Suggestions from Readers

[Boxlicker101]

How many writers ask suggestions from readers? I do, and sometimes I follow them. The most recent story of mine to be posted is about a horny young woman moving from a small town to New York and having sex on the bus. I expect to make it a series and added a paragraph at the end asking readers for what they think she she should be doing in the future. So far I have not had any responses but I expect a few.

When I get feedback from a woman telling me how wet a story of mine made her, I usually suggest writing a story about her. Sometimes she wants it and sometimes not. A lot of my stories, although fiction, were written about actual people, but only with their permission.

I also get suggestions from readers, sometimes good ones, as to what I should write about. Stories about Ashley and later Chantel were the result of such a suggestion.

 

[rgraham666]

I've received at least one good suggestion from a reader.

Still working on it.

 

[brightlyiburn]

It really depends on the suggestion. Usually my readers suggest ideas, or mention things they'd like to see. If it catches my attention, and I start getting a sense of how I can weave it into my own ideas, I may just use it.
While I have a basic framework, a lot of my ideas are impulses. I'm never certain where they might meander. So even if I asked for suggestions, I may never get the opportunity to use them. I wouldn't want to give my readers the impression that I'm going to do something, then not do it.

 

[NoJo]

Box, it's good that you listen to your readers, and break down barriers.

A few readers have made unsolicited suggestions or told me of their ideas; these are people who obviously liked my story. But, to be honest, most of suggestions indicate that they haven't got a clue what I'm writing. I always feel a distinct touch of alienation when that happens.

 

[Boxlicker101]

Box, it's good that you listen to your readers, and break down barriers.

A few readers have made unsolicited suggestions or told me of their ideas; these are people who obviously liked my story. But, to be honest, most of suggestions indicate that they haven't got a clue what I'm writing. I always feel a distinct touch of alienation when that happens.

That happens to me too especially when somebody suggests I write a sequel. Usually, if I plan to write a sequel, I intend to do so even while I am writing the first one. I don't really think of that as being a sequel anyhow, but of being a series, since I expect to continue writing indefiniely about the same central characters. In the case of Cindy Lou, who is riding the bus to New York, I already have four ideas for stories and will probably have more. These are my own ideas, by the way, not reader suggestions. She might even get to be as active as George Boxlicker.

 

[oggbashan]

The suggestions I get are usually physically impossible.

Og

 

[Guest]

 

[Liar]

The few suggestions I have gotten have often been requests for follow-ups on stories, with suggestions on the direction of those. All pretty good ideas, and if I was a more prolific writer, I'd probably use them.

 

[curious2c]

I've had lots of suggestions from readers and I always listen...and sometimes I will work in some of them in a story, if it fits right. I've even written a story for a reader in particular...hopefully they liked it.

I've gotten some strange feedback over time too...I have to wonder about some people at times.

 

[BlackShanglan]

I've only had two suggestions - although one was made by more than one reader. The first was to put more sex in "Meer Kass"; I don't plan to do that, because I like the tight structure of the story and don't want to turn it into a series of stroke scenes. The other was a very good suggestion for where to go with the series; I will definitely be using it if/when I get around to writing any more of it.

Shanglan

 

[elsol]

My views on suggestions are that it depends on the story.

Sometimes in a series the 'reader' suggestion doesn't make any sense, simply because it goes against what I want to do in the story.

At other times, because I'm focussed on something else, a reader suggestion can be worked in.

I remember while writing a 'novel' length story, I got the funniest email ever...

> More mom/son sex... please.

It was anonymous and that was the entire content of the email... I was like 'Well, if you're going to be so polite about it, let's see what we can do.'

Sincerely,
ElSol

 

[killallhippies]

i thank them, but since they usually just ask for silly shit i tend to ignore them. i am trying to write a story for a reader, though. it seemed like an interesting challenge. at least she didn't ask for the usual "let's get the mom involved" crap.

 

[NoJo]

i thank them, but since they usually just ask for silly shit i tend to ignore them. i am trying to write a story for a reader, though. it seemed like an interesting challenge. at least she didn't ask for the usual "let's get the mom involved" crap.

I see, so it wasn't a seating plan story.

 

[killallhippies]

I see, so it wasn't a seating plan story.

what?

 

[brightlyiburn]

Sometimes I really don't get my readers' suggestions. Most of the time, even if I'm not too fond of the suggestion, it at least fits what I'm writing.
Occasionally, however...well, I had someone e-mail me and tell me that I shouldn't have my character throw knives at peoples' heads, because it was out of character.

I sat back, stared at the screen, and wondered if this person was perhaps refering to another story that, through some strange twist of fate, had characters with the exact same interactions and names as mine.

