Unique Challenges of Writing for the Web

[Guest]

Obviously, writing for Literotica is writing for a unique audience.

There are many different readers with their own wants/needs/preferences, but one thing they all share is that they have very little investment in opening a story.

When you buy a book or magazine you want the book or magazine to be entertaining. You have invested in procuring the book or magazine... even if you checked it out of the library.

I know that I will give a book at least a chapter before I punt it all together. Otherwise I feel like a schlep for having bought the book in the first place.

On Lit, however, if the author is unknown to me and it doesn't work for me in the first paragraph... it's the back button.

Soooo.... how does knowing that you are writing for "web" publishing affect your writing?

b

 

[jshelbourne]

Well, I write as I write, and some stories just require a different kind of writing than the web asks for. Those stories don't get to be very popular.

(Caveat: I've written for the web, but I don't have much here on Literotica.)

I have some technical things I try to do.

Short paragraphs. My sentences are usually shorter, too. I don't restrict word choice much that I recall.

Strong opening paragraphs. I always try for this, but I think it's especially important on the web. As you say, the Back button is always there. I want the opening paragraph to have a hook, but I also want it to be a legitimate part of the story.

I try to keep to simpler plot structures, but I'm not sure if that's because I'm often writing for the web or if that's what I'm most comfortable with right now.

Some other small mechanical things--

I avoid huge amounts of italics or bold. This one's tough because sometimes a character has a rhythm of speech I want to capture through emphasis and italics lend themselves to that...but italics can be hard to read.

Unless there's a compelling reason otherwise, I give every character a name that start with a different letter. I also try to make them sound different, since some people only go by the first letter, some people go by the shape of the name, some people sound it out.

I allow one extravagant turn of phrase per story to help me do searches later. It helps me track down those who have "borrowed" my story.

Other hints, anyone?

 

[Wicked-N-Erotic]

I write for myself and myself only so if someone else likes it it's bonus.

Wicked

My Stories

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

how does knowing that you are writing for "web" publishing affect your writing?

On Lit, however, if the author is unknown to me and it doesn't work for me in the first paragraph... it's the back button.

BK,

IMHO, you answered your own question. In all fiction, the opening sentence, paragraph, page, etc. is important. In web fiction, however, it's vital. And when writing the type of fiction usually submitted to Lit, you've got to set your hook fast, hard, and deep or the reader will slip away.

RF

 

[deliciously_naughty]

I write for myself and myself only so if someone else likes it it's bonus.

I'm with you a 100% on this.

 

[Svenskaflicka]

I don't put as much effort into my writings as I would for a RL-book. Although I try to make my stories a little bit more than "See Dick. See Jane. See Dick fuck Jane. See Dick make Jane come. See Dick come.", they are, basically, intended to make people get excited.

I save my Nobel-standard novels for RL. Where I can get money for them.

 

[curious2c]

Hmmm...when I write I picture the story in my head like a movie in progress. If I like the movie well enough, I cna bet that there will be someone out there in lit land or on the net that will like it also. So far.(fingers crossed) it has been a pretty good trip.

I do get those anon feedbacks that are...well quite emotional at times, in that I have stirred up something in that person so I feel that when that happens it is a bonus. Afterall...writing is supposed to bring the reader into the story and take them along for the ride...isn't it?

 

[NoJo]

I guess that "first paragraph" thing is right. For some reason, I don't adhere to it when I write. Sometimes I can go for ages, sorry, pages, without any sex in my stories.


Ever since JK Rowling's massive success, I think a lot more people are reading "long" books, which take their time and don't try to hit the reader over the head like a mallet, like TV commericals or pop songs where there is a palpable of desperation to get you hooked before your attention is lost.


I only "publish" on the web (I don't know why I felt the need for scare-quotes there, as though it's not real publishing), an Lit is the only place I've submitted stories. I have no idea what the real difference is.

jshelbourne's guidelines seem pretty sensible.

I think the real problem for me with web stories is that I'm not physical comfortable sitting in front of a PC screen reading. My neck and eyes can't handle a lot of it. So that means you have to keep it short, hence a lot of jshelbourne's guidelines.

I think the different letter for each character thing is very useful.

 

[BigTexan]

Well this is just my opinion but...

Writing for the web is not very different than writing to be published in a magazine.

Yes, the final reader has an investment in the book or magazine she buys, but before you can be in that book or magazine you have to pass the (big doom voice here) editor. And he has no investment at all and usually the attention span of a humming bird on speed.

If you don't grab him in the first sentence, and I mean really grab him by the short hairs and hang on tight, then all you're going to get for your effort is a form rejection letter.

