What's your best story?

[NoCa]

I can't help but notice that the most viewed and upvoted stories are not always an author's best. That includes me, BTW. What I consider some of my strongest writing is appreciated by an affectionate few but not the general public.

That is why I am asking you, what is your best story(ies)? If you have a piece of writing you are especially fond of but may escape me if I just browse what is hot, wpuld you direct me to it? I'd love to give it a read.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

Caution advised.

Calling attention to your stories on this board can bring out the hordes of one bombers.

 

[StillStunned]

I once told a story, but I never wrote it down. That was my best story. It was the best story in the world.

This post is a tribute to that story.

 

[NoCa]

Caution advised.

Calling attention to your stories on this board can bring out the hordes of one bombers.

Oh God... erm... can you send me a link in private, perhaps? I promise 5 stars and comment if I like it and forever keep my peace if I do not.

 

[EmilyMiller]

I’m normally a moth to a flame for these, but I’m trying out this new grown-up approach to life. It probably won’t stick, but I’ll give it a pass.

I actually kinda agree with the view that you have to have a degree of narcissism to think your work is worth publishing in the first place. But I also agree that it’s cool to try to highlight other authors, which I spent at least half of my time doing when I was more regularly on X and then BlueSky. Sadly, promoting other authors here, can also drag the trolls onto their stories.

 

[KittyOfSteele]

NaNoWriMo 2020. Still unpublished. Still unedited.

 

[AG31]

I can't help but notice that the most viewed and upvoted stories are not always an author's best. That includes me, BTW. What I consider some of my strongest writing is appreciated by an affectionate few but not the general public.

That is why I am asking you, what is your best story(ies)? If you have a piece of writing you are especially fond of but may escape me if I just browse what is hot, wpuld you direct me to it? I'd love to give it a read.

My best story is my first story. The quality goes down as time goes on. With the possible exception of a couple of vignettes. The first is Twelve Maxbridge. The Vignettes are Idyll and Stairway to Heaven.

I'll let you know if any get one bombed. It's hard to imagine that's a thing.

 

[NoCa]

The best thing I ever wrote, I published here. It was also the most personal thing I ever wrote.

It got SHIT on.

I am... so sorry . If you send me a title/link, I promise to give it a fair read.

 

[AchtungNight]

Read my stories that catch your attention and you decide.

There’s a link to all my stories in my signature area. Ratings are locked, so one bomb trolls have no power.

 

[FrancesScott]

My best work is elsewhere. Here I’m experimenting. I’m not chasing high ratings, and the story I’m going to mention has already been savaged by those who didn’t get that I was writing a pastiche of a 1920s literary novel. I understand that many struggled with the vocabulary and style (both were the whole point), but I like the plot, the characters, and some of my turns of - admittedly arcane - phrase.

https://www.literotica.com/s/ice-cream-19

 

[TheLobster]

I can't help but notice that the most viewed and upvoted stories are not always an author's best.

I agree, but that's not actually the case for me. Sure, there are a few stories of mine that I think are a little underappreciated, but the one I consider my best so far is among the highest rated in my catalog.

Clearly, I'm not too good at cultivating the image of a misunderstood artist who's only going to earn the recognition posthumously

 

[NuclearFairy]

I could tell you what my worst story is. But my best? I'm not sure.

 

[NoCa]

My best work is elsewhere. Here I’m experimenting. I’m not chasing high ratings, and the story I’m going to mention has already been savaged by those who didn’t get that I was writing a pastiche of a 1920s literary novel. I understand that many struggled with the vocabulary and style (both were the whole point), but I like the plot, the characters, and some of my turns of - admittedly arcane - phrase.

https://www.literotica.com/s/ice-cream-19

I regret not being able to read this right away in one sitting, but so far (33% of the way through), this is a beautiful piece of work!

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

Mine just got dinged again since this thread started.

 

[FrancesScott]

I regret not being able to read this right away in one sitting, but so far (33% of the way through), this is a beautiful piece of work!

Thank you. I wasn’t writing for a mass audience (how elitist is that?) but very much appreciate that some people understood my intent.

 

[SyleusSnow]

I could tell you what my worst story is. But my best? I'm not sure.

Yeah, that's how I feel. My "best" could mean the one I worked hardest on, the most emotional or erotic one, best structured, the one I personally like the most... so many ways to go.

But worst story? That's easier. I won't name it to avoid being targeted, but it's one I banged out for a writing event that has so many lazy elements it's just plain embarrassing.

