Pink Orchid: Story Event for Women-Centric Erotica - Official Support Thread

[NotWise]

Yeah, I just went straight to Google, even to find the next chapter of a story.

The next chapter of a story should be linked on the story page.

Laurel has been adding the tag "Pink Orchid 2022" to all the stories, except maybe the first few. I already had mine tagged "pink orchid," but she added her tag anyway and booted my "romance" tag off the list.

The search facility works very well when looking for the "pink orchid" tag. Put "pink orchid" into the search field, go to advanced search, tell it to search tags, to search within the last month, and sort by date. You get a sorted list.

You can also search the text and title for "pink orchid." You get some irrelevant hits, but you also find YDB95's story, and maybe one or two others.

 

[MelissaBaby]

I also thought I’d read all the entries and comment on how I think they met the event themes, but for that I’ve been told off

Well, go read and comment on mine, for christ sake.

 

[ManitowocMike]

The next chapter of a story should be linked on the story page.

The post I quoted referred to the old system. It did that bizarre computer thing where numbers aren't in numerical order.

So IIRC the old system offered up to four other chapters and four "similar" stories based on the title. If the story was up to five chapters all was well. If it had more, after reading chapter five of "Six waitresses" in the lesbian sex category it offered...

'Six waitresses' Chapter 1
'Six waitresses' Chapter 11
'Six waitresses' Chapter 2
'Six waitresses' Chapter 22

then

'Six siblings' in I & T
'Six weekends' in LW
'Six plus four is ten' in Essays
'Six seconds isn't enough' in First Time

 

[yowser]

NotWise answered this for me already. Content-wise I think the only story that can’t be written to meet the event criteria would be stories where there are no female characters. There is no kink that can’t be written so that female characters have agency and make sense.

It’s not about content, it’s about tone and characterization. That has also been one of the more entertaining aspects of this event, I’ve gotten to read a few good stories in categories I don’t follow otherwise.

Well O, you've certainly gotten your money's worth out of the challenge, and a rousing discussion to boot. Thanks for doing this.

The guidelines were quite expansive, and thus the results perhaps predictable. I too am looking forward to the range of authors' interpretations, much to learn.

 

[ManitowocMike]

Those ideas all sound very male-centric to me.

That said, my story did have a fairly long dinner conversation with two men talking about the FMC. There were no women in the scene. Even the server was a guy. It was intended to set up the conflicts around the woman.

Everyone is self-centered, or we wouldn't survive.* So if a male author writes something it is from that particular male author's point of view.

* This isn't my opinion. Researchers from the Max-Planck Institute for Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Leipzig Germany conducted a lengthy study, publishing their findings in 2012. They compared children of different ages through time as they engaged with others. They concluded that the infant must be totally self-centered to survive-- screaming for nourishment, waste removal, or for climatic change. Development of the ability to see others outside of themselves was a slow learning process that began with interaction with the infant's primary caregiver and expanded outwards with the inclusion of others.

That the ability so see ourselves in others is easiest in those that we most often interact with-- even when we share no physiological similarities. Sometimes it is never achieved in those we have no physical contact with. (See Pennsylvania Avenue and Wall Street for ample examples of this phenomenon. -Mike) "Maturation" as often measured has less to do with physiological development than it has to do with experience. Egocentric behavior in children is an important survival skill. It is not a function of the inability to inherently know "fair" from "unfair," which are learned constructs. Societal norms are not inherent, but learned. That altruistic behavior is a myth, a misunderstanding of the fact that most of us at least subconsciously see ourselves in others that we interact with.

 

[MelissaBaby]

If I thought that my writing could only represent my own perspective, I wouldn't bother writing.

 

[ManitowocMike]

I was not trying to say that you only represent your own perspective, but rather that all of our individual stories are filtered through our experiences. One of your poems centers on a sense of loss that I could never possibly experience. There are men whose significant others suffered that type of loss-- but, critically, not an identical loss-- there are other women who have suffered a similar loss-- but did not have the same reaction as you. We are all unique, and we all put our "spin" on what we write.

 

[Lifestyle66]

To summarize my approach, I am interested in the event stories. I am offering my input both before publishing and after. I think it would be weird to ask for certain type of stories and then not care what turns up.

You should comment on every story with pro or con statements of your opinion about the story. It's your event, and anyone who is too sensitive to receive your opinion should not post their story to your event!

I may disagree with your views, but I respect they are valid views from another person.

I received a 1-bomb on one of my stories, and the commenter gave his reason (sex club deceiving a couple and trying to manipulate them.) I disagreed with his reason and posted my own comment saying it was a 1 well deserved if he saw that in my story.

