Lit Story Guidelines and a Story Unfinished

[kbate]

I recently completed a story; it remains in first draft, and may never move beyond this stage. I need the opinion of Lit's editors and staff.

The story deals with the thoughts and actions of a girl who was sexually abused as a child. She deals with suicide, deaths, abuse, prejudice and essentially every horror a child can endure. Her life is a mess, but she turns her experiences around and makes a sort of life. I minimised the sexual abuse portions, but some description was necessary, else it is just hollow words, nothing vivid, and nothing I have not seen in a hundred novels and newspapers, but still perhaps it still falls outside Lit's guidelines.

The entire story is rather dark and twisted, but the topic naturally went in that direction. I hate to delete this, I think it might be a good tale and it has some power, but I do not know if I am able to tell it without overstepping the boundaries. Any ideas? What are the limits?

I prefer this on this forum to the AH or GB, as those forums likely would begin discussion of abuse rather than of Lit guidelines and how they might apply.

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Lit guideline on submissions:
3. No sexual activity involving bestiality (you can write stories about supernatural beasts like ghosts, unicorns, werewolves, etc.) or underage persons will be considered. For the purposes of this site, the minimum legal age is 18. This site does not publish stories, articles, essays, or other material supporting, encouraging, or defending child abuse and/or exploitation.

 

[LadyCibelle]

I recently completed a story; it remains in first draft, and may never move beyond this stage. I need the opinion of Lit's editors and staff.

The story deals with the thoughts and actions of a girl who was sexually abused as a child. She deals with suicide, deaths, abuse, prejudice and essentially every horror a child can endure. Her life is a mess, but she turns her experiences around and makes a sort of life. I minimised the sexual abuse portions, but some description was necessary, else it is just hollow words, nothing vivid, and nothing I have not seen in a hundred novels and newspapers, but still perhaps it still falls outside Lit's guidelines.

The entire story is rather dark and twisted, but the topic naturally went in that direction. I hate to delete this, I think it might be a good tale and it has some power, but I do not know if I am able to tell it without overstepping the boundaries. Any ideas? What are the limits?

I prefer this on this forum to the AH or GB, as those forums likely would begin discussion of abuse rather than of Lit guidelines and how they might apply.

------

Lit guideline on submissions:
3. No sexual activity involving bestiality (you can write stories about supernatural beasts like ghosts, unicorns, werewolves, etc.) or underage persons will be considered. For the purposes of this site, the minimum legal age is 18. This site does not publish stories, articles, essays, or other material supporting, encouraging, or defending child abuse and/or exploitation.

What I would recommend to you is send a PM to Laurel, not an email, PM her and explain your particular situation and story....she's the one who will be able to tell you in no uncertain terms if your story is permissible under Lit's guidelines or not.

 

[CopyCarver]

I recently completed a story; it remains in first draft, and may never move beyond this stage. I need the opinion of Lit's editors and staff.

The story deals with the thoughts and actions of a girl who was sexually abused as a child. She deals with suicide, deaths, abuse, prejudice and essentially every horror a child can endure. Her life is a mess, but she turns her experiences around and makes a sort of life. I minimised the sexual abuse portions, but some description was necessary, else it is just hollow words, nothing vivid, and nothing I have not seen in a hundred novels and newspapers, but still perhaps it still falls outside Lit's guidelines.

The entire story is rather dark and twisted, but the topic naturally went in that direction. I hate to delete this, I think it might be a good tale and it has some power, but I do not know if I am able to tell it without overstepping the boundaries. Any ideas? What are the limits?

I prefer this on this forum to the AH or GB, as those forums likely would begin discussion of abuse rather than of Lit guidelines and how they might apply.

------

Lit guideline on submissions:
3. No sexual activity involving bestiality (you can write stories about supernatural beasts like ghosts, unicorns, werewolves, etc.) or underage persons will be considered. For the purposes of this site, the minimum legal age is 18. This site does not publish stories, articles, essays, or other material supporting, encouraging, or defending child abuse and/or exploitation.

The standard at most (although not all) commercial publishers would revolve around the famous "redeeming social interest"--as well as the amount of slings and arrows the publisher is willing/able to endure. It's obvious that you're striving for a message and a story rather than pandering to slimy child abusers. Intent/consequences should be the basis of policy, and--despite the best efforts of the self-appointed censors of the world--the Bill of Rights still survives.

My suggestion would be to PM Laurel and Manu with a heads-up about the content and your concerns, make your case for the story, and see what happens. You deserve a fair hearing, and they deserve an opportunity to choose for themselves.

