Advice: How to overcome publication discouragement

[TheSoaringCrow]

Hi there, I'm a new author to Literotica, but I have been a fan and avid reader for the last few years. I recently started working on a series, but the second work I have submitted has been Pending for almost two weeks now. My stories are not set in stone, as my intention was to gain potentially helpful feedback from the comments on what readers may want in future chapters. So, I have not written anything new since then. I whole-heartedly understand that there are a lot of stories being submitted, but I can't help but look at the FAQ section and get frustrated seeing that stories usually take 3-4 days to be published. Whether you are a veteran author or someone new, what advice would you give to keep up your spirits about continuing to write? I appreciate and welcome anything you are willing to provide!

 

[NotWise]

You might send a note (envelope icon at the top right of this page) to Laurel and point out that your story is still pending. Give her the title of the story and date of submission. Be respectful, because Laurel is the site's only editor. Don't expect a reply.

Waiting for reader feedback to decide where your story is going is a novel approach. Personally, I like to follow my own creative path.

 

[MrPixel]

Don't be discouraged. New authors tend to get more scrutiny for good reason, so if Laurel's in-box is overflowing it might take a while. Once you have a couple of uploads that have passed muster on her detailed reading, she'll be more inclined to let the automated editor do the screening and you'll get the faster approval for future submissions.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Agreed with the above, but there’s another possibility.

If one goes to a Pending story, opens it and makes any changes whatsoever or even hits Save, it gets kicked down to the end of the queue and the count starts all over again.

Good luck. Patience will pay off.

 

[AlinaX]

If you're going to hang out in here, add a link to your stories in your signature:
https://www.literotica.com/stories/memberpage.php?uid=7106258&page=submissions

Don't wait for comments. Yes, it's great to get them, but write the story you want to write.

 

[EmilyMiller]

What everyone else said.

1. New authors get more of a review and it takes longer - 29 stories in, mine mostly get approved in a day and a half
2. Sometimes things get lost in the machine - maybe resubmit it AND PM @Laurel to say what you are doing - include the title of the story obviously
3. Laurel is super busy and - as above - don’t expect a reply, maybe it just gets published
4. Obvious question, but the delay might be that something has got flagged - is there any content that might trigger a problem? The usual suspects are under 18, bestiality, rape and including copyrighted material
5. On the last, if you have even one picture / photo / illustration in your story, it will take weeks to be approved - this is to avoid the site infringing copyright (say a photographer’s or an adult entertainer’s or an adult studio)

I’m sure it goes without saying, but if you do PM Laurel, be polite and tell her you know she is busy. A little niceness goes a long way.

Em

 

[AwkwardlySet]

Hi there, I'm a new author to Literotica, but I have been a fan and avid reader for the last few years. I recently started working on a series, but the second work I have submitted has been Pending for almost two weeks now. My stories are not set in stone, as my intention was to gain potentially helpful feedback from the comments on what readers may want in future chapters. So, I have not written anything new since then. I whole-heartedly understand that there are a lot of stories being submitted, but I can't help but look at the FAQ section and get frustrated seeing that stories usually take 3-4 days to be published. Whether you are a veteran author or someone new, what advice would you give to keep up your spirits about continuing to write? I appreciate and welcome anything you are willing to provide!

You need to arm yourself with patience. Try PM-ing Laurel politely, and she is usually very helpful. In all honesty, the website has an, let's call it "inadequate" approach to the whole publishing process, due to number of stories posted every day, but also due to some other issues that plague the website. Good luck with your stories

 

[EmilyMiller]

You need to arm yourself with patience. Try PM-ing Laurel politely, and she is usually very helpful. In all honesty, the website has an, let's call it "inadequate" approach to the whole publishing process, due to number of stories posted every day, but also due to some other issues that plague the website. Good luck with your stories

You say that. And I hear others say the same, but since my first story, when I had no clue how the place worked, I have never had a noticeable delay, Poems take a long time, but stories it’s always within two days.