 

[stickygirl]

The next chapter of a story should be linked on the story page.

Laurel has been adding the tag "Pink Orchid 2022" to all the stories, except maybe the first few. I already had mine tagged "pink orchid," but she added her tag anyway and booted my "romance" tag off the list.

The search facility works very well when looking for the "pink orchid" tag. Put "pink orchid" into the search field, go to advanced search, tell it to search tags, to search within the last month, and sort by date. You get a sorted list.

You can also search the text and title for "pink orchid." You get some irrelevant hits, but you also find YDB95's story, and maybe one or two others.

That's just my point. In a basic search I got 15 pages of hits for Pink Orchid, some dating back to 2009. Yes, I know about advanced search - I've been here since 2012, but how many readers would bother to do that? Google might be better, but it shouldn't be if Lit were supporting it's contributors in a more reader-friendly way.

 

[NotWise]

That's just my point. In a basic search I got 15 pages of hits for Pink Orchid, some dating back to 2009. Yes, I know about advanced search - I've been here since 2012, but how many readers would bother to do that? Google might be better, but it shouldn't be if Lit were supporting it's contributors in a more reader-friendly way.

I don't feel a lack of support.

Some of us got the V Day votes, and there's the usual votes people always get. I think for now we're mostly waiting for the event page to come out a week from Tuesday(?) or Wednesday, and then readers will have the event page to link from and they won't need to search.

That should be good for some attention, but the event page isn't visible all that long.

 

[SimonDoom]

I do not get to define what female empowerment is or is not, but I do get to define what the focus of my own event is. If I will host this again, I will keep this in mind, and try to be more precise in the event announcement. The first thing I will do is drop the mention of "female empowerment", because it has gotten a really over-emphasized focus in so many people's mind.

Live and learn.

I don't think you have to learn anything at all. It's a great idea for an event. But I think the right attitude to have is that you are dropping a pebble in the water and the ripples will go where they may. You can't control them, and that's fine. Let it go and watch what happens. Control is the enemy of creativity. There is no good that comes from regulating anything with a Literotica story event. You should feel good about promoting this event but just let whatever happens, happen. It will be interesting to see how people respond to it.

 

[stickygirl]

I don't feel a lack of support.

Some of us got the V Day votes, and there's the usual votes people always get. I think for now we're mostly waiting for the event page to come out a week from Tuesday(?) or Wednesday, and then readers will have the event page to link from and they won't need to search.

That should be good for some attention, but the event page isn't visible all that long.

That's a fair point. I presume they're be a big party at Laurel's place, with champagne and cocktail dresses? I'll stay at a Holiday Inn this time - waking up in a strange house gets tiresome, especially when you've slept in the dudgeon. It took me days to get rid of the smell of leather and baby oil

 

[Lifestyle66]

You're welcome.

The question is "Why does she like to flirt?" If it had been more clear that it turned her on, and wasn't just because it was a way to turn her husband on, you'd have had a much stronger story.

You might want to consider taking another shot at it, from her perspective, outside the parameters of a challenge. You say that you're not a writer, well, I wasn't a writer until I became one, if you know what I mean. You only get better by trying.

I found a brief part of a scene from my first series chapter on this couple from my Strip Club story might suffice to show Jan's motivations.
****
During our very first date, sitting across from each other in a local diner, we spent the evening learning more about each other…“My turn again,” she said. “When I touch you, you reach down to your pants to adjust yourself. Does it always happen?”
“Usually. Your touches make me feel different. And I get hard when you do it.”
Jan casually reached to her neck and pulled the chains of her necklace together. I couldn’t help but notice as she dangled the heart-shaped pointer and seemed to absentmindedly swing it a little. She caught my eyes glancing down as she did it and she smiled.
“Are you getting hard now?” she asked in a sultry voice.
“You’re doing that deliberately, aren’t you?” I said.
“Of course! I want ALL of you focused on me.”
“Yes, I’m getting hard,” I said as I reached down to adjust myself. “Satisfied?”
***

But I have trouble reaching into her mind to describe from my first person POV WHY she likes doing it. My wife doesn't really know why she likes to flirt, she just does.

Are there any women reading this who might tell me WHY my wife or other women enjoy flirting to make men get erections, with no intention of following through with sex?

 

[Lovecraft_Lore]

I read the story 'Toxic" and am annoyed at the comments. The guys who never thought about these things till they had a daughter and are now trying to be supportive.

