Is it worthwhile?

[Brutal_One]

Late night and maybe too much beer. I got to thinking is it worthwhile? The writing I mean. Of course the answer is yes. But the other question is how do you know? Well again maybe not straight forward an answer. I guess first and foremost are you as the writer happy?

Now I guess it’s easy to say if you published it the answer is yes. But there again maybe we know we sometimes publish when we are not happy. There may be several reasons why. This is not a thread on that.

The next and probably most important yardstick is the rating. Once I understood how it works I can safely say I am happy with it though there are several threads on the subject.

It’s easy enough to appreciate the reaction if you get decent scores. Then there is the H ranking. It’s a decent yardstick but not necessarily something to get hung up about (personally speaking).

Then there is the comments. Personally again it’s interesting in my case as I get practically no comments. It’s not something I worry about but I know for other writers comments may be important. The good, the bad, the ugly. I don’t have the experience to gauge either way. It does not bother me in the slightest that I have little to no comments.

Then there is favourites. For me bizarrely that is the ratings aspect that gives me the most satisfaction. And yes 1 is enough. I do not get a wide readership but again that is not a concern for me.

Irrespective of story date of publish the readers of course increase across all published stories. That is pretty satisfying though of course you can argue that it is voting readers that count. 1 bombs aside (which get periodically wiped anyway it appears) may upset some but is not again a concern.

It’s interesting finally to note in general when more readers read my scores in general go up. It’s very incremental but the direction is nice to see.

Finally I check periodically and of course when a new chapter is added. I am not posting chapters quite as often as when I started out. Other priorities of late take precedence.

Finally I do track when I do update my overall average across all submitted work. Currently that average has always been over 4. Like most writers I have some better chapters and some that are lesser. In all cases the better scoring ones have the most sex content (or I guess better payoff for the readers. But makes sense as it is an erotic story site.)

So to wrap it up is it worthwhile? The answer for me is yes but it’s the subtlety of the feedback, the nuances more than the high scores that arguably let’s you know your writing is worthwhile.

Brutal One

 

[jaF0]

The next and probably most important yardstick is the rating.

Then there is the comments.

Then there is favourites. For me bizarrely that is the ratings aspect that gives me the most satisfaction.

Finally I check periodically

I don't understand that way of thinking. I have comments turned off. I rarely check the pages with the numbers.

I don't need constant pats on the back .. or kicks to the teeth.

 

[PeytonMirabelle]

Depends

I think everyone's personal barometer of "is it worth it?" is going be different, and pretty much they can only answer that for themselves. Some folks might really want good scores, lots of comments, the "H" ... I guess it just depends.

I am happy with my brief time here so far, just because I like getting the stories out of my head. I've been reading on Lit for years and have lots of inspiration. Some readers seem to like my tales; I appreciate the support & feedback and it's all good.

I guess first and foremost are you as the writer happy?

Unless someone is using work here as development ground for monetized products (no judgement if you are, I think that's cool), then what I quoted above is really all that matters. Whatever your personal measuring stick, I say you have to enjoy what you're doing. Otherwise, that's the point?

 

[Thefireflies]

When a story comes to life...

I was writing a story that was struggling to go anywhere, so put it away and began another. The second story was completely different in nature and immediately came alive to me from the first line. I don’t know whether it’ll be good or not in other people’s minds, but for me, right now, it’s worth it, because for me, this particular story is quite literally a page turner (or page scroller). I didn’t know where it would go when I wrote the first lines, and though I vaguely know where the story is going now, I’m still on the journey to get there. I stay up a few hours longer each night writing and wake up tired wishing I could go and continue the journey, because I’m having a blast writing it. It’s totally worthwhile.

 

[NotWise]

If you're internally motivated, then it's worthwhile if writing it fulfilled you in some way; excitement, enjoyment, etc.

If you need some external feedback to make it worthwhile then you're in trouble. You're like Blanche DuBois -- depending on the kindness of strangers.

 

[THROBBS]

I reckon that most writers are driven to tell a story. For some "getting it out of their head" is the important part (PeytonMirabelle) or the joy of having it "come alive" (Thefireflies).

That is one thing, but "publishing"/posting is another. That is sharing it. If the above was "enough", then there would be no point in posting it.

