New authors, don't worry about length, let it rip.

lovecraft68

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I see a lot of threads from newer authors worrying about how long their story should be. There is a school of thought here that three lit pages should be the cut off.

Not sure where that started or why, but I am not a believer in it.

For those who are concerned their story would suffer if they made it "too long" here are a few stats that show length doesn't matter. Then again I am touting longer could be better;)

The Top 250 most favorited stories on lit.

http://www.literotica.com/stories/favoritesportalv2.php

#1 Words on skin 6 pages

#3 Hunted 6 pages

#5 Threads the Island 42 pages

A quick up and down of the list had a couple of other Notables

Stolen Kisses 6 pages

Two Moms, Two Laps, Two Hours 7 pages

Colleen 7 pages

I have three on the list They are 6/6/7 pages.

Category top lists.

#1 all time group story Gamer Goddess 6 pages

#1 all time in Romance Pool Boy Benefits 9 pages

#1 all time Lesbian Proper Send off 7 pages

#1 all Time BDSM Bleakest Seasons pt 2 8 pages

I didn't check every category, nor did I check every story on the 250 list, but I think those are some notable examples that length is not a deterrent to a reader.

I'm not saying there is anything wrong with short and I saw to of the top ten all time 250 stories are 1 page. But I don't see nearly as many threads about people worrying about to short.

If the story is engaging the reader will stay with it.

My most successful story here is 7 pages long with nothing more than a peck on the cheek until the end of page six. It's a 4.85 on over 2500 votes and closing in on 200 comments

If you write it, they will read it.

So write your story as you see fit and don't get caught up in it being too long. Length is not what will bring a story down.
 
The hard copy should have some thickness, though. Double spacing helps.
 
Thanks for the info LC, as a newer author I appreciate the input. I have only written a few stories but they all seem to fall into the 3-4 page category. I was just wondering if, assuming a story is going to be longer, readers prefer it to be broken into chapters?
 
Thanks for the info LC, as a newer author I appreciate the input. I have only written a few stories but they all seem to fall into the 3-4 page category. I was just wondering if, assuming a story is going to be longer, readers prefer it to be broken into chapters?

That's your choice.

Its amazing how many theories and options there are. For instance many people feel its good to break it into chapters because then you have more stories up.

The only series I did had to be a series it was 900k+ all told, but most of the chapters are 6 or so pages.

If you feel there are several clean "breaks" in the story where you can leave off, but still have that chapter be "complete" in its own way, then break them up.

But then comes the "do I need sex in every chapter" question.

End of the day I find that this is all trial by error and what works for me may not work for you and the other way around.

Keep writing and posting and you'll find your "formula"
 
Thanks for the info LC, as a newer author I appreciate the input. I have only written a few stories but they all seem to fall into the 3-4 page category. I was just wondering if, assuming a story is going to be longer, readers prefer it to be broken into chapters?

But this is just what he's saying -- it doesn't seem to matter.

I think, just going by what I see, most people who write long stories, let's say over 50k, will break it up into chapters. But you don't have to do that. I will also add that again, going by anecdotal evidence, many people (not sure about most) like stories approx 10k long, or 3-4 Lit pages. I myself fall into that category. I don't usually have time to sit and read much more than that at one time, and so when I see that a story is more than four pages, I usually click off. But that's my problem, not the author's.

I tend to post (when I post) in 8-12k blocks for the inverse reason. I don't like to ask more of people than I can do myself.

It could also be -- just a shot in the dark -- that people used to read longer stories when Lit started, but now the preference is for shorter blocks, for the general reason that people simply have more options on how to spend their time. But that's a total guess.
 
But this is just what he's saying -- it doesn't seem to matter.

I think, just going by what I see, most people who write long stories, let's say over 50k, will break it up into chapters. But you don't have to do that. I will also add that again, going by anecdotal evidence, many people (not sure about most) like stories approx 10k long, or 3-4 Lit pages. I myself fall into that category. I don't usually have time to sit and read much more than that at one time, and so when I see that a story is more than four pages, I usually click off. But that's my problem, not the author's.

I tend to post (when I post) in 8-12k blocks for the inverse reason. I don't like to ask more of people than I can do myself.

It could also be -- just a shot in the dark -- that people used to read longer stories when Lit started, but now the preference is for shorter blocks, for the general reason that people simply have more options on how to spend their time. But that's a total guess.

