Lit or Erotica

[tristantrotsky]

I've just posted a new story on 'Literotica':

http://www.literotica.com/s/cock-sucker-the-cock-u-like-code

I've spent some considerable time rewriting, polishing and correcting the story. There's some satire, humor and Science Fictional speculative elements to it, as well as the required quota of sex-action.
I hope it's among the best examples of my stuff that 'Literotica' has published. But I sometimes wonder, how much does care, attention to detail, and thought-out plotting matter? Don't the stories that get the best reaction consist of nothing more than grope-by-grope dirty-sex? Don't most 'readers' simply fast-forward to the explicit bits to inspire a quick wank?
Am I wasting my time…?
Do other 'Literotica' writers feel this way…? I'd be grateful to hear your opinions.

 

[Darkniciad]

If you enjoy writing those deeper stories, you simply have to learn to appreciate the relatively smaller number of readers who enjoy them.

The good news is that they tend to offer more feedback. It's not always insightful, but at least they comment on specific things more often, rather than a generic "loved it!"

My stats are a painfully obvious demonstration of what captures the most readers.

http://www.darkniciad.com/hotlink_pics/All_3_Names_05_02_14.htm

As RR, I write short stroke stories. As Les, I have a mix. As Dark, almost everything is heavily skewed toward story over sex.

Dark averages fewer than 20k views and 150 votes, despite many of those stories being around far longer than anything else.

Les averages over 50k views and 350 votes ( mainly due to incest offerings )

RR averages over 80k views and 750 votes, despite being around for a much shorter period of time, and on stories that were sometimes written from start to finish within a 24 hour span.

Despite that, I still get the most constructive/detailed feedback on my Dark stories, and it tickles the hell out of me when they do come in.

 

[SamScribble]

Yes, I think Dark is right: there is a reader here for every type of story. Just write what gives you satisfaction and don't worry too much about the scores. The scores are seldom a reliable reflection of the craft.

 

[sr71plt]

You lost me at "most readers." There's no such thing on this wildly divergent interest Web site and those who think in those terms are setting themselves up for frustration.

 

[jacktar48]

Agreed

You lost me at "most readers." There's no such thing on this wildly divergent interest Web site and those who think in those terms are setting themselves up for frustration.

When you have spent a lot of time creating something that you like and of which you are justifiably proud, you WIN. Even if no one else likes it. Posting it here merely gives other people a chance to like it, and invariably someone will, so you win again. Ignore people who do not have the capacity to respect the effort you put into your work. They don't count.

I think, although the readership is clearly "wildly divergent" in their reasons for accessing the site, most are looking for a quick erotic thrill and nothing more. Not surprising and nothing wrong with that. But I find that repetitious exercises solely designed to appeal to the prurient interest quickly get boring for me. I suppose one could construct a formula for each category, merely change the characters and settings, and end up with a large and satisfied audience. Ho hum. This approach made millions for certain pulp fiction publishers--and pennies for the authors.

When you start to attract vindictive trolls who seek to sabotage your submissions you know you are doing something right. When destructive morons hate your stuff you win again. Unless they were the ones to whom you were trying to appeal....

 

[RejectReality]

You can play to the stroke readers without sacrificing enough diversity to stay interested.

I play with P.O.V., first and third person, different kinks, and all manner of things in my RR stories. When they bore me, they end up in the half-baked folder, because they never get finished. Some get cannibalized, others get shuffled and eventually escape, others have been sitting there for years, and probably always will.

That and puns/plays on names tickle me. Sometimes that's enough to carry me through a story to the "punchline" at the end of a tale that's very close to something I've written before.

All four in my sig right now are examples of that. Three plays on character names and a play on the plot.

 

[jacktar48]

Just Read Your Story

I've just posted a new story on 'Literotica':

http://www.literotica.com/s/cock-sucker-the-cock-u-like-code

I've spent some considerable time rewriting, polishing and correcting the story. There's some satire, humor and Science Fictional speculative elements to it, as well as the required quota of sex-action.
I hope it's among the best examples of my stuff that 'Literotica' has published. But I sometimes wonder, how much does care, attention to detail, and thought-out plotting matter? Don't the stories that get the best reaction consist of nothing more than grope-by-grope dirty-sex? Don't most 'readers' simply fast-forward to the explicit bits to inspire a quick wank?
Am I wasting my time…?
Do other 'Literotica' writers feel this way…? I'd be grateful to hear your opinions.

