Writing to popularity

[ColtonWrites]

Does anyone try to pick story topics based on what they think the audience will like?

Or do you write what comes to you and let the piece find its people?

I'm usually in the second camp - I write the fantasies that appeal to me, and hope that other people will like them. And while it seems my work doesn't appeal to the majority of people, the ones who do like it, really like it.

But I know some people try to write what will make their audience happy. I don't try to do that on Lit because that means writing either Loving Wives (yeah, no) or Taboo/Incest content - and T/I is a cold shower for me. I don't even like it when someone calls a Dom "Daddy", which ruins a lot of otherwise very good BDSM content, I can tell you.

 

[WaxPhilosophic]

I write whatever idea comes into my mind. I'm fortunate to have found people who enjoy reading that sort of thing.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Does anyone try to pick story topics based on what they think the audience will like?

Not me.

Or do you write what comes to you and let the piece find its people?

This.

 

[SimonDoom]

I do both, with enthusiasm.

Most of the time, other than with incest stories, I write whatever pops into my head, and whatever happens to tickle my personal erotic fancy.

With incest stories I tend to go the common denominator route, because I don't take them very seriously. They're fun, but silly. But, frankly, I enjoy the same old themes in mom-son incest stories that everyone else does (other than getting mom pregnant), so it's easy to do without feeling like I'm not writing for myself.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Or do you write what comes to you and let the piece find its people?

 

[anthrodisiac]

I do the opposite of what is popular, but stuff that is very well-liked in my little corner of the internet. But I write what I like and what I want, it's not really designed to maximize engagement for the most part, and I actually tend to add details that are very much not part and parcel of the normal course of anthro stories.

I like introducing layers and different elements that get to the heart of what it means to be sapient, dealing with identity, culture, the world. I often don't even mean to, it just happens. I also like to use anthros that almost never show up, so I'm not just going "ah, werewolf story" or "ooh, catgirl story," which are the biggest draws in the space and the most accessible to outsiders. I go for the rare species to make it more interesting.

 

[Rob_Royale]

I'm one of the lucky ones where my interests aren't niche. My stories end up in the more well-traveled categories even if my offerings aren't 'the norm'.

 

[EmilyMiller]

My concessions to popular opinion are:

1. Try to put the story in the best category for it
2. Add warnings if anything about the story doesn’t wholly fit the customary expectations of the category - e.g. anal sex in romance…

 

[MrHereWriting]

Does anyone try to pick story topics based on what they think the audience will like?

Or do you write what comes to you and let the piece find its people?

I'm usually in the second camp - I write the fantasies that appeal to me, and hope that other people will like them. And while it seems my work doesn't appeal to the majority of people, the ones who do like it, really like it.

But I know some people try to write what will make their audience happy. I don't try to do that on Lit because that means writing either Loving Wives (yeah, no) or Taboo/Incest content - and T/I is a cold shower for me. I don't even like it when someone calls a Dom "Daddy", which ruins a lot of otherwise very good BDSM content, I can tell you.

You may be looking at it in too broad a spectrum. I/T is popular, but most I/T stories aren't popular. Are you trying to write a popular story or are you writing a story that's in the category?

Sci-fi is popular. It never goes out of style, but telling yourself that you aren't writing in the most popular overall category is more of a coping mechanism for low views in that category rather than the truth. That goes for all categories, but, you could easily say "I write for myself on a small website compared to the world wide recognition of writing professionally published work alongside Harry Potter."

Nowadays, what is popular? Romance? Anthro-fucking? Arena-style, teen survival game? A boy wizard? A superhero? Are navy SEALs still popular?

 

[anthrodisiac]

Nowadays, what is popular? [...] Anthro-fucking?

One can only dream...

 

[MrHereWriting]

One can only dream...

I was thinking of that handjob farm book. I'm not going to look it up, but I thinking that describes it. EDIT: Morning Glory Milking Farm: A Monster Bait Romance. Fuck it, I looked it up, I'm not that lazy...all the time.

Writing Popular is about topic, not genre. Lap Sitting in I/T is writing popular for that category, but, it's also hot, so that could also be writing what you like.

 

[Paul_Chance]

Both.

I write what I want to write.

I also write for an audience and try to give them something they might like.

If I was working on a piece and thought "Oh, no one is going to like this", then I would junk it and write something else.

