Do I have any other options?

[GaryLMMartin]

I've published more than 130 stories on Literotica, dozens of them top rated stories. But I've had a harder and harder time getting published. My stories are not being rejected, simply not being considered. My most recent story was sent back for a technical problem which I fixed, but was not taken up more than a week later. I contacted Laurel, got no response. I resubmitted the story a second time, still no response days later. I like publishing here but I feel more than a little underappreciated and it feels like there's nothing left to move on and find another forum... unless anyone has other ideas.

******************

My Stories
https://www.literotica.com/stories/memberpage.php?uid=4837524&page=submissions

 

[SimonDoom]

Give us more information about why the stories are being rejected. We can't advise you without an honest and full disclosure about that.

 

[Zenith77]

Is this a publishing delay, or a resistance to publishing? The first is variable and while some folk see a few days, my stuff often takes a week+. I've also published a bunch of stories here (and never had one sent back). I wonder if its category dependent?

My stories are not being rejected, simply not being considered.

Not sure what 'not being considered' means. Everything (that fits the rules) gets published.......... eventually.

 

[TheRedChamber]

Looking at your portfolio of works...

It seems like since October of last year you have published 3 (?) stories with 20-30 chapters and one story with 50+ chapters and your chapter sizes are around 5k words and some shorter works as well? You're publishing at a rate faster than one every two days and I guess you are queueing stuff up so a chapter is published each day. Looking at the authors notes it seems at least one was written in 2019. A lot of the stories are multi-catagories but most of them seem to have at least one chapter in non-consent which might require extra scrutiny.

Taking a guess, it may just be that Laurel is struggling to keep up with such a volume of material, especially if there was a technical problem. If things are getting on top of her she may just have delayed your stuff while she keeps the daily running of other author work going. Resubmitting the story would put it back on the end of the queue again. Its a shame she hasn't responded to you. I'd suggest a bit more patience before quitting the site altogether.

As Simon says, if you have more information that might clarify things more, but I think the volume of work might be contributing in some way.

 

[EmilyMiller]

I've published more than 130 stories on Literotica, dozens of them top rated stories. But I've had a harder and harder time getting published. My stories are not being rejected, simply not being considered. My most recent story was sent back for a technical problem which I fixed, but was not taken up more than a week later. I contacted Laurel, got no response. I resubmitted the story a second time, still no response days later. I like publishing here but I feel more than a little underappreciated and it feels like there's nothing left to move on and find another forum... unless anyone has other ideas.

******************

My Stories
https://www.literotica.com/stories/memberpage.php?uid=4837524&page=submissions

You have other stuff further down your works page, but a lot of non-con / mind control at the top.

Which categories are you getting pushback in and what reasons do you get for rejection? My stuff gets published in two days or less pretty much without fail. The I avoid troublesome categories.

You need to tell us more if you want any more useful advice.

Em

 

[GaryLMMartin]

I submit stories, and 10 days later, still not published. Stories not being rejected; simply not being considered. The one time it was sent back was because there was a problem with the single image in the story, which I fixed. I know stories with images take longer but a single image shouldn't take more than a minute to add to the literotica database. It's in the romance category.

It's true I have published a lot of stories in a relatively short time earlier this year but I haven't had a story published in 2 weeks.

 

[GaryLMMartin]

You have other stuff further down your works page, but a lot of non-con / mind control at the top.

Which categories are you getting pushback in and what reasons do you get for rejection? My stuff gets published in two days or less pretty much without fail. The I avoid troublesome categories.

You need to tell us more if you want any more useful advice.

Em

Romance. There is no reason for rejection because they are not rejected, just sitting in pending. What more would you like to know?

 

[EmilyMiller]

Taking a guess, it may just be that Laurel is struggling to keep up with such a volume of material, especially if there was a technical problem. If things are getting on top of her she may just have delayed your stuff while she keeps the daily running of other author work going. Resubmitting the story would put it back on the end of the queue again. Its a shame she hasn't responded to you. I'd suggest a bit more patience before quitting the site altogether.

Laurel has always been super responsive to me, particularly if you consider her workload. I don’t always hear back the same day, but always within a reasonable time.

She has been kind and reasonable and supportive.

