Same Title, Different Stories?

[Djmac1031]

So I had an idea for a story that quickly became three different ideas featuring the same initial premise: Someone recieves nude pictures that were not meant for them.

Instead of choosing between the ideas, I see no reason why I can't write all three.

The first is already written and published under the very simple title Accidental Nudes. This story features a corporate executive who receives accidentally sent pics from his long time secretary.

I'm currently writing the second story; same premise, accidentally sent nudes, but all new characters and scenario: a man getting nudes from a young woman sending them to the wrong number.

My question / sticking point is this: I have considered publishing it under the same name, Accidental Nudes, but with the added subtitle The Stranger.

I like the IDEA of publishing a SERIES of stories about the same concept but all of them being stand alone tales featuring all new characters and events.

But I'm afraid it might confuse and alienate readers who might see the next installment as just some "sequel" and skip it, or keep new readers from checking them out because they mistakenly believe they'd have to read the past chapters first.

IF I were to run with this idea, I'd have to go back and retitle the first one Accidental Nudes: The Secretary, which I know isn't that hard to do. That would help set it apart from Accidental Nudes: The Stranger, and the third one when I finally get to it.

Or am I better off just giving them all unique titles to avoid confusion?

If other authors have done something similar I have yet to come across it.

 

[lovecraft68]

I think the series would work "Accidental Nudes: The teacher's mistake" could be fun.

 

[Djmac1031]

I think the series would work "Accidental Nudes: The teacher's mistake" could be fun.

It absolutely leaves room for new ideas as they come. And I might steal that one from you LOL.

I suppose a statement of clarification at the beginning of each story could help, making sure the reader understands they're not coming in at the middle of something and that it's a separate story from the rest.

Although The Stranger may need a Part 2, but I could of course label it that.

 

[lovecraft68]

It absolutely leaves room for new ideas as they come. And I might steal that one from you LOL.

I suppose a statement of clarification at the beginning of each story could help, making sure the reader understands they're not coming in at the middle of something and that it's a separate story from the rest.

Although The Stranger may need a Part 2, but I could of course label it that.

I would consider these episodes, like a TV series, similar theme, but no connection with the characters. Its like my Milf Tails series, each one is a different scenario between a milf and a young admirer, but they are all stand alones.

 

[Lifestyle66]

So I had an idea for a story that quickly became three different ideas featuring the same initial premise: Someone recieves nude pictures that were not meant for them.

Instead of choosing between the ideas, I see no reason why I can't write all three.

The first is already written and published under the very simple title Accidental Nudes. This story features a corporate executive who receives accidentally sent pics from his long time secretary.

I'm currently writing the second story; same premise, accidentally sent nudes, but all new characters and scenario: a man getting nudes from a young woman sending them to the wrong number.

My question / sticking point is this: I have considered publishing it under the same name, Accidental Nudes, but with the added subtitle The Stranger.

I like the IDEA of publishing a SERIES of stories about the same concept but all of them being stand alone tales featuring all new characters and events.

But I'm afraid it might confuse and alienate readers who might see the next installment as just some "sequel" and skip it, or keep new readers from checking them out because they mistakenly believe they'd have to read the past chapters first.

IF I were to run with this idea, I'd have to go back and retitle the first one Accidental Nudes: The Secretary, which I know isn't that hard to do. That would help set it apart from Accidental Nudes: The Stranger, and the third one when I finally get to it.

Or am I better off just giving them all unique titles to avoid confusion?

If other authors have done something similar I have yet to come across it.

This would be similar to the Amorous Goods challenge. They all start with the same first half of the title "Amorous Goods", so there shouldn't be any confusion.

However, be careful how many characters you use in the series title. The length of the first part then restricts all future titles to the remaining characters allowed in the max title length.

 

[SimonDoom]

I think it's an idea worth trying. I like the concept. It's an inherently titillating, erotic concept, and it can be explored in almost infinite ways, so it can keep you busy with new stories indefinitely. The only question I'd have is whether readers will see each new one as a successive chapter and either a) you'll experience attrition from one to the other, or b) they might be disappointed that each new story isn't a continuation of the narrative. But this seems pretty speculative to me. You might give it a try for three stories, see how it works, and if you feel like you're getting too much dropoff with each one then drop "Accidental Nudes" from the fourth story.

 

[oggbashan]

This thread reminds me I wrote the same story twice with different tiles.

My excuse? I was changing computers and I found a late draft but not the final one. I had forgotten I had already submitted it to Literotica, so after a few changes and additions, I submitted it again.

The stories are;

Escaping Cybele,

and

Limit of Authority.

 

[alohadave]

So I had an idea for a story that quickly became three different ideas featuring the same initial premise: Someone recieves nude pictures that were not meant for them.

Instead of choosing between the ideas, I see no reason why I can't write all three.

The first is already written and published under the very simple title Accidental Nudes. This story features a corporate executive who receives accidentally sent pics from his long time secretary.

I'm currently writing the second story; same premise, accidentally sent nudes, but all new characters and scenario: a man getting nudes from a young woman sending them to the wrong number.

My question / sticking point is this: I have considered publishing it under the same name, Accidental Nudes, but with the added subtitle The Stranger.

I like the IDEA of publishing a SERIES of stories about the same concept but all of them being stand alone tales featuring all new characters and events.

But I'm afraid it might confuse and alienate readers who might see the next installment as just some "sequel" and skip it, or keep new readers from checking them out because they mistakenly believe they'd have to read the past chapters first.