I guess I don’t flirt with underage and if there is any other even potentially contentious content, I also PM Laurel about it in advance. Including whatever text I think might be problematic.

Em

 

[AwkwardlySet]

You say that. And I hear others say the same, but since my first story, when I had no clue how the place worked, I have never had a noticeable delay, Poems take a long time, but stories it’s always within two days.

I guess I don’t flirt with underage and if there is any other even potentially contentious content, I also PM Laurel about it in advance. Including whatever text I think might be problematic.

Em

I am speaking from my own experience, trust me. I've had stories in the queue for 8-9 days and then rejected due to something that wasn't really there. One of my early stories was rejected due to a 17 year old character who had had a brief thought about his neighbors' breasts (who was an adult woman), and he wasn't touching himself or anything like that. His sexual thoughts were supposed to be a trigger for his magical abilities. I had to age the character by one year and everything after that in order to post the story. That would all be fine if there weren't stories that were in clear breach of underage rule, yet they were published nonetheless. Off the top of my mind I can name two such stories, one from 2005 or so, and one from like a couple of months ago. The screening process doesn't work properly, or there is bias depending who the author is.

 

[EmilyMiller]

I am speaking from my own experience, trust me. I've had stories in the queue for 8-9 days and then rejected due to something that wasn't really there. One of my early stories was rejected due to a 17 year old character who had had a brief thought about his neighbors' breasts (who was an adult woman), and he wasn't touching himself or anything like that. His sexual thoughts were supposed to be a trigger for his magical abilities. I had to age the character by one year and everything after that in order to post the story. That would all be fine if there weren't stories that were in clear breach of underage rule, yet they were published nonetheless. Off the top of my mind I can name two such stories, one from 2005 or so, and one from like a couple of months ago. The screening process doesn't work properly, or there is bias depending who the author is.

The review process is neither 100% thorough nor 100% consistent. But it is what it is.

In the final part of Coleoidphilia, there was a client who liked underage girls. I referenced this and then a refusal to grant his desire. But I was concerned enough to PM Laurel about it in advance and ask if it was OK.

Em

 

[mirafrida]

I think they should revise the faq, because it sets expectations that aren't always met. But things do generally keep rolling along - just have to try to cultivate an attitude of acceptance.

My sense is that category volume / backlogs contribute to delays in some cases. I think smaller categories may be quicker.

I was wondering though - anyone know why poetry is slower?

 

[MrPixel]

I was wondering though - anyone know why poetry is slower?

Could it be 'cause it takes time to rhyme?

 

[ElectricBlue]

I think they should revise the faq, because it sets expectations that aren't always met. But things do generally keep rolling along - just have to try to cultivate an attitude of acceptance.

My sense is that category volume / backlogs contribute to delays in some cases. I think smaller categories may be quicker.

I was wondering though - anyone know why poetry is slower?

My guess is that poems are often less than 750 words (with the 750 word threshold equating to a certain minimum field size in the story database), and might need some added file manipulation. Speculation only, mind, but I'm thinking it's a technical reason.

 

[TheSoaringCrow]

Thank you all so much for your kind words and encouragement! Yes, I did take note about not touching a submitted work, as it may kick out of the cue and start all over, which I made sure I didn't do. Knowing that they watch newer authors with a more fine-tooth comb helps a lot! I might just stay away from character flashbacks/memories in general, even if they were G rated, to be safe. Since posting, I did get the work sent back. Understandably, the process is subjective, and if there are only a couple people vetting the stories, I can see how some may get published for something others were flagged for, given the large pool of submissions.

