Are you a pleaser or are you a teaser?

[nici]

Cuz I'm a newbie, I'm asking stupid questions. Later I won't have that excuse. So I might as well ask.

When you write a story, do you think about your readers and what they like and want to see in your story? Do you let your reader’s wishes guide your storyline? Are ratings that important?

Or, are you the anarchist, the one who writes contrary to public opinion, who would rather have readers think than have a high rating on a story?

Or, is there a medium?

 

[rgraham666]

I write whatever pops into my twisted little mind.

I must do OK as my readers usually like it.

 

[cloudy]

I write what my muse tells me I have to.

*shrug*

My stories seem to do okay, but in all honesty, I'm not that worried about ratings.

 

[Wildcard Ky]

I write purely what I want to write. Ratings and feedback never even enter into the back of the thought process.

 

[Selena_Kitt]

I'm a teaser...

 

[starrkers]

I write what pops into my head, then worry about the ratings after the story is posted.
Don't think I could write any other way. I've thought of trying to write stories for specific categories, but if nothing comes to me, I can't force it. And if a story wants to be written a certain way, that's how it gets written. To hell with the readers.

 

[fieryjen]

I can't really write for an audience... I always have to write for myself. Otherwise, I just get stuck after about three sentences. It just doesn't work for me at all, I'm not sure why. The only time I've ever managed to do that was for my boyfriend, which was just the writing down of feelings, not stories.

 

[Jenny_Jackson]

Let me put it this way - I've written FART stories... Ok?

If you worry about what the reader want's you'll never write anything. There are just too many diverse readers on Lit. Some are pissed because there's too much sex, other because there's too little. Some are pissed because they believe your left out a single comma out of a 40,000 word story.

I say Fuck um. If they don't like it they can read someone else.

 

[TE999]

'Unto thine own self, be true'.

Or somethin' like that.

I write what's in my head and in my heart.

If I court the muse and she responds, brilliant. If not, I can't force it.

I don't think about ratings or views. I write for the sheer joy of it,

And if someone enjoys it with me, so much the better.


Okay, someone else can have the soapbox.

 

[Selena_Kitt]

Let me put it this way - I've written FART stories... Ok?

If you worry about what the reader want's you'll never write anything. There are just too many diverse readers on Lit. Some are pissed because there's too much sex, other because there's too little. Some are pissed because they believe your left out a single comma out of a 40,000 word story.

I say Fuck um. If they don't like it they can read someone else.

I Jenny Jackson.

 

[nici]

I Jenny Jackson.

She does play bitchy, but can she play butch?

 

[Selena_Kitt]

She does play bitchy, but can she play butch?

Jenny can play anything she wants!

 

[Jenny_Jackson]

Jenny can play anything she wants!

You're my idol, SK

 

[jomar]

Before your thread is hijacked forever, my two cents!

I'm an inexperienced writer and pretty new here, but I'm a little like starrkers. I write what pops in (and I'm amused where some of it goes because some things take a life of their own) without much regard for trying to please readers.

After a story is posted I cross my fingers. I have to admit I enjoy seeing the scores go up, if they do. I'm playing with different writing styles and categories so I don't expect to get high scores, but it's fun for me.

Cloudy suggests good advice - write what your muse tell you, and try not to sweat ratings.

And if you find yourself worried abut ratings, writing fart stories will cure you!

 

[TxRad]

I write for myself and the idea that comes to my head......

That doesn't necessarily mean the story goes that way though. The characters sometimes (most of the time) take on a life of their own and away we go into la la land...... Sometimes you just can't get them into bed and sometimes ya can't get their asses out of the bed....

But then again sometimes ya just don't need a bed.....

 

[SlickTony]

I write for myself. The characters in my stories are people I know almost as well I as I know myself. I seldom worry about what the readership wants, although I'm glad when I've pleased them. There is just one exception to this--I've never continued "If You Choose Not to Decide..." because the series might not have stayed GM throughout, and I got the idea that CarsonShepherd would be disappointed.

 

[Boxlicker101]

I write what I feel like writing, and that is usually stroke. What I like to do is hear from women telling me that they got wet reading my story or, even better, they got off on it. I also like to get similar feedback from men but I prefer it from women. So, sue me; I prefer to think about a woman playing with herself than a man.

ETA: I never tease. Those who read my stuff do so expecting pure smut. Sometimes I vary that a little, expecially for a contest, but not very often.

 

[Darkniciad]

I write what my muse, and my characters, are telling me to write. I will play to my readers, if something one of them suggests sparks my muse, but otherwise I write what tickles me. I've had reader suggestions turn original ideas into much better stories, so I certainly listen to everything they say.

