imagination or complete description? Questionnaire for new author.

I have wondered about a few things from a read and authors perspective, and the main question i will be asking is this:

Q1: If you are reading an erotic story, do you find it more erotic if the smaller details are left to the imagination? for example, if i were to write:

He grazed my light pink nipples with his calloused hands. I felt them swell, the roughness of his touch evoking my hidden desires.

The colour of the nipples (as discussed in a previous topic to a GREAT extent! lol) is variable, and around 70% of people would not choose light pink as their preferred colour of nipple. Does this mean they would find this minuscule detail a turn off, and therefore more people would like the story if the colour was not mentioned at all, as long as the action itself was still described?

As regards "calloused" this could portray a much larger picture of the man who is doing this to her. He is strong, used to hard labour, is not scared of being rough with her etc. Do uses of adjectives like there increase arousal because you can apply more of a back story through imagination rather than having to read a page of their past before they get down and dirty?

Q2: Do you get put off by long stories?

I myself love the long stories as i feel more of a connection with the characters and it turns me on more. But even i get a bit distressed when i click on a link and see that it is 6 pages+. The taking of Lena (Chapters 1-10, by ABlondeGodess) Are around my favourite size, but i am really into these and i had time to read them when i started. If i had not started reading these i probably would not have looked at chapter 10 because of the length of it.

Q2: How long is too long before getting to the action?

I have written and submitted my first story (which im afraid i cannot link you to as it is not posted yet, but i will let you know when it is). When in word it shows up at 7500 words long-ish, around 12 pages. I was worried i had left it too long before getting into the action, but wanted to set up my characters as it would be more than 1 part, hopefully a long running series. I ended up going through and deleting much of the depth i had put in my characters so people wouldn't be put off if it took to long to reach the action. When i actually uploaded it, i realised it only took up 2 literotica pages... And this made me think i had deleted too much. Now i am not sure what was best, and i will put the depth in the second installment to be safe.

Q3: Do you find stories on literotica samey? What stands out for you?

When you click on a post, what is it that makes things stand out for you? Do you go to the story index and browse posts knowing what you will want to look for and look for those keywords, or do you click on something that just jumps out at you and catches your eye? Is there anything that you avoid, and why?

Q4: Do you get put off by people writing a series but putting different installments in different categories?

I was thinking of writing a series but having each individual installment in a different category, so that maybe those who stuck to "first time" might have a gradual build up to maybe liking a few other categories. The trouble is, sometimes im reading a good NC/R story, when half way down it switches to incest/taboo and that isn't my guilty pleasure, so i will skip it, but get ennoyed when i don't know the storyline. Like missing an episode of my favourite soap or something.

Q5: Do you wait for your favourite authors to upload a new chapter or story? or do you just wait until you see it pop up again?

Does anyone use the favourite function? Sometimes if i read a good story i like to look at the authors favourites, hoping they will have the same sort of stories there, but rarely, if at all, do i see people making use of this.

Q6: Do you stick to the "favourites" section of your chosen area or do you hop about, looking in new submissions and try to search out anything good that way?

I am worried it might be hard to be appreciated if i am any good! Will i slip under the radar being a new author with no following?

EDIT: Q7: Are you put off if the characters are not "perfect" or do imperfections give extra depth and realism to the story?

On the one hand, people are reading these stories because they want to visualize and live their fantasies, so surely they would want the people in them to be the image of perfection? On the other hand... Perfection seems less real, and with flaws in the way we physically or emotionally perceive them will achieve realism in a way perfection cant... And create more of a storyline while we are at it (after all, no one is entranced by a "Happily ever after"), but which one trumps the other?

Sorry for the essay, but i really want help and you seem a nice bunch of people! Thanks in advance,

Fly x

1- as long as it doesn't get excessive or repeat itself, I'm good with it. In other words you only have to tell me her nipples are pink once, I'll remember.

2- as long as the story can hold my interest I don't care how long it is

2-2 if there is sufficient build up and the story moves along I am fine with waiting to get to the sex.

I have a story here that is 7 lit pages, by page 5 there was only a kiss on the cheek the action doesn't start until page 6 it has a 4.85 rating, so if you can keep the reader interested you're fine.