For those who advised me to write how I want to write, I appreciate the sentiment, but I am also well aware that sometimes those stories aren't received well, resulting in a lot of negative comments and low ratings. I have read a few novellas/long series that were incredibly written, with great character development and realistic dialog, but because the sex wasn't 'in your face' enough or was too long, it didn't perform well. Meanwhile, I've read one page stories that had misspellings, exposition dialog during sex, and overly-specific details that received almost a 5 star rating. Not that I'm writing strictly for the positive feedback, but I'd like to reach as many readers as possible, and I know for a fact if I wrote strictly about what turns ME on, they would rarely get looked at. I like a good, slow burn, erotic story with a character arc. I am working off of an outline, though, with set plot points, climax, and resolution as well as a more fantastical alternate ending based on feedback from other stories I've read in a similar category. Just trying to be flexible and get some idea as to what others may want to read for future works.

Thank you all again, and take care!

 

[mirafrida]

Could it be 'cause it takes time to rhyme?

It certainly takes me longer to write!

 

[ElectricBlue]

I like a good, slow burn, erotic story with a character arc. I am working off of an outline, though, with set plot points, climax, and resolution as well as a more fantastical alternate ending based on feedback from other stories I've read in a similar category. Just trying to be flexible and get some idea as to what others may want to read for future works.

If this is what you want to write, get on and write it.

If you write merely to "give readers what they want," you're on a road to nowhere. There is no such thing as a band of readers with only one interest.

Stop worrying about that and write your story. Get on and do that, and people will read it, and over time you'll get the readers you want to write for.

You're barking up the reader tree. Go up the writer tree, it's the one with the high branches. The readers sit under it, waiting for the apples to drop. They don't care what you write, because there are plenty more trees in the orchard.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

To be honest, I’m impressed with your attitude. All too often, it’s a whinge and pouting that everything didn’t go perfectly. I think you’ll do well. Please let us know when it goes up.

 

[Rob_Royale]

My stories are not set in stone, as my intention was to gain potentially helpful feedback from the comments on what readers may want in future chapters.

You might be disappointed in this regard. Comments are often few and far between. I advise you to write what you want and let the stories find their readers. Welcome to the team.

 

[MyBareTorso]

I am speaking from my own experience, trust me. I've had stories in the queue for 8-9 days and then rejected due to something that wasn't really there. One of my early stories was rejected due to a 17 year old character who had had a brief thought about his neighbors' breasts (who was an adult woman), and he wasn't touching himself or anything like that. His sexual thoughts were supposed to be a trigger for his magical abilities. I had to age the character by one year and everything after that in order to post the story. That would all be fine if there weren't stories that were in clear breach of underage rule, yet they were published nonetheless. Off the top of my mind I can name two such stories, one from 2005 or so, and one from like a couple of months ago. The screening process doesn't work properly, or there is bias depending who the author is.

I do believe some stories can get kind of "trapped" in Pending due to a glitch of some kind, but this just a hunch, and I have no evidence for it. If my stories are in Pending for more than a week, I resubmit via a new story form. Out of 50-plus stories, I've had maybe four get "trapped", and they have all been published eventually.

 

[ronde]

Hi there, I'm a new author to Literotica, but I have been a fan and avid reader for the last few years. I recently started working on a series, but the second work I have submitted has been Pending for almost two weeks now. My stories are not set in stone, as my intention was to gain potentially helpful feedback from the comments on what readers may want in future chapters. So, I have not written anything new since then. I whole-heartedly understand that there are a lot of stories being submitted, but I can't help but look at the FAQ section and get frustrated seeing that stories usually take 3-4 days to be published. Whether you are a veteran author or someone new, what advice would you give to keep up your spirits about continuing to write? I appreciate and welcome anything you are willing to provide!

Assuming you followed the publishing guidelines and didn't try to shave of a corner here or there, a PM to Laurel is probably in order. It will probably take her a while to respond because she's doing this alone.

Just one other piece of advice. Writing a continuing series based on comments by readers is a lost cause that will only end up frustrating you. Depending upon the genre, you'll probably get some comments saying it was great and others that say it was complete drivel that they didn't finish reading because it was so bad. You'll maybe get one or two telling you what you did wrong and how to correct it. Trying to write your way around those comments will probably result in a bunch of chapters that don't seem related to each other in characters or plot. Just write a whole story of chapters you'd like to read and let the chips fall where they may.

