How did you find Literotica? Why do you use it?

[spicytortellini]

Doing some research into what the best platform for my writing is, and I was wondering how you call came across this site and what keeps you on it or why you choose to stay. Also, is there anything you wish were different about it or that you'd improve?

 

[ElectricBlue]

I joined Lit in 2014 because I wanted to try my hand at writing erotica. It seemed the best site around at the time.

I published my first pieces and started to get some feedback on the stories (not much, but enough). Joined the AH at the same time and enjoyed the small sense of community, so it started from that. I occasionally contribute to the Feedback and Editors' Forums. None of the other Forums interest me at all - they exhibit varying degrees of brain death, from what I can see, so far as I've wandered into them.

I wrote more, for my own satisfaction, and kept on going. The place still satisfies my needs as a writer, and the writer community is friendly (once I put a few people on Ignore).

I've learned to live with the site's quirks and limitations, and since I don't pay a cent, I don't complain about them. The site's content policies and category arrangements put some kind of a curb up to prevent too much gutter garbage, so that's a plus for me, too.

More reader engagement would be nice, because on the whole they're a reluctant bunch who don't say much, but they say the site is working on that...

 

[SimonDoom]

I have no recollection. I discovered online erotic stories sometime around the turn of the millennium. For a while, I had no favorite site. I probably did searches to find out what the different sites were, and Literotica almost always ranked number one in all the searches. I recall reading stories here and at SOL, and also at ASSTR. Back then everything seemed very unformed and rough. It's still not as polished and up to date as one might thing it would be, given the popularity of the subject.

I was a reader for 15 years before I wrote anything. By the time I started to write Lit was pretty much the only site I went to to read stories. It had the biggest readership and the biggest library of stories, so it seemed liked the obvious place on which to write.

 

[theWollstonecraftWoman]

I've read on the site for years. But this year, I got a bug to share my work and decided to join so I could share. I found searching for dirty stories and Interracial sex stories.

 

[Emilymcplugger]

I’d read on the site for years and loved the stories as an anonymous user, however this year I read SpectorDugan’s story LIKE THE DEVIL WITH A DEAL…and it moved something inside of me. I felt a connection to the characters of this story the like of which I’ve never experienced before and in 48 hours in my head I had the entire sequel to Spector’s story written, HOWEVER, I didn’t want to do this without Spector’s permission so I contacted him, we discussed the possibilities and he allowed me to write my unofficial sequel to his story. In a matter of about 6 weeks I’d got the story done and I was amazed at how inspired I was. I’d never felt a burning, instant, bolt-of-lightning inspiration like that before (usually creativity is just work) but in this case it was revelatory.

Now I’m working on erotic HOT FUZZ, and it’s back to being tricky and slow.

 

[PennameWombat]

I’d read other erotic sites, mainly ASSTR, for a long time. While I thought about writing, that sites lack of any guidelines didn’t enthuse me about contributing. I saw mention of Literotica sometime early in 2018. At the same time, I also did a couple of short workshops on creative writing. I’d long done software, technical writing and the like, but I’d done little creative or erotica writing since high school (decades ago.)

Lit offered an opportunity to put stories out for some level of response, and was open to almost any genre. My interest is on SF&F and related (NonHuman, Erotic Horror, even many of my ‘straight’ stories pull in some fantastical elements) and this site offered those. The contests and events are nice prompts, not that I always enter, but they provide nice food for thought. I don’t pay much attention to any forum but AH, enough politics without getting it here, too.

I’d like more stats, such as page reads, not just views. Not that those would be published, but that they’d be available to the authors. I’m not sure I’d want the comments to real-time and threaded, I don’t know if I’d get more under those conditions. I’m sure some authors would like that.

 

[Northstar4695]

I have been reading stories here for a long time. In my profession, I do quite a bit of writing, but nonfiction. I have always had extensive fantasies in my head. Eventually I decided I should try to write one down to see if I could do it. It was a real thrill for my first few stories to be well received and I have kept going. I only wish I could get more written and posted.

