Major new feature preview: Story Series

[CrimsonMaiden]

On the topic at hand:

Chain stories in the same chain aren't necessarily a "series". Not all chains follow a complete story line. Some follow a theme with stand alone stories (for example, the Superstitions and the Worst Chain Story Ever chain).

Also, there are stories that are "series" that don't always have chapter numbers beside them. For example, I have three humor stories that are a series, but they aren't chaptered.

 

[Darkniciad]

yes! and breaking up the old category is hardly necessary, either.Nor lesbian BDSM, or gay male BDSM. Or Bi BDSM.

It's a very hetero-default site.

True, but I think the lesbian/bi-female stories have a much better vitriol survival rate in the existing categories. Bi-Male just simply gets torched anywhere you put it. Of all the divisions, I think that one is the most needed to open the door for a lot of stories. SR71 would probably double his contribution to the site *laugh*

 

[wafflemtl]

What I'd love to see is a way to indicate whether a series is finished or not. It's so annoying to start reading a series that turns out to be unfinished and the author hasn't submitted anything for five years. It'd be lovely to know right from the start whether the ending of what I'm reading is already written and submitted.

That's why I go see the last sentence of the last part to know if it's the end.
But anyway I always start a book by reading the end so perhaps it's just me

...
Also, there are stories that are "series" that don't always have chapter numbers beside them. For example, I have three humor stories that are a series, but they aren't chaptered.

That's why a way to sort stories by date on a user profile would be very welcome. Manu ?
There is (at least) two authors here who have a serie of 10 or 15 stories no chapter no number. The only way to know wich one to read first is to look at the date.
And anyway I rather prefer reading the same author by date. To see how the writing evolve.

 

[Boxlicker101]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Boxlicker101
E/C involves one man and one woman.

To repeat what Stella said, why? What is there in exotic coupling that says it has to be one man and one woman? Your stubborn blindness is incredible (but typical of you, I'm afraid).

If you had quoted the whole sentence instead of just the first part, it would tell you why.

However, if I were to submit a story involving a woman and two men (or some other combination) having sex and were to classify it as an E/C story, Management would post it into Group Sex or somewhere else. E/C is the biggest category and they try to post things elsewhere if they can.

And what--other than your obtuseness--makes you think that male-male incest (cousins, father/son, brothers) would be any different in concept from male-female or any less arousing to a segment of the readership? There's absolutely nothing in the gender aspect of this that supports one being either more conducive to storytelling or even more prevalent in real life over the other.

If you don't see such stories here, it's because the categories and the reader's commenting pattern inside those categories throw up barriers to them here. The story possibilities/files on these topics are floating all over the Internet.

Blind, blind, blind.

I have never written a gay male incest story, nor have I ever read one or even looked for one. The subject does not interest me very much, but I might write one some time. I have absolutely nothing against their inclusion here. If somebody gets turned on by one, more power to that person, but I will not emulate him or her. I have only written the one lesbian incest story and I have never read one by anybody else, but I have no problem with them either. I expect to write a continuation of the one I wrote earlier, and it might be Incest or Lesbian, probably the latter, depending on what I have to say.

What do the readers' comments have to do with anything, and how would they be a barrier? If I decide to read a story, I go to the index or to the top list of stories and choose from there, Usually, I don't even read the comments until and unless I finish the story, especially if I want to add one of my own.

 

[wafflemtl]

yes! and breaking up the old category is hardly necessary, either.Nor lesbian BDSM, or gay male BDSM. Or Bi BDSM.

It's a very hetero-default site.

I think that the tags will help with that. No storie is in any single categorie anyway because not all categories are exclusive.

The only problem I see with the tags is that apprently anybody can add there own. I think it would have been more efficient to have a list to chose from.

 

[Stella_Omega]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Boxlicker101
E/C involves one man and one woman.



If you had quoted the whole sentence instead of just the first part, it would tell you why.

I absolutely one hundred percent disagree with the rest of the sentence. For reasons which I have given, and you choose to not respond to.

However, if I were to submit a story involving a woman and two men (or some other combination) having sex and were to classify it as an E/C story, Management would post it into Group Sex or somewhere else. E/C is the biggest category and they try to post things elsewhere if they can.

We are talking about one woman and another woman. Or two men.

The biggest reason EC is so enormous is because nobody wants to post to LW.

