In the Dark

[Zeb_Carter]

So I was going through some of the old comments on one of my more popular stories still up here a Lit...Reality. I shut down comments and voting a long time ago, but they are persistent in the database. Anyway, I was going through them and this one, out of all of the 46 there, caught my eye as unusual.

a writer
04/02/10 By: Anonymous
a writer your not, there has to be something wrong with you if you could casually kill three people even in a story.

I wonder where this person grew up, what they read growing up that they have never read a book where someone had casually killed people. Hell, I read young adult books were people were killed, growing up. Was this person brought up deep in some cave where the only thing she, and I say she as it just feels like a she, watched on TV was the Donna Reed Show, I Love Lucy and My 3 Sons and read nothing but the bible, except there is a lot of killing in there.

Well that's all, I was just wondering where a person like that grew up.

 

[LadyVer]

Weird comment. I guess if the reader was looking for a feel good story, they thought Lit was the answer? Maybe they thought an erotica site only has stories with sex and nothing but sex? No one dies, and everyone lives happily ever, after wanking.

 

[SamScribble]

'[A] writer your not'? I think I would have stopped reading at that point. If someone doesn't know your from you're, they are not allowed an opinion.

 

[patientlee]

'[A] writer your not'? I think I would have stopped reading at that point. If someone doesn't know your from you're, they are not allowed an opinion.

Especially when they try to make it all fancy like that.

 

[lovecraft68]

I've gotten a few like that in my SWB series, but calling out the drug addiction and abuse aspects.

This was a private one that I printed at one point for motivation because it was exactly what I was looking for as I was writing it

"Sibs with Benefits: Too dark, too close to reality in its starkness and suffering. I.E. may be well written, but certainly no longer erotic and indeed not something I wish to read in full"

I think with comments like that and the one you posted its that people may not expect to find things like that on an erotic story site. The average person comes here for a good wank or a fun sexy story or maybe a sweet romance.

I admit to being a bit surprised with how much violence is in some of the material here and that's not even including the pit of loving wives.

So I pretty much decided some people have preconceptions of what they expected to be on a sex site.

Just my two cents.

 

[Handley_Page]

There was a conversation on our radio this morning about the quality of the spoken language (in my case, English). One item was mentioned in the confusion of writing it down:
'YOUR' when confused (?) with 'YOU'RE'

It's one that gets right up my nose.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

I've gotten a few like that in my SWB series, but calling out the drug addiction and abuse aspects.

This was a private one that I printed at one point for motivation because it was exactly what I was looking for as I was writing it

"Sibs with Benefits: Too dark, too close to reality in its starkness and suffering. I.E. may be well written, but certainly no longer erotic and indeed not something I wish to read in full"

I think with comments like that and the one you posted its that people may not expect to find things like that on an erotic story site. The average person comes here for a good wank or a fun sexy story or maybe a sweet romance.

I admit to being a bit surprised with how much violence is in some of the material here and that's not even including the pit of loving wives.

So I pretty much decided some people have preconceptions of what they expected to be on a sex site.

Just my two cents.

My newest escapade into Loving Wives is pending. I put a note at the beginning so those sharks over there would know what to expect.

Authors Note: This story takes place in an alternate reality, where there are no STD’s, no AID’s and sex is a joyful and happy experience. This story depicts sex between a wife and several men that are not her husband. If that is not your cup of tea, then why read it, move on.

Now to see how many emails I get as I tuned off voting and comments.

 

[Quiet_Cool]

I've gotten a few like that in my SWB series, but calling out the drug addiction and abuse aspects.

This was a private one that I printed at one point for motivation because it was exactly what I was looking for as I was writing it

"Sibs with Benefits: Too dark, too close to reality in its starkness and suffering. I.E. may be well written, but certainly no longer erotic and indeed not something I wish to read in full"

Honestly, I'm sure whoever sent you this intended to be critical, even if they are unoffensive about it, but two things:

One, obviously you struck a nerve in that they wrote to you in the first place, even though they apparently never even finished the story.

Two, consider the possibility that striking said nerve might not be the key point you intend with your audience. It might be an effective response, but hitting such a nerve by accident might not be best for what you wanted to do with the story.

I only mention this latter point because I recall reading posts implying you're learning as you go. Thought I'd say it in case it hadn't occurred to you yet.

Q_C

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Every one of my loving wives stories had a point.

That point was to strike a nerve.

Good or bad, I struck many a nerve.

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Every one of my loving wives stories had a point.

That point was to strike a nerve.

Good or bad, I struck many a nerve.

Unless things have changed since my posting days, the most vanilla title in said category could strike almost every nerve.

Q_C

 

[lovecraft68]

Honestly, I'm sure whoever sent you this intended to be critical, even if they are unoffensive about it, but two things:

One, obviously you struck a nerve in that they wrote to you in the first place, even though they apparently never even finished the story.

Two, consider the possibility that striking said nerve might not be the key point you intend with your audience. It might be, but hitting such a nerve by accident might not be best for what you wanted to do with the story.

