Serious Debate About the Competitions

[weftandwarp]

readers

I've read this thread and while there are many good observations it has left me confused. No one has dealt with the readership.

That a story can attract so many views and so few votes and comments is at the heart of the problem I think. It would be better if more readers participated.

It would be good if there was a "received good comment area" where the writers can post good comments made on their stories or broaden it out to have any one able to nominate a story comment for the honour area. With more people giving comments it would acknowledge the importance of the readership and more would be inclined to vote/ comment. I think this would make the site a lot more rewarding for every one. It would also dilute any attacks made on a story if there was more reader participation.

Really, the importance of readers is underestimated. They are potentially an enormous resource that is not being fully utilised. Perhaps a prize could be given for the best comment or a bottle spun to pick out one. It could be an annual thing but it would be huge and unwieldy by then. Every month would be more manageable. Perhaps there are better ways of doing it.

Also, in the spirit of encouraging readers I think a lot of stories have the ability to be in more than one category. Why can't this be acknowledged?

 

[TxRad]

The average vote per read is one in a hundred. How many comments do you think any given story gets on average. Probably less than one in hundred that vote, if you're lucky. Most readers could care less about the literature part of Lit. They are here for the erotica and their own good time.

Yeah, that does sound harsh but it is the reality.

 

[weftandwarp]

The average vote per read is one in a hundred. How many comments do you think any given story gets on average. Probably less than one in hundred that vote, if you're lucky. Most readers could care less about the literature part of Lit. They are here for the erotica and their own good time.

Yeah, that does sound harsh but it is the reality.

I agree. That doesn't mean it can't be better though. There could be so many more rewards for every one if the readers were more involved- valued- contributing. I don't know how best to do it but submitted ideas to start. I'm sure better ideas are out there. The writers would in turn feel more appreciated and perhaps commercial opportunities for literotica would open. Involvement would generate loyalty I imagine.

Also, the Melbourne Cup was run today- what we have instead of Halloween. It's a part of the Spring Racing Carnival. First- Almandin; second- Heartbreak City; third- Heartnell. The fashions were great. 97,000 were there at Flemington Race Course to see the 24 horses run 3,200 metres. The whole country stops for The Cup. Perhaps it could be the topic of a contest.

 

[NicoleZ]

Summation and Proposals

A big thanks to everyone for voicing their opinions and sharing their experiences, especially to the long-timers to whom this must be little more than a rehash of what to them has already been done “a thousand times” or more!

With so many people participating, it’s impossible to only mention and credit some and not all, therefore I will credit none. Also, it is not possible to acknowledge every single good point made, so if you feel I have overlooked or not heeded your contribution, I can only ask your forgiveness and forbearance.

And now its time to get down to business:

There are three interdependent parties involved in order of importance: Laurel, readers, authors.

Lets face it, we the “authors” are the supplicants currying and vying for favour. It is only if we do not attract a large enough number of readers that our say becomes important, either because we do not, collectively, write good enough stories or because there are not enough of us producing enough new stories to keep the readership happy.

As has been pointed out, our number does change because of life, people moving on to pastures greener or the Grim Reaper. Because of this, new contributors are important and the site itself should make every effort to make new writers welcome. (Let me just hasten to add that I myself feel that in spite of being the difficult and outspoken person I am, you – the long-time residents – have been both welcoming and tolerant, thank you! )

Another consideration must be that any changes suggested should be reasonable in that they do not require a whole set of new software or months of programming by an experienced software developer.


Publishing

The first change I would suggest is a guide to newbie writers on how to publish your story through the “Submissions” portal, transferring all those italics etc successfully on their own. Also, do away with the option “Upload document” as the option is misleading and only results in more work for Laurel.

Incentive for Laurel: Less work.
Incentive for readers: Better presented and more easily readable stories.
Incentive for writers: More work, but you do learn the ropes and will be the master of your own fortune where layout is concerned.


COMPETITIONS

The second change would be in the number and prestige/importance of competitions. The Monthly competitions can remain as they are as it seems not one person has mentioned them. They are obviously of minor importance and seem to chug along without too much interference (except for the usual trolling and 1-bombing, that is).