I suspect that even those who are the most blasé about feedback (views, favorites, scores, H's, comments) really do need that to some degree.

That has been my motivation in posting — some validation, some attention, some ego stroke?

 

[SimonDoom]

I think it's definitely worth it, but there's no way to try to confirm the worthiness of it by focusing on the numbers themselves.

When you publish a story, you are connecting with other people in a very special, unique, creative word. Think about how cool it is when somebody says they like your story, or that they achieved orgasm because of your story. That's . . . pretty amazing. I didn't experience that until I was over 50, and before that I'd never published fiction of any kind.

Say your story has 10,000 views. That's not a figure to top annual lists, but think about that. At least hundreds and perhaps thousands of the people that saw your story finished reading it, and probably hundreds or thousands enjoyed it. You added a little erotic sunshine to the world.

Of course there's also the satisfaction that comes just from having written the story, and that's worth a lot, even if it sits on your hard drive, unread by anyone but yourself. But by publishing your story, you are putting your own creative stamp on the world of erotica. Even if in a small way, you are adding joy, art, interest, and a bit of erotic zing to the life of every person who read and enjoyed your story.

I think that's worth it.

 

[SamScribble]

Worthwhile? I think that pretty much anything you enjoy doing is worth doing. I must confess that I don't particularly enjoy the squadron of one-bombers that arrives on Day Three. But time (or the site's owners) tends to sort them out.

 

[KeithD]

I would think that the answer to whether we think it's worthwhile to do all of this is whether we continue to do so.

Of course if we complain about anything in what is a pretty messed-up Web site, we're serving what some users here like to do best--to ask us why we don't just go away.

 

[Rustyoznail]

To me, this is a hobby. Is any hobby worthwhile?

Lori has her horses, a guy at work crochets teapot covers, another has a humungous model train layout, I own a classic car. To someone not into those, they are all a waste of time. But they make the people doing it happy.

Bottom line - I enjoy writing. Now excuse me while I pull the 59 Triumph convertible out of the garage and head down the street via the beach to get some lunch. I need some fresh air to help figure out how I can get a FMF threesome happening for my next story.

 

[SyleusSnow]

If you're internally motivated, then it's worthwhile if writing it fulfilled you in some way; excitement, enjoyment, etc.

If you need some external feedback to make it worthwhile then you're in trouble. You're like Blanche DuBois -- depending on the kindness of strangers.

Poetically put, NotWise. Though some writers claim they only write for themselves and don't care what others think, I'll argue that all artists deep down hope to also affect their audience in some way.

Everything creative is "worth it." You're adding to the universe, which when you look at the sky night is pretty damn empty.

As NotWise says, if you're lucky, what you create fulfills you in some way: quell internal demons, learn something from the research you had to do, or even just makes you laugh.

If you're very, very lucky, stuff you write might also do that for readers.

Case in point: an exercise for writing class I was following called for channeling a person you knew. I dashed off a tiny maudlin thing based on a friend. Wound up having to research the homeless, drawing, computer consulting and a bunch of other stuff. It didn't score very high, but for a few readers it really hit home. Public comments were great, private comments were out. of. this. world.

All of that: Forcing myself to poop out something quick, learning new stuff, and affecting a few readers definitely made it "worth it."

 

[ElectricBlue]

When you publish a story, you are connecting with other people in a very special, unique, creative word. Think about how cool it is when somebody says they like your story, or that they achieved orgasm because of your story. That's . . . pretty amazing. I didn't experience that until I was over 50, and before that I'd never published fiction of any kind.

... just checking I read the "I didn't experience that until I was over 50" bit right... yes, I think so .

Yes, it's a buzz when someone comments, "I came, reading your story," because that's the point (certainly a big part of it ) for me. That's why I'd never turn comments off.

Worth it? Absolutely. If it wasn't, I wouldn't write.

 

[gunhilltrain]

I reckon that most writers are driven to tell a story. For some "getting it out of their head" is the important part (PeytonMirabelle) or the joy of having it "come alive" (Thefireflies).

That is one thing, but "publishing"/posting is another. That is sharing it. If the above was "enough", then there would be no point in posting it.

I suspect that even those who are the most blasé about feedback (views, favorites, scores, H's, comments) really do need that to some degree.

