New Milestones Thread

[NuclearFairy]

I often wonder if people will get some of the things I reference, especially if they're younger readers, then I decide that I don't really care. They can ask Siri or copilot if they're confused

Yeah I get that.

This was more her complaining that I had my shy character being too proactive for a shy person. It's like, shy people can put themselves out there, talk with people, take the initiative. They usually don't like it, and sometimes it can take a fair amount of bravery. But instead of spelling all of that out, which would've probably added about 300 words to my story, I hinted at it instead.

So either I need to spell such things out, or not care that some people won't pick up my hints. I'm trying to find a middle ground though.

 

[StrentWriter]

New milestone for me - just shy of 5000 views on my novel and short story between them. It’s noticeable how the views have suddenly ticked up for the novel as the short story sequel was published.

 

[lovecraft68]

Yeah I get that.

This was more her complaining that I had my shy character being too proactive for a shy person. It's like, shy people can put themselves out there, talk with people, take the initiative. They usually don't like it, and sometimes it can take a fair amount of bravery. But instead of spelling all of that out, which would've probably added about 300 words to my story, I hinted at it instead.

So either I need to spell such things out, or not care that some people won't pick up my hints. I'm trying to find a middle ground though.

Go with the latter, you'll drive yourself crazy worrying about how to make sure everyone 'gets it'

 

[old_prof]

New milestone for me - just shy of 5000 views on my novel and short story between them. It’s noticeable how the views have suddenly ticked up for the novel as the short story sequel was published.

Yeah, new material really does generate views of older stuff, especially if they're linked. My most recent story has gotten very disappointing engagement. But it has driven views and votes for its predecessor. My Valentine's Day entry is in LS and his driven more engagement with my earlier LS stories.

 

[AwkwardlySet]

New milestone for me - just shy of 5000 views on my novel and short story between them. It’s noticeable how the views have suddenly ticked up for the novel as the short story sequel was published.

It's the only reliable way of bringing attention to your older work. In that sense, short stories are way more cost-effective than the long ones. The somewhat better scores that longer stories receive are really not worth the trade-off.

Congrats on the milestone.

 

[alohadave]

Yeah, new material really does generate views of older stuff, especially if they're linked. My most recent story has gotten very disappointing engagement. But it has driven views and votes for its predecessor. My Valentine's Day entry is in LS and his driven more engagement with my earlier LS stories.

I play around with my stats in a spreadsheet, trying out various different things. One thing I was able to confirm with numbers is that a new story will cause a noticeable bump in most stories in my catalog for a week or two.

In one of my series, I was able to see a very clear jump in views in previous chapters as new ones were published.

 

[SimonDoom]

6666 followers.

I'm the kilobeast!

9 years, 64 stories, and 5 poems. A fun ride. I'm grateful for every reader who enjoyed my story.

 

[old_prof]

6666 followers.

I'm the kilobeast!

9 years, 64 stories, and 5 poems. A fun ride. I'm grateful for every reader who enjoyed my story.

I have not read anywhere near all 64, but I've enjoyed every one of your stories I've read. And I'm proud to be part of a horde of 6666.

 

[SimonDoom]

I have not read anywhere near all 64, but I've enjoyed every one of your stories I've read. And I'm proud to be part of a horde of 6666.

Thank you!

 

[ElectricBlue]

It's the only reliable way of bringing attention to your older work. In that sense, short stories are way more cost-effective than the long ones. The somewhat better scores that longer stories receive are really not worth the trade-off.

Sometimes your head must explode! It wasn't so long ago that you offered up the notion that the site shouldn't allow short stories, less than a page, because think of the clutter they all cause.

Now you're spruiking the shorts. You should change your moniker to @PerpetualConundrum, because that's what you are to yourself .

 

[AwkwardlySet]

Sometimes your head must explode! It wasn't so long ago that you offered up the notion that the site shouldn't allow short stories, less than a page, because think of the clutter they all cause.

Now you're spruiking the shorts. You should change your moniker to @PerpetualConundrum, because that's what you are to yourself .

And I still maintain the position that Lit shouldn't publish work under 3k words anymore. The short stories I refer to in this sense are anything between 5k and 10k words. The stuff under 3k I call scenes or vignettes, not stories, as much as that might offend someone.

Admittedly, even those vignettes are useful in bringing attention to one's older stories. But either way, if you wrote some long or even novel-length stuff and it got buried under the flood of new stories, publishing some short stories with the same kinks helps. Anyone who liked the short story is sure to look up the author's other work.

 

[SmilingLez]

And I still maintain the position that Lit shouldn't publish work under 3k words anymore. The short stories I refer to in this sense are anything between 5k and 10k words. The stuff under 3k I call scenes or vignettes, not stories, as much as that might offend someone.

Admittedly, even those vignettes are useful in bringing attention to one's older stories. But either way, if you wrote some long or even novel-length stuff and it got buried under the flood of new stories, publishing some short stories with the same kinks helps. Anyone who liked the short story is sure to look up the author's other work.

I'm against literary censorship (legal stuff excluded) of any kind. I have no problem referring to my stories as vignettes. But to say that you want Literotica to prohibit stories that don't meet your criteria, is unfair to those of us who have the skill to write a complete story between 750 and 1,300 words. YMMV

 

[Erozetta]

Yeah I get that.

This was more her complaining that I had my shy character being too proactive for a shy person. It's like, shy people can put themselves out there, talk with people, take the initiative. They usually don't like it, and sometimes it can take a fair amount of bravery. But instead of spelling all of that out, which would've probably added about 300 words to my story, I hinted at it instead.

So either I need to spell such things out, or not care that some people won't pick up my hints. I'm trying to find a middle ground though.

No matter what you do, not everyone will "get" it. Write what reads best to you.

Also, as a shy person, it fucking sucks to have to put on that brave bullshit to get something done, but it's possible. I just need to go hide somewhere later. Preferably somewhere with an animal I can pet that is unlikely to kill or maim me. Though, I'll take what I can get.

 

[AwkwardlySet]

I'm against literary censorship (legal stuff excluded) of any kind. I have no problem referring to my stories as vignettes. But to say that you want Literotica to prohibit stories that don't meet your criteria, is unfair to those of us who have the skill to write a complete story between 750 and 1,300 words. YMMV

I never said it was fair. But it's also irrelevant. Laurel will never go for it.

By the way, censorship already exists in the form of various policies Lit has, including the one about the length of a story. We aren't free to publish whatever we want.

 

[SimonDoom]

No matter what you do, not everyone will "get" it. Write what reads best to you.

Yep. This is the lesson I'd like to see every Literotica author think about and absorb. Write for yourself, and/or write for those who like what you do, but absolutely do NOT write for those who don't like your work. There's no point. You'll never please everybody, no matter what you do. Writing to avoid criticism is a terrible strategy.

 

[Statius]

Yep. This is the lesson I'd like to see every Literotica author think about and absorb. Write for yourself, and/or write for those who like what you do, but absolutely do NOT write for those who don't like your work. There's no point. You'll never please everybody, no matter what you do. Writing to avoid criticism is a terrible strategy.

Agreed. Very hard advice to follow though, for some of us. I do think we do our best, but it's all part of the growth process right? And for me I can read and listen to all the advice in the world, at least in the AH anyway, but it doesn't matter until I realize things for myself; called learning the hard way.