How often do you enjoy reading a new story on Lit?

[AG31]

I've been meaning to ask this for some time to see if it's only me... How often can you say that you've read a NEW story on Lit and found it enjoyable? It doesn't have to be anything spectacular but just that you enjoyed it, titillation or not?

I am really curious to hear other people's impressions. Since I haven't been writing for quite a while, I usually have the time to check out new stories in the categories that interest me every few days, often even every day as I tend to browse through them quickly. Using category, length, and tags, it doesn't take long before I really thin out my selection, and that's without having read a single word. Then, out of those few selected I usually read a few paragraphs, often more than that actually, as many authors have a problem with the early info dump, and decide if I'm going to stick till the end or not.
So, considering Lit's output of 150-200 stories each day on average, I go through a couple of thousand stories monthly. And out of all those stories I can say that I found maybe one story enjoyable. Sometimes not even that. If I had to guess my ratio of browsed new stories vs those I enjoyed, I'd say it's around 5000:1.
That's kinda fucked up .

You?

I've tried this and that strategy for finding stories to read and have basically stopped reading unless I get a recommendation or a favorite author has written something. But back when I was sampling a fair number, I'd say I enjoyed one maybe once every three or four months.

 

[Britva415]

I go weeks at a time without reading more than a very small handful of newly published stories. So once in a while I’ll spend an evening reading a whole bunch. I’d say I read, or at least skim the beginning of, 50 new stories a month. Plus maybe a dozen more new-to-me ones from other people’s Favorites lists or authors’ other stories.

I enjoy about 25% of them.

I want to carefully call out the distinction between “enjoyable” and “good quality writing.” There are many stories with imperfect craft which I enjoy, and there are many stories at “professional standard” of writing technique which I don’t enjoy.

“Good enough” can be more enjoyable than “flawless grade.” You still have to tell a story that’s interesting and make it exciting without getting in the way of the thrills.

There definitely is a level of technical skill the absence of which makes the reading unenjoyable, if not impossible. Inexcusably bad writing is a signal that the story won’t be worth it. But there is a level of imperfection which is forgivable and doesn’t preclude a story from being an enjoyable and arousing.

 

[AwkwardlySet]

I go weeks at a time without reading more than a very small handful of newly published stories. So once in a while I’ll spend an evening reading a whole bunch. I’d say I read, or at least skim the beginning of, 50 new stories a month. Plus maybe a dozen more new-to-me ones from other people’s Favorites lists or authors’ other stories.

I enjoy about 25% of them.

I want to carefully call out the distinction between “enjoyable” and “good quality writing.” There are many stories with imperfect craft which I enjoy, and there are many stories at “professional standard” of writing technique which I don’t enjoy.

“Good enough” can be more enjoyable than “flawless grade.” You still have to tell a story that’s interesting and make it exciting without getting in the way of the thrills.

There definitely is a level of technical skill the absence of which makes the reading unenjoyable, if not impossible. Inexcusably bad writing is a signal that the story won’t be worth it. But there is a level of imperfection which is forgivable and doesn’t preclude a story from being an enjoyable and arousing.

That's an amazing percentage, actually. What is your secret?

 

[Bazzle]

I've been meaning to ask this for some time to see if it's only me... How often can you say that you've read a NEW story on Lit and found it enjoyable? It doesn't have to be anything spectacular but just that you enjoyed it, titillation or not?

I am really curious to hear other people's impressions. Since I haven't been writing for quite a while, I usually have the time to check out new stories in the categories that interest me every few days, often even every day as I tend to browse through them quickly. Using category, length, and tags, it doesn't take long before I really thin out my selection, and that's without having read a single word. Then, out of those few selected I usually read a few paragraphs, often more than that actually, as many authors have a problem with the early info dump, and decide if I'm going to stick till the end or not.
So, considering Lit's output of 150-200 stories each day on average, I go through a couple of thousand stories monthly. And out of all those stories I can say that I found maybe one story enjoyable. Sometimes not even that. If I had to guess my ratio of browsed new stories vs those I enjoyed, I'd say it's around 5000:1.
That's kinda fucked up .

