Do you ever engage with your readers?

[firmbutgentle]

A very few meaningful exchanges, but they were very valuable and greatly appreciate.

 

[Gamblnluck]

As the Spleen loves to point out, I am critical of other writers. I do not mind them pointing out plot drops or even character faults (mean asses). But it is unreal scenarios (and i mean even with the suspension of belief necessary in fiction), lapsing between first and third person. Some readers will see a sex a scene and if they get a hard on, the whole story is good. I recently read one a kid barely three or four years out of highschool was now a cross between Captain America and Rambo, running an investigative company that rivaled the CIA. As a matter of fact some of their business was sent to them by the CIA because they could do the job better. And of course the kid was a sexual dynamo.
I also do not care for the idea that, "Hell, the story is free so let the fact that it is total crap go." I like to write things with some kind of plot and at least somewhat solid characterization.
Notalenthack suggested my story would have been better written in third person showing what happened later from both points of view. But that would not have worked. This was one where the female protagonist had her viewpoint that was far removed from what the husband suggested in the original. Readers identified with him so his version was the 'truth'.
Despite what it appeared, the MC was not trying to justify herself, she simply wanted the time to explain what she endured. She'd been unable to before. And due to the right circumstance she found herself in the position of being able to force the issue. Once she said her peace, she walked out to go live her life. It is obvious I did not get that point across.

 

[NoTalentHack]

Notalenthack suggested my story would have been better written in third person showing what happened later from both points of view. But that would not have worked. This was one where the female protagonist had her viewpoint that was far removed from what the husband suggested in the original. Readers identified with him so his version was the 'truth'.

I didn't say in third person. I understand (as it sounds like you do) why the score was so low and why the comments so vitriolic. There's a way to do a story from the wife's point of view that makes her at least as sympathetic as the husband, if not more; but giving her "the win," as a lot of LW readers will see it, and especially undoing everything the husband did to secure a happier future for himself is not the way to do that. For that matter, we've seen that female-led BTBs can work; Range Cold did very well. But a BTB by a (repeatedly) cheating wife? Nah. That isn't going to fly. All you did was make the readers hate her even more.

 

[LIDiver]

I adore engaging my readers but in a sensual way.
It’s such a rush to receive PMs telling me how turned on the story made them and then sometimes having some wonderful back-and-forths leading to new lit “friends “.

 

[AG31]

I'm delighted to engage readers whatever their opinions. I'm curious about how my stories come across, about how many people there are out there who share my tastes. (I hate the word "kink.") If I knew how to provoke more feedback, positive or negative, I'd be very happy.

 

[LIDiver]

If I knew how to provoke more feedback, positive or negative, I'd be very happy.

gone!

 

[AG31]

gone!

Sorry. I've no iidea how to interpret "gone."

 

[LIDiver]

Sorry. I've no iidea how to interpret "gone."

Sorry mysrlf.
I deleted a humorous (hopefully!) post meant for a limited time.
“gone” or “poof” means it was removed
by the writer.

 

[AG31]

Sorry mysrlf.
I deleted a humorous (hopefully!) post meant for a limited time.
“gone” or “poof” means it was removed
by the writer.

Huh. So that's a thing? Care to share again so I can chuckle?

 

[LIDiver]

If I knew how to provoke more feedback, positive or negative, I'd be very happy

Huh. So that's a thing? Care to share again so I can chuckle?

It was about dropping shameless promotions of one’s stories in threads like some people do.

 

[AG31]

I engage with readers as long as that's useful. A reader here engaged with me on another site seventeen years ago; invited me to post here as well; became a cowriter, my editor, and one of my publishers; and we have continued to engage every day since then.

Then could you engage this reader and tell me how to find Book 1 of your Hardesty series here on Lit? You said books 1-6 were here but I can't find it. I posted a good review on Amazon and would like to post it here too. Searching for the title or for "Hardesty" in your list of stories didn't do it.

 

[KeithD]

Then could you engage this reader and tell me how to find Book 1 of your Hardesty series here on Lit? You said books 1-6 were here but I can't find it. I posted a good review on Amazon and would like to post it here too. Searching for the title or for "Hardesty" in your list of stories didn't do it.

