Are we just masturbating? (writerly)

[gauchecritic]

"I live for feedback." "I always leave all criticism in user comments." "I write for myself." "If you like what you've written it doesn't matter what the trolls think."

Why do you bother? When was the last time you submitted anything to anyone for money? (if ever) Why do you sit and wait for a website that you've never heard of asking if they can use your story and then ask a load of amateur writers, that are in no position to offer any experiential advice, what they think of someone thinking your stuff is at least worth repeating?

I'm no better.

However much I'm pleased that a thread appears occasionally with "Someone wants to publish my work." (even though I don't post to it), however much I'm pleased, I'm still left thinking 'So why aren't you in several agent's/publisher's slushpiles too?'

Where are the 'I've been rejected by Penguin, but at least I sent them a M/S' threads?

Are you (like me) going to sit on your arse and wait for someone to knock on your door? (yes I've had that happen and I'm in an anthology somewhere) Or are you going to attempt to beat the worst trolls available? The trolls that don't care what you think. The trolls that actually are in the business of not caring what you think. The publishers. (possibly the agents)
Or are you going to actually do something? Print off one of your 'fabulous, it made me so hot and I came twice' stories, (double spaced obviously) and ask a professional if they even got hard?

Or are you just going to masturbate along with the rest of us?

 

[CrimsonMaiden]

You do realize, don't you, that some people simply write because they enjoy it? Not everyone's in it for making money.

 

[Guest]

Well said, gauche.

(And properly abashed, am I.)


Then again, if that masturbation thing is an offer . . .

 

[TE999]

You do realize, don't you, that some people simply write because they enjoy it? Not everyone's in it for making money.

Well put, Crim.

I guess I'll just continue to lope the literary mule 'round here until...

Agh! I'm goin' blind...

 

[rgraham666]

Well, since I've sold three pieces to publishers recently I guess I'm actually getting laid rather than masturbating.

 

[Liar]

I'm in it for the money. In the long haul, that is. Not the stuff I write today, but the stuff I'll write tomorrow.

This is my workshop. I write here, mainly poetry, but some smut prose too, in order to get better at grasping, levelling with, and one day riding the written Engligh language like a buckled down redhead on St. Patcrick's Day.

But why here, on a porn site, and not somewhere else? Because it's a porn site. Which means that people are less likely to have their heads up their pretencious literary asses about what it is they do, than in most other places.

Plus, you're quite a fun bunch to hang with. That counts for a lot.

However, if Tyler Durden is anyone to trust, self-improvement is masturbation. So yeah, wanker here. And proud of it.

 

[Guest]

Well, since I've sold three pieces to publishers recently I guess I'm actually getting laid rather than masturbating.

 

[gauchecritic]

You do realize, don't you, that some people simply write because they enjoy it? Not everyone's in it for making money.

Weeell, that was the point that I didn't quite make.

Writing is communication.
Why do you post stories instead of leaving them on your hard drive?

Do you want to only communicate with people on a smut site or is your writing worth more than that?

 

[gauchecritic]

Good point Liar, fair answer.

RG "You're living the dream man"

Sarahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Just stop it. right now.

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

Weeell, that was the point that I didn't quite make.

Writing is communication.
Why do you post stories instead of leaving them on your hard drive?

Do you want to only communicate with people on a smut site or is your writing worth more than that?

Over the last few days, I've submitted two stories to a print publisher, three others to three different e-zines (one's already been rejected), entered two contests, and started re-editing my second novel.

No jacking off around here.

I post at Lit because it lets me experiment. I hang-out at AH because I like the place and the folks here.

Rumple Foreskin

 

[scriptordelecto]

I'm with Liar. It's not a bad place to sharpen the skills. Sure, it's not the sort of feedback you'd get from someone in the industry, but before they will deign to comment, you have to have the skill to get noticed. Hence, using the whetstone that is Lit. (I also agree that you are a fun lot to be around )

 

[drksideofthemoon]

Weeell, that was the point that I didn't quite make.

Writing is communication.
Why do you post stories instead of leaving them on your hard drive?

Do you want to only communicate with people on a smut site or is your writing worth more than that?

I write because I enjoy it. If I can make one person happy with a piece of my work, then I am satisfied. That means more to me than receiving money for my writing.

I don't consider selling material to a pay site any better or any worse than submitting my material here.

 

[Trombonus]

For me, I submit stuff here to get better. I read other peoples writing, and absorb feedback on my own. As it stands, I know my writing is nowhere near good enough for publication. And even if people thought it was, I don't. I've made a ton of progress, but I have a hell of a long way to go.

As for submitting it here publically, well, you can never get better if you keep it to yourself. How do you correct your mistakes if you don't know you're making them? I respect the people here immensely, and know I can learn a lot from them, and already have. That's why I'm so glad I found this place.

