Erotica versus Sex Fiction

[oneagainst]

So... I've got a pretty thick skin and across 110+ stories I've been called out for just about everything, good and bad. Then this came up in @SamYork 's comments on A Place Beyond The Horizon:

@Thorlol : "I am actually disappointed. [story spoiler questions] I really hoped for an conclusion here because I just cant read the stories from oneagainst. Way too painful and disturbing"

I'm glad they took the time to comment. It shows an honesty and a commitment to the storyline, but of all the (in this case indirect) comments about my work I've ever read this is only the second one that stopped me in my tracks.

I've finished 'The Light Between The Trees', all 17 ch and 82k words, and have it scheduled to start rolling out from next week. I think it's the best thing I've ever done, with some of the deepest characters and it twists and turns in all sorts of unexpected ways, and it's *hot*. It's psychological, exploring something that is very dark but is ultimately a love story, touching on PTSD and Autassassinophilia, and NC/R was probably the best category for that. I really love it, and it was meant to be the last backstory before I finished the massive story arc with Only Consenting Adults, but now I'm thinking I should shelve it.

It's probably going to be "too painful and disturbing" for the general Lit audience, and that's from someone who just published a story about a terminally-ill MC. Even with the right tagging and the boilerplate disclaimers on triggering, maybe it's just too much, full stop. This is about fun, after all, right? People don't come to Lit to be reminded of things they maybe want to forget. There's a difference I think between writing erotica and writing hard sex fiction.

 

[Djmac1031]

I think there's an audience for all kinds of stories here.

Just because a few don't like them doesn't mean they shouldn't be written, or that they don't belong here.

When one goes to a movie theater, do they complain about all the OTHER movies, or just enjoy the one they chose based on their interests?

People that complain about improper tagging piss me off.

Sorry I didn't warn you about the potential of your particular objections coming up in MY story.

Go read something else, then.

It's the nature of the beast when you put something online though.

People love to bitch.

 

[SimonDoom]

I think it's in vain to try to draw clear distinctions between "erotica," "hard sex," "porn," whatever. I don't make those distinctions, because different people see these things differently.

No matter how carefully you try to tag and disclaim things, somebody's going to be unhappy. So what? Don't let that inevitable reality deter you from what you want to write.

The truth is that the Literotica audience is huge and there's probably an audience for everything. Focus on those who like what you do, not those who don't.

 

[Bramblethorn]

It's probably going to be "too painful and disturbing" for the general Lit audience, and that's from someone who just published a story about a terminally-ill MC. Even with the right tagging and the boilerplate disclaimers on triggering, maybe it's just too much, full stop. This is about fun, after all, right? People don't come to Lit to be reminded of things they maybe want to forget. There's a difference I think between writing erotica and writing hard sex fiction.

Sometimes it's important to tell yourself: "I'm not for everybody".

People come to Lit for all sorts of reasons. Getting their rocks off and feeling good is a popular one, but a quick glance at you-know-which-category shows there are plenty of people keen to read stories about stuff that provokes negative emotions too.

 

[AwkwardlySet]

So... I've got a pretty thick skin and across 110+ stories I've been called out for just about everything, good and bad. Then this came up in @SamYork 's comments on A Place Beyond The Horizon:

@Thorlol : "I am actually disappointed. [story spoiler questions] I really hoped for an conclusion here because I just cant read the stories from oneagainst. Way too painful and disturbing"

I'm glad they took the time to comment. It shows an honesty and a commitment to the storyline, but of all the (in this case indirect) comments about my work I've ever read this is only the second one that stopped me in my tracks.

I've finished 'The Light Between The Trees', all 17 ch and 82k words, and have it scheduled to start rolling out from next week. I think it's the best thing I've ever done, with some of the deepest characters and it twists and turns in all sorts of unexpected ways, and it's *hot*. It's psychological, exploring something that is very dark but is ultimately a love story, touching on PTSD and Autassassinophilia, and NC/R was probably the best category for that. I really love it, and it was meant to be the last backstory before I finished the massive story arc with Only Consenting Adults, but now I'm thinking I should shelve it.