3 Yes, many, many cliches are here some authors can spin them and make them interesting, some are ABC formula stories and boring

4 no, if i like the series I'll go where it goes

5 I check my favvs once a week ro so to look and see if they ahve something new.

6 I hop around as my interests tend to change from time to time. I am currently in a "mature" phase

7 I enjoy imperfect characters, perfect ones ruin stories for me.

1. It depends on whether the details serve the story or character(s). Generally I don't like to have every detail spelled out for me, but it's a case-by-case thing. Sometimes the detail is fine, sometimes I feel like I'm drowning in words and I'll stop reading.

2. Again, it depends on the story. If it holds my interest, then no, a long story is fine.

3. There's no one answer here either. I've written stories where the first sex didn't occur until 1/3 or 1/2 way through, and it was fine. Others are meant to be stroke stories, or at least shorter stories, so moving quickly to the sex is fine.

4. I don't think I'd care if the chapters were in different categories.

5. N/A, as I haven't been following anyone or any story on here. If I am reading a story, I'm always pleased when a new chapter appears, but I don't wait on it. I know how life can be.

6. I hop around, when I'm reading stories, which I haven't been lately.

7. I definitely prefer a few flaws in my characters; makes them easier to relate to.

FlyAwayFromHere said:

Q1: If you are reading an erotic story, do you find it more erotic if the smaller details are left to the imagination? for example, if i were to write:

He grazed my light pink nipples with his calloused hands. I felt them swell, the roughness of his touch evoking my hidden desires.

The colour of the nipples (as discussed in a previous topic to a GREAT extent! lol) is variable, and around 70% of people would not choose light pink as their preferred colour of nipple. Does this mean they would find this minuscule detail a turn off, and therefore more people would like the story if the colour was not mentioned at all, as long as the action itself was still described?

As regards "calloused" this could portray a much larger picture of the man who is doing this to her. He is strong, used to hard labour, is not scared of being rough with her etc. Do uses of adjectives like there increase arousal because you can apply more of a back story through imagination rather than having to read a page of their past before they get down and dirty?

Click to expand...

I think you're overthinking the issue here. An additional adjective will hardly impede the flow or readability of the story. Descriptions can sometimes be incredibly sensual. The best stories I've read describe everything about a person - their face, eyes, features, contours, every nuance of their personality. Despite the tag, we aren't all about walking genitalia. I (and most other Literotica readers) prefer to read about characters which are fleshed out physically, mentally and emotionally. Invest quality time here, you won't regret it.

Q2: Do you get put off by long stories?

I myself love the long stories as i feel more of a connection with the characters and it turns me on more. But even i get a bit distressed when i click on a link and see that it is 6 pages+. The taking of Lena (Chapters 1-10, by ABlondeGodess) Are around my favourite size, but i am really into these and i had time to read them when i started. If i had not started reading these i probably would not have looked at chapter 10 because of the length of it.

Q2: How long is too long before getting to the action?

I have written and submitted my first story (which im afraid i cannot link you to as it is not posted yet, but i will let you know when it is). When in word it shows up at 7500 words long-ish, around 12 pages. I was worried i had left it too long before getting into the action, but wanted to set up my characters as it would be more than 1 part, hopefully a long running series. I ended up going through and deleting much of the depth i had put in my characters so people wouldn't be put off if it took to long to reach the action. When i actually uploaded it, i realised it only took up 2 literotica pages... And this made me think i had deleted too much. Now i am not sure what was best, and i will put the depth in the second installment to be safe.

Click to expand...

Personally, I don't read a long story unless someone recommended it to me, or someone I know read it, or someone requested feedback. But I will say this, the best stories I've read here have been long. If you feel your story is becoming too long, split it into chapters. Even if you don't, the quality of the story will eventually attract readers. Don't believe me? Check this out. The story stands at a massive 46 pages long, but is by far one of the best (if not the best thing) you will ever find on this site. The score reflects that too. Another example is Threads, which sits pretty atop the Incest/Taboo hall of fame at 42 pages long. I rest my case.

Long is subjective. I think your first page is the key. The reader should be engrossed at the start itself, so when he scrolls to the bottom of the first page and sees 8 pages to go, he should already be emotionally invested enough to keep going.

As for the second part to your question, it is a bit of hit and miss. It helps to have a sex scene, or atleast sexual tension at the start, but again if the readers like the direction of the story enough, they will read on through the non-erotic content and you can give some solid story before the first sex scene. In my story Lucid Ending, I gave quite a lot of build-up before the actual sex. Strangely enough, the comments seem to suggest that I should have done away with the sex altogether because it distracted from the rest of the story. Another example is Culture Shock. This story has 36 pages and no sex. Yes, you read it right, NO SEX. But the writing and the ever present sexual tension make this one of the most popular stories here.

