Totally Stupid Story Rejection

[mattwatt43]

To whom does one address oneself around here to call those who decide which stories to post 'stupid assholes', which they are? Rejected a Christmas story of mine because it had a child in it. It was a soft romance with no----I repeat NO under age sex!

When I post this, I will shake the dust off my feat and this site to the darkness of literary criticism ineptness where it deserves to be!

 

[lovecraft68]

To whom does one address oneself around here to call those who decide which stories to post 'stupid assholes', which they are? Rejected a Christmas story of mine because it had a child in it. It was a soft romance with no----I repeat NO under age sex!

When I post this, I will shake the dust off my feat and this site to the darkness of literary criticism ineptness where it deserves to be!

Well first off referring to the owner of a site allowing you to post your work as Assholes most likely will not get you far.

As for the rejection based on underage, well I agree there are times they are a little to paranoid with this subject, but it is the only rule they really enforce. Understand that not every story is seen by a human. Many are scanned by a "bot".

Bots don't read or think they are keyed into to key words and phrases. I'm sure you mentioned the child's age and it picked it up.

Now if you're done pitching a fit. here is your solution. Resubmit the story and in the notes box simply state that there is no underage sex. Posting a note about a rejected story will get it read by a person. Also ask yourself how important it is to refer to a specific age. Just say the kid is "young" or something like that.

Bottom line, if you truly do not have any under age sex in the story you will be able to get it through.

 

[lance gt]

Underage romance is just as verbotten, as it appears you have done. No kissy-feely with the little ones Matt, not even a hint. There's no sugar-coating underage sex in any form, no matter how you want to present it.

 

[lovecraft68]

Underage romance is just as verbotten, as it appears you have done. No kissy-feely with the little ones Matt, not even a hint. There's no sugar-coating underage sex in any form, no matter how you want to present it.

He's claiming there is no under age sex. I'm under the impression that there was just a character in the story that was under 18. Especially seeing it was a X-Mas tale.

It's possible I'm not understanding him right, but that was my take.

I have to say that I under stand the under age policy, but it does get frustrating for people who want to write more than just smut and have some character development (as in a story I had rejected because I went back to the characters teen years to describe why they are a fucked up adult) or to add a detail like "so and so had a 12 year old son.

So they really do get a little out of control with this thing. Bronze age once gad a story rejected for under age because he mentioned 12 year old scotch. So there is a frustration level that comes along with this.

 

[lance gt]

He's claiming there is no under age sex. I'm under the impression that there was just a character in the story that was under 18. Especially seeing it was a X-Mas tale.

It's possible I'm not understanding him right, but that was my take.

I have to say that I under stand the under age policy, but it does get frustrating for people who want to write more than just smut and have some character development (as in a story I had rejected because I went back to the characters teen years to describe why they are a fucked up adult) or to add a detail like "so and so had a 12 year old son.

So they really do get a little out of control with this thing. Bronze age once gad a story rejected for under age because he mentioned 12 year old scotch. So there is a frustration level that comes along with this.

The best I got away with was using a line, "...I remembered the way she kissed me on her 16th birthday. It was more than friendly and made me warm inside. Now that it's her 18th birthday, I wonder how she'll kiss me this time?"

I believe Matt said it was an innocent romantic moment between his two characters and that falls into the no no area. I agree that it's hard to write a family scene and not have something happening between people who are underaged, especially an incest story. Here's where a writer's talent comes in to write it in, without being obvious.

 

[lovecraft68]

The best I got away with was using a line, "...I remembered the way she kissed me on her 16th birthday. It was more than friendly and made me warm inside. Now that it's her 18th birthday, I wonder how she'll kiss me this time?"

I believe Matt said it was an innocent romantic moment between his two characters and that falls into the no no area. I agree that it's hard to write a family scene and not have something happening between people who are underaged, especially an incest story. Here's where a writer's talent comes in to write it in, without being obvious.

well see, you were clever and as soon as you mentioned 16 mentioned 18 in the same line shopwing it was the past. Nice job.

I have gotten around it a bit by stating they were 18 then later saying "last year" and going into a sex scene now the reader if they pay attention knows they were younger than 18 but it is not being stated.