It's probably going to be "too painful and disturbing" for the general Lit audience, and that's from someone who just published a story about a terminally-ill MC. Even with the right tagging and the boilerplate disclaimers on triggering, maybe it's just too much, full stop. This is about fun, after all, right? People don't come to Lit to be reminded of things they maybe want to forget. There's a difference I think between writing erotica and writing hard sex fiction.

Majority of readers probably come to read about the juicy, lighthearted sex. Some come for the better crafted stories with more depth. While I do believe that readers who are prepared to read the painful, disturbing and gritty stories are a true minority here, they do exist, and I believe you can do nothing worse for them and for yourself than shelving that story you poured your heart into. Don't get disheartened and just publish it, but make sure to put the warning in the foreword so readers can know what they are getting into. Good luck

 

[SeraphNocturne]

… I mean, I’m definitely gonna read it if you go through with it. Sounds like it’s right up my alley!

 

[Euphony]

It's probably going to be "too painful and disturbing" for the general Lit audience,

Please don't write to a general audience, write to your story's audience no matter how big or small.

There's a reason your creativity went on the direction it did. You owe it (as it is a part of yourself) more for its investment in you than your readers.

and that's from someone who just published a story about a terminally-ill MC.

Is this place running light on boy meets girl but it may be kinda tricky?

You chose to be interesting you give up a little company. Only you can do that math but many find the sacrifice worth it.

Even with the right tagging and the boilerplate disclaimers on triggering, maybe it's just too much, full stop.

At some point a poor haunted house walk has to be on the customer. You put up the warning signs, warn against those with weak hearts or serious conditions taking it lightly, the consequences shift off of you.

This is about fun, after all, right?

Is it always? I write (and read to support that writing) to work through thoughts and the suffering that is being alive.

Lit has its boundaries and allows tools for informed selection.

Netflix has plenty of offerings that ain't fun that see plenty of engagement b/c people and life are complex.

People don't come to Lit to be reminded of things they maybe want to forget.

Post your trigger warnings. If you wrote away from all the things certain people don't want to read, you'd have literary pablum and likely soon lose your creative spark.

There's a difference I think between writing erotica and writing hard sex fiction.

There is. Difference between tomes and comic books, historical biographies and YA, and bodice rippers and true crime.

Variety is the spice of life.

Viva la difference.

 

[NotWise]

It's probably going to be "too painful and disturbing" for the general Lit audience, and that's from someone who just published a story about a terminally-ill MC. Even with the right tagging and the boilerplate disclaimers on triggering, maybe it's just too much, full stop. This is about fun, after all, right? People don't come to Lit to be reminded of things they maybe want to forget. There's a difference I think between writing erotica and writing hard sex fiction.

I think your right. I've been sitting on a synopsis of an I/T story for at least a couple years now because I think it's too dark for the I/T crowd. I have a way in mind to lighten it up a little, but I feel like that guts the story.

In general, I think the readers don't want a lot of distraction from the sex, but that varies from category to category. Romance (for instance) expects the distractions, and dark back stories are common. Dark endings are not.

In your case, publishing it in Novels and Novellas might be a good alternative to not publishing. Readers there seem to embrace more story, and probably will take the darkness in stride.

 

[alohadave]

I really love it, and it was meant to be the last backstory before I finished the massive story arc with Only Consenting Adults, but now I'm thinking I should shelve it.

It's probably going to be "too painful and disturbing" for the general Lit audience, and that's from someone who just published a story about a terminally-ill MC. Even with the right tagging and the boilerplate disclaimers on triggering, maybe it's just too much, full stop. This is about fun, after all, right? People don't come to Lit to be reminded of things they maybe want to forget. There's a difference I think between writing erotica and writing hard sex fiction.

Don't let a comment derail your story. There are readers for all kinds of stories here. And you know what? Some of them won't like what you post. Too bad for them, it's your story.

Post it and be proud of your work.

 

[oneagainst]

See, this is where that preview link would be so useful, to post out for a second opinion. I can DM if anyone has the time/inclination to run through the first few chapters - there's themes of ideation there for the MC which I guess is what's really giving me pause.

 

[Winter_Fare]

"too painful and disturbing"

Some people will love it. Some people will hate it. If you're worried about upsetting or even triggering some people add a couple of lines at the start giving a frank content warning but honestly? Don't censor yourself. That's tragic on a site like this where there's such a huge and varied audience.