The other thing about comments is that you're writing for the fun of writing and there's no way you'll ever please every reader. Just write what you enjoy. There are enough readers on Literotica that you'll push the right buttons on at least several.

 

[TheSoaringCrow]

To be honest, I’m impressed with your attitude. All too often, it’s a whinge and pouting that everything didn’t go perfectly. I think you’ll do well. Please let us know when it goes up.

Thank you, I try to not be 'that' person lol. After reading through everything when creating my author account, I just understand that it is up to a small group of people to vet through thousands of stories at a time. I will keep you posted, made a few tweaks and resubmitted it, so fingers crossed!

 

[TheSoaringCrow]

If this is what you want to write, get on and write it.

If you write merely to "give readers what they want," you're on a road to nowhere. There is no such thing as a band of readers with only one interest.

Stop worrying about that and write your story. Get on and do that, and people will read it, and over time you'll get the readers you want to write for.

You're barking up the reader tree. Go up the writer tree, it's the one with the high branches. The readers sit under it, waiting for the apples to drop. They don't care what you write, because there are plenty more trees in the orchard.

If I may ask, how often do you click on a story that has less than a 3 star rating? If recent, was it a good read? What were some of the comments you remember seeing?

 

[Rob_Royale]

If I may ask, how often do you click on a story that has less than a 3 star rating? If recent, was it a good read? What were some of the comments you remember seeing?

I usually search by keyword but I will admit I don't often click on low-scoring stories unless the story features some sort of non-monogamy. Those stories are usually lower-scoring due to trolls. But I WILL routinely click on a 3.5 or higher. When I have clicked on a 3 or lower story (sometimes a clever title or teaser will get me to click) it is usually poorly written or uninteresting and gets a back arrow before I'm halfway through the first page.

Electricblue66 is dead right though. If you write YOUR story and do it well, it will find its readers. Most voters are not so fickle as to 1-bomb you because the content didn't get them hard.

So maybe, try both approaches and see how it works out for you?

 

[Emilymcplugger]

Yeah, I had a quick look at what you wrote and it’s okay, in that there’s nothing I can see in there that could cause huge concern like repeated bad spelling, rape or under-age sex. These are the things people tend to whinge about on AH and they bring down the wrath of Laurel and the hilarious mockery of all of us here.

As a relatively experienced author I’ve been waiting on my poetry submissions for two weeks, but upon discussing it, looks like it can take a month, so I feel your pain, but just keep working because judging by your first part there’s nothing terrible in what you’re doing.

Have a good one.

 

[ElectricBlue]

If I may ask, how often do you click on a story that has less than a 3 star rating? If recent, was it a good read? What were some of the comments you remember seeing?

I don't read much here, because I'm a writer; but (heresy) I happen to believe that the scoring system, for all its sins and the debates we writers have about it, including the fact that it's only a one percent feedback factor, does contain within that one per cent a quality factor.

Because without doubt, anything I've ever clicked on over the years with less than a three has been junk, and I've clicked out within the first several hundred words. Caveat - I haven't read a thing in LW since the week I joined Lit back in 2014, and discovered what that category contained, but I know scores and comments there are in no way representative of the rest of Lit's reader behaviour.

I also believe that if you write really well or really badly, readers will tell you. If you write a story that sits in the middle of the bell curve, there might be a fair score response, but comments will be very rare.

But trying to figure out what "readers want"? First, you have to define what readers you want, and then you have to figure out what they want - if you want to pander to those wants. But if you do that, on the whole you'd be writing an Ikea assembly manual, because it seems to me that 80% of readers want the same thing over and over again. Which is fine, if you want to write for that market.

But I write my own fantasies, not those of some hypothetical (non-existent) reader; and I write to my own standards, not theirs. So I "solve the problem" by writing what I want to write, and getting better at it over time - as judged by my range of scores and the comments my stories get.