 

[lance gt]

well see, you were clever and as soon as you mentioned 16 mentioned 18 in the same line shopwing it was the past. Nice job.

I have gotten around it a bit by stating they were 18 then later saying "last year" and going into a sex scene now the reader if they pay attention knows they were younger than 18 but it is not being stated.

Exactly what I'm saying LC. Matt has to disguise his romantic moment so it blends in like tiger stripes. The tiger is there, just hidden from plain sight.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

On the otherhand life in America gets weirder by the minute. Peeps are tossed outta airports for pistol print shirts. Kids are tossed outta school for pointing fingers and saying POW. And my local police recently extradicted a guy from Colorado for posting stuff the cops here dont like.

How long can it be before Owebama ships you to China for speech they dislike?

 

[Zeb_Carter]

To whom does one address oneself around here to call those who decide which stories to post 'stupid assholes', which they are? Rejected a Christmas story of mine because it had a child in it. It was a soft romance with no----I repeat NO under age sex!

When I post this, I will shake the dust off my feat and this site to the darkness of literary criticism ineptness where it deserves to be!

With an attitude like that, I'll see to it you never post here again!

 

[sr71plt]

Stories like mattwatt probably has usually can get posted with just a simple disclaimer note attached to a resubmission so that a human editor looks at the story. But then mattwatt didn't wait around to find that out. So, "too bad."

 

[RedHairedandFriendly]

This was in my Christmas story this year and had no issues:

He was there for the child and for Rebecca. He had written off the young girl when she was sixteen. Her Christmas spirit had been extinguished that year, but now she was eighteen and come morning she would know how to appreciate the joy of fantasy.


In the story I'm working on now I mention my character taking care of 2 kids. Age 12 and an elementary kid, but they aren't going to be involved in anything sexual. They are just kids in a family, a pair of siblings whose circumstances will pull at the heartstrings. I'll post my note and let a live person pick up the story, that way the ages don't worry the computerized powers that be.

 

[amofiga]

<<<< To whom does one address oneself around here to call those who decide which stories to post 'stupid assholes', which they are? Rejected a Christmas story of mine because it had a child in it. It was a soft romance with no----I repeat NO under age sex! >>>>

I feel for you. I'm currently waiting approval on the first two chapters of a story that just happens to mention the 13 year old son of one the main characters. There is no overt sexual contact associated with him. However, in a subsequent chapter, it alludes to the fact that the son masturbates via a discussion between the two main adult characters, one being his mother. If that gets rejected, I'll be quite PO'ed. I can see why Lit would not want anything about sexual contact between underage people either between themselves or with adults. However, I dare you to show me a 13 year old that doesn't masturbate and who's adult mother doesn't know it. Sometimes, I think the world (or more correctly the United States) has become so fucked up with it's lack of sense of humor, it's prudishness, and it's ridiculous political correctness. Just look at some of the commercials on foreign TV channels, some of which even include some level of nudity. They's probably get an R rating or maybe even more in this country.

 

[sr71plt]

If you include a "fact" in your story that a 13 year old is masturbating, it's going to be rejected, yes. You are flouting a rule that you know exists and therefore are abusing your posting privileges to this website.

Reality doesn't have anything to do with the rule other than that any underage sex attracts attention to a private website that the owners don't want to have attracted here--and that they have the right to set their limits.

Someday this may sink in to those who rant about what the site won't let them post.

 

[Stella_Omega]

There are two kinds of people who rant about the site's posting policies: people who suddenly come up against a restriction for the first time, and mostly they learn. But there is a never ending trickle of those folks.

And then there are the unteachable. There aren't so many of them, but they are unteachable. The rights of the owners will never sink in for them.

 

[sr71plt]

And then there are the unteachable. There aren't so many of them, but they are unteachable. The rights of the owners will never sink in for them.

Right, I'm waiting for a particular regular who rants on what he can't do (and what others do even though the website permits it) to show up with his litany on this subject.

 

[lovecraft68]

Right, I'm waiting for a particular regular who rants on what he can't do (and what others do even though the website permits it) to show up with his litany on this subject.

