Would you pay a subscription to Literotica if it led to better service?

[Levorotatory]

I like how SOL does pay accounts.

Non-paying members (authors and readers) can access stories that are marked for non-premium access. They have limited search options compared to paying members, but I rarely found that to be a real problem finding stories.

How do find stories at SOL with the gimped free search that not only excludes many parameters, but also limits results to 10? With no top level category system like Lit has, search is the only way to find stuff, and it is pretty much useless unless you pay. The only time I go there is when I know what I am looking for.

If I had no choice but to pay a fee to use Literotica's services, I would consider it. But I think it's a terrible idea, and I think the idea of a two-tiered service where some get OK service for free and some get better service for money is an equally terrible idea.

Free service is a cornerstone of what Literotica is and does. It's a crucial part of why it's been so successful and why it gets more traffic and has more stories than other sites. It would compromise its basic mission and spoil what it does best if it started charging.

Agreed. Even though I find SOL's content guidelines more reasonable than Lit's "let's pretend everyone is asexual until their 18th birthday", I spend a lot more time here than there because of their paywall. I'm not paying to access creative content if the creator isn't getting a cut, and I won't post anything to a site that doesn't pay for content while expecting users to pay to see it.

 

[Paul_Chance]

LOL the image of narcissistic toddlers typing madly away is a good one.

 

[Bamagan]

No.
I've been visiting Literotica since 1999, not too long after it was created. The draw for me has always been that this is a place for sharing stories. Emphasis on sharing.

 

[Justplainjeff]

Do you actually have any idea how much they make? Or is this just anger over other issues coming through?

When I was seriously looking into this operation, with thehelp.of the AWSA for the Eastern part of their stste, plus their state's Attorney General, I couldn't pin down their income

 

[Justplainjeff]

That should be the AUSA

 

[forgotmyantidepressants]

No. The clicks/views that my stories get is reward enough for me.

 

[MelissaBaby]

I don't understand why we as a group spend so much time discussing things that just don't matter instead of honing our craft and creating relationships.

Because the primary purpose of the AH is to procrastinate on getting your story done.

 

[Rob_Royale]

As a content creator? Not just no, but fuck no.

 

[lovecraft68]

And that's why my answer is sarcasm and hyperbole (as noted).

I don't understand why we as a group spend so much time discussing things that just don't matter instead of honing our craft and creating relationships.

Come on, we don't have any clue what's going on with the site, how much help Laurel and Manu have, what their priorities are, how complex some of the stuff they're doing might be, yet we sit out here in our echo chamber and complain like any of this shit matters. If my 90 stories weren't here, if I never wrote another one, it wouldn't matter to anyone. Sure a few might miss me, but that would be short lived.

I get tired of people complaining because the site isn't meeting their individual expectations, that they didn't get the treatment they expect, that laurel didn't respond to their 157th complaint about someone bombing their stories when the math shows it statically doesn't happen that often. And so what if it does. That stupid number isn't real, anyway. What are we, a bunch of narcissists, a bunch of toddlers who don't want to take a nap?

Grow up people. Write the stories you want to write and set them loose into the ether and move on to the next one.

Well said on two levels

One, if people here were as serious about their writing as they claimed, they wouldn't be fretting about all these things that are out of their control. Not just delays but the endless bitching over the Red H and toplists, voting system, etc. I've spent a lot of time here over the years, but never lost sight of what the focus is, and that's writing. I don't seem like I write much anymore because I've slowed way down here, but I've amassed over 250 e-books in the market. I've never let anything here affect my writing and have never once changed how I write or who I write for based on suggestions here or a childish 'I want to be like so and so." Or based it on stats, comments or top lists.

I sure as hell never begged for attention from other authors or readers. Desperate and needy aren't positive traits in any field. Here's my story, hope you like it, but if not, okay, I'm already on the next one.

The other level is the complaining, but with a personal caveat. I can get people being frustrated and concerned and being ticked off that there are some major issues right now and the site never has the courtesy to come out and simply say, "Yeah, got some things going on, working on it, let you know when its under control." Its not much to ask. I understand because this has been how its always been. The site has never been transparent. But we've also never had such glaring issues, but I don't expect them to change.

Couple days ago someone started a thread with a screen shot about a deleted user publishing a story. Odd, and these days, who knows if some glitch has the author name now hidden or even deleted an account. These days anything is possible. But that entire thread was nothing but jokes. Devolved right into big ha ha's, silly poster, why should we care.

But if a certain poster here starts a thread about it with the usual drama and hysteria, those people would be right in there with "OMG this is insane"

So when a good portion of this group, especially their ringleader would mock people who came here with complaints, would tell them if they don't like it leave, would start threads with titles like "Oh no its been minutes since I submitted and my stories not up yet!" and piss all over people with these concerns...

But now they're dealing with some of it and now its "Something must be done because now it's my story!"

Yeah, no sympathy for them from me. To the contrary I now find it amusing the site isn't responding because the air of entitlement here from some that no one else deserved to be taken seriously, but they do, is off the charts.

No one can fix what's going on with the site, no one is ever going to know what's wrong. You can spin over it 24/7 or just keep writing and weather the storm.

@MelissaBaby did that Pony Famous thread some time ago and it made me think of it in other terms. Too many people here want to be forum famous more than they care about their work.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

 

[MrPixel]

How does one respond to a thinly-veiled personal attack without it becoming a personal attack in return?

We're not stupid. Your regimented idea of what the AH should and should not be, and should and should not contain, in my estimation runs counter to the participation of the far greater number of regulars here. Many more of us appreciate the lighter aspects of our art expressed in joyous gallimaufry. And if a forum regular has stated opinions counter to your beliefs, it's not your place to attack the person, but to reasonably present your rebuttal.

And with all due respect, chill.

 

[Voboy]

How does one respond to a thinly-veiled personal attack without it becoming a personal attack in return?

We're not stupid. Your regimented idea of what the AH should and should not be, and should and should not contain, in my estimation runs counter to the participation of the far greater number of regulars here. Many more of us appreciate the lighter aspects of our art expressed in joyous gallimaufry. And if a forum regular has stated opinions counter to your beliefs, it's not your place to attack the person, but to reasonably present your rebuttal.

And with all due respect, chill.

I agree with you.

But... this is the Internet. This is what happens. We can all pretend "we're better than that," but I've seen scant evidence to support that.

 

[EmilyMiller]

But... this is the Internet. This is what happens.

With a tiny minority…

 

[Voboy]

With a tiny minority…

Perhaps here. But not writ large.

I'm a member of several sites and this kind of behavior ALWAYS happens.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Perhaps here. But not writ large.

I'm a member of several sites and this kind of behavior ALWAYS happens.

Compared to X - which is ground zero for these behaviors, I agree. Most people here are civil and reasonable. Many are also pleasant. It could be worse.

 

[Voboy]

Compared to X - which is ground zero for these behaviors, I agree. Most people here are civil and reasonable. Many are also pleasant. It could be worse.

Fair. I was talking about other limited-interest forums; I'm far too old to enjoy microblogs like X. I tried it, and BlueSky, and they do nothing for me.

Forums with longer-form responses and anonymized usernames just about always bring out peoples' worst impulses, in my experience. I think you're correct that it's not as bad here as it could be.

 

[MrPixel]

Forums with longer-form responses and anonymized usernames just about always bring out peoples' worst impulses, in my experience.

My experience as both a user and a moderator is niche-topic forums tend to be pretty civil. Also, forum sites where there is a cordoned-off area to blow-off steam, "The Lounge" in other places, "Politics" on LitE, seem to thankfully draw the rancorous exchanges, the intended purpose of the partitioning, anyway.

My personal policy is to go elsewhere when I stumble into those pits of despair. And to stay the hell away from (anti-)social media, where the algorithms are tuned to amplify the bad stuff to, I swear, "keep people engaged." Uh huh. Right.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

With a tiny minority…

Pot meet kettle.

 

[DEFCOM5]

I would not pay.
My writing is not good enough to justify paying to be published.
It is the pay to play model which I despise.
This is a hobby to get these stories out my head.

 

[Djmac1031]

And with all due respect, chill.

I lost that respect for certain individuals ages ago...

 

[AwkwardlySet]

One of the first things I wanted to do when I made my account here and started publishing, was to donate to Literotica. Most people here who witness my criticism towards Lit daily, wouldn't believe how Lit-positive I used to be.

Yes, I'd pay for being an author here, and the only thing I'd ask for is communication from site admins. Notifications about issues, and maybe future plans for the site is all I'm asking for. Maybe a forum where we could post ideas and suggestions, a place we could be sure Laurel reads, even if she was to reject every single one.

 

[Justplainjeff]

Do you actually have any idea how much they make? Or is this just anger over other issues coming through?

Laurel & Manu won't let my answer to be posted.

 

[MillieDynamite]

A cardinal rule of writing is that one doesn't pay to be published.

 

[DEFCOM5]

A cardinal rule of writing is that one doesn't pay to be published.

There is actually an entire industry taking advantage of desperate wanting to be published and willing to pay for their writing to be published (I know I used published twice in the same sentence. Sue me)

 

[MillieDynamite]

Here's your suit, enjoy. Yes, I know there is, but don't ever use those; they make the "publisher" money and FU in the ass.

There is actually an entire industry taking advantage of desperate wanting to be published and willing to pay for their writing to be published (I know I used published twice in the same sentence. Sue me)