Newbie thoughts

[Wetpatch69]

So, having just started writing and put my first stories up on here, I thought I might explore some initial impressions, and would be interested in anyone's thoughts.
First is that I had no idea that writing porn is such a fucking turn on! As a pretty burnt out, seen it all, done it all, porn addict, I can't believe how horny it is creating a fantasy from scratch. I'm spending all of my time pondering what should happen next, or chewing over a phrase or image that doesn't quite sound true; then when I get the right next idea I can't wait to get it down in writing.
Then, once it's submitted I'm checking in to the site every hour, first to see whether it's been accepted, then seeing how many views it's had, or better still, a comment!
I started by writing just what turned me on, but it's not as straightforward as that once you share it. I've discovered that it's mainly female readers looking at my stuff, so does that mean I add in bits to appeal to a female audience? Do I care how popular the story is? I think if you put it out there then you must, else why publish it at all?
Which then raises the question about how much to change the plot to appeal to a broader audience, and where to put it. How much should I think about the title and tags? How do I stop it disappearing into the dross after a couple days?
I can already see progress from my first chapter (although that still has the highest ratings), and without false modesty feel that what I'm writing is pretty hot. I wish I hadn't started with such a cliched theme (professor and naive student), but then "uncliched porn" might be a oxymoron, and I think my characters are developing some psychological depth and truth (a fantasised version of, at least), and there seems loads of potential for where I can take them, so am inclined to carry on rather than make a fresh start.
I'm curious about other's journeys and motivations, and of course if anyone wants to read my stuff and feed back that would be fab.
The next chapter (which is uber-hot) will be submitted in the next day or so.

 

[Wetpatch69]

Link to chapter 1

Just to add, if anyone is interested, as there doesn't seem to be a direct link from here to my stories, that my first chapter is here (it gets better as it goes on)
https://www.literotica.com/s/her-new-professor
First chapter went into First Times, second into BDSM (although content is very mild as it's building up, which probably didn't help ratings) and third will definitely be BDSM.

 

[49greg]

My advice is to write what you like. I can't say I have every time, but for me it's more enjoyable, and fun/sexy, to write what I like.

As for a signature, you can go into the "user CP" near the top of the screen at the left. It's been so long since I did it that I can't remember exactly how it works, but you can put your stories URL/link into your signature - it's somewhere in the user CP. Look for "signature" once you're there.

 

[NaokoSmith]

Hullo newbie, welcome to the board

First - try to put an extra space between lines in posts, it makes reading easy on the eye

Second - if your story is getting good views and votes, it sounds like you are doing the right things already, so don't feel you have to change your work. Changes will happen as you interact with writers on here, write in the threads, debate how to write porn ... I mean highminded prose of delicate nature - just be open to informed opinion and enjoy your writing.

(NB try to take uninformed opinion with large pinches of sodium chloride. Brevity is your friend if people say weird things to you: "thank you so much for that kind feedback". Don't feed the trolls by engaging in debates if they go off on one.)

If you would like to find an editor, the best place is the Editors' Forum, where you can put up a thread describing your story/ies and asking if anyone would give them a read over for you. You can also get good feedback in Story Feedback. You can put up your own thread asking for feedback on your story, or go to Lien_Geller's or SammaelBard's thread and ask them in person. I have a thread there too (am a bit busy right now but if you put your story on the list I will try to get round to it). You can also learn a lot by reading reviews of other stories.

Tip #3 - you can put a link to your submissions (and an external website if you want) in your signature - you can see how I did mine below.

 

[Wetpatch69]

Signature fixed?

Hmmmmm, apparently not, will try again.
Signature only appears when not logged in?

 

[49greg]

Hullo newbie, welcome to the board

First - try to put an extra space between lines in posts, it makes reading easy on the eye

Second - if your story is getting good views and votes, it sounds like you are doing the right things already, so don't feel you have to change your work. Changes will happen as you interact with writers on here, write in the threads, debate how to write porn ... I mean highminded prose of delicate nature - just be open to informed opinion and enjoy your writing.

