How do you promote on Literotica?

[FreyaGersemi]

I have been absolutely amazed at the reception that I have gotten on Literotica! I should have started this years ago!!! Before my first story published, I was already welcomed into this community with open arms, and I cannot thank you all enough!! I won't go through and name everyone, but I will say: if you think I may be talking about you, then you are correct and THANK YOU!!!!!!

Then, I started getting the most wonderful comments on my stories. Truly heartwarming and inspiring. Honestly, the best reviews that my writing has ever gotten.

As I await my third story to go live, I'm wondering about how to promote myself. Which I am terrible at!!! My creative mind repels such thoughts!!!! Can pure creativity and true pragmatism co-exist?

I was talking to a publicist friend about my new writing venture and he said that I should definitely self-promote. Much to my chagrin. He understands my hesitation and as we talked, he suggested that I just be honest and post some of the comments that I've received (without using anyone's user names -- that would feel uncomfortable for me). This satisfies my desire to stay true to my writing and would be easily verifiable because the comments are public. So, no overblown and/or outright dishonest ad copy. That would also make me uncomfortable.

So, I ask you, fellow authors, would it be gauche or in any other way frowned upon to do this type of promoting on Literotica? After being embraced so warmly, I would hate to commit such a faux pas. Wow, two French phrases in as many sentences! And if self-promotion is okay, how would you go about it? Just post them in a couple of appropriate Literotica forums?

I eagerly await your guidance furthering my newest journey as a writer of erotica.

Thank you!!!!

 

[AchtungNight]

There are popular threads in this forum and the Story Feedback forum where you can mention and link stories you’ve posted recently. That’s a good start. If you wish to discuss specific things in your stories, you may start threads for that or reply to existing posts that discuss similar topics.

You’re welcome on the praise. Hope you will return it if so inclined.

 

[Trionyx]

The best way to promote yourself is to write more. Write stories for contests. Be active here on AH. Write stories in the most popular categories, especially Incest and Taboo. Some will thank commenters directly. Publishing those comments independently is probably not going to be well received but you can certainly add some of them to the Comments That Made Your Day thread here on AH.

 

[SyleusSnow]

There's the new story announcements forum here. Some people read it. Participation in other non-writer forums can also help if you have a good signature with a link to your stories page.

And much as X-Twitter needs to die, if you follow Literotica's twitter and make a post promoting a new story, Literotica will often like and repost it to their followers. That's the only thing I use x-twitter for anymore, and it has attracted a few new eyeballs to my stories: https://twitter.com/SyleusSnow

I also keep a blog, but that hasn't attracted many readers https://syleussnow.wordpress.com/

Many readers cruise the New Stories page. So a good title with an intriguing short description will attract readers.

 

[KeithD]

I think the best form of self-promotion is to write good stuff and have it posted weekly.

 

[MillieDynamite]

I've never promoted my work here. Well, other than the odd link on my Facebook page and X-Twitter account. Not that anyone ever followed the links.

 

[SimonDoom]

I think the best way to promote at Literotica is to write well and publish often. By doing that over time you will create a network of followers and favorites and more and more people will see your stuff as it comes out.

Being actively involved in this forum is helpful. People will get to know you and from time to time they will check out your stories. It helps to be positive and supportive of other people's work. People will reciprocate.

 

[MillieDynamite]

With the lag between publishing for sale, waiting for them to run out of steam before they go here, and not enough production I'm growing my following here very slowly.

 

[yowser]

There's always this Promotion option: https://forum.literotica.com/threads/what-is-your-back-cover-blurb.1600110/

 

[Ssbbw4u1974]

I have a link to my story profile in my bio signature, that's how I promote my stories.

 

[EmilyMiller]

How do you promote on Literotica?​

Hi and welcome (I think I said that already),

I’ve only been doing this a bit longer than a year. My first observation is that few Lit-hacks work all the time for everyone.

Take being active here. Only a small number of people frequent AH as compared to the forums. And only a small number of people frequent any of the forums compared to the story side of the site. So here, you can put a link to your portfolio in your signature and you can post things about your stories on any number of threads. But… you a fishing in a small pool and there is no guarantee that you get lots of bites.

Using Twitter / X is interesting. I might look into that one. Have never tried this approach.

Entering competitions can have your stories get to a wider audience and extend the period in which they are read. But it’s not going to triple your readership (unless you win or place, maybe not triple even then).

The two categories in which stories get the most views are Incest & Taboo and Loving Wives (aka revenge on cheating wives or balm for divorced men). But neither of these may be your kink. So you either have to write stuff you’re not interested in, and hope no one notices, or put up with lower numbers.