You?

I follow 99 other writers. There is a vacancy for the 100th? Anyway I digress.

I look in Fetish every couple of days so see if there is anything of interest. Normally no.

I will open new stories of those I follow. If I get to the end I will comment. @SimonDoom latest story was fabulous.

I have to read other stories to determine if I am doing that badly with my own.

 

[BlazonG]

I find stories I like all the time. The Cow Daze series is a lot of fun. There was recently a really good two part series of female orgasm denial (poor Mandie). Anything by Raistlin Majere is a joy to read because of the smooth prose.

 

[Britva415]

That's an amazing percentage, actually. What is your secret?

Low expectations/forgiving attitude. Plus, I don't include in that figure the ones I nope-out of early due to certain instant disqualifiers which turn up in the first five or ten paragraphs.

 

[SimonDoom]

I read quite a lot but not very much on Lit. It's kinda hard sorting the wheat from chaff if I'm honest. I'm also a pedant when it comes to grammar and punctuation. The odd 'you' for 'your' I can gloss over but it doesn't take too many before I have to call a halt.

I care about grammar and punctuation too, but at the same time I make some allowances for the fact that the people contributing stories here are not professionals and are not working with professional editors. So if proofreading nits show up here and there, I don't care too much as long as they don't happen too often. I have a very solid knowledge of grammar and punctuation, and have exercised it over a long career in which I have written professionally (not fiction) nearly every day. But for Lit stories, I've never used an editor. TarnishedPenny once did a beta reading for one of my stories (and she did an excellent job), but that's it. I do all my own editing and proofreading. While I'm a pretty good speller, my fingers sometimes make mistakes on the keyboard and I don't always catch them on the final run-through.

I've found that I've gotten pickier about the mechanics of stories than I used to be. Sometimes I re-read stories that were my favorites 20 years ago and I cringe at all the errors. But it's often less a reflection of the author's talent than it is of the fact that this is an amateur site. I believe many of the authors here are innately more talented than the authors of some of the dreck one can read in the published market. They just don't have the professional experience or support.

 

[BookishBabe0]

Maybe every few months.

 

[FireForYou]

Although erotica is what originally brought me here, I find the interactions with the people I connect with to keep me far more entertained. So it's rare that I indulge.

 

[Bamagan]

I used to read maybe ten to twenty stories a week, at least on average. I probably enjoyed about half of them, if you define that as stayed engaged enough to finish them and didn't have any regrets (or at least no serious ones). I'd guess I found about 10% to be especially enjoyable and worth a re-read at some point. Over time, I got better at finding the stuff I like most, so the ratio is higher, although the total volume I read is considerably lower. Other than maybe a random week where a lot of my favorite authors happen to drop a new tale, I probably fully read about three or four a week, although I'll skim anything that has an intriguing blurb or tags. Like several others, my reading declined after I started posting my own stories. I might have become a tetch more picky about technicalities after doing so much self-editing, but since I'm not grading anyone's submissions, a story has to have pretty appalling SPAG for me to completely give up on it (assuming the content or topic was one that drew me to investigate in the first place, of course).

 

[AwkwardlySet]

I see many people saying that most stories they read come from the authors they are following. It makes much sense, I suppose. Those who wrote competently in the past, and about themes you had enjoyed, are likely to produce a new enjoyable story. My problem is that out of all the authors whose stories I liked in the past, almost 100% of them are completely inactive. Even those who haven't stopped writing completely produce a new story like once or twice a year...

That seems to be the fate of femdom authors in general.

 

[Gamblnluck]

I am amazed to find authors here do not read what others are posting. Each morning, I at least read through the titles of 5 or 6 categories. I am selective and unless I recognize the author, I try to read comments and tags. In LW, I rarely read anything with a score below 3.5. But in all I probably read a dozen stories or more a day. I score most and comment on some.