Now, I am reading 'Oyster River'. I am somewhat disappointed there are no scary supernatural horrors. Small Town Maine is filled with unspeakable Eldritch Horror if I have learned anything from Stephen King. A woman coming out as a lesbian is not scary, the story works as it is in lesbian sex. I really liked the format, the story was laid well once you got past the beginning. It could have used a sex scene at the beginning. just to draw the reader in.

 

[Lifestyle66]

Well, Toxic is live. I'm guessing it will be divisive and am not expecting high scores or anything, but I hope it might at least make some people think.

Mansplaining, or corrective dysfunction, is a huge issue for women. I appreciate the men who have been able to sit back and reflect on their responses to the challenge and think about their attitudes and behaviours towards women and equality.

I read the story 'Toxic' and while descriptive and well written in its descriptions, it seemed a poor caricature of feminist views.

The little girl's statements went from elementary school level to mature feminist statements you'd hear from a 30-year-old.
They told the girl the teacher was wrong to say the boy was pulling her hair because he liked her, but didn't provide the girl any way to handle the situation! (Left unsaid: that boy must decide to change his behavior? or you will be trained as a BDSM submissive, which effectively gives the boy all power over her future.)
All men were portrayed as assaulting and degrading women at almost every opportunity EXCEPT for the one and only sensitive guy she decided to bed and stay with, when not returning to the uni.
The feminist author character spent years fucking a married guy, getting knocked up twice by him, and after confronting him with his wife, she later gets a text from him talking about missing her pussy! (Really? In those years, his attitudes never came out?)
The female reporter was engaged to her disgusting editor (as if his attitudes were new to her that evening) and had to be saved by the feminist writer (as if adding a second women to say 'No" would save her when one woman saying 'no' wasn't enough.)
Thus my finding this a caricature of feminist man-bashing.

I don't like posting negative views on a story in the public comments. But in the author's hangout, I hope to show other authors why I think it falls short.

 

[Thefireflies]

I read the story 'Toxic" and am annoyed at the comments. The guys who never thought about these things till they had a daughter and are now trying to be supportive.

I’m not seeing that in Toxic’s comments at all, though we all know it does occur. In Australia such attitudes have recently been put in the spotlight from people with high profiles, including the Prime Minister, who’s response to rape allegations among parliament staff was to tell the nation he’d discussed the matter with his wife, who’d ‘clarified’ the matter for him, where she told him to consider how he’d like his own daughters treated. And his response came long after much criticism that he wasn’t responding at all. Afterwards he was asked why he only responded as a father and not as a human being, and it was pointed out perhaps his response suggested if he was not a father to daughters he wouldn’t feel so compassionate? But better late than never, right? Except further comments about another high profile rape victim by both him and his wife appeared to suggest he hadn't learnt (there's lots of context that's probably beyond this discussion). However, the conversation is being heard loud and clear, making many uncomfortable, but perhaps even making many think. Even guys who'd previously missed the memo, or perhaps don't have the best male role models.

 

[MelissaBaby]

I read the story 'Toxic" and am annoyed at the comments. The guys who never thought about these things till they had a daughter and are now trying to be supportive.

Now, I am reading 'Oyster River'. I am somewhat disappointed there are no scary supernatural horrors. Small Town Maine is filled with unspeakable Eldritch Horror if I have learned anything from Stephen King. A woman coming out as a lesbian is not scary, the story works as it is in lesbian sex. I really liked the format, the story was laid well once you got past the beginning. It could have used a sex scene at the beginning. just to draw the reader in.

They try to keep the monsters away from the touristy areas.

Thanks for reading.

 

[Thefireflies]

Mansplaining, or corrective dysfunction, is a huge issue for women.

I read the story 'Toxic' and while descriptive and well written in its descriptions, it seemed a poor caricature of feminist views.

Looks like you might be mansplaining SisterJezabel's story. The irony amuses me.

 

[NotWise]

Looks like you might be mansplaining SisterJezabel's story. The irony amuses me.

How does one disagree with a woman without being accused of mansplaining?

 

[Lifestyle66]

Looks like you might be mansplaining SisterJezabel's story. The irony amuses me.

Looks like you might be mansplaining SisterJezabel's story. The irony amuses me.

I gave specific examples in my critique based on what I read.

And you provide a one-liner calling me a mansplainer. Not ironic, but typical.

 

[Thefireflies]

How does one disagree with a woman without being accused of mansplaining?

I don’t think every woman treats every disagreement with a man as mansplaining.

I gave specific examples in my critique based on what I read.

