Introductions and First Story

[Mudak]

Hello, everyone. I just thought I'd provide a quick introduction. I'm in my mid-30's and live in Suburban Philadelphia. I've been writing erotica for friends and potential love interests for years but finally decided to take a story called The Secret to a Long & Happy Marriage to as widespread an audience as what Literotica can provide.

I've gotten some reasonably positive reviews to this story since I posted it a couple of weeks ago, but one person made a comment that struck me in a way I hadn't quite anticipated. It was with my decision to categorize the story as a mind control story. My correspondent said that this story doesn't really fit the mold of what normally passes for mind control stories, which is to say that there's no evil mind controller (usually male) going around hypnotizing all of the women into having sex with him and his buddies.

I responded by agreeing with him, but a part of my personal fascination with mind control ties in with the fact that it's almost a cliche that our brains are our biggest sex organs out there, and if we can do something to tweak that fact, wouldn't that qualify as mind control, too?

So, I'd appreciate any feedback people can provide, both in terms of the story itself and whether or not I made a mistake in giving this story a mind control tag...

 

[sr71plt]

Congratulations for having only one off-center comment on a story posted for two weeks. You needn't worry about any comment on where a story is posted on this site, as the editors will post it where they think appropriate regardless of what the author requested. If both the author and the editors agree about where it is categorized, they are the only ones who really matter in the decision.

 

[Darkniciad]

I skimmed through, homing in on the references to the box, since you made it clear that it was the key in the beginning. It may not fit the mold of the average MC story, but I think it qualifies just fine. The magic wasn't a choice. It was put upon them without their knowledge. In the case of your story, unlike most in the category, it was done out of love and for the good, rather than for lust and power.

It would have fit in Sci-Fi/Fantasy as well, but you put the story into the hands of a lot more readers by choosing MC. To me, it's a refreshing break from the norm of the category.

I'll be back to read this one all the way through and vote, but even the quick skim was enough for me to know that I'm going to enjoy it. Only thing that sucks is that I know the ending now *laugh*

 

[CWatson]

a part of my personal fascination with mind control ties in with the fact that it's almost a cliche that our brains are our biggest sex organs out there, and if we can do something to tweak that fact, wouldn't that qualify as mind control, too?

And that's why your moron reader left his moron comment.

Basically, there are two kinds of readers and two kinds of writers. One kind likes to be challenged when they read something--to be taken to new places, given new thoughts, and have their world changed. The other just wants something comfortable, like an old broken-in pair of shoes. One wants to go charging out into the world; the other is seeking shelter from it.

There's another "two kinds of readers" scale too. (Actually, there's tons of 'em, but let's stick to these two.) Reader Type One is of the live-and-let-live philosophy; Reader Type Two gets offended whenever someone writes / he reads something he doesn't like. Such readers are best classified with the label of "moron."

You wrote something that offends him. And since your job, as a writer, is to please him and cater to his whims... Well, that can't be stood for! Get back into line, Mr. Mudak! We'll have no "strange new worlds" or "breaking cliches" or "creativity" from you! Comfort food, 24/7, and no exotics!

*rolleyes*

Fortunately, there is good news from this little incident. You set out with the specific intention of writing something new under the sun, yes?--something not cliched and spinning the genre out in a new direction. Well, you succeeded--If you hadn't, Mr. Moron Reader here wouldn't've had anything to complain about. His irritation proves your success. So take heart: you did it right.

 

[Mudak]

For the record -- and I apologize if I wasn't clear on this point earlier -- my correspondent did like the story. It's just that it didn't fit their preconceived notions of the MC genre, if you would.