Useful suggestions from readers...

[BiscuitHammer]

Of course, readers will always have their own narrative ebout what you should do next with your story, and I'm not referring to this phenomenon, but something different. Has anyone ever given you some kind of advice or suggestion that relates to your works and has either significantly changed things or is just a really nifty idea?

Music and songs feature very heavily in my stories, especially the Alexaverse. Music and songs set scenes or add impact for emotion. Karen once sang the song 'Love Letters' by Ketty Lester to her girlfriend Jenny, which was relevant because they wrote love letters to one another in high school. Jenny leaves Karen with a letter that Karen notices doesn't smell like Jenny.

Anyhoo, before I tangent, I've had two separate readers suggest that I started a YouTube channel where I post the music that I've put in a chapter, specifically the version of the song I hear in my head when the scene is happening. They want to experience it that way.

And what's so great about that is that it means my readers are very invested in what I'm doing. Even the music is important to them. I find that quite gratifying.

In my author's notes, I often include the song or music title and the specific version if necessary, so that people can go check it out on the Tube of You. But this idea sounds even better. This way, people can, while reading, just pull up the screen and listen to the piece while they're reading.

Many readers have expressed appreciation for the music I put in, and these two want me to take it a step further for their reading enjoyment. It ain't a bad idea, and if I find the time, I may very well do it.

So along those lines, what suggestions have been made to you by readers or others that struck you as being a great development of your work on your brand?

 

[Winter_Fare]

Never, sadly. A lot of RPG source books have a suggested playlist for atmosphere, I think it works especially well for alternative/sci-fi genres.

 

[BiscuitHammer]

Never, sadly. A lot of RPG source books have a suggested playlist for atmosphere, I think it works especially well for alternative/sci-fi genres.

I've used music for background in my RPG's for over three decades now. It's a lot easier these days to just have files ready and waiting on your computer or having YouTube pulled up, rather than changing tapes in and out of your boombox which is set up nearby...

 

[lovecraft68]

Other than where I can go and what to do when I get there, not too many.

The most significant was from a reader from back when I started and has become a good friend over the years suggesting that a character I created as a supporting character in my SWB series really needed her own story, and brought up the small hints I'd given that she had a violent past, had been badly hurt herself, and was far more powerful than she let herself on to be. After a few tries, the reader gave up, but a year later, when my wife was diagnosed with cancer, I was in a dark place and needed a dark story and my mind went back to the character and my friend's suggestions and two months later I published Abigail, my first erotic horror novel and I'm currently working on the fourth book in the series

 

[SimonDoom]

Yes. The most useful comments I have received from readers concern the subject of plausibility: Did it make sense that this character, described as I described him/her, acted this way in this particular situation? Sometimes I've hard readers say, "This is stupid. Nobody would do this." And sometimes I've thought about it and thought, "Yeah, that's probably right."

I like to walk the tightrope of plausibility. I have characters do wild things that push the envelope, but I don't want to lose the reader. So I appreciate these types of comments. They make me think a little harder the next time I write a story so I can write about a character doing something wild but make it just barely plausible enough that I keep my readers in tow and don't lose them.

 

[windar]

Yes. The most useful comments I have received from readers concern the subject of plausibility: Did it make sense that this character, described as I described him/her, acted this way in this particular situation? Sometimes I've hard readers say, "This is stupid. Nobody would do this." And sometimes I've thought about it and thought, "Yeah, that's probably right."

I like to walk the tightrope of plausibility. I have characters do wild things that push the envelope, but I don't want to lose the reader. So I appreciate these types of comments. They make me think a little harder the next time I write a story so I can write about a character doing something wild but make it just barely plausible enough that I keep my readers in tow and don't lose them.

I get your point, BUT, I would submit that no matter how stupid it is, if you search the news files, you will find that someone has done it in real life. I have literally had the experience of writing something that I imagined couldn't possibly happen and then, a while afterwards, finding out that not only could it happen, but it did.

As for suggestions, one commenter thought one of our stories, an erotic spy thriller set in occupied France, should be made into a movie. Anyone have connections in Hollywood???

 

[gunhilltrain]

Of course, readers will always have their own narrative ebout what you should do next with your story, and I'm not referring to this phenomenon, but something different. Has anyone ever given you some kind of advice or suggestion that relates to your works and has either significantly changed things or is just a really nifty idea?

Music and songs feature very heavily in my stories, especially the Alexaverse. Music and songs set scenes or add impact for emotion. Karen once sang the song 'Love Letters' by Ketty Lester to her girlfriend Jenny, which was relevant because they wrote love letters to one another in high school. Jenny leaves Karen with a letter that Karen notices doesn't smell like Jenny.

Anyhoo, before I tangent, I've had two separate readers suggest that I started a YouTube channel where I post the music that I've put in a chapter, specifically the version of the song I hear in my head when the scene is happening. They want to experience it that way.

And what's so great about that is that it means my readers are very invested in what I'm doing. Even the music is important to them. I find that quite gratifying.