 

[SeraphNocturne]

See, this is where that preview link would be so useful, to post out for a second opinion. I can DM if anyone has the time/inclination to run through the first few chapters - there's themes of ideation there for the MC which I guess is what's really giving me pause.

Right now, I’m cramming for deadlines, but I’ll shoot you a DM later on if you’re still interested in having someone read it over for you. At the end of the day, like many have said, Literotica caters to a massive collection of many different audiences. And if you’re warning your audience with tags and notices early on, and they still aren’t happy, that’s not your problem at all.

I very much believe in publishing for yourself first and foremost, and entertainment second. Not everyone’s gonna like it. That sounds like their problem, not yours.

 

[BobbyBrandt]

At the story length mentioned, placing it within the N/N category is certainly an option.

Readers that favor that category tend to be a bit more introspective where "dark" story content is concerned.

 

[GlasDomDaddy]

It's probably going to be "too painful and disturbing" for the general Lit audience, and that's from someone who just published a story about a terminally-ill MC. Even with the right tagging and the boilerplate disclaimers on triggering, maybe it's just too much, full stop. This is about fun, after all, right? People don't come to Lit to be reminded of things they maybe want to forget. There's a difference I think between writing erotica and writing hard sex fiction.

I think there's space for everything; I certainly ended up here because I write my own niche. It's not popular, it's outside of the mainstream. Some people like it, and those that do struggle to find it. I'd imagine it's the same for your style too.

Remember you're writing your material for the people that enjoy it rather than the people who dislike it. Of course you're also writing for yourself, your own expression. You borderline have a responsibility to keep going.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Just publish the damn thing. This angsty wringing of the wrists is bollocks. Just get on with it, or go sit on a beach and watch a sunset.

 

[Rob_Royale]

Just publish the damn thing. This angsty wringing of the wrists is bollocks. Just get on with it, or go sit on a beach and watch a sunset.

Don't mince words EB, tell us how you really feel.

 

[onehitwanda]

“Publish and be damned!” - Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington.

so what if you're not for everyone? You're for someone!

 

[ElectricBlue]

Don't mince words EB, tell us how you really feel.

Yeah, well, seriously? That's a first world writer's problem, if ever I saw one!

That was the restrained version, my first reaction was definitely not suitable for the kiddies .

 

[Bazzle]

Its an interesting one.
In my sphere of fetish fiction, peeps almost turn their nose up at the sex, preferring the smoking!

 

[NoTalentHack]

So... I've got a pretty thick skin and across 110+ stories I've been called out for just about everything, good and bad. Then this came up in @SamYork 's comments on A Place Beyond The Horizon:

@Thorlol : "I am actually disappointed. [story spoiler questions] I really hoped for an conclusion here because I just cant read the stories from oneagainst. Way too painful and disturbing"

I'm glad they took the time to comment. It shows an honesty and a commitment to the storyline, but of all the (in this case indirect) comments about my work I've ever read this is only the second one that stopped me in my tracks.

I've finished 'The Light Between The Trees', all 17 ch and 82k words, and have it scheduled to start rolling out from next week. I think it's the best thing I've ever done, with some of the deepest characters and it twists and turns in all sorts of unexpected ways, and it's *hot*. It's psychological, exploring something that is very dark but is ultimately a love story, touching on PTSD and Autassassinophilia, and NC/R was probably the best category for that. I really love it, and it was meant to be the last backstory before I finished the massive story arc with Only Consenting Adults, but now I'm thinking I should shelve it.

It's probably going to be "too painful and disturbing" for the general Lit audience, and that's from someone who just published a story about a terminally-ill MC. Even with the right tagging and the boilerplate disclaimers on triggering, maybe it's just too much, full stop. This is about fun, after all, right? People don't come to Lit to be reminded of things they maybe want to forget. There's a difference I think between writing erotica and writing hard sex fiction.

You should definitely publish it. Might it be rejected by the general LitE audience? Hell, will it probably, based on your description? Yes. And that's exactly why you should publish it.

