Where did you find the courage to submit your first story?

[TheRedLantern]

Dear Penthouse Author Hangout,

There's no way my story is unique. Writing as a hobby since I could hold a pencil. Took an online writing class during COVID. Shared a few speculative fiction pieces with the other members of my writing class and learned how to hear their feedback. I wanted to try my hand at something erotic because I have a longtime kink that's very strong, but most of what I've encountered while exploring that kink was defined by men and I wanted my perspective to also be included in the conversation. So I have a reason for wanting to write, and hopefully that can give me the fortitude to withstand some of the inevitable hits my ego will take along the way.

I wrote something for the Yay Team sports challenge. It was a blast to write and I'm not terribly unhappy with it (if I were ever happy with my writing, I'd probably lose my motivation to continue because it would feel like I've taken it as far as I can go). This would be the first thing I've ever shared in an uncontrolled way

Yet the thought of actually submitting it fills me with dread and doubt.

I assume that hundreds of authors here probably see some parallels to their own journey, and yet found what it takes to press "Preview & Publish" instead of deleting your account and hiding.

Please, please, please tell me where you found it.

Signed,

"Hello ChatGPT, can you please write a forum post that explains that I'm filled with terror about submitting my first story? Please do it in the style of someone far more literate than me. Thanks!"

 

[StillStunned]

My wife made me.

Not relevant to your situation, perhaps, so just remember this. What's the worst that could happen? If you say, "I publish my story and everyone hates it," you're wrong. If everyone hates it - which is unlikely, given how diverse the readership here is - you can write another story and do better. And another one, and another one. Even if you don't do better, I've seen some total rubbish published by highly regarded authors - both here and in the real world. Scores here are more an indication of popularity than of quality.

No, the worst thing that could happen is that you don't publish your story. It sits on your computer forever, and forever is how long you'll wonder what might have been.

Nobody here is a Nobel or Booker Prize winner. We're all amateurs, writing for the love of writing. But we're one step ahead of those thousands of would-be novelists who write and write and never share it with anyone. We have more right to call ourselves writers nowadays than George RR Martin, for instance. If you want to be a writer, that means sharing your writings with others.

Don't hope to make your story perfect. There's no such thing, at least not from the creator's point of view. Just get it to a point where it's a complete story, edit it, proofread it (pro tip: Read Aloud in Word is a great tool for this), and send it into the world.

Even if it's not polished, it's a start. You write more, and more, and more. The feedback and encouragement you get here keeps you going. It's a short cycle of writing, publishing, improving, rinse and repeat.

Good luck, and have fun.

 

[BobbyBrandt]

Don't be ashamed of your writing.

Hopefully, you have someone in your life that you can trust enough to share it with. If not, there are many here in the forum willing to read it and provide the encouraging feedback that will build your confidence.

I suggest that if you want that to happen, that you share the "kink" that motivated you so that people can gauge whether it is a topic that would be of interest to them

 

[Erozetta]

My therapist essentially told me I could keep assuming the worst, or I could put my stuff out there and see what the actual opinions of others are.

So, I did the latter and now think the site is full of liars.

 

[SinclairGroupLLP]

There is something truly liberating about taking risks under an assumed name. Lets me do things i never thought I could. Every time I get self-conscious, I can pretend it’s not me doing this, it’s that persona, lol.

 

[StillStunned]

So, I did the latter and now think the site is full of liars.

On Lit, everyone has a 12" nose.

 

[Erozetta]

On Lit, everyone has a 12" nose.

And women have disproportionately small hands.

 

[Dearelliot]

Years ago to a BDSM paper that no longer exists, I think, I loved their stories typed one out on a typewriter, and mailed it in...I got a call from California, a lady, she liked it and said they pay me a penny or two a word. It wasn't a bad story, but my format was horrible and I made so many mistakes, but back then they accepted.
I wrote about ten stories and then they changed, they didn't want to pay me they offered sex videos in exchange,

 

[Fatdog25]

I struggled with submitting my first story. I ended up making a deal with myself.

Put it up there. If nobody likes it, I can always take it down.

Two years and 19 stories later, I can tell you there is an audience for your stories. It may not be very big and it may take some time for them to find you, but they are out there.

 

[THBGato]

Yes, I remember how nerve-wracking it was, and that's despite being a former journalist, seeing my name in print since I was 19. So, you are not alone.

Good luck! It's worth it!

 

[MelissaBaby]

I was terrified about submitting my first story, right up to the time that I was more terrified not to.

 

[lovecraft68]

My wife got me to post here. She created this handle and when I still didn't submit anything she told me I had a week to put something up or she was going to go into my story folder and pick something to post because she wanted me to see that people other than her would like my work.

I picked a story and honestly, I don't think I felt any real anxiety over how it would be received. Not saying I wasn't hoping it would do okay, but I think I had such low expectations I was prepared enough for the worst that I wasn't concerned. The story went over okay, no mega success, but a decent score and a couple of good comments.

 

[lovecraft68]

I was terrified about submitting my first story, right up to the time that I was more terrified not to.

Your story was very personal so I think that explains the heightened anxiety. I have one like that I put up about ten years ago, very personal, and I wondered if it was a mistake, but it did well here, and catharsis is a powerful tool.

 

[Voboy]

Yet the thought of actually submitting it fills me with dread and doubt.

