Bittersweet/depressing endings

[MayorReynolds]

As of now I've gotten two stories approved on Lit. Both of them received scores that made me feel comfortable. But they both end on low notes. I gave them downer endings because I felt that's what the stories needed; what I was trying to do was express something and a fairytale ending wouldn't have worked for them. Some future stories I've got planned work out better, though, but not all.

The problem is that on both stories I've received negative feedback comments about the endings. In my latest story I had an anonymous commenter tell me the story was hot but the conclusion 'sucked ass' and made them depressed (the subject line of the comment was "write it over again.")

Are downer endings something I should try to avoid here in the future? Do people not like their eroticism mixed with poignancy? I want to write good stuff but I don't want to alienate my audience.

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

What LIT readers demand is hot boy-girl encounters where they gotta take a week off work to recuperate, and then decide to swap sexes and become gay. Gay worship at LIT is like adding AMEN to a prayer.

[sr71plt]

Yes, happy endings get better reception on literotica. (They get better reception from my editor, too). Do I write mostly happy endings thereby? No. I try to keep the ending within the context of the story.

[TxRad]

Originally Posted by MayorReynolds

As of now I've gotten two stories approved on Lit. Both of them received scores that made me feel comfortable. But they both end on low notes. I gave them downer endings because I felt that's what the stories needed; what I was trying to do was express something and a fairytale ending wouldn't have worked for them. Some future stories I've got planned work out better, though, but not all.

The problem is that on both stories I've received negative feedback comments about the endings. In my latest story I had an anonymous commenter tell me the story was hot but the conclusion 'sucked ass' and made them depressed (the subject line of the comment was "write it over again.")

Are downer endings something I should try to avoid here in the future? Do people not like their eroticism mixed with poignancy? I want to write good stuff but I don't want to alienate my audience.

It's your story, write it the way you see it. Yes, you will get some negative feedback but if the scores are satisfactory to you then you have an audience.

Oh and ignore JBJ or smack him with a newspaper. He's the resident troll that is trying to become a writer.

[PennLady]

While I'd agree that in general people prefer a happy ending, it also depends on the category you're writing in. HEA (happily ever after) endings are what the romance crowd wants, and that extends into Nonhuman and a few other categories as well. And even if you do have a happy ending, as I did in one of my stories, if it doesn't follow the "rules", you'll still get flak.

In my ending, the protagonists said they loved each other and were planning on moving in together -- but that wasn't enough for those who wanted a engagement or marriage and etc. etc.

So if you feel a HEA suits your story, then write it. If not, then don't. Write the ending you feel the story needs and leads to naturally. As sr71 said, yes, you will get negative feedback from some on that. But it's your story.

[soflabbwlvr]

Originally Posted by MayorReynolds

As of now I've gotten two stories approved on Lit. Both of them received scores that made me feel comfortable. But they both end on low notes. I gave them downer endings because I felt that's what the stories needed; what I was trying to do was express something and a fairytale ending wouldn't have worked for them. Some future stories I've got planned work out better, though, but not all.

The problem is that on both stories I've received negative feedback comments about the endings. In my latest story I had an anonymous commenter tell me the story was hot but the conclusion 'sucked ass' and made them depressed (the subject line of the comment was "write it over again.")

Are downer endings something I should try to avoid here in the future? Do people not like their eroticism mixed with poignancy? I want to write good stuff but I don't want to alienate my audience.

In general, people do prefer a HEA. Should you give it to them? If it makes you happy to write it that way, then go ahead and do so. But if you feel the story is better served by some other type of ending, then write it the way you want to. If you do it enough, people who demand the HEA will learn to avoid your stories, and those who prefer some bitter mixed with the sweet will seek you out.

I have gone with a bittersweet ending a couple of times, and readers did complain. So what? It was my story, and that's the way I wanted to tell it. In another case, I ended on a bit of a downer, but I liked the characters so much that I wrote a sequel that gave them the HEA. I don't know if I would do that again, but my point is that I did it because I wanted it.

Do whatever you want. Decide for yourself whether telling the story the way you want to tell it outweighs the lowered score and negative comments that telling it that way engenders. What's more important to you?

[Euphony]

On even the shortest of stories, you likely invest ten fold the amount of time readers do.

And you are the one providing their material... for free.

If you don't love an idea. Don't write it. If it needs to be bittersweet, then make it so.

Imagine how awful this place would be if everyone wrote to a "score high" fornula.