(NB try to take uninformed opinion with large pinches of sodium chloride. Brevity is your friend if people say weird things to you: "thank you so much for that kind feedback". Don't feed the trolls by engaging in debates if they go off on one.)

If you would like to find an editor, the best place is the Editors' Forum, where you can put up a thread describing your story/ies and asking if anyone would give them a read over for you. You can also get good feedback in Story Feedback. You can put up your own thread asking for feedback on your story, or go to Lien_Geller's or SammaelBard's thread and ask them in person. I have a thread there too (am a bit busy right now but if you put your story on the list I will try to get round to it). You can also learn a lot by reading reviews of other stories.

Tip #3 - you can put a link to your submissions (and an external website if you want) in your signature - you can see how I did mine below.

NS you say it so much better that I could/did.

 

[NaokoSmith]

NS you say it so much better that I could/did.

No no, dahlink, you said it very beautifully too - and with scientific sounding instructions too. Plus that oh-so careless: "so long since I did it," added that wise elder touch - demonstrating just how to do the Professor and The Ingenue. So-o-o sexy.


(Very nice signature, newbie )

 

[le_kitty]

So, having just started writing and put my first stories up on here, I thought I might explore some initial impressions, and would be interested in anyone's thoughts.
First is that I had no idea that writing porn is such a fucking turn on! As a pretty burnt out, seen it all, done it all, porn addict, I can't believe how horny it is creating a fantasy from scratch. I'm spending all of my time pondering what should happen next, or chewing over a phrase or image that doesn't quite sound true; then when I get the right next idea I can't wait to get it down in writing.
Then, once it's submitted I'm checking in to the site every hour, first to see whether it's been accepted, then seeing how many views it's had, or better still, a comment!
I started by writing just what turned me on, but it's not as straightforward as that once you share it. I've discovered that it's mainly female readers looking at my stuff, so does that mean I add in bits to appeal to a female audience? Do I care how popular the story is? I think if you put it out there then you must, else why publish it at all?
Which then raises the question about how much to change the plot to appeal to a broader audience, and where to put it. How much should I think about the title and tags? How do I stop it disappearing into the dross after a couple days?
I can already see progress from my first chapter (although that still has the highest ratings), and without false modesty feel that what I'm writing is pretty hot. I wish I hadn't started with such a cliched theme (professor and naive student), but then "uncliched porn" might be a oxymoron, and I think my characters are developing some psychological depth and truth (a fantasised version of, at least), and there seems loads of potential for where I can take them, so am inclined to carry on rather than make a fresh start.
I'm curious about other's journeys and motivations, and of course if anyone wants to read my stuff and feed back that would be fab.
The next chapter (which is uber-hot) will be submitted in the next day or so.

Guilty. Bdsm made my ears perk.

I have a little issue with your opening though... so unless you want feedback of that variety, I'll hold my thoughts.

I don't know why you're asking for opinions on how much to change the plot to appeal to a broader audience. Shouldn't you ask your target audience?

I suppose broad and target are a bit different. It sounds like what you're asking is, how do I gain more readers? Write well. If you want a broad audience, pick the subject/topic that the majority of people here read.

I've discovered that it's mainly female readers looking at my stuff, so does that mean I add in bits to appeal to a female audience?

More likely it means you're writing from the perspective of a female character that college aged female readers might identify with.

 

[SamScribble]

Hello, Wetpatch

Just a small point: we don't write porn here; we write erotica. My friends and neighbours would be horrified if they thought that I wrote porn.

Good luck

 

[Wetpatch69]

Porn?

I'm not sure I would elevate it to erotica. Didn't someone define the difference by how turned on it gets you? In which case I'm definitely aiming for porn.

 

[Ewobbit]

Gah! She didn't mean it! She didn't mean it!

Whew. That was close. You really don't want "porn versus erotica" fist fights derailing your thread if you can help it. They go on, like, forever.

You're on the right track, I think, writing what turns you on. From time to time I've dabbled my toe in fetishes that I didn't share (typically trying to fill in a blank in the Survivor contest) and it usually fell a trifle flat.

