Who do you submit your stories here for?

[Dirt Man]

And NO I'm not asking who you write for here.

In the real world as an author you have to know your target audiance, or you won't ever have a chance of being published. Every magazine will tell you that you need to read more than one copy of their stuff to get a feel for what they will pay for. Every book publisher will expect you, or your agent to know ahead of time who your book will appeal too, and what percentage of them do you think will go out and actually purchase it.

Okay, I'm going to step out on a limb here, and ask if you think you know what kind of readership we have here at lit? And also if the work you submit to this site is something that they want to read? And if not, then why do you submit it here? Be honest, and please feel free to be candid as well. I really do want to know.

For example: What do think are the majority kind of readers literotica draws in to this site on a daily basis?

A.) Are they cultured, and looking for something literate to read with just a hint of sexual content? (Something saucy maybe, but with character development, plot, and enough sex to make it interesting.)

B.) Are they strokers, that is people looking for some nasty explicit sex to masterbate along with while reading, and possibly printing out a copy of their own for later use in the bathroom? (Down, and dirty with short character development, and enough plot to make it interesting, and believable without going overboard.)

That's it folks, and thanks in advance.

As Always
I Am the
Dirt Man

 

[Lovepotion69]

I've thought about this too a few times. First of all I don't think we can divide Lit readers into only two groups.

When I decided to write for Lit I divided readers into groups according to categories. Then I read stories from the various categories to see if I saw a pattern. I asked myself if I wanted to write something that was specifically targeted according to what I had read, or should I just do my own thing?

I found out that majority of authors on Lit seem to just do their own thing. Personally I was utterly confused, but finally ended up with an in-between. I do my own thing, but also try to cater to some things that the reader may expect from that category.
Perhaps I put in more detail because I know that's what readers want, not because I'm personlly into it etc.

So, I guess I write both for myself and the audience.

 

[Dirt Man]

Re: Re: Who do you submit your stories here for?

So, I guess I write both for myself and the audience.

Okay, so what part of:

I'm not asking who you write for here.

didn't you understand?

As Always
I Am the
Dirt Man

 

[KillerMuffin]

I don't have a target audience here. I don't need one. However, I don't write much as far as "strokers" go. I'm not all that popular, I don't think. I have themes and heavy meanings inside of my best stuff.

Mostly, my ideal reader is a person with a ninth or tenth grade reading level and a background in American culture. My general fiction is more literary (my way of saying I use too many big words) than my Lit stuff.

Usually, I like to explore relationship themes more than sexual ones, so it's more "erotica" than "pornography", however, it's hopefully not too "highbrow" for the average Litgoer to enjoy at some level. My main problem is my love for metaphor and since metaphor is culturally grounded, I'm not as accessible to international audiences as most authors here are.

Lit brings in all kinds. Mostly, the majority comes here expressly to orgasm, which is why I'm not as good a writer as others are for Lit.

 

[Colleen Thomas]

I write for people who wish to enjoy erotic content within a solid story. I don't write for strokers, in fact they are my worst critics. I research everything as throughly as I can and strive to write stories people would enjoy even without the explicit content. I also target my works to female readers.

-Colly

 

[Sarastro]

A.) Are they cultured, and looking for something literate to read with just a hint of sexual content? (Something saucy maybe, but with character development, plot, and enough sex to make it interesting.)

B.) Are they strokers, that is people looking for some nasty explicit sex to masterbate along with while reading, and possibly printing out a copy of their own for later use in the bathroom? (Down, and dirty with short character development, and enough plot to make it interesting, and believable without going overboard.)

There can scarcely be any doubt that most porn and erotica surfers are of the 2nd type. Ideally, there should be two types of erotica; one erotic and literary (containing emotion and beauty) and one pornographic (being wanker material). When people specifically looking for erotic (as opposed to pornographic) material with a hint of literary content come here, they will be disappointed that most of the "erotica" that appears here is in fact mere porn. But such people are probably less than 1% of the audience.

The contents of this site, and also its readership, are determined by what the contributors post (and what the site managers accept). The general type of stories posted will in all likelihood serve the expectations of the general type of readers who come here.

Personally I would like to see more literary and genuinely erotic erotica, and if anyone knows where this can be found, please let me know. (And sure, there is some of it here, but locating it is like looking for a needle in a haystack...)

Why I started posting stories here is quite simple: it's so easy. No fuss. And it's a clearly defined, well-managed site that provides a high quality of community and resources, all without asking for my credit card number! That most of us like to be anonymous is actually mostly a problem with the rest of society and its taboos about sex, which make it difficult and awkward to be outspoken about sexual matters of any kind, therefore creating a need for a community like this one. If other and just as handy and fussless sites appear in the future, I expect to be making use of those as well.

