Idea for new Forum: individual author forums

[PennyThompson]

An entirely new top-level forum (alongside Story Feedback, Authors' Hangout, etc) wherein writers could create their own unique threads for story discussion. Right now, that doesn't exist.

This would probably be a heavy lift, because it doesn't seem like the forum structure changes often. There are still subforums here from the CHYOO interactive erotica site, which seems to have been defunct for many many years now. There's nothing in those forums but spam, I think they really should just be deleted or archived... but they haven't been.

I think you could try requesting a new sub-forum via the Tech Support forum, maybe? But Manu and Laurel aren't known to be highly responsive in that way.

The alternative would be to try doing it in one of the existing forums, maybe Story Feedback, or Story Discussion Circle as in WaxPhilisophic's example?

An ability to link to a story thread from the published stories themselves

I don't think there's anything stopping you from doing this currently, but logistically it would be weird...

You would need to create your story thread first, and then include the link to the forum in your story before you submit it for publication, and see if that link to the forum gets maintained or stripped out.

You would be taking a gamble in the long run, though. If a forum mod decided that your story feedback thread was inappropriate or should go somewhere else, they could delete it, lock it, or transfer it to a different forum, and then the link you put into your story would be broken.

I would definitely not count on Lit setting something like this up in an automated or systematic way. As mentioned before, the site admin/programmer seems to be one single guy with a lot on his plate and new features happen slowly and rarely.

with the purpose of having real-time conversations with anyone who wants one

I mean, it might work, given the workflow limitations above! I'm leaning toward the (unnecessarily curmudgeonly) consensus opinion that it's probably not going to generate as much interaction as you're hoping for.

But I don't see any reason to discourage you from trying it for yourself and seeing what happens! It could be that you'll discover a whole new world of reader engagement

 

[DeMont]

Actually, this would be expected, if the thread is merely a single post in a larger sub-forum. But this is not what I suggested. I suggested:

(1) An entirely new top-level forum (alongside Story Feedback, Authors' Hangout, etc) wherein writers could create their own unique threads for story discussion. Right now, that doesn't exist (as far as I can tell; correct me if I'm wrong).
(2) An ability to link to a story thread from the published stories themselves
(3) with the purpose of having real-time conversations with anyone who wants one

So far, all the examples people have given have not matched these things. So I think well-meaning folks are comparing apples and oranges here. And then others are making suggestions regarding how to drive engagement to the stories, which is a great thing to talk about, but not what this suggestion is about at all. So when people say, "We've tried that and it didn't work", my reply is, "No, you didn't try it because what I'm talking about doesn't seem to actually exist on this site. So maybe we can discuss the possibility of asking for it to exist."

@MythicMind,
Indeed my dear colleague, unfortunately all I had were apples to work with so I was looking for a way to work the apples in until we could make a case for having apples alongside the oranges, so to speak

For such a thing as you are proposing you would have to contact Laurel directly and convince "Da Boss" it's a good idea.
I'll stand up with ya.
Respectfully,
D

 

[THBGato]

Actually, this would be expected, if the thread is merely a single post in a larger sub-forum. But this is not what I suggested. I suggested:

(1) An entirely new top-level forum (alongside Story Feedback, Authors' Hangout, etc) wherein writers could create their own unique threads for story discussion.

How would that be different? Your thread would still be merely a single post in a larger sub-forum.

(2) An ability to link to a story thread from the published stories themselves

You can already do that. Nothing to stop you creating the forum thread first and then putting the hyperlink at the end of the story. Wax did that with later chapters.

(3) with the purpose of having real-time conversations with anyone who wants one

Ignoring the existence of time zones (there are readers here from all over the world), you can already do that. Once you have posted enough comments yourself on others stories, your own comments will no longer require moderation and post instantly.

However, there's a lot to be said for NOT wanting real time communication, for taking your time to consider your response, lest you misinterpret and snap a somebody because you misread their comment... as has happened on this thread.

 

[DeMont]

How would that be different? Your thread would still be merely a single post in a larger sub-forum.


You can already do that. Nothing to stop you creating the forum thread first and then putting the hyperlink at the end of the story. Wax did that with later chapters.