 

[kbate]

The standard at most (although not all) commercial publishers would revolve around the famous "redeeming social interest"--as well as the amount of slings and arrows the publisher is willing/able to endure.

I received no response from Laurel or staff, so I will not plan to post this story on Literotica.

I can't say it meets "redeeming social interest" standards, my heroine isn't exactly a nice person, in fact she is a horrible, cynical, jaded and hateful creature. Her history allows people to understand her sociopathic ways.

It runs along the "no redemption for the wicked" and "evil begets evil" philosophy.

Perhaps in a more lengthy form, it may be worthy of mainstream consideration.

 

[CopyCarver]

I received no response from Laurel or staff, so I will not plan to post this story on Literotica.

I can't say it meets "redeeming social interest" standards, my heroine isn't exactly a nice person, in fact she is a horrible, cynical, jaded and hateful creature. Her history allows people to understand her sociopathic ways.

It runs along the "no redemption for the wicked" and "evil begets evil" philosophies.

Perhaps in a more lengthy form, it may be worth of mainstream consideration.

Lack of response is probably not too surprising, I suppose, in view of the current political climate, which clearly strives to intimidate publishers.

It could, of course, be argued that revealing the mind and the motivation of a sociopath IS redeeming social value. Hannibal the Cannibal was somewhat less than a walking warm-fuzzy but he made his way into print nonetheless, and I had some succes a few years ago with a portrait of a psychopathic assassin. It sounds like you've run afoul of the Legman Dictum: murder is a crime, but writing about is it legal; sex is legal, but writing about it is a crime.

Condolences offered, for what little they're worth, and best wishes for success with a mainstream publisher.

 

[crazycatt]

Hope I'm not butting into the middle here, all.. I was wondering:

What I would recommend to you is send a PM to Laurel, not an email, PM her and explain your particular situation and story....she's the one who will be able to tell you in no uncertain terms if your story is permissible under Lit's guidelines or not.

I sent an email to Laurel (I think, it was an email address somewhere on the 'submissions' page in the storyboards) to request something. Is that bad?

 

[LadyCibelle]

Hope I'm not butting into the middle here, all.. I was wondering:



I sent an email to Laurel (I think, it was an email address somewhere on the 'submissions' page in the storyboards) to request something. Is that bad?

Well, not that it's bad...it's just that an email is easy to be overseen with all the junk and spam site admin receive. That's why I recommended a PM, that way SHE gets it in her PM box and can answer at her convenience.

Kbate: Don't forget that if you sent your PM in the middle of any contests it'll take longer for Laurel to answer it as she's concentrating of the contests and might have less time to look at her PMs pertaining to something else.

You might not like my suggestion but I really would recommend you to try and send her another PM. What you've said about your story sounds good to me and I'd hate to see it lost and not published because your PM has been overseen.

 

[crazycatt]

Ahh, I understand. Thanks for the clarification.. was hoping it wouldn't be automatic banishment or something along those lines.

 

[kbate]

Just a note,

Laurel stated that some of the content in this story is unacceptable on Lit.

(I sent an exerpt of the child sexual abuse chapter)

 

[Selena_Kitt]

Laurel stated that some of the content in this story is unacceptable on Lit.

Just curious... why?

 

[kbate]

Just curious... why?

A small portion of the child sexual abuse referred directly to an act performed by the father, although the act was not described in any detail (nor are any in this story), there is little doubt (by intent) as to what was/is happening to a minor child.

 

[AsylumSeeker]

Same Question

I am in a similar quandry. I have characters in an incestuous relationship and I'm exploring their past. I mention the fact that they were abused as children, although the inference is physical as in violent, not sexual. Wondering if this is okay.

Never had a story rejected. If a story was rejected, would the comments be specific or is the author left to guess?

 

[kbate]

I am in a similar quandry. I have characters in an incestuous relationship and I'm exploring their past. I mention the fact that they were abused as children, although the inference is physical as in violent, not sexual. Wondering if this is okay.

Never had a story rejected. If a story was rejected, would the comments be specific or is the author left to guess?

Your story sounds as if it would be within the guidlines, providing that only mention of the abuse and not the specifics are in the story. The abuse also cannot be glorified or excused in any way.

My rejection notice simply read "does it contain underage sex?" (the one I had submitted at the time did not specify the age of the characters, but the words "High School" in the story implied their underage status)

 

[clive522]

Some responses in my opinion are so "generic" as to be meaningless.
I do hope all my spelling is Korrekt