Rule of thumb- if you don't want to dive into the sex at the start, have engrossing build-up with the characters and/or keep sexual tension heavy in the writing.

Q3: Do you find stories on literotica samey? What stands out for you?

When you click on a post, what is it that makes things stand out for you? Do you go to the story index and browse posts knowing what you will want to look for and look for those keywords, or do you click on something that just jumps out at you and catches your eye? Is there anything that you avoid, and why?

Click to expand...

Again, since I rarely read a random story, I don't have to deal with this too often. If I do, I give it half a page to give me a reason to keep reading. FYI, people instantly wanting to have sex for no apparent rhyme or reason doesn't count.

Q4: Do you get put off by people writing a series but putting different installments in different categories?

I was thinking of writing a series but having each individual installment in a different category, so that maybe those who stuck to "first time" might have a gradual build up to maybe liking a few other categories. The trouble is, sometimes im reading a good NC/R story, when half way down it switches to incest/taboo and that isn't my guilty pleasure, so i will skip it, but get ennoyed when i don't know the storyline. Like missing an episode of my favourite soap or something.

Click to expand...

This is a tricky issue. While I appreciate the fact that the story might go in different directions and need different parts of it in different categories, it does hit the readership. Say I see a story in the Lesbian section I like, I will naturally expect future installments in the Lesbian section, so I'll likely miss the subsequent chapters because I won't think to check other categories. One way around it is to put in the author's note at the end of the story where the next chapter will be.

Q5: Do you wait for your favourite authors to upload a new chapter or story? or do you just wait until you see it pop up again?

Does anyone use the favourite function? Sometimes if i read a good story i like to look at the authors favourites, hoping they will have the same sort of stories there, but rarely, if at all, do i see people making use of this.

Click to expand...

I don't actively seek out my favourite author's pages on a daily basis, but if I'm looking for a new story to read and I see one of my favourites on the New Stories list, I'll give it a go.

Q6: Do you stick to the "favourites" section of your chosen area or do you hop about, looking in new submissions and try to search out anything good that way?

I am worried it might be hard to be appreciated if i am any good! Will i slip under the radar being a new author with no following?

Click to expand...

Ah yes, this happens some times. One good way is to make sure the category you pick is the best fit for your story. Also, put the story up for review on the Feedback forum and Discussion circle, put a link in your signature. If it still doesn't work, try again.

EDIT: Q7: Are you put off if the characters are not "perfect" or do imperfections give extra depth and realism to the story?

On the one hand, people are reading these stories because they want to visualize and live their fantasies, so surely they would want the people in them to be the image of perfection? On the other hand... Perfection seems less real, and with flaws in the way we physically or emotionally perceive them will achieve realism in a way perfection cant... And create more of a storyline while we are at it (after all, no one is entranced by a "Happily ever after"), but which one trumps the other?

Sorry for the essay, but i really want help and you seem a nice bunch of people! Thanks in advance,

Fly x

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Je t'aime. I could almost kiss you for bringing this up. Perfect characters do absolutely nothing for me. I wish I could double underline it and put up bright neon signs for emphasis. Personally, I want to read about characters I can meet on the street. Try as I might, I will never meet a white-knight-in-shining-armour who happens to be spectacularly well endowed and a passionate romantic at heart; spouting Neruda for every woman he woos. Neither will I meet his female counterpart.

I will meet people under enormous pressure from work and family. I will meet people who look average and can't bear to see it in a mirror. I will meet people who look fabulous, but have been conditioned not to believe so. I will meet people who walk with the weight of the world on their shoulders and need all their strength merely to wake up in the morning and get out of bed. I will meet people who are scarred and broken under the facade of laughter. I will meet people who are riddled with neuroses and fear. I will meet people who hate themselves so much they stay in a drug addicted haze to avoid thinking about it. I will meet people with secret addictions stemming from scars so deep that it beggars the imagination. If nothing else, I will meet people who have been jaded by their daily grinds into accepting the gritty reality they have to live.

...and since I will meet these people, it's natural that I want to read about them when I read and write about them when I write.

Sorry for replying to your essay with one of my own. I hope that somewhere amidst the incessantly pretentious rambling, you find your answers.

