Can you top yourself?

[filthytrancendence]

No people give me shit for ASSUMING my tone, for ASSUMING a bitch tone who says the truth that they don;tr want to hear. Makes it very convenient to shoot the messenger. The only - I repeat ONLY - time that I get snarky with someone is when they're a bitch to me first, as you so often are.

The thing about viewing it this way is nobody can talk you out of it.

I get snarky, too. And people do give me shit for that. Including you. And that's fair. I certainly don't hold that against you.

But you pretty much start snarky, PSG. In this thread, for instance. That's not an assumption, it's what you put out into the world.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

But you pretty much start snarky, PSG. In this thread, for instance. That's not an assumption, it's what you put out into the world.

Look, I don't want to hijack the thread, but you can't make that statement and have me let that go. That statement is completely false. My first three (THREE!!) posts in this thread were totally snark-free. Unless you think that the word so common as 'bullshit' in a casual discussion is over the line. (roll eyes)

Once again, this is your assumption of my tone - the same thing that so many of you accuse me of doing. Nice one-way street that you've paved.

 

[filthytrancendence]

Look, I don't want to hijack the thread, but you can't make that statement and have me let that go. That statement is completely false. My first three (THREE!!) posts in this thread were totally snark-free. Unless you think that the word so common as 'bullshit' in a casual discussion is over the line. (roll eyes)

Once again, this is your assumption of my tone - the same thing that so many of you accuse me of doing. Nice one-way street that you've paved.

Yes. The thing you're rolling your eyes at was snarky of you. It's not the word bullshit specifically but the way you used it, but more specifically the implication that you're some kind of martyr for saying the hard truths nobody wants to hear, in contrast to everyone else.

And speaking of shooting the messenger...

Anyways. The last word is yours if you like

 

[pink_silk_glove]

Anyways. The last word is yours if you like

Gladly.

It's not the word bullshit specifically but the way you used it, but more specifically the implication that you're some kind of martyr for saying the hard truths nobody wants to hear, in contrast to everyone else

You accuse me of assuming people's thoughts and intentions and here you are once again assuming my tone - guilty of the very thing that you accuse me of. You even admit it, and then again you'll assume that I'm 'reading your thoughts'. You admit it. Only the righteous are allowed to do that, right?

 

[lovecraft68]

We won't. Well, at least I won't reply to the person (PSG) who, as others have noticed, always assumes the worst intentions and motives behind everyone's post, everyone lying, etc.

By the way, I didn't see your own reply to the question in the original post? Do you think you can top your most successful stories? You've had plenty of success here, but if I am not mistaken, a couple of your brother-sister stories were the most successful among your work, right?
So, are you a had-been brother/sister guru, or you think you still have a couple of tricks up your sleeve?

I answered above that my issue is my best work is not sibling stories here (except for the first series SWB) but my erotic horror material for sale. The stories you're talking about are statistical successes and very good within the genre, but they're not my best work. To rehash what I'd said I have to be at my worst to write my best because the mindset needed is bleak and angry to capture the emotions and dark themes. I can do a decent Sibcest story falling out of bed, to top the 'real stuff' I have to put myself through personal hell, which I tentatively began with a home invasion intro to a story.

 

[lovecraft68]

Yes. The thing you're rolling your eyes at was snarky of you. It's not the word bullshit specifically but the way you used it, but more specifically the implication that you're some kind of martyr for saying the hard truths nobody wants to hear, in contrast to everyone else.

And speaking of shooting the messenger...

Anyways. The last word is yours if you like

heh, I've gotten a couple of time outs here for telling the hard truths and they had nothing to do with scores, that's amateur hour.

 

[AG31]

I answered above that my issue is my best work is not sibling stories here (except for the first series SWB) but my erotic horror material for sale.

How do you decide which stories to publish here and which stories to publish for sale?

 

[lovecraft68]

How do you decide which stories to publish here and which stories to publish for sale?

For the last several years everything I write goes for sale first. As time goes on I'll take one that's not getting too many sales anymore and put it here to give something to the readers who support me here and keep a presence.

Some material isn't suited for here, not so much as it would break rules (although there are a couple) but the content isn't what really works here.

 

[Omenainen]

I don’t know what topping myself would look like. I’m not competitive by nature, and I don’t even compete with myself. In the opening post OP said something like, you know the story that’s on your mind if I ask for your best and I was… no?

The opposite is easier. I have a few I don’t care about as much as the others. But to find the top one would be some kind of a long pruning game, and even then what would topping it mean?

My stories are different and come from different places in my life, and like LC, I think I write the best when I hurt the most which isn’t very nice for me personally. So would I want to suffer in a new and interesting way for an even better story? Well.

I don’t think I’ve written my best story yet, so in a way I do think I can top myself. But do I aim or strive for it? No.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

I don’t know what topping myself would look like. I’m not competitive by nature, and I don’t even compete with myself. In the opening post OP said something like, you know the story that’s on your mind if I ask for your best and I was… no?

I though my heartbreaking 750 was one of my better efforts. Readers thought otherwise. It's my lowest rated.

That kind of took the edge off my drive to write something more tragic, though I had added unpleasant endings to two others earlier. They weren't received all that well either.

 

[Omenainen]

I though my heartbreaking 750 was one of my better efforts. Readers thought otherwise. It's my lowest rated.

That kind of took the edge off my drive to write something more tragic, though I had added unpleasant endings to two others earlier. They weren't received all that well either.