IF I were to run with this idea, I'd have to go back and retitle the first one Accidental Nudes: The Secretary, which I know isn't that hard to do. That would help set it apart from Accidental Nudes: The Stranger, and the third one when I finally get to it.

Or am I better off just giving them all unique titles to avoid confusion?

If other authors have done something similar I have yet to come across it.

In the series description, state that they are of the same concept, but not otherwise related. And if you need to, put a short blurb at the top of the story.

I have a Parent-Teacher series that are unrelated except for theme. I named them "Parent-Teacher: XXX" for the specific contents of the story.

 

[Djmac1031]

I think it's an idea worth trying. I like the concept. It's an inherently titillating, erotic concept, and it can be explored in almost infinite ways, so it can keep you busy with new stories indefinitely. The only question I'd have is whether readers will see each new one as a successive chapter and either a) you'll experience attrition from one to the other, or b) they might be disappointed that each new story isn't a continuation of the narrative. But this seems pretty speculative to me. You might give it a try for three stories, see how it works, and if you feel like you're getting too much dropoff with each one then drop "Accidental Nudes" from the fourth story.

Those are my exact same thoughts / fears. It's hard enough retaining regular readers without alienating them with possible confusion about a series.

If I proceed with the idea, I'll just have to do my best to make sure I explain what's going on at the beginning of each story.

And yeah, if it fails just drop the idea and title each story individually.

 

[Djmac1031]

I would consider these episodes, like a TV series, similar theme, but no connection with the characters. Its like my Milf Tails series, each one is a different scenario between a milf and a young admirer, but they are all stand alones.

I kinda figured other authors may be doing something similar. That's helpful to know.

 

[RejectReality]

Some might very well assume they're sequels in an ongoing story, but most are not going to notice that at the primary level of selection on the Hubs/Main List/Search. There are tons of single-shot stories that use the Title: Subtitle format. So once they open one and realize it's self contained, it shouldn't put those who don't like multi-part stories off going forward.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Those are my exact same thoughts / fears. It's hard enough retaining regular readers without alienating them with possible confusion about a series.

If I proceed with the idea, I'll just have to do my best to make sure I explain what's going on at the beginning of each story.

And yeah, if it fails just drop the idea and title each story individually.

I've done that with my Songs of Seduction stories, at this point a set of three stories exploring gender and sexuality in a very broad sense, but other than that, have nothing in common. I've seen no reader impact at all - each story runs as a standalone, in different categories (and they're years apart). They're only "linked" when you see them clustered together on my story page.

You're over-thinking this, I reckon. I work on the premise that readers are clever, and can figure out stuff like this by themselves, don't need explanations and author notes.. And if they're too dumb to do figure it out, well...

 

[Paul_Chance]

People like certain scenarios when it comes to erotic. I think a series of "same scenario: different story" would find a fairly loyal readership. (Just browse any of the places that sell erotic writing and you'll see that is it a common technique.)

 

[Rob_Royale]

I agree with Simon. Maybe include a heads-up note in an intro paragraph, on the second story, to let folks know that the second and all stories following are stand-alone stories. Good luck, I'd like to read them.

 

[BobbyBrandt]

I have two different series currently. (Excluding chapter stories posted in multiple parts)

The first one (Before They Were Stars) is similar to what you are considering. The premise of each is the revelation of sexual encounters with celebrities before they became famous. Each story is unique but remains true to the concept.

The second series (Uncle Sugar Daddy), is a bit different in that it involves the same characters in different scenarios. If the three stories currently in the series were combined, they could make for a longer stand-alone piece. This is not the case with the first series mentioned.

 

[Defluer]

This same thing happened to me with the same (sort of) story idea! I even started it but it got to complicated for me. I liked the idea of how many different scenarios that the one act can bring about.

My stories ideas were different. Mine were not single people but couples that it happened to. I had different ones because I liked the ideas of a wife and husband both accidentally revealing it and accidentally on purpose revealing their naughty pics/videos.

The first one that got too complicated for me was "Cum Faces" where the wife accidentally sends out a video to their friends group chat of the last time her husband recorded her getting a facial, meaning to playfully tell him that that was what she wanted tonight. She doesn't realize it went to everyone for just long enough that they all saw it. It got too complicated for me because I got bogged down with the idea of writing all the other couples reactions, them talking to each other about it, getting turned on about it (In different sort of "natural" ways) and then posting their own "Cum Face" video. Each couple escalating the game a little as they posted by adding more footage or pics or whatever. But once I felt like it was basically a novel (and had no idea where it would ever end) I got overwhelmed and ran away.

It's a cool idea. Good luck with yours.

 

[Duleigh]

As long as each story is a complete story, people shy away from stories that are divided into chapters because they want the entire story: Introduction, exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution. A chaptered story can draw that out for hundreds of thousands of words (We're a wonderful wife is up to 300,000 words and just now reached the climax) The problem with chapter stories is that many readers will read chapter 1 and say "screw it, this is too long for me."

What you have is a series anthology, which I have had great luck with. Put a disclaimer up top on the first page of every story explaining that this is a series of stories built on the same premise with different results. I have had great results with Stormwatch, a series of 8 stories. Yes it's a pain doing the same introductions over and over but it's essential for the reader who wants to start reading at story #4 because the teaser on your list of works was hot enough to pique their interest.

 

[jsmiam]

Lateral thinking idea: accidental nudes at the END of the title, not the beginning. It’s a way to have a connecting clue for the fans, and perhaps you supplement that with an author’s note.