"Less is more"

- Ludwig Mies van der Rohe

LaRascasse said:

I think you're overthinking the issue here. An additional adjective will hardly impede the flow or readability of the story. Descriptions can sometimes be incredibly sensual. The best stories I've read describe everything about a person - their face, eyes, features, contours, every nuance of their personality. Despite the tag, we aren't all about walking genitalia. I (and most other Literotica readers) prefer to read about characters which are fleshed out physically, mentally and emotionally. Invest quality time here, you won't regret it.



Personally, I don't read a long story unless someone recommended it to me, or someone I know read it, or someone requested feedback. But I will say this, the best stories I've read here have been long. If you feel your story is becoming too long, split it into chapters. Even if you don't, the quality of the story will eventually attract readers. Don't believe me? Check this out. The story stands at a massive 46 pages long, but is by far one of the best (if not the best thing) you will ever find on this site. The score reflects that too. Another example is Threads, which sits pretty atop the Incest/Taboo hall of fame at 42 pages long. I rest my case.

Long is subjective. I think your first page is the key. The reader should be engrossed at the start itself, so when he scrolls to the bottom of the first page and sees 8 pages to go, he should already be emotionally invested enough to keep going.

As for the second part to your question, it is a bit of hit and miss. It helps to have a sex scene, or atleast sexual tension at the start, but again if the readers like the direction of the story enough, they will read on through the non-erotic content and you can give some solid story before the first sex scene. In my story Lucid Ending, I gave quite a lot of build-up before the actual sex. Strangely enough, the comments seem to suggest that I should have done away with the sex altogether because it distracted from the rest of the story. Another example is Culture Shock. This story has 36 pages and no sex. Yes, you read it right, NO SEX. But the writing and the ever present sexual tension make this one of the most popular stories here.

Rule of thumb- if you don't want to dive into the sex at the start, have engrossing build-up with the characters and/or keep sexual tension heavy in the writing.



Again, since I rarely read a random story, I don't have to deal with this too often. If I do, I give it half a page to give me a reason to keep reading. FYI, people instantly wanting to have sex for no apparent rhyme or reason doesn't count.



This is a tricky issue. While I appreciate the fact that the story might go in different directions and need different parts of it in different categories, it does hit the readership. Say I see a story in the Lesbian section I like, I will naturally expect future installments in the Lesbian section, so I'll likely miss the subsequent chapters because I won't think to check other categories. One way around it is to put in the author's note at the end of the story where the next chapter will be.



I don't actively seek out my favourite author's pages on a daily basis, but if I'm looking for a new story to read and I see one of my favourites on the New Stories list, I'll give it a go.



Ah yes, this happens some times. One good way is to make sure the category you pick is the best fit for your story. Also, put the story up for review on the Feedback forum and Discussion circle, put a link in your signature. If it still doesn't work, try again.



Je t'aime. I could almost kiss you for bringing this up. Perfect characters do absolutely nothing for me. I wish I could double underline it and put up bright neon signs for emphasis. Personally, I want to read about characters I can meet on the street. Try as I might, I will never meet a white-knight-in-shining-armour who happens to be spectacularly well endowed and a passionate romantic at heart; spouting Neruda for every woman he woos. Neither will I meet his female counterpart.

I will meet people under enormous pressure from work and family. I will meet people who look average and can't bear to see it in a mirror. I will meet people who look fabulous, but have been conditioned not to believe so. I will meet people who walk with the weight of the world on their shoulders and need all their strength merely to wake up in the morning and get out of bed. I will meet people who are scarred and broken under the facade of laughter. I will meet people who are riddled with neuroses and fear. I will meet people who hate themselves so much they stay in a drug addicted haze to avoid looking in the mirror. I will meet people with secret addictions stemming from scars so deep that it beggars the imagination. If nothing else, I will meet people who have been jaded by their daily grinds into accepting the gritty reality they to live.

...and since I will meet these people, it's natural that I want to read about them when I read and write about them when I write.

Sorry for replying to your essay with one of my own. I hope that somewhere amidst the incessantly pretentious rambling, you find your answers.

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No. I read a few paragraphs of the story you recommend, and it sux. Reminds me of a 1949 Buick the nigguz usta lard-up with expensive shit that neither improved performance nor looks. Continental kits, fender skirts, chrome gobbed on everything, fuzzy dice, and raccoon tails flying from the radio aerial.

I start Life after the Lottery as a series posted in multiple categories but the webmaster moved it all to Novels and Novellas to die. I went from 20,000 reads to 4000.

