Why do you write erotica? Are there things you’d change about it if you could?

[AchtungNight]

Reasons I write-

- Because I’m good at it and I have fans.

- Because I get bored sometimes. And I enjoy sculpting a story now and then.

- Wish fulfillment. The Everyman Millennial Casanova character in my stories is a guy I wish I was and many of his friends are people I wish I knew in real life.

- I’ve been inspired by better writers than me.

Things I’d change-

- I’d lower the legal age of consent universally to sixteen. That way I could more freely talk about realistic sexual thoughts and experiences I’ve had here. I could post a few more stories too. They let us get behind the wheel at sixteen- I think it’s also old enough for sex.

- I wish I didn’t get shamed by the LW trolls or people who don’t understand what courtly love or joke fantasies are and that I’d never stalk or harass a celebrity in real life.

- People who want me to write stories about nonconsensual crap or underage characters can keep their requests to themselves.

- I’d shorten the Pending times here. Seriously I’ve had a story under review for a week now. How long does it take?

Add your own likes and dislikes if you want.

 

[AlinaX]

I'd require readers to recount an erotic experience or fantasy to gain access to the site.

 

[AG31]

I've written erotica because I wanted to make powerful fantasies permanent and because I enjoy hunting for the right words to convey an experience. I put this in the past tense because, at 80, it's been quite a while since I've had a fantasy worth enshrining in words.

What I would like to change is that I would like to find more like minded people. People who shared my tastes in erotica, which I've grown to understand are pretty unusual.

 

[THBGato]

I really don't know. But then I think that what I write is Romance with some erotic scenes thrown in. I started writing because I was inspired by stories I had read on here.

I think I'd always had stories like the ones I've been writing in my head knocking about. It wasn't until I read similar ones here that it occurred to me that somebody might be interested in reading them.

 

[TheLobster]

In some other thread, I half-jokingly replied that I write because it leaves me with a story and not just a pile of used tissues.

More seriously though, I find it a good exercise in imagination and I also like playing with language. This allows me to do both at the same time (sometimes even with both hands).

 

[desecration]

But then I think that what I write is Romance with some erotic scenes thrown in.

The title of the site is "lit + erotica." I tend to think of them as stories with sex, not sex stories. Most of these are pretty tame compared to some of the science fiction out there. I am interested in the liminal (heh) spaces where literary erotica bridges into other genres like Noir and Southern Fiction.

 

[gunhilltrain]

I'd require readers to recount an erotic experience or fantasy to gain access to the site.

That's pretty good. Yet you'd probably lose thousands of readers. Many of them have have never submitted anything, yet they have dozens or hundreds of favorite stories. Or are the existing ones "grandfathered" in?

 

[gunhilltrain]

Reasons I write-

- Because I’m good at it and I have fans.

- Because I get bored sometimes. And I enjoy sculpting a story now and then.

- Wish fulfillment. The Everyman Millennial Casanova character in my stories is a guy I wish I was and many of his friends are people I wish I knew in real life.

- I’ve been inspired by better writers than me.

Things I’d change-

- I’d lower the legal age of consent universally to sixteen. That way I could more freely talk about realistic sexual thoughts and experiences I’ve had here. I could post a few more stories too. They let us get behind the wheel at sixteen- I think it’s also old enough for sex.

- I wish I didn’t get shamed by the LW trolls or people who don’t understand what courtly love or joke fantasies are and that I’d never stalk or harass a celebrity in real life.

- People who want me to write stories about nonconsensual crap or underage characters can keep their requests to themselves.

- I’d shorten the Pending times here. Seriously I’ve had a story under review for a week now. How long does it take?

Add your own likes and dislikes if you want.

I love Lit, but I put coming-of-age stories on other sites that will take them. That satisfies me and it keeps Lit happy too.

Pending times are always going to be an issue because the site is, to put it mildly, understaffed. A week to ten days doesn't bother me. You also have no control over what comments you will get because anybody can drop in and say what they wish. So be it.

 

[AchtungNight]

I love Lit, but I put coming-of-age stories on other sites that will take them. That satisfies me and it keeps Lit happy too.