Ignoring the existence of time zones (there are readers here from all over the world), you can already do that. Once you have posted enough comments yourself on others stories, your own comments will no longer require moderation and post instantly.

However, there's a lot to be said for NOT wanting real time communication, for taking your time to consider your response, lest you misinterpret and snap a somebody because you misread their comment... as has happened on this thread.

@THBGato,
Hmmm... points taken....
I have much to think about, def. way past bedtime CDT, I'll have to do a Scarlett O'Hara, "I shall have t' think about that tomorrah"
Thank you again dear colleague.
Deepest respects,
D.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Yeah, I can certainly see that. The exploit, tho, seems to be the forum platform. That's a place where real time conversations can happen...like right now between you and me. Why it is bad that this happen in the context of a story?

It's a great idea, suggested many times over the years, to create an interactive comments thread for our stories or with our accounts. It's just that Lit moves veeerrrryyy slowly with new features, and I guess the old hands know that, even if it's not ideal.

 

[MythicMind]

How would that be different? Your thread would still be merely a single post in a larger sub-forum.

Well, it's not that it would be different, except that it would be acceptable and expected, ie. in the right place. I see very few individual story threads in the Story Feedback forum, ironically.

You can already do that. Nothing to stop you creating the forum thread first and then putting the hyperlink at the end of the story. Wax did that with later chapters.

Yes and no. There's no *easy* way to do it, since the post would have to be created before the story gets published. That's where actual change would need to happen. I'm understanding that's unlikely.

Ignoring the existence of time zones (there are readers here from all over the world), you can already do that. Once you have posted enough comments yourself on others stories, your own comments will no longer require moderation and post instantly.

However, there's a lot to be said for NOT wanting real time communication, for taking your time to consider your response, lest you misinterpret and snap a somebody because you misread their comment... as has happened on this thread.

Actually, this is an example of why the forum is BETTER for this kind of interaction. Were this a moderated comment, I wouldn't have had others suggesting that the literal content of the message ("you") was not what was actually intended ("writers in general"), and would have assumed the comment meant what it said. But because of the real-time nature of the forum, I was able to accept feedback from others and adjust my response. Isn't that what we want more of?

 

[Actingup]

There is a scaling issue here. In the past 12 months, 66207 stories have been published on Literotica - that's an incredible number. The activity here on the forums is a tiny fraction of the total authorial action on the site, but it's already too much to keep up with...

 

[MythicMind]

There is a scaling issue here. In the past 12 months, 66207 stories have been published on Literotica - that's an incredible number. The activity here on the forums is a tiny fraction of the total authorial action on the site, but it's already too much to keep up with...

That's an insane number.

 

[THBGato]

Well, it's not that it would be different, except that it would be acceptable and expected, ie. in the right place. I see very few individual story threads in the Story Feedback forum, ironically.

Just looking at the story feedback forum this morning I count 15 threads about individual stories on page 1, including one by you that has some very postive replies.

What makes you think the story feedback forum doesn't accept these threads?

Yes and no. There's no *easy* way to do it, since the post would have to be created before the story gets published.

What's hard about that? You can just create it yourself then bump it back to the top of the forum once the story is published. It's easy to include a hyperlink to a forum post in a story (check my poem Comments for Christmas as an example). You can also edit your posts later, so you can drop in a hyperlink to the story once it is published.

Actually, this is an example of why the forum is BETTER for this kind of interaction. Were this a moderated comment, I wouldn't have had others suggesting that the literal content of the message ("you") was not what was actually intended ("writers in general"), and would have assumed the comment meant what it said. But because of the real-time nature of the forum, I was able to accept feedback from others and adjust my response. Isn't that what we want more of?

Mmmm. But that depends on other people bothering to correct your misunderstanding. Not everyone will. Notice the poster you snapped at after misreading their post hasn't returned to this thread...

 

[onehitwanda]

I've never had a real fruitcake. What's it taste like?

Like @PennyThompson apparently.

 

[Bamagan]

Like @PennyThompson apparently.

 

[AwkwardlySet]

Huh, this brings back memories...

O.P., you will see that it takes a long time to understand the workings of this place, and by that I mean both the Author's Hangout and the website as a whole.

