What does a reader want?

[MarkoAaron]

I'm in the process of starting a story that will be long and very informative. A story that will go on for a long time, before any sex is in it. It has adventure, action and fantasy.

I'm just wondering if readers enjoy that kind of stuff. A long story that isn't centered around that much sex. Or even if Lit is OK with stories like that. Don't get me wrong, sex is an important part of it, but it builds up over a period of time. There's a lot of story development and character development.

I've read a few stories here on Lit, most got to the sex pretty quick, but others went on and on and it happened later. Are readers OK with stories that get about 4 or 5 pages in before the "action" begins?

 

[sr71plt]

There isn't one universal reader here. Your question has no answer, even though it often is asked in some form or another. This just isn't a very good way to approach deciding what to write. Write what you want and there will be readers for it here.

 

[Nathan_Brazil]

My 2 cents

These are the only stories that I read...

 

[sr71plt]

And of course you're the only reader here.

 

[NotWise]

I'm in the process of starting a story that will be long and very informative. A story that will go on for a long time, before any sex is in it. It has adventure, action and fantasy.

I'm just wondering if readers enjoy that kind of stuff. A long story that isn't centered around that much sex. Or even if Lit is OK with stories like that. Don't get me wrong, sex is an important part of it, but it builds up over a period of time. There's a lot of story development and character development.

I've read a few stories here on Lit, most got to the sex pretty quick, but others went on and on and it happened later. Are readers OK with stories that get about 4 or 5 pages in before the "action" begins?

Lit is okay with that. I think you will find an audience, but it won't be everyone.

 

[LadyVer]

I'm in the process of starting a story that will be long and very informative. A story that will go on for a long time, before any sex is in it. It has adventure, action and fantasy.

I'm just wondering if readers enjoy that kind of stuff. A long story that isn't centered around that much sex. Or even if Lit is OK with stories like that. Don't get me wrong, sex is an important part of it, but it builds up over a period of time. There's a lot of story development and character development.

I've read a few stories here on Lit, most got to the sex pretty quick, but others went on and on and it happened later. Are readers OK with stories that get about 4 or 5 pages in before the "action" begins?

It depends on the story and category. You put your story in Group Sex and you'll probably get readers asking where the sex is. Romance and SciFi/Fantasy readers are usually more into plot and story/world build-up first.

 

[SamScribble]

What Lady Ver says.

Readers seem to have certain expectations of certain categories. If the reader is expecting explicit sex by the third paragraph, that's their benchmark. But if they are just looking for a 'good read', that's a whole different set of criteria.

I sometimes wonder if Lit needs a category along the lines of: This is just a story - but it does have a few bits that might cause your maiden aunt to avert her eyes. Or maybe not.

 

[MarkoAaron]

It will definitely fall into the Sci Fi/Fantasy category. The fantasy is the biggest aspect of the story.
I was just curious if those kind of stories were welcomed by Lit readers.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

I have found that most in Sci-Fi really don't care about the sex. I have had many a reader comment on how they would read the story even if there was no sex on many of mine.

Of course there are the others that ask for more sex, sooner.

You can please some of the people a lot of the time, but you can't please everyone all of the time.

 

[NOIRTRASH]

Readers want interesting...period....but they don't wanna wait too long for the sexual action or whatever the payoff is within any category. The payoff is what they came for AND they like interesting wrapping and bows.

 

[lovecraft68]

It will definitely fall into the Sci Fi/Fantasy category. The fantasy is the biggest aspect of the story.
I was just curious if those kind of stories were welcomed by Lit readers.

The key to success in sci fi is long, very long, endlessly long, 40 chapters over 6 years and still going long.

In general that category is the most receptive of very long stories.

You'll do fine there with what you're talking about.

 

[Bramblethorn]

I've read a few stories here on Lit, most got to the sex pretty quick, but others went on and on and it happened later. Are readers OK with stories that get about 4 or 5 pages in before the "action" begins?

My latest starts the flirtation somewhere around page 3, somebody eats a peach suggestively on page 4, and the actual sex isn't until page 5, and it's doing OK. Some readers will skip that stuff, others will stay and enjoy.

