Alternatives?

[MelanieShaman]

I'm curious if there's a site out there like Lit? The current discourse is that things are looking bleak, at least that's my interpretation of what's being said. I don't often visit the boards, but lately...

So, if things go tits up, where do we go?

 

[TheNovelist2000]

This is a good question. I have three stories pending, and it seems that most of the stories from the authors I follow aren’t getting published either. Also, Laurel and Manu aren’t going to live forever, and I wonder what would happen if something bad were to happen to either of them, or if they lost interest in keeping the site running. I’ve heard some authors mention Lush or other sites, but in my opinion, Xnxx has a strong readership and a solid history of producing good stories. The downside is that you have to jump through hoops to publish there, and I still haven’t figured out how to access my account.

 

[MelanieShaman]

This is a good question. I have three stories pending, and it seems that most of the stories from the authors I follow aren’t getting published either. Also, Laurel and Manu aren’t going to live forever, and I wonder what would happen if something bad were to happen to either of them, or if they lost interest in keeping the site running. I’ve heard some authors mention Lush or other sites, but in my opinion, Xnxx has a strong readership and a solid history of producing good stories. The downside is that you have to jump through hoops to publish there, and I still haven’t figured out how to access my account.

I just went over and signed up, didn't seem... too difficult. The submitting process seems straight forward. I'll check it out tomorrow.

 

[Husky_Embrace]

Although I'm not too long at this site, I have been at others. Questions about the viability of a platform have been around forever. Though your fears are legitimate, there isn't anything different now that I can discern. Looking at the reactions, pending stories has always been a thing. If it is really true that just two people run the site, which is a big task both for doing quality control on stories and maintenance/development, then pending stories are understandable. They need to be able to have vacations, or maybe it is as simple as having family, friends or children that need attention. Life can make stories stay pending longer.

Also you mention pricing. You need to pay to submit?

 

[MelanieShaman]

That should have been process... lol I'm tired.

 

[TheNovelist2000]

I just went over and signed up, didn't seem... too difficult. The submitting prices seems straight forward. I'll check it out tomorrow.

Don't you have to make 10 posts or something and then you can only do five each day. And whenever you try to make a post, they say you don't have enough karma or something to make a post. I was stuck there twice, and both of my accounts were banned for being not validated. (I don't understand: they say in the forum that validation is not necessary or stuff like that.) That's why I'm sticking to Literotica so far.

 

[MelanieShaman]

Don't you have to make 10 posts or something and then you can only do five each day. And whenever you try to make a post, they say you don't have enough karma or something to make a post. I was stuck there twice, and both of my accounts were banned for being not validated. (I don't understand: they say in the forum that validation is not necessary or stuff like that.) That's why I'm sticking to Literotica so far.

I don't know, I didn't look at it that closely yet... that's fine, I just was trying to find a back up.

 

[Jorunn]

Probably a good time to make backups of your work and copies of any favorites by other authors.

 

[SandraMaus]

Not an alternative to publish stories but to network with other authors, developers and others would be Reddit.https://www.reddit.com/r/eroticauthors/s/OLrrfy3uYa

 

[TheNovelist2000]

Probably a good time to make backups of your work and copies of any favorites by other authors.

Do you think they would give us time to do all that if they decided to close shop one day?

 

[pink_silk_glove]

Probably a good time to make backups of your work and copies of any favorites by other authors.

It blows me away that there are writers who actually don't keep their own copies of their own work. That's just preposterous to me.

 

[Bramblethorn]

Do you think they would give us time to do all that if they decided to close shop one day?

If they decided? Probably. But there are other ways sites can die without giving people time to save everything, so better to make your backups ahead of time.

 

[TheWritingGroup]

It blows me away that there are writers who actually don't keep their own copies of their own work. That's just preposterous to me.

I've actually seen YouTube creators whining when a video was deleted, because they hadn't kept their own copies after uploading. I don't get it either.

--Annie

 

[TheNovelist2000]

It blows me away that there are writers who actually don't keep their own copies of their own work. That's just preposterous to me.

I write my stories in Google Docs, but I have to transfer them to Microsoft Word every time to get the spacing right. Sometimes, while doing so, I end up making small changes. The same thing happens when I finalise the text in the draft folder. The versions that stay in Google Drive are just drafts, and I’m usually too lazy to copy and paste the final version back into Google Docs.

