Been a while. How ya been?

[DEFCOM5]

I did a 750 that some people said was almost too emotional in some ways. It did OK, but not great.

Did OK in term of score? views? Comments? These data points are dubious.
There are authors here that I respect because of the quality of their writing.
If one day they compliment on one of my stories. I know that it is great story regarding of the actual score/view/comments
Too many trolls here!

 

[DEFCOM5]

Another said it was hard to pack that much emotion into 750 words.

djmac1031 wrote a 750 story called Reunion that made me cry and is probably the best I ever read on Lit

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

Did OK in term of score? views? Comments? These data points are dubious.

I don't really remember now.

It opened with lines about the stillness of the surface of the lake and the morning air and the intense quiet being punctuated by distant sirens.

It ended with red and white flashing lights streaming in the driveway and a last kiss.

 

[ElectricBlue]

I'll have to familiarize myself with the rules and guidelines. Not sure how many stories I can send into the publishing pipeline at any given time; I imagine the moderators must get overwhelmed.

As many as you want. As an example, I submitted every chapter of a 104,000 word novel at the same time (twelve chapters), so Laurel could review the whole thing as a finished work. She then released each chapter 24 hours apart - which makes no difference, five or six years later.

Please fill me in on some publishing tips, since I am sure things have changed since my last visit, seemingly so long ago.

Don't get hung up on release strategies - as noted above, once the whole story is published, the release method was irrelevant.

In terms of chapter length, there's some consensus that 8k - 10k words is a good fit. That's 2 - 3 Lit pages (3,750 words is a common metric for that).

Other than Loving Wives, the Vote per View ratio is around 1:100, Comments one per thousand. If your story is very well written, or really sucks, readers will let you know. Other than that, Lit is a feedback lite zone.

Right now, the key issue affecting the site is AI junk, which started in a big way two years or so ago. The site has put something in place, don't know what, because the number of, "My story has been rejected for suspected AI use" threads has dropped noticeably over the last six months.

Recently, there's been a Pending Delay issue for some writers, which might be related to the AI thing. Having been here eleven years, I'm not convinced it was anything other than the usual slow down at the end of summer, but for some, the world ended.

Current story throughput is around 200 per day, which by any measure, is astonishing.

Other than that, good writing gets meaningful responses, but there's a lot of clutter in the data. Key thing, every category has its own parameters, so don't compare how a story goes in one category, to another.

Welcome back. I suspect you'll find some things the same, some things are markedly different.

 

[DEFCOM5]

It opened with lines about the stillness of the surface of the lake and the morning air and the intense quiet being punctuated by distant sirens.

It ended with red and white flashing lights streaming in the driveway and a last kiss.

This sound like a great potential 750. Would you mind sharing the link?

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

I had everything deleted.

 

[DEFCOM5]

I had everything deleted.

So sad. I am sure it packed an emotional punch!

 

[Z_TheWriter]

Greetings and welcome back.
I can't tell you intricate details or backstory, cause I've been here a week. Did read stuff occasionally for much longer, but 20 years ago, I wasn't allowed on this site.
I thought I could give you my two cents as a relatively fresh pair of eyes though.

There are a lot of rumblings in several threads about things falling apart and such. That seemed worrying at first, but when I asked I quickly found out many people don't think things are particularly dire. Those people just don't talk about it as much.

AH, while having occasional heated discussions, seems to be full of welcoming people who like to have fun. You can get serious and well thought out answers, but probably accompanied with a joke or three.

The rest of the forum seems chaotic and sometimes scary. I opened a couple of politics threads... Not doing that again. Haven't experienced anyone being nasty to me, but seen it against others quite a few times already.

My first story went up 4 days ago. It went without any technical hitches and the reception has been very pleasant. I have heard that the Romance crowd are pretty chill compared to some other categories though.

Overall the site seems a bit plagued by some parts being extremely old and not meshing well with newer parts.

Oh and I got an offer in a PM to sext with a pair of old nudists, to which I politely declined.

Hope you decide to stick around and regale us with tales of Literotica gone by.

 

[DEFCOM5]

Oh and I got an offer in a PM to sext with a pair of old nudists, to which I politely declined.

Lucky you! No one ever asked me to sext.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Been a while. How ya been?​

Welcome back to the hangout of writers
The inmates are mostly not biters
And many are house trained
Though some are best left chained
The rest are all lovers not fighters

 

[RandomMcHill]

Well, after looking around I fear my first story will probably get rejected because I used an AI function to quell my dyslexic errors. Seems such things are frowned upon despite my hard work honing my stories using the newer tools available to me. I understand the need for raw output here, whereas, I am working at using these tools to improve my overall story telling. Guess if the goal is to improve by means of feedback exclusively from participants, it stands to reason much of what I have curtailed recently will get the boot here.