It is very well done, and the succinct glimpse of a wildly implausible future is made to seem reasonably possible with a few strokes of the brush. I tend to over-embellish, myself. In my last story, "The Day Custer Got His Ass Kicked," I started out to write a simple 'drunken Indian gets lucky with hot graduate student' romantic episode, but I got a little carried away with Cherokee cultural minutiae. Which, in other contexts, has apparently been a real yawner for most patrons of this site. I understand. That's not what they're here for. The story dredged up some things in my psyche, however, so it was definitely worth writing for my own benefit. And those who deeply resent all attempts to make them think are welcome to ignore it.

I am thinking that 2069 is too soon for something like this to come about, however. I might more easily believe if it were set in 3069. But you might explain how that came to pass in a novel based on this story. Perhaps a global war which results in the extermination of all religious fundamentalists? A plague that strikes only bigots?

Since you included plenty of explicit sex, I would expect the rating on this to be good. Hell, I was ready to give it '5' after the first three paragraphs. (Don't make too much of that. I rarely give anyone less than '4' because I figure if they went to the trouble of offering us something for free, we ought not to be too critical.) But I think you may have succeeded in cleverly hiding a small pill of thought-provoking medicine in your massive dose of sexual titillation.

As someone famous whose name I cannot recall said, "A short story is a love affair. A novel is a marriage." Or something like that. You had a sweet little affair with this story. I'd like to see it turn into a long-term relationship.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Yes, I think Dark is right: there is a reader here for every type of story. Just write what gives you satisfaction and don't worry too much about the scores. The scores are seldom a reliable reflection of the craft.

Yes, sir. Walt and Wendy Winer show up at your Chinese buffet demanding hot dogs and cheese fries. Then complain on Angie's List.

 

[DonnaBeck]

I've just posted a new story on 'Literotica':

http://www.literotica.com/s/cock-sucker-the-cock-u-like-code

I've spent some considerable time rewriting, polishing and correcting the story. There's some satire, humor and Science Fictional speculative elements to it, as well as the required quota of sex-action.
I hope it's among the best examples of my stuff that 'Literotica' has published. But I sometimes wonder, how much does care, attention to detail, and thought-out plotting matter? Don't the stories that get the best reaction consist of nothing more than grope-by-grope dirty-sex? Don't most 'readers' simply fast-forward to the explicit bits to inspire a quick wank?
Am I wasting my time…?
Do other 'Literotica' writers feel this way…? I'd be grateful to hear your opinions.

I relate to this a lot. I recently decided to take a break from writing erotica but found myself feeling depressed. I felt burn out on "throbbing cocks and wet pussies," but I did not know where else I could find readers to actually read my writing without the motivation of sex. I decided to submit something to the Romance category certain that I would be berated, but also aware that I had nothing to lose. My story is not very romantic and has no sex in it at all. To my surprise, it was well received. I am stunned and pleased at the diversity of readers on this site. Also, the readers are much kinder in the Romance category than the LW!

It would be proper to say that feedback does not bother me and that I only write for myself, but anyone who says that would not submit a story. I prefer to be honest and embrace my femininity. I can be sensitive and I do not like to be called names. I think I have sound a safe haven (or safer) in the Romance category and might hang out there for a while. I gravitate towards warmth like a heat seeking missile.

On the other hand, I might get in a mood an post submit something raunchy. (My raunchy is mild for some, but it is still mine.)

 

[49greg]

Yes, sir. Walt and Wendy Winer show up at your Chinese buffet demanding hot dogs and cheese fries. Then complain on Angie's List.

Reminds me of an old lady I saw once at a mom and pop Chinese restaurant complaining bitterly that they didn't take Discover card. Sheesh they had the MC and Visa signs on the door right under the sign saying 'We accept these'. She had to walk right past it on the way in.