 

[alohadave]

I used to read SOL as my main stories site. It served my needs for a long time. I had heard of Lit, but never really paid much attention to it until a few years ago. The amount of stories and the daily submissions here blows SOL out of the water.

Most of my reading is here now, because of the volume. But I have long stories that I follow over on SOL that are far easier to keep track of than here. For one, chapters add to a story instead of being their own thing. They also have a feed for updated stories, so you can look for new uploads, or updates.

SOL doesn't have the 18+ restriction that Lit does, so if you want to do coming of age or high school age stories, you can (and there is some squicky stuff there with younger characters). Lit has the hard 18+ limit that makes some stories really weird like everyone in high school are 18 and 19 years old.

And for some reason, the links here do not mark read after reading them, so I have to keep track in my head of everything I've read to avoid reading things multiple times, and it happens from time to time. The interface could use a lot of updates. I understand how big of a task that would be, so it is what it is.

But, the stories and readers are here, so if you want people to see your work, it's a good place to be.

 

[KeithD]

I found Literotica by recommendation. I post here because of the high volume of readers. I post elsewhere too, though.

 

[ElectricBlue]

And for some reason, the links here do not mark read after reading them, so I have to keep track in my head of everything I've read to avoid reading things multiple times, and it happens from time to time. The interface could use a lot of updates. I understand how big of a task that would be, so it is what it is.

Vote on the story and the system will remember you. That way, you'll get a pleasant surprise when you think, "I thought that story was familiar," when you discover you've already voted, and the Alzheimer's worry isn't so bad.

 

[colorfulnayyy]

I think I looked erotica stories to read and this site popped up for me several years ago...and I've been hooked ever since.

 

[sirhugs]

When White shadows/Black Shadows shut down, I googled for stories to read/jerk off to (not yet a writer then). Stumbled onto Lit. still my home.

 

[alohadave]

Vote on the story and the system will remember you. That way, you'll get a pleasant surprise when you think, "I thought that story was familiar," when you discover you've already voted, and the Alzheimer's worry isn't so bad.

Unless there is a view I'm not aware of, you don't see the voting until the end of the last page of the story.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Unless there is a view I'm not aware of, you don't see the voting until the end of the last page of the story.

Correct, but that's why it comes as a surprise, after that "This seems familiar" feeling.

 

[Cindy027]

A friend of mine who used to read some of my more erotic musings suggested I should put some of it out for public consumption. So I found Lit and suffice to say I have not published a thing.

 

[theWollstonecraftWoman]

A friend of mine who used to read some of my more erotic musings suggested I should put some of it out for public consumption. So I found Lit and suffice to say I have not published a thing.

You should do so at once. How might I read it if you don't publish it?

 

[Bramblethorn]

Somehow I seem to have missed a bunch of threads from a month back...

I can't remember exactly how I first found Literotica, but I was reading several other erotica sites/feeds (ASSM, couple of others whose names I've forgotten) and it would've been via one of those. I stay partly because I've made friends here, partly because I've established a small readership here.

 

[Voboy]

I've been reading Lit since before Y2K. I have no clue how I found it; AltaVista probably brought me to it, over a 2400-baud modem that booted me off the internet whenever there was an incoming call...

I joined when I started writing.

 

[Cindy027]

You should do so at once. How might I read it if you don't publish it?

Noooo never, I don’t think I could take the criticism plus it’s more a memoir than fiction. And I honestly don’t think anyone is interested in that.

 

[Rustyoznail]

Give it a whirl Cindy. What's the worst that could happen?

I had an idea for a story that was hammering in my head. I think I googled porn stories and found Lit. Signed up, wrote something, found an editor (thanks Heyall), and been here ever since.

 

[Cindy027]

Give it a whirl Cindy. What's the worst that could happen

Well for one Australia could merge with NZ as it will probably cause the tectonic plates to shift

 

[shakna]

Well for one Australia could merge with NZ as it will probably cause the tectonic plates to shift

What, and then our Australian parliament actually show respect for a female leader? That's never going to happen.

 

[Rustyoznail]

So yo think your story will be that good?

Excellent...