thanks for the advice about the non-con. I may have to retool my story slightly.

[hoo_hoo_boo]

Originally Posted by Altara

Hey everyone!

I'm pretty new to the whole genre of writing erotica - all of my other writing has been much more vanilla and standard, but I thought I'd try this out. I'm usually used to writing fantasy, or normal fiction, and this is my first real foray into the romance/erotica zone - emphasis on erotica.

I found literotica a while ago and was enjoying reading the stories just using the search terms, but I never knew about the forums or anything like that, or ratings or anything, so I was reading a real mixed bag - some really great stuff, some great stuff that ended unfinished, some badly written stuff, some badly spelled stuff. A bit of a whirlwind really, but I've been enjoying it. I've done some roleplaying in the past, and I've gotten the point where I want to write and maybe submit something, but I'm not sure exactly how to go about it.

I've written the first chapter (well... "Chapter" of 3 pages, but you know how it is), as well as a small prelude, and I've begun the second chapter. It is not particularly long, but I'm currently between semesters, so I don't have much else to do and I'm enjoying the process of writing something out!

Here's the thing. I'm not sure if its any good, and I'm a little afraid after seeing this whole forum filled with experienced writers. I'm also not sure if I'm going too far - I'm writing a story about mostly non-consensual sex. I saw that it had to be 18+ (that was an easy change from 17 to 18 though), but I'm not sure what other hard restrictions there are, and even once I've worked around them, I want to produce a quality work. Should I just post my work here? Whats the deal?

Thanks!

-Altara

I think you'd have a fair idea as to whether its ok. How ever, I recognise that often a writer can't really see the writing until some time after writing it. So, why not put it away for a month or two, then bring it out and go through it again and you'll then know whether it's ok to take the plunge. There are also people who offer editorial services here. You can access some one who can help. I would also suggest that a story with chapters might be a big risk, so why not write a short story , submit that and see how it goes. At first it is intimidating but don't worry. I think it's always a learning process. You will have seen that there are clowns who offer savage criticisms, but don't worry- they're just jealous you've had the balls to have a go.

[soflabbwlvr]

Originally Posted by Altara

Thanks so much! How do I go find beta readers? And thanks for the advice about the non-con. I may have to retool my story slightly.

Just ask. Try here, in the story feedback forum, the editors forum, or the story discussion forum. This is probably the best place, but any of the above would get you some volunteers.

[lovecraft68]

Originally Posted by Altara

Thanks so much! How do I go find beta readers? And thanks for the advice about the non-con. I may have to retool my story slightly.

Best bet on editors is the editors forum. A word of advice there is a volunteer editors forum you can find on your submissions page, but it is pretty hit or miss.

Half of them never get back to you and some start a project and never finish it. There are some good ones, but it could take a long time to find one.

On the editors forum they have an available editors forum for each month so check there.

[NaokoSmith]

You can look through the editors on the volunteer list. I have to say, I have not had a lot of joy finding anyone through this means but you should at least give it a go, as those people have signalled that they would like to do some editing.

The people I edit for all came surreptitiously up to me in here and offered me virtual drinks until I couldn't think clearly and agreed . Unfortunately, I am up to the eyeballs in editing, writing, teaching and washing knickers so I can't offer to take you on too, but you could have a look and see if anyone seems suitable. Cruise about the threads, you're bound to make some friends.

[NaokoSmith]

Originally Posted by lovecraft68

Best bet on editors is the editors forum. A word of advice there is a volunteer editors forum you can find on your submissions page, but it is pretty hit or miss.

Half of them never get back to you and some start a project and never finish it. There are some good ones, but it could take a long time to find one.

On the editors forum they have an available editors forum for each month so check there.

This is a much better idea than mine, although click on the link I gave as there is advice there about finding editors.

[TxRad]

Welcome to the madhouse of the AH and writing erotica in general.

If you are writing non-con, go to the top list and read some of those at random. They may not be the best over all but they will give you some idea of what is being posted there. If you find a writer you like n that list, go to their authors page and see what else they have. Sometimes the best stories don't reach the top list because of low number of votes.

Write for yourself and finish the story completely before you post the first chapter. That way it won't become and unfinished story if you have something come up to screw with your time.

Above all, have fun.

[sr71plt]

Originally Posted by NaokoSmith

You can look through the editors on the volunteer list.

I agree with Lovecraft68 that that list is beyond useless. Downright wheels spinning dangerous. the Volunteer Editor program is defunct, and trying to pursue anyone off that list would be a time waster and black hole. As others have suggested, go to the Editor's forum. Near the top is a list of editors announcing availability that month, so you know they are active (although you don't know if they are better at than you are). And you can initiate a thread on that forum directly asking for help. If you do, include the genre and wordage of what you have--and have something with at least a draft completed. If you can do with a reader rather than an editor, note that. You'll find one of those quicker.