So what you are left with is pretty much what others have said. Write compelling stories and publish often (without compromising quality). You will gradually accumulate a following (I’m at just over 500 people now).

My last comments may not help too much with readership, but might make your time more pleasant here. Try to contribute. Try to get to know people. If you read someone’s story and liked it, don’t just rate and comment, send them a PM (not all authors have a forum account). If someone writes you a lovely comment, consider PMing them to say thank you. This will only have a marginal impact on readership, but it’s nice to be nice.

In the same vein, offer to read pre-published stories for any authors you get to know, or admire (of course the ones you admire may not need your help). Working with other authors can be very rewarding. Most decent people acknowledge such help. Make sure to do the same if someone helps you (but check they are cool with this first).

You might even find one or more people you want to try co-authoring with. That can be fun and you may cross-pollinate followers.

So, no real sure fire recipe. Just write good stuff and get it published regularly.

Good luck!

Em

 

[Bazzle]

Lit will retweet on Twitter occasionally if you tag them in...that often gets me 5 more readers

 

[EmilyMiller]

There's the new story announcements forum here. Some people read it. Participation in other non-writer forums can also help if you have a good signature with a link to your stories page.

And much as X-Twitter needs to die, if you follow Literotica's twitter and make a post promoting a new story, Literotica will often like and repost it to their followers. That's the only thing I use x-twitter for anymore, and it has attracted a few new eyeballs to my stories: https://twitter.com/SyleusSnow

I also keep a blog, but that hasn't attracted many readers https://syleussnow.wordpress.com/

Many readers cruise the New Stories page. So a good title with an intriguing short description will attract readers.

Thanks for the suggestion.

An experiment: https://twitter.com/EmilyMillerLit

Em

 

[BobbyBrandt]

I have been absolutely amazed at the reception that I have gotten on Literotica! I should have started this years ago!!! Before my first story published, I was already welcomed into this community with open arms, and I cannot thank you all enough!! I won't go through and name everyone, but I will say: if you think I may be talking about you, then you are correct and THANK YOU!!!!!!

Then, I started getting the most wonderful comments on my stories. Truly heartwarming and inspiring. Honestly, the best reviews that my writing has ever gotten.

As I await my third story to go live, I'm wondering about how to promote myself. Which I am terrible at!!! My creative mind repels such thoughts!!!! Can pure creativity and true pragmatism co-exist?

I was talking to a publicist friend about my new writing venture and he said that I should definitely self-promote. Much to my chagrin. He understands my hesitation and as we talked, he suggested that I just be honest and post some of the comments that I've received (without using anyone's user names -- that would feel uncomfortable for me). This satisfies my desire to stay true to my writing and would be easily verifiable because the comments are public. So, no overblown and/or outright dishonest ad copy. That would also make me uncomfortable.

So, I ask you, fellow authors, would it be gauche or in any other way frowned upon to do this type of promoting on Literotica? After being embraced so warmly, I would hate to commit such a faux pas. Wow, two French phrases in as many sentences! And if self-promotion is okay, how would you go about it? Just post them in a couple of appropriate Literotica forums?

I eagerly await your guidance furthering my newest journey as a writer of erotica.

Thank you!!!!

I won't get redundant with the suggestions that others have made relative to promoting your stories ON Literotica other than to emphasize that you should do what you can to attract followers. Followers get notifications on your activities on the story side, such as when you post a new story or update your profile. This will keep you in front of those readers already familiar with your work.

Maintaining anonymity and promoting your stories here through other means is tougher. If that's not a concern for you, then you have a lot of options, including other social media sites, writer blogs, and even sites that you can pay a small fee to have them promote your stories in reviews.

One final suggestion (and I'm surprised that I am the first to offer it):

There is a rather well known female author here that frequently offers to send readers pictures of her naked breasts. Not sure how frequently this drives new readers to her works, and since I have not seen her or her pictures, they may not even be her own body parts.

 

[Gamblnluck]

The best way to promote yourself is to write more. Write stories for contests. Be active here on AH. Write stories in the most popular categories, especially Incest and Taboo. Some will thank commenters directly. Publishing those comments independently is probably not going to be well received but you can certainly add some of them to the Comments That Made Your Day thread here on AH.

