That weird parasocial thing some readers do

[FrancesScott]

You must have experienced it.

“Your story would have been much better if it adhered precisely to my preferences, instead of yours.”

I mean what are you meant to say to that? I find it really strange that readers on a free site expect their needs to be catered to, rather than authors writing what they want to write.

I’m not complaining, readers can say what they like. It’s just the assumption that authors are going to write the next story just to please commenter number three based on their feedback. Really? But that does seem to be the expectation.

 

[StillStunned]

Perhaps the issue stems from this being a site for amateur writers. Readers don't see much difference between themselves and us: people who enjoy erotic fantasies


As writers, we're just the ones who go to the trouble of writing them down. But, to their mind, that's a minor extension of imagining the fantasy, and so their version deserves as much attention.

Or something like that.

 

[UsuallyPresent]

I don’t doubt Stephen King, Tolkein, Herodotus and most-if-not-all other authors have had similar experiences with their audiences’ "helpful input"

That being said, I’ve had audience participation that led to a red-H story here.

 

[iwatchus]

I had a commenter complain that a recent story (my first in BDSM, so I was sensitive to this) did not belong in BDSM because it did not have enough spanking. Half the story was four sessions with a dominatrix, but only one of those was heavy on spanking. Another commenter defended the story pointing out that half the story is literally in her sessions. What other category would it go in. But commenter #1 wanted spanking damn it The story opens with the spanking session, so I guess I gave him unrealistic expectations for the rest of the story.

 

[FrancesScott]

But, to their mind, that's a minor extension of imagining the fantasy, and so their version deserves as much attention.

I didn’t have any idea about how much effort goes into writing until I started doing it. So you may well be correct.

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

You must have experienced it.

“Your story would have been much better if it adhered precisely to my preferences, instead of yours.”

I mean what are you meant to say to that? I find it really strange that readers on a free site expect their needs to be catered to, rather than authors writing what they want to write.

I’m not complaining, readers can say what they like. It’s just the assumption that authors are going to write the next story just to please commenter number three based on their feedback. Really? But that does seem to be the expectation.

Well, I was at book club last night. We’re discussing To Kill a Mockingbird. We sort of all agreed it would be a lot better with more lesbian sex.

 

[lovecraft68]

We all do this. There's not a person here who hasn't disliked a story for there being something in it that they don't agree with on a personal/political/social etc issue.

The difference is many people are capable of just shrugging it off as "Yeah, its me," but others feel the need to comment and try to impose their will.

 

[Bazzle]

I helped edit/suggest ideas for another author. I thought of a twist, that would be fun and potentially more realistic.

Yet, all the comments are people wishing the twist didn't happen.

If the twist hadn't appeared...would anyone have actually commented? My thought is, probably not.

(https://www.literotica.com/s/broken-salvation)

It got a reaction.

I also think a big problem with erotica is that it's potentially being read one handed, and the brain disengaged, being powered by the supplementary two mini super computers between a man's thighs. So if we write our best ending, it might not be the one their balls wanted.

I've worked out how to solve the problem of the 'wrong direction' in 'my opinion'. I don't get cross or be snarky, I ask the author nicely if I can have a go at writing my version of the story!

B

 

[HordHolm]

I've had commenters throwing in their wishes for me to fulfil (in writing) on their behalf. Not often, but it's happened. I don't let it bother me, provided its an expression of enjoyment of my story, of which they want more. Doesn't mean they'll get it, of course. After all, if wishes were horses, beggars would ride.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

You must have experienced it.

“Your story would have been much better if it adhered precisely to my preferences, instead of yours.”

I mean what are you meant to say to that? I find it really strange that readers on a free site expect their needs to be catered to, rather than authors writing what they want to write.

I’m not complaining, readers can say what they like. It’s just the assumption that authors are going to write the next story just to please commenter number three based on their feedback. Really? But that does seem to be the expectation.

I say this all the time. Most readers come here to have their own fantasy recited back to them, not to read your story. Once in a while some of them will get angry if you don't read their mind and/or 100% agree with their fantasy. It's their own problem if they are too lazy to write their own fantasy, but of course it will still probably hurt your score. Whatever.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Never take seriously comments from somebody you wouldn’t have asked for advice in the first place. Mind you, it’s better than crickets.

 

[EmilyMiller]

For my Summer Lovin’ story, I had a comment saying that the FMC and MMC were ‘acting out of character.’ Given the FMC was loosely based on me and the MMC on my SO, this was news to me .