In fact, I would go on to say that any difference there is between writing for the web and writing for a magazine is that you better be more careful to really grab the reader when writing for a magazine. Here on the web, you are going to get at least a few readers who will forgive you a weak start, editors won't do that. But Laurel, bless her, won't reject your story if it starts out a little slow.

Anyways, that is my opinion.

BigTexan

 

[wildsweetone]

Interesting thread, Bridget.

I have to own up (as if nobody realises) I don't actually write for a particular audience. That's why I have the odd story bumming out in the ratings. Lit readers demand hot, steamy, rampant raging sex. Sometimes I do that, sometimes I don't.

It's not a conscious effort on my part to guide my story to any particular place, I just write what I'm told to write. Then I'm stuck with the job of trying to squeeze the story in somewhere suitable.

I do however, find it very relevant when I'm doing my editing lark for Authors.

I take into consideration where paragraphs really need to be broken if they're too long. I also try and make sure there are sufficient pauses (ie commas) and some sentences that appear too long to be comfortably read on a screen I suggest are shortened into two.

I too find it difficult to sit for great lengths of time reading stories online. My eyes tend to glaze over after one web page, and that happens no matter how good the story is.

To help ease that, it's handy to make sure there is constant interest throughout the entire story on the net. At times I'd suggest, it's more important to keep the interest higher than the average hard/paperback all the way through, because it's so darn easy to hit that exit button.

just my thoughts... thanks Bridget

 

[Svenskaflicka]

*standing on hands and knees in front of J.K.Rowling, bowing like a praying muslim*

My idol! My role-model!

 

[SlaveMasterUK]

I've not actually published anything here or elsewhere yet but I've been working on quite a few different things over the years, mostly longer than the usual Lit stories.

I always like my very first sentence to be punchy and aggressive or depressive (since most of my stories, erotic or otherwise, have an aggressive / depressive darkness about them). The following paragraph then hints at the possible end to the story, since I nearly always start my stories at the end and then commence into flashback to go full circle to the beginning again. No reason, just my style I guess.

In every story I've finished the last sentence to be written is the opening line. Since I never really know where the story is going to end when I start the book, I just write something suggesting where it *may* go and work from there. Once I know the ending I can re-write the opening paragraph, and since I always go for a twist ending in one way or another the opening paragraph becomes ever more critical (got to start at the end but not spoil it).

If I'm going to be posting stories into the 'novella' section then perhaps I'll have a different audience altogether, readers who are maybe prepared to put some time into reading and aren't just after something to help scratch an itch. Still that opening paragraph has got to be important though.

Some interesting concepts here tho

ax

 

[sirhugs]

Studies suggest that readers online scan text, like looking at a picture, rather than reading line by line or word by word. Any author not considering this runs a real risk of losing in translation.

This means modest paragraph sizes, to keep text in viewer friendly chunks. And variable parapraph sizes, for visual interest.

Lots of dialogue helps improve the structure visually, and keeps the reader scrolling.

Of course, I agree that the opener is crucial, especially at Lit. I hit " back" within 3 lines 9 times out of 10. I determine whether the writer has decent mechanics, a twisted plot and sufficiently interesting characters within that space. Very unfair. But since I do it, I assume others do.

Yes, I write because I want to, have to need to.

But, I post to Literotica to give back to the commiunity that has encriched my mornings so delightfully. So, I try to give them what I hope they want.

 

[jfinn]

I agree with Jordan Shelbourne's post, especially about the length of the paragraphs and sentences. I guess it's the one time in erotica when you can genuinely say smaller is better. All those little technical things like lots of dialogue and not much special formatting make sense because it makes for less distractions. But as for all the comments about no long stories and lots and lots of sex from beginnng to end, well I guess I don't agree.

Maybe this makes me the village idiot who doesn't get the big picture, but basically I just write the story. The length, the amount of sex, the kinds of sex, those all happen because they fit the story. It's been my experience that if you do that right then the rest of it doesn't really matter because a lot of people will read it regardless of not being able to get off in the first three paragraphs or actually having to punch the next button at the bottom of the screen to see the next page.

I'm not saying there's anything wrong with a short, short story. There isn't. Some of the best stories I've ever read at Literotica only took up a couple of k's when I downloaded them. But I don't think you should make that a criteria if a shorter length will make your story suffer. Write it the way you see it, then go back over it a couple hundred times and see if you can tighten it, make it cleaner and easier to read. Then post the damn thing and don't worry about it. If you've done a good job, you'll find readers no matter how many of the "rules" to writing erotica that you've broken.