Em

 

[EmilyMiller]

I submit stories, and 10 days later, still not published. Stories not being rejected; simply not being considered. The one time it was sent back was because there was a problem with the single image in the story, which I fixed. I know stories with images take longer but a single image shouldn't take more than a minute to add to the literotica database. It's in the romance category.

It's true I have published a lot of stories in a relatively short time earlier this year but I haven't had a story published in 2 weeks.

One image = illustrated = a much longer delay (weeks)

Do you really need the images?

Em

 

[EmilyMiller]

I submit stories, and 10 days later, still not published. Stories not being rejected; simply not being considered. The one time it was sent back was because there was a problem with the single image in the story, which I fixed. I know stories with images take longer but a single image shouldn't take more than a minute to add to the literotica database. It's in the romance category.

It’s not technical reasons for illustrated taking longer. It’s content review (which can’t be automated) and copyright infringement.

Take the images out and it will be a much shorter process.

Em

 

[gunhilltrain]

Looking at your portfolio of works...

It seems like since October of last year you have published 3 (?) stories with 20-30 chapters and one story with 50+ chapters and your chapter sizes are around 5k words and some shorter works as well? You're publishing at a rate faster than one every two days and I guess you are queueing stuff up so a chapter is published each day. Looking at the authors notes it seems at least one was written in 2019. A lot of the stories are multi-catagories but most of them seem to have at least one chapter in non-consent which might require extra scrutiny.

Taking a guess, it may just be that Laurel is struggling to keep up with such a volume of material, especially if there was a technical problem. If things are getting on top of her she may just have delayed your stuff while she keeps the daily running of other author work going. Resubmitting the story would put it back on the end of the queue again. Its a shame she hasn't responded to you. I'd suggest a bit more patience before quitting the site altogether.

As Simon says, if you have more information that might clarify things more, but I think the volume of work might be contributing in some way.

This sounds like it could be true. What goes on behind the scenes at Lit is very hard for us to determine. If you are submitting at that rate, it is possible that Laurel is putting yours to the side to keep up with the volume. You might expect "first come, first served," but that might not be the case. If you don't get a rejection notice, they are likely somewhere in the pending list.

 

[GaryLMMartin]

It’s not technical reasons for illustrated taking longer. It’s content review (which can’t be automated) and copyright infringement.

Take the images out and it will be a much shorter process.

Em

These aren't just stories they are books. I paid a lot of money for my covers to be professionally illustrated and they are beautiful. If they won't take a minute to add a single image for a 20 or 30 part story, and if they won't even respond to my message of inquiry, then there's no author support and it's not worth it for me to be published here. I don't feel like I'm asking for a lot.

 

[Zenith77]

These aren't just stories they are books. I paid a lot of money for my covers to be professionally illustrated and they are beautiful. If they won't take a minute to add a single image for a 20 or 30 part story then it's not worth it for me to be published here. I don't feel like I'm asking for a lot.

You're free to look elsewhere. Lit is a free site with an extensive reader base, and nothing is perfect. Either adjust your expectations based on the feedback you've received here, or decide it's not for you.

 

[gunhilltrain]

It’s not technical reasons for illustrated taking longer. It’s content review (which can’t be automated) and copyright infringement.

Take the images out and it will be a much shorter process.

Em

This might also be something to consider. I have no idea how Lit determines what is copyrighted. There are uncountable numbers of images online. Getty Images and such will have watermarks that can't be removed until you pay them. But if it's something generic like say, the Statue of Liberty, it will be difficult to tell if its your own photo or somebody else's. There was a discussion here once about how many online images have a hidden encryption built into them, but I don't know how that works. Anybody have info on that?

 

[EmilyMiller]

These aren't just stories they are books. I paid a lot of money for my covers to be professionally illustrated and they are beautiful. If they won't take a minute to add a single image for a 20 or 30 part story then it's not worth it for me to be published here. I don't feel like I'm asking for a lot.

You answered your own question, hun.

I explained what the issue is. I explained it’s nothing to do with the technicalities of posting the images, so the “it only takes a minute” comment, which you keep repeating for some reason, is wholly irrelevant.

The rules are the same for everyone. If that’s a problem, you have identified the solution.