I have never written a gay male incest story, nor have I ever read one or even looked for one. The subject does not interest me very much, but I might write one some time. I have absolutely nothing against their inclusion here. If somebody gets turned on by one, more power to that person, but I will not emulate him or her. I have only written the one lesbian incest story and I have never read one by anybody else, but I have no problem with them either. I expect to write a continuation of the one I wrote earlier, and it might be Incest or Lesbian, probably the latter, depending on what I have to say.

With all due respect, my dear, I don't give a fuck about your preferences regarding incest. Personally I can't stand the category, no matter what sex the pair are. But my preferences have no bearing on the problem, and neither do yours.

What do the readers' comments have to do with anything, and how would they be a barrier? If I decide to read a story, I go to the index or to the top list of stories and choose from there, Usually, I don't even read the comments until and unless I finish the story, especially if I want to add one of my own.

That's not what sr71plt said, at all.

 

[PrincessErin]

.....

 

[jomar]

I think the solution is to have a new category that encompasses all the variations a particular story might have - straight, bi, les, kitchen implements and musical instruments.

Lit Stew...sooo meeaty.

 

[TE999]

I think the solution is to have a new category that encompasses all the variations a particular story might have - straight, bi, les, kitchen implements and musical instruments.

Lit Stew...sooo meeaty.

There needs to be more sax and less violins on this site.

 

[jomar]

There needs to be more sax and less violins on this site.

...

 

[sr71plt]

SR71 would probably double his contribution to the site *laugh*

Wow, wouldn't that give BFW apoplexy? Then I'd have more stories posted that he did--and all of mine would be complete stories.

 

[Boxlicker101]

Originally Posted by Boxlicker101
Quote:
Originally Posted by Boxlicker101
E/C involves one man and one woman.

I absolutely one hundred percent disagree with the rest of the sentence. For reasons which I have given, and you choose to not respond to. We are talking about one woman and another woman. Or two men.

Here was the full sentence:

E/C involves one man and one woman. If there is a third person, it is in group Sex. If it is two men, it is Gay Male and if it is two women, it is Lesbian.
Perhaps I should word this differently: A story that is posted into the E/C category will involve one man and woman involved in erotic and/or potentially erotic situations. If the author has included a third person in the story and has said to post it in E/C, Management, who has the decision in these things, will post it in group sex, or maye somewhere else, depending on the content. If two women are involved in an erotic or potentially erotic situation, Management willl post it to the Lesbian Section. If it is two men, it will be posted in the Gay Male section. They do this because there are so many stories in the E/C category that Management tries to avoid posting there if a story can go elsewhere.

The biggest reason EC is so enormous is because nobody wants to post to LW.

That might be part of it, but the biggest reason is that it is a catchall. If a story doesn't fit sdomewhere else, put it in E/C.

With all due respect, my dear, I don't give a fuck about your preferences regarding incest. Personally I can't stand the category, no matter what sex the pair are. But my preferences have no bearing on the problem, and neither do yours. [

I agree. I have no particular affection for Incest, but I also have no animosity for it, be it MM, FF, or MF

That's not what sr71plt said, at all.

Here is what he said:

And what--other than your obtuseness--makes you think that male-male incest (cousins, father/son, brothers) would be any different in concept from male-female or any less arousing to a segment of the readership? There's absolutely nothing in the gender aspect of this that supports one being either more conducive to storytelling or even more prevalent in real life over the other.

If you don't see such stories here, it's because the categories and the reader's commenting pattern inside those categories throw up barriers to them here. The story possibilities/files on these topics are floating all over the Internet.

And this was my response:
I have never written a gay male incest story, nor have I ever read one or even looked for one. The subject does not interest me very much, but I might write one some time. I have absolutely nothing against their inclusion here. If somebody gets turned on by one, more power to that person, but I will not emulate him or her. I have only written the one lesbian incest story and I have never read one by anybody else, but I have no problem with them either. I expect to write a continuation of the one I wrote earlier, and it might be Incest or Lesbian, probably the latter, depending on what I have to say.

What do the readers' comments have to do with anything, and how would they be a barrier? If I decide to read a story, I go to the index or to the top list of stories and choose from there, Usually, I don't even read the comments until and unless I finish the story, especially if I want to add one of my own.