 

[RedHairedandFriendly]

I write because I enjoy it.

I haven't had any stories published, though I am working on one novel and have another collection being edited, which when done, these will be sent to a publisher. If they get accepted great, if not I'll still keep writing.

I have them here on Lit, because it is fun to see them on a website and to hear that others like them.

I have sold 14 poems to a publisher, that was soooooo cool. I earned over 350.00 for them and that was one days pay for hubby, so he took an extra day off of work. It felt wonderful to be able to have an extra day with him and not feel it in the budget.

 

[Liar]

I don't consider selling material to a pay site any better or any worse than submitting my material here.

Except the added perk of, you know, money.

 

[RedHairedandFriendly]

For me, I submit stuff here to get better. I read other peoples writing, and absorb feedback on my own. As it stands, I know my writing is nowhere near good enough for publication. And even if people thought it was, I don't. I've made a ton of progress, but I have a hell of a long way to go.

As for submitting it here publically, well, you can never get better if you keep it to yourself. How do you correct your mistakes if you don't know you're making them? I respect the people here immensely, and know I can learn a lot from them, and already have. That's why I'm so glad I found this place.

You'll be there before you know it!

Look who is #2 on the Top Chain Story list.
Top Rated Submissions : Chain Stories
Rank Rating Votes Title Author Date
1 5.00 16 AH Fantasies: When Darkness Falls scheherazade_79 02/11/07
2 5.00 11 Virtual Reality: Fire Emblem PoR Trombonus 01/31/07

 

[Stella_Omega]

I've sold one story, to Clean Sheets- back in the day when they actually paid for stories, and that was "When Petey Met Yuri"
But i don't know how large the readership is there, and I really hoped for more feedback than I got. After that, they told me that they were getting too many BDSM pieces, and thta they didn't think "groupie" stories would be worth the espace. (Sarabande)

Then one day, they asked for stories about music. I had something in mind, and four years later, it still isn't finished- and it's only a short, at that.
Here are my problems, as I perceive them;
1; I have a hard time writing to a topic, and I simply cannot write about something that doesn't turn me on.
2) I tend to write across genres, across genders, across publishers requirements. Is there a Queer press out there?
3) I hardly ever finish anything in a timely manner!

 

[Trombonus]

You'll be there before you know it!

Look who is #2 on the Top Chain Story list.
Top Rated Submissions : Chain Stories
Rank Rating Votes Title Author Date
1 5.00 16 AH Fantasies: When Darkness Falls scheherazade_79 02/11/07
2 5.00 11 Virtual Reality: Fire Emblem PoR Trombonus 01/31/07

True. It's definitely a nice feeling. I don't necessarily feel that it belongs up there over some other stories, but it's nice to know that people genuinely like my writing. I must admit that it feels good to have all H's in my line-up though.

 

[RedHairedandFriendly]

True. It's definitely a nice feeling. I don't necessarily feel that it belongs up there over some other stories, but it's nice to know that people genuinely like my writing. I must admit that it feels good to have all H's in my line-up though.

Congrats on that Trom. Even I don't have that accomplishment. Nor do I think I ever will. It amazes me to run across a writer that has all "H"'s to their name.

 

[Trombonus]

Congrats on that Trom. Even I don't have that accomplishment. Nor do I think I ever will. It amazes me to run across a writer that has all "H"'s to their name.

lol, to be fair I only have three submissions.

 

[RedHairedandFriendly]

lol, to be fair I only have three submissions.

Doesn't matter. They are all "H"s.

 

[drksideofthemoon]

Except the added perk of, you know, money.

Money doesn't mean anything to me.

 

[scriptordelecto]

Money doesn't mean anything to me.

And darkside further proves that he's the gentleman of the AH.

 

[drksideofthemoon]

Over the last few days, I've submitted two stories to a print publisher, three others to three different e-zines (one's already been rejected), entered two contests, and started re-editing my second novel.

No jacking off around here.

I post at Lit because it lets me experiment. I hang-out at AH because I like the place and the folks here.

Rumple Foreskin

And you are the spiritual leader of The Church of the Burning Bush and Discount Liquors ®™ - Where you can save and be saved in one convenient stop ©

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

And you are the spiritual leader of The Church of the Burning Bush and Discount Liquors ®™ - Where you can save and be saved in one convenient stop ©

In the immortal words of my hero, Gov. William J. LePetomaine (Mel Brooks) in the epic western, Blazing Saddles: "Work, work, work."

http://www.nostalgiacentral.com/images_movie/blazingsaddles_02.JPG

Oh, in my original post, did I mention submitting two hymns?

The Right Rev Rumple Foreskin http://bestsmileys.com/religous/1.gif