 

[lovecraft68]

My latest starts the flirtation somewhere around page 3, somebody eats a peach suggestively on page 4, and the actual sex isn't until page 5, and it's doing OK. Some readers will skip that stuff, others will stay and enjoy.

I have a mature romance where there's a hug and peck on the cheek through the first 5 pages, sex starts near the end of page six. Its done very well and I have another one, a page longer that's about the same.

If the story can hold the readers interest they'll keep going, bore them and they get like "where's the damn fucking"

Of course if the person is here to get off and that's it, they're not clicking anything more than a page or two, so the more involved stories are left to people willing to invest time.

I think that's why longer stories seem top score well, they're only read by people who don't do so one handed.

 

[HandsInTheDark]

It will definitely fall into the Sci Fi/Fantasy category. The fantasy is the biggest aspect of the story.
I was just curious if those kind of stories were welcomed by Lit readers.

I 've gotten very good ratings (but not many reads) on https://www.literotica.com/s/chosen-ch-01-1 , which is a modern fantasy story with historical roots, and with (of all things) a Catholic priest as a heroic figure. Sex in the story is rare.

I do a lot with world building, plot and character development. My fan base is undoubtedly smaller than fetish writers who do GM or incest, but they are loyal and they aren't knuckle-dragging morons. Note that many of my stories are loaded with sex, Chosen being an exception, but it's always part of the story.

Summary, actual stories with actual plot and setting are very welcomed here, but be upfront about the amount of sexual content. People expecting sex scene after sex scene will 1 bomb stories that don't deliver. Choose categories wisely. Sci/fi is probably safest.

 

[Weird Harold]

Are readers OK with stories that get about 4 or 5 pages in before the "action" begins?

Literotica has around 3.3 million registered users. Even accounting for Alts and spammers, I figure that's at least 7 million ideas of what makes a perfect story.

First and foremost, you're telling a story. Tell that story well and readers will respond even if the only sex is the space-cowboy kissing his robotic horse at the end.

 

[Nathan_Brazil]

Ow!

"I do a lot with world building, plot and character development. My fan base is undoubtedly smaller than fetish writers who do GM or incest, but they are loyal and they aren't knuckle-dragging morons."

What are you trying to say about readers of GM and incest? Heh!

 

[HandsInTheDark]

"I do a lot with world building, plot and character development. My fan base is undoubtedly smaller than fetish writers who do GM or incest, but they are loyal and they aren't knuckle-dragging morons."

What are you trying to say about readers of GM and incest? Heh!

Yeah, that was unfair to readers of GM stories. Touche.

 

[geronimo_appleby]

I'm in the process of starting a story that will be long and very informative. A story that will go on for a long time, before any sex is in it. It has adventure, action and fantasy.

I'm just wondering if readers enjoy that kind of stuff. A long story that isn't centered around that much sex. Or even if Lit is OK with stories like that. Don't get me wrong, sex is an important part of it, but it builds up over a period of time. There's a lot of story development and character development.

I've read a few stories here on Lit, most got to the sex pretty quick, but others went on and on and it happened later. Are readers OK with stories that get about 4 or 5 pages in before the "action" begins?

horses for courses. write what you want; the readers will find you.

...or won't.

 

[oggbashan]

I write a range of stories as me and jeanne_d_artois.

I seem to find readers for all of them even if many of my stories have a very limited audience.

 

[DreamCloud]

I wrote a story with one sex scene. It was a fumbling initial coupling that was more humorous than erotic and located way at the end. The story was fairly long for Lit. I have plenty of readers who enjoyed it.

Lit sets expectations for the reader. Writers expand those expectations. Like anything, the reader will eventually get bored (or their hand will cramp) and move on to read things they never expected they would find on Lit.

Lit has one incredible resource: tens of thousands of readers. You'll find your fans in that pile somewhere.

 

[Nathan_Brazil]

Lol

Yeah, that was unfair to readers of GM stories. Touche.

I suspect that he notices that brick that you just threw through his window.

 

[HandsInTheDark]

I suspect that he notices that brick that you just threw through his window.

I'm not sure whose window you mean, but oh well. I have no interest in incest readers, and I think I've ended up with everyone here who gets vocal about writing incest on my ignore list.

Don't know, don't care, enjoy the free brick, have a nice day.

 

[ChloeTzang]

I'm in the process of starting a story that will be long and very informative. A story that will go on for a long time, before any sex is in it. It has adventure, action and fantasy.

I'm just wondering if readers enjoy that kind of stuff. A long story that isn't centered around that much sex. Or even if Lit is OK with stories like that. Don't get me wrong, sex is an important part of it, but it builds up over a period of time. There's a lot of story development and character development.

I've read a few stories here on Lit, most got to the sex pretty quick, but others went on and on and it happened later. Are readers OK with stories that get about 4 or 5 pages in before the "action" begins?

Readers are fine with that as long as the story's good. My Chinese Takeout Chapter 1 has nothing but a kiss at the end of 3 Pages on Lit, it's rated at 4.59 with 24,000 views. Not earth-shaking but readers enjoyed it. It's the lead in to a series, in 4 chapters and 80,000 odd words the heroine has just got to her first blowjob. The latest chapter, Chinese Takeout Chapter 4, is 10 Lit pages (36,000 words) and the sex doesn't take place until about page 6. Rated at 4.76 and the feedback has been outstandingly good.

I'm no expert here, only been writing here for not even a year but my advice is just go with what you want to write. If its good, readers will like it and read it. If it's not, you know to keep working on improving your writing. Either way you win.

 

[Recidiva]

Hopefully you write what you would like to read. I have limited audiences but I do have audiences and theoretically by providing something that isn't a potboiler means that there are audiences that are not well represented that are looking for this stuff and so glad when they find it.

By representing what you would want to read, hopefully you attract those readers, people find your style distinct and are grateful, loyal and passionate because they can't get it anywhere else.

Beyond that if you want to begin to play around with altering and refining what you do, that's building craft and that's all great stuff and can keep you busy for a lifetime. Put it out there, listen to feedback but don't take it too seriously when it isn't intended to be destructive.

Not everyone has to love everything. Even if it's common knowledge that most people like chocolate...some people hate it. You can't and shouldn't try to change their minds and shouldn't take anti-chocolate rants personally. They should move on. You should move on.

I think of it like cooking. I love to cook, and I have things that suit my palate. I can tell when it's perfect for me. I can serve people who have my palate.

If someone tells me "There's a lot of talking here!" Well, yeah, my guys talk. That's just a palate issue. If they say "The paragraphs are too long, the pacing is, well, it doesn't work" then that's the difference between "someone doesn't like cilantro" to "You scorched the crap out of the pancakes."

(I also do not suggest putting cilantro into scorched pancakes, but I bet there is that one person for whom this is their fetish and likely I will never find them and they will never find me.)

As long as people plug money into Patreon and can tell me what to do, then yay!

So figure out the balance and have fun hopefully.

 

[lovecraft68]

Hopefully you write what you would like to read. I have limited audiences but I do have audiences and theoretically by providing something that isn't a potboiler means that there are audiences that are not well represented that are looking for this stuff and so glad when they find it.

By representing what you would want to read, hopefully you attract those readers, people find your style distinct and are grateful, loyal and passionate because they can't get it anywhere else.

Beyond that if you want to begin to play around with altering and refining what you do, that's building craft and that's all great stuff and can keep you busy for a lifetime. Put it out there, listen to feedback but don't take it too seriously when it isn't intended to be destructive.

Not everyone has to love everything. Even if it's common knowledge that most people like chocolate...some people hate it. You can't and shouldn't try to change their minds and shouldn't take anti-chocolate rants personally. They should move on. You should move on.

I think of it like cooking. I love to cook, and I have things that suit my palate. I can tell when it's perfect for me. I can serve people who have my palate.

If someone tells me "There's a lot of talking here!" Well, yeah, my guys talk. That's just a palate issue. If they say "The paragraphs are too long, the pacing is, well, it doesn't work" then that's the difference between "someone doesn't like cilantro" to "You scorched the crap out of the pancakes."

(I also do not suggest putting cilantro into scorched pancakes, but I bet there is that one person for whom this is their fetish and likely I will never find them and they will never find me.)

As long as people plug money into Patreon and can tell me what to do, then yay!

So figure out the balance and have fun hopefully.

Holy shit! My wife's here! Or the wife of my alt or something like that.

Dammit woman, I've told you not to follow me here from the GB!