He seemed to be saying that readers' comments would somehow stop people from reading certain stories, and I asked how they would do that.

 

[sr71plt]

Here was the full sentence:

E/C involves one man and one woman. If there is a third person, it is in group Sex. If it is two men, it is Gay Male and if it is two women, it is Lesbian. [/QUOTE}

Well, no, I did quote the whole sentence. This is a paragraph. And the rest of the paragraph doesn't change what I posted one iota. Why is erotic coupling not fully capable of applying to a story of sex between any combination of genders?

Don't bother to answer, because you are both hopeless and hapless on this topic.

He seemed to be saying that readers' comments would somehos wtop people from reading certain storiesd, and I asked how they would do that.

No, as Stella posted, you are putting words in my mouth I never remotely posted. Not a surprise. It's your way.

 

[DeeZire]

As to the series feature, it really is going to require author interaction for this to become truly useful. When an author can designate stand-alone stories with titles that aren't connected as part of a larger series, then we're getting somewhere helpful to both authors and readers.

My sentiments exactly.

Another improvement would be a ratio meter at the top of every story: like 70/30, indicating the story is 70% sex and 30% story. That would help the pure stroke readers who get annoyed when it takes three pages to get to what they consider "the good part."

 

[Boxlicker101]

I deleted the first part of your post because I got tired of explaining. It is almost like trying to explain to my four year old grandson why up was up.

No, as Stella posted, you are putting words in my mouth I never remotely posted. Not a surprise. It's your way.

Okay, this is what was said. I have bolded part of it:

If you don't see such stories here, it's because the categories and the reader's commenting pattern inside those categories throw up barriers to them here. The story possibilities/files on these topics are floating all over the Internet.

Can you please tell me how you can say that this sentence is not saying that readers' comments would not somehow stop people from reading certain stories?

 

[sr71plt]

Another change in the realm of it's been said--and ignored--often while unrequested changes were being devised: Just list the rating next to the story titles on all lists. There is so much positive and negative extra voting going on simply because only designating stories rating above 4.5 as hot is shortchanging a mighty big glop of great stories in pointing the reader to good quality. Anything rating above 4 with the current story definitions is worthy of tagging as particularly good. Probably wouldn't have to do that controversial mystery sweep at all then (but no, you probably would anyway because the contests are set up to welcome false voting too).

 

[sr71plt]

I deleted the first part of your post because I'm tired of your repeated dumb assertions about gender and catagories and your general muddleheadedness.

Can you please tell me how you can say that this sentence is not saying that readers' comments would not somehow stop people from reading certain stories?

I left this dumb one. Beside the point that your interpretation isn't anywhere close in meaning to what you cite (the patterns of comments on stories being in the wrong category because of intolerance of anything not straight constitutes harrassment of authors while ignoring story content/delivery--doesn't necessarily have a thing to do with whether readers will read the stories), your statement above is a little dumb in itself. How many readers do you think read the comments at the end of a story before they read the story itself? Maybe a few, but you certainly can't assume they all do. The comments are at the end, not up front--most readers won't even bother to notice they are there until they've read the story. (Well, you can make these leaps, I guess--because that's the sort of thing you do.)

 

[Stella_Omega]

True, but I think the lesbian/bi-female stories have a much better vitriol survival rate in the existing categories. Bi-Male just simply gets torched anywhere you put it. Of all the divisions, I think that one is the most needed to open the door for a lot of stories. SR71 would probably double his contribution to the site *laugh*

So true, of course-- as long as the lesbians are porn-star style. I got flack from men for writing butches and bois.

Can you please tell me how you can say that this sentence is not saying that readers' comments would not somehow stop people from reading certain stories?

Readers comments have certainly stopped me from submitting certain stories. Why subject myself to homophobic boobs?

 

[john-the-author]

You got anything better?

maybe it could be;

"A good fuck was had by all,"

"She deserves it,"

He deserves it."

How about "Just Desserts" (and possibly have His, Hers, and Theirs subcategories)?

 

[john-the-author]

Another change in the realm of it's been said--and ignored--often while unrequested changes were being devised: Just list the rating next to the story titles on all lists. There is so much positive and negative extra voting going on simply because only designating stories rating above 4.5 as hot is shortchanging a mighty big glop of great stories in pointing the reader to good quality. Anything rating above 4 with the current story definitions is worthy of tagging as particularly good. Probably wouldn't have to do that controversial mystery sweep at all then (but no, you probably would anyway because the contests are set up to welcome false voting too).