Pending times are always going to be an issue because the site is, to put it mildly, understaffed. A week to ten days doesn't bother me. You also have no control over what comments you will get because anybody can drop in and say what they wish. So be it.

I know all this already. I still dislike it.

 

[AlinaX]

That's pretty good. Yet you'd probably lose thousands of readers. Many of them have have never submitted anything, yet they have dozens or hundreds of favorite stories. Or are the existing ones "grandfathered" in?

Dear Reader,
To prove you're not a robot, please select from the following:

• I am a robot. A sexbot, actually. My cunt vibrates.
• My mom tastes better than my sister.
• You can’t make me read. Please don't make me read. Oh god, it's so good. I hate reading but I'm coming so hard anyway!!!
• Do lesbian werewolves have cocks?

 

[AchtungNight]

Dear Reader,
To prove you're not a robot, please select from the following:

• I am a robot. A sexbot, actually. My cunt vibrates.
• My mom tastes better than my sister.
• You can’t make me read. Please don't make me read. Oh god, it's so good. I hate reading but I'm coming so hard anyway!!!
• Do lesbian werewolves have cocks?

Can we please add some respectful options? Or are you just going to mock people, because I don't appreciate that. Thanks.

 

[AlinaX]

I... don't know how to respond to that.

ETA: I do know that Twitter/X and most of British politics and media is a hatescape at the moment and that Literotica is somewhere I actually like. Most of the stuff I write here is borderline absurdity, but I don't like to think I'm mocking anyone.

 

[lovecraft68]

Reasons I write-

- Because I’m good at it and I have fans.

- Because I get bored sometimes. And I enjoy sculpting a story now and then.

- Wish fulfillment. The Everyman Millennial Casanova character in my stories is a guy I wish I was and many of his friends are people I wish I knew in real life.

- I’ve been inspired by better writers than me.

Things I’d change-

- I’d lower the legal age of consent universally to sixteen. That way I could more freely talk about realistic sexual thoughts and experiences I’ve had here. I could post a few more stories too. They let us get behind the wheel at sixteen- I think it’s also old enough for sex.

- I wish I didn’t get shamed by the LW trolls or people who don’t understand what courtly love or joke fantasies are and that I’d never stalk or harass a celebrity in real life.

- People who want me to write stories about nonconsensual crap or underage characters can keep their requests to themselves.

- I’d shorten the Pending times here. Seriously I’ve had a story under review for a week now. How long does it take?

Add your own likes and dislikes if you want.

I write here-and for sale-because I enjoy two things; telling a story, and porn, so why not combine them.

I like to put my personal turn ons into stories to entertain people with similar fantasies, or even better, get someone who never thought much on a topic, into that topic.

Change?

I'd drop the bullshit no consent rule. Not that I'm a fan of NC, but I don't believe in censorship, so just let the stories be here, and whoever wants the read them can. Right now the rule is barely enforced, and the "victim has to enjoy it" is perpetuating that no always means yes, and no woman can ever be raped, so out the window and the category would be just "Non con" and Mind control which is nothing but pure rape, goes in there with it.

Any story glorifying sexual violence, or are just violent in content will no longer be in LW it will go into non erotic. No, wait, we're fantasizing here so...BTB stories are no longer allowed. That's not censorship, because hate is not a kink nor is it protected by free speech.

I will take my beating once more and do away with anonymous. Anyone can read, but want to comment? Create a name. Now I hear the "but we'll lose all the positive." Not all, people who really want to comment will sign up. As for favorites as an author and on stories, none of those people are anon to begin with so that all remains. Quality over quantity, enough with the trolls here who don't have the backbone to create a fake name.

Communication-I'd let the forum know if there are glitches, what we're doing to work on them, listen to people and not ignore them and let my forum bootlicks attack them. On that note, everyone is the same, no more favortism on the boards. Break a rule, I don't care who you are, your post is removed.