 

[Erozetta]

I write whatever comes to mind. I'm really not good at catering to an audience. If I were, I wouldn't write so many things that cross categories freely and often. I also don't usually do content warnings, but I do tag things appropriately, particularly my own kinks.

 

[designatedvictim]

I write what I like.

Having said that, I will cop to writing for a category, not to a category.

My first story was posted in multiple parts in Novels & Novellas. Views have been minimal.

My next story was written specifically for Taboo / Incest because I wanted people to read my story, dammit! I wanted eyes on it and that was where all the eyes were.

Then, it became writing the T/I story I wanted to write.

 

[ColtonWrites]

Sci-fi is popular. It never goes out of style, but telling yourself that you aren't writing in the most popular overall category is more of a coping mechanism for low views in that category rather than the truth.

My stuff gets low views because it's got trans men. I've come to terms with that one - it's not a "coping mechanism", it's just that what I write isn't what most people want to read.

 

[TheWritingGroup]

I don't always do the same thing. I wrote a couple of things to see if I could understand why they appealed to people. Lately, I'm writing stuff I would enjoy reading.

 

[Katie_Mae]

Does anyone try to pick story topics based on what they think the audience will like?

I do not, however I have nothing against those who do. We all publish for different reasons, and I don't think one person's reason is superior or inferior to another's

Or do you write what comes to you and let the piece find its people?

yes.
Lit is a huge site, I've never seen any story which nobody read.

But I know some people try to write what will make their audience happy.

The closest I come to this is if I spell check my story.

I don't even like it when someone calls a Dom "Daddy", which ruins a lot of otherwise very good BDSM content, I can tell you.

Funny story, I hate with a passion "baby girl." If you ever see a male character in my story use that', it's either because I've already shown he's a bad guy, or I'm foreshadowing he's a bad guy.

 

[MK_Whimsy]

Mainly the second camp here. My stories generally revolve around what I want to write only, with the expectation that they will often likely find a limited and niche audience. As of today, a story I posted in May has yet to hit 1k views, and one of my first stories published in 2024 has just over 2k. So I'm certainly well-acquainted with having a very narrow appeal.

That said, sometimes I will throw something in that I might not otherwise if it fits with the story and I think readers may like it.

 

[anthrodisiac]

Mainly the second camp here. My stories generally revolve around what I want to write only, with the expectation that they will often likely find a limited and niche audience. As of today, a story I posted in May has yet to hit 1k views, and one of my first stories published in 2024 has just over 2k. So I'm certainly well-acquainted with having a very narrow appeal.

That said, sometimes I will throw something in that I might not otherwise if it fits with the story and I think readers may like it.

Wait, you mean M/M talon-play isn't raking in the views???

Damn, I was really counting on that demographics for my 2027 lineup... *rips up plans*

 

[StillStunned]

I wrote "Too Cold Not to Fuck" (T/I) to get the views. It did: 40k within the first 24 hours. I wrote the follow-ups because I liked the character of Sal. The hundreds of thousands of views didn't hurt, of course.

For the rest, I write what I want. I doubt anyone would argue that WIWAWs and 2P are pandering to the masses, but I keep writing sci-fi and fantasy too, even though it doesn't draw in the views.

And to top it off, next month I'm sponsoring a fan fic challenge. I think that really answers the question.

 

[MK_Whimsy]

Wait, you mean M/M talon-play isn't raking in the views???

Damn, I was really counting on that demographics for my 2027 lineup... *rips up plans*

I dunno about views, but arguably there is raking.

So observing me helped inform your next move? Happy to have been of assistance.

 

[Writer61]

I write for my own pleasure, so most of my topics are things that I like.

That said, I try to present them in a way that appeals to readers because getting good scores is nice.

 

[anthrodisiac]

I dunno about views, but arguably there is raking.

So observing me helped inform your next move? Happy to have been of assistance.

I do like raking... I had some of that in Clutch Slut. I would've gone pinned down by sickle claw, but I couldn't make it work. Might save that for a follow-up if I ever do one

 

[Seurat]

My writing style is somewhat like a cat trying to catch a red dot. What gets published is the stuff that occurs when somebody turns off the laser pointer and I think it's done.

 

[UnexpectedLuggage]

I very much write for me first and foremost.

If a story finds an audience, awesome. It not, it's not the end of the world. I'm not making a living off these stories, so I'm not too worried about it.

My most recent story only has a little over 5k reads, and even that's amazing to me. I'm glad people can find some pleasure in my silly little stories.