FlyAwayFromHere said:

Q1: If you are reading an erotic story, do you find it more erotic if the smaller details are left to the imagination? for example, if i were to write:

He grazed my light pink nipples with his calloused hands. I felt them swell, the roughness of his touch evoking my hidden desires.

The colour of the nipples (as discussed in a previous topic to a GREAT extent! lol) is variable, and around 70% of people would not choose light pink as their preferred colour of nipple. Does this mean they would find this minuscule detail a turn off, and therefore more people would like the story if the colour was not mentioned at all, as long as the action itself was still described?

As regards "calloused" this could portray a much larger picture of the man who is doing this to her. He is strong, used to hard labour, is not scared of being rough with her etc. Do uses of adjectives like there increase arousal because you can apply more of a back story through imagination rather than having to read a page of their past before they get down and dirty?

Click to expand...

My only objection to that level of detail in the example above is that it's rather clumsily done. When touching a nipple, the color doesn't come into play, only the texture, and with the woman's point of view, even texture isn't going to be a factor.
If the scene were inherently visual, though, the color, shape, and specific appearance of the nipples would be fine to go into detail with. If, in the above case, part of what was turning the woman on was specifically the visual stimulation of watching his hands touch her body.
(Yes, I understand that the above was just an example description, with little effort put into it... but I figured I'd address it as if I ran into it in a story, because I've seen worse stuff than that put forth as a person's best effort).

Now, do specifics turn me off?
That depends on the specifics. With nipples, color and shape is all good where I'm concerned, as long as they're either within the normal human range, or specifically outside of the normal human range.
A woman should not have square or octagonal nipples, for example, unless she is an alien or robot or some other non-human.
When the descriptions lose me is when they tap too heavily into fetishes that I don't particularly have. I've read a lot of stories that describe women with nipples that stick out an inch or more, and that kind of thing gets quickly weird. Again, because it's really outside of the human norm, and breaks me out of the story unless it's a plot point (and a well-written one at that).

Another kind of description that bothers me is lengthy blocks of "She looked like this...", followed by a complete description of wardrobe, bust/waist/hip measurements, and other details that I consider boring and generally irrelevant.
Part of that is I feel that descriptions should be broken up into the story, placed where they're relevant. I don't necessarily need to know what kind of pants a woman has on until somebody is trying to take them off. I don't necessarily need to know what kind of shirt a woman has until somebody is trying to remove it, or reach inside of it.
This actually applies to body parts as well. At the reader's first "sight" of a woman's breasts, I don't really need to know what kind of nipples she has, unless it's a plot point. The time I need to know is when I'm trying to picture them specifically, usually when they're the focus of the action.
A guy sees a naked woman, I don't need to know much more than that... unless it's a kind of voyeuristic story where a lot of the action is describing what is seen.
When that guy starts caressing her breasts, though, I'd like more info on what they see and feel like, even if it's the usual "soft and round" kind of answer. When the guy starts licking her nipples, focusing his (and the reader's) attention specifically on them, that's when I'd like to know what shade they are, what shape they are, what the texture and taste and feel of them is like.
And I never, ever, ever need specifics on whether a woman's breasts are "DD"s, or how many inches a man's erection is, or how many inches a woman's waist circumference is. The exceptions being when that specific information is truly relevant to the story.
In part, this is because random numbers and letter measurements are meaningless to me. "Breasts the size of cantaloupes" makes more sense in my head than "Double Ds" does. "A cock the size of cucumber" makes more sense to me than "A x inch long shaft with a circumference of y."
Another part is simply because people all too often do that kind of description WRONG. Any time I read a story about a thin-waisted girl with natural and perky EEE breasts, or about a guy with a 13" cock having sex with a human woman, it just makes the author lose credibility with me, because it makes me think that they don't know what the fuck they're talking about.
(Again, unless the highly unusual measurements are specifically part of the story. If that woman and that man are treated like the freaks of nature that they would be, that regains the author some authority.)

Q2: Do you get put off by long stories?

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Only when the telling of the story takes longer than the story should take to tell.
Which, unfortunately, is often with long stories.

Q2: How long is too long before getting to the action?

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That depends on my mood.
Fifty Shades of Grey isn't the best work of erotica that I've ever read, but one thing that I noticed was that there was a LOT of build-up before any actual sex took place. That's pretty standard for Romance novels too, and that kind of buildup can be quite effective, giving the reader time to become emotionally invested in the characters, and to serve as a kind of foreplay before the action.