Someone famous (Rita Mae Brown?) said "Write what you know." I always took that to mean if you hadn't been there, done that, and had your t-shirt ripped off, then you probably weren't going to do it justice.

As far as frequent checks to see how the last story did, I think that's perfectly normal for your first few submissions. Frankly, I'd worry more if you didn't have at least some small fixation for your first attempt. It dies down a bit after awhile. Just how many submissions it takes is different for different people.

As far as keeping that one tale out in front of people's faces, my suggestion would be to let it go the way it will and write another and another Typically, when someone finds one of your new tales and like it, they'll discover your older stuff too. Then a comment they leave will tag it out front for a bit and someone else will find it and so on. Even when it's not another chapter in a series.

Titles and tags are not my forte. And, honestly, there is so much conundrum about just what exactly Literotica.com is going to look like in a year, that I wouldn't sweat it too much at this point. It sounds like there may be a feature for readers to add their own tags, but I wouldn't swear to it.

I will say that if it is a series, you want to leave it in the same category all the way through I think. For all that I've ever heard, authors switching categories within the framework of the same story never seemed to work out anyway.

Best of luck and KEEP WRITING.

(Oh, Le_Kitty. I got a rose for you. Peeled all the thorns off too. )

 

[Wetpatch69]

Cool feedback

Best feedback yet, thanks. Some good advice in there.
Re porn vs erotica comment, forums so need a "tongue in cheek" emoticon.

 

[Bramblethorn]

Hmmmmm, apparently not, will try again.
Signature only appears when not logged in?

There's an option in your user settings to prevent displaying signatures; presumably that's why you're not seeing it when logged in.

 

[TxRad]

There's an option in your user settings to prevent displaying signatures; presumably that's why you're not seeing it when logged in.

Also when you use the insert link icon and the link appears a section of it will be blue, type in there the title or whatever you want and it will come out like what is in my sig.

Also a welcome to the newbie. The madhouse isn't nearly as mad as it seems at first.

 

[NaokoSmith]

Also a welcome to the newbie. The madhouse isn't nearly as mad as it seems at first.

A Tx sighting!

*HUG*s *snuggles with pretend-not-realising rubbing in inappropriate places*

 

[CyranoJ]

Just a small point: we don't write porn here; we write erotica.

What do you mean "we," kemo sabe? (Speaking for myself, I definitely write porn... )

Greetings to the OP!

I started by writing just what turned me on, but it's not as straightforward as that once you share it.

The one piece of writing advice that always sticks with me is "write what you want to read." If you commit to that, you'll connect with an audience. In erotica/porn terms, I think writing just what turns you on is a perfectly fine thing to do and you shouldn't stop doing it.

I liked your first chapter there, by the way. Keep at it, and I hope you have fun!

 

[sr71plt]

The one piece of writing advice that always sticks with me is "write what you want to read."

I think that's far better advice than "write what you know," unless the latter can be understand as "write what you have researched."

 

[lovecraft68]

I think that's far better advice than "write what you know," unless the latter can be understand as "write what you have researched."

That goes beyond erotica as well, I'm a fight snob and have laughed my ass off at some writer's attempts at fight scenes on here. IT's like, Jeez have you ever thrown a damn punch or gotten hit in your life? If you don't have a clue, just don't bother.

 

[timelord1963]

My first story

I find putting minimal detail about your characters is a good start. I was worried I would not get the 750 word minimum. Then I found a good intro that set the whole scene for the rest of the story. Once the base story is written add more detail, you will add more scenes. If an image is not right try moving it to a different section or involve different people. My first story ended up being 39,000 words and 54 pages long.

 

[Hypoxia]

Let's be clear. I do not write erotica, nor pr0n. I write smut. I write smutty songs, poetry, stories, and essays. The smut may range mild to strong. It may be snide, snarky, quirky, (un)real, pandering, whatever. I write for myself but mostly not my own fantasies. I do not obsess over incest, cheating, nonhumans, and many other themes big in my scribblings.

