Disappointments

[estragon]

Word around campus is that Serenissima Syd is taking down "How to Save a Life", rewriting and publishing the series commercially. I hope she makes a fortune, but I'm sad another good series is going off-board.

And too many good writers are on the disabled list. I'm hoping LunaEroticaMystica and LettersfromTatyana are back with us soon. And DG Hear, MFG, also has a health issue; get well soon, DG!

 

[estragon]

not strictly speaking a story disappointment, but EnglishLady's hangout on Google seems to have dropped off the screen. She and her collaborator were going to discuss their latest anthology, with samples of submissions. Bummer.

 

[nomoretears00]

not strictly speaking a story disappointment, but EnglishLady's hangout on Google seems to have dropped off the screen. She and her collaborator were going to discuss their latest anthology, with samples of submissions. Bummer.

Are you talking about the next anthology from the Wednesday Briefers group released through HoE?

 

[estragon]

Are you talking about the next anthology from the Wednesday Briefers group released through HoE?

nomore, not sure. This was the Smut by the Sea hangout and discussion on Friday, May 4, at 2100 GMT. Are we speaking about the same thing?

 

[estragon]

A Good Writer

but a disappointing couple of stories from LynnGKS, whose humor and satire work was very good.

She disappointed me by switching categories from her successful Humor & Satire series “Bedroom Conversations.” I don’t care for the cuck genre to begin with, and Lynn’s story “My Husband Likes to Watch” is pedestrian and formulaic, with none of her wit. Her latest, “The Villages”, however, shows some of her mastery of dialogue, albeit several levels below "Bedroom Conversations", and an interesting mise-en-scène; that said, the story still falls flat, and the plot is a many-times-told tale. And has no one heard of Viagra, Cialis et hoc genus omne?

 

[nomoretears00]

nomore, not sure. This was the Smut by the Sea hangout and discussion on Friday, May 4, at 2100 GMT. Are we speaking about the same thing?

Ah, okay. No, we're not talking about the same thing. *Laugh* she has so much going on I can't keep up with her!

She's got her blog hop going on right now if you're interested.

 

[estragon]

nomo, thanks.

 

[estragon]

radk's "Woodstock Ticket". Such a sad story.

 

[estragon]

Linda1234's latest is a miscategorized "How To". I'd liked some of her previous work, but I don't like the genre, and this story is TMI.

 

[estragon]

We have a new batch of spam, and this stuff isn't even in English or any language that uses the Roman alphabet. I suppose Lit is a victim of its own success.

 

[estragon]

1thinkingman had a good idea in his story "Rant", but his latest, "Bad Timing", is worthy of its teaser line "Sorry just doesn't cut it." Starts out with a good premise, but degenerates into something I'd expect from Rush (the Tush) Limbaugh. And the mechanicals, notwithstanding the praise they receive from an admiring (and almost equally illiterate) troll, are as bad as "Rant".

 

[Pomegranate_Seed]

Hmm

As a relative newcomer, I'm a little in awe of this thread. (I suppose it is my own fault for opening this thread first in my first visit to these forums.)

Still, thanks for the education. And I don't mean that sarcastically. I had no idea people were even discussing these things.

I think being a disappointment may be a hard thing to be, and no one would want to be listed here, as opposed to in an "Awesome work!" thread... but in many ways it is a compliment, isn't it? It says that you have potential, in someone's eyes, and sets a bar, even if it is very subjective.

So while I do not doubt that there is a fair bit of self-stroking going on in a thread like this (and that certainly seems to be the consensus of some) and while no one really ASKED me, I just wanted to chime in to all of you and say this:

Thanks for being passionate enough about writing and reading to bother to care if someone is living up to their potential, and also for bothering to fight about it.

=)

 

[nakdsub]

This is not a site...

For advertising. I reported your spam and it will be removed soon.

 

[Ellafun]

For advertising. I reported your spam and it will be removed soon.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you.