 

[Swilly]

I relate to this a lot. I recently decided to take a break from writing erotica but found myself feeling depressed. I felt burn out on "throbbing cocks and wet pussies," but I did not know where else I could find readers to actually read my writing without the motivation of sex. I decided to submit something to the Romance category certain that I would be berated, but also aware that I had nothing to lose. My story is not very romantic and has no sex in it at all. To my surprise, it was well received. I am stunned and pleased at the diversity of readers on this site. Also, the readers are much kinder in the Romance category than the LW!

It would be proper to say that feedback does not bother me and that I only write for myself, but anyone who says that would not submit a story. I prefer to be honest and embrace my femininity. I can be sensitive and I do not like to be called names. I think I have sound a safe haven (or safer) in the Romance category and might hang out there for a while. I gravitate towards warmth like a heat seeking missile.

On the other hand, I might get in a mood an post submit something raunchy. (My raunchy is mild for some, but it is still mine.)

I generally like to put the story first, adding the sex in as color rather than the main point. I'd say my favorite authors out here do the same.

I like the idea of writing something that is so interesting that a person coming to the site looking for a stroke story actually gives it a rest for a while until they finish my story. It's okay if they then go on to the pertinent parts and do what they first came for.

 

[Carnevil9]

Literature, erotica, or simply smut.... on this site at least, they all pay the same.

 

[jacktar48]

Of course I had to read the story...

I relate to this a lot. I recently decided to take a break from writing erotica but found myself feeling depressed. I felt burn out on "throbbing cocks and wet pussies," but I did not know where else I could find readers to actually read my writing without the motivation of sex. I decided to submit something to the Romance category certain that I would be berated, but also aware that I had nothing to lose. My story is not very romantic and has no sex in it at all. To my surprise, it was well received. I am stunned and pleased at the diversity of readers on this site. Also, the readers are much kinder in the Romance category than the LW!

It would be proper to say that feedback does not bother me and that I only write for myself, but anyone who says that would not submit a story. I prefer to be honest and embrace my femininity. I can be sensitive and I do not like to be called names. I think I have sound a safe haven (or safer) in the Romance category and might hang out there for a while. I gravitate towards warmth like a heat seeking missile.

On the other hand, I might get in a mood an post submit something raunchy. (My raunchy is mild for some, but it is still mine.)

And I disagree with you. It definitely belongs in the 'romance' category, if we are both talking about 'The Flynn's Experiment.' although I'm not sure we are because there certainly was sex in it. In any case, it was very well done and a reasonable explanation for a man wanting to watch another man have sex with his wife. I've been told that some guys get turned on by that, whether they're paralyzed or not, but in this puritanical culture I am skeptical. Some people undoubtedly enjoy the fantasy, but reality? Kind of doubtful, unless there is some other motivation, and quadriplegia would certainly be a good one.

I noticed that you attracted two of the same trolls who have been doing whatever they can to sabotage my own submissions. That is rather gratifying, actually. These guys are morons, obviously, and I have spent way too much time (minutes, if not seconds) wondering what motivates these assholes. I have been reporting their obnoxious, destructive comments and they were deleted, but now I think it might be better to just leave them up. It may tend to stimulate the submission of contrary opinions from more honest readers.

As for what motivates these idiots, I envision some redneck preacher cruising the site on the pretense of purging 'filth' from the public venue...Oh God! Story idea! I have to write this down...Elmer Gantry with some explicit whacking off scenes. And maybe some diddling of the altar boys (all over 18, naturally) in the interest of saving them from sins of the flesh. Want to bet what kind of weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth this will provoke?

The Flynn story looks to me like something someone would write who has personal experience of a similar situation, or perhaps is just empathetic enough to imagine what it might be like to be someone in such a situation. As such it must have had a beneficial effect on the writer, and the offer to share with readers who also have reason to empathize is generous and laudable. I'm not really sure why I post some of the things I post. Basic psychology indicates that no one does anything that does not benefit them personally in some way. For me, I guess it's because I have things to say that most people don't want to hear. Luring them in with erotica may be one way to make them listen. Not that I expect it to do any good. But at least they don't have the excuse of "I never knew things were so bad in Indian Country."

Alright, I have a new story to outline. And a couple of others to finish. So thanks for sharing, and I sure hope you don't get discouraged and give it up. What you do is good for you, and good for me too, and from the looks of it, I'm not the only one.