Unless we could get a chance to "interview" a bunch of readers then everything we say is sort of guess work anyway.

Part of me wonders if longer stories can get better scores because not as many people read them. My impression of a "troll" is that they are one handed readers and will ignore anything more than a page or two so maybe the longer ones get spared.

But again, who knows.

But as for your thought on a lot of these stories being older and maybe reading habits have changed here are a couple of mine from within the last year

Karma- 8 pages

Home is Where The Heart is- 7 pages

Becoming my Mother's Lover-8 pages.

All three have done very well.

My two recent contest wins in the group category are 6 pages each

Tex tall tales win from either late last year or early this year is the Poolboy story that is 9 pages and #1 all time in Romance so I don't think its a new/old thing.

In fact all of TTT's stories do very well and all are pretty long. Same for Alwayswantedtoo.
 
Unless we could get a chance to "interview" a bunch of readers then everything we say is sort of guess work anyway.

Part of me wonders if longer stories can get better scores because not as many people read them. My impression of a "troll" is that they are one handed readers and will ignore anything more than a page or two so maybe the longer ones get spared.

But again, who knows.

But as for your thought on a lot of these stories being older and maybe reading habits have changed here are a couple of mine from within the last year

Karma- 8 pages

Home is Where The Heart is- 7 pages

Becoming my Mother's Lover-8 pages.

All three have done very well.

My two recent contest wins in the group category are 6 pages each

Tex tall tales win from either late last year or early this year is the Poolboy story that is 9 pages and #1 all time in Romance so I don't think its a new/old thing.

In fact all of TTT's stories do very well and all are pretty long. Same for Alwayswantedtoo.

Its scary that I know exactly what stories you are referencing by the tiniest of clues. Im here too much, obviously. :eek:

Def a solid post LC. What I will mention though is each and every story you referenced (that Ive read which is most) defied the number of pages it was.

Yours, for example, while roughly described as "a few pages with nary a peck") was constant build on constant build. It moved the story forward damn near every paragraph. It was impressive.

And the other authors you've mentioned, esp. TxTTales, are masterful at that. While there may be page after page, it's like every word is crafted to move the story to its ultimate conclusion. If I have nothing major making me check/recheck the time, I totally lose track of pages when the story is tight. Im painfully aware of it when the story is not though.

So yes, number of pages is something to think about I suppose but, for me, it seems its ultimate utility is to be sort of a self check to make sure you aren't needlessly bloating a tale for looks or style.

If you look at the really large works like Borderline or Island, they still move forward at a near perfect pace (mostly). Cream rises to the top as they say and I think those works as 10 to 20 chapters or the 1-2 books would register mostly the same numbers and comments.

It's trite to say "write well and it all works out" but its true. I think if authors focused on that task first and foremost, page bloat wouldn't be such an easy target for harping on. (and authors worrying over)
 
Some writers have no problem letting it rip. Other writers do. It's my guess that when a writer writes without thinking about what standards he/she is screwing up and just writes the story, the story takes on a life of its own. For the plotters and the newbies, this can be scary. I haven't gotten there yet. I'm thinking about it though.
 
My second novel length story that I posted here I broke up into discrete chapters. I did get complaints about there not being any sex in every chapter. I felt this may have lowered peoples score of my work.
 
This thread seems to conflate two different issues: how long the story is and how long the portion of the story delivered at one time is.

If there are folks who post that they don't want to read more than three pages of a Literotica story at one sitting (and there have been), it doesn't take a genius to figure out that if you cut your longer story into longer chunks for delivery, you're going to lose some potential readers.

Conversely, there have been posters who say they won't bother to read a one-Lit.-page segment.

So, again, it doesn't take a genius to figure out that keeping your segments somewhere around three Lit. pages will put off the fewer potential readers.

This is a separate issue from how long the total story can be and still retain readers.

There's also the point that when this question is asked, it's usually being asked by a new author here. Once an author becomes established, that author's followers will read about any length of story an author gives in one segment--because they are hooked on the author. This doesn't apply to new authors trying to build a following.
 
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Any story (or chapter) should be just as long as it needs to be. I don't know if mine qualify there.