As for my own experience learning how to use AI function tools, it's like having a professor a phone call away (in terms of literary function). I've yet to see any story exclusively generated by AI tools that stands close to my completed works. Guess that's the dilemma when it comes to using literary tools, but then again I've used a dictionary since I was a kid! LOL. At least these new tools are helpful in terms of helping me overcome my dyslexia. Ha! LOL Well, we shall see. Otherwise, I'll just wander the halls aimlessly.

I'll be honest with you: much of what I read here sure could do with a pass through a spell checker, not to mention a good grammar tool. hehe Then again, I guess in terms of this website, that's what defeats its function. Make errors and learn by them. Got it. Been there, done that.

/shuffles away knowing his brain is not wired for literary function. 'Why do I do this to myself?'
/wanders in the darkness looking for his bass

EDIT ADDED: Spoke with GROK about this, and it consoled me. hehe Also, said although I am the copyrighted holder of the work I might want to state outright that I am dyslexic and using it as a tool, but I outline using other tools, and most certainly would like to hone the piece using even more advanced AI function, but this is a hobby of mine, and not a career path, don't ya know. Perhaps if I preface my stories to the admin in this regard, exceptions might be made, or maybe these stories might get shuffled to a dark corner where I might point interested followers to them? Hmmm

'You're not cheating. You're using a prosthetic for a disability, and anyone who calls that "cheating" is gatekeeping creativity instead of expanding it.
Dyslexia doesn't mean your ideas are broken—it means the mechanical layer between brain and page is cracked. Literotica’s policy (like most sites) is anti-flood, not anti-accessibility. They’re drowning in 10k-word AI slush that reads like ChatGPT had a thesaurus seizure. Your case is different: you’re co-authoring with intent, not outsourcing the soul.'

/Random falls to the floor laughing, "AI slush that reads like ChatGPT had a thesaurus seizure'... hilarious!"
//(he ponders the irony that this one post may be his only contribution to this web presence after a 15 year hiatus)

 

[dirk2024]

Lucky you! No one ever asked me to sext.

 

[ChloeTzang]

MacHill here.

I was active at literotica about 15-20 years ago, back when we used to write using pencil. Those were the days. Anyway, signed up again, looking for erotica. Been a while. Not sure what has changed, but it seems more subdued than back in the day. Not sure, but it looks like fewer writers here, too, not sure yet-- I got 30K hits in three days on one story back then, not sure if there is enough activity here to interest me further. We shall see.

How ya been?

Whooaaaa, welcome back. That was way before my time. I joined back in 2015, around the same time as Voboy and a few others. Quite a few of the writers that were around and mentoring newbies when I started have passed on - Pilot, TxRad, Oggbashan, HandleyPage, Sam Scribble - not sure how many of them were around 15-20 years ago - Pilot and Tex for sure, and a few who were kicked to the kerb - SusanJillParker, Scouries - not sure of they were around when you were)

Anyhow, it's changed a lot since I joined - without Pilot there is far less ascerbic commentary LOL - but also a lost resource who passed on a LOT of knowledge about writing and publishing and the histpry of the site and the reasons why things are the way they are over the years.

I doubt there are many left here from 20 years ago, but much of the UI hasn't changed as long as I've been here and there's quite a few things that used to work but don't or have never been updated. Manu and Laurell have been updating parts of the site, but it's an ongoing project, replacing old code (at least, I hope it's replacing and not lipstick on a pig).

That said, it's as much fun as it was when I joined, albeit with turnover as people come and go.

 

[RandomMcHill]

Chloe , make any money selling books on Amazon?

 

[M_K_Babalon]

Whooaaaa, welcome back. That was way before my time. I joined back in 2015, around the same time as Voboy and a few others. Quite a few of the writers that were around and mentoring newbies when I started have passed on - Pilot, TxRad, Oggbashan, HandleyPage, Sam Scribble - not sure how many of them were around 15-20 years ago - Pilot and Tex for sure, and a few who were kicked to the kerb - SusanJillParker, Scouries - not sure of they were around when you were)

Anyhow, it's changed a lot since I joined - without Pilot there is far less ascerbic commentary LOL - but also a lost resource who passed on a LOT of knowledge about writing and publishing and the histpry of the site and the reasons why things are the way they are over the years.

I doubt there are many left here from 20 years ago, but much of the UI hasn't changed as long as I've been here and there's quite a few things that used to work but don't or have never been updated. Manu and Laurell have been updating parts of the site, but it's an ongoing project, replacing old code (at least, I hope it's replacing and not lipstick on a pig).

