First Step?

[alterateErotica]

Forgive me if this is not the appropriate sub forum, I've been poking around them all trying to figure out where the best place to ask this type of question is and while I'm not sure I've figured it out this seems like it might be the right place.

I've been working on a story for a few weeks now which I would like to try and post to the main site. I've done some erotic writing before, but only for my wife. This is the first time I've considered putting something out to the public I'm not certain if the best first move is to simply submit it and ask for some feedback in the feedback forum or start by trying to find a volunteer editor to run through it. What advice might you give someone looking for genuine feedback on the work as a first step?

Thanks for any advice, please let me know if there is additional detail that might help.
-AE

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Forgive me if this is not the appropriate sub forum, I've been poking around them all trying to figure out where the best place to ask this type of question is and while I'm not sure I've figured it out this seems like it might be the right place.

I've been working on a story for a few weeks now which I would like to try and post to the main site. I've done some erotic writing before, but only for my wife. This is the first time I've considered putting something out to the public I'm not certain if the best first move is to simply submit it and ask for some feedback in the feedback forum or start by trying to find a volunteer editor to run through it. What advice might you give someone looking for genuine feedback on the work as a first step?

Thanks for any advice, please let me know if there is additional detail that might help.
-AE

I really recommend an editor. There are some readers of this site who will get positively nasty about any discrepancies or grammatical errors, irregardless of the merit of the writing. Having another set of eyes look at it will prevent such things and just might help you with sequencing, character development, etc.

 

[TheeGoatPig]

I really recommend an editor. There are some readers of this site who will get positively nasty about any discrepancies or grammatical errors, irregardless of the merit of the writing. Having another set of eyes look at it will prevent such things and just might help you with sequencing, character development, etc.

Speaking of which... (that's not a real word )

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Speaking of which... (that's not a real word )

Yeah, and I can't figure out what the spellcheck icon is.

 

[doormouse]

Yep, definately use the editor.

Some poor bastards really get heckled when they get grammar wrong... and DON"T change a character's name half way through a story. Seen it before and the poor author got hundreds of nasty feedback left.

Welcome to AH

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Yup, TGP is right. What I meant was 'regardless'. Yet somehow I'm sure I've seen it begun with an Ir somewhere . . .

 

[JackLuis]

You sure you didn't mean antidisirregardless?

 

[SweetErika]

Yup, TGP is right. What I meant was 'regardless'. Yet somehow I'm sure I've seen it begun with an Ir somewhere . . .

It might have been one of Shrubya's favorite ways to mangle English.

Alter, my preference as a writer and reader is getting feedback from an editor and/or beta reader(s) before submission. Doing so usually makes for a much better piece for the readers and far more personal satisfaction for me as an author (I wouldn't feel great if I didn't do my part to put my best possible work out there, and editing is a huge component of that).

Plus, I wouldn't feel good about piling extra work on the Lit editors by resubmitting pieces that I failed to edit and get really good feedback on prior to the first submission. In my mind, it's one thing to make changes (based on reader feedback or whatever) on a piece that I polished up as much as possible before it was originally submitted; it's quite another to resubmit because I was too lazy or anxious to go through the editing process prior to the first submission.

How you go about it depends on your own priorities, though. If you're concerned about maximizing your readers' enjoyment and can commit to the editing process (some authors aren't and/or can't), you'll likely want to give getting feedback first a shot.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

You sure you didn't mean antidisirregardless?

I might, you know. I really might.

 

[alterateErotica]

I really recommend an editor. There are some readers of this site who will get positively nasty about any discrepancies or grammatical errors, irregardless of the merit of the writing. Having another set of eyes look at it will prevent such things and just might help you with sequencing, character development, etc.

I'll have at least one good set of eyes on the grammatical as my wife (who is an English teacher) will be reviewing things. However, she's a bit too close (to say the least!) to the subject matter to be objective. So it really is things like pacing and character development and my stylistic tendencies that I'm looking for feedback on prior to putting something up.

I'm not going to jump on you for irregardless, but it's one of those nails on a chalkboard things for me too I'm not sure it bothers me as much as using literally when one clearly means figuratively, but hey... I'm new here, verbose, prone to over utilization and improper use of both ellipsis (and parenthetical asides) so who am I to judge.

Also, thanks for the response, it really is quite helpful to hear from others.

Yep, definately use the editor.

Some poor bastards really get heckled when they get grammar wrong... and DON"T change a character's name half way through a story. Seen it before and the poor author got hundreds of nasty feedback left.

Welcome to AH

Thanks doormouse for the nice welcome. This thread is convincing me to find an editor. I'll shoot over to the editors forum after a bit more work on this piece and start that solicitation process.

Alter, my preference as a writer and reader is getting feedback from an editor and/or beta reader(s) before submission. Doing so usually makes for a much better piece for the readers and far more personal satisfaction for me as an author (I wouldn't feel great if I didn't do my part to put my best possible work out there, and editing is a huge component of that).