A number of things in life should fill you with dread and doubt: the erosion of civil liberties. The existence of intolerance. Starvation of millions due to resource depletion. Ongoing wars and genocides. The rising cost of living and the way it prices people out of the housing market, with dangerous consequences to the development of generational wealth. The falling global birthrate, calling into question assumptions about all sorts of government programs.

This? This is a story on a sex site.

This is nothing earth-shattering nor dangerous; this is a slice of life designed to engage readers and, hopefully, get them off. You have nothing to worry about; the sky is not going to fall whether you submit your story or not. So? Submit it. There's no reason not to and a million reasons to do so.

Just hit SUBMIT. Then put it all out of your mind and go on to the next one. Life is hard, but this? This is easy.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

If you publish it and it gets buckets of 1 star reviews and nasty comments are you actually any worse off? A bunch of strangers don't like it? So what? Did you enjoy it? That's all that matters at the end of the day.
This is supposed to be fun.

 

[lovecraft68]

If you publish it and it gets buckets of 1 star reviews and nasty comments are you actually any worse off? A bunch of strangers don't like it? So what? Did you enjoy it? That's all that matters at the end of the day.
This is supposed to be fun.

In some categories a bucket of one bombs is a badge of honor.

 

[TheWritingGroup]

I can't say I was that nervous about posting the first one, because I knew I was a beginner and it wasn't perfect. The whole point was to learn how to write better, taking feedback into account.

--Annie

 

[Kelliezgirl]

In some categories a bucket of one bombs is a badge of honor.

View attachment 2543176

I considered writing a LW story for about 5 minutes. Then I sobered up.

 

[Rob_Royale]

Honestly, it was no problem for me. And the reason for that was, I had read a fair bit of erotica here before the idea ever occured to me, and knew I could do better then some that I had read. I've written off and on for decades. I've done romantic poetry, fan fiction, comic book scripts and even a screenplay. All of which were pretty well received by friends who read them. I even wrote a short story called, In the Beginning, which looked logically at the origins of religion and that was apparently moving enough that it cost me some friends. So I submitted my first work with a fair measure of confidence.

That's not to say the first story wasn't kicked back by Laurel twice, but that's all part of it. Taking criticism, getting better.

 

[MelissaBaby]

Honestly, it was no problem for me. And the reason for that was, I had read a fair bit of erotica here before the idea ever occured to me, and knew I could do better then some that I had read. I've written off and on for decades. I've done romantic poetry, fan fiction, comic book scripts and even a screenplay. All of which were pretty well received by friends who read them. I even wrote a short story called, In the Beginning, which looked logically at the origins of religion and that was apparently moving enough that it cost me some friends. So I submitted my first work with a fair measure of confidence.

That's not to say the first story wasn't kicked back by Laurel twice, but that's all part of it. Taking criticism, getting better.

My first one was rejected as well. I threw a short tantrum, fixed it and tried again.

 

[StillStunned]

Would it be terribly crass and childish of me to tag @Plathfan into this thread?

 

[Kelliezgirl]

I can't say I was that nervous about posting the first one, because I knew I was a beginner and it wasn't perfect. The whole point was to learn how to write better, taking feedback into account.

--Annie

100% this. If your first story doesn't work out guess what? They let you try again and again.
It's a bit like sex, the first time is scary, confusing, and might end up being a bit disappointing, but it gets better with practice and experience.

 

[Voboy]

It's a bit like sex, the first time is scary, confusing, and might end up being a bit disappointing, but it gets better with practice and experience.

Actually? This is just about a perfect metaphor.

Like everything else, you learn from experience and get better and better over time. I wasn't worried about submitting my first story because I know I can write and my own story made me hard, so I figured it would "work" for others too. But I've gotten better, I think, as I've gone on.

And worse, in some ways. I don't think writers keep improving steadily toward some unattainable peak. I think we reach the peak at some point and then either stay there or start falling off. I feel like I've fallen off a bit, sometimes.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

Actually? This is just about a perfect metaphor.

Like everything else, you learn from experience and get better and better over time. I wasn't worried about submitting my first story because I know I can write and my own story made me hard, so I figured it would "work" for others too. But I've gotten better, I think, as I've gone on.

And worse, in some ways. I don't think writers keep improving steadily toward some unattainable peak. I think we reach the peak at some point and then either stay there or start falling off. I feel like I've fallen off a bit, sometimes.

Well, that's a bit like sex too. When you have a new partner you are trying all these new crazy things, at all hours of the day or night. After a year or so it's a lot of missionary in bed at night or first thing in the morning.
People just naturally fall into patterns.

And with anything as we get better at something each incremental improvement takes more and more work.
If you are running a 4 hour marathon shaving 2 minutes off is only another month or so of relatively easy training
If you are running a 2:15 marathon shaving off 2 more minutes is incredibly difficult.

 

[iwatchus]

For me, actually writing it was the harder part. It sat in my head for a decade before I had the courage to put it to paper. Virtual paper at least. The fear of making it real was far greater than the fear of sharing it once I did. I actually had a much harder time telling my spouse I had done it than pushing the submit button. Anonymity is a beautiful opportunity.

I was nervous and excited and angsty and everything else all at once when I hit submit. (Kind of like your first sex, as @Kelliezgirl said) I had no idea how the flow went. I didn't know you could tell when it was accepted by looking at the pending page. I had no idea what time of day it would appear. Or be rejected. I had delusions it would get all 5's and fears it would be all 2's and 3's. It took me about a week to decide to write the second. My spouse tells me I have become obsessed with the writing since then. Probably objectively true.