In my author's notes, I often include the song or music title and the specific version if necessary, so that people can go check it out on the Tube of You. But this idea sounds even better. This way, people can, while reading, just pull up the screen and listen to the piece while they're reading.

Many readers have expressed appreciation for the music I put in, and these two want me to take it a step further for their reading enjoyment. It ain't a bad idea, and if I find the time, I may very well do it.

So along those lines, what suggestions have been made to you by readers or others that struck you as being a great development of your work or your brand?

Wow, I've never thought of myself as a brand! Anyway, a couple of thoughts about music and YouTube.

1. I think Literotica allows song titles to be mentioned, but it discourages the reproduction of lyrics. Maybe one or two lines are okay; it may depend on the mood of the moderator (Laurel?) that day. The best course is to summarize the content of lyrics rather than quoting them directly.

2. Despite the best efforts of the record companies to oppose it, more and more songs are appearing on YouTube. There are sometimes several versions there - live versions, the album version, covers by other artists. If you started your own YouTube channel, you may be duplicating what is already on there. I have no idea if it would generate interest in your Lit stories, but it's possible I suppose.

I once did get some useful advice in a comment, and I eventually replaced a story and expanded it into a series based on what I was told. But that was once in nearly four years. In a few other cases, I made some adjustments in future stories based on what was suggested to me.

 

[SamScribble]

By far the most common suggestion I get from readers is: 'Write another chapter'. That is in no way a useful suggestion.

 

[Bramblethorn]

By far the most common suggestion I get from readers is: 'Write another chapter'. That is in no way a useful suggestion.

I took this advice once, and it actually worked for that story. But that's very much the exception.

 

[gunhilltrain]

By far the most common suggestion I get from readers is: 'Write another chapter'. That is in no way a useful suggestion.

It's sort of flattering that that liked it that much. However, I usually respond with something like, "I'll add to it if and when I can think of something. It takes a while to do these things." Often I suspect that they have no idea how much time and effort it takes to write them. Once it took me over a year to write a follow-up. I think the original commenter had moved on and never noticed it.

 

[FamilyCruiser]

I like to walk the tightrope of plausibility. I have characters do wild things that push the envelope, but I don't want to lose the reader. So I appreciate these types of comments. They make me think a little harder the next time I write a story so I can write about a character doing something wild but make it just barely plausible enough that I keep my readers in tow and don't lose them.

Nick Rivers : Listen to me, Hillary. I'm not the first guy who fell in love with a woman that he met at a restaurant who turned out to be the daughter of a kidnapped scientist, only to lose her to her (old) lover who she last saw on a deserted island, who then turned out fifteen years later to be the leader of the French underground.

Hillary Flammond : I know. It all sounds like some bad movie.

[Long pause. Both very slowly turn to the camera]

(Top Secret, 1984)

 

[Athalia]

I did have a question from a reader about how many condoms were necessary for a woman with an extraordinarily active sex life (The Dorm Mother). My explanation of the math involved seemed to satisfy that reader. Other than that, I can't recall any constructive criticism.

 

[SimonDoom]

I get your point, BUT, I would submit that no matter how stupid it is, if you search the news files, you will find that someone has done it in real life.

This may be true, but if one takes this attitude to an extreme then one forsakes all concern for verisimilitude, and I'm not willing to do that. The fact of the matter is if the events of your story are TOO crazy then you will lose readers. And I don't want to do that. I like stories that walk the knife's edge, where characters do crazy, erotic things but the writer reins it in just enough so I can suspend disbelief. That's what I try for in my stories, and I'm very interested in reader reactions to see if I've pulled it off.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

Some 'advice' I've followed coincidentally, like "There should be a sequel where X begs Y to fuck him". The only time I've been influenced by a comment here was when a lovely guy suggested my characters should attend their next conference in Nashville where he lived.

I wanted them elsewhere, but had a guy stop off at an event in Nashville en route, and another got together with a girl from Tennessee because she had to have a couple words of description and 'from Tennessee' was as good as any.

Other than that it's just 'write more with these people' (and the odd 'you suck, stop writing' which I ignore!), which I'm doing anyway. Now if only they'd stop rabbiting on and create a coherent narrative out of their lives... The good news is I now have a storyline for the unfocused rambling that didn't become a Pink Orchid story. The bad news is I've written 80k words and am about 2/3 of the way through...

 

[FamilyCruiser]

The odd 'you suck, stop writing' which I ignore...

In a radio interview, a caller said to R.L. Stine-- who authored the Goosebump series, which, according to Wikipedia, has 62 discrete titles published by Scholastic-- "I've read every one of your books, and they are all dreadful."

 

[Kumquatqueen]

In a radio interview, a caller said to R.L. Stine-- who authored the Goosebump series, which, according to Wikipedia, has 62 discrete titles published by Scholastic-- "I've read every one of your books, and they are all dreadful."

RL Stine is real? I always thought they were written by committee, like Carolyn Keene and Franklin W Dixon and Daisy Meadows.

 

[FamilyCruiser]

RL Stine is real?