This leaves us with the main, themed contests. I would suggest a reduction in number to three and that they be of different lengths set to rotate between years. Example:

Valentine’s Day – Novellas, no limit on story length (not less than 20,000 words or 6 Literotica pages)

Summer Loving – Short stories of not more than 10,000 words or 3 Literotica pages, whichever comes first

Halloween - Short to medium length stories of not more than 25,000 words or 7 Literotica pages, whichever comes first

Incentive for Laurel: One less competition to administer.
Incentive for readers: Stories are more similar in type albeit not in content and they will know, or learn, what to expect.
Incentive for writers: A greater challenge to your writing skills. Also, you would perforce have to become a better writer as with a shorter story, waffling and waxing too lyrical becomes a liability.


PRIZES / AWARDS

The next logical step for Literotica would have been to test the waters as an independent publisher. Maybe this has been tried or evaluated, I do not know. But with services such as Blurb these days, physical printing is not prohibitively expensive. As for the Legal and Business sides, I have little or no idea but anyway, here goes:

Do away with the cash prizes! Instead, the Winner and a varying number of placing stories will be printed in a limited series (1,000 copies? 2,500 copies?) and available as “The Best of Summer Lovin’ – the twelve best short stories of the 2017 Competition.” Or “The Best of Valentine’s Day – the three (four?) best novellas of the 2017 Competition.” I can only speak for myself, but I know that I would buy them.

Also, this would leave the door open for a “yearbook” of the five to nine best stories of the year not in the three main contests, to be chosen by Laurel or whomever she deputises. Why not “Best new author”, “Best Sci/Fi & Fantasy”, Best “Gay/Lesbian”, best “Humour and Satire” etc. or whatever she chooses!

Incentive for Laurel: An opportunity to test the waters as a publisher relatively inexpensively.
Incentive for readers: An opportunity to get the best stories of the Contest/Year and start a collection that with time may become valuable.
Incentive for writers: To see your name in print, need more be said…?


Voting System

A new system should be implemented, one where cheating or the suspicion of cheating (which can be quite as damaging) is limited as much as possible without consuming to much time, effort or money in its implementation. But let’s face it: No matter which system is implemented, there is always scope and room for the unscrupulous, vicious and small-minded to cheat. It cannot be completely eliminated. What must be eliminated though is the current system of voting where it is possible at an early stage to steer readers away from certain authors and stories by the judicious use of a few 1-, 2- or 3- bombs. It must go!

This then is my suggestion for a new system of voting. Either you like, love or adore a story, else it leaves you unmoved (or affects you in other, less agreeable ways…). This should be reflected by the Voting System:

* - I liked the story
** - I loved the story
*** - I adored the story, the best I’ve read for a long time

This results in 1, 2 or 3 vote points to be added up and divided into “avge points per 100 views” and the only ways to cheat would be either to get everyone you know to vote for it – which would stand out like a sore thumb, or to read the entire story time and time again in order to bulk out the number of views without votes. Again, this would stand out like a sore thumb in the case of the minor categories and good luck to the perpetrator trying to affect an Incest or Mature/LW story with their 100,000 plus reads in a competition…

Benefits to everyone – a more amicable system that is far more difficult to manipulate and far easier to police as long as there is bot-protection employed. Also, it would tend to level the playing field between the major and minor categories.


Based on your input and my own, imperfect observations these are the suggestions for changes I would submit to Laurel. At least I have tried to think outside of the box. Now over to you to shred my flawed logic and suggestions!

 

[ChloeTzang]

The average vote per read is one in a hundred. How many comments do you think any given story gets on average. Probably less than one in hundred that vote, if you're lucky. Most readers could care less about the literature part of Lit. They are here for the erotica and their own good time.

Yeah, that does sound harsh but it is the reality.

My average on comments is a bit less than one comment for every 1,000 to 1,500 views on average. Many of the readers that comment are the same ones across different stories. Like everyone else, I get about one vote per hundred views and nothing much changes that. Guess that's just a fact of life.

There's a very small % of readers who get engaged beyond simply reading the stories. And that's life with readers anywhere.

 

[ishtat]

Hey NicholeZ, PM your ideas to Laurel. Let folks know if you get an acknowledgement.

 

[RejectReality]

Converting an existing five point scoring system to three is a logistical and PR nightmare.

No matter how you divide those original five points up, there are going to be large swaths of authors and fans of same who believe they were ripped off when they see their new scores.

Most readers aren't going to take notice of the change, and they're not going to touch that story with a score of 3 with a ten foot pole. While it might be short-lived, the plummeting returns on stories will have authors screaming from the rooftops.

You're either going to have to convert the entire database of votes ( every single vote from the beginning of voting at Lit is stored ) or do some complicated ( and prone to error ) Script-Fu on existing stories. Both are prohibitive.