That has been my motivation in posting — some validation, some attention, some ego stroke?

All of that is true in a way. You write it for yourself, but there is also no point unless it's published somewhere and people read it. (It would be nice to get paid too, but that's another story - no pun intended.)

Before the Internet, it was very hard to find any outlet for writing. I was on a college newspaper that let me do what I wanted. But I was only there for two years before political/personal reasons forced me to leave. (It's a long story.) After that came decades when I almost forgot that I once had an interest in writing.

 

[Omenainen]

Late night and maybe too much beer. I got to thinking is it worthwhile? The writing I mean. Of course the answer is yes. But the other question is how do you know? Well again maybe not straight forward an answer. I guess first and foremost are you as the writer happy?

Well, the way I see this is that it must be worthwhile, or else I wouldn't be doing this. Happy? I don't identify as happy I'm not a happy person, that's not the way I'm wired.

MelissaBaby's post about her finished series had me go back to count the words on a story I wrote last year. It was before I started publishing here, and it has no intended outcome, it's not for publishing anywhere, it was just for me. And the three versions I have of it amount to more than a million words put together. I mean, that's a lot of time to put into something, I guess it must be worthwhile.

Now then, the publishing. I do get kicks out of the idea that people are reading my stories, and if my stories weren't received as well as they have, I probably wouldn't have continued publishing. It's a lot more effort to edit a story for publishing purposes than it is just to write it, at least for me, so if I didn't get any feedback and/or if it wasn't positive, I don't think I'd go through the trouble. But I would still be writing. Not the same stories, and maybe not in English, but that's the way I exist so I'd be writing something.

 

[PennameWombat]

If you're internally motivated, then it's worthwhile if writing it fulfilled you in some way; excitement, enjoyment, etc.

If you need some external feedback to make it worthwhile then you're in trouble. You're like Blanche DuBois -- depending on the kindness of strangers.

I’m here because I’ve for a long time had stories but only in my head. But having some time to focus on creative writing didn’t satisfy me with them just on my disk.

Given some of the feedback I’ve experienced in workshops and groups... I didn’t have high expectations of super-duper feedback via comments. That said, even some of the anonymous trolls offer more insight than one gets from random workshop participants And most of what I post here isn’t welcome in most of those workshops and groups.

What I do get is that I know people see my work and every so often a gem pops up in a comment. I’ll never be top-viewed and likely won’t win any contests but what the hell, I get to play.

I think it's definitely worth it, but there's no way to try to confirm the worthiness of it by focusing on the numbers themselves.

When you publish a story, you are connecting with other people in a very special, unique, creative word. Think about how cool it is when somebody says they like your story, or that they achieved orgasm because of your story. That's . . . pretty amazing. I didn't experience that until I was over 50, and before that I'd never published fiction of any kind.

Say your story has 10,000 views. That's not a figure to top annual lists, but think about that. At least hundreds and perhaps thousands of the people that saw your story finished reading it, and probably hundreds or thousands enjoyed it. You added a little erotic sunshine to the world.

Of course there's also the satisfaction that comes just from having written the story, and that's worth a lot, even if it sits on your hard drive, unread by anyone but yourself. But by publishing your story, you are putting your own creative stamp on the world of erotica. Even if in a small way, you are adding joy, art, interest, and a bit of erotic zing to the life of every person who read and enjoyed your story.

I think that's worth it.

I’ll just upvote all of this.

 

[Omenainen]

What I do get is that I know people see my work and every so often a gem pops up in a comment. I’ll never be top-viewed and likely won’t win any contests but what the hell, I get to play.

Yeah, I wanna add that comments are the absolute best. I mean, what do I do with a score? It's just a number, and one that keeps changing. Number of votes, or views, well, it's just another number, and has little meaning above the knowledge that someone has at least seen my story. (Okay, that is exhilarating, especially with my first few stories. I kept just reloading like "holy shit how many people are reading my words!") But I got a comment a while back that said that I've "captured the essences of love and old age". I mean, damn! I've been basking in it ever since, and it seems like the feeling isn't fading any time soon. You know, something I wrote had someone else write a comment like that? I really feel like I've contributed something positive. Maybe my stories aren't making the world a better place, but it sure seems they're not making it worse.