I agree that once you build up a body of work you do not need to promote yourself. THAT is how you do it here. Followers will see you posted. I personally do not follow any author. If I see an author I know, I will generally at least skim over a bit and read a few comments to see if it something I want to read.
AH is like preaching to the choir. You are talking to a minuscule number of the authors who post. Many of these authors here are ones whose stories I never encountered before nor would have read apart from their comments here. Some stories I thoroughly enjoyed and many I thought "MEH"
Many here think they are better authors than they are. (ME INCLUDED) Comments are combination of often eloquent prose showing how 'well read' they are and how they nitpick your grammar to show what you said was wrong. snarky

Many here think they are better authors than they are. (ME INCLUDED) Comments are combination of often eloquent prose showing how 'well read' they are and how they nitpick your grammar to show what you said was wrong. Then you see an exchange of ribbing. Neither of which is going to promote your stories

 

[Gamblnluck]

I think the best form of self-promotion is to write good stuff and have it posted weekly.

Or at least often enough. Weekly would almost make this a full time endeavor. Too many stories appear to be short little blurbs of the same.

 

[KeithD]

Or at least often enough. Weekly would almost make this a full time endeavor. Too many stories appear to be short little blurbs of the same.

I've released at least a story a week at Literotica for nearly twenty years (starting with the sr71plt account)--over 1,500 of them. I don't spend all of my time writing. I have (still) a very large backlog of stories to submit. The stories are of all lengths, including novel length. Effort and trained expertise has gone into each and every one of them.

 

[oneagainst]

I actively do not promote. This is on the down low. However, I do pick up readers on a daily basis... as @Trionyx has said, that one weird hack for getting more followers is to keep at it. There are no short cuts.

Other than that odd breasts promo thing!??

 

[EmilyMiller]

There is a rather well known female author here that frequently offers to send readers pictures of her naked breasts. Not sure how frequently this drives new readers to her works, and since I have not seen her or her pictures, they may not even be her own body parts.

I think that might suppress readership in my case .

Em

 

[Gamblnluck]

've released at least a story a week at Literotica for nearly twenty years (starting with the sr71plt account)--over 1,500 of them. I don't spend all of my time writing. I have (still) a very large backlog of stories to submit. The stories are of all lengths, including novel length. Effort and trained expertise has gone into each and every one of them.

Okay.That is no where near the norm. I saw why I never read your stories. I do not read gay male stories. NOT that I do not care for gay content, but some guy happily sucking another's cock is not something I care to read. Same reason, I don't read many lesbian, erotic coupling,romance etc.

 

[alohadave]

NOT that I do not care for gay content, but some guy happily sucking another's cock is not something I care to read.

I could whip up a guy unhappily sucking another guys cock if that is more your speed.

 

[Gamblnluck]

I won't get redundant with the suggestions that others have made relative to promoting your stories ON Literotica other than to emphasize that you should do what you can to attract followers. Followers get notifications on your activities on the story side, such as when you post a new story or update your profile. This will keep you in front of those readers already familiar with your work.

I always get a kick out of the follower notion. I have never followed anyone. I do have 1200 plus followers after 102 submissions. (Note I said submissions, not stories.) One of my friends, Bumblingfool has only 16 stories and as many followers. His stories are generally long. One of his short ones is 34k words. Unlike me, he does not break them up into bite-size pieces.
He also does not allow comments while he does allow scoring. He got flamed too much early on and now does not want to read the comments. He does accept PM's.
My point is, just write. If you hit the right audience, you will get reads without promoting yourself.

 

[KeithD]

Okay.That is no where near the norm. I saw why I never read your stories. I do not read gay male stories. NOT that I do not care for gay content, but some guy happily sucking another's cock is not something I care to read. Same reason, I don't read many lesbian, erotic coupling,romance etc.

I have written in almost every category under my initial account name sr71plt. My keithD account is GM. I have several other accounts that aren't GM, which I don't reveal, to keep them separate. But I refuse to be pinned down as only a GM author. I have stories in the sr71plt account--over 1,000 of them--that both aren't GM and are more numerable that many published here in those categories in total. So, sorry, on my writing here, that excuse won't fly. I didn't ask you to identify what reading makes you squeamish. I was just pointing out that your generalizations are false.

 

[Gamblnluck]

could whip up a guy unhappily sucking another guys cock if that is more your speed.

Nahh. Don't bother. While I like BDSM stories, I don't care for the ones where the MC says "Beat me! Fuck me! Make me feel cheap!" (That was a quote from comments about porn stories back in 1979 when in the Army.) But the same idea now is, "Oh, those welts you put on my ass makes my pussy so wet! I love it. A fire in back puts one up front!"
I know it is me but those stories do nothing for me.

 

[EmilyMiller]

How do you promote on Literotica?​

I’ll report back on my Twitter / X experiment.

Just debating the boobs for 5️ ratings

Em