 

[Jorunn]

It blows me away that there are writers who actually don't keep their own copies of their own work. That's just preposterous to me.

There are some writers who type directly into Lit. While I do not, I paste, there are times when I do a few edits here as I read through on the preview screen.

 

[TheNovelist2000]

If they decided? Probably. But there are other ways sites can die without giving people time to save everything, so better to make your backups ahead of time.

Good Idea.

 

[subdudeme13]

Fetlfe comes to mind for those that walk on the wild side. It is not Lit but I found Lit thru someone I met n fet. Does that rhyme?

 

[SimonDoom]

There are some writers who type directly into Lit. While I do not, I paste, there are times when I do a few edits here as I read through on the preview screen.

This is where being old school helps. I write everything via Word on a desktop computer, and everything is saved to at least two hard drives. I've lost enough stuff via crashes over time to know the value of backing up as I go.

 

[sirhugs]

Take a deep breath.

 

[lovecraft68]

If anything were to happen to the site, I don't see myself looking for an alternative. I like hanging out on the forum, but can live without it and I wouldn't be caught dead on Reddit for any reason.

As for my stories, for years everything I've written goes for sale and what I post here has been selling a while and dried up a bit. I still drop things here to reward the readers who helped me get where I am and to keep a presence here. Again, if they shut it down, that won't affect me as far as where to put my writing. I'll miss the comments and favs and all that, but its not the end of the world, I'm dealing with far more important things right as are many of us.

I've been screen shotting a few things once a week. My fav totals, any top listed stories on all time lists. Keep them as memories.

Finally, two years after D2d bought Smashwords my account merged over. Only real change is you don't get e-mails from SW anymore saying you made a sale. I have a folder where I have every one of them for over 14 years. I sold over 36k on their main site and have every e-mail. Even after all the years every time I got an e-mail it was a good feeling, a validation, and affirmation and as of two days ago they are no more. I'm not going to lie, it sucks last thing anyone needs right now is to lose something.

But it happened and there's no choice but to have to shrug it off and move on. Same if this site finally caves. Thing always change and its a lie to say its always for the better.

I just wish they had some type of succession plan. For all we know maybe they do, not like they'd tell us. but with the growing number of issues it would be harder for someone to step in.

 

[lovecraft68]

This is where being old school helps. I write everything via Word on a desktop computer, and everything is saved to at least two hard drives. I've lost enough stuff via crashes over time to know the value of backing up as I go.

Yes, and I save everything to two USB's one I keep in my desk here and the other I keep in the safe deposit box with my high priced comics. In case there's ever a fire.

I avoid the cloud like the plague, which to me, it may as well be.

 

[sirhugs]

If Lit dies, I die.
not fully. I use the same identity over on fetlife, but seldom hang out there.
And not literally. If I die literally, that's likely the cancer, not Lit.
just after 23 years here, can't even imagine starting over.

 

[SimonDoom]

It's funny, I've been reading erotic stories since around the turn of the millennium, and 20 years ago I read a lot more from other places like ASSTR and STO, but it's been years since I've done that to any significant degree. Almost all my reading, and all my publication, has been here at Literotica. So I have no clue what my alternative would be. I've been crossing my fingers and hoping things continue here indefinitely, one way or another.

I plan to keep writing stories for the indefinite future, so I may have to consider an alternative. Unless a pile of money falls into my lap and I can buy the place from Laurel and Manu.

 

[ElectricBlue]

It blows me away that there are writers who actually don't keep their own copies of their own work. That's just preposterous to me.

I've been writing for eleven years and have had three computer failures and two hard drive corruptions (bit rot) in that time, losing all files. I've given up on any belief that digital files are permanent.

If I thought my content was really worth preserving for the 22nd century, I'd print it all out and keep a paper copy.

What would be useful would be for someone to tell me how to rip a full set of my Lit content down to a computer, so I could have another go at keeping a complete copy of my content. Some idiot proof method that I can hide from the immediate family!

 

[onehitwanda]

This is where being old school helps. I write everything via Word on a desktop computer, and everything is saved to at least two hard drives. I've lost enough stuff via crashes over time to know the value of backing up as I go.

There are two types of computer users.

Those who keep backups, and those who who have yet to peer into the Abyss.