 

[Gunnlaug]

...Oh God! Story idea! I have to write this down...Elmer Gantry with some explicit whacking off scenes. And maybe some diddling of the altar boys (all over 18, naturally) in the interest of saving them from sins of the flesh. Want to bet what kind of weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth this will provoke?

Do it And perhaps add in some creative embezzlement and bare-faced hypocrisy. And maybe some rattler-charming

 

[jacktar48]

Hey, I thought those comments were just for me!

Reminds me of an old lady I saw once at a mom and pop Chinese restaurant complaining bitterly that they didn't take Discover card. Sheesh they had the MC and Visa signs on the door right under the sign saying 'We accept these'. She had to walk right past it on the way in.

I got some of the same comments, except in one the guy got "drivel" and "dribble" confused. Who are these assholes and why do they so enjoy displaying their arrogant stupidity? Is it jealousy? Why bother?

I must be missing something. Maybe someone should start a thread for obnoxious comments.

 

[jacktar48]

Oh yeah, I am SO going to hit that

Do it And perhaps add in some creative embezzlement and bare-faced hypocrisy. And maybe some rattler-charming

Yeah, we have to get some snakes in there. And a KKK connection, naturally. They say one should write what he knows...well, certain fundamentalist religious organizations have been extremely active in Indian Country, with the generous assistance of the US Government, and I have far more first-hand experience than I care to remember.

Should I write this from the point of view of the preacher? Hmmm...not sure I can pull it off. Probably will have to be done in the third person, since this guy is so thoroughly disgusting. And trust me--he is.

 

[jacktar48]

Do it And perhaps add in some creative embezzlement and bare-faced hypocrisy. And maybe some rattler-charming

How's this for a title: "Praise the Lord and Pass the Butt Lube." Too obvious?

Or maybe, "Sister, Can You Spare a Copperhead?"

 

[TxRad]

How's this for a title: "Praise the Lord and Pass the Butt Lube." Too obvious?

Or maybe, "Sister, Can You Spare a Copperhead?"

"Copperheads and Butt Lube" might make people open the story just to see what the fuck is going on.

 

[squirrelzo]

I think yes people are "just" looking for a hot sex story. Not necessarily quick, just HOT. I read forever on this site before writing stuff. I'd go straight to my favorite category and try to find an off the charts hot story, period.
Never occurred to me that I'd ever want anything else or that the people writing considered themselves "writers" in some serious sense. If I'm average Joe the vast majority don't give a crap about anything but finding something hot. I didn't even know you could vote for the longest time.
The angst writers express on this forum is way out of sync with average readers and what they're looking for.
Shit, if I'd wanted to actually read something good or a piece of literature I would never have come here! Its a sex site! Wrong place imo to try and anchor your identity as a writer---I mean, to do so based upon reader reaction.
I agree with whoever said to look at the top rated stories and writers. Gives you a crystal clear picture of "what people want" on this site.

Also, if you view writing the sex part as sort of an annoying chore, a quota you need to fill, then again maybe a sex site is not the best venue for your work. If you dont truly enjoy writing erotica, why do it? People seem to forget this is a sex site first and foremost, not a literary site. I think the readers get that, the owners get that, but the writers don't . By all means there is a writing community here, but take it for what it is.

 

[Gunnlaug]

How's this for a title: "Praise the Lord and Pass the Butt Lube." Too obvious?

Or maybe, "Sister, Can You Spare a Copperhead?"

"Fuck them all and let the Lord sort them out" Too long, sadly, but it has a certain ring to it. What worries me is how 'Red State' this all sounds...

 

[Serafina1210]

Also, if you view writing the sex part as sort of an annoying chore, a quota you need to fill, then again maybe a sex site is not the best venue for your work. If you dont truly enjoy writing erotica, why do it? People seem to forget this is a sex site first and foremost, not a literary site. I think the readers get that, the owners get that, but the writers don't . By all means there is a writing community here, but take it for what it is.

This is a good point. For myself, I'm here because I want to tell dirty stories.