On the other hand, that's usually NOT what I'm looking for when I surf the internet for free erotica. Usually, in that case, I'm just looking for a relatively quick stroke-off, and getting to the point faster is better than slower. Just enough character and scene to make the situation and personalities apparent, then get into the action. (foreplay counts as action, btw).

I have written and submitted my first story (which im afraid i cannot link you to as it is not posted yet, but i will let you know when it is). When in word it shows up at 7500 words long-ish, around 12 pages. I was worried i had left it too long before getting into the action, but wanted to set up my characters as it would be more than 1 part, hopefully a long running series. I ended up going through and deleting much of the depth i had put in my characters so people wouldn't be put off if it took to long to reach the action. When i actually uploaded it, i realised it only took up 2 literotica pages... And this made me think i had deleted too much. Now i am not sure what was best, and i will put the depth in the second installment to be safe.

Click to expand...

What I try to do is to establish character though (and during) the action. I don't want to write a paragraph about a woman working at a bookstore, just to establish her personality, when I can just sum that up in a single sentence (or part of a sentence) later.
There was a Science Fiction editor once who said that the number one thing that he had to do when editing a story was to scrap the first few pages. I always took that to heart, along with Elmore Leonard's advice of, "Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip."

Q3: Do you find stories on literotica samey? What stands out for you?

When you click on a post, what is it that makes things stand out for you? Do you go to the story index and browse posts knowing what you will want to look for and look for those keywords, or do you click on something that just jumps out at you and catches your eye? Is there anything that you avoid, and why?

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I like unusual stories that still fit within my overall model for what turns me on. Sometimes I'll just try stuff at random, but a lot of times I'll skim for certain specific actions or scenarios.
Recently, I went story-by-story through all the Audio stories on the site, simply because I drive a lot for work. Although a lot of them ended up being skipped, because the audio quality was too low, or the writing style was too poor, or it simply wasn't my cup of tea.

Q4: Do you get put off by people writing a series but putting different installments in different categories?

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Not really. Although the easier it is to find the next chapter/story, the more likely it is that I'll continue.
My main problem with series is that people seem to all too often try to make each story more extreme. I can't count how many ongoing stories I've read that just make me lose interest as they get more and more fetishistic in the search for something new to say about the characters involved.

Q5: Do you wait for your favourite authors to upload a new chapter or story? or do you just wait until you see it pop up again?

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I don't have any favorite authors, really.
I did skim and/or read a lot of Selena Kitt stuff, just to figure out how she's making such a reportedly good living writing erotica.

Q6: Do you stick to the "favourites" section of your chosen area or do you hop about, looking in new submissions and try to search out anything good that way?

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I usually just skim what's New, and see if anything looks good and/or interesting.

[I am worried it might be hard to be appreciated if i am any good! Will i slip under the radar being a new author with no following?

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Maybe. I have something of the same concern, but my theory is that if you keep writing quality material, word will get out in the long run.
If you only write one story, no matter how great it is, you're likely to be missed by a lot of people. The more work you put out, the more likely it is that people will notice something that you've written, and if they're impressed enough, they'll check out your other stuff as well.

EDIT: Q7: Are you put off if the characters are not "perfect" or do imperfections give extra depth and realism to the story?

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A bit of both, depending. I don't really want to read about fat, ugly seniors hooking up, but I'm also of the general opinion that most women are beautiful in some way or ways.
Reading stories where the characters are too "perfect" can break my suspension of disbelief, especially considering that not everybody's version of "perfect" is the same.
Overall, I'd say that descriptions of imperfections should follow the same rules of descriptions in general- don't go out of your way to toss it in there.
Also, part of the turn-on of a story is reading about characters that are turned on. So reading about some guy picking up on a girl's every flaw isn't going to be very steamy.

One technique that can be very successful is to highlight flaws as assets in the mind of one of the characters, i.e., "As Kurt knelt between her naked legs, he noticed a small mole on her inner thigh, an adorable imperfection that highlighted her otherwise flawless skin."
But don't go overboard:
"As Kurt knelt between her thighs, he saw that she had a wart the size of a strawberry on her leg. He grew hard at the sight of it, and began sucking on it like it was an extra nipple."

