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Poll on Literotica Magzine

Poll on Literotic Magazine

  • Yes good Idea

    Votes: 14 60.9%

  • Bad Idea

    Votes: 6 26.1%

  • Don't give a fuck

    Votes: 3 13.0%
  • Total voters
    23
S

Sshafer

Really Experienced
Joined
Oct 18, 2003
Posts
150
I know I'm going to get some flack from some of you. But I had 188 view my Idea and 18 responed to it. Go to page three of this board and read my Idea then come back and vote on it. You can e-mail me or responed here what ever just read and vote. Every one can take the pol.

1 Yes good Idea
2 Bad Idea
3 Don't give a fuck
 
Replie to Mona

Just click to page three and you will find the Idea. Your all ready in the right form .
 
This is one of your replies from the initial thread . . .

replie - Yes I know egos would be hurt but if your a writer you know everytime you get published you will get hundred rejection slips or more it goes with the job. I know it would be tough in the beginning. Every writer on this sight wants to inprove him or her writing. I think a mag would give every one there owen goal to shoot for in the way of their writing. It could be a show case for writers each month. As far as pictures goes you wouldn't need them. You mind can make a better picture than any photo ever taken. If every one would put there heads togather maybe we could find a way to do this. It something to think about thats all I'm saying
Click to expand...


I read through your other thread and have a few comments. Literotica has been in existence for five years; that is quite a feat for any on-line venture. The site is continuing to grow in membership and in reader base, and in fact I have even seen advertisements about Literotica in Penthouse Forum.

You mentioned Penthouse or Playboy as being good places to publish stories. That really isn't the case, however. ANYTHING and EVERYTHING you send them becomes their property. Any type of reader letters, any stories for their contests, everything! That is why I originally came to Lit - here we are able to retain ownership of all our work.

I suppose anything in business is possible, but besides the magazine layout, start-up capital, advertisers, etc. etc. etc. I wonder towards what group the magazine would be aimed? The wide variety of stories on this site are part of the success, I think, and to narrow the focus would be a shame.

Why don't you ask Laurel and Manu? As site owners and operators, I'm sure they'll give you the answers you seek.
 
The other difference with Playboy or Penthouse is that they're pretty elite, very well-paying markets. Anyone who can get $500 for a 5000 word story is a damn good writer, in my estimation. There are hundreds of other paying venues out there to market erotic stories but, of course, the rate is pretty low.

Recently on ERA there was an interview with Thomas Roche, a pretty successful erotic horror writer who's published some two hundred stories and a number of anthologies. You can read the entire interview here, but what he says about publishing is pretty interesting:

"However, making paying publications successful requires a certain amount of business acumen that most people who are into literature aren't that hip to—really, it's two different kind of people, which I think is a lot of the reason the book publishing industry is currently in crisis. There was a huge explosion of book publishers as the technology and the cost of publishing plummeted in recent years, but that's changing for whatever reason. Distributors and book publishers are going out of business and distributors are screwing their publishers, publishers screwing their writers—not because they're bad people but because the numbers just don't add up, and nobody seems to be making money. I think it's become much easier to get a wide audience for your writing if you're willing to distribute it for free on the web—but even then, it's difficult."

As a writer, that's the benefit of Lit for me -- trying different things and garnering feedback from a wide variety of readers, something that's invaluable if you plan to market your work.
 
Replie to poll

I like to thank Sweetsubsarahh & Seattle Zack. I have e-mailed Laurel but haven't heard back from her yet. I hope she will weaigh in on it. You both have good points. As far start up money and how to choose what. I'm going to lay back on that till I see how the poll turns out. You know find out how people feel about the Idea. So give me a few days to tell you how I think this could work. It looks to like there is a place for this type of magazine. So please ask people to take the poll. After all it cann't hurt to kick around an Idea to see what shapes up. Thats what makes this sight good. Everyone has a voice good or bad and thats what counts isn't it.
 
A plan

I like to keep thing simple thats because I'm a simple type of guy (another way of saying not to bright). So heres a plan I think that could work. If anyone can build on this feel free to jump in.
1. Start up money- The members that want to can invest. Say $10 up max $100 that way no one looses there life saveing.
Each dollar is a share max 100 shares no one invester can have more than 100 shares.
2. Storys can be chosen like the monthly contest. If authors do not want to be pub. in magazine then at the bottum of story state not for magazine at time of submission. Each month 3 categories would be chosen at random. Two storys from chosen categories
Example
Loving Wifes
Sic-Fi & Fantasy
Erotc Coupling
Plus two peoms each month
3. 5000 words or less
4. Art work for frount cover can be done by members who submit art work.
5. As far as copy right law I will leave that to some one with law degree.
6. Disttibutors surely there are some member that work as magazine distibutors.
7. The authors of storys that are chosen each month can be payed a so much amount. The same goes for artwork and poems.

