Why was my story rejected

[amofiga]

Chapter 6 and 7 of my most recent story "Cugina et Cugino" were rejected with no specific reason cited. I understand the guidelines for Literotica and have published over 27 multi-chapter stories over the years. I wrote a question asking why the stories were rejected but nobody had the curtesy to write back to the email address I provided. I tried to guess the reason(s) and resubmitted the chapters only to be rejected again. Without any specific feedback I'm helpless and just flailing trying to guess what's wrong. I seriously doubt that a human read these chapters and some "bot" has found something it didn't like. There are mentions of "parents" in the text and stories being told by parents but they are 80 year old "parents" talking to 50 year old offspring abut swinging experiences in the past. What's wrong with that? Id has NOTHING to do with underaged people. There is no super kinky or involuntary sex discussed of any sort. There is NO sex with animals. I can't fix anything if I don't know what's wrong. How can I write to someone there to get some specific feedback. Someone please let me know how to contact someone for some specifics. If necessary, message me at[posting personal info including real names, locations, emails, private messages or other correspondence, other identifying information from offsite is prohibited per our forum guidelines] Thanks

 

[Djmac1031]

There should be some kind of comment attached to the rejection. Perhaps you missed it?

If it's not the content, perhaps it's the writing.

Multiple spelling/ punctuation errors?

Run on paragraphs?

Did you attempt to attach a link or pictures?

Did you quote a song or copyrighted story?

There's multiple factors; without actually seeing your story, none of us here can do more than guess.

Good luck.

 

[Emilymcplugger]

You’ll have to wait till they get back to you TBF.

I’d likely run it through a different spell-checker to see if it spots something you missed. I’ve found different spell-checkers can spot different issues.

 

[yowser]

You must have been given 'some' reason, even if was just boilerplate. What was the content of the message you received? That will at least point you in some direction.

 

[gunhilltrain]

The one time I was rejected, about a month ago, I decided to use the "conversation" messaging feature with Laurel. She didn't answer me, but she posted the story the next day in a different category than I had picked.

I'm not sure what her policy is on responding to email addresses. How long have you been waiting for a response?

 

[Emilymcplugger]

The one time I was rejected, about a month ago, I decided to use the "conversation" messaging feature with Laurel. She didn't answer me, but she posted the story the next day in a different category than I had picked.

I'm not sure what her policy is on responding to email addresses. How long have you been waiting for a response?

I’ve been rejected over category and spelling issues but it was clear in both cases…and, more importantly, fair.

 

[gunhilltrain]

There should be some kind of comment attached to the rejection. Perhaps you missed it?

If it's not the content, perhaps it's the writing.

Multiple spelling/ punctuation errors?

Run on paragraphs?

Did you attempt to attach a link or pictures?

Did you quote a song or copyrighted story?

There's multiple factors; without actually seeing your story, none of us here can do more than guess.

Good luck.

It does say this in the FAQ about rejected stories. "Click on the title of the Sent Back work. This will take you to the submission form. At the top of the submission form you will see a box with the reason(s) the story was sent back to you. (To decipher these reasons, see this forum post in the Editor’s Forum.)"

My one experience with this is that a reason was given. It didn't seem to make sense, but they agreed with my argument about it and then they posted it.

 

[AwkwardlySet]

You will need to remove the email from your post, because it is against the rules. Send a PM to laurel and ask her why was your story rejected, that is the best course of action by far.

 

[ronde]

It does say this in the FAQ about rejected stories. "Click on the title of the Sent Back work. This will take you to the submission form. At the top of the submission form you will see a box with the reason(s) the story was sent back to you. (To decipher these reasons, see this forum post in the Editor’s Forum.)"

My one experience with this is that a reason was given. It didn't seem to make sense, but they agreed with my argument about it and then they posted it.

My experience is about the same. I've had two rejections. Both contained a boilerplate explanation.

One was for underage content, and I think was caused by the volume of stories Laurel has to go through every day. I've been in a similar situation and know that scanning is about all the moderator can do. You look for certain words and if you see one, you reject the story. I changed what I thought was the offending line and explained that in reality, there were no underage characters involved in any sexual situation. My story was published without my correction a couple days later.

The second rejection was for political content and I slipped up because this criteria was added while I was gone from Literotica for several years. I'm understand the reasoning, but I didn't think I was promoting any politics in the story. It was a story about two agents working in Ukraine before the war started, one, an American male CIA agent, and the other a female Russian SVR agent. The politics of both sides were just a reason for them being there and meeting. I suppose that was enough for the rejection.

 

[gunhilltrain]

My experience is about the same. I've had two rejections. Both contained a boilerplate explanation.

One was for underage content, and I think was caused by the volume of stories Laurel has to go through every day. I've been in a similar situation and know that scanning is about all the moderator can do. You look for certain words and if you see one, you reject the story. I changed what I thought was the offending line and explained that in reality, there were no underage characters involved in any sexual situation. My story was published without my correction a couple days later.