That being said, those who read me do so because they like what I write. I don't aim to please everyone, with the exception of experimentation. The LW story I wrote as Les is a good example. My goal with that one was to write something that wouldn't get ripped to shreds by the warring camps in LW. Thinking about it, my muse ran with it, so I still wrote exactly what I wanted to - it just happened to meet a goal as well.

My scores do matter to me - because they're visibility to attract new readers, and new feedback. As far as a realistic evaluation of my work, I don't put much stock in them, but nabbing a place in the toplists attracts new readers, and new feedback. Getting that H on day one is the same thing. You'll get a lot more reads with that H showing up on the New List than without.

That's what I'm after, the PCs and emails - praise to keep me writing, and criticism to help me improve it. I have a small following on each of my major storylines, but feedback tends to taper off from regulars as time goes on. You need fresh blood in there to keep the comments coming.

 

[SimonBrooke]

Cuz I'm a newbie, I'm asking stupid questions. Later I won't have that excuse. So I might as well ask.

When you write a story, do you think about your readers and what they like and want to see in your story? Do you let your reader’s wishes guide your storyline? Are ratings that important?

Or, are you the anarchist, the one who writes contrary to public opinion, who would rather have readers think than have a high rating on a story?

I think the AH is speaking pretty much with one voice here.

I write because I have stories to tell. If readers like them, that's nice. If they vote for them, that's nice too - like a lot of people here I'll confess to having a fragile ego. Most of what I write I don't post to Literotica, because I don't think the Literotica audience would appreciate it.

But of the stories I do post to Literotica, would I change a single coma to get a higher rating? No, absolutely not. The story I have to tell is the story I have to tell. If you don't like it, go and read someone else's.

 

[floweringquince]

Ay-yup, me too.

I write for an audience of one. When my innner Reader, Editor, Critic, and Pervert (it gets crowded in here sometimes all think it's good enough; then it's good enough.

Only then does my huge, fragile, spun sugar edifice of a writer's ego come into it.
Once the story is posted, I care intensely what my readership seems to think. If someone - or several someones - reads it, likes it, votes for it, and/or leaves positive comments; I am over the moon with gratified delight.

No one's left a negative comment yet (probably mostly because I'm still pretty darned new here). I'm hoping that when that happens, I will shrug it off while briefly thinking ill thoughts of the source; but fear that I might be found huddled in a corner somewhere with a box of tissues, a bottle of scotch, and a quart of ice cream

Sounds sort of backwards, I guess; but my brain gets crowded enough with that Inner Quartet I mentioned - if I let the readership in, there'd be no chance of me getting any writing done.

quince

 

[cumallday]

Cuz I'm a newbie, I'm asking stupid questions. Later I won't have that excuse. So I might as well ask.

When you write a story, do you think about your readers and what they like and want to see in your story? Do you let your reader’s wishes guide your storyline? Are ratings that important?

Or, are you the anarchist, the one who writes contrary to public opinion, who would rather have readers think than have a high rating on a story?

Or, is there a medium?

Why would having a reader think compromise a high rating on a story?

Personally, I have no idea what my silly little stories rate as I've never bothered to check how they are doing. I do like the e-mails people send me. I can't write for shit, but do enjoy doing it. I don't really write with any intended audience in consideration and don't believe that is what an author's purpose is. I've recently skirted around that idea in another thread. I write as though I'm directing a porn flick in my head.

 

[matriarch]

Cuz I'm a newbie, I'm asking stupid questions. Later I won't have that excuse. So I might as well ask.

When you write a story, do you think about your readers and what they like and want to see in your story? Do you let your reader’s wishes guide your storyline? Are ratings that important?

Or, are you the anarchist, the one who writes contrary to public opinion, who would rather have readers think than have a high rating on a story?

Or, is there a medium?

I get an idea, and just write it. I don't think I've ever written for my readers, specifically. But, like the others, I haven't had many complaints (just the odd one or two out of several hundred thousand.....can't be bad), so I'll just carry on writing whatever pops into my dirty old head.

 

[CharleyH]

If you worry about what the reader want's you'll never write anything. There are just too many diverse readers on Lit. Some are pissed because there's too much sex, other because there's too little. Some are pissed because they believe your left out a single comma out of a 40,000 word story.

I say Fuck um. If they don't like it they can read someone else.

Have I told you I loved you today?

 

[CharleyH]

I get an idea, and just write it. I don't think I've ever written for my readers, specifically. But, like the others, I haven't had many complaints (just the odd one or two out of several hundred thousand.....can't be bad), so I'll just carry on writing whatever pops into my dirty old head.

What a good attitude! I have had a few complaints - but I do love them.

 

[Jenny_Jackson]

Have I told you I loved you today?

Mmmmm... morning, Charley. Love you too, ya know