Are we allowed to talk about LE alternatives here?

[metropolinational]

That changed significantly in the past few days, with five different genres and six authors now represented.

well, thats good to hear. I had been going there once a week or so for a while. I assumed that the featured stories were hand selected and that nobody was minding the store anymore. so it gave me a ghost town vibe. Glad it's improved.

 

[dirk2024]

They have a featured story carrousel on the front page that never, ever rarely changes

I have noticed the same thing, probably for the reasons why Mr. Pixel noted. I did post a comment in the Authors Tavern about it to Baedi to see if its something that can be addessed.

 

[EmilyMiller]

I wish @EmilyMiller would forgive them and keep helping them grow.

The owner knows how to contact me.

 

[MrPixel]

well, thats good to hear. I had been going there once a week or so for a while. I assumed that the featured stories were hand selected and that nobody was minding the store anymore. so it gave me a ghost town vibe. Glad it's improved.

I have noticed the same thing, probably for the reasons why Mr. Pixel noted. I did post a comment in the Authors Tavern about it to Baedi to see if its something that can be addessed.

Baedi just posted changes are coming shortly, also recognizing the limitations of not enough activity for statistical significance.

 

[WittyUserName]

For me, these are the top three:

1. erotxt – Feels like a modern Literotica, even better in some ways, but it doesn’t have many readers yet.
2. Archive of Our Own (AO3) – A huge platform that’s decent overall, but not smut-focused, and the interface isn’t great.
3. StoriesOnline – Pretty much the same issues as AO3.

I'd never heard of erotxt. Thanks! I might look into publishing there. Lushstories didn't work out for me, and I do use SoL. Problem seems to be that you need a cover on erotxt. I don't do artwork...

 

[WittyUserName]

Two things about erotxt if you're so interested in knowing. First, the largest identifiable readership is looking for IR, attributable to a well-trafficked IR author on Patreon who writes only in that genre and was an early contributor to erotxt. Little reader traffic on anything else.

Second, owner/moderator is touchy about anything inferring underage romance (not sexual) or incest, even tangential references. Go forward forewarned.

Great support for authors otherwise, and a very attractive site.

Damn. I have incest as a big theme in one story. There goes that

 

[WittyUserName]

Damn. I have incest as a big theme in one story. There goes that

It's honestly why I regret caving to reader requests and putting in incest... it precludes my stories from a lot of sites.

 

[dirk2024]

I'd never heard of erotxt. Thanks! I might look into publishing there. Lushstories didn't work out for me, and I do use SoL. Problem seems to be that you need a cover on erotxt. I don't do artwork...

You don't have to have a cover. Not everyone there does. So no problems there.

Damn. I have incest as a big theme in one story. There goes that

I have a stepbrother/stepsister story there in taboo. Put your story in that category. it will be fine.

 

[WittyUserName]

You don't have to have a cover. Not everyone there does. So no problems there.




I have a stepbrother/stepsister story there in taboo. Put your story in that category. it will be fine.

It does involve father/daughter, though I established a reasoning behind it. The power dynamic might be a problem, looking at their guidelines. I do have other stories, although all are set in the same universe. Maybe I'll post a few of the others and see how things go...

 

[Andreas_Kreuz]

What I would really like to see is the developer of erotext get together with @Manu and run Lit using the software written by Baedi for erotxt. Basically erotxt has solved every technical glitch that we have discussed here for years.
The design of erotxt is quite obviously the result of someone knowing what works here on Lit and what needs to be improved.
What is very similar are the content guidelines. So erotext has the same 18+ and Non-AI requirements.

The main difference is cover art. I am not a fan of cover art, so I was happy to find that I can turn the feature off altogether.

 

[MrPixel]

The power dynamic might be a problem, looking at their guidelines.

Yes. The story I had returned mentioned a fake stepmother-stepson scenario in the context of video porn production, which is a popular trope in that industry. Portrayal of the power dynamic was indeed the issue.

 

[MrPixel]

The main difference is cover art. I am not a fan of cover art, so I was happy to find that I can turn the feature off altogether.

Good that both ways are accommodated. I'm having fun with the cover art, but I have a personal photo collection to draw from which makes it easy.