Many people view mathematics as witchcraft. They can understand a simple average. Start judging them by something as "complicated" as votes per view, and they'll bring out the torches and pitchforks.

It's also where most of the angst comes from currently, when you get to the root of it. People don't understand the math of the sweeps.

The only reason the monthly contests weren't mentioned much is there's a general agreement on what needs to happen there. Individual chapters of stories shouldn't be considered for the monthlies or annual awards — only completed stories.

It's part of the plan involved in rolling out the new site, but that has to get off the ground first.

Reducing the number of contests isn't going to accomplish much, and could actually be detrimental.

First, most of the work involved in the contests is fire-and-forget, I'm sure. It's probably a pushbutton launch of sweeps, and once the final sweep has run, there's a list sorted by score ready to copy down. The approval process doesn't appear to be an undue burden as things stand.

The long lag between April Fool's and Nude Day already causes people to lose focus on the contests. That's made worse by April Fool's and Nude Day being the two least popular contests, which makes that gap Valentine's to Summer Lovin' for many. Making those gaps even longer is probably going to have a detrimental affect on participation.

Getting into the erotica publishing business at this point is a bad idea. The market is absolutely flooded. There's the elephant in the room called Amazon. That ship sailed a few years back. If you weren't on it, trying to set sail now is like launching boomerang torpedos.

Voting System

A new system should be implemented, one where cheating or the suspicion of cheating (which can be quite as damaging) is limited as much as possible without consuming to much time, effort or money in its implementation. But let’s face it: No matter which system is implemented, there is always scope and room for the unscrupulous, vicious and small-minded to cheat. It cannot be completely eliminated. What must be eliminated though is the current system of voting where it is possible at an early stage to steer readers away from certain authors and stories by the judicious use of a few 1-, 2- or 3- bombs. It must go!

This then is my suggestion for a new system of voting. Either you like, love or adore a story, else it leaves you unmoved (or affects you in other, less agreeable ways…). This should be reflected by the Voting System:

* - I liked the story
** - I loved the story
*** - I adored the story, the best I’ve read for a long time

This results in 1, 2 or 3 vote points to be added up and divided into “avge points per 100 views” and the only ways to cheat would be either to get everyone you know to vote for it – which would stand out like a sore thumb, or to read the entire story time and time again in order to bulk out the number of views without votes. Again, this would stand out like a sore thumb in the case of the minor categories and good luck to the perpetrator trying to affect an Incest or Mature/LW story with their 100,000 plus reads in a competition…

Benefits to everyone – a more amicable system that is far more difficult to manipulate and far easier to police as long as there is bot-protection employed. Also, it would tend to level the playing field between the major and minor categories.

 

[Carnal_Flower]

Ok, well that wasn't creepy

This all only proves three things

1. LC has gone round the twist, rather than accept that Bucky Duckman and TTT' beat him in a number of contests.
2. Paranoia is infectious and has spread.
3. NicoleZ needs to hang onto a belief that the Contests are dysfunctional rather than accept that her stories just didn't do that well. See (2) above.

Sane people can take up residence on the Support Thread.

 

[oggbashan]

The problem with 1 to 3 stars starting with "I liked the story" is that many people will want to vote "I DIDN'T Like the story" and their reaction could be perfectly valid.

As has been said earlier, I write Femdom sometimes. Many readers have very strong reactions against Femdom, leaving votes, comments and emails stating why the don't like the story/stories.

If there was a Femdom category, they could avoid it. There isn't so any Femdom can attract an adverse or even angry reaction. Some self-styled 'real men' appear to be threatened by a fantasy story.

 

[Bramblethorn]

Reminder: ANYBODY can host a contest. Just because Laurel and Manu own this site doesn't mean it needs to go through them. There's at least one other contest out there already where you can enter Literotica stories.

Set up a website, make whatever rules you like, decide what prizes you're going to offer ("the prestige of winning" is a valid answer) and advertise it.

As Joseph Ranseth said: be the change you want to see in the world.

 

[SusanJillParker]

My advice, forget about the contest, forget about the prize money, and forget about the votes and the scores, just write.

Don't even think about the reader. Forget about your audience. Just write the story you always wanted to write. This is your stage to explore your God given talent for writing.

Trust me, if you write it, they will read it. Now, isn't that what writing is all about, writing a story and having readers read your story?

All of this other stuff is just nonsense.

Good luck in writing the very best story that you possibly can.