 

[THBGato]

I am amazed to find authors here do not read what others are posting.

Yes, I find the almost proud declarations from some authors that they don't read very odd (but then I was and still am a reader first and foremost).

I LOVE that many do, and follow each other - that sense of community and support from fellow creatives is one of the best things about Lit. Those that don't read/follow others are frankly missing out.

 

[UnexpectedLuggage]

I don't know that I could really break it down. Some days I can read two or three good ones, other days I'll be lucky to find one that really grabs me. Sometimes I'll go weeks or months without reading anything here.

 

[WhiteTailDarkTip]

Yes, I find the almost proud declarations from some authors that they don't read very odd (but then I was and still am a reader first and foremost).

I LOVE that many do, and follow each other - that sense of community and support from fellow creatives is one of the best things about Lit. Those that don't read/follow others are frankly missing out.

I’m just not very patient I guess. And I’m quite particular. My primary interest is fantasy with occasional forays into smut. I read quite a lot, I just don’t read much on Lit.
Even the best authors often plough the same furrow (something I’m guilty of myself) and I find myself hankering for novelty. Also for economy. I recently read a four parter by a respected writer on this site. I suppose it must have been getting on for 100k words. The first couple of instalments were pretty decent but the rest started to drag. Yes, the FMC is damaged, yes, she’s in denial about her sexuality, but can we please get a move on!
However, reading the comments and noting the favourites, it appears that I’m in a minority. Plus ça change.

 

[THBGato]

I’m just not very patient I guess. And I’m quite particular. My primary interest is fantasy with occasional forays into smut. I read quite a lot, I just don’t read much on Lit.

Well, that wasn't aimed at you, as I know you do read and follow others and leave comments. I was thinking more about writers who make a big thing about asking for comments on their stories and how it's the only payment writers receive, etc, etc, but then you check their profile and they have literally left zero comments themselves. Or writers talking about their follower numbers, who don't follow anyone else. It just amazes me.

Quite apart from the good karma of supporting others, from just a promotional point of view, it makes no sense either. Following others and leaving comments is one of the ways you can publicize your existence to others. I also know there are readers out there who judge whether you are worth reading partly on who you follow - when I first started publishing here (way back in the depths February) I received comments praising me for whom I followed (and my writing):



(To be clear, I have no problem with writers who don't follow anyone else - though I think you're missing out if that's the case - nor with those who don't comment. Maybe they have valid reasons. It's those authors who solicit for both without being prepared to do the same themselves that come across as hypocritical.)

Even the best authors often plough the same furrow (something I’m guilty of myself) and I find myself hankering for novelty.

Yeah, guilty too. Though I disagree about novelty. I don't want novelty. If I did I'd just be reading experimental word art. I want a twist on a familiar trope. Luckily, my dopamine-inducing trope of choice is a pretty common one.

 

[StillStunned]

Yes, I find the almost proud declarations from some authors that they don't read very odd (but then I was and still am a reader first and foremost).

Not proud, at least not in my case. More like guilty, and a bit sad that I could go from someone who read everything, all the time, to someone who's barely touched a book all year.

 

[LisaMayTurner]

People tend to find it too difficult to write in proper, longer, descriptive, paragraphs anymore. Most of the new stories I've read are written in tiny two-liner sentence paragraphs that are as thin as M&S cotton knickers stretched over my bottom. Mind you, I could do with reducing the size of my bum a little.

 

[StillStunned]

People tend to find it too difficult to write in proper, longer, descriptive, paragraphs anymore. Most of the new stories I've read are written in tiny two-liner sentence paragraphs that are as thin as M&S cotton knickers stretched over my bottom. Mind you, I could do with reducing the size of my bum a little.

That's partly a feature of online writing - or reading, I should say. Lots of people read on their phones, and anything longer than two or three sentences becomes a wall of text. It's difficult enough to maintain concentration in this age of continual stimulus, but longer paragraphs will lose your readers.