 

[estragon]

nakdsub, thanks to you from me as well. This BB is for serious comments.

When I speak of a "Disappointment", it's not to denigrate or belittle a writer. It's to show my feeling of disappointment that a good writer didn't do better, when I know s/he is fully capable of better work.

 

[lovecraft68]

Not sure this qualifies to post here as its not about a story (mine or anothers) that I'm disappointed in.

because I have them (versions of them anyway) for sale I have begun to remove my SWB series here form Lit.

I plan on leaving about a dozen of the 51 chapters here, but if they want to read beyond that well then.....

But I was surprised to find myself a bit sad when the 6 that I deleted were removed. I removed thew prequel then the 5 part Finale.

I had amazing feedback on the finale and the 5 parts had an average score in the 4.8's

I also had shit load of amazing comments(which I printed before they went away)

This Finale Ironically also contained one of the chapters that was banned.

Admittedly I resubmitted it with no changes and it went right back up. So I've been having a little laugh on site for the last couple of months.

But generally I didn't think I would be this bummed out about them no longer being here, but it was necesary. No one is ever going to buy this if its here for free.

I also got tired of having chapters of it pulled down from other sites (I have the series copyrighted and have gone at it with 4 sites so far)

anyway thanks for letting me vent!

 

[estragon]

LC68, no problem. This is a free speech site and a free speech thread.

 

[estragon]

The spammers are back, and unfortunately people who make mock of them (and I know it can be nearly irresistible to throw a jibe at one of their posts) merely bump their garbage.

I'm all for free speech, but commercial speech (as the United States Supreme Court has ruled) is not protected. If someone has a comment, however offensive, even if actionably defamatory, s/he should be able to say it--and be prepared to answer for it in Court. But no prior censorship.

That said, down with spam!

 

[estragon]

I was disappointed that Naksub gave Ch 1of DG Hear, MFG's, latest series "Need for Revenge" a tough review, not to say a thumbs-down, although it might well be that. I myself thought better of it than Nakdsub, although I see his/her point about believability. I'd suggest that Nakdsub read the rest of the series, or at least Ch 2 when it posts, before foreclosing all options.

 

[nakdsub]

Normally I consider DG a decent writer...

Although I can't say I've like all of his stories, I thought some were done well. My comment on his latest story has to do the confrontation scene at the door of the room where his wife is being banged by 3 men, one of whom, has a knife.

This scene, in my view, is so over the top ridiculous, it boggles the mind. Here is the set up;

Our, so called, hero goes to the door of a motel room where he sees his wife on the bed being screwed by one man, there are two more men in the room, one of them is threatening him with a knife. Okay, he's piss at his wife, but he was not in the room party room when she left with them. For all he knows, they forced her there by knife point.

They give him the OPTION to leave or come in and watch? So! Like anyone would, he simply and passively enters the room and watches the 3 guys fuck his wife, at first, under the pretense of being threatened by the guy with the knife, but later the guy leaves him and screws the wife? And this is the hero of the story? Does this sound like the kind of environment you would simply enter and then leave your wife in?

I think a much more believable scenario would be him staying in the hall and calling 911 saying his wife is being held at knife point and raped by 3 men. Then I would start screaming at the top of my lungs in the hall for help!!! saying my wife is being raped in room XXX please, any men help me get her out. I would try to form a vigilante group from the rooms and break down the door.

Anyway, so now we have a man outraged and wanting to extract revenge...for what? HE IS THE ONE WHO PASSIVELY SAT BY AND LET IT HAPPEN! If there is one person in this who deserves revenge it is the wife, she was drunk. Shouldn't she be reasonably assured her husband would extricate her from a dangerous situation?

Okay, she's a slut, fine, you divorce her, but for all he knew at the time, she was there under duress and in the company of 3 dangerous men, one of whom was armed.

To me, the rest of the story having to do with his, "revenge," is a moot point. He doesn't deserve any.