 

[Simple_desire000]

my reviews to date:

1. Inkitt. Very fun. Publishing platform is outstanding, a full decade ahead of where LE/Lit is now. Publication happens within 24 hours, and most often, nearly instantly. You can also edit your works in real time. Social networking side - forum, groups - is underdeveloped and possibly just an afterthought. The rating/reviewing/feedback system is superb and actually helpful. You can really interact with readers there as an author, and vice versa. I get the sense the readership there is huge, but it's heavily geared towards romance and fantasy. The erotica readership is just a fraction of what it is here, and even that is still fantasy/romance/daddy issues oriented. There is nothing remotely equivalent to the LW readership here, so for me, it is simply not a substitute. I am uploading Botched there when I have time, and it has been nicely received, but by a dozen people, not hundreds or even thousands like here.

2. Erotxt. Got as far as uploading a single chapter up there. Site is nice. I had a glitch when uploading and the admin was incredibly helpful and responsive. Publication was fast too -within 48 hours. However, I had nearly zero reads and no reactions at all. So it's a beautiful void, but still a void. Hopefully that changes in the future. They have a featured story carrousel on the front page that never, ever rarely changes (edited since @MrPixel provided more current info). That gives you a sense that they are not getting new stories that often either. I wish @EmilyMiller would forgive them and keep helping them grow. We really need an alternative to LE. It will be good for LE, too. It will benefit everyone.

3. AO3. I just can't get my mind around the site. I've made an account. I just can't find stories there. There is no way to make sense of the ratings. The tagging system requires a PhD in symbology. I just can't. I'm probably too old. If LE keeps sucking, Erotxt does not improve, and Inkitt goes away, I will have to with AO3, but I know it will require a steep learning curve. I also suspect the non-fandom erotica audience is simply not there, even if I could figure out how to find it.

Thank you so much for that information. I did in fact upload a story to e r o t x t, one that's been sitting here in pending, I'm sure only ones that will be reading it are the friends that I have that support me which will be nothing like here LOL . I did also download the Inkkit app, I would actually like to write a fantasy story. That's gonna take some time, but if my stories are pending here, that's all I got is time.

 

[WittyUserName]

Yes. The story I had returned mentioned a fake stepmother-stepson scenario in the context of video porn production, which is a popular trope in that industry. Portrayal of the power dynamic was indeed the issue.

Yeah, they won't accept my main story. Maybe a few others will work.

 

[dirk2024]

Yes. The story I had returned mentioned a fake stepmother-stepson scenario in the context of video porn production, which is a popular trope in that industry. Portrayal of the power dynamic was indeed the issue.

I have since found out that since its a European site, its following European rules on this issue, which are stricter than what we have here.

 

[metropolinational]

I did also download the Inkkit app, I would actually like to write a fantasy story. That's gonna take some time, but if my stories are pending here, that's all I got is time.

Linkitt is a lot of fun. a totally different readership there! Definitely worth the time!

 

[Andreas_Kreuz]

Yes, it is European. So the key here for us Europeans is dependency. In Europe legal age is as low as 14 years, but the guiding principle is freedom of consent. And if that is missing, the age limit of 18-years does not count. So teacher fucking 19yo student for better grades is illegal here and would get the teacher into jail. Siblings at 14 is fine. A 16yo girl going to a pub to pick up a random stranger would also be ok. But erotxtx guidelines say:

Incest or incest-like relationships where ... the dynamic involves parent/child, guardian/ward, teacher/student, or similar dependency that undermines consent.

This would indeed rule out a large part of the incest stories on Lit.

 

[EmilyMiller]

 

[lovecraft68]

I give all you folks credit, this place is enough of a headache, I couldn't handle another one.

 

[MillieDynamite]

Why don't we have any information on the age of consent for the teal countries? This inquring bitch wants to know,

View attachment 2598191

 

[Andreas_Kreuz]

@EmilyMiller The red dot for the Vatican is telling. It can mean either no sex ever or, the sad reality, neither age nor consent matters.

Aah, and Greenland allows 15yo. That explains a lot.

 

[StillStunned]

Why don't we have any information on the age of consent for the teal countries? This inquring bitch wants to know,

And dare we speculate about the red spot on Vatican City?

 

[metropolinational]

Why don't we have any information on the age of consent for the teal countries? This inquring bitch wants to know,

doesnt teal mean 14? or am I missing a joke?

 

[AbyssalAvatar]

I like the “old internet” appearance of SOL, and I also briefly used AO3. However I have stopped using both. The T&Cs are “looser” and there is some absolutely appalling content on both.

 

[MillieDynamite]

No, I was missing something. And, @StillStunned, the red dot is supposed to mean that sex is forbidden in the Vaticen city.

doesnt teal mean 14? or am I missing a joke?