Embrace what you love and its place outside the usual expectations. With as many readers as we get here, they'll always be somebody with an issue. Better to steel yourself against personal biased criticism than trying to write it all away, it can't be done.

Some times people need to die or love doesn't work out fully. The smart cookies realize that makes all the moments when they did work out all the more special.

[LaRascasse]

I sympathise with your plight on a deeply personal level.

In my experience with these stories (and believe me I have a lot of experience), I have noticed that the comments are usually good but the scores aren't where I would hope them to be.

You have to understand that Literotica is like a sexy fairytale. The prince always walks away with the princess (and fucks her to sexual oblivion). You can do away with the ending. Hell you can even do away with the plot entirely and leave a ludicrous montage of bizarre sex scenes with 50 inch erections on black men named Jamal and you'd see your score shoot through the roof (unless you post in one specific category).

All I'm trying to say is, you're writing for yourself. You write because you wish stories like this existed and you want to share them with others. You write because it satisfies you. Don't get needlessly flustered by whether readers like it or not. Believe me, I've banged my head against that particular wall too many times on this forum.

So you have two choices - sellout and write about the people living happily ever after in sexual excess, or write a slice of real life tragedy which too few authors want to do. Your call.

Nice to meet a kindred spirit.

[sr71plt]

I have never, EVER named one of my 50-inch black men Jamal. But if it would help the scores, I'll be happy to start doing that.

[TxRad]

Originally Posted by sr71plt

I have never, EVER named one of my 50-inch black men Jamal. But if it would help the scores, I'll be happy to start doing that.

Somehow Jamal just doesn't fit a 4 foot 2 inch black guy.

[sr71plt]

Originally Posted by TxRad

Somehow Jamal just doesn't fit a 4 foot 2 inch black guy.

It's more Middle Eastern. But, hey, if it's going to get me better ratings, I'm willing to try it. Hell, I'm willing to give him another inch in length.

[LaRascasse]

Originally Posted by sr71plt

It's more Middle Eastern. But, hey, if it's going to get me better ratings, I'm willing to try it. Hell, I'm willing to give him another inch in length.

Sure

Add Jamal's sister into t=the fray with a page long sex scene and you'll have a red H.

[NaokoSmith]

LOL, this site is for fun, write what you like. If you want to see hilarious comments, look at the ones on TxRad's Loving Wife stories. Anonymice are infamous for their wish to make you write the story the way they would have written it, if they could be bothered to sit down and write the story.

Oh, and don't smack JBJ with a newspaper! , best to sit back and watch him roll - pass the popcorn to the left.

Welcome to the board and keep on posting, you will often get amazingly good answers to what seem like impossible questions. And occasionally you will get something that is from so far left field that it has the shimmer of vortex about it.

[clevergirlname]

Write what your pen, your fingers, your brain leads you to.
People will like it. People will hate it. People will love it.

At the end of the day, if you're not comfortable, it doesn't really matter.

[SecondCircle]

Originally Posted by clevergirlname

Write what your pen, your fingers, your brain leads you to.
People will like it. People will hate it. People will love it.

At the end of the day, if you're not comfortable, it doesn't really matter.

This.

To me, my stories kinda "write themselves." Blah, blah, usual writer inspiration. But it's true.

I have to like my endings. Usually, when they come to me, I think, "yep, that ending belongs with this story." Doesn't matter if it's happy or sad or gross or enlightening or horrifying or violent or depressing or....

Well, you get it. I think every character has a story waiting to burst forth, whether its interesting to the masses or not. And every story has an ending. Even if its just the beginning of a new story. As I'm writing along, the events just... well, happen. Same with the ending. It may not happen in that sequence, but the ending you write is the one that was meant for it. So write it.

[Lady_Fiona]

Its your writing, not theirs, write it the way it feels best. Some of mine are bittersweet endings, because I was writing a bittersweet story. Stuff em, enjoy yourself.

[MayorReynolds]

Thanks everybody. You too, JBJ! You're all correct. I write my endings that way because I need to. Not every situation is going to turn out happy.

I have noticed a tendency by those without screen names to be pretty negative. I don't brag; I am very humble about my writing. My only real goal is to try to make it better no matter how 'good' it may supposedly be.

That said, there hasn't been a piece of writing I've put out in the last six or so years that didn't involve me busting my ass in some fashion. With stories especially (erotic or non) I'll spend hours upon hours behind a closed door, stopping only to pee, refill my water glass, or find food when my blood sugar's dropped to "eat or tear my face off" levels. So yeah, harsh criticism from anonymous tends to hurt when much blood and sweat was involved in the process.