Are you talking about me sweetie? Hope not, I believe I gave our irate friend pretty much the same answer you did, just in different words.

 

[amofiga]

If you include a "fact" in your story that a 13 year old is masturbating, it's going to be rejected, yes. You are flouting a rule that you know exists and therefore are abusing your posting privileges to this website.

Reality doesn't have anything to do with the rule other than that any underage sex attracts attention to a private website that the owners don't want to have attracted here--and that they have the right to set their limits.

Someday this may sink in to those who rant about what the site won't let them post.

I don't explicitly "say" that he is, I "imply" that he is. I choose to think that I'm not ranting, simply stating that there should be common sense limits of what can be included in a story to make it realistic and consistent with modern society. How come we can see a movie like "Juno" about a pregnant high school girl and it can be poignant, funny, meaningful, and heartfelt; yet any allusion to sexual contact among high school kids here is verboten? There are such things as statuatory rape or abuse and there are those normal adolescant things that make something more believable.

I've worked around this issue and written other stories about 18 year old virgins, yet, even the 18 year old virgins must have been having some interesting times in the back seat before they turned 18. This is not a rant, just an opinion about a sad, unrealistic arbitrary position that seems cast in concrete. It's sort of the same ridiculous line of reasoning that makes medical marijuana legal in many states that still have to deal with a federal law that says it's illegal. One day, maybe people will open their eyes and exercise some reason and common sense.

 

[lovecraft68]

I don't explicitly "say" that he is, I "imply" that he is. I choose to think that I'm not ranting, simply stating that there should be common sense limits of what can be included in a story to make it realistic and consistent with modern society. How come we can see a movie like "Juno" about a pregnant high school girl and it can be poignant, funny, meaningful, and heartfelt; yet any allusion to sexual contact among high school kids here is verboten? There are such things as statuatory rape or abuse and there are those normal adolescant things that make something more believable.

I've worked around this issue and written other stories about 18 year old virgins, yet, even the 18 year old virgins must have been having some interesting times in the back seat before they turned 18. This is not a rant, just an opinion about a sad, unrealistic arbitrary position that seems cast in concrete. It's sort of the same ridiculous line of reasoning that makes medical marijuana legal in many states that still have to deal with a federal law that says it's illegal. One day, maybe people will open their eyes and exercise some reason and common sense.

There is no logical reason. Under age sex is allowed in main stream fiction and movies. The rule here is simply it is their rule. It's their home field they make house rules. Abide, leave, or manipulate them, that's the options.

Under 18 is forbidden in any sexual term and more often than not, even if the situation is not sexual an under age reference can get you the boot. If there was truly nothing wrong and you re submit with a note they will usually let it go.

I personally would only really find it restricting in the first time category as it's just dumb to think everyone was 18 there first time. But whatever.

 

[PennLady]

I don't explicitly "say" that he is, I "imply" that he is. I choose to think that I'm not ranting, simply stating that there should be common sense limits of what can be included in a story to make it realistic and consistent with modern society. How come we can see a movie like "Juno" about a pregnant high school girl and it can be poignant, funny, meaningful, and heartfelt; yet any allusion to sexual contact among high school kids here is verboten? There are such things as statuatory rape or abuse and there are those normal adolescant things that make something more believable.

I've worked around this issue and written other stories about 18 year old virgins, yet, even the 18 year old virgins must have been having some interesting times in the back seat before they turned 18. This is not a rant, just an opinion about a sad, unrealistic arbitrary position that seems cast in concrete. It's sort of the same ridiculous line of reasoning that makes medical marijuana legal in many states that still have to deal with a federal law that says it's illegal. One day, maybe people will open their eyes and exercise some reason and common sense.

You might get away with an implication. You are right, this position is cast in stone (not that things don't fall through the cracks). But it doesn't matter -- this is a privately-owned and -run site and if you don't like the rules, you can go elsewhere. StoriesOnline.net is one option -- they have no limits like that. No limits at all as far as I know.