[Altara]

Where is this "top list"? Thanks everyone!

[lovecraft68]

http://www.literotica.com/top/

You find it by going to the home page, then clicking on stories. You'll see Top lists there, just click on each category to see them.

they have 30 day 6 month and all time, for all time a story has to have at least a 100 votes.

Just so you know, it is nice to be at the top of those lists, but at the same time it sets your story up for target practice from the friendly neighborhood trolls.

[Bramblethorn]

Originally Posted by lovecraft68

http://www.literotica.com/top/

You find it by going to the home page, then clicking on stories. You'll see Top lists there, just click on each category to see them.

they have 30 day 6 month and all time, for all time a story has to have at least a 100 votes.

Just so you know, it is nice to be at the top of those lists, but at the same time it sets your story up for target practice from the friendly neighborhood trolls.

Note that some of those lists are broken (not updating). e.g. if you follow that route to Lesbian, you get this list. The top-50 hasn't updated in ages; "A Proper Send-Off" has been sitting there with exactly 2120 votes for as long as I've been watching, at least 6 months. (Though if you follow the links at the bottom to 51-100, 101-150, ... those seem to be updating OK, and the 30-day and 7-day ones also seem to work.)

The top-25 "Hall of Fame" at the bottom of this page updates more often. But as far as I can tell, new stories sitting between #26 and #50 don't show up anywhere on any long-term list. I have a couple that seem to have disappeared into that space.

[sr71plt]

Starting off on the bat worrying about the top lists (which don't have a lot of meaning in them) is a guarantee of early aggravation, frustration, and probable disappointment.

[lovecraft68]

Originally Posted by Bramblethorn

Note that some of those lists are broken (not updating). e.g. if you follow that route to Lesbian, you get this list. The top-50 hasn't updated in ages; "A Proper Send-Off" has been sitting there with exactly 2120 votes for as long as I've been watching, at least 6 months. (Though if you follow the links at the bottom to 51-100, 101-150, ... those seem to be updating OK, and the 30-day and 7-day ones also seem to work.)

The top-25 "Hall of Fame" at the bottom of this page updates more often. But as far as I can tell, new stories sitting between #26 and #50 don't show up anywhere on any long-term list. I have a couple that seem to have disappeared into that space.

Yeah they're messed up. I have a story that should be there on incest, but sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't.

Also for about a week the list went down to 4.81 then on the next page there were a dozen stories at 4.82

Not that I should care, anytime a SWB chapter creeps in there it gets bombed off. My other stories are left alone in incest and any other top list I make, its just SWB.

Shame is I'm sure I know who it is and its another author, and one that I actually helped several times.

[lovecraft68]

Originally Posted by sr71plt

Starting off on the bat worrying about the top lists (which don't have a lot of meaning in them) is a guarantee of early aggravation, frustration, and probable disappointment.

I think you're right.

But I have OCD when it comes to numbers and stats and I love to look through them even in categories I never read or write in.

Shit between that and calculating era's and batting averages during ball games I drive myself nuts,

[TxRad]

Originally Posted by sr71plt

Starting off on the bat worrying about the top lists (which don't have a lot of meaning in them) is a guarantee of early aggravation, frustration, and probable disappointment.

I suggested the top list for a reading reference for the category.

[lovecraft68]

Originally Posted by TxRad

I suggested the top list for a reading reference for the category.

I used to do that, but I found a lot of the stories to be so-so a lot of cheerleading votes from the fan base.

On the other hand I've find a lot of good stories that have crappy ratings

Lately I've been finding stories by looking at someone who recently faved me fav page and seeing who else they read.

[mynameisben]

Originally Posted by lovecraft68

On the other hand I've find a lot of good stories that have crappy ratings

Hey! Maybe this is my big break. All my stories have crappy ratings.

[lovecraft68]

Originally Posted by mynameisben

Hey! Maybe this is my big break. All my stories have crappy ratings.

Maybe I was talking about you!

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Originally Posted by lovecraft68

Yeah they're messed up. I have a story that should be there on incest, but sometimes it is, sometimes it isn't.

Also for about a week the list went down to 4.81 then on the next page there were a dozen stories at 4.82

Not that I should care, anytime a SWB chapter creeps in there it gets bombed off. My other stories are left alone in incest and any other top list I make, its just SWB.

Shame is I'm sure I know who it is and its another author, and one that I actually helped several times.

Just like IRL.