I find putting minimal detail about your characters is a good start. I was worried I would not get the 750 word minimum. Then I found a good intro that set the whole scene for the rest of the story. Once the base story is written add more detail, you will add more scenes. If an image is not right try moving it to a different section or involve different people.

Detail? I hopefully let most character details emerge over the course of the story. A data dump *is* sometimes necessary; I have tricks to minimize the pain. But some players need to be carefully delineated, whilst stereotypes suffice for others.

Intros? A good one can suggest many possible outcomes. Alas, a good intro can wander off into never-never if I don't have an end in mind.

I all-too-often mention some storytelling models. One is to visualize my story as a video playing before my mind's eye. I blog it and use that as the story's skeleton, like a sculpture's armature, to which I slap-on and scrape-off clay (words) till I have the form I like. Another is to define a setting, players, and some plot points, and let the players tell the story which I merely transcribe. Another is to visualize a definite ending and write a story leading inexorably to that conclusion. And sometimes I just get stoned and let things flow.

Whatever works.

 

[PervOtaku]

I started by writing just what turned me on, but it's not as straightforward as that once you share it. I've discovered that it's mainly female readers looking at my stuff, so does that mean I add in bits to appeal to a female audience? Do I care how popular the story is? I think if you put it out there then you must, else why publish it at all?
Which then raises the question about how much to change the plot to appeal to a broader audience, and where to put it. How much should I think about the title and tags? How do I stop it disappearing into the dross after a couple days?

I started with a stray thought that ballooned into the makings of a full-blown story in my head, and it just kept churning around in there, and the only way to banish it was to actually write the story. In theory I am mainly writing for myself, but a story's no good unless you share it, right? The response to that story was quite good, and suddenly I didn't want to be just a one-hit wonder that put out that story and then vanished. I started thinking of other stories I could write, a lot of old ideas I never intended to pursue drifted back up and I adapted them to be porn.

I know some people try to target this or that audience with their writings, I just stick to writing the kind of story I would want to read, and hopefully that will attract enough of the right people. High ratings and favorable comments are a bonus, I don't have the wherewithal to obsess over such things though. Proper tagging is always important, and yes, you need a good title and summary blurb. You can't really keep it from sinking into the dross, that is the nature of things. Though if it's a longer story, each new chapter is an opportunity to pull in new readers, and I think they should be released no sooner than a week apart to take full advantage of having the next bit back up on the "new" list.

 

[Jose_Rick]

Someone famous (Rita Mae Brown?) said "Write what you know."

I've always been rather bothered by that advice. Whole genres of fiction would simply not exist if it were taken seriously.

I agree with those who have said "write what you want to read" or "write what turns you on."

 

[Hypoxia]

I agree with those who have said "write what you want to read" or "write what turns you on."

Dr Johnson said something like, "Only a fool writes if not for money," and LIT hosts many such fools. Some here are mainstream writers and editors; they write what will sell. But most of us write what we must. A story deep within us demands release. It claws its way out; we have little control.

Still, I mostly find my own writing fairly entertaining. Good thing I still like myself. Somewhat.

 

[NOIRTRASH]

I research the shit outta everything. Like yesterday I researched air force re-enlistment bonuses so the number I used in the story is correct. Write what you know is excellent advice but guaranteed failure for most writers who know squat.

 

[NaokoSmith]

One other tip if you want to learn more about different ways of writing, and develop your own style, is to edit. I learned a lot from editing. I was lucky in that a very popular writer with a much different style to my own asked me to edit a story of his first up. I learned a lot about what works on here, by seeing the reader reaction to his story; things I found highly improbable were very popular with his particular fanbase.

If you post stories regularly, then you build a fanbase who will reward you with higher marks - as they know what style of writing you're likely to be posting in, and are more able to go with it. Perv0taku is on the money too, that if you're posting a series it's good to post regularly, although there are exceptions. Lien_Geller posts about once a year and has a huge and avid fanbase.

Long time no see, Cyrano!