FlyAwayFromHere said:

I have wondered about a few things from a read and authors perspective, and the main question i will be asking is this:

Q1: If you are reading an erotic story, do you find it more erotic if the smaller details are left to the imagination? for example, if i were to write:

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Depends on the story. Some ask for more detail than others. Some are about the sex, some are about how you get there, in yet others the sex part is just a way of progressing the story.

Furthermore preference for a pink nipple doesn't necessarily mean getting turned off by a brown one. They can be both very arousing.

Q2: Do you get put off by long stories?

Q2.1: How long is too long before getting to the action?

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Only if I'm in the mood for a quick stroker rather than a long, relaxed read. In the first situation any time getting to the action is too long.

Q3: Do you find stories on literotica samey? What stands out for you?

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Nothing in particular. Yes many are samey but they're all different, and indeed some just happen to jump out.

Q4: Do you get put off by people writing a series but putting different installments in different categories?

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Doing this myself. It increases exposure. Just make sure the parts are in an appropriate category.

Q5: Do you wait for your favourite authors to upload a new chapter or story? or do you just wait until you see it pop up again?

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As long as Literotica doesn't have a notification function, telling me that a favourite author has posted a new story, I don't see the use of it.

EDIT: Q7: Are you put off if the characters are not "perfect" or do imperfections give extra depth and realism to the story?

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Nobody is perfect. One of the reasons many people dislike computer-generated images of people is that they are too perfect; imperfections - not just looks, but also in behaviour, judgement, etc - are what makes a character come to life.

Lovecraft and Penn Lady give good replies.

For me;

Q1. In writing any story you only put details in if they matter. What is called in the theatre, 'the business'. Why does the color of her nipples affect the story? Her broken leg might.

Q2. War and Peace is 1400 published pages and I devoured that in two weeks commuting on the A-line. To quote a friend, "It's not length but performance that counts". A lit page is about 3,500 words - more than 7 Word pages, so your 7,500 word masterpiece is quite short by Lit's standard.

Q2-2. How long is a piece of string? 'The action' , as you call it, varies from story to story and MUST be an integral part of the story, else you are writing the difference between porn and erotica in that in porn the sex just happens whilst in erotica the players are seduced by each other. (Try Lovecraft).

Q3. No. From the lesbian stories of Paco Fear and Colleen Thomas to the far-off worlds of drkniciad, the site has a range of erotica you won't find elsewhere.

Q4. Look on the thread. I didn't know the site collected multi-chapters in different cats and dumped them in 'novellas' Seems unfair to me.

Q5. Browse. The 'new list' is there for a week. Go look. I do.

Q6. Like at Amazon or a bookshop - hop about.

Q7. This is a silly question. Characters have their basic body parts and none of us are 'perfect'. Most women have one breast slightly bigger than the other and the same applies to men's testicles. Describing imperfections is great, as long as it is relevant to the story.

In summary, write a story that inspires you. Give it your best shot without worrying about readers and post it here for comments. Be yourself

Thanks!

You have all been very helpful and the answers have really helped me decide on a few things. My first installment will by no means be my best work, im testing the waters, as it were...

You have all helped me with small individual things and i cannot begin to list every little detail of what you have helped with and who, but i will give a special mention to RichardBacula who has helped me clarify quite a few things in my head. And dont worry about the essay, it was worth it! (I will never be able to get the image of a strawberry sized mole being sucked out of my head now, you had to throw that one in there didnt you).

I will take all the advice, and i will make sure that if i get accepted then i will put my link on my sig and post in submissions etc.

Thanks guys i really appreciate it!

Fly x

FlyAwayFromHere said:

You have all been very helpful and the answers have really helped me decide on a few things. My first installment will by no means be my best work, im testing the waters, as it were...

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I may be slightly off topic, but I feel that you might benefit from a few select words of wisdom....


"You worry too much" (Angelina Jolie in 'Wanted').

“Pessimism is an excuse for not trying and a guarantee for personal failure” (Bill Clinton).

"They ain't paying you, so write whatever you feel like and screw the critics." (StrangeLife).

i_would said:

Furthermore preference for a pink nipple doesn't necessarily mean getting turned off by a brown one. They can be both very arousing.

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True dat!

Most of the story on lit when i read it most lack details , and most sound like its a porn movie we are looking at ...just some unbelievable story like the porn movies ....

One of my Favorite Author is Slickman .. he do write good stories not quick into the sex ...

As a reader, I expect enough detail from the author in his/her story for me to "get" the story he/she is trying to tell me, without overburdening me with details.