I agree with what @AwkwardMD said mostly. Your idea isn't a new one. It has already been suggested, more than once. There's a cycle to these things, it seems, and believe it or not, some of us have been where you are now and wondered at the reaction of forum members. This here isn't pushback, believe me. This is how the AH usually operates.

The idea itself is a good one, but the blog page would need to be story-side rather than forum-side, because only a tiny fraction of both readers and authors use the forum. You want all the anonymous people to be able to post opinions on your blog page. If I remember correctly, this idea was proposed by @SimonDoom a few years ago.

Now, to the heart of the issue. Even if the idea is a good one, it will NEVER happen. And this isn't me being negative or defeatist. This is just me understanding how the website works.

There is a huge disconnect between the website owners and us authors in the AH. I can't remember them ever, ever implementing, or even discussing a change that authors here suggested. They never reply to anything we ask or discuss here. And there is no other channel of communication for us to reach them as a group, so to speak. There are only PMs, but those are individual, and as of a few years back, they are generally nonresponsive to those as well.

The things Literotica implements are those that Laurel and Manu want to implement, and they are usually something to improve the reader experience, or some update to the user interface. They absolutely do not care about what you or I, or any other author here, need. For each one of us here who gives up, there are like five new authors who will pop up to replace us, with poorly written stories most of the time. There is a huge surplus of authors and stories here.

The truth is that Literotica is all about quantity and not about quality. It doesn't matter how well you write or how good and immersive your stories are, or even how popular you are. We are all equally insignificant here.

So my advice to you is to find a way to enjoy what Literotica already is and stop trying to change it. It's all futile anyway. If you find this insufficient, then there are a couple of other story sites, but they are generally worse, IMO.

 

[onehitwanda]

Always worth it

 

[pink_silk_glove]

But for the few who would like a back and forth with the author, it could be attractive. And it's better than the "feedback system", which is really just email, which fewer and fewer people use nowadays.

There are many writers here who reply to the comments on their stories and end up going back and forth with them there.

 

[Nightaelf]

Like @PennyThompson apparently.

I’ve never eaten @PennyThompson either...

 

[onehitwanda]

I’ve never eaten @PennyThompson either...

She's notoriously difficult to get bookings for

 

[SimonDoom]

Huh, this brings back memories...

O.P., you will see that it takes a long time to understand the workings of this place, and by that I mean both the Author's Hangout and the website as a whole.

I agree with what @AwkwardMD said mostly. Your idea isn't a new one. It has already been suggested, more than once. There's a cycle to these things, it seems, and believe it or not, some of us have been where you are now and wondered at the reaction of forum members. This here isn't pushback, believe me. This is how the AH usually operates.

The idea itself is a good one, but the blog page would need to be story-side rather than forum-side, because only a tiny fraction of both readers and authors use the forum. You want all the anonymous people to be able to post opinions on your blog page. If I remember correctly, this idea was proposed by @SimonDoom a few years ago.

Now, to the heart of the issue. Even if the idea is a good one, it will NEVER happen. And this isn't me being negative or defeatist. This is just me understanding how the website works.

There is a huge disconnect between the website owners and us authors in the AH. I can't remember them ever, ever implementing, or even discussing a change that authors here suggested. They never reply to anything we ask or discuss here. And there is no other channel of communication for us to reach them as a group, so to speak. There are only PMs, but those are individual, and as of a few years back, they are generally nonresponsive to those as well.

The things Literotica implements are those that Laurel and Manu want to implement, and they are usually something to improve the reader experience, or some update to the user interface. They absolutely do not care about what you or I, or any other author here, need. For each one of us here who gives up, there are like five new authors who will pop up to replace us, with poorly written stories most of the time. There is a huge surplus of authors and stories here.

The truth is that Literotica is all about quantity and not about quality. It doesn't matter how well you write or how good and immersive your stories are, or even how popular you are. We are all equally insignificant here.

So my advice to you is to find a way to enjoy what Literotica already is and stop trying to change it. It's all futile anyway. If you find this insufficient, then there are a couple of other story sites, but they are generally worse, IMO.

You're right. It's unlikely to happen. Same with the OP's author forum idea, although I think that's a pretty good idea, too.