As I said earler This plan is not set in stone so if anybody else can inprove on this plan feel free to do so.
 
I'm pretty sure I said this somewhere else, but it may just be another figment of my imagination. I'm still wondering if you will have problems with authors that publish on this site because they value their anonymity. (where's the spell checker?) It's been a while since I filled out the form, but you don't have to give much personal information to register, or submit, here. I personally probably would do it, but some others might not want to list "erotic fiction" on their income tax form. *grin*

Whisper :rose:

Ps. This is just a guess, I could be wrong......
 
replie

As I've said some were the Idea on this board. Authors for year have written under pen names. As far as taxs thats between you and the tax man and he cann't say anything because its the law .
 
Well how do you expect us to vote?

Do I think it's a good idea in terms of making a profit? No, I don't.

Would I be willing to submit stories to it? Sure, why not.

Would I be willing to be paid for my stories? Again, sure. Definitely.

Would I be willing to put up my own money for it? No, because I don't think it'll ever make a profit.

Would I be willing to work on this for free? I don't think so.

So is all that a yes or a no?

---dr.M.
 
replie to replie

As I said this is not set in stone. I also said anybody can ad to this idea. As for how to vote do the + ad up more than -. I think it can work and make some money it may take a year or two for people who invested to see a return. But very few investment show big return in the first year.
 
dr_mabeuse said:
Well how do you expect us to vote?

Do I think it's a good idea in terms of making a profit? No, I don't.

Would I be willing to submit stories to it? Sure, why not.

Would I be willing to be paid for my stories? Again, sure. Definitely.

Would I be willing to put up my own money for it? No, because I don't think it'll ever make a profit.

Would I be willing to work on this for free? I don't think so.

So is all that a yes or a no?

---dr.M.
Click to expand...

Dear Dr.M. :D

Hope you don't mind my pinching your reasoning. I agree, except for the investment:
I don't have any money. :eek:
 
Sshafer,


Nobody really dislikes you "idea."

Where most seem to experience difficulty, is in figuring out how it would work, who would finance it, and what impact it may have upon what already exists.

Perhaps the problem is working under the Literotica banner.

If you really believe in this concept, you should set it up outside of Literotica.

In this (and several other archives) you will find stories published online, where the writer retains the rights to his own story. Convince a panel of readers to pour over all those stories, collect the best, then offer the authors a bit of cash for permission to reprint their stories in your magazine.

Call it "PornStory - Best of Web" or something like that.

If you find that paper/printing/distribution costs will be prohibitive, you can always distribute your publication on the web in html, rtf, pdf, or other formats.

Since a web-based eZine would be in direct competition with the free archives, what you would actually be selling is your readers' service, culling through the poorly written, unproofed, detritus found in every archive.

Adv. - "The best erotica on the web, without wading through oceans of sludge!"

Who knows, it might work, but there's little use polling the writers. They will be interested only when you have money to offer – perhaps, not even then.

You should be polling the readers. Most likely, they will be the people who become employees, as well as comprising the audience you will be trying to reach.

Good luck!
 
Last edited:
Dr. M. summarised many of my own thoughts, so I won't repeat them.

There is a lot of myth running around thanks to ads by computer companies that anyone can get published and be successful. The reality, as exposed in some other comments, is that there are some major issues in the distribution arena as the older models get replaced with new business relationships.

I could write pages about business plans and all the things you have not dealt with. But the basic problem is that you have confused similar businesses by CONTENT or SUBJECT MATTER, which is not how businesses are classified.

Amazon is a competitor to Borders and Barnes and Noble but they are NOT in the same business. they merely sell the same items. they are no more in the same business than Costco, Sears, Firestone and your local garage. Businesses have structures that are peculiar to the products they deliver AND the method of delivery. And when most analysts look at businesses, they segregate those that are similar in delivery method, first and product type second.

As I said once before. Laurel and Manu would be far better off thinking in terms of extending the existing franchise rather than biting off an entirely different, and frankly not as closely related as you think business venture. Over time they have added features to the site which provide either new direct sources of revenue, or more viewership to sell to their advertisers. This makes a lot more business sense than taking on the expense of a completely different business.