 

[onehitwanda]

Gaius Valerius Catullus had a fine rebuttal to this sort of nonsense.

 

[FrancesScott]

Gaius Valerius Catullus had a fine rebuttal to this sort of nonsense.

I thought I knew my Latin, I was wrong. Thank you for the education.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

Well, some of us handle commenters ... differently.

 

[gunhilltrain]

Perhaps the issue stems from this being a site for amateur writers. Readers don't see much difference between themselves and us: people who enjoy erotic fantasies


As writers, we're just the ones who go to the trouble of writing them down. But, to their mind, that's a minor extension of imagining the fantasy, and so their version deserves as much attention.

Or something like that.

Probably they don't have any idea of how difficult it is. Or maybe they do! I've seen movies, for example, where I know an incredible amount of effort went into making it and it was still terrible.

Years ago I felt that way about the 1999 version of The Haunting. I decided to try my hand at writing a better screenplay Basically I changed it from a horror movie to a sort of drawing room comedy. (I got rid of most of the special effects, for example.) The result would have been five-hours long (I'm guessing) but it was my first foray into writing fiction so it had some benefits for me. I'm never going to do a prose version of it because I was done with it long ago.

I had some fun with it, however. The attraction between Theo and Nell, a subtext as far back as the novel, is out in the open and one of the main points of the whole thing. When talking about their first meeting later, Theo says, "I guess I was flirting outrageously." Nell replies, "Flirting? I'd call that making a pass at someone."

 

[Britva415]

that does seem to be the expectation

One person's expectation.

Readers don't see much difference between themselves and us

Everybody's gangsta until they think about writing their own story

 

[Britva415]

I had a commenter complain that a recent story (my first in BDSM, so I was sensitive to this) did not belong in BDSM because it did not have enough spanking. Half the story was four sessions with a dominatrix, but only one of those was heavy on spanking. Another commenter defended the story pointing out that half the story is literally in her sessions. What other category would it go in. But commenter #1 wanted spanking damn it The story opens with the spanking session, so I guess I gave him unrealistic expectations for the rest of the story.

"spank this"

 

[ericrodman101]

I find it odd when readers react negatively to a story because they don't like one of the characters. Strange, but I meet people all the time in the real world whom I don't like, but this doesn't necessarily make them less interesting or any less worth using as inspiration. And if we're talking categories like Reluctance/Nonconsent, I might expect readers to go looking there for characters they don't like. But no, sadistic, misogynistic, rapacious sociopaths still have to be likeable apparently.

 

[Britva415]

many people are capable of just shrugging it off as "Yeah, its me," but others feel the need to comment and try to impose their will.

So... We don't all do this?

 

[ElectricBlue]

You must have experienced it.

Not often. I've offered a few their money back, or invited them to read another story, not the one I wrote.

“Your story would have been much better if it adhered precisely to my preferences, instead of yours.”

"So, write your own story then," is the obvious response. Or, shrug.

 

[FrancesScott]

Not often. I've offered a few their money back, or invited them to read another story, not the one I wrote.

I did precisely both in my reply.

“That’s fine. About 299 other stories published everyday. Or write your own. It’s strange to assume that authors will write with your taste specifically in mind. It’s a free site, but please request a refund if you are disappointed.”

 

[Bramblethorn]

I thought I knew my Latin, I was wrong. Thank you for the education.

Catullus 16 is tragically neglected in Latin courses, for some reason.

If I recall there was a series of Latin authors that presented the original text side by side with an English translation, but when it got really filthy they just reverted to the Latin for both columns.

 

[UnexpectedLuggage]

We all do this. There's not a person here who hasn't disliked a story for there being something in it that they don't agree with on a personal/political/social etc issue.

The difference is many people are capable of just shrugging it off as "Yeah, its me," but others feel the need to comment and try to impose their will.

I think there's a difference, even if minor, between reading something and going "I would have preferred X" and "it should have had X."

I think k that's where some commenters sort of lose me. It's fine to have experienced one thing an gotten another, but you really don't need to leave anonymous commets going "the girl should have gotten pregnant, it would have been so much hotter!"

Luckily, it's easy enough to ignore those comments and move on with life.

 

[onehitwanda]

Catullus 16 is tragically neglected in Latin courses, for some reason.

If I recall there was a series of Latin authors that presented the original text side by side with an English translation, but when it got really filthy they just reverted to the Latin for both columns.

So round about the end of line one, then