What do you consider yourself?

[Whispersecret]

Just wondering how the numbers would fall. You can check as many options as apply.

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

WS,

So far, 100% of the voters agree with me.

RF

 

[its Leslie]

I guess my vote is affected by one critical reality, as I am disabled and on a pension and therefore on an enforced structured income lifestyle, writing for profit is unlikely ever to be a priority.

I write because it pleases me, I am vaguely serious about anything I write, but I am not expecting to get published.

 

[ronde]

I had thought often about writing for publication, but was always unsure if anything I wrote would sell. I wrote my first story for Lit mostly to see if I could. People seemed to like it, and I wrote another, then another, and I'm still writing. I've learned that I love writing for other people's reading pleasure, and the desire to write for publication has grown again. I don't have anything completed yet, but I've started doing some research.

I know it's not going to be easy, but I have to try at least one novel.

 

[its Leslie]

I like Lit, it generally fills that need for the "pat on the back".

Although I hope my fellow writers all realise, it is far easier to click a 5 vote on a story and make us feel good, and another matter to say "yes we will publish your story and here is the standard advance we offer new authors here".

I think we all realise though, that the reality is, that likely even the top voted stories on Lit would get savaged during the "rejection process" without a lot of dedicated selling to publishers.

But positive encouragement here at Lit sure doesn't hurt eh.

 

[Guest]

okay, I can't follow directions

WS-

Great poll idea! I checked the first box and hit submit before I realized I could check more than one... I know, WS, completely read the directions before answering the question...

The fiction writing I do is strictly for pleasure. It is both a catharsis for fantasies I know that I would never live out and an opportunity to exercise a different part of my brain.

In non-fiction, I write policy papers and op ed pieces that are regularly published. It is a fuzzy line though, some of my adversaries claim that what I write is "pure fiction".

b

 

[Quasimodem]

Writing Online Stories:

Except at work, everything I write is for fun, nothing more. Of course, I find challenging experiments fun!

After I finish the first draft, when editing, I am serious, but not seeking publication.

Finally, I count commercial copy as serious. I get paid for it. I consider it is published - on air in a million+ market. And it is fiction - since nonfiction implies some search for the verities.

As for my posts, they are strictly for laughs.

 

[Route66Girl]

Great thread, WS! I'd been pondering the exact same thing. So far, the results are a pretty even spread.

Although I haven't been sending things in for publication, I'm headed in that direction. I know my writing isn't there yet. But you know what they say about practice.

I'm ultimately going to be a screenwriter. Before starting on scripts, however, I thought it would be a good move to get comfortable with straight-on storytelling. So far, I'm happy with that choice. Although I've only left two stories here on Lit and a handful on other sites, what I've learned in terms of developing characters, plot, etc., has been invaluable.

 

[wildsweetone]

I began writing because I had no choice, I was and am nasty to live with if I am unable to let out some kind of creativeness. It gives me independence and the freedom I crave.

When I began writing on Lit, I was simply writing for fun, for enjoyment. The more I have written, the more I have begun to realise I have some serious intentions. I will improve and I will drag more emotions out of my reader than just sexual juices.

I am here to enjoy my learning.

Good thread Whispersecret, thanks for making me define my own thoughts.

Oh and as Quasi mentioned his posts, I'll mention mine. I post lightheartedly at times for fun, I enjoy giving others something to chill out against and I enjoy the same thing myself. After an hour of being my character's tool, I need the fun.

 

[Chicklet]

Writing lets me lose myself, whether for a short period of time or for days. I can create myself stories and a world to discover, and that is a powerfully serious thing.

At the same time, although I fantasize about being published, I don't hold any false hope. It's hard, and since I'm writing mostly for myself, I think I'd rather avoid the disapointment of having strangers tell me that my fantasy worlds aren't good enough.

Chicklet

 

[jon.hayworth]

About 10 months ago I published my first story on Lit, I have always written but never had anything published.

Writing on Lit has thanks to the feedback I have recieved and the patient tutoring of my editor made me a writer who can sell work. When the first Western Union money order arrived in the post it felt great - someone valued my work in the only terms our world knows, cents for words.

If you want to read the work I have been paid for you will have to go to Darker Pleasures.com.

Writing for Lit free to choose both my subjects and word lengths is still great and I treat it no less seriously.

jon

 

[TheEarl]

There are several people on the site who write at Literotica as a step up to "serious writing." I prided myself on having no ambitions of writing seriously at all; I was doing it just for my own entertainment. However I've now started writing a novel. So I'm not sure which category I'm in now.

The Earl

 

[deliciously_naughty]

As an academic, I have to be published in my field. I've only been published in small things so far though (school stuff, regional newspapers).

As an erotic writer...I'm honing my craft, but I dream of being published! For now I am truly amazed at the number of people who click on my story and the wonderful feedback I've gotten.

 

[Svenskaflicka]

I want to get published. I'm always working on some fiction novel or academic book.

Writing here at Lit is partly to share what I think is good erotic stories with others, and partly to keep my writing skills alive.

 

[Justin_Thyme]

Great thread WS, made me think! Problem is, I waited until after voting to do my thinking. Too, like brigitkeeney, I failed to read the instructions prior to submitting my vote.
Guess now I am stuck with the first option. It's true, I do write for fun. That said, why do I edit, rewrite so many times, make countless changes and - why does my head hurt so from beating it on the wall after one of my stories is up?
In reviewing my posted stories, I think there may be discernable improvement in my writing. Certainly I don't post near the number of misspellings as were in some of the stories I posted early on.
I guess what I am trying to say is there is a bit of truth for me in the first three options.
Now, should someone choose to actually publish one of my stories... Say, does anyone happen to know where the pay window is?

JT

 

[Sabledrake]

Though, sadly, there's a big gap between being published, and making a living at it ... good thing I'm still in this more for the love than the money! Not that I'd turn down a big advance and a sweet contract, movie deal, publisher-sponsored book tour ... ah, well, a girl can dream!

Sabledrake