That said, I tend to veer away from too much description anyway. I prefer to sketch the situation and let the reader fill in the blanks. This draws them into the story and makes them part of it.

 

[WhiteTailDarkTip]

... I tend to veer away from too much description anyway. I prefer to sketch the situation and let the reader fill in the blanks.

It's a fine line. I can write a page of nothing but dialogue and I can equally well turn out a chunk of exposition. Both have their place but by and large I agree with you. SF & Fantasy are bedevilled with the latter and it's a clever author that can suggest the uncanny with just a few words (take a bow, Stephen King) Even the easier sub-genre of urban fantasy is populated with writers unable to control their impulse to explain every last variation between our mundane world and their imagined version.

 

[StillStunned]

SF & Fantasy are bedevilled with the latter and it's a clever author that can suggest the uncanny with just a few words (take a bow, Stephen King) Even the easier sub-genre of urban fantasy is populated with writers unable to control their impulse to explain every last variation between our mundane world and their imagined version.

Yes, I think that lots of SF&F writers are more interested in describing their clever and amazing world than in telling the story.

ETA: And the irony is that the most vivid worlds are the ones that the reader builds in their own mind around a few lines of description or dialogue.

 

[AwkwardlySet]

Yes, I think that lots of SF&F writers are more interested in describing their clever and amazing world than in telling the story.

Surprisingly true yet I would add to this statement. I found that a majority of SF&F writers either overbuild or underbuild. It's rare to find worldbuilding that is just right, the kind where the world is rich and imaginative but not overly complicated so it becomes a burden for a reader to keep track.
I would actually say that most writers underbuild their worlds. Many lean onto some medieval or generic Fantasy or SciFi setup and then focus on the drama and plot. Fantasy elements are often poor in such books; there is only a sprinkle of them, enough to classify the story as fantasy but rarely more than that.
On the other hand, as much as I love both, one could say that as imaginative and fantastic as Jordan's and Sanderson's worlds are, they feel somewhat overbuilt, especially Sanderson's Cosmere. It's almost impossible to keep track of all the intertwined magical systems, all the factions and their goals etc.

 

[StillStunned]

On the other hand, as much as I love both, one could say that as imaginative and fantastic as Jordan's and Sanderson's worlds are, they feel somewhat overbuilt, especially Sanderson's Cosmere. It's almost impossible to keep track of all the intertwined magical systems, all the factions and their goals etc.

Jordan for me is the ultimate example of an author who went off track with his worldbuilding. Around Book 6 or so he seemed to have lost all interest in telling the story. We had to live every second of his characters' lives, and he kept adding to the world to make them seem cooler. By Book 7 they'd paradoxically flat.

 

[StillStunned]

(I submitted a sword & sorcery story yesterday, and for the first time I'm wondering whether I was guilty of overbuilding. There's some setting information that ties in with some of my other stories, and I couldn't bring myself to leave it out. I felt bad writing it, and I feel bad now.)

 

[AwkwardlySet]

Jordan for me is the ultimate example of an author who went off track with his worldbuilding. Around Book 6 or so he seemed to have lost all interest in telling the story. We had to live every second of his characters' lives, and he kept adding to the world to make them seem cooler. By Book 7 they'd paradoxically flat.

Hmm... I agree with what you said but I wouldn't say that it's due to the excessive worldbuilding. He simply slowed down the plot considerably, so much so that it became a burden to read through all the tedious chapters where nothing happened. And there were so many of those. The circus troupe chapters, the Perin chapters where he keeps moaning about Faile chapter after chapter... The pacing in some of those middle books is atrocious. Then there is book ten, Crossroads of Twilight, which I simply call "The book where nothing happens"
But I think his worldbuilding was absolute top-notch and maybe just a tiny bit overdone. Sanderson's Cosmere is a much more severe case, as much as I love Stormlight Archive.