 

[SimonDoom]

Dear Reader,
To prove you're not a robot, please select from the following:

• I am a robot. A sexbot, actually. My cunt vibrates.
• My mom tastes better than my sister.
• You can’t make me read. Please don't make me read. Oh god, it's so good. I hate reading but I'm coming so hard anyway!!!
• Do lesbian werewolves have cocks?

I have enough trouble with those damn Capcha pictures. "Pick every photo that has a motorcycle." I can't figure out if it's a damn motorcycle handle or fence railing. Please, no more tests.

 

[AchtungNight]

I... don't know how to respond to that.

ETA: I do know that Twitter/X and most of British politics and media is a hatescape at the moment and that Literotica is somewhere I actually like. Most of the stuff I write here is borderline absurdity, but I don't like to think I'm mocking anyone.

That's fine. It's a better response than asking people to choose between being a sexbot, a person who gives oral sex to their mother, someone confused about lesbian werewolves, and someone unable to control their sexual desire. I'm not any of those things and I still enjoy this place. Am I not welcome here or something?

 

[lovecraft68]

I... don't know how to respond to that.

ETA: I do know that Twitter/X and most of British politics and media is a hatescape at the moment and that Literotica is somewhere I actually like. Most of the stuff I write here is borderline absurdity, but I don't like to think I'm mocking anyone.

The OP believe you are mocking them and not taking his question seriously.
Which you're not, but this forum is mostly jokes and memes and the cool kids back slapping each other, so I think he forgot where he was.
I'd add reddit to your list, there are places there that calling a cesspool would be a compliment.

 

[CockSparrow]

... I tend to think of them as stories with sex, not sex stories...

Yes, I too tend to write stories with sex rather than sex stories.

I got started (many years ago) when the head of a successful publisher asked me why the characters in my stories didn't have sex. 'Do mainstream readers want to read about sex?' I asked.

'I do,' she said. 'If it adds to the character or the story.'

Who was I to argue?

 

[gunhilltrain]

I know all this already. I still dislike it.

The other sites took some of the pressure off. One of them posts stories on the same day. I actually like Lit better that way, because I can just shrug instead of getting tense. Although, they all have their quirks. I'm writing my 127th Story/essay for here, so I'm not leaving the site.

I do appreciate that they've published every "memoir" I've submitted here, including a series on taxi driving in the 1970's.

 

[djrip]

That's fine. It's a better response than asking people to choose between being a sexbot, a person who gives oral sex to their mother, someone confused about lesbian werewolves, and someone unable to control their sexual desire. I'm not any of those things and I still enjoy this place. Am I not welcome here or something?

A joke is not necessarily a malicious mocking of any person. You are bringing a lot to your interpretation of these words that wasn't there in the words themselves. The post was a joke expanding on how they said they would require readers to submit a sexual fantasy. Then someone said you'd lose readers that way and so the multiple choice list with obviously humorous choices on it was the response. It was clearly not mocking you or anything about you.

The OP believe you are mocking them and not taking his question seriously.
Which you're not, but this forum is mostly jokes and memes and the cool kids back slapping each other, so I think he forgot where he was.
I'd add reddit to your list, there are places there that calling a cesspool would be a compliment.

Yes it was humorous post, so perhaps one could say it was not taking the question seriously. But there is nothing wrong with that, as long as no person is being maliciously mocked. A conversation involves multiple people saying what they feel like saying. I'm not fond of efforts to police what people are allowed to bring to a conversation, be it humor or contrary takes. With the exception of personal attacks.

 

[gunhilltrain]

That's fine. It's a better response than asking people to choose between being a sexbot, a person who gives oral sex to their mother, someone confused about lesbian werewolves, and someone unable to control their sexual desire. I'm not any of those things and I still enjoy this place. Am I not welcome here or something?

I don't have have any expertise in directing, script-writing, cinematography, acting or anything else to see a movie. (I guess I could serve the coffee on a movie set.) I can still watch a movie anyway, although I have to pay to get into a theater.