The bottom line point wouldn't be to throw more bones to us authors, because I don't think the site is going to invest a lot of energy into that, but to add value to the site. I think this site could increase traffic and monetize itself better if it became more of an all-purpose erotic social media site, where readers and authors could have their own customized pages and have more flexibility about how to interact with one another, and where authors could do more to build their brands and satisfy the curiosity of their readers.

If wishes were fishes.

 

[SimonDoom]

Probably the only way this sort of thing is going to happen is if the current owners bring in a partner with money, and they invest more heavily in site development. This site has terrific traffic numbers. One has to imagine there are untapped monetization opportunities.

 

[iwatchus]

Probably the only way this sort of thing is going to happen is if the current owners bring in a partner with money, and they invest more heavily in site development. This site has terrific traffic numbers. One has to imagine there are untapped monetization opportunities.

What is the over-under until the site is completely enshittified? a year? six months? God I hope they don't.

 

[MelissaBaby]

Okay...but why? I would like a place to discuss things with my readers, and as a reader to other writers. It just seems like people on this site don't like to communicate much, at least not without a lot of barriers. I'm trying to figure that out.

1. Because people have tried similar things here on the AH, on Story Feedback, on Twitter, on Bluesky, on Tumblr, on Reddit, on Discord, and their own sites and it never seems to amount to much.

2. Because personal author blogs are likely to turn into sources of drama. Arguments there will spill over on to the board. Gossip and criticism of other authors will proliferate. And they will surely become an organizing tool for ratfucking contests.

3. Because it's one more distraction from getting any writing done.

 

[SimonDoom]

View attachment 2573441

Isn't it always?

 

[ChloeTzang]

Story feedback is nowhere near enough. I have found it useless in fact. I've literally gotten three letters of feedback, mostly useless insults. And I've left feedback letters and never gotten a response. I think the dynamic nature of the forums could fix this problem.

Some authors in the past have tried opening their own individual threads for their readers but there'e never been that much buy-in from readers. THe last one or two I remember were sci-fi authors and for a while there were a few readers in there but they tailed away.

I did it on Facebook for a while and had a few hundred readers there, some of them pretty active, until Facebook gave me a permanent ban. I do it on MeWe now but there's not as many people there.

If you want to go that route, social media (DB, X, MeWe) probably work better

 

[SimonDoom]

1. Because people have tried similar things here on the AH, on Story Feedback, on Twitter, on Bluesky, on Tumblr, on Reddit, on Discord, and their own sites and it never seems to amount to much.

2. Because personal author blogs are likely to turn into sources of drama. Arguments there will spill over on to the board. Gossip and criticism of other authors will proliferate. And they will surely become an organizing tool for ratfucking contests.

3. Because it's one more distraction from getting any writing done.

I don't think it would have to be a source of drama if the author page were, as someone else suggested, placed on the story side instead of the forum side. It could simply be an updated version of our current public story pages, with more features.

Someone else mentioned this, too: there's nothing to stop me right now from starting a "Simon Says" thread where I post something everyday and people respond. As long as it's tenuously connected with the craft of writing I think it would fly under the moderator rules.

As much as I value my own opinions, however, I think I'd get bored of myself after a while.

 

[ChloeTzang]

1. Because people have tried similar things here on the AH, on Story Feedback, on Twitter, on Bluesky, on Tumblr, on Reddit, on Discord, and their own sites and it never seems to amount to much.

2. Because personal author blogs are likely to turn into sources of drama. Arguments there will spill over on to the board. Gossip and criticism of other authors will proliferate. And they will surely become an organizing tool for ratfucking contests.

3. Because it's one more distraction from getting any writing done.

Facebook worked for me until I got banned. LOL. I had several hundred, mostly readers, and it was pretty active, but a lot of that was I wasn't just discussing whatever I was writing. It was art, books, politics (thats what got me banned) and anything else that was interesting to me. Focusing just on your writing never amounts to much by itself.

I also found FB got me new non-Literotica readers as a byproduct

 

[Erozetta]

Like a fruity treacle turned into superglue for the mouth.

And then soaked in rum. So much rum.

It's been a long time since I had one, but I recall being the only one excited about fruitcake.