If you are really serious about a LIT magazine. Put together a business plan. negotiate a licensing deal with Laurel and Manu for the content of this site. then get the investors. And, oh yes, in the licensing deal for the name, you will probably have to give them some review over the look and content. And then when it does not go as planned, you and they can call Rosie O'donnell for the names of the lawyers that handled that fiasco.

There was another example of someone that confused content that was successful in one business, with content that was going to be successful in another. OOOOOOOooooooooops.
 
replie to poll

I don't think the magazine is dead yet. Just go to a book store and look at how many new mags. are there. Most are the same just differnt covers thats all. The so call smut mag. use to be Playboy, Penthouse, Hus. Now there are at least fifty smut mags. out there. They all show T&A so their all the same just a diff. name and floormatte thats all. Our mag is diff. and we all know who comes up with something diff. first gets the biggest part of the market. Thats why I think it would work because there is nothing like it out there yet. Of course that would be up to Laurel& Manu they owen the sight .
As far as the poll its open to everyone. I know every member is not a writer some just come to read. They are weclome to vote to as I have said the poll is open to everyone so please vote.
 
Rather than asking whether we think it's a good idea, why don't you poll readers on whether they'd be willing to spend $$$ for such a magazine? That would probably give you a more useful idea of the feasibility of such a venture.

---dr.M.
 
Re: replie to poll

Sshafer said:
I don't think the magazine is dead yet. Just go to a book store and look at how many new mags. are there.
Click to expand...

Okay Sschafer, I admit the magazine isn't quite a dead duck yet, but if you've been involved in the print publishing industry you know that everyone in that industry is befuddled right now. "I just don't know where this industry is heading anymore," is a remark you'll often hear in the offices of newspapers and magazines. The adult magazine market in particular is known to be suffering reduced cover sales due to competition from the Web, and virtually every print publisher is experimenting with this new medium, trying to find a forumla that works (ie. makes money). I used to write for a British magazine called Knave. Knave has stopped buying fiction, and so have its seven sister publications in the same publishing house. I know one Knave contributor who had well over $10,000 worth of completed work spiked due to this change in policy, with no kill fees paid I might add.

A lot of those new magazines you see may not last long.

I'm not trying to pour cold water on your idea, Sschafer. In fact, my vote is for the first option, the one that says it's a great idea. I agree that there are cost effective ways to launch a magazine, and most or all the talent and skills required could probably be found among the many existing Literotica writers. You may even find some who are willing to invest time and money in the project. I'm sure I'm not the only one here who has ever sold an ad or created a page layout on-stone. My cautionary point is, however, that I think the main reason so many hard copy publishers find it impossible to make money online, is that they refuse to commit themselves to the realities of online publishing; they remain devoted to their hard copy product instead. Advertisers are more eager to tap into the tremendous exposure of the Web, but are too closed minded to accept that sites like Literotica can be respectable places to expose their brands, as well as being popular with the masses. You can't just make a Web based carbon copy of a magazine or paper and expect it to pay, both the advertisers and a lot of hard copy publishers can't seem to grasp that truth. And I suspect the same is true in reverse, taking Literotica.com and simply converting it to print would be a logistical impossibility. They are very different mediums.

You would have to talk to the Literotica owners to get their opinion, but for what it's worth, I think if such a magazine was launched, it would work best as an affiliated but separate enterprise that simply paid Literotica.com for the use of its name, rather than trying to publish in tandem from the same offices. That way the folks at Literotica.com could remain focused on the formula that's already working for them, and the print division could adhere to an entirely different set of realities. I do think having Literotica published in both mediums would allow the two versions to promote each other's sales to some degree, but I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for major advertisers to jump aboard online or in print.

Sschafer, I have owned hard copy publications, and I've done some fairly extensive work in trying to create paying publications online. In the process I've done a lot of research into publishing online and in print at the same time, because I do think the two mediums could compliment one another if it's done properly. I'd be happy to share what I've learned with anyone who has a serious scheme underway. So please save my email addy (GaryChambers@Literotica.org) and let me know if there's anything I can offer to help your idea come to fruition. My cautions are not intended to dampen the spirit of the idea, just to point out the basic publishing realities my own experience has uncovered to date.
 