 

[lovecraft68]

A joke is not necessarily a malicious mocking of any person. You are bringing a lot to your interpretation of these words that wasn't there in the words themselves. The post was a joke expanding on how they said they would require readers to submit a sexual fantasy. Then someone said you'd lose readers that way and so the multiple choice list with obviously humorous choices on it was the response. It was clearly not mocking you or anything about you.

Yes it was humorous post, so perhaps one could say it was not taking the question seriously. But there is nothing wrong with that, as long as no person is being maliciously mocked. A conversation involves multiple people saying what they feel like saying. I'm not fond of efforts to police what people are allowed to bring to a conversation, be it humor or contrary takes. With the exception of personal attacks.

I think once in awhile, it would be nice to have an actual conversation that didn't turn into a bunch of in jokes and people making it about themselves. What's the expression? Read the room? The OP was asking a serious question.

But whatever, the same people will come flying in to attack anyone they don't like, so I find I don't care what anyone thinks of what I say.

 

[ElvieG]

I want to write stories with style and an actual plot as opposed to a list of sex acts. Erotica is quite challenging because describing both a sex act and the people participating in it at the same time with any level of detail is technically difficult and probably requires more skill than I have.

I haven't uploaded any new stories for about a year because I haven't written anything that I like enough to share.

 

[lustychimera]

I write here-and for sale-because I enjoy two things; telling a story, and porn, so why not combine them.

I like to put my personal turn ons into stories to entertain people with similar fantasies, or even better, get someone who never thought much on a topic, into that topic.

Change?

I'd drop the bullshit no consent rule. Not that I'm a fan of NC, but I don't believe in censorship, so just let the stories be here, and whoever wants the read them can. Right now the rule is barely enforced, and the "victim has to enjoy it" is perpetuating that no always means yes, and no woman can ever be raped, so out the window and the category would be just "Non con" and Mind control which is nothing but pure rape, goes in there with it.

Any story glorifying sexual violence, or are just violent in content will no longer be in LW it will go into non erotic. No, wait, we're fantasizing here so...BTB stories are no longer allowed. That's not censorship, because hate is not a kink nor is it protected by free speech.

I will take my beating once more and do away with anonymous. Anyone can read, but want to comment? Create a name. Now I hear the "but we'll lose all the positive." Not all, people who really want to comment will sign up. As for favorites as an author and on stories, none of those people are anon to begin with so that all remains. Quality over quantity, enough with the trolls here who don't have the backbone to create a fake name.

Communication-I'd let the forum know if there are glitches, what we're doing to work on them, listen to people and not ignore them and let my forum bootlicks attack them. On that note, everyone is the same, no more favortism on the boards. Break a rule, I don't care who you are, your post is removed.

I assumed the seemingly nonsensical rules were to curate the readership rather than an actual endorsement of the act.

 

[djrip]

I think once in awhile, it would be nice to have an actual conversation that didn't turn into a bunch of in jokes and people making it about themselves. What's the expression? Read the room? The OP was asking a serious question.

But whatever, the same people will come flying in to attack anyone they don't like, so I find I don't care what anyone thinks of what I say.

I like serious discussion. I like jokes. I don't think they conflict. One humorous response does not prevent other more serious responses from being made. I agree it can be difficult to steer the conversation a certain way if too many people are just dominating it with fifty short quips an hour. When it gets too excessive it can be appropriate for someone to say, okay, getting back on topic, bla bla. IMO.

Getting back on topic, I was thinking about this just the other day. I often feel like I have various fantasies floating around in my head, unformed and vague. I have a compulsion to chip away at them, get them into more concrete form. Elaborate on the backbone, flesh them out, get them set down in words. I enjoy readers' reactions but fundamentally it's something in my head I feel I have to get out. Then once it's set down I feel like it's sort of finished and I can kind of relax and stop worrying about it. For that one anyway. There's always the next of course!

 

[mildlyaroused]

The only thing preventing jokes and more substantial conversations from co-existing are replies like "Hey, that's a joke. This is a thread for substantial discussion!" or "Hey, that's a literary concept/critique. This is a thread for jokes!"

Because then arguments ensue, and arguments are the main way to steer a thread off course.