And you provide a one-liner calling me a mansplainer. Not ironic, but typical.

There was a post way back along the lines of How could you be so wrong about you own story, where writers here gave examples of how readers said their characters wouldn’t have acted certain ways etc. To me it looks like that’s what you did with your critique, saying this and that couldn’t or wouldn’t happen or people wouldn't have acted in certain ways. But how do you know it wouldn’t be like how SJ wrote it? After all, who are we to argue, she’s a woman with vastly different life experience than you or me or anyone else and I’m sure these experiences go into her writing.

 

[gunhilltrain]

Well, Toxic is live. I'm guessing it will be divisive and am not expecting high scores or anything, but I hope it might at least make some people think.

Mansplaining, or corrective dysfunction, is a huge issue for women. I appreciate the men who have been able to sit back and reflect on their responses to the challenge and think about their attitudes and behaviours towards women and equality.

Well, you did get a 4.58 in just a single day, so it's doing better than you might have expected.

 

[Lifestyle66]

How does one disagree with a woman without being accused of mansplaining?

I don’t think every woman treats every disagreement with a man as mansplaining.


There was a post way back along the lines of How could you be so wrong about you own story, where writers here gave examples of how readers said their characters wouldn’t have acted certain ways etc. To me it looks like that’s what you did with your critique, saying this and that couldn’t or wouldn’t happen or people wouldn't have acted in certain ways. But how do you know it wouldn’t be like how SJ wrote it? After all, who are we to argue, she’s a woman with vastly different life experience than you or me or anyone else and I’m sure these experiences go into her writing.

As I said:

"The little girl's statements went from elementary school level to mature feminist statements you'd hear from a 30-year-old.
They told the girl the teacher was wrong to say the boy was pulling her hair because he liked her, but didn't provide the girl any way to handle the situation!"

Tell me the solution they offered.

"All men were portrayed as assaulting and degrading women at almost every opportunity EXCEPT for the one and only sensitive guy"

Except for that one sensitive guy she seems to decide to move in with (no other explanation, since the father was going to take her cottage back), that father was the only other male who didn't assault or degrade a woman in the story. And that father had very little interaction.

"The feminist author character spent years fucking a married guy, getting knocked up twice by him, and after confronting him with his wife, she later gets a text from him talking about missing her pussy! "

What else do I say about that. It stands as is!

"The female reporter was engaged to her disgusting editor..."

Do you not agree he was disgusting?

"...and had to be saved [from two disgusting men trying to assault her] by the feminist writer..."

The feminist writer merely had to say something to them to get them to back off. So, perhaps I am a little judgmental in not recognizing her persuasive commanding tone. I'll stand corrected.


My problem with the feminist attitude is that men must change in order for women to be their equals. So, men hold the power of changing or not. I prefer stronger women who don't need men to change in order for the woman to be their equal!

 

[SisterJezabel]

As I said:

"The little girl's statements went from elementary school level to mature feminist statements you'd hear from a 30-year-old.
They told the girl the teacher was wrong to say the boy was pulling her hair because he liked her, but didn't provide the girl any way to handle the situation!"

My problem with the feminist attitude is that men must change in order for women to be their equals. So, men hold the power of changing or not. I prefer stronger women who don't need men to change in order for the woman to be their equal!

Clearly your experience of living as a woman in a patriarchal society has taught you well.

And yes, the suggestion that men do anything apart from telling women (or young girls) how to act or what to do has been suggested to me before. I know, I can see how shocked you are.

Joyce Stevens’s words from 1975 are still pertinent today:

“Because women's work is never done and is underpaid or unpaid or boring or repetitious
and we're the first to get the sack
and what we look like is more important than what we do
and if we get raped it's our fault
and if we get bashed we must have provoked it
and if we raise our voices we're nagging bitches
and if we enjoy sex we're nymphos
and if we don't we're frigid
and if we love women it's because we can't get a 'real' man
and if we ask our doctor too many questions we're neurotic and/or pushy
and if we expect community care for children we're selfish
and if we stand up for our rights we're aggressive and 'unfeminine'
and if we don't we're typical weak females
and if we want to get married we're out to trap a man
and if we don't we're unnatural
and because we still can't get an adequate safe contraceptive but men can walk on the moon
and if we can't cope or don't want a pregnancy we're made to feel guilty about abortion
and ….. for lots and lots of other reasons we are part of the women's liberation movement”

 

[SisterJezabel]

How does one disagree with a woman without being accused of mansplaining?

By questioning and listening to answers and not basing everything of your own experience. It’s really not that difficult.