Last edited:
Replie to Gary on poll

I see your point and have been thinking on it. I think it should be aimed toward women. Why because book and mag. sale are bought by seventy % of weman thirty % men. I have noticed that alot of the best storys here are by women. So here is another idea to kick around. The mag. could be for women and men. Most mag. seperate the two. Like Playboy mag for men, Penthouse the mag for men. But more women buy Penthouse form than men. The reason is simple. Men get excited by pitcures or something we can see. But women like to read and let there mind do the pitcures. I agree it should be split off from Lit. to much stuff on one plate can take away from both. E-mail me at Lit. I'd liked to talk over some Ideas with you. Oh by the way drop the c in Shafer.
 
Ideas and experiences

Thanks for the URL heads-up Quasi, and for the link Tulip.

I’ve always been interested in adult publishing and have seen some magazines that are aimed to appeal to both men and women. I know of one in the U.K. right now, and I recall one from Australia many years ago. But they’re not mainstream market efforts.

I told Sshafer that I would share some experiences and toss some ideas around with him/her, but maybe it would be more productive to put them here, where everyone in the thread can see them .

* EXPERIENCE: Always launch as an annual if you can. There is never any shame in writing a little editorial saying your annual edition was so well received you’ve decided to make it a quarterly, and keep growing that way. But if you say you’re going to be a quarterly or a monthly but don’t make it, your readers will get turned off.

* EXPERIENCE: The European A5 size magazine would be fine for this project and would cut printing costs dramatically. A5 is about half the size of the usual North American magazine. Magazines like Penthouse Forum; Amazing Stories etc. are North American versions of the A5 magazine. Avoiding special cover stock also helps keep the price down.

* EXPERIENCE: You don’t have to pay writers big money to get launched. Even professional writers will submit a free story to a new publication to get a foot in the door for future sales. Those who won’t are welcome to go elsewhere, if an elsewhere exists. Paying in copies, or perhaps a penny or even half a penny per word is quite acceptable to get an innovative publication off the ground.

* EXPERIENCE: Don’t just try to poach writers from Literotica.com. Make sure they know about it, but submission guidelines would need to be different anyway, so it’s not productive to simply try to transfer writers and their works from one medium to the other.

* EXPERIENCE: Don’t forget distribution. It’s a big headache and many good magazines have failed because they didn't put enough effort into this aspect of their operations.

* EXPERIENCE: Forget advertisers. They just come along for the ride. The publisher’s job is to get readers. If you get enough readers, the advertisers will come sniffing to take the ride. I know mny publishers would disagree with this, but I stand by the philosophy because I've seen it work many times.

* EXPERIENCE: The mainstream porn mags already have the mainstream market sewn up, and they have the money to chase you out of that market if they please. Go for a niche they’re not serving. You have it in those who like to read good quality erotica. Most of the mainstream porn magazines have abandoned this market niche. Aim for high quality erotic literature, don’t even try to compete with the porn barons unless you’ve got money to burn. Looking up porn and erotica in your dictionary is a good start. I'm not against porn, but it's a flooded market. Good erotica is harder to find, so there's a starving market there.

* IDEA: Publish in black and white first, perhaps with a spot colour cover. Black and white is fine for text, and for story illustrations in an A5 format. It also looks more arty which will help attract the target readers.

* IDEA: Find a group of writers, artists and photographers who want to be involved. Ask them to look after distribution in their areas. They can put the magazines out on consignment, collect the publisher’s sales percentage, deduct their own shares to pay for their work, and send the rest to the magazine.

* IDEA: You may even be able to find some writers, artists and photographers who would be interested in this as a franchise scheme. They could take a franchise for their area, even taking responsibility for printing the magazines they sell in their area. This would help because some countries impose heavy duties on imported printed matter. The main office would layout the magazine, manage the editorial system, coordinate the franchises and deal with Literotica.com, any national advertisers etc.

* IDEA: Try to work out an agreement with Literotica.com to call the magazine Literotica and show an actual affiliation with the site. Advertise the site in the magazine and the magazine on the site. Also have a page at Literotica.com where people can order the magazine online. Make the two things compliment one another, not compete.

* IDEA: You need to put a team together because publishing is always very much a team effort. With writers all over the world that could be difficult, so maybe it’s worth forming an email group; a sort of ongoing corporate meeting where ideas can evolve and actions can be planned and agreed.

That’s it for now. I still say a magazine is a good idea, but the logistics are more complex than just coming up with the idea. Anyone else got anything to offer?
 
reply to GaryBob2

You were thinking along some of the lines I was. You came up with a couple of things I haven't thought of. Let me look this over some more and get back to you.
 
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