Sorry, but that's my opinion.

nakdsub, (and I'm a man)

 

[DG Hear]

nakdsub

You are totally entitled to have your opinion. I'm an amature writer and have fun. When the fun stops, so will I. There are very few situations that I write about that are totally not believeable. Grant it, everyone thinks differently. Would everyone act the same in every situation? Of course not.

In a later chapter Jim will tell more of what he heard said while in the room. Was he right in what he did? That's for every reader to decide. He's not happy with his decision and decides to do something about it.

I do want to thank you for reading the first chapter and taking the time to comment. That's all any reader can ask.
With respect
DG Hear

 

[nakdsub]

DG Please don't take offense...

For the most part, I like your stories. As you say, future chapters will follow. My criticism is meant as constructive and not aimed at taking the fun out of writing for you. You are right, no one acts the same under duress; however, I can't see anyone reacting as your character does.

As you write it; He did not see his wife leave the party. When the hotel door is opened and he sees his wife on the bed, he realizes there are 3 men in the room, one of whom is armed with a knife. He has the forethought to rationalize he could not take all 3 in a fight, but when given a chance to get help, he, instead, calmly and passively walks into the lions den.

Now, it appears his wife is a willing participant, but what happens next. What if she changes her mind and starts to fight. Now what can he do? How does he know when he walks into the room they will not hurt him? They've been drinking, maybe they want to cut his balls off just for spite.

Now, if he realizes he did nothing, he should have been angry with himself long before the next chapter, he should have been hitting himself in the head all the way back home. Yet, when he meets the younger sister, he seems to accept no responsibility for his inaction what so ever, it's on the slut wife.

Again, I'm not saying this because I think you're a bad writer. I think you can do better. I think you are capable of better and more intricate plots.

What if he would have called 911. The cops came and arrested the 3 but now the wife has a dilemma, she doesn't want to cry rape, but if she doesn't everyone will know she's a slut. She presses charges, but they are dropped because it's he said, she said and there is no real evidence she wasn't willing. Now the 3 plot revenge against the husband but he is forewarned and turns the tables on them. We also have the in-fighting going on between him and his wife. In his heart he knows she was willing but she is trying to convince him it truly was rape. He manipulates her into a situation where she has to come clean and he divorces her.

Again, sorry if you took offense to my criticism.
nakdsub

 

[estragon]

Nakdsub, Of course DG Hear, MFG, can speak for himself, but I don't think he took any offense, and certainly I took none. Your criticism is thoughtful and constructive, and you are an experienced writer.

While I agree that Jim's response was most unusual, I don't think it wholly passed the bounds of credibility, although it certainly was right at the margin. But you clearly think it was way over the line into unbelievable. As always, you and I can agree to disagree. With no offense meant or taken.

 

[estragon]

I see from Serenissima Sydney Blake that D_Lynn, author of the contest-winning "Tribal Unity", has turned pro and is publishing commercially. I'm glad for this talented writer, and hope she is a commercial success.

My disappointment is that Lit is becoming the farm team for the big leagues; a lot of the best players are going up to the bigs.

 

[RodenAddison]

Nakdsub, Of course DG Hear, MFG, can speak for himself, but I don't think he took any offense, and certainly I took none. Your criticism is thoughtful and constructive, and you are an experienced writer.

While I agree that Jim's response was most unusual, I don't think it wholly passed the bounds of credibility, although it certainly was right at the margin. But you clearly think it was way over the line into unbelievable. As always, you and I can agree to disagree. With no offense meant or taken.

It's pretty tough to say what you would do in any given high stress situation. While it does seem a little over the top, who's to say for sure how they'd react. Sure we'd all like to believe we would act in the way that our culture might say a 'real man' should act, but some people fold.

It's the same dealing with death or anything that blind sides you. Everyone deals with things differently.

If a reader didn't find it credible, maybe fifty others did. This is a world where Presidents don't know the definition of sex and Canadian Prime Ministers will slide down banisters in Buckingham Palace (Pierre Trudeau did it). Who's to say for sure.