Robert Lawrence Stine, sometimes known as Jovial Bob Stine and Eric Affabee, is an American novelist, short story writer, television producer, screenwriter, and executive editor. Wikipedia
Born: October 8, 1943 (age 78 years), Columbus, OH
Spouse: Jane Waldhorn (m. 1969)

 

[Djmac1031]

It wasn't so much a "suggestion" as a conversation I had with one reader who was enjoying my Jenna Arrangement series which focused a lot on CFNM scenarios early on about how much he was enjoying my series but also mentioned how he preferred writing CFNM stories with some humiliation factor in them. Which my stories didn't do.

It led to an idea, and I eventually included a small scene where a rude guy (a random new character) gets publicly humiliated CFNM style by my female lead.

Not something I'd write on a regular basis, but it made for a fun scene and even helped move my main plot and the relationship between my two leads along.

So sometimes reader input can be useful.

 

[8letters]

I have one reader TM that I've developed a great cyber-friendship with. He has a tremendous impact on all my stories, making suggestions and letting me know things that don't work. I shared a lot of emails with another reader, and she convinced me to re-write "A Week At The Lake With My Sister" and gave me lots of valuable feedback on that. As for the typical commenter, I find almost all their suggestions to be not what I want to write. There's a big demand for MFF threesomes that include FF sex that I'm not fulfilling.

 

[shakna]

The one and only time I followed a suggestion by someone, they didn't like the way I expanded the idea, and now every few weeks send me a message to remind me that they're still around, still voting 1s on absolutely everything I write, and that they still hate my very existence for "reasons that are obvious".

 

[Athalia]

In a radio interview, a caller said to R.L. Stine-- who authored the Goosebump series, which, according to Wikipedia, has 62 discrete titles published by Scholastic-- "I've read every one of your books, and they are all dreadful."

And there was Barbara Cartland, who wrote zillions of romance novels. But since she adhered to a formula where all she had to do was a little research on a certain period in history and change all the names, she was able to churn them out with regularity.

 

[njlauren]

I have found comments to be a mixed bag. Some people contacted me with my stories and those usually have constructive crititism in them that is valuable, if only that it gives me a different point of view. Some of it is grammar, like falling into common traps (like should of instead of should have). I also have gotten comments on too long descriptions, too long paragraphs, or identifying who is speaking and that was really valuable.

Others simply said to find my own voice, my first couple of stories were continuing someone else's stories and to do that I had to keep continuity and i think people realized it wasn't my voice. I recently wrote a story that sadly I can't publish on Lit (a satire on the whole February Sucks phenomenon in LW, that apparently got rejected because they were afraid it would spur even more threats and the like against the writers, sadly, had to put it on SOL) that literally wrote itself, it was more my natural voice including sardonic humor, and i realized what they meant.

Of course then are those that tell me not to write any more, my stuff sucks, I should do things anatomically not very plausible and of course those telling me to die, those I give due respect to *lol*.

 

[Maxiine]

"How cud U rite this crap. You shud do us all a faver an go kill yerself."

Which, since I respond well to poorly articulated commands, I did.

And I gotta tell you it's really cool. Because as a ghost I can travel right through walls and haunt the haters 24 hours a day as they hide in the utility closet of their mother's basements.

Whooooooo...

 

[Emilymcplugger]

Of course, readers will always have their own narrative ebout what you should do next with your story, and I'm not referring to this phenomenon, but something different. Has anyone ever given you some kind of advice or suggestion that relates to your works and has either significantly changed things or is just a really nifty idea?

Music and songs feature very heavily in my stories, especially the Alexaverse. Music and songs set scenes or add impact for emotion. Karen once sang the song 'Love Letters' by Ketty Lester to her girlfriend Jenny, which was relevant because they wrote love letters to one another in high school. Jenny leaves Karen with a letter that Karen notices doesn't smell like Jenny.

Anyhoo, before I tangent, I've had two separate readers suggest that I started a YouTube channel where I post the music that I've put in a chapter, specifically the version of the song I hear in my head when the scene is happening. They want to experience it that way.

And what's so great about that is that it means my readers are very invested in what I'm doing. Even the music is important to them. I find that quite gratifying.

In my author's notes, I often include the song or music title and the specific version if necessary, so that people can go check it out on the Tube of You. But this idea sounds even better. This way, people can, while reading, just pull up the screen and listen to the piece while they're reading.

Many readers have expressed appreciation for the music I put in, and these two want me to take it a step further for their reading enjoyment. It ain't a bad idea, and if I find the time, I may very well do it.

So along those lines, what suggestions have been made to you by readers or others that struck you as being a great development of your work on your brand?

None really.

But then again I post in GS so my readers are probably all kind of spent by the time they get to the end.

However, my own 5-part story started as a suggested follow-up to someone else’s as I fell in love with the characters SO much, and they agreed for me to do so.

I’ve never had a reaction like that before to any story, and I doubt I will again. It was so weird, but it did bring me here, so I guess that’s something.