 

[weftandwarp]

Reminder: ANYBODY can host a contest. Just because Laurel and Manu own this site doesn't mean it needs to go through them. There's at least one other contest out there already where you can enter Literotica stories.

Set up a website, make whatever rules you like, decide what prizes you're going to offer ("the prestige of winning" is a valid answer) and advertise it.

As Joseph Ranseth said: be the change you want to see in the world.

Agreed

 

[weftandwarp]

My advice, forget about the contest, forget about the prize money, and forget about the votes and the scores, just write.

Don't even think about the reader. Forget about your audience. Just write the story you always wanted to write. This is your stage to explore your God given talent for writing.

Trust me, if you write it, they will read it. Now, isn't that what writing is all about, writing a story and having readers read your story?

All of this other stuff is just nonsense.

Good luck in writing the very best story that you possibly can.

Agreed

 

[SusanJillParker]

Agreed

In regards to your post about the disinterested readership in voting and in commenting, in this world of NSA and sex scandals, readers don't want their girlfriends or wives to know what they're reading. I remember there was more hits, voting, and comments several years ago.

No one wants to leave a traceable footprint or fingerprint behind. Moreover, believe this or not but it's true, many readers have related to me that not only didn't they know that they could vote but also that they didn't know how to vote.

Furthermore, something that distorts the voting percentages, some readers open a story just to see if they'd like to read it. Literotica counts hits as anyone opening a story but not those who reads the complete story.

Lastly, perhaps if readers didn't have to log it, they'd be more likely to comment on stories.

 

[NotWise]

Publishing

The first change I would suggest is a guide to newbie writers on how to publish your story through the “Submissions” portal, transferring all those italics etc successfully on their own. Also, do away with the option “Upload document” as the option is misleading and only results in more work for Laurel.

I don't support you on this. There is existing documentation and I found it adequate. I also use the "Upload document" system and have never had a problem or a delay from using it.

I also have no idea how your proposed system would work or deliver the advantages you claim. It isn't well described.

COMPETITIONS

The second change would be in the number and prestige/importance of competitions. The Monthly competitions can remain as they are as it seems not one person has mentioned them. They are obviously of minor importance and seem to chug along without too much interference (except for the usual trolling and 1-bombing, that is).

Again, I can't support your proposal.

Why do you suggest these changes? I don't know what problem you think you're fixing or how it improves the site or the contest or improves the experience for anyone. Your assertions of advantages seem paternalistic. To me, the ideas seem irrational.

PRIZES / AWARDS

The next logical step for Literotica would have been to test the waters as an independent publisher. Maybe this has been tried or evaluated, I do not know. But with services such as Blurb these days, physical printing is not prohibitively expensive. As for the Legal and Business sides, I have little or no idea but anyway, here goes:

Do away with the cash prizes! Instead, the Winner and a varying number of placing stories will be printed in a limited series (1,000 copies? 2,500 copies?) and available as “The Best of Summer Lovin’ – the twelve best short stories of the 2017 Competition.” Or “The Best of Valentine’s Day – the three (four?) best novellas of the 2017 Competition.” I can only speak for myself, but I know that I would buy them.

This is logical to whom? To you? I suspect the cost of publishing printed material would be far greater than the current cash awards.

Did you know that Lit has e-published anthologies before? If Laurel wanted to do that on a regular bases, then I expect that she would.

I do support the proposal to stop the cash prizes.

Voting System

What must be eliminated though is the current system of voting where it is possible at an early stage to steer readers away from certain authors and stories by the judicious use of a few 1-, 2- or 3- bombs. It must go!

Your urgency on this issue is entirely personal, I dislike your proposal, and as others have pointed out the change would be extensive.

I've advocated a three-level system almost since the day I registered here -- but support for the idea in the author's group has been non-existent.

The most practical alternative I've come up with is to leave the 5-star scale in place, but revise the site's guidance on what the scoring means: 5* "I liked it", 4* "Good and Bad", 3*, 2*, 1* "I didn't like it." Then, any 1* or 2* vote is tallied in the rating as a 3* vote. Voters can still troll and insult all they want, but their effect on the rating is reduced.

Based on your input and my own, imperfect observations these are the suggestions for changes I would submit to Laurel. At least I have tried to think outside of the box. Now over to you to shred my flawed logic and suggestions!

Please don't present this as a consensus of the author's forum -- or even something that involved significant input from the forum.

 

[weftandwarp]

In regards to your post about the disinterested readership in voting and in commenting, in this world of NSA and sex scandals, readers don't want their girlfriends or wives to know what they're reading. I remember there was more hits, voting, and comments several years ago.

