How do you think of AH? A community, or a place to talk only abut authorish topics?

[AG31]

Lately we've had a few threads shut down for having reached some limit. And I have had a few moved to Lit Tech Support, even though they were followups to threads already live on AH. It has me wondering what the requirements are for what you can talk about in AH, and made me realize that I regard AH as a community of mostly intelligent, almost always articulate, and always interesting people. They are the people I want to hear from regarding topics I post here.

What is your conception of AH?

 

[SinclairGroupLLP]

I think it's clear the moderators don't want us talking about moderation - that's been a theme in every bulletin board system I've been involved with since the creation of the internet.

I consider AH to be a place for authors to talk about writing and writing adjacent subjects.

 

[alohadave]

I think it's clear the moderators don't want us talking about moderation - that's been a theme in every bulletin board system I've been involved with since the creation of the internet.

Yeah that's been my experience too. If you have issues with moderation, you PM the mods, you don't start umpteen threads about it.

 

[NotWise]

I think it's a place for us to talk, but we get to know each other over time. A certain amount of community is inevitable.

For new people trying to find their way in AH, the community aspects are hard to deal with. There are long histories, resentments, different people with different ways of saying things, people who are helpful in one post and gruff in another, etc. And it's never explained. There are no social roadmaps.

This was actually a brief thread among Lit authors on BlueSky.

As far as moderating goes, I've filled moderator and admin roles in several forums going back to 1995. I think moderators here have a light hand and mostly leave us alone. I have no issue with them.

 

[iwatchus]

I have only been here briefly, but I would have described it as a community that tends to talk about author-ish things.

 

[AwkwardlySet]

I regard AH as a community of mostly intelligent, almost always articulate, and always interesting people.

Agreed, agreed, and agreed.

About other aspects, my opinion will likely differ from most. While there is some friendliness and familiarity (and some animosity between certain people), the AH is a far cry from being a community, at least to my understanding of the word.

We do sometimes talk about writing, and those topics can be very interesting, but such threads are few and far between. The simple MEME, casual chat, and word-game threads dominate the forum. Well, aside from all the pointless threads about LW commenters, and of course, the recurring and unavoidable weekly thread about ratings and scores.

 

[SimonDoom]

I've come to appreciate it as a community as well as a place to ask and answer questions about authorish topics. It's a strange community, because we don't really know each other. But it's more "real" than some live, in-person communities I've been part of.

 

[AG31]

The simple MEME, casual chat, and word-game threads dominate the forum.

I thought about that after I posted, but I so easily ignore the game threads that I don't think of them as part of AH, though, of course, they dominate the list of recent active threads.
What do you mean by "simple MEME?"
What do you see as "casual chat" that has nothing to do with erotica, as a literary thing?

 

[AG31]

But it's more "real" than some live, in-person communities I've been part of.

True for me also.

 

[Britva415]

The simple MEME, casual chat, and word-game threads dominate the forum. Well, aside from all the pointless threads about LW commenters, and of course, the recurring and unavoidable weekly thread about ratings and scores.

Don't forget the weekly underage-workaround threads.

 

[AG31]

Don't forget the weekly underage-workaround threads.

I think those qualify as author-ish.

 

[crookedletter]

It seems an interesting place. I'm impressed, honestly, by the level of discourse I've seen here. Compared to the internet at large, and given Literotica's porn-adjacent nature. I assume there are more "Show us your boobs" type threads in the other forums, though it's easy enough to just not venture there.

People seem generally friendly and the others are easily ignorable, and if an occasion arises where I want to ignore work on a Friday and instead engage in a good old fashioned Internet Argument, then it seems that's an option here too.

I have to admit, too, I find a level of humor in the seeming contrast between the craft on discussion and the types of works people cite. I say this with no judgment whatsoever, I write this stuff too, I just find it amusing. Like when someone will answer a question on craft with a very in-depth, very thoughtful and insightful answer, and by way of example will say something like "As I did in 'My Sister's Beautiful Butthole 7*'..."

Honestly what it boils down to for me, in whatever form it takes, is I like being around writers.


* I made this up, any resemblance to real works is entirely coincidental.

 

[AwkwardlySet]

What do you mean by "simple MEME?"
What do you see as "casual chat" that has nothing to do with erotica, as a literary thing?

While many threads at least touch on something related to erotica or writing, most are fun-oriented and end up being swarmed with memes and puns, even those that seem more serious at first glance. It's very rare that a true writing discussion takes hold. People avoid talking seriously about writing, maybe because they are reluctant to part with their tricks of the trade, I don't know.
Well, except when they can link a story of theirs. Then, many are shameless in advertising their work. So, summa summarum, threads with fruitful discussion about writing are quite rare.

 

[Voboy]

I'm biased because I very seldom feel a need to talk about authorish topics. Meaning, I have a pretty strong sense of where I want to go with my writing, and I don't really feel a need to natter about it with others. So I guess I'd come down on the "community" side, with an additional caveat: when I do feel the need to ask about anything authorish, it's without exception one of the people here that I seek out to do so.

Meaning, I've developed a great deal of respect for quite a lot of the folks here, and I feel like I know them well enough to have a sense of what kinds of help they can give me. I don't hesitate to ask them, in the same way I'd ask any other friend or acquaintance for help in real life. To me, that's largely what a "community" is.

Just this week, I had a question about a setting I was writing a story in. I knew I could go post something on Reddit or hope for a reply from some other corner of the internet, but I also knew a frequent poster here would have the answer I needed. So? I sent a PM, and within minutes had precisely the answer I sought, provided with grace and generosity, along with the usual pleasant interaction I get from other long-timers around here. I've frequently been on both sides of that kind of conversation.