Jayne

 

[pop_54]

Hi all

At the moment I write from personal experience or information to hand regarding matters of a sexual nature for web posting, I've been about a few years and seen, heard of, or done a fair few naughty things, ahem.
I should say fact based, but not strictly factual, I do of course chuck in dirty words and spice events up to make the tale more readable to the pervs it's aimed at.

When I run out of fact based tales I will have to learn to invent everything, a task I don't look forward to, I'm not an educated bloke really and certainly never considered myself as an author, I do it for fun and to re-live the past in my own twisted mind, I hope someone will appreciate my ramblings along the way, if not who gives a shit.
This fact based element means that most of my tales are firmly fixed in the past and a lot written as an onlooker recounting events, or as a narrator describing events I didn't witness in person.
When my stories begin to become present day accounts or wild sex flicks you'll know I'm running out of past experiences.

I do accept comment, adverse or otherwise, and I am willing to learn from others more proficient than I so if any of you ever find one of my ramblings feel free to comment. (Buggered if I've found one here yet and I've posted a couple)
I'm much better with a hammer and chisel than a pen or keyboard.

Elsewhere I write fact based tales of a non-sexual nature to go into paper print, not much of that though, just kiddies stuff.

My stories are written with a view to the general audience they are aimed at at the back of my mind all the time, but not to the extent that I would bastardise a good and true fact based story just to please a narrow target audience.
I probably include too much history and build up to keep the attention of the average porno flick reader, ie: not enough wild and dirty sexual content in line two para one to keep them focused.

I wouldn't however worry my head too much about layout and grammar while writing for the web site type porno audience, most of them wouldn't appreciate it anyway, I wouldn't choose to write 'make love with passion' where 'bang the arse off her' would be better understood by the target readers.

Some of my real life stories will never make this forum unfortunately, I can't bastardise them to fit the age restrictions without making them into nonsense, not that I've written anything of a paedo nature, but some of my interesting experiences involved persons who although of legal age of sexual consent in my country and legal status, ie: not incest or rape or anything else illegal do contain sexual activity with under 18's, a 16 yr old experimenting with sex for the first time sounds much more convincing than ditto with an 18 yr old.
These tales are posted on other sites if anyones interested in looking around.
I do write tales with illegal content, incest stories that is, haven't delved into rape much yet although I could easily, probably will.

So to sum up after all this babble, I write for me with a target audience in mind, I don't write for praise or recognition.

pops............

 

[Guest]

Great question......

Early on (and it shows) I didn't even consider that as important. Now I do.

I am an avid reader. And because I really am trying to improve my writing skills, I've begun to take note of what the "professionals" do when beginning a story. And there is a point to casting out that bait, waiting patiently before setting the hook.

I call it the tease. Sort of like watching a very sultry dancer on stage. There's just enough there to make you interested, invest the time and energy...be patient, and all the lucious wonderful details will eventually be revealed.

Like a really good story. I do look for and now expect that first line or two, paragraph if you will to speak to me and give me a hint, a tease of what I might expect. Sort of a mini story within the story at the beginning.

Though admittedly I'm a sucker for humor...lead off with something funny and I'm in for a penny.....as the say.

But I've noticed, all the really, really good writers here on Lit do that. Kudo's to those who have, and those who do. It shows a measure of expertise and experience. It shows those who really do have the talent to call themselves writers.

I remain,

 

[KillerMuffin]

There are basically three types of venues on the web that one can write for.

1) One's own website. This is like publishing yourself, of course.

2) Story depositories/archives. Lit is one of these. There's simply no editorial standards present and you really can't use it on a resume because, quite frankly, it's like an endorsement of talent from your mother.

3) Ezines. They actually have editorial standards and publish you just like the average print magazine.

For the first two you can write for yourself, to yourself, in anyway that makes you happy. The first one is going to publish everything you want published. The second one is going to be as selective as necessary. ASSTR and ASSM posts everything, they just flat don't care. Lit and Eroticstories.com look for typos and things like underage characters. They post everything else without discrimination.

The last one is good on a resume. There is an editor involved and they're looking for "good" writing, not just passable writing.

The biggest challenge about writing for the web, as far as I can see, is to find an ezine that pays and accepts your work. There's no challenge to write at Lit, at least for me there isn't.

 

[jon.hayworth]

I agree with J Shelbourne. Short paragraphs that are easy on the eye.

I tend to use the USA spell checker, because the it is the language used by the single biggest group of people on the web - including many for whom English is a second language. I try to use English in a way that sounds, what is known in the UK as mid-Atlantic.