SweetErika, how do you go about finding folks to serve as beta readers for your stuff prior to submission? I've got a sense from poking around the boards on how to solicit for a volunteer editor but what process would a new contributor use to find someone to actually read their work to see if it's genuinely interesting? I've not seen too many requests for that type of assistance. I'd love to find some people that would be my "target audience" to read what I'm writing and let me know if it's working or not.

Plus, I wouldn't feel good about piling extra work on the Lit editors by resubmitting pieces that I failed to edit and get really good feedback on prior to the first submission. In my mind, it's one thing to make changes (based on reader feedback or whatever) on a piece that I polished up as much as possible before it was originally submitted; it's quite another to resubmit because I was too lazy or anxious to go through the editing process prior to the first submission.

It seems, if I'm reading between the lines properly here, that you're suggesting one genuinely take the process seriously instead of just trying to get something up on the site. I would certainly agree with that. I've written a fair bit of what likely would, or at least could, pass for erotica to my wife over the years as one method of communicating with her about what's going on in my head. I wouldn't imagine submitting that type of work for public consumption. Certainly I have no interest in being overbearing to the site's editors.

How you go about it depends on your own priorities, though. If you're concerned about maximizing your readers' enjoyment and can commit to the editing process (some authors aren't and/or can't), you'll likely want to give getting feedback first a shot.

Indeed! While it would be a mess to really try and understand what my priorities (read motivation) at the moment are, it's certainly the case that I want to produce something that is worth reading not just to throw my particular brand of kink out there to satisfy anything base. I'm in no rush to get something out, will be much happier to get some less public feedback first.

--

Thanks everyone for the helpful suggestions and moderate abuse of voluptuary_manque for the irregardless faux pas.
Also, my spell checker accepts irregardless... I should file a bug report.


-AE

 

[SweetErika]

SweetErika, how do you go about finding folks to serve as beta readers for your stuff prior to submission? I've got a sense from poking around the boards on how to solicit for a volunteer editor but what process would a new contributor use to find someone to actually read their work to see if it's genuinely interesting? I've not seen too many requests for that type of assistance. I'd love to find some people that would be my "target audience" to read what I'm writing and let me know if it's working or not.

For beta readers, I've used other members who are experienced writers or simply write and think in ways I respect, and a few friends who enjoy erotica. In all, I think I got feedback from five or six people, and that felt just about right in terms of getting the right amount of diverse opinions and suggestions.

In your situation, I'd put out a call for beta readers who typically enjoy the subject matter of my story on the Editors' or Story Feedback forum (or even here, in the AH). In addition to that, I'd likely keep my eyes open for well-written, thoughtful, knowledgeable posts on the board and ask the authors of such posts if they'd be interested in beta reading for me via PM. Another option might be to request help from authors of excellent stories that focus on the same topic.

 

[oggbashan]

... and DON"T change a character's name half way through a story. Seen it before and the poor author got hundreds of nasty feedback left.

Welcome to AH

Done that. I often start stories with vanilla names for the characters and as the story develops change the name(s) to suit the character as formed. I use find/replace in Word but sometimes forget to check for possessives. For example, John gets changed to Robert, but "John's" won't be found. On the worst example I wrote two-thirds of the story, changed the name, and then cut and pasted the ending I had already written without changing the name in that ending. Duh!

The feedback was far better than I deserved.

Og

 

[Boxlicker101]

Yeah, and I can't figure out what the spellcheck icon is.

Do you have Spellcheck on things you post here? I know I certainly don't, and sometimes it would come in handy.

 

[alterateErotica]

Do you have Spellcheck on things you post here? I know I certainly don't, and sometimes it would come in handy.

Firefox has one built right into the browser, checks as you type.

 

[alterateErotica]

Well thanks for the advice everyone.
I've finally managed to finish my first Draft (Is it absurd that it took three weeks to get out only 8500 words?)

I've gone through the volunteer editors and found one that also publishes whose fairly extensive body of work is varied and contains some similar subject matter to my own. We'll see if I get a response.

Once I do get some edits, I'll start the search for a few volunteer readers as well.

Thanks again for all the advice and feedback on the process.
-AE

 

[Handley_Page]

Well thanks for the advice everyone.
I've finally managed to finish my first Draft (Is it absurd that it took three weeks to get out only 8500 words?)

-AE

As quick as that ?.
I'm on the 10th revision and it's been several months.

 

[Boxlicker101]

Well thanks for the advice everyone.
I've finally managed to finish my first Draft (Is it absurd that it took three weeks to get out only 8500 words?)

I've gone through the volunteer editors and found one that also publishes whose fairly extensive body of work is varied and contains some similar subject matter to my own. We'll see if I get a response.

Once I do get some edits, I'll start the search for a few volunteer readers as well.

Thanks again for all the advice and feedback on the process.
-AE

Three weeks is no big deal. I have some I have been working on for years. I always have about thirty stories in some degree of completion.