I must say that it'd be lovely to sort by rating in the Advanced Search. We can look for "Hot" or "Editor's Choice" but it'd be yummy to set a threshhold that we find any story matching our criteria and that's above, say 3.7 or whatever.

 

[slyc_willie]

I like at least one facet of the new "series" feature, in that it shows all chapters of a story even if some of the chapters are in different categories. My Bay The Numbers series has three chapters posted in Erotic Couplings and two in Exhibitionist/Voyeur. Under their heading in the Series section, all five are listed together.

Sorry if this was mentioned before -- I didn't want to wade through all the bickering.

What would be another good feature would be a way for an author, upon submitting a story, to be able to indicate if a new story is part of an ongoing series, or is otherwise related to an existing story. Say, if I wrote a story about Johnny and Susie, in which Sally is a minor character, then wrote about Sally and Billy, I could indicate that those stories were related.

 

[john-the-author]

What about searching for series length as well? It's really great to find an author you like and then discover her/his series about ~whatever~ just keeps going and going. Many Feathers and Joe Brolly and RG John all come to mind for this delightful characteristic.

 

[slyc_willie]

What about searching for series length as well? It's really great to find an author you like and then discover her/his series about ~whatever~ just keeps going and going. Many Feathers and Joe Brolly and RG John all come to mind for this delightful characteristic.

The reverse would be true, too; say you're in the mood to spend a Sunday afternoon reading a lengthy erotic story, but you don't want one that goes on for so long as to take more than a four or five hours to read.

Sites like Allromanceebooks list the word count and estimated reading time (based on some computer-figured average, I assume, that is generally accurate) for its books. I don't think including a program that scans each story for word count, then figures an average read time for stories, would be too hard to implement. This data could be listed beside each story submission in the category lists, and the total in the series list.

 

[hmmnmm]

Feels like christmas in spring. Hearty gratitude from this end on the new feature. Also, really like how a reader can get a taste of the opening paragraph or two. Many thanks. Many many many.

 

[Manu]

Thank you for all of the replies and comments so far, please keep them coming!

I will try to reply to a few things, please forgive me if I miss replying to your specific comment in this message. There is always my next reply.

1. Wives categories - what can I say? This is an issue that we are aware of, and one that we have talked to many authors about how to resolve. It's not clear that there is one simple solution that will make everyone happy, but we are definitely thinking about it. We were hoping that the TAGS would help to alleviate the problem because people could use that system to get a better idea of what type of story is what, but it doesn't seem to have resolved the issue for everyone. So, keep those suggestions coming, I'm sure we'll get it figured out with your help.

2. Gay categories - we have a plan. Eventually, we are planning to have a gay section of Literotica where gay stories get their own categories, just like the straight categories. Imagine something like gay.literotica.com where everything on the site is gay stories in their own set of categories - along with some easy way to switch between the gay and straight categories. That's what we imagine. If you have thoughts on that, or if you have ideas for a better way to do it, please do comment.


3. Back to the Series features. Many of you hit the nail on the head when you said that making the feature really useful requires giving authors the ability to manually control their own Series. We 100% agree and that is the plan. We have been tweaking the algorithm that creates Series for months, and we're pretty happy with how it's working now - but there is no way that it can be totally accurate. As mentioned in this thread, there are Series that have different titles and stories with similar titles that aren't Series. What is the solution? To allow you, the author of the story, to have total control over your Series. It's in the works already!

4. Also on the topic of Series, some people have asked what the goal or point of this feature is. Literotica has published a lot of stories over the last 10+ years. What we are trying to do with this and some other features, is to create more ways for readers to find authors and stories that they are interested in.

5. Again, on Series. This is just the beginning of this feature. Imagine in the future, a way for readers to vote and comment on Series. Imagine toplists that only contain Series. Imagine contests for completed Series. And so on. This is not a short term project, but a long term vision to give more exposure to longer length and multi-part works on Literotica.

With the knowledge that this is just the start of the Series feature, please continue to post, or send me, your suggestions for the feature. Anything is possible, and I'm sure there are things that we haven't thought of that you, the authors, will think of.

Thanks again for the comments and keep them coming!