There are plenty of stroke stories on the site. Plenty of HEA; hell, I've written a fair number. But, at least for me, that's not what I come here to read. I like that there are stories that twist together notions of mortality, self-actualization, and all of the other things that make us human. And that includes sex. That's what people can find on this site that they can't easily find anywhere else: a full spectrum of experience.

Plenty of places out there for stroke stories. Plenty of places for "serious" literary fiction about the lives of... whatever. But even those tend to be somewhat neutered; I don't mean that as a pun, but it works that way, too.

So, yes, publish. The site and its readers are better for your contributions, including the darker ones. Especially the darker ones.

p.s. Also, watch your back: I'll be up to 10 categories tomorrow, including an audio story that was published today!

 

[MelissaBaby]

Just publish the damn thing. This angsty wringing of the wrists is bollocks. Just get on with it, or go sit on a beach and watch a sunset.

Due to circumstances beyond our control, the part of Lovecraft68 will now be performed by ElectricBlue66.

 

[MelissaBaby]

There is no “general Lit audience”, anymore than there is a general Amazon audience or a general Spotify audience.

I’ve posted stories here about addiction, incarceration, murder, miscarriage, the deaths of spouses and parents. I’ve had characters lost at sea, lynched by an angry mob, buried under a massive pile of logs and torn to pieces by a pack of coyotes.

I don’t agree that people just read here for fun. There are a myriad of reasons they read here. Most come because they want something that gets them hot, or gets them off or both.

The biggest group of people who go to Amazon for books buy diet and self help bullshit. The people who publish there in other genres are under no obligation to make sure that their characters eat right or do yoga.

I’m thinking about my story where the main character suffers a miscarriage. I did not get any feedback complaining that it was an inappropriate subject on Lit. What I did get were multiple messages from people thanking me for telling a story that addressed something they had gone through in their lives.

 

[NoTalentHack]

I’m thinking about my story where the main character suffers a miscarriage. I did not get any feedback complaining that it was an inappropriate subject on Lit. What I did get were multiple messages from people thanking me for telling a story that addressed something they had gone through in their lives.

This right here. My story that ends with the suicide of the main character saw people reach out to me to talk about how they had almost ended their lives and didn't, and how my story gave them an odd sense of closure, how they finally felt comfortable sharing with someone, even if it was just a stranger on the internet, how close they came. My story on dealing with a spouse in a memory care facility had so many people reach out to me to thank me for talking about something so painful, that they felt seen in a way they hadn't before. My story about a husband being abandoned by the wife that he'd taken care of through a long illness after she recovered actually led to one of the best friendships I've made on this site.

I won't say the stroke stories don't matter; they do. They're a fun release (sorry) from everyday concerns. But the ones that are about more than that? They're what people really need, rather than just what they want. And they're the ones that matter most.

 

[oneagainst]

Just publish the damn thing. This angsty wringing of the wrists is bollocks. Just get on with it, or go sit on a beach and watch a sunset.

Noted on the sunsets thing, though the suggestion about putting it into N/N from @NotWise and @BobbyBrandt was a little more practical - too cloudy here today. I hadn't thought of N/N, not my usual crowd.

@seraph_nocturne thanks for the offer - I'm assuming the deadline you mention is the Geek Day story contest? That's all that's going on in the world at the moment right? If you're good after that, ping me and I'll send it through... would appreciate an opinion

 

[SeraphNocturne]

Noted on the sunsets thing, though the suggestion about putting it into N/N from @NotWise and @BobbyBrandt was a little more practical - too cloudy here today. I hadn't thought of N/N, not my usual crowd.

@seraph_nocturne thanks for the offer - I'm assuming the deadline you mention is the Geek Day story contest? That's all that's going on in the world at the moment right? If you're good after that, ping me and I'll send it through... would appreciate an opinion

Oh no, I've managed to get my independent submission in a few days ago and the collaboration is now in the hands of my co-author, my part in it is complete. These are other writing endeavors, one for compensation and one for an ongoing series. I've been trying for once a week publishing here on site, but the story Event threw me off, so I'm a little behind.

All the same, I'm be happy to look it over for you as soon as I have a moment, I'll DM you my e-mail address. I'm sure I'm bound to get distracted at some point today, so I might as well dedicate that time to helping out a fellow author.