~Sarastro

 

[curious2c]

At first I was just trying to write stories for people that didn't like the endings of some of the cuckold type stories that seemed to be predominant on the net as of late. I like the happier endings. Of course...my style is a bit more graphic than erotice most of the time. I have never targetted an audience at all...and I have found that by not doing that I don't feel that I have limited myself to a particular genre' (even though I seem to return to the wife/hubby thing still.)

 

[Dirt Man]

I am beginning to already see a disturbing trend here. However I will keep it to myself for now.

As Always
I Am the
Dirt Man

 

[Sarastro]

I am beginning to already see a disturbing trend here.

You should have phrased the question better, DM! Instead of using the very confusing generic "you", you should have simply asked "What kind of audience do you think reads the stories here?"

~Sarastro

 

[Wicked-N-Erotic]

I choose B, strokers, I guess most of the readers of my stories would be strokers. Hell, I couldn't even get through the writing of my stories without masturbating and would expect that the readers would be the same. I write to get that response with most of my work. The two stories that I did write to be more literate didn't go over as well in votes as the ones I wrote simply as stroke stories. I write for both catagories depending on my mood. But hey, I love to hear that someone liked my work enough that it aroused them to the point of being able to stroke to. IMHO when people think of "erotica" they think porn and not literature and want something to stoke to anyway, so why not give them something nasty, something that they want and expect.

My feedback via email reflects just that thought moreso than the votes on my stories.

Wicked

 

[lucky-E-leven]

And NO I'm not asking who you write for here.

In the real world as an author you have to know your target audiance, or you won't ever have a chance of being published. Every magazine will tell you that you need to read more than one copy of their stuff to get a feel for what they will pay for. Every book publisher will expect you, or your agent to know ahead of time who your book will appeal too, and what percentage of them do you think will go out and actually purchase it.

Okay, I'm going to step out on a limb here, and ask if you think you know what kind of readership we have here at lit? And also if the work you submit to this site is something that they want to read? And if not, then why do you submit it here? Be honest, and please feel free to be candid as well. I really do want to know.

For example: What do think are the majority kind of readers literotica draws in to this site on a daily basis?

A.) Are they cultured, and looking for something literate to read with just a hint of sexual content? (Something saucy maybe, but with character development, plot, and enough sex to make it interesting.)

B.) Are they strokers, that is people looking for some nasty explicit sex to masterbate along with while reading, and possibly printing out a copy of their own for later use in the bathroom? (Down, and dirty with short character development, and enough plot to make it interesting, and believable without going overboard.)

That's it folks, and thanks in advance.

As Always
I Am the
Dirt Man

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I wonder how many Lit writers are looking to publish, in the end...
Which makes me wonder if most writers tailor their work to a 'target audience' or simply allow a following to gather and find out which elements of their stories worked or didn't.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I am new to writing and submitting, and thusfar untainted by thoughts of publishing and target audience woes, but having done a considerable amount of reading I find that when I like a Lit author's style and core theme elements, the details are less important.

ex.) stumbled onto some of dr. m stuff and tho I wouldn't have sought it out (categorically), I was consumed to the point of reading past watery burning eyes and a serious cramp in my neck

But now that I am on the receiving end of feedback and voting, it is clear to me that not everyone subscribes to this. I'd have to say that the majority of Lit readership are type B (down and dirty) but I am positive that there is an audience for type A (cultured looking for literate reading) albeit a much smaller group than type B.

opinions are like belly buttons...everybody has one!

interesting topic, tho. will stay posted to see if anyone else agrees...

-E

 

[Dirt Man]

"What kind of audience do you think reads the stories here?"

~Sarastro

Actually, I already know the answer to my question.

As Always
I Am the
Dirt Man

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Actually, I already know the answer to my question.

As Always
I Am the
Dirt Man

Ok, who do I submit my stories here for?

 

[The_old_man]

In answer to the question as asked: ME.

In answer to the implied question: Strokers.

 

[Guest]

I submit my stories and poems for myself, it's a way for me to let go of them is all (just realized that recently). I don't care about the majority or any particular type of reader. So far there is only one individual on the AH from whom I take advice and am especially pleased when they enjoy my work.

Perdita

 

[wishfulthinking]

Dirtman: And NO I'm not asking who you write for here.

Too bad, you gonna get my answer anyway.