Yeah, readers don’t like angst and they don’t like 750 stories, but so what? I like angst with my smut so that’s what I write. Happy stories bore me.

 

[lovecraft68]

I don’t think I’ve written my best story yet, so in a way I do think I can top myself. But do I aim or strive for it? No.

This is something that at least for me is part of the process. I don't think you can sit down and be like "Okay, X is my best, now for my next trick..." I think it has to be organic. The right idea, at the right time with the right mindset. They have to be a perfect storm. Being a panster helps in that regard because I don't plan anything other than a basic idea.

The writing good stuff when you feel bad gives credence to the "suffering for your art"

 

[Areala-chan]

I guess it depends on what you mean by "top". I'm confident enough in my writing skills to think that the next story I undertake will be more improved, and thus technically better, than the previous, because I've been doing this for a while now and like to think I know what I'm doing.

But that's also a recipe for biting off more than one can chew, which has happened several times over the years.

I'm unlikely to attempt another story in the I/T category, because I don't see how I could top my best effort there. Never say never, but unless I get an idea that makes it impossible for me to sleep, I don't really have the drive to try. I proved I could do it, time to move on.

On the other hand, I've yet to land anything on the top list for Lesbian. The grind, therefore, continues. @THBGato and @onehitwanda are safe. For now...

 

[AG31]

Some material isn't suited for here, not so much as it would break rules (although there are a couple) but the content isn't what really works here.

Can you describe the kind of stuff that doesn't break the rules but still doesn't work here? Just curious.

 

[AG31]

Yeah, readers don’t like angst and they don’t like 750 stories, but so what? I like angst with my smut so that’s what I write. Happy stories bore me.

I love 750 stories.

 

[Rob_Royale]

I haven't yet written my best story. But it's on my to-do list.

 

[THBGato]

On the other hand, I've yet to land anything on the top list for Lesbian.

Your lesbian stories are criminally under-rated.

 

[lovecraft68]

Can you describe the kind of stuff that doesn't break the rules but still doesn't work here? Just curious.

Example for erotica a couple of brother sister stories that I consider pretty good, but the sister is a stripper and she's (gasp) had sex with other guys, and the brother likes the thought of other men getting off to her. That upsets the purists here. Another the sister is a bit easy, so same thing. Another, the brother has a girlfriend at the start and (oh no) has sex with her in the opening chapter before they break up.

I have a couple of taboo stories that play with cuck themes. Dad like to watch the mom with other men and we know how that goes here.

There's others that to make it simple I'd say contain mixed elements and 'hybrid" stories often don't do that well here, so what's the point? May as well keep them for sale.

To be clear the rule breaking material is in my EH works and its mostly the level of gore and violence with some underaged references. Not under aged sex but-hope you're sitting down-my characters kissed, had sex and one was sexually abused before the age of 18. I don't go into much detail about the events, but just referencing here can get you banned.

 

[onehitwanda]

On the other hand, I've yet to land anything on the top list for Lesbian. The grind, therefore, continues. @THBGato and @onehitwanda are safe. For now...

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

Example for erotica a couple of brother sister stories that I consider pretty good, but the sister is a stripper and she's (gasp) had sex with other guys, and the brother likes the thought of other men getting off to her. That upsets the purists here.

I got that with "How I Married My Sister". One minor scene in a club pissed them off.

Wanda and THBGato might not think Heidi is pure enough, but who knows.

 

[Trionyx]

-- Problem is, stories that I consider my best don't do that well, either with views or score or favs

Same here.

 

[old_prof]

As soon as I had finished Important Days I was worried whether I could do better. There are definitely bits in the story that could be better. Those were the first real characters I have been proud of. My goal right now is to be able to create real characters consistently, not just when lightning strikes. All while improving other parts of my writing that still need work.

 

[THBGato]

Wanda and THBGato might not think Heidi is pure enough, but who knows.

I can't speak for Wanda, but I'd see it as a challenge

Plenty of Wanda's characters and plenty of mine are women who had previously had sex with men. One of mine is basically a teenage ex-prostitute. So, there's no purity bar as far as I'm concerned.

But I get what you're saying. For instance, Lesbian Sex readers aren't massive fans of infidelity. There's maybe two stories in the current top 100 that feature infidelity... One is Wanda's actually.

So, to write a LS story that involved cheating YET to win the readers round and have them root for it... that would be quite the challenge. Wanda has already managed it, of course. But I'm not sure it is something that I would want to write.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

It isn't cheating when they share, is it?

Still working on the follow up and the 'prize'. Might be too super sappy.

Might want a Beta reader for it.

 

[onehitwanda]

So, to write a LS story that involved cheating YET to win the readers round and have them root for it... that would be quite the challenge. Wanda has already managed it, of course. But I'm not sure it is something that I would want to write.

Strangely enough, I didn't set out to write Sam as an adulteress, but her world sure made her that.

Initially I had her pegged as a divorced or otherwise unattached woman, but her daughter and philandering husband made themselves known as I wrote the first few pages.

In a way she's a mirror to a lot of the mums I see in the part of England I live in - and, perhaps, some of my friends too. Life isn't generally sunbeams and roses, love isn't generally eternal, and people change entirely in the space of a few years. Throw in job stress, life stress, angst over children and relatives and friends and, well - lets just say that gambling, drugs and infidelity are rife here and that behind the pretty facades of the big houses, there are a lot of ghosts and bones.

Who could say no to the offer of a hug when they were at their lowest? I know I couldn't. Everyone needs to be loved - at some level.