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

[WhiteTailDarