Reader Fetishes and 1-Bombs

[SimonDoom]

I recently published a story that involves pubic shaving. 2 of the 14 comments I've received about the story made a point of expressing displeasure about this fact and one reader even said that he gave me a "1" because he was so unhappy about hair being removed from the woman's pubic region.

Now, keep in mind, the title of the story is "Shaving My Mom." So in this case the truth in advertising could not be plainer. If that's not a "trigger warning" title, I don't know what is. Why would you even read a story like that if you were opposed to pubic shaving?

My point is not to complain, because I have nothing legitimate to complain about regarding the reception to my stories, but to point out to those who get distressed by receiving "1" scores that much of the time it has absolutely nothing to do with the quality of your story, and it's not the result of gaming or unfairness, it's just that when you write an erotic story you have to accept the fact that your story may rub somebody the wrong way, because of their own peculiar kinks and fetishes. It's part of the deal.

 

[ElectricBlue]

I recently published a story that involves pubic shaving. 2 of the 14 comments I've received about the story made a point of expressing displeasure about this fact and one reader even said that he gave me a "1" because he was so unhappy about hair being removed from the woman's pubic region.

Now, keep in mind, the title of the story is "Shaving My Mom." So in this case the truth in advertising could not be plainer. If that's not a "trigger warning" title, I don't know what is. Why would you even read a story like that if you were opposed to pubic shaving?

Your penguin ain't the brightest bird, and there's the proof. Are you keeping the comments to celebrate their stupidity, or deleting them because they are so stupid?

Mind you, your mom's got a nice little bush. Why would you go remove it?

 

[SimonDoom]

Are you keeping the comments to celebrate their stupidity, or deleting them because they are so stupid?

Neither. I don't delete comments as a general rule, except in very, very rare cases, regardless of what I think of them.

Since neither of these comments used offensive language I did not delete either one. The point of my comment is that I don't think they're stupid. I think it's an odd way of thinking but I recognize and accept that a lot of erotica readers think this way, and it's a big part of why they vote the way they do.

 

[NotWise]

Neither. I don't delete comments as a general rule, except in very, very rare cases, regardless of what I think of them.

Since neither of these comments used offensive language I did not delete either one. The point of my comment is that I don't think they're stupid. I think it's an odd way of thinking but I recognize and accept that a lot of erotica readers think this way, and it's a big part of why they vote the way they do.

For me, this is a timely sort of question because just this morning I considered starting a thread about weird reasons readers give for bombing or not reading a story.

There's a How To about titling stories in which the author says that she wouldn't read a story with a title starting with "A" or "The." I thought that was about as arbitrary as reader preferences got.

 

[mfan2112]

For me, this is a timely sort of question because just this morning I considered starting a thread about weird reasons readers give for bombing or not reading a story.

There's a How To about titling stories in which the author says that she wouldn't read a story with a title starting with "A" or "The." I thought that was about as arbitrary as reader preferences got.

Some people's children....

So far I have only deleted comments where the commenter left a comment on my story that was for someone else's story. I mean the character names and the story title referenced were not even the same.

 

[JJA122]

The viewer hoping the story would be about giving mom a landing strip or what-have-you is fair me thinks, but being turned off by full removal and giving it a one star? Quite harsh.

 

[horrorotic]

You see this reading through comments, "You had five stars until he came on her tits instead of inside her" "Should have gotten her pregnant" "Shouldn't have gotten her pregnant, I draw the line there"

Its all preference, but I think its crappy to drop a one on someone because of one little thing, then again I guess to people who are obsessed for or against that little thing its a big deal.

But I always adhere to for every bomb there's a lot more good votes and for every crap comment lots of good ones.

Except in LW where the fetish is hate, they're pretty consistently angry over there

 

[YDB95]

Now, keep in mind, the title of the story is "Shaving My Mom." So in this case the truth in advertising could not be plainer. If that's not a "trigger warning" title, I don't know what is. Why would you even read a story like that if you were opposed to pubic shaving?

Excellent question. For what it's worth, I specialise in stories about hairy pussies and I've gotten my share of equally dumb comments from readers who must have known what to expect. My take: haters gonna hate.

 

[holliday1960]

one reader even said that he gave me a "1" because he was so unhappy about hair being removed from the woman's pubic region.

Would he or she have been any happier if you'd have shaved your mom's head?
Sorry, I had to ask. I'm giving your comment a 1* because I can, and because M/S incest is just gross. If you're going to have insects, you should always have it with your ants.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Yep, just goes to show you...

You can please some of the people some of the time, but you can't please all of the people all of the time... or something like that.

I received a comment on my Twins story... the reader said it was an great story up until mom got involved with them. Never a mention from any other read about that.

 

[SimonDoom]

Would he or she have been any happier if you'd have shaved your mom's head?
Sorry, I had to ask. I'm giving your comment a 1* because I can, and because M/S incest is just gross. If you're going to have insects, you should always have it with your ants.

From what I know of you I think you are being tongue in cheek, but it's hard to read someone's mood or intention in social media comments. There's a term for that, I think, but I forgot what it was.

I think I'm unusual because I think almost nothing is inherently gross. Almost nothing squicks me.
This is all just fiction and fantasy, so as far as I'm concerned, have at it. Indulge your weirdness at your leisure.

There's a famous porn video called Two Girls One Cup. Two young women poop into a cup and they eat it. Now that, to me, is gross. I'm not into that. I just can't imagine it.

But there's a really funny spoof video that depicts the muppet Kermit the Frog watching this video. At first he's really disgusted, and then he pulls the lotion and Kleenex box nearer to him.

Then there's a follow up spoof video in which Kermit invites Rowlf the Dog to watch the video with him, and Rowlf doesn't react at all. He shrugs. Dogs eat poop all the time. Nothing to see here.

It's all a matter of perspective and preference.

 

[HeyAll]

That's why the highest scored stories are the ones that play it safe and hit the right spots.

The same is true for all catagories.

If you stray outside of the standard formulas and templates, then you're rolling the dice on your score.

But of course, the quality of the story and finding the right readers is more important than the score.

 

[SimonDoom]

But of course, the quality of the story and finding the right readers is more important than the score.

You and I agree on this. High scores are nice because they are pleasant though extremely imperfect and unreliable indicators of whether you are writing well and because the higher the score the more attention your story will attract. But ultimately it's all about writing the best story you can, regardless of what number it gets, and connecting with readers who appreciate what you write. I've managed to do that with some stories that don't have especially high scores, and it gives me more satisfaction than a high score would.

 

[holliday1960]

It's all a matter of perspective and preference.

Yep, you've found me out, Simon! My tongue's always somewhere here or there abouts; 'in-cheek' is as good a place as any, I suppose. As for Rowlf's attitude, that's why I like puppets... and you. I'm very much a 'live and let die' kinda gal. (That was tongue-in-cheek, too. See?)
People are always going to have their own ideas about what 'you should've' to meet their preferences. If Rowlf had been a character in your story, I'm sure someone would've wanted you to shave the dog instead, or perhaps 'in addition to'. (Let's not discuss the potential fallout from that idea . smh.)
My opinion? People give 1* because it gives them a personal feeling of power. They certainly have that choice and ability, but it doesn't represent more than one person's ideas. Nor would it ever persuade me to do the same. More importantly, the fact they have the right and ability to express themselves by such means, doesn't do much to improve their perceived moral character. How do you argue with a broad spectrum of people that if you're going to write for an audience of one, without question, that audience should be the author?

 

[SaintCordelia]

Before I posted by story, I saw a comment on a different story in the same category (First Time) that wasn't happy about the lack of realism in the story by the character not using a condom/birth control. I guess I internalized that because I went back and altered a few things to my story before submitting. I ended up receiving a comment from someone who wasn't happy about the realism in the story and objected to the use of a condom, so, well, I think I learned to just make myself happy and I think about that a lot now when drafting.

 

[PennameWombat]

Before I posted by story, I saw a comment on a different story in the same category (First Time) that wasn't happy about the lack of realism in the story by the character not using a condom/birth control. I guess I internalized that because I went back and altered a few things to my story before submitting. I ended up receiving a comment from someone who wasn't happy about the realism in the story and objected to the use of a condom, so, well, I think I learned to just make myself happy and I think about that a lot now when drafting.

Huh. My first and only First Time story is my Summer Lovin 2020 entry. My MCs (F-19, M-18) were both virgins and their attention to birth control wasn't shied away from (use of condoms since my F stated she wasn't yet on the pill.) They had a laugh when they discovered they'd both coincidentally brought ribbed condoms "for her pleasure" on their dates. I've received no negative nor positive comments on that aspect. Well rated and very nice comments on many other aspects from readers whom I very much appreciate.

I regularly submit to SF&F and NonHuman but this was intentionally meant to be as 'real life' as I could make it. Well, real life in an American city in 1978. Birth control isn't always brought up in my stories but I do now or again use a quick mention to offer an attachment to reality of some of my more fantastical stories.

 

[NotWise]

Huh. My first and only First Time story is my Summer Lovin 2020 entry. My MCs (F-19, M-18) were both virgins and their attention to birth control wasn't shied away from (use of condoms since my F stated she wasn't yet on the pill.) They had a laugh when they discovered they'd both coincidentally brought ribbed condoms "for her pleasure" on their dates. I've received no negative nor positive comments on that aspect. Well rated and very nice comments on many other aspects from readers whom I very much appreciate.

I regularly submit to SF&F and NonHuman but this was intentionally meant to be as 'real life' as I could make it. Well, real life in an American city in 1978. Birth control isn't always brought up in my stories but I do now or again use a quick mention to offer an attachment to reality of some of my more fantastical stories.

I have several stories where the characters talk explicitly about birth control, including in my single story in First Time. I've never received kick back on that, but I've heard from others who have.

The feedback you get on personal issues like that depends on whether that one delicate reader in a five hundred reads your story and comments. It's not going to be regular or consistent.

 

[Hypoxia]

Contraceptive and fertility actions in my stories:

• Players explicitly demand and use condoms in some of my tales.
• Or women are explicitly on The Pill but may demand condoms also, depending on time, place, and situation.
• Or women are on The Pill but a man possesses hyper-competitive supersperm that, if encountering any other sperm such as in a gangbang, the supersperm proceed past any prophylaxis. Much impregnation ensues.
• Or players never mention, or explicitly avoid, any form of birth+disease control and just go a-fucking.

I have written all such, and have received no comments about them. So there's that.

 

[JackFrostFire]

I recently published a story that involves pubic shaving. 2 of the 14 comments I've received about the story made a point of expressing displeasure about this fact and one reader even said that he gave me a "1" because he was so unhappy about hair being removed from the woman's pubic region.

That's a bummer. How anyone could give that story less than 4 is beyond me! I'm starting the think that some 1's are accidental. I accidentally gave my own story a "2" when I touched a star by accident on my phone. I wasn't in the habit of rating my own stories, but when I did once the score shot up, like deleting a "1". Maybe I should ask the Literotica Gods to add an "are you sure?" prompt.

Come to think of it, I see quirky score behavior a lot. I've had the total number of ratings go down, like from 50 to 49, or had the score go up more in one day than is mathematically possible.