 

[THROBBS]

Yeah, I wanna add that comments are the absolute best. I mean, what do I do with a score? It's just a number, and one that keeps changing. Number of votes, or views, well, it's just another number, and has little meaning above the knowledge that someone has at least seen my story. (Okay, that is exhilarating, especially with my first few stories. I kept just reloading like "holy shit how many people are reading my words!") But I got a comment a while back that said that I've "captured the essences of love and old age". I mean, damn! I've been basking in it ever since, and it seems like the feeling isn't fading any time soon. You know, something I wrote had someone else write a comment like that? I really feel like I've contributed something positive. Maybe my stories aren't making the world a better place, but it sure seems they're not making it worse.

yep.

bask away!

 

[Kumquatqueen]

I write for my own entertainment. I bother editing and publishing for others, which means it's reassuring when my stories get ratings suggesting that some people, at least, are enjoying them (usually nine people, meaning I do start hoping for a tenth to find the story so I can get a red H...), but I have to admit it's those rare comments that motivate me to write and publish more.

"I like these people, I care about their lives and their friendships, and they have enriched my life a bit. Great job." I hope some other people feel slightly enriched, too.

Given that effect, I'm now trying to leave comments on more stories myself.

 

[THROBBS]

Perhaps, sometime in my lifetime, the Erotic Art Hub and voting etc. will function properly. For about 10 years it has been in "beta testing", and votes only stick if one is participating in beta testing, by intentionally figuring out how to and going through with it.

I think that the most votes that any piece has is 17.

 

[Emirus]

Why turn off voting?

Before getting on to why I write and what do I get out of it I’d like to deal with turning off voting and comments, or not, as the case may be. Why would you want to turn them off?

I want to know what my readers think of the story and preferably why they left the comment. It’s nice to receive the one liners saying it was brilliant. Not so nice to receive a one liner that simply says it was shit. I’d also like to know the consensus of opinion, which is what you get from the voting.

I would really like to know why they thought it brilliant and, equally, why they thought it was shit. That information will help me in the future. But to turn off voting and comments? There has to be a good reason. A good reason is not because you’ve received criticism you don’t like. This is an example of a wrong decision.

There is a writer on this site with 30 plus stories 90% of which have the magic red H. Which has to be regarded as well done. All but two of the stories, the first and a sequel, have voting and comments switched on. The first story received good reviews as is usual with her stories. Readers of the sequel, including myself, thought she’d taken the story in the wrong direction and voted and said so. No red there. What was her response? She turned off comments and voting but would accept private feedback. Okay, so you’re thin skinned and don’t like criticism and you’re perfectly entitled to turn off voting or just delete comments you don’t like. But private feedback only? What’s the point?

Back to me. I want to get satisfaction from my writing and that’s partly by knowing readers enjoy my stories. That’s where the red comes in because it means more people voted 5 than any other number. It tells me I was successful in what I was aiming for and how successful. Above 4 shows me I was successful because 4 is regarded as liked it but didn’t love it. That’s my reason for not turning off voting.

Anyone who says they impervious to comments and voting isn’t being honest. If they aren’t bothered about what people think of their stories why are they writing? Is it just for their own satisfaction?

 

[KeithD]

Why would you want to turn them off?

I want to know what my readers think of the story and preferably why they left the comment.

Because they aren't you? We go over this over and over again. Different folks have different views on this. There's no reason why they should have to justify themselves to anyone else.

 

[Emirus]

Because they aren't you? We go over this over and over again. Different folks have different views on this. There's no reason why they should have to justify themselves to anyone else.

Okay. Whatever you say.

 

[PoisonPen33]

My friend boiled it down to the lowest common denominator for me.

"People jack and jill off to your work. You're providing a service to humanity by getting other people's hands dirty."

While I wouldn't go that far, in the end I am writing for satisfaction - my own. If other people enjoy my work, great! I admit I peek at view counts and ratings of both my own stories and those of others, but after all these years of being told "you're a great writer" and "you should try to get published," there's something about looking at something you've written and saying "I created this. These words are from my mental blood and sweat. I have done something that will leave an imprint on someone else somewhere."

Hmm. Maybe I should change my pen name to Victor Frankenstein or Herbert West.