Thanks for asking. They start under the sr71plt account and continue on in keithd:

Gotta Keep Trying (1): https://www.literotica.com/s/gotta-keep-trying-ch-01

Snitches (2): https://www.literotica.com/s/snitches-ch-01-day-01

Retribution (3): https://www.literotica.com/s/retribution-20

Political Abuse (4): https://www.literotica.com/s/political-abuse

Fan Male (5): https://www.literotica.com/s/fan-male-ch-01

Capital Treasures (6): https://www.literotica.com/s/capital-treasures

 

[lovecraft68]

I like the feedback that we all get from time to time where they ask you a direct question, but sent it anon and you can't reply.

 

[firmbutgentle]

I'm curious about how my stories come across, about how many people there are out there who share my tastes

Yes! And also what they think of my characters, who they like and why, whether they feel real/relatable. I too would love to get more feedback from people who really read the stories. But as a reader I also know it’s a big investment to engage like that with SO many other things to read. A reader who pays attention and cares enough to comment meaningfully is giving you a valuable gift.

 

[NoTalentHack]

I like the feedback that we all get from time to time where they ask you a direct question, but sent it anon and you can't reply.

I had one anon feedback rant and rave about how much he hated my story... except that his description of the plot made it clear that it wasn't my story at all.

 

[lovecraft68]

I had one anon feedback rant and rave about how much he hated my story... except that his description of the plot made it clear that it wasn't my story at all.

Those are great. I had one where they ranted about a taboo story and for a bit I thought it was mine until he named the character and I'm like who the hell is that? Then they started about the "daddy son shit" and I'm like, nah, wrong pew pal.

He finished it by recommending another author in case I wanted to learn how is done. Very kind of them.

 

[AG31]

Thanks for asking. They start under the sr71plt account and continue on in keithd:

Gotta Keep Trying (1): https://www.literotica.com/s/gotta-keep-trying-ch-01

Snitches (2): https://www.literotica.com/s/snitches-ch-01-day-01

Retribution (3): https://www.literotica.com/s/retribution-20

Political Abuse (4): https://www.literotica.com/s/political-abuse

Fan Male (5): https://www.literotica.com/s/fan-male-ch-01

Capital Treasures (6): https://www.literotica.com/s/capital-treasures

Thank you! For the links and for solving the mystery.

 

[Smuttyandfun]

I've made some good friends by engaging with readers, though most of them are fellow authors.

 

[OlderFitterWiser]

Yes, I often reply to readers comments privately. I usually don't reply to anonymous comments. Sometimes I note people who would like a sequel and right now I'm writing a sequel to one of my stories because people expressed an interest.

 

[MajorRewrite]

I do not engage with readers. I don’t even check the email associated with this site. I read all comments on my stories, but that’s as much interaction as I want. I mean, I delete quite a few wacko comments so I shudder to think what might come my way in an email. No no no.

 

[SeraphNocturne]

What about in person for inspiration

Are you... asking if I engage with readers in person? Absolutely fucking not. Sounds like a sure way to end up a prisoner in someone's crudely made basement dungeon.

 

[alohadave]

Are you... asking if I engage with readers in person? Absolutely fucking not. Sounds like a sure way to end up a prisoner in someone's crudely made basement dungeon.

Besides that, you'd have to make awkward conversation with someone.

 

[SeraphNocturne]

Besides that, you'd have to make awkward conversation with someone.

Right?! What the hell would I look like, meeting a fan--and most everything I've written here on Literotica is dark, violent and, ah... yeah, no, nope, nuh-uh, never happening.

I might be inclined to meet a few writers from Lit. I've gotten to know a few of you that well. But even then I'm sure my natural awkwardness would have us sitting across from one another in a cafe, sipping coffee in near silence, until I pull a 'Well... nicetomeetyouI'llseeyouontheforum!' before I run out of there like a bat out of hell!

I am nowhere near as cool and collected as I present myself behind a screen. And I've had one obsessive cyber stalker too many in my life to risk that kind of attention.

 

[AchtungNight]

I’ve engaged with a few people. I fondly remember the nicer ones and hope for more of them in the future.