Too much detail in a Lit story and I'll bail out. Too little detail to keep me from getting confused and I'll bail out. Yes, it is entirely subjective. Yes, it is unfair. You signed up for that when you decided to try writing as an avocation. [And one reason why I've never been tempted to try it myself.]

I dont think its unfair at all.

I think it makes perfect sense and im just trying to gauge my audience ^_^ thanks for the help.

Q1: If you are reading an erotic story, do you find it more erotic if the smaller details are left to the imagination? for example, if i were to write:

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This is a tricky thing for me. If you're talking nipple color, then that's a must for me. I always need to see that in there. The size of the nipple and the shape of the breast are also things I like to read. I also need to know the age because that reflects upon the story.

Everything else is optional. I prefer that things such as hair color be left out, unless it's important to the story.

Q2: Do you get put off by long stories?

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The vast majority of stories I click, I don't bother reading after looking at a few sentences. If it's a good story, I'll read it to the end. I just split it up and read it over a period of days.

Q2: How long is too long before getting to the action?

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Depends on the story. As long as the sexual vibes are there, I'm interested.

Q4: Do you get put off by people writing a series but putting different installments in different categories?

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No, I'm actually reading an entire series right now by an author who's doing that. Personally, I think it's a mistake because it leads to a huge downturn in readership.

Q5: Do you wait for your favourite authors to upload a new chapter or story? or do you just wait until you see it pop up again?

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I wait until I see it.

Q7: Are you put off if the characters are not "perfect" or do imperfections give extra depth and realism to the story?

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Nobodies perfect. I like stories that are realistic.

thanks again much appreciated

HeyAll said:

Q4: Do you get put off by people writing a series but putting different installments in different categories?

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No, I'm actually reading an entire series right now by an author who's doing that. Personally, I think it's a mistake because it leads to a huge downturn in readership.

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I've posted stories over categories because chapters really touched different categories. Many people here would actually recommend this to increase exposure of your story.

The alternative for such stories would be novels/novellas with the known low readership.

people keep saying if you have lots of different chapters in different categories it gets grouped and dumped in novels and novellas though =[

Q1: If you are reading an erotic story, do you find it more erotic if the smaller details are left to the imagination? for example, if i were to write:

Details which do not add to the story are best kept out of short stories - if you are writing a novel or a series, you have plenty of time to add in or expound on the colour of hair, roughness of hands and the texture of nipples. In a short story, detail such as "my Light pink nipples" tends to be just filler words to make the character seem more developed, but in reality a character's nipples rarely fit into the story other than as an attachment to be nuzzled in one sentence because that is the stereotypical 'hot foreplay'.


Q2: Do you get put off by long stories?

Not if it's well written, paced well and interesting. If it's a lot of shite wrapped around a few sex scenes - then yes, I'm put off.

Q2: How long is too long before getting to the action?

This is unanswerable because 'the action' might be the dialogue between the characters and the physical action is mere words later in the story. If you're writing a typical sex story, then it should get to the sex and end. If you are writing a story with sex in it, then the sex should happen when it has to happen. If you are writing erotic relations - then every interaction between the characters should build the eroticism or play on it.

Q3: Do you find stories on literotica samey? What stands out for you?

I read mostly contest stories, so the themes tend to blur. Summer love means beach sex. . . holiday means Santa sex. . . (my last was robbie the robot turning into the virgin birth - common stuff).

I enjoy interesting settings with interesting characters doing interesting things and talking. Long descriptions of sexual encounters do not turn me on.


Q4: Do you get put off by people writing a series but putting different installments in different categories?

I do not follow any of the series writing. I do believe that the category system is flawed - and a series should be categorized as "series". Tags can help the searchers find their anal sex in a mango farm.


Q5: Do you wait for your favourite authors to upload a new chapter or story? or do you just wait until you see it pop up again?

Unless I'm told someone has a story, I probably won't see it.


Q6: Do you stick to the "favourites" section of your chosen area or do you hop about, looking in new submissions and try to search out anything good that way?

I read various stuff, mostly feedback stories and those being discussed on the boards plus some of the contest stories. I have no favourites.

Q7: Are you put off if the characters are not "perfect" or do imperfections give extra depth and realism to the story?

I don't care about the characters, they are supposed to be people and as long as you do not blow suspension of disbelief all to hell and gone with supermen and upside down sex with flying monkeys singing platitudes to its awesomeness, then I can accept any character.