I started writing stories for Lit expressly for me - what I would enjoy reading if I picked up a smut book, what I would search through this site to find. Only when I started getting feedback did this change. By the 3rd chapter of my story, I was getting suggestions on what people wanted the characters to do, how they wanted or saw the story developing, to please make it a love story etc. By the 5th Chapter, which I have just submitted, it was getting harder and harder to write, because I found myself swayed by what other people might want. So Ch.05 is going to be a bloody surprise for the lot of them, because I reverted back, and it is solely (ok mostly) for me. So I expect lots of criticism for taking the hard road, but it was a decision I had to make.

I think a majority of people write here do so for themselves, and I think that this has resulted in an honesty in their stories that is refreshing, rather than catering for mass appeal. Although wouldn't we all like mass appeal!

 

[angela146]

My "target audience" is people who want to get turned on by both intense sexual content *and* storytelling/character development.

It doesn't matter to me what the majority of Lit readers want. If there are 100,000 lit readers and *only* 2% of them like the kind of stories I write, *My God* that's *2,000* people enjoying my stories!

I try to filter my readership by letting the reader know early on what they are in for.

 

[Green_Gem]

Who are the readers out there? Who do you write for?

I think Dirt Man has posed a very interesting question.

In my experience, I have found that there is a vast range of readers from all walks of life and cultures with varying levels of education, who click in and read stories here. I say this because I am one of the fortunate ones who does receive a fair amount of feedback, and generally speaking the majority of feedback I get is not one liners such as 'you made me cum' or "great story.'

I think we have to accept there are strokers out there, even cultured ones ( Hell everyone has needs!) but there are also ordinary, everyday 'regular' people out there who want to read an erotic story that has some kind of plot or storyline that they can identify with, and yeah they may get off on it too. Thousands of readers live vicariously through our stories and often if there is something that hits home or that is vaguely familiar to an experience they have had, or fantasized about, they will mention it in the feedback. Often, I have found that they will even let you have a glimpse of who they really are by mentioning their age, sex, occupation, personal situation, fantasies etc

What market/audience do I target when I submit?

I target the audience for the specific category I'm writing for and hope my 'loyal' readers will indulge me and read the story as well.

Different catagories attract different people and thats pretty evident from the feedback. I was amazed to discover that my stories in the Romance and First Time categories tallied up votes very quickly and I had a lot of feedback from men, many of whom asked for sequels. The more tender and erotic stories also elicit feedback from women, and stories where there is some connection with the characters also evokes feedback. I wrote a story about a blind guy and had a couple of feedbacks from handicapped people. One guy in fact, is severely disabled with a form of muscular dystrophy. However, he has an almost genius IQ and is currently studying law. He attends university with a fulltime nurse to assist him.

Right now I am commited to writing in as many categories as I can. I think it will stretch and challenge me, and hopefully get me more exposure. My latest attempt to write incest has been done with exactly that in mind. I have no interest myself in incest but a hell of a lot of Lit readers enjoy it. The views and scores indicated that there is a huge untapped market out there. Next I plan to move onto "Mature" and after that, well who knows...

Green_Gem

http://www.literotica.com/stories/memberpage.php?uid=183586

 

[Icingsugar]

DirtMan, my wether your queston was...

Who is my target reader?
Who do I write for?
Who do I think reads my stories?
Et cetera ad absurdum.

...my answer is the same. Don't know, don't care. I just write stuff, then I post it. Then people read it, and some seems to like it. Who they are, and to what end? Beats me. I'm just glad they do.

/Ice

 

[Svenskaflicka]

I just looking to make money.

 

[oggbashan]

I submit my stories for myself.

Any story, good or bad, that I post on Literotica gets votes and views and sometimes feedback.

Even if I get no feedback, the votes and views inform my future writing.

Before I came to Literotica the type of response to ANY story I wrote was "great - more please" even when I thought my story was rubbish. The reason is that I wrote for Yahoo adult groups covering a specific fetish or sexual fantasy. Any story I wrote that was relevant to that fantasy was one story more than the group had before. I never managed to complete my story for the Kerala Women's hairy armpit group. That is still the ultimate challenge.

The feedback and the interaction on the AH has improved all my writing. I have learned more about writing fiction in the time I have spent on Literotica than in many years of writing technical papers and books.

Now that I have a corpus of work posted here I can see the improvement I have achieved. Literotica has been like a continual Master Class in writing.

Some of my recent stories failed. Some had limited success. I know why the failures were failures, and have some idea why some stories were better. That helps with the future writing.

I should delete or edit or even rewrite my earlier stories but the next one is always in the way.

