Recommended Reading for Beginner Author

[ScarednLonelyRider]

Hi,

I've lurked on a few erotica sites for a while but I'm just starting to write. I know I've always gained a lot creatively from reading and studying other people's work before starting my own, so I'm curious what is considered in the erotic canon. I'm interested in writing vanilla, romantic, or historical, or homosexual stuff (both genders).

If there's already a thread for this just link me to it. I didn't see it but I know I might've just overlooked something.

 

[EverLux]

Don't worry. People are always happy to share their favorites or even their own work, if it fits the bill.

Even though I write romance, and my series is in Erotic Couplings, I'll admit that I don't read much in those categories on Lit. Of the little I have read, though, here are a couple of my favorites:

https://www.literotica.com/s/miss-invisible

https://www.literotica.com/s/karma-7

And here's me: EverLux stuff

But really, write what you like. If you've already done a lot of lurking, then you have a good idea of what presses your buttons and what doesn't. Go with your button-pressers. I guarantee you they'll be someone else's, too.

 

[CoffeeWithMonkeys]

Hey! I am so new too and trying to find my way around here. I have only had one story posted, but plan on submitting more soon.

Seems like the most popular subject here is incest which isn't for me so I don't write it. I write for me and my best friend, and while I always set out to write something really dirty, I end up with a sweet romantic story with some sex tossed in.

Right now I am trying to finish up/rework a sort of historical-ish sorta scary story. I love horror movies and have seen them all nearly, but for some reason I am having trouble writing one. It will work out eventually I hope because I think it can be a great story!

So start with what you like, what you're comfortable writing to start with.

 

[CoffeeWithMonkeys]

And to answer your question about what to read, sorry I am easily distracted! But again, I say read what you like. If it doesn't interest you I'm afraid you would go into it not liking it and not enjoy it at all.

 

[NotWise]

what is considered in the erotic canon. I'm interested in writing vanilla, romantic, or historical, or homosexual stuff (both genders).

I'm not entirely sure about your question. Erotica is very broadly defined and even within the confines of Lit it would be hard to get your arms around the canon. I think you should write what you want.

Here, you can post the story that you want to write in a large number of different categories and the reception you get depends on how well your story matches the category.

 

[ScarednLonelyRider]

I'm not entirely sure about your question. Erotica is very broadly defined and even within the confines of Lit it would be hard to get your arms around the canon. I think you should write what you want.

Here, you can post the story that you want to write in a large number of different categories and the reception you get depends on how well your story matches the category.

I mean what is held in high regard. What are pieces that would help someone get oriented with the style.

 

[sr71plt]

I don't think stories authors recommend of their own are going to help you much. I suggest, for starters, you go to this Search function (https://search.literotica.com/search.php?type=story), mark the boxes on Editor's Choice and contest winning stories and search on these by the categories you're interested in. Read some of these and then look further into the authors whose works you like.

 

[NotWise]

I mean what is held in high regard. What are pieces that would help someone get oriented with the style.

There is a Top List site on Lit. Follow the line and you can find the highest rated stories on all of the Lit categories.

On the Top List, you probably should look at the stand-alone stories, and not at the parts or chapters. It's the nature of Lit that parts and chapters of longer stories get higher ratings than stand-alone stories, and the parts and chapters probably won't tell you much.

 

[JKendallDane]

I mean what is held in high regard. What are pieces that would help someone get oriented with the style.

While doing some R & R (reading and research) is admirable, your overall goal should be to develop your own style. Each author has their own way of telling a story and the options are pretty much endless to let your creativity run free.

To get an overview, I would suggest you take the topics you mentioned and go on a journey through the Hall of Fame lists in those categories. The Gay Male and Lesbian categories are a smorgasbord that would include your other mentioned interests also.

Welcome and have fun.

.

 

[sr71plt]

While the Hall of Fame lists bring out popular stories--it's mostly popular stories of some time ago. That's the bias of those lists here--it's predominately yesteryear. Popular styles evolve. I agree with the suggestion to develop one's own style, though.

 

[Clairesecret]

I don't think stories authors recommend of their own are going to help you much. I suggest, for starters, you go to this Search function (https://search.literotica.com/search.php?type=story), mark the boxes on Editor's Choice and contest winning stories and search on these by the categories you're interested in. Read some of these and then look further into the authors whose works you like.

How do you post the same story in more than one category?

 

[visioneer]

I suggest reading good writers regardless of genre. The rules that make for good mystery, romance, science fiction, etc. apply to erotica. That said, the advice given so far for finding good Lit authors is sound.

When writing erotica, always remember the best sex happens in the head, so don't constrain readers' imaginations with unimportant details, and especially don't catalogue physical attributes.

 

[Bramblethorn]

I mean what is held in high regard. What are pieces that would help someone get oriented with the style.

Literotica has quite a range of readers so there's no one perfect style. Beyond the technical basics (spelling, punctuation, grammar etc.) there's a lot of room to experiment.

Couple of times now, I've had a story burning in my brain and I've posted it, expecting people to hate it. Every time, readers have rewarded me for taking a chance; those stories got decent scores, but it's the comments that really stood out for me.

It's a good idea to read widely, but I think you'll get more out of it if you approach it from a mindset of "what do I like about this story? what can I learn from it?" than "why did this score so well and how can I replicate that?"

 

[JKendallDane]

While the Hall of Fame lists bring out popular stories--it's mostly popular stories of some time ago. That's the bias of those lists here--it's predominately yesteryear. Popular styles evolve. I agree with the suggestion to develop one's own style, though.

Whether you call it the HOF or Top Lists, they are hardly "yesteryear" stories from "some time ago." Currently, six of the top ten stories on the All Time list in GM were published in the last nine months. Certainly no bias involved there.

Even if there was any merit to that claim, the Top Lists have options to sort for current (last thirty days), last twelve months, and All Time. If anything, those give you a chance to easily review past and present styles and popularities.

.

 

[Bramblethorn]

How do you post the same story in more than one category?

You don't, although you can use tags - e.g. I have one in Fantasy that's also tagged as "lesbian romance" and "erotic poetry" because it has elements of all those things. The current site design doesn't really encourage navigation by tags, but I think Laurel's said they're going to be better supported when the Big Site Update happens.

 

[sr71plt]

Each of the category hubs also has a dynamic list of currently popular authors in that category, with the lists being "now," the last seven days, and the last thirty days. Looking at these and triangulating with other lists available here should give you a more objective look than posters just recommending their own favorites and/or their own stories.

 

[sr71plt]

How do you post the same story in more than one category?

As Bramblethorn has noted, you can't post the same story more than once to the board. If it's reported or the editor catches it, all but one version will be deleted. You have to try to go with the dominant category (and the editor reserves the right to recategorize if she wants to).

 

[sr71plt]

The Hall of Fame lists and the Top Lists are different lists. I only indexed the Hall of Fame lists--and I gave my opinion on that. The Hall of Fame lists don't give readers much help in following currently posting authors.

 

[JKendallDane]

The Hall of Fame lists and the Top Lists are different lists. I only indexed the Hall of Fame lists--and I gave my opinion on that. The Hall of Fame lists don't give readers much help in following currently posting authors.

Excuse me, but the Hall of Fame list that shows on the category hubs, is the same as the All Time list found under the Top List option.

And again, there ARE currently posting authors listed there as can be easily seen by the listed story dates.

.

 

[SecondCircle]

I mean what is held in high regard. What are pieces that would help someone get oriented with the style.

If you're asking what's most popular, that would be ranked by popular categories. The categories are really just grouped by kink or topic. The most popular I think is Incest/Taboo. Some others are popular like Romance, and some are catch-all categories like Erotic Couplings (which I think could just be called "Sex") or Gay Male. The latter is only a catchall because if there's gay male activity in the story, it usually winds up there. Pity. Some of the categories less trafficked are some the oddball topics like Letters and Transcripts or Novels/Novellas. So it's sort of just categorized by general topic.

As for style or mood or level of intensity, you're sort of free to just be you. Write the stories you like, the ones you would enjoy reading about. Write about whatever turns you on. The stories posted here are very diverse, there's no one accepted style really. There might be certain topics or kinks that work well in certain categories, for instance Mother/Son stories in incest, or vampires amd werewolves in Nonhuman, or Happily Ever After in Romance, but that's more of just what's popular among the readership more than any mandated acceptable tone.

After browsing around for a bit, it might be a good idea to check out the Submission Guidelines for authors. I'd link to it, but I'm a rather humble and lazy sort of being. It's just a set of general guidelines about what is deemed fit for a story to be accepted here. The one rule that comes to mind (and comes to about a hundred threads a month here in the AH if you stick around to watch) is that characters involved in any sexual activity in stories must be age 18 and over. The website's owner and editor set these rules, so it's their call.

Other than stuff like that, you're free to express yourself as you wish. There's a readership for just about anything here. Write what you enjoy, there's sure to be others that will too.

I could only personally recommend reading stories from various parts of the site. A few from each category, a few from the toplists, the new story list, search what interests you anf read those, read contest winners, read stories rated high mid and low... I guess just explore and read. There's no one surefire way of finding what works best either. Toplists don't always reflect things like quality so much as popularity. Low ratings on stories can be misleading as well.

Cool thing about Lit is you can always find your own way. In both reading and writing.

And should you hang around the forums, welcome aboard, I think TxRad sells sharksuits for trolls (it's the internets), and have fun. Plenty of folks from all walks to get to know.

 

[sr71plt]

Excuse me, but the Hall of Fame list that shows on the category hubs, is the same as the All Time list found under the Top List option.

And again, there ARE currently posting authors listed there as can be easily seen by the listed story dates.

.

Yes, yes, you have your opinions (where did I saw the Hall of Fame lists weren't in the category hubs?). Others can have opinions too.

I gave quite a few cuts the OP can take at finding outstanding stories in the categories he's interest in. Even said he could triangulate the available listings. You aren't the only one permitted an opinion of where to look.

 

[NOIRTRASH]

Take it or leave it opinion time.

I go for the best writers first. And all of the top writers have winners and losers when it comes to the quality of their writing. And few experts agree on who writes the best. So I ask myself, WHATS THE ONE BOOK I'D WANT WITH ME IN HELL? Prolly GREAT EXPECTATIONS by Charles Dickens. Or THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA by Hemingway, A LIGHT IN AUGUST by Faulkner, SOUTH MOON UNDER by Marjorie Rawlings, IBERIA by James Michener. I look for masters who salute my writing prejudices of no adjectives, no adverbs, no passive verbs.

As for porn: Lawrence Block wrote tons of porn in his 20s. He plowed every field, and hadda 6th sense about where to best touch your particular sickness.

Then you gotta explore new paths. And I mean pristine trails. I'm writing a tale about a woman who runs therapy groups with damaged women. But there are few novels that depict group psychotherapy. I know the subject well but groups aren't interesting. So I hadda find a way to make group therapy interesting. And I did. I suspect the tale is new to LIT.

 

[NOIRTRASH]

The General Board is LITs real HALL OF FLAMES.

 

[NOIRTRASH]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2py8ogHj7yE

All writers should read TOLSTOYS WAR AND PEACE, its long, the 1967 film is like 10 hours, but its epic.

In this scene Pierre is a cuck who grew weary of his wife's flagrant affairs, and he has a duel with her lover.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q32ytzaT5rQ
in english

 

[masterandmargarita]

Hi,

I've lurked on a few erotica sites for a while but I'm just starting to write. I know I've always gained a lot creatively from reading and studying other people's work before starting my own, so I'm curious what is considered in the erotic canon. I'm interested in writing vanilla, romantic, or historical, or homosexual stuff (both genders).

If there's already a thread for this just link me to it. I didn't see it but I know I might've just overlooked something.

Based on those categories that you mentioned, I can give you a recommendation..and it isn't me

https://www.literotica.com/stories/memberpage.php?uid=1321217&page=submissions