How else should I define "community?"

 

[ronde]

At the risk of being labeled as ancient and with a faulty memory, when I joined Literotica the Author's Hangout was filled with some very serious discussions of how to write, what to write, and what readers wanted to read. Many beginning authors signed in to ask questions of those authors who were successful based on story ratings, contest wins, and the green "E" for "editors choice". Most of those authors participated in order to spread their knowledge and experiences. I had done a lot of technical writing before, and this section of the forum taught me a lot about writing fiction.

Most of the games and other trivia were in the "General" section and the shameless plugs for stories usually generated an invitation to submit their story to the "Story Feedback" section.

It wasn't always wine and roses, but nothing ever is. It was just a forum for authors to share with beginners and accomplished authors alike. I liked it better back then. I do miss that green "E".

 

[pink_silk_glove]

Yeah that's been my experience too. If you have issues with moderation, you PM the mods, you don't start umpteen threads about it.

No, it's more like if you have issues with the mods, stfu because the mods are infallible and untouchable. Just ask them. It's like that almost everywhere. All kinds of power-tripping garbage behavior as soon as you give someone authority with no checks or balances.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

Well, except when they can link a story of theirs. Then, many are shameless in advertising their work.

Gee, you think that happens here? : P

 

[pink_silk_glove]

Honestly what it boils down to for me, in whatever form it takes, is I like being around writers.

You are one sick fuck. : P

 

[pink_silk_glove]

the AH is a far cry from being a community, at least to my understanding of the word.

Well, community in a loose sense. It's more toxic egos than friendly (writers are like that) but I have seen much worse.

 

[AG31]

At the risk of being labeled as ancient and with a faulty memory, when I joined Literotica the Author's Hangout was filled with some very serious discussions of how to write, what to write, and what readers wanted to read. Many beginning authors signed in to ask questions of those authors who were successful based on story ratings, contest wins, and the green "E" for "editors choice". Most of those authors participated in order to spread their knowledge and experiences. I had done a lot of technical writing before, and this section of the forum taught me a lot about writing fiction.

Most of the games and other trivia were in the "General" section and the shameless plugs for stories usually generated an invitation to submit their story to the "Story Feedback" section.

It wasn't always wine and roses, but nothing ever is. It was just a forum for authors to share with beginners and accomplished authors alike. I liked it better back then. I do miss that green "E".

How do you see it now?

 

[pink_silk_glove]

John Turturro and Tony Shaloub.

Geisler: Who's this?
Fink: Barton Fink, Mr. Geezler.
Geisler: Geisler.
Fink: I'm a writer, Mr. Geisler. Ted Okum said to drop by.
Geisler: Ever act?
Fink: Huh? No. I'm a...
Geisler: We need Indians for a Norman Steele western.
Fink: I'm a writer.
Geisler: Writers come and go. We always need Indians.
Fink: I'm a writer. Ted Okum said you're producing this Wallace Beery picture.
Geisler: Ted Okum doesn't know shit. They've assigned me enough pictures for a year. What Ted Okum doesn't know you could almost squeeze into the Hollywood Bowl.
FInk: Who should I talk to?

...

Geisler: (on phone) I got a writer here... Fink... all screwy. Says I'm producing that Wallace Beery wrestling picture. What am I, the goddamn janitor?

...

Geisler: Okay, Fink. Let's chow. Don't worry about it. It's just a B picture. I bring it in on budget, they book it without screening it.
Fink: Lipnick said he wanted to look at the script by the end of the week.
Geisler: Sure, he did. He forgot about it before your ass left his sofa.
Fink: I'm just having trouble getting started. It's funny. I'm blocked up. I just feel like I need some kind of indication of what's expected.
Geisler: Wallace Beery. Wrestling picture. What do you need, a road map? Look, you're confused. You need guidance? Talk to another writer.
Fink: Who?
Geisler: Oh, Jesus. You throw a rock in here, you'll hit one. Do me a favor, Fink... Throw it hard.

Fuckin' writers. (eyeroll)

 

[Cagivagurl]

From a personal perspective.
I was directed to the AH, by a commenter.
At first, I clicked on and watched mirthfully. It was entertaining. Watching a number of AHer's go at it.
Yeah, it was funny, and still is really. My initial attraction was searching for advice regarding writing.
I expected there to be more writing stuff. Unfortunately, that doesn'r happen much.
It is frustrating seeing the same threads reappear week after week.
Writers complaining about scores, and how to improve them.
How to get stories posted faster.
We do get the occasional interesting thread, but I find myself looking elsewhere for entertainment.

Cagivagurl

 

[Kelliezgirl]

Something of a community, a halfway house is a community too of course.
Unfortunately, it seems a great deal of the threads that are writing oriented are really just focused on Lit tips and tricks rather anything really about the art of writing.

 

[AG31]

My initial attraction was searching for advice regarding writing.

Writers complaining about scores, and how to improve them.

So if there are responses to the second kind of post, wouldn't that qualify is addressing your first interest?

 

[MelissaBaby]

While many threads at least touch on something related to erotica or writing, most are fun-oriented and end up being swarmed with memes and puns, even those that seem more serious at first glance. It's very rare that a true writing discussion takes hold. People avoid talking seriously about writing, maybe because they are reluctant to part with their tricks of the trade, I don't know.
Well, except when they can link a story of theirs. Then, many are shameless in advertising their work. So, summa summarum, threads with fruitful discussion about writing are quite rare.

If you don't want to see those never ending threads, just put the thread starter on Ignore and they disappear.