I presume 'Lit pages' refers to how text is displayed via the http protocol. I access the forums and submission subsections with windows laptops. My Vizio Android tablet's browser can reach the LIT site that way too, yes. But most of my story reading is on the tablet via LIT's portable app, which displays pages quite differently. With the app, page length varies depending on the tablet's orientation. A "1 Lit page" story may take 4 or 7 pages on the tablet. And THREADS: THE ISLAND is 900-odd little pages long IIRC. (I can't check the exact count right now because LIT's story side is still down.)
 
This thread seems to conflate two different issues: how long the story is and how long the portion of the story delivered at one time is.

If there are folks who post that they don't want to read more than three pages of a Literotica story at one sitting (and there have been), it doesn't take a genius to figure out that if you cut your longer story into longer chunks for delivery, you're going to lose some potential readers.

Conversely, there have been posters who say they won't bother to read a one-Lit.-page segment.

So, again, it doesn't take a genius to figure out that keeping your segments somewhere around three Lit. pages will put off the fewer potential readers.

This is a separate issue from how long the total story can be and still retain readers.

There's also the point that when this question is asked, it's usually being asked by a new author here. Once an author becomes established, that author's followers will read about any length of story an author gives in one segment--because they are hooked on the author. This doesn't apply to new authors trying to build a following.

Yes I am sure some will balk at a longer story, but as you said they will do it for a one page story and we have really no way of knowing what the larger percentage is.

Which is why my theory has pretty much always been just do whatever you feel is right.

Your point on building a following is a good one. TTT has over 4K favs and Alwayswantedtoo more than that.

But we all start somewhere.

My first 5 stories were conscious efforts to stay at 2-3 pages, everything after that was screw it and they average around 5-6. Was the first 5 enough to build a fan base? I wouldn't think so, especially seeing my first five were in three different categories

But like we all answer people here when they wonder if someone will like their stuff that "There is something for everyone here" I feel that is true on length. '

I'm not saying long stories is the 100% right way to go. I'm just pointing out many successful stories here are pretty long so don;'t be afraid to do it.

LV has a good point that the more "rules" an author tries to place on themselves the more trouble they may have.
 
Breaking it into chapters...

While it is a good idea to break a longer story into chapters, you have another decision to make:

1. Do you post the whole story as a single piece, with the chapters marked in the text?

Or,

2. Do you post each chapter as a separate post?

If you choose 1, then the chapter break need not be a significant break in the story. It could mean a change of scene, a break in time, a change of viewpoint, but there is no need for a resume of what has already happened.

If you choose 2, then there should be a cliff-hanger, something to attract the reader to the next chapter. Each new chapter as a separate post should have a short summary of what has happened so far.

Unless...

Your chapters are not really chapters, but stand-alone sexual scenes.
 
While it is a good idea to break a longer story into chapters, you have another decision to make:

1. Do you post the whole story as a single piece, with the chapters marked in the text?

Or,

2. Do you post each chapter as a separate post?

If you choose 1, then the chapter break need not be a significant break in the story. It could mean a change of scene, a break in time, a change of viewpoint, but there is no need for a resume of what has already happened.

If you choose 2, then there should be a cliff-hanger, something to attract the reader to the next chapter. Each new chapter as a separate post should have a short summary of what has happened so far.

Unless...

Your chapters are not really chapters, but stand-alone sexual scenes.

The possibilities are endless.

Who would have thought posting erotic stories on a free site could be so complicated? :D
 
It's trite to say "write well and it all works out" but its true. I think if authors focused on that task first and foremost, page bloat wouldn't be such an easy target for harping on. (and authors worrying over)

I think this is a great way to put it. I'll add the readers will always find you so don't worry right off the bat about an audience.
 
If you ask me and the Super PILOT-ORACLE Magic Know-It-All 8 ball, length is everything. Gals wantem as long and thick as library dictionaries.
 
Just a quick comment about the length of my stories. I prefer to keep any chapter under 6 lit pages. Four is my goal.

I know when I'm reading a long story, I'd rather it was broken up into chapters. It's easier to take a break if I don't have 3 hours to set aside to read the entire thing.

My longer stories are exclusively contest entries. Contests do not allow multiple chapters. Contests also often reward longer stories, or at least it seems so to me. I was quite surprised to see many people reading a story 15 lit pages long, in the erotic Horror category, yet it accumulated 75K views and won the contest. Poolboy Benefits at 9 pages was a contest entry and placed. The Accidental Nudist Cabin was a contest entry at 7 pages and won. Nature's 'Miracle' was a contest entry at 10 pages. A Gor-y Halloween Party was a contest entry at 11 pages. Under normal circumstances, I would have broken all of those except the Accidental Nudist Cabin into multiple chapters.