No one wants to leave a traceable footprint or fingerprint behind. Moreover, believe this or not but it's true, many readers have related to me that not only didn't they know that they could vote but also that they didn't know how to vote.

Furthermore, something that distorts the voting percentages, some readers open a story just to see if they'd like to read it. Literotica counts hits as anyone opening a story but not those who reads the complete story.

Lastly, perhaps if readers didn't have to log it, they'd be more likely to comment on stories.

Agreed. But not for everyone. I'm sure there is a significant proportion of readers who could vote/ comment but don't. Just like circumcision- it is no skin off their nose, whether they do or don't. I feel there are many more people on threads like this leaving their trail through the discussion boards than there are making comments The difference is that in the discussion boards they get almost instant gratification in provoking a response where as voting/ commenting on stories provides no instant gratification whether they do or don't.

 

[Learin]

I couldn't list all the flaws in OP's proposals even if I had a week.

I've been through websites where almost every story is rated 100% or 98%. The worst was 92℅. If you had to fluff pad every story, then why keep a rating system? Don't see how sweeping low votes helps anyone but the author's ego.

Having a 5 star or a 10 star rating system gives a varied score over multiple stories in multiple genres. That system is somewhat helpful for a reader who doesn't have the infinite time to wade through every thing posted here.

Also, OP, you sound too naïve. I don't think you've been through enough contests to make helpful suggestions or you're taking Lit contests way too seriously.

I suspect both.

 

[sr71plt]

I guess because I have a lot of anthologies in the erotica market that are doing well, have seen a payoff in my own list in being in a series of publisher (eXcessica) anthologies, and because I volume edit anthologies in the mainstream I see Literotica publishing anthologies of high-placing stories from contests (like two or three rating beyond the three top winners) as a good and fairly easy and inexpensive promotion for both Literotica and the authors. The Literotica name has cache in the erotica marketplace, and being in the marketplace under that name would be good publicity for Literotica as well (and would put the Literotica name of some authors in the marketplace, which would give them the start of name recognition in the marketplace).

Setting up e-books through a range of distributors and paperbacks via CreateSpace wouldn't be very expensive. (I've seen the cash flow on this.) Being published could be substituted for the current money awards (which I think need to go anyway). It costs less than the current $325 prize money for a themed contest to launch an e-book/paperback, and I see no reason why a profit above recouping this outlay wouldn't result from a "Best of Literotica X 20XX" (fill in the X with a theme) anthology. The name recognition is there in the marketplace to be taken advantage of.

I volume edit anthologies and haven't found a problem finding a publisher to do the rest of the work. All Literotica would have to do is provide the name sponsorship and the material from existing themed contests (in which the authors have done all of the writing work); pin down a volume editor and publisher; guarantee covering of any production shortfall, of which I don't think there would be any; and then cash the royalty checks--and I'm quite sure that, with the name recognition, there would be a bit of profit over all production expense.

So, I think this part of NicoleZ's list would be a win-win for Literotica and for contest participation. Being in a group of a half dozen authors getting a marketplace publishing credit is a bigger payoff for Lit. authors in the long run than three of them getting gift cards.

The suggestion on varying wordage length limits per contest is too complex and restrictive, I think. Splitting the contest, as I suggested, isn't restricting how many words you can put in your story; it's just grouping your story with others like it in writing mode. And it doesn't change anything in the system or much of anything in the administrative handling--it just doubles the number of designated winners.

 

[Kantarii]

The problem with 1 to 3 stars starting with "I liked the story" is that many people will want to vote "I DIDN'T Like the story" and their reaction could be perfectly valid.

As has been said earlier, I write Femdom sometimes. Many readers have very strong reactions against Femdom, leaving votes, comments and emails stating why the don't like the story/stories.

If there was a Femdom category, they could avoid it. There isn't so any Femdom can attract an adverse or even angry reaction. Some self-styled 'real men' appear to be threatened by a fantasy story.

I've only seen two categories on Lit where people try posting Femdom stories: BDSM mainly and the Transexuals & Cross dresser category to a lot lesser extent. Now erotic couplings might get a few stories, but I doubt much to be worthy of mention.Kant

 

[Bramblethorn]

This then is my suggestion for a new system of voting. Either you like, love or adore a story, else it leaves you unmoved (or affects you in other, less agreeable ways…). This should be reflected by the Voting System:

* - I liked the story
** - I loved the story
*** - I adored the story, the best I’ve read for a long time

This results in 1, 2 or 3 vote points to be added up and divided into “avge points per 100 views”

Let's suppose you and I each post a story in the same contest. Mine is terrible, yours is a masterpiece.