The second rejection was for political content and I slipped up because this criteria was added while I was gone from Literotica for several years. I'm understand the reasoning, but I didn't think I was promoting any politics in the story. It was a story about two agents working in Ukraine before the war started, one, an American male CIA agent, and the other a female Russian SVR agent. The politics of both sides were just a reason for them being there and meeting. I suppose that was enough for the rejection.

The content guidelines are all they give us.

https://www.literotica.com/resources/content-guidelines

The part on politics and religion - which aspects are forbidden - may have different interpretations

• Works that promote or focus heavily on politics or religion, or political or religious figures. Lit readers are bombarded with political disputes on other platforms and they prefer to avoid these types of divisive issues in their erotica.

I have seen works on here depicting sexual acts by members of the clergy. The one I remember had a Catholic priest, but I guess rabbis and Protestant pastors might get through. I wouldn't deal with Islam, on this site or any other.

It seems to allow spies and agents, even members working for real agencies, although the war on Ukraine was just starting in your case. I suppose events like the Cold War and Vietnam are considered historical now, but that is just a guess.

 

[ronde]

The content guidelines are all they give us.

https://www.literotica.com/resources/content-guidelines

The part on politics and religion - which aspects are forbidden - may have different interpretations

• Works that promote or focus heavily on politics or religion, or political or religious figures. Lit readers are bombarded with political disputes on other platforms and they prefer to avoid these types of divisive issues in their erotica.

I have seen works on here depicting sexual acts by members of the clergy. The one I remember had a Catholic priest, but I guess rabbis and Protestant pastors might get through. I wouldn't deal with Islam, on this site or any other.

It seems to allow spies and agents, even members working for real agencies, although the war on Ukraine was just starting in your case. I suppose events like the Cold War and Vietnam are considered historical now, but that is just a guess.

I read all that when the story was first rejected and still don't understand how my story violated that guideline. I guess I'll have to stick to spies operating in the past of distant future.

 

[ElectricBlue]

You must have been given 'some' reason, even if was just boilerplate. What was the content of the message you received? That will at least point you in some direction.

This. There's a set of half a dozen or so generic rejection notices, each targeting the typical issues. They're couched as a set of questions, and the writer has to figure out what the questions mean in the context of their story. To my knowledge, story specific feedback is extremely rare.

And invariably, once it does get sorted out, it's something the writer has done, inadvertently in many cases (e.g., the under age ping), or is under their control (spelling and grammar).

 

[Duleigh]

I got a story rejected once because I mentioned that the MMC shaved very close, I described that his cheek was as smooth as a baby's ass. In the military that's a compliment. One Lit it's bordering on child porn. Until you get the explanation you may look for something bordering on that

 

[gunhilltrain]

I got a story rejected once because I mentioned that the MMC shaved very close, I described that his cheek was as smooth as a baby's ass. In the military that's a compliment. One Lit it's bordering on child porn. Until you get the explanation you may look for something bordering on that

I remember you mentioning that incident before. I've heard that term used outside of the military, although I'm not sure it always referred to shaving. It definitely doesn't apply to infants! But as I said above, Lit is a mass producer of stories.

 

[gunhilltrain]

This. There's a set of half a dozen or so generic rejection notices, each targeting the typical issues. They're couched as a set of questions, and the writer has to figure out what the questions mean in the context of their story. To my knowledge, story specific feedback is extremely rare.

And invariably, once it does get sorted out, it's something the writer has done, inadvertently in many cases (e.g., the under age ping), or is under their control (spelling and grammar).

My rejection notice said that the material belonged in one of the forums, not as a submission. I argued that at 3,000 words or so it was too long for a forum post, and it went in. The category was changed, however. I suspect it was all decided quite quickly.

With only one person looking at - how many stories each month? - there can't possibly be much specific feedback.

 

[ElectricBlue]

My rejection notice said that the material belonged in one of the forums, not as a submission. I argued that at 3,000 words or so it was too long for a forum post, and it went in. The category was changed, however. I suspect it was all decided quite quickly.

With only one person looking at - how many stories each month? - there can't possibly be much specific feedback.

That's one of the true exceptions, I think - since the original rejection wasn't one of the usual ones. Just goes to show, Gunhill, how your urban history thing confuses the fuck out of an erotica gatekeeper! Putting it into Essays was the only logical place for it to go, really.

 

[gunhilltrain]

That's one of the true exceptions, I think - since the original rejection wasn't one of the usual ones. Just goes to show, Gunhill, how your urban history thing confuses the fuck out of an erotica gatekeeper! Putting it into Essays was the only logical place for it to go, really.

A clarification: the essay was not about urban history, but about Margot Robbie and the upcoming Barbie movie. I had put it in Celebrities and Fan Fiction.

https://classic.literotica.com/s/what-s-up-with-barbie-s-feet

 

[ElectricBlue]

A clarification: the essay was not about urban history, but about Margot Robbie and the upcoming Barbie movie. I had put it in Celebrities and Fan Fiction.

https://classic.literotica.com/s/what-s-up-with-barbie-s-feet

Ah, okay - I was thinking of your Solanas story, the woman who shot Andy Warhol.