As an aside, don’t ask for help and then challenge the replies you get; never a good look.

Em

 

[onehitwanda]

As an aside, don’t ask for help and then challenge the replies you get; never a good look.

 

[alohadave]

These aren't just stories they are books. I paid a lot of money for my covers to be professionally illustrated and they are beautiful. If they won't take a minute to add a single image for a 20 or 30 part story, and if they won't even respond to my message of inquiry, then there's no author support and it's not worth it for me to be published here. I don't feel like I'm asking for a lot.

Adding a picture to a submission makes it an illustrated story (and will be submitted into that category regardless of it's content), and those take much longer.

If you want, you can leave the picture out of the story, and add it to the series in your control panel. That way there is less delay in having your stories approved.

 

[TxRad]

If you tried to contact laurel by e-mail, forget it. E-mail is so clogged with spam she very seldom sees anything. Try a PM, private message, now called starting a conversation. Click on her name anywhere on any forum and get after it.

Pictures of any type go to Illustrated, which get published about once a month.

 

[PapaRomantic]

He wants it his way, on a site that's not his.

End of story

 

[TxRad]

He wants it his way, on a site that's not his.

End of story

There is a lot of that going around.

 

[EmilyMiller]

He wants it his way, on a site that's not his.

End of story

It’s odd isn’t it?

You get invited to dinner at someone’s house. They ask you to take off your shoes in the hallway and provide you with comfy indoor attire as they just had the floors redone.

You say “I’m not coming in unless I can wear my shoes. There are other places where I can eat”.

The door is that way is the only reasonable response really.

Em

 

[GaryLMMartin]

If you tried to contact laurel by e-mail, forget it. E-mail is so clogged with spam she very seldom sees anything. Try a PM, private message, now called starting a conversation. Click on her name anywhere on any forum and get after it.

Pictures of any type go to Illustrated, which get published about once a month.

Yes, I tried that. And no, my previous novels with a cover did not go to illustrated.

 

[Comshaw]

It’s odd isn’t it?

You get invited to dinner at someone’s house. They ask you to take off your shoes in the hallway and provide you with comfy indoor attire as they just had the floors redone.

You say “I’m not coming in unless I can wear my shoes. There are other places where I can eat”.

The door is that way is the only reasonable response really.

Em

In the parlance and vernacular of the people I was raised with, "Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out."

Comshaw

 

[gunhilltrain]

Adding a picture to a submission makes it an illustrated story (and will be submitted into that category regardless of it's content), and those take much longer.

If you want, you can leave the picture out of the story, and add it to the series in your control panel. That way there is less delay in having your stories approved.

I've never submitted an illustrated story here (I have on another site, one picture per story), so I never knew anything about this on Lit. It doesn't seem to be a copyright issue then, it's just that gears at Lit grind slowly for some things. Have some patience and it will go through. (The other site has more volunteer moderators, so pictures don't slow it down as much.)

 

[KeithD]

I submit stories, and 10 days later, still not published. Stories not being rejected; simply not being considered. The one time it was sent back was because there was a problem with the single image in the story, which I fixed. I know stories with images take longer but a single image shouldn't take more than a minute to add to the literotica database. It's in the romance category.

It's true I have published a lot of stories in a relatively short time earlier this year but I haven't had a story published in 2 weeks.

The use of illustrations might be the basic problem in taking a long time to post. It only takes one illustration to kick the story in the "to be looked at later" zone. Any delay in publishing is irritating, yes, but it's all relative. In the mainstream, I experience nine-to-twelve months wait for a publishing response on a work that the publisher set a deadline for me to submit (and I met the deadline).

Have you tried to initiate a conversation directly with Laurel on this issue? If not, you might try doing that. That seems to be problematic because there are some who say she communicates well directly and some who say she doesn't respond at all. It's worth a try, though.

It would also be good to look around for other Web sites with better posting delays. There are some with better delay times, but those seem to have fewer readers, so you'd have to pick your tradeoffs. The question I would have is about stories with illustrations. It's problematic that you'll find sites that accommodate that, with or without posting delays. Illustration raise a whole problem area of copyright. I'm surprised Lit. takes the risk of allowing them at all.