Someday, perhaps, I will move towards more mainstream fiction. If I do it will be because people on Literotica have helped me to become a competent writer.

Og

 

[Ann Vremont]

Re: Re: Who do you submit your stories here for?

Originally posted by Sarastro

Personally I would like to see more literary and genuinely erotic erotica, and if anyone knows where this can be found, please let me know.
~Sarastro

Sarastro,

Well, it's always a mixed bag, but the romantica category has some very well done erotica. One story that comes to mind (hope I'm not breaking any TOS) is Passion Model by Megan Hart and distributed by Amber Quill Press. While there is almost a camp feel at the beginning, it is erotic science fiction that explores the question of what impact science will have on sex and love. Before my publisher went defunct, it was also a good source for erotic erotica--having about a 50/50 split between sensual romance and erotica. But, I think, having EE helped kill the site.

EE is hard to find, probably because it is so much more dangerous to the status quo than pornography is. Some traditional publishers, however, are allowing more sex (hopefully, it's erotic) into their books, including Leisure, Plume, Tor, Berkley, and some imprint of HarperCollins that I can't remember. The Brits have Blacklace, erotic chicklit for the most part. But it is always hit and miss with the print publishers, as labeling it as erotica is not part of their marketing plan.

Ann

http://www.elfenwood.com/smbbackred.jpg

 

[Sarastro]

Re: Re: Re: Who do you submit your stories here for?

Ann,

Thanks a lot for your response. I'll look into it (erotic science fiction - mah favorite! ) However, I must confess to a general tendency of steering clear of most specifically "romantic" and "pink literature", because many of the hallmarks of that genre (everything from candlelight dinners and submission fantasies to the insufferable focus on clothes, jewelry, make-up, and, not least, monogamy!) are things I'm not into at all. I'm very much into emotional intimacy, but on more natural and personal terms than traditionally "romantic" stories and sentiments, which hold that nature should be embellished and people should conform to rigid gender roles.

Sarastro,

Well, it's always a mixed bag, but the romantica category has some very well done erotica. One story that comes to mind (hope I'm not breaking any TOS) is Passion Model by Megan Hart and distributed by Amber Quill Press. While there is almost a camp feel at the beginning, it is erotic science fiction that explores the question of what impact science will have on sex and love.

EE is hard to find, probably because it is so much more dangerous to the status quo than pornography is

Erotic erotica is dangerous to the status quo? How do you mean?

~Sarastro

 

[CharleyH]

DM: an intriguing thread, both fascinating to read other responses as much as thinking about why I started posting.

I post to look, but 'see.' I already know how well I write (did I mention vanity was my middle name?) And yet, as much as I know certain people who surround me say certain things - too convoluted - I wanted to see what a general erotic-literate public would 'think.'

I write on different levels. What I have posted so far is . . . well I know what is it is.

I have posted two stories and have from those two stories garnered different' readers.

The screening tends to draw comments from very literary readers. The comments are more on the nature of eroticism, the PM comments are more indepth in the lit real.

In Expressway the comments are more sexual, than literary, so I'm sure you can gather the difference.

My reader? It's hard to know, since I can't see their job, their income, their . . . well you know, marketing details. Something I'd love to know, but will never . . . here, so off to certain markets my stories go . . .

All in all on Lit, I'm just happy that people are enjoying, and I'm just priviledged to appreciate the people that I've semi-met off here, who I'd never met if I didn't write . . .

I know I'm being vague, and I could be more detailed, but lol - well . . .

 

[Ann Vremont]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Who do you submit your stories here for?

Originally posted by Sarastro
... on more natural and personal terms than traditionally "romantic" stories and sentiments, which hold that nature should be embellished and people should conform to rigid gender roles.
.....
Erotic erotica is dangerous to the status quo? How do you mean?

~Sarastro

True on the romantica. I'd been trying to write to that market and failing because I don't believe in the happily-ever-after. (I am definitely a left bank writer.) My work is more dark fantasy, dark erotica, erotic horror. Or, at least, that is the work I take particular pleasure in (I won't say "pride" as someone has warned me I do so at my own peril).

Porn is marginalized, hidden under the bed, surfed online, etc. It doesn't combine the power of sex with a deeper meaning. It and its readers can be ridiculed, ostracized, etc. But real erotica--that is both literary and erotic and not trying to hide under the guise of one or the other--cannot be so easily dismissed. Porn is a market to be exploited--erotica is something to be feared.

It's Sunday, my head hurts for some reason...don't think I can manage to be more comprehensible.

Ann

http://www.elfenwood.com/smbbackred.jpg