A question about sharing our personal stories?

[Black_Knyght]

Finding an editor to check over your work is hit and miss. They're all volunteers. The thing is though, checking by an editor is not mandatory.

If you think the story is grammatically okay (doesn't need to be perfect), and your spelling and punctuation, especially dialogue punctuation, is competent, then you can submit the story to the site. Go to your Control Panel (top right of this page) and select New Story. Follow the instructions. You're best off copy pasting into the submission box on the Form and pressing Preview. That way, you can see what the text will look like when published.

Don't forget Tags (you get ten), and decide whether you want comments on or off (I'd always say On). Decide what category you want, and if it's Loving Wives, I'd strongly suggest sampling a few stories and their comments first - the category no longer matches the label on the box, and it can be hostile.

Good luck - and if you have any more questions, the Authors Hangout is the best place to ask.

Thanks for that advice

 

[Black_Knyght]

I suggest you proofread it for your wife. I've read several of your posts, and you have a firm grasp of spelling, syntax and grammar. While you're at it, highlight any clunky phrasing or idioms that are repeated too often or too closely together and suggest that she rephrase them.

Then use the Read Aloud function in Word to go through the text word for word. This can be boring, but it's one of the best quality controls. It's what I do as a professional editor and proofreader.

Then just upload the story. Don't worry about it not having been looked at by a volunteer editor. I'm pretty sure most of the stories here haven't had a second pair of eyes look at them.

Make sure that you go through the upload process correctly. The story will upload in plain text, so use HTML tags for formatting (italics, bold). Give it a title and a short description (there are character limits for both - 35 and 60, respectively, if memory serves). Select your category and language. Don't bother with any note for the Admin, unless you're entering a contest. Check the age box and submit your story.

Then you'll see a preview. Make sure that the formatting is OK. If you've used HTML tags, you'll notice if you forgot to close them. You'll also see any "walls of text" - go back and break those up. Apparently most readers here read on their phones, so any paragraph that's more than two or three sentences will seem interminable to them.

If it all looks good, submit your story and go back to your control panel. You'll see that it's been added to Pending. If it's in Drafts, you've not submitted it properly, but don't worry, you can just submit it now.

Then wait a few days. Some people here say that a first-time writer's story will take up to a week to be approved, but mine was approved within a few hours and published the following morning. I think it depends on the category.

As long as your story meets the guidelines - no underage sex (even implied), no bestiality, a standard of English that isn't atrocious (assuming you're writing in English), and no AI-generated text - the grey "Pending" tag will turn orange at some point and say "New", with a date in the future above it. That's usually the following day, and that's when it goes live. In Europe that happens around 8am, sometimes a little later.

And that's it. Good luck to you, your wife and her friend, and enjoy it!

I have read it over, since they asked my thoughts on it before I posted anything about it here. To me it looks okay, but I have zero eye for any clunky phrasing or idioms. Just not a thing that in my wheelhouse, I'm afraid. While there may well be sections that could use re-phrasing, I'm just not the one to say what they are.

Part of my problem is it's supposed to be her 'fictionalized' version of real events in our lives, and I'm seeing and remember too much of it to catch any errors in writing or style. Hence why I think an outside editor would help them far more than I can.

 

[StillStunned]

I have read it over, since they asked my thoughts on it before I posted anything about it here. To me it looks okay, but I have zero eye for any clunky phrasing or idioms. Just not a thing that in my wheelhouse, I'm afraid. While there may well be sections that could use re-phrasing, I'm just not the one to say what they are.

Part of my problem is it's supposed to be her 'fictionalized' version of real events in our lives, and I'm seeing and remember too much of it to catch any errors in writing or style. Hence why I think an outside editor would help them far more than I can.

Just submit it and see how it does. Once it's online, you might be able to get people to tell you what they think, where you need to improve.

Remember, we were all first-timers here once! I think I published my first story less than six months ago.

 

[AchtungNight]

I have always been more niche and mediocre per ratings average than really good in the minds of most reviewers of my work. But I still am proud of what I do with this hobby. I tell myself I think up unique concepts and ideas, weave them together well, arouse the body and the mind. The good feedback I get bears me out. And the fact that my karma remains good too. My wife admitted me being a skilled erotica writer was a turn on for her when I told her during our dating years. The relationship is over now thanks to the several year itch, but if it happened once, it can happen again, right? My sister trusts me around her kids despite knowing my proclivities. The times I’ve had doubts I am a good person I have ended up earning rewards that make me convinced of the existence of greater powers. Things like saving a life in a crowd on New Year’s Eve, helping my boss after a car accident, getting the chance to be on the jury for a selfish monster rapist and learning that there are worse people out there who I am clearly not like, getting praised by former critics of my work, smacking down haters online, being praised by fans… it’s a high you should experience. Good luck.

 

[FeralSmile]

I replied in the other thread with specific thoughts about process, but here I'd just like to say that finding an editor should not be your primary concern. First, you need to write a story. Relying on someone else's feedback isn't strictly necessary, and in any event that comes AFTER you have a story to edit or beta-read.

I agree with StillStunned that you have the basic chops down and communicate well. Putting the search for an editor first is another way of putting off the single most important part of the process: actually writing.

Don't let it intimidate you. You've got this!

 

[HeyAll]

Let me start with some context: A little over two years ago my wife and decided we wanted to try an ethical non-monogamy lifestyle. Through her best friend we made several swingers connections and have happily never looked back once.