I can tell you from experience that other sites have this rule and others, such as no incest or no violence/rape. The comparison with "Juno"is ridiculous. That was put out by a major movie studio and there is no state or federal law against such subject matter. There is such a rule here, and that's all there is to it.

 

[TE999]

To whom does one address oneself around here to call those who decide which stories to post 'stupid assholes', which they are? Rejected a Christmas story of mine because it had a child in it. It was a soft romance with no----I repeat NO under age sex!

When I post this, I will shake the dust off my feat and this site to the darkness of literary criticism ineptness where it deserves to be!

Ah, the ever pesky homophone. I think you meant 'feet' there, matt.

The under 18 bot might be overzealous and with good reason; there are folks out there, superior moral arbiters that they are, who would like nothing better than to shut sites like this down in the name of 'God and morality'. The site owners prefer not to give them something to point at during their ongoing crusade such as stories featuring underage sex.

However, now that you've called them 'stupid assholes', you best go somewhere else.

 

[lovecraft68]

Ah, the ever pesky homophone. I think you meant 'feet' there, matt.

The under 18 bot might be overzealous and with good reason; there are folks out there, superior moral arbiters that they are, who would like nothing better than to shut sites like this down in the name of 'God and morality'. The site owners prefer not to give them something to point at during their ongoing crusade such as stories featuring underage sex.

However, now that you've called them 'stupid assholes', you best go somewhere else.

The rule has nothing to do with legality. Under age sex is allowed in fiction. There is no federal law against it. This rule is instated for their beliefs. This is what they choose not to deal with. Most likely because it could draw pedo's to the site, because inevitably the age will get less and less until you have 11 year olds fucking. They don't want their work on the pedo's PC.

They have not yet figured out however, that there are other types of stories that they give free reign to that could land them in just as much hot water.

 

[TE999]

They have not yet figured out however, that there are other types of stories that they give free reign to that could land them in just as much hot water.

As far as the Christian hypocrites and the looney Fundies are concerned, the very existence of a site like this is blasphemy most foul and contributing to unraveling the moral fiber of society.

 

[Darkniciad]

You might get away with an implication. You are right, this position is cast in stone (not that things don't fall through the cracks). But it doesn't matter -- this is a privately-owned and -run site and if you don't like the rules, you can go elsewhere. StoriesOnline.net is one option -- they have no limits like that. No limits at all as far as I know.

Not true any longer. A couple of months ago, SOL went 14+ on all new stories because of new laws passed in the site's home country that made it not worth the potential trouble to publish the younger stuff going forward.

The site had already forced a warning tag on all existing underage stories, and all members defulted to a setting that hid those stories quite some time ago.

May as well get used to age restrictions ( or sites where you get no feedback at all ) because sites that allow anything and everything are going the way of the dodo thanks to the steady stream of new laws passing worldwide.

 

[lovecraft68]

Not true any longer. A couple of months ago, SOL went 14+ on all new stories because of new laws passed in the site's home country that made it not worth the potential trouble to publish the younger stuff going forward.

The site had already forced a warning tag on all existing underage stories, and all members defulted to a setting that hid those stories quite some time ago.

May as well get used to age restrictions ( or sites where you get no feedback at all ) because sites that allow anything and everything are going the way of the dodo thanks to the steady stream of new laws passing worldwide.

14+. The scary thing about that is that there are people I'm sure who are upset with that. I admit to not having any problems using the age of say 16/17 in a story. after all age of consent in many states is 16. But when the word teen is not even in the number it is disturbing.

Have they gotten around to ASSTR yet? There won't be much left of that site when they are done,

 

[PennLady]

Not true any longer. A couple of months ago, SOL went 14+ on all new stories because of new laws passed in the site's home country that made it not worth the potential trouble to publish the younger stuff going forward.

The site had already forced a warning tag on all existing underage stories, and all members defulted to a setting that hid those stories quite some time ago.

May as well get used to age restrictions ( or sites where you get no feedback at all ) because sites that allow anything and everything are going the way of the dodo thanks to the steady stream of new laws passing worldwide.

Thanks for the info. It won't affect me personally, but I know there are stories with under-14 characters having sex on that site.