Since the point of the character, and in general the story, was that he'd spent time in jail and had something of a past, I couldn't see how throwing a knife at someone was out of character for him.
Conversely, I had someone tell me that him using pet names like "sweetheart" was out of character for someone with a criminal past. Which also confused me, because at that point the story was complete and I'd already made the point that much of that hard attitude was a "social mask".

But I imagine most people don't really see the vast amounts of social commentary actually in that story, as they're more than likely not reading it for that purpose.

Which I guess just goes to show you that I think about my work a hell of a lot more than I seem to at first...and probably a hell of a lot more than is really necessary for a romance story.

 

[davidwatts]

I need all the help I can get

I've gotten a couple of very good ideas from readers, one about content and the other more about structuring stories in a series. Sometimes readers might be able to see things that I miss because I'm not able to look at things from their perspective.

I did get one suggestion that I only wish I could accomplish.

And now, for no good reason other than being now able to...

 

[Kassiana]

Story ideas I will accept. My main non-erotic story on here, Space Cowboys, was written by request from a fan of mine on fanfiction.net. "lol this is good write more" when I've ended a story will not be accepted unless I already intended/have an idea for a sequel.

Unfortunately, I get far more "write more" or "this doesnt have sex in it why are you posting it here" comments than truly helpful/inspiring ones.

 

[MLyons]

I have more full story ideas than I can shake a stick at bumping around in my own brain. Most of them are terrible, and I take a lot of time deciding which few to actually pursue into full on, written out stories.

In that way, although I often find inspiration in other stories that I read, I rarely take reader suggestions about full story ideas. That doesn't mean that I'm not open to them, however. I HAVE taken suggestion from readers about little things or fetishes readers would like me to incorporate into future stories, however. Feedback is really something. It's amazing how a reader can give you one sentance of feedback and from that you get ideas that blossom into something much grander, and really exciting.

I'm therefore grateful for any suggestions my (20 or so) readers have.

I'm not done with my character, "Cindy", for example, and some kind of continuation will be written eventually. I asked for suggestion at the end of the story, and I got some good ones.

 

[R. Richard]

The suggestions I get are usually physically impossible.

Og

Og:
Don't feel like the Lone Ranger! I get a lot of those kind myself.

 

[Belegon]

I can only think of two times where something someone has said actually affected the direction of a story. Both were comments solicited by me from other authors.

when/if I ask for help it willl almost always be from other authors, and then even suggestions I don't use get me thinking about why the characters would not do that. So even that helps.

unsolicited suggestions from general readership are very welcome but have never been used at this point.

 

[Boxlicker101]

R. Richard Quote:
Originally Posted by oggbashan
The suggestions I get are usually physically impossible.

Og



Og:
Don't feel like the Lone Ranger! I get a lot of those kind myself.


Besides story suggestions, I sometimes get personal suggestions from readers. So far, none of them have been feasible because of the distance involved and other factors but they have all sounded like a lot of fun.

 

[Colleen Thomas]

I get a lot of requests for aditional parts to stories.

The most frequent suggestion I get is including men in my works. A recent respondant even went so far as to say there are no gay women, only bi women, and since I don't include men, I am incapable of writing a hot lesbian scene.

I tend to thank readers for any suggestion made. I usually consider what they have to say, even when the suggestion seems to be formed on a personal opinion. I have learned a lot from readers suggestions, and some of them have even helped me grow as a writer. I consider them a resource to becoming abetter writer and to me, ignoring their comments and suggestions would be the same as ignoring suggestions from more accomplished writers. I'm not good enough to disdain any resource at present.

 

[brightlyiburn]

A recent respondant even went so far as to say there are no gay women, only bi women, and since I don't include men, I am incapable of writing a hot lesbian scene.

I've read that a good dozen times or so, and it still makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.
So let me get this straight...in order to have a hot lesbian scene, there must be men involved? And here I've been under the silly impression all this time that lesbians don't sleep with men.

 

[Colleen Thomas]

I've read that a good dozen times or so, and it still makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.
So let me get this straight...in order to have a hot lesbian scene, there must be men involved? And here I've been under the silly impression all this time that lesbians don't sleep with men.

I've had plenty of sex with no men involved. I can't say the experience suffered for it in any way I am aware of

I don't understand the reasoning either, but it's a fairly regular complaint. I see it two or three times a year.

 

[brightlyiburn]

I've had plenty of sex with no men involved. I can't say the experience suffered for it in any way I am aware of

I don't understand the reasoning either, but it's a fairly regular complaint. I see it two or three times a year.

You know, I'm only nineteen. That's too young to feel like there's no hope for humanity. But that just about made it official.
I need a smiley for banging my head against the wall in frustration and exasperation. Anyone know where I can find one?