 

[gunhilltrain]

Ah, okay - I was thinking of your Solanas story, the woman who shot Andy Warhol.

Actually, there were four stories in a series about her. And none of them were rejected. I guess the site doesn't care what I wrote about someone who has been dead since 1988. I don't know how they would handle someone who is alive now.

• Works professed to be true about real people in the title, tags, and/or description. You can use “true” within the body of a story as part of your fictional storytelling. This policy is to protect authors as well as third parties.

I thought I had run into trouble with Margot Robbie and others mentioned in the essay, but apparently that wasn't it. I had a disclaimer saying that everything was taken from news sources, but that was probably irrelevant.

 

[amofiga]

There should be some kind of comment attached to the rejection. Perhaps you missed it?

If it's not the content, perhaps it's the writing.

Multiple spelling/ punctuation errors?

Run on paragraphs?

Did you attempt to attach a link or pictures?

Did you quote a song or copyrighted story?

There's multiple factors; without actually seeing your story, none of us here can do more than guess.

Good luck.

There were no comments about why it was rejected, only reference to Lit guidelines and such. I posed a question in the response box but have gotten no answers as of yesterday. I seriously doubt that it had to do with simple spelling or grammars. I've been a tech writer for years and know the "mechanics". I once had an issue with Lit about reference to underage people. There was one sentence in Chapter 6 from one of the characters saying that he best time to come and visit at our beach house is "the Fall when all the snot-nosed kids and bake-sale moms are gone." I modified that sentence to eliminate the word "kid" thinking that a "bot" thought there was a "kid" in the story. Re-submitted, still rejected.

Chapter 7 is the "climax" of the story when the two FIFTY YEAR OLD COUSINS lean from their EIGHTY YEAR OLD "MOM" that the parents of the two cousins used to swap many years ago. There are lots of "My mom said" or "your mom was fucking my uncle" sorts of things but if someone knew the context of the story they would know all are adults. I can't remove all of that without scrapping the chapter.

I'm at a loss and don't know how to contact the powers that be. It just refers to "the moderator" and no contact name or e-mail is provided.

 

[djrip]

There were no comments about why it was rejected, only reference to Lit guidelines and such. I posed a question in the response box but have gotten no answers as of yesterday. I seriously doubt that it had to do with simple spelling or grammars. I've been a tech writer for years and know the "mechanics". I once had an issue with Lit about reference to underage people. There was one sentence in Chapter 6 from one of the characters saying that he best time to come and visit at our beach house is "the Fall when all the snot-nosed kids and bake-sale moms are gone." I modified that sentence to eliminate the word "kid" thinking that a "bot" thought there was a "kid" in the story. Re-submitted, still rejected.

Chapter 7 is the "climax" of the story when the two FIFTY YEAR OLD COUSINS lean from their EIGHTY YEAR OLD "MOM" that the parents of the two cousins used to swap many years ago. There are lots of "My mom said" or "your mom was fucking my uncle" sorts of things but if someone knew the context of the story they would know all are adults. I can't remove all of that without scrapping the chapter.

I'm at a loss and don't know how to contact the powers that be. It just refers to "the moderator" and no contact name or e-mail is provided.

None of that stuff should be causing the problem. You can PM the user Laurel, she is the submission editor. Or use the box for comments to the editor in the submission form, I think you have to actually submit for that to go through, might need to add a space in the text or something so it goes in as a changed submission, not sure about that but you want to make sure your note isn't just sitting there not being sent anywhere.

 

[amofiga]

You’ll have to wait till they get back to you TBF.

I’d likely run it through a different spell-checker to see if it spots something you missed. I’ve found different spell-checkers can spot different issues.

I'm not sure "spell checker" is a problem unless it sees something regarding an underage reference I've taken effort to avoid. I've modified one sentence in Chapter 6 that referred to a trip to the beach in the "Fall when the snot-nosed kids and bake-sale moms have left" thinking that the word "kids" triggered something. However, Chapter 7 deals with a whole recounting by an EIGHTY YEAR OLD MOM to her 50 year old son and 50 year old niece about how she and "dad" used to swap with the nieces parents 40=45 years ago. The "son" and "niece" are certainly NOT children even though there are lines about what was said to my "mom" about "dad" or "uncle Lou". If a HUMAN read this and could see the context rather than some "bot" it would be obvious that underaged people were NOT involved.

 

[djrip]

Are you sure it's related to underage? The stuff you're describing should be okay. Maybe something else is the issue. If that stuff is the issue, you shouldn't have to change the text if it's clear there's nothing underage going on, just explain what's going on in the comment box and if it's been rejected by a bot, a human should read the comment and take care of it. That might take a few days after you resubmit with the comment. Also PM Laurel, the submission editor, through the "conversations" function of this forum. (The envelope icon at top right)