I'd add that you don't really have to make a distinction between the part of a story that advances the plot and the part that tells about sex acts. You can let sex acts advance the story. For example, the complications of a love triangle (jealousies, competitions) can emerge in the course of a hot threesome. A woman can discover a need to be dominated while having sex with an assertive partner. A man can discover his bisexuality when unexpectedly confronted with a hard penis during some kinky scene.

Learn by fucking.

I'm not terribly fond of those stories where wealthy venture capitalists spend three screens talking business and one screen fucking. Let them spend a paragraph doing business, take one screen to get hot, another screen to fuck, and conclude the deal at the moment of orgasm.

 

[Bramblethorn]

I think yes people are "just" looking for a hot sex story. Not necessarily quick, just HOT.

Some are, some aren't.

Shit, if I'd wanted to actually read something good or a piece of literature I would never have come here! Its a sex site! Wrong place imo to try and anchor your identity as a writer---I mean, to do so based upon reader reaction.
I agree with whoever said to look at the top rated stories and writers. Gives you a crystal clear picture of "what people want" on this site.

Quite a lot of high-rated stories fit the "literary" category. I've got a solid "H" on a horror story that has about two paragraphs of fuzzily-described sex out of five pages, and a 4.80 on a chapter with no sex at all. Several readers have made it clear in comments that they're there for the story.

Your preferences are common, and valid, but they're not universal.

People seem to forget this is a sex site first and foremost, not a literary site.

According to who? The name of the site is LITerotica.

 

[TxRad]

According to who? The name of the site is LITerotica.

From what I have heard over the years here, Laurel, the site owner, started this site so she could read well written Erotic stories instead of Penthouse Letters. That and a place for her friends and writers to get together.

It has grown a hell of a lot since I've been here and it had grown a lot before I got here. What you see today was ever imagined back in the day.

I write stories with somewhat of a plot or story line. Some might say different. Some might even say they are boring so get on with the sex already. But... and there is always a butt... I think the scores and comments speak for themselves.

Both can be done well, long and short and there is a readership for both. Hell, there is a readership for just about anything including no-erotic.

 

[Swilly]

Both can be done well, long and short and there is a readership for both. Hell, there is a readership for just about anything including no-erotic.

Very true. I think the diversity of answers in this thread shows that there is a desire out here for good story telling as well as "just gimme the hot sex" kind of stories. Obviously, there are people who bring up the site with their jeans already around their ankles looking for the quick assist. But they aren't the only readers here.

 

[tristantrotsky]

It is very well done, and the succinct glimpse of a wildly implausible future is made to seem reasonably possible with a few strokes of the brush. I tend to over-embellish, myself. In my last story, "The Day Custer Got His Ass Kicked," I started out to write a simple 'drunken Indian gets lucky with hot graduate student' romantic episode, but I got a little carried away with Cherokee cultural minutiae. Which, in other contexts, has apparently been a real yawner for most patrons of this site. I understand. That's not what they're here for. The story dredged up some things in my psyche, however, so it was definitely worth writing for my own benefit. And those who deeply resent all attempts to make them think are welcome to ignore it.

I am thinking that 2069 is too soon for something like this to come about, however. I might more easily believe if it were set in 3069. But you might explain how that came to pass in a novel based on this story. Perhaps a global war which results in the extermination of all religious fundamentalists? A plague that strikes only bigots?

Since you included plenty of explicit sex, I would expect the rating on this to be good. Hell, I was ready to give it '5' after the first three paragraphs. (Don't make too much of that. I rarely give anyone less than '4' because I figure if they went to the trouble of offering us something for free, we ought not to be too critical.) But I think you may have succeeded in cleverly hiding a small pill of thought-provoking medicine in your massive dose of sexual titillation.

As someone famous whose name I cannot recall said, "A short story is a love affair. A novel is a marriage." Or something like that. You had a sweet little affair with this story. I'd like to see it turn into a long-term relationship.

Thanks for your detailed comments, JackTar. I'm very much gratified by your insight. Actually - as if to call me liar, I've had a pretty good response to the story, so it's win-win. And to get silly on this, the reason I chose the year 2069 was not because it seemed a feasible turn-around period for social change, but because it amused me to add sixty-nine to the date…! Humour is an element too, after all…!