I only mention this latter point because I recall reading posts implying you're learning as you go. Thought I'd say it in case it hadn't occurred to you yet.

Q_C

Hey QC, long time no see.

I think if I am understanding you correctly you're saying I may have reached my goal, but was my goal to alienate an audience.

My answer is to a degree yes. I set out to create a series that was vastly different from the majority of the incest category and to also write something dark that would not be for everyone.

That comment told me I did indeed do that. Now is it a shame they(and I am sure many others) did not finish it? I suppose in a way it is. The series was never nearly as popular as mindless stroke works or "landmark" series like Conflicted or Party of Five.

My scores are great, but the view and vote totals very low for its genre. However, the series had a small and very loyal following and they were supportive in their comments and e-mails. For the people that grasped the concept it was a good series. For those who wanted light and fluffy it was s turn off.

So I consider it a success in that it was never meant to be for everyone. It was my baby, my way and my baby was a dark depressing train wreck that never relented. I never caved to popular demand or watered it down for ratings and comments.

I pride myself on that especially when a lot of what you see is threads where authors are very worried about how their work is received. I never had that fear as SWB #1 was only my third story so now having been here awhile it strikes me that my being able to adhere to my principles for the story is not all that common.

I will also add that this is a free site so what really did I lose if people did not read it?

 

[3113]

Well that's all, I was just wondering where a person like that grew up.

I'd guess that they don't read much at all. But it seems what they objected to was your "casual" killing of the characters. Now I have no idea what that means, but apparently this reader equates such casual killing of characters with bad writing.

Maybe he/she doesn't like characters killed off at all, but it seems like he/she just didn't like your killing off of this many characters in the way you killed them off. And that might also have to do with the fact that they were reading erotica where the vast majority of stories haven't much complexity beyond getting the characters to have sex. So, unexpected deaths might have unpleasantly surprised them.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

I'd guess that they don't read much at all. But it seems what they objected to was your "casual" killing of the characters. Now I have no idea what that means, but apparently this reader equates such casual killing of characters with bad writing.

Maybe he/she doesn't like characters killed off at all, but it seems like he/she just didn't like your killing off of this many characters in the way you killed them off. And that might also have to do with the fact that they were reading erotica where the vast majority of stories haven't much complexity beyond getting the characters to have sex. So, unexpected deaths might have unpleasantly surprised them.

3, it was Loving Wives. The opening paragraph tips you off that something unpleasant has happened. And yet she/he kept reading.

Why? In hopes that he shot the family cat?

A loving wives store where the husband is holding a gun in the first paragraph doesn't bode well for any of the characters.

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Hey QC, long time no see...

...I will also add that this is a free site so what really did I lose if people did not read it?

Fair statement, just was pointing out potential contrast to intent. My concern eas that you hadn't noticed the potential previous to posting; more specifically, that you might not realize such in a work you take more seriously.

A loving wives store where the husband is holding a gun in the first paragraph doesn't bode well for any of the characters.

I thought it was a Loving Wives tradition for the reader to hold the gun?

Q_C

 

[patientlee]

3, it was Loving Wives. The opening paragraph tips you off that something unpleasant has happened. And yet she/he kept reading.

Why? In hopes that he shot the family cat?

A loving wives store where the husband is holding a gun in the first paragraph doesn't bode well for any of the characters.

You'd be criticized for killing the cat too.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

I thought it was a Loving Wives tradition for the reader to hold the gun?

Q_C

It might be, to bad they never seem to be able to use it in the proper manner.

You'd be criticized for killing the cat too.

Not if she was fucking around on her tom.

 

[Bramblethorn]

Not if she was fucking around on her tom.

Damnit, you beat me to it.

...you know, somebody ought to write that as a LW troll story. Cindy lives with Max, a decent hard-working guy who slaves all day to put food on the table while she just lazes around and does nothing. Then at night when he's asleep she sneaks out and has promiscuous anonymous rough sex and gets knocked up by a big black fellow, then comes home and expects Max to take care of the kids.

I reckon if you do it right you could make their heads explode before the final reveal.

 

[patientlee]

Damnit, you beat me to it.

...you know, somebody ought to write that as a LW troll story. Cindy lives with Max, a decent hard-working guy who slaves all day to put food on the table while she just lazes around and does nothing. Then at night when he's asleep she sneaks out and has promiscuous anonymous rough sex and gets knocked up by a big black fellow, then comes home and expects Max to take care of the kids.

I reckon if you do it right you could make their heads explode before the final reveal.

I'll pass. One trip through LW is enough for me.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Damnit, you beat me to it.

...you know, somebody ought to write that as a LW troll story. Cindy lives with Max, a decent hard-working guy who slaves all day to put food on the table while she just lazes around and does nothing. Then at night when he's asleep she sneaks out and has promiscuous anonymous rough sex and gets knocked up by a big black fellow, then comes home and expects Max to take care of the kids.

I reckon if you do it right you could make their heads explode before the final reveal.

You evidently haven't read the story we are talking about. Reality.