I want more interaction with readers!

[Unverzagt]

I am new to this site. I have posted 2 stories and feel like they have been received well, judging from the votes, but there aren't that many total votes (compared to the count of people viewing my stories). Also, I have had very few public comments or direct feedback (via PM).

I'm sure my fellow contributors come to forums like this often, but what about the general reader? Is this a valid place to ask for feedback from anyone and everyone? I certainly would like to have some more interaction with my readers.

I'd especially like to know what people like/dislike about my stories, what there could be more or less of, and that sort of thing. Even just discussing the characters and the situations would be fine with me, including suggestions for continuations (which I may or may not heed, naturally). In fact, any comments would be welcome!

First Time Jacking Off in Public: College friends get a jack-off show.
published 1/12/10 in Exhibitionist & Voyeur
http://www.literotica.com/stories/showstory.php?id=458758

Christmas Surprise: Jacking off for a pregnant friend.
published 1/20/10 in Exhibitionist & Voyeur
http://www.literotica.com/stories/showstory.php?id=459676

 

[CWatson]

what about the general reader? Is this a valid place to ask for feedback from anyone and everyone?

The readers? In short: no, it is not. There is no such place.

Speaking only for myself, I get about one feedback-board message for every 500 or so readers. Now, I write niche fiction which lacks broad appeal, because I emphasize character development over sex, so for other authors the reader-to-responder ratio might be higher. But it's not going to be much higher. The vast majority of readers are happy to be passive consumers, and that's just something we have to live with.

 

[sr71plt]

II'm sure my fellow contributors come to forums like this often, but what about the general reader? Is this a valid place to ask for feedback from anyone and everyone? I certainly would like to have some more interaction with my readers.

Sure this is a valid place to ask for feedback. That's the name of this part of the forum, "Story Feedback." Whether anyone chooses to give feedback is their choice alone, though. Those who do have several options--a comment directly on the story or in e-mail or PM to the author and/or posting their comment on this board.

Response from the reader, though, is entirely up to the reader.

 

[Mrtouf]

First Time Jacking Off in Public

I liked the story itself because you've done a great job with your characters and you have no trouble drawing the reader in with with description.

However, as read in the browser, the paragraphing can be a little daunting. Not a big deal, it's just that there are a few places that you could have added a break for reading's sake. For example:

Rick looked at me and asked if I was enjoying this video, one he and I had watched together maybe a few weeks before. He knew I was from the enormous bulge in my pants! He leaned over and asked quietly if he could touch it. Drew was so engrossed in the video that she wasn't paying any attention to us at this moment. I told Rick if we could get Drew in on it too, maybe we all could put on a show for each other. Rick, far from being subtle and often quite lacking in tact, announced he was hot and wondered if anyone else was. It was just about autumn, and I had the windows cracked, so I told him he could take his shirt off if he wanted to, rather than turn on a fan or the A/C. He said he'd feel dumb if he were the only one sitting there without his shirt on. Neither Drew nor I responded.

You could split that and end up with this:

Rick looked at me and asked if I was enjoying this video, one he and I had watched together maybe a few weeks before. He knew I was from the enormous bulge in my pants! He leaned over and asked quietly if he could touch it. Drew was so engrossed in the video that she wasn't paying any attention to us at this moment.

I told Rick if we could get Drew in on it too, maybe we all could put on a show for each other. Rick, far from being subtle and often quite lacking in tact, announced he was hot and wondered if anyone else was. It was just about autumn, and I had the windows cracked, so I told him he could take his shirt off if he wanted to, rather than turn on a fan or the A/C. He said he'd feel dumb if he were the only one sitting there without his shirt on.

Neither Drew nor I responded.

It doesn't destroy the meaning of that part of the story, but it has a subtle effect on the pacing.

Also, at the start of the story it says that the subject turns to sex. In my opinion it might be an idea to add a few lines of dialogue at the start so that they do start talking about sex, and set the mood.


Christmas Surprise

You avoid making it too similar to the other story, but you keep the thing that the reader is looking forward to. Good job with that.

I didn't like how you did the backstory about how the first person is attracted to Katy and his wife Allison is okay with it. The way it comes across is a lot of first person thoughts all at once. I think that if he had this conversation with his wife (again) for the benefit of the reader, before they went to sleep, it would seem like a more natural progression to what goes on at 5:00 AM.


Both the stories are satisfying to read and I wouldn't say no to another one in the same vein, long as you keep it interesting.

 

[Unverzagt]

Thanks to everyone who responded here. This is all useful info!

Mrtouf, a special thanks to you for your detailed and thoughtful observations. I really appreciate you taking the time and effort to do this. You have given me several things to think about for future submissions.