That said, my wife has recently expressed an interest in sharing some of our activities online in some form of story (all names and locations changed, or course!). A friend suggested Reddit or Literotica, so I thought I'd venture a question here as to how to actually go about doing that? Neither of us is a writer, though my wife and her best friend believe they can work something readable up between the two of them.

We've read a number of stories here but never considered posting anything before and honestly have no idea how it works, what the deal with Editors is, or what size/format requirements there might be. Hoping for a little information and maybe advice on getting started with this idea of hers.

Thanx to any and all serious replies in advance.

Sounds interesting, if you need anything, let me know.

 

[MillieDynamite]

I need a new heart, a new liver, and at least one new kidney. Just letting you know.

Sounds interesting, if you need anything, let me know.

 

[StillStunned]

I need a new heart, a new liver, and at least one new kidney. Just letting you know.

I'll trade you a kidney for a new pair of knees.

 

[MillieDynamite]

Well the kidney does me little good without the heart and liver. And if you give me everything I need, you won't need any new knees.

I'll trade you a kidney for a new pair of knees.

 

[StillStunned]

Well the kidney does me little good without the heart and liver. And if you give me everything I need, you won't need any new knees.

Sorry, the heart's not mine to trade anymore, and the liver is probably beyond hope.

 

[MillieDynamite]

I'll just tough it out for 50, 60, or hopefully 70 more years. People live to 104, right?

Sorry, the heart's not mine to trade anymore, and the liver is probably beyond hope.

 

[StillStunned]

I'll just tough it out for 50, 60, or hopefully 70 more years. People live to 104, right?

By that time we'll all be uploaded into LitE so Laurel can use us to check for AI. We'll probably still be arguing about ratings though.

 

[MillieDynamite]

No Doubt. Oh, I haven't listened to No Doubt in ever so long.

By that time we'll all be uploaded into LitE so Laurel can use us to check for AI. We'll probably still be arguing about ratings though.

 

[TruthwithaTwist]

I think I'm similar in writing to @EmilyMiller in that what I write is based on actual events. But I've changed all locations where the stories take place. I keep the first initials of actual names (mostly so I can keep track in my head) but change the rest. (Although in one story, I found a small error where I used a woman's real name and saw it close to a year later). I've combined some events to create a cohesive and interesting story from two middle-of-the-road actually events. Finally, I add in some twists and exaggeration because at the end of the day, I want my stories to be interesting to the reader.

 

[Black_Knyght]

That's pretty much what my wife and her girlfriend are doing - writing a story based on actual events.

They're trying to fictionalize it for Literotica where they can and still not lose their "core/truth" (?) of it. One struggle they're having is with names. Apparently it's proving a minor hurdle to change up the names of their "primary trio" and still be happy with it, though changing up any and all additional names was a small matter for them. They've kept the approximate date of things, and been vague enough about locations, but now their biggest hurdle is trying to fill in at least semi-accurate yet still interesting dialog for something that occurred five years ago!

Thankfully this is THEIR passion project, and I'm at best an intermediary/representative for their efforts.

 

[EmilyMiller]

I think I'm similar in writing to @EmilyMiller in that what I write is based on actual events. But I've changed all locations where the stories take place. I keep the first initials of actual names (mostly so I can keep track in my head) but change the rest. (Although in one story, I found a small error where I used a woman's real name and saw it close to a year later). I've combined some events to create a cohesive and interesting story from two middle-of-the-road actually events. Finally, I add in some twists and exaggeration because at the end of the day, I want my stories to be interesting to the reader.

Sounds kinda familiar .

Em

 

[Black_Knyght]

Okay, sounds like my wife and her girlfriend have reworked and finished what they're call their final pre-Editor draft. Now they're just hoping an Editor will look it over and then we'll have to figure out how to post and what kinds of tags to apply to it.

 

[Euphony]

Sounds kinda familiar .

Em

 

[ElectricBlue]

Okay, sounds like my wife and her girlfriend have reworked and finished what they're call their final pre-Editor draft. Now they're just hoping an Editor will look it over and then we'll have to figure out how to post and what kinds of tags to apply to it.

You get ten tags, so think about the ten main erotic elements in the story. Use the category tag lists for ideas.

Submit from your Control Panel. I recommend using the Form box provided, because that way you can Preview to check what it will actually look like when it's published.

 

[FeralSmile]

Okay, sounds like my wife and her girlfriend have reworked and finished what they're call their final pre-Editor draft. Now they're just hoping an Editor will look it over and then we'll have to figure out how to post and what kinds of tags to apply to it.

I'm rooting for you all. Best of luck in making this happen.

Others have made this offer already, including literal professionals, but... I'd be willing to take a look and offer some advice, if you wish.

 

[Black_Knyght]

I'm rooting for you all. Best of luck in making this happen.

Others have made this offer already, including literal professionals, but... I'd be willing to take a look and offer some advice, if you wish.

Thanks. At my wife's urging I just sent a DM

 

[soflabbwlvr]

I'm a little late to this thread, but I do have a few pieces of advice. Remember, the purpose of your story is to entertain, not to provide a news report. This is true even if the story is based on actual events. it should have a beginning, a middle, and an ending. Don't feel constrained by facts. You can alter them, fudge them, or ignore them as you wish. You can change the sequence of events if it makes for a better story. And most important, have fun. If you enjoy it, keep doing. If you don't, no one is requiring you to continue. Write as often or as seldom as you like. There are no contracts here.