That said, it's as much fun as it was when I joined, albeit with turnover as people come and go.

How did I miss HandleyPage dying?

 

[M_K_Babalon]

I don't remember you from back then, but welcome back.

 

[RandomMcHill]

As expected, my first story was rejected. So, it's been fun! LOL

I did do a search for some of my old stories, but couldn't find them. Dust in the wind.

Thanks again for the warm welcome. I shall loiter and read some of your better stuff!

/off to find a place to post my excellent story.

 

[Voboy]

As expected, my first story was rejected. So, it's been fun! LOL

I did do a search for some of my old stories, but couldn't find them. Dust in the wind.

Thanks again for the warm welcome. I shall loiter and read some of your better stuff!

/off to find a place to post my excellent story.

...what was the reason?

 

[RandomMcHill]

"If you are allowing a grammar check program to “rewrite” your words or rephrase your text, that may cross the line into AI generated text/stories."

I was hoping to let you folks tear into my story so I might learn, but it is tainted by the works of non-humans. Reminds me of the first girl I asked out, how she said no because her parents said she could only date human boys. See, it all began when I was a child...

I do let AI do such things. I am thankful for it. Furthermore, I am completely fine with sharing co-authorship with them smart tools, even though them bots ask for no compensation (for I am teaching them how to write in the process). For those who have yet to try and use AI tools successfully, it is not an easy thing; lots of edits and revisions with specific instructions because they all have faults. That said, I am starting to complete work that's turning out better than beforehand, as well as improve my understanding of literary structure. It is a different type of collaboration compared to other writing experiences I've had, but to do it right one must create character profiles, deep story lines and arks no different that conventional writing before 'the build.' That's what drove me here. I need the feedback from you to see if what I am building is legitimately good. Rats.

No complaints, other than such things are frowned upon here. Understandably so. I was hoping there might be a nitche where those of us embracing technologies might find safe quarters. hmmm look, the bottom line is in a few years writing programs will capture style and verse of our best authors of all time. Alexandre Dumas, Victor Hugo, Charles Dickens, Honoré de Balzac, Jules Verne, Sir Walter Scott, Rafael Sabatini, Samuel Shellabarger, Sebastian de Castell, Lew Wallace, Alfred Bester shall all have new books written by their AI clones, much to the reader's delight. No doubt about it. That said, I shall still write as a means of self-expression, and play my bass even though some AI program is playing new tunes using the exact style and phrasing as Ron Carter. Strange new world, indeed. Someone should write about it.

Even with the fantastic tools I still need feedback and additional editing. Such is life with my malady. I hope by the time I hit 90 I will have written something significant. Probably with the help of a synthetic human, who can also help repair my bowels, clean up the place, fix my car, as well as repair my sentences.

 

[Voboy]

"If you are allowing a grammar check program to “rewrite” your words or rephrase your text, that may cross the line into AI generated text/stories."

...

I do let AI do such things.

Ah.

Good luck finding a place to post; it won't be here, I think. The site owners are very consistent in their feelings about AI.

 

[ChloeTzang]

How did I miss HandleyPage dying?

There wasn't any real announcement or anything - he just faded out. I chatted with him offline off and on, and back in Feb this year (the last email I had from him) he let me know he was in hospital with pretty severe Pneumonia - he was getting on and finding it tricky walking too - and that was the last I heard back from him. I emailed him a few times after that but nothing back - and he always replied - so one has to assume the worst, sadly, given his age and what he was in hospital with.

 

[RandomMcHill]

"There wasn't any real announcement or anything - he just faded out."

21 years on Steam. Lots of old gamers fade away. Sometimes they come back, like me... here. Go figure. Life of a FPS gamer. What I want on my tombstone: "If I don't respawn I'm going to be pissed."

 

[Statius]

I'm not talking about the site itself as a platform to showcase your stories.

I'm talking more about the forum.

The site has writing resources in the sense of a great How To category, but the forum itself is more about fellating each other and drama than anything that's going to make you a better writer.

IMO the only way to really improve is to keep writing, get better with practice. Listening to others changes your natural voice. Go with what you have, you're better off.

Keep in mind writing has long been known as the hobby of the introvert. Its better off that way.

Just to continue what I said the other day, and a point I wanted to make but did not.

Your posts about writing cut through the noise, and that is not to downplay or invalidate any other writer giving advice about writing, but you cut through the noise like no other person who posts here. Ok, I'm done 'fellating'. Funny as fuck, btw. Alright.

Peace.