One thousand people view my story. Of those, 70% hate it and don't bother voting. The other 30% also hate it, but they give it one star because they don't realise that this is kinder than not voting.

Net result for my story: 1000 views, 300 points, average rating 300/1000 = 0.3.

Then the same one thousand people go on to read your story. Every one of them thinks it's awesome, every one of them gives it three stars. Not only that, but they bookmark it, and each one comes back to reread it nine more times.

Net result for your story: 1000 x 10 = 10000 views, 1000 x 3 = 3000 points, average rating 3000/10000 = 0.3. Your masterpiece gets the same score as my terrible one.

There are also some easy ways for unscrupulous folk to generate non-voting views on other people's stories. Whoops, did somebody post on a "cute kittens" forum and "accidentally" link to your contest entry instead of the adorable babies that people thought they were viewing?

 

[ishtat]

I guess because I have a lot of anthologies in the erotica market that are doing well, have seen a payoff in my own list in being in a series of publisher (eXcessica) anthologies, and because I volume edit anthologies in the mainstream I see Literotica publishing anthologies of high-placing stories from contests (like two or three rating beyond the three top winners) as a good and fairly easy and inexpensive promotion for both Literotica and the authors. The Literotica name has cache in the erotica marketplace, and being in the marketplace under that name would be good publicity for Literotica as well (and would put the Literotica name of some authors in the marketplace, which would give them the start of name recognition in the marketplace).

Setting up e-books through a range of distributors and paperbacks via CreateSpace wouldn't be very expensive. (I've seen the cash flow on this.) Being published could be substituted for the current money awards (which I think need to go anyway). It costs less than the current $325 prize money for a themed contest to launch an e-book/paperback, and I see no reason why a profit above recouping this outlay wouldn't result from a "Best of Literotica X 20XX" (fill in the X with a theme) anthology. The name recognition is there in the marketplace to be taken advantage of.

I volume edit anthologies and haven't found a problem finding a publisher to do the rest of the work. All Literotica would have to do is provide the name sponsorship and the material from existing themed contests (in which the authors have done all of the writing work); pin down a volume editor and publisher; guarantee covering of any production shortfall, of which I don't think there would be any; and then cash the royalty checks--and I'm quite sure that, with the name recognition, there would be a bit of profit over all production expense.

So, I think this part of NicoleZ's list would be a win-win for Literotica and for contest participation. Being in a group of a half dozen authors getting a marketplace publishing credit is a bigger payoff for Lit. authors in the long run than three of them getting gift cards.

The suggestion on varying wordage length limits per contest is too complex and restrictive, I think. Splitting the contest, as I suggested, isn't restricting how many words you can put in your story; it's just grouping your story with others like it in writing mode. And it doesn't change anything in the system or much of anything in the administrative handling--it just doubles the number of designated winners.

Well thought through. However, I doubt whether Lit management has either the entrepreneurial ability, the inclination, or the technical know how - of publishing, to do this. I also doubt their willingness to delegate the project to someone who is so qualified.

 

[sr71plt]

Well thought through. However, I doubt whether Lit management has either the entrepreneurial ability, the inclination, or the technical know how - of publishing, to do this. I also doubt their willingness to delegate the project to someone who is so qualified.

I'm sure they see it that way too, but actually there's nothing they'd wind up doing except running the contests as always, lending the Literotica name, and, most probably, cashing royalty checks. There are experienced volume editors and successful publishers who are members of Literotica and who are making anthologies pay even without a household erotica name attached them and who would be doing all of the work. But you are probably right about the Web site's vision problems.

 

[Bramblethorn]

Well thought through. However, I doubt whether Lit management has either the entrepreneurial ability, the inclination, or the technical know how - of publishing, to do this. I also doubt their willingness to delegate the project to someone who is so qualified.

Didn't they already do a couple of anthologies? https://www.literotica.com/book/

 

[sr71plt]

Didn't they already do a couple of anthologies? https://www.literotica.com/book/

Yes. Sometimes ago. It was probably when they did have to do all of the work themselves.

 

[ishtat]

Didn't they already do a couple of anthologies? https://www.literotica.com/book/

Yes, but hardly an impressive effort over 17 years, and the last one was when?