 

[Djmac1031]

My best story is the one that catches a readers eye, intrigues them enough to click on it, draws them in enough to actually read it, entertains them enough to finish. (interpret that word as you wish.)

Its an even better story if they actually feel moved enough to comment and / or Favorite.

 

[PennyThompson]

I think a lot of folks on AH fear "The Evil Eye," a curse put on you by the envy of other people, leading to misfortune and ruin.

It's a cultural superstition found pretty much all over the world in one form or another. But it's also a way of teaching and acculturating people to downplay or conceal their own success or happiness, for fear of making other people envious. It's a memetic tool for maintaining hierarchies and keeping people in their place.

It's why those blue glass naẓar eyeball beads and amulets are so popular as jewelry or decorations. It's why athletes and musicians thank god after making a touchdown or winning an award whatever, and why people criticize athletes and artists that they perceive as too arrogant or proud of their abilities.

It's why some Lit authors are scared to promote their work, and why some authors criticize other authors for promoting their work or getting too "uppity," or quietly one-bomb authors that they dislike or perceive as rivals.

Anyway, my story that I'm most proud of (so far) is Accessibility Compliance! I'm really happy with the structure of it, the technical details that I tried really hard to get right, the characters and how they were received by readers, and the message I hope it conveys

 

[Djmac1031]

I think a lot of folks on AH fear "The Evil Eye," a curse put on you by the envy of other people, leading to misfortune and ruin.

It's a cultural superstition found pretty much all over the world in one form or another, but it's also a way of teaching and acculturating people to downplay or conceal their own success or happiness for fear of making other people envious. It's a memetic tool for maintaining hierarchies and keeping people in their place.

It's why those blue glass naẓar eyeball beads and amulets are so popular as jewelry or decorations. It's why athletes and musicians thank god after making a touchdown or winning an award whatever, and why people criticize athletes and artists that seem too arrogant or proud of their abilities.

It's why some Lit authors are scared to promote their work, and why some authors criticize other authors for promoting their work or getting too "uppity," or quietly one-bomb authors that they dislike or perceive as rivals.

Anyway, my story that I'm most proud of (so far) is Accessibility Compliance! I'm really happy with the structure of it, the technical details that I tried really hard to get right, the characters and how they were received by readers, and the message I hope it conveys

View attachment 2556249

How dare you have the bravery and self confidence to actually post a story link without worrying about backlash or how others might perceive it?

It's almost like you don't give a fuck what a bunch of strangers on the internet think or something...

 

[PennyThompson]

How dare you have the bravery and self confidence to actually post a story link without worrying about backlash or how others might perceive it?

It's almost like you don't give a fuck what a bunch of strangers on the internet think or something...

Actually I care WAY TOO MUCH about what strangers on the internet think of me and the things I make, otherwise I'd just save my stories to a text file on my desktop and leave it there

 

[StillStunned]

It's why some Lit authors are scared to promote their work, and why some authors criticize other authors for promoting their work or getting too "uppity," or quietly one-bomb authors that they dislike or perceive as rivals.

I'd have named and linked my "best" story if I could name it. Over on Bluesky, I've often posted threads that begin with "Today's "No, *this* is my favourite story"...".

The fact is, almost every story is my favourite. It's like asking me to choose between my wife's boobs.

 

[caleb35]

I once told a story, but I never wrote it down. That was my best story. It was the best story in the world.

This post is a tribute to that story.

This is now my favorite reply on the Literotica forums

 

[NuclearFairy]

The fact is, almost every story is my favourite. It's like asking me to choose between my wife's boobs.

Oh I'm sure that ones easy. It's gotta be the one that's closets to hand.

 

[PennyThompson]

I'd have named and linked my "best" story if I could name it. Over on Bluesky, I've often posted threads that begin with "Today's "No, *this* is my favourite story"...".

The fact is, almost every story is my favourite. It's like asking me to choose between my wife's boobs.

I definitely didn't mean it as a criticism of anyone for not naming a favorite story, for whatever reason they might have!

Just an observation that our cultures and subcultures have a way of teaching us to keep our heads down, here in the degenerate Lit forums and elsewhere in our lives. It tends to target certain kinds of people and individuals with the Evil Eye more than others, but that's a topic for another time

 

[caleb35]

My best story according to Literotica ratings? "Outing"
My actual best story? "Catching Up"