I publish here, where I am free to write what I want. I also write for a pay-site, which means I am writing material the site requires to a standard that meets the editors requirements. I am also working on an erotic BDSM novel that may be paper published or published both electronically and on paper.

jon

 

[Octavian]

Three lines?

Originally posted by sirhugs

Of course, I agree that the opener is crucial, especially at Lit. I hit " back" within 3 lines 9 times out of 10. I determine whether the writer has decent mechanics, a twisted plot and sufficiently interesting characters within that space. Very unfair. But since I do it, I assume others do

I find it amazing you can do all that in three lines. If you are being unfair, it is only to yourself, because such a cursory appraisal must result in your discarding a large number of potentially enjoyable stories.

Octavian

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Re: Three lines?

Originally posted by sirhugs

Of course, I agree that the opener is crucial, especially at Lit. I hit " back" within 3 lines 9 times out of 10. I determine whether the writer has decent mechanics, a twisted plot and sufficiently interesting characters within that space. Very unfair. But since I do it, I assume others do

I find it amazing you can do all that in three lines. If you are being unfair, it is only to yourself, because such a cursory appraisal must result your discarding a large number of potentially enjoyable stories.

Octavian

Actually, I do this too. Mostly, you can tell if a writer has any talent in the first three to ten lines. Odd, and it sounds unfair (and now and again, it is), but the truth is, a poor writer seldom lacks in terms of sentence structure and stlye without lacking in plotline and character development. If the story you're reading starts with : "Mommy had big titties..." or "Michele was a beautiful brunette who loved to suck cock..." or even "Tyrone was my best friend, and his cock was almost ten inches long...", you're basically about to read shit, in a literary sense. It might get your rocks off, and that's all good, but that doesn't make it good writing.
That's why, when you hit beginnings like that, if you want plotline and character development, it's best to back off. These are the writers that write here and either can't write elsewhere, or feel thier stories here are a waste of effort, which should offend us all, quite frankly.

 

[Pookie]

I have to agree with Octavian. Many of the best stories I have read all across the net would have been missed if I evaluated the story after only 3 or 4 lines/sentences. It's important to get the readers attention with the opening paragraph though. But many stories won't really define themselves that quickly ... especially some of the best stories I have read.

I do agree with modest sized paragraphs. I don't worry about the length of stories though. Many readers like to get involved in a well written "lengthy" story. I'm not writing something for a grammer teacher to grade either. I'm writing a story to be enjoyed by readers hopefully. Grammer plays a big role though and is important, but not the end all.

I've found that posting a chapter every day or so helps readers as well, so they don't feel compelled to read 39,000 words (one of my stories) in one sitting. Also, I know that some readers print out stories instead of trying to read them on their monitors.

I tend to be selective about the stories I read, based on recognition of the author. If I don't recognize the author, I tend to not even click on the story. Through places like storiesonline.net, asstr.org and assm ... I can get a feel for what other readers like. If you write entertaining stories, your scores will show it at storiesonline over time. The way SO allows you to categorize your story with legitimate story codes helps readers looking for their interests/fetishes. Reviewers and other authors at asstr will usually lead readers to terrific stories as well through their own links and reviews.

It's just very difficult to "find" quality stories here at Literotica. Stories get stuck into a specific category that usally doesn't tell the true makeup of the story, if it involves multiple themes. The search feature here is a joke as far as I'm concerned. There is no true way to point out quality stories here to people that come to Literotica. There are some wonderful author's here, but I can't promote them to the "general" audience except for those readers that might happen to wander in here to the forums and see a post I might make praising the story. The scores here just don't point out the quality stories partly because of the bias of having a forum here. Also, with the rules here, many wonderful writers don't post many of their stories at Literotica, if at all.

This is a wonderful place for those that want to try writing for the first time and get wonderful feedback from other authors. It's a great place to socialize and put down your fantasies and experiences for your friends to read. There is nothing wrong with that at all. But the quality of many stories here are lacking because of this very environment, which makes it difficult for those authors that do write excellent stories to get noticed from everyone else. That does make it very important to give your story a title and description that will catch the readers eyes, more so than the first few sentences.

 

[TheEarl]

I don't really attempt to attract readers. My stories are technically well written and I do try and improve my writing, but I dislike changing my story to attract an audience.

The way I see it is: a) there must be hundreds of thousands of stories on Lit, b) I have 6. What are the chances of anyone reading my story? 1 in 100,000? 1 in 500,000? Once it slips off the new stories list, it's pretty much lost, so I don't want to prostitute it for a couple of months' effect.

The Earl

 

[Svenskaflicka]

Earl, clean out your PM box!