Normally, I prefer something like the Gamer Goddess (three chapters, 5,4,6 pages) & The Last Boy Scout (four chapters, 4,5,5,4 pages)

Then again, I could be wrong. The number one incest story is Threads: The Island at 42 pages.
 
Here's my opinion as a reader: Unless I'm reading contest entries, I don't usually commit to more than 2 or 3 pages, unless I've liked other stories the author has written. If I read something that's 2 or 3 pages that I thought should have been 5 or 6 though, I probably won't try another one by that author either. Life's too short to read bad books.

The only secret to pleasing me is writing a good story, I guess. (And buying me chocolate.)
 
Just a quick comment about the length of my stories. I prefer to keep any chapter under 6 lit pages. Four is my goal.

I know when I'm reading a long story, I'd rather it was broken up into chapters. It's easier to take a break if I don't have 3 hours to set aside to read the entire thing.

My longer stories are exclusively contest entries. Contests do not allow multiple chapters. Contests also often reward longer stories, or at least it seems so to me. I was quite surprised to see many people reading a story 15 lit pages long, in the erotic Horror category, yet it accumulated 75K views and won the contest. Poolboy Benefits at 9 pages was a contest entry and placed. The Accidental Nudist Cabin was a contest entry at 7 pages and won. Nature's 'Miracle' was a contest entry at 10 pages. A Gor-y Halloween Party was a contest entry at 11 pages. Under normal circumstances, I would have broken all of those except the Accidental Nudist Cabin into multiple chapters.

Normally, I prefer something like the Gamer Goddess (three chapters, 5,4,6 pages) & The Last Boy Scout (four chapters, 4,5,5,4 pages)

Then again, I could be wrong. The number one incest story is Threads: The Island at 42 pages.

But my point was pretty much that many have posted it should be three or under so even at your standard 6 you are bucking their theory.

ry
 
I think it really depends on why the question is being asked in the first place?

I mean, is the root of the question "How do I maximize the votes on my story?" or is it "What is the length that lit erotica readers prefer?" or is it "What standard should I be conforming to on this site?"

All of those are legitimate questions, and probably have legitimate answers.

For myself, I write whatever it is that the story demands. I write mine as one long stream (usually ends up being around 40-50k words) and then chop into chapters once it's done.

It's not about what the site standards are, or what would maximize votes or whatever, because ultimately I really don't care that much. I write for me, to say I did it, and if I end up with chapters with no sex it them, then so be it. If the story calls for that, then that's fine with me. Have to say though, the way I write and what I write about, there are _often_ chapters without sex, simply because of my style, so I _would_ say that.

The only comment I can offer here is that if a story or chapter is more than 3 lit pages, it does have to be well written for me to keep going past the 3rd page (like Pennlady). But, its also worth pointing out that Lots Are.
 
I think it really depends on why the question is being asked in the first place?

I mean, is the root of the question "How do I maximize the votes on my story?" or is it "What is the length that lit erotica readers prefer?" or is it "What standard should I be conforming to on this site?"

All of those are legitimate questions, and probably have legitimate answers.

For myself, I write whatever it is that the story demands. I write mine as one long stream (usually ends up being around 40-50k words) and then chop into chapters once it's done.

It's not about what the site standards are, or what would maximize votes or whatever, because ultimately I really don't care that much. I write for me, to say I did it, and if I end up with chapters with no sex it them, then so be it. If the story calls for that, then that's fine with me. Have to say though, the way I write and what I write about, there are _often_ chapters without sex, simply because of my style, so I _would_ say that.

The only comment I can offer here is that if a story or chapter is more than 3 lit pages, it does have to be well written for me to keep going past the 3rd page (like Pennlady). But, its also worth pointing out that Lots Are.

There is no answer or perfect formula for "success" here , period. There are too many variables.

My point is to simply point out that keeping a story a certain length is not a must or some unwritten rule that needs to be followed.
 
I see a lot of threads from newer authors worrying about how long their story should be. There is a school of thought here that three lit pages should be the cut off.

I wonder if the importance of length depends on story quality.

Me, if the first couple of pages are really good, I'll find time to finish it no matter how long it is. But for something that's only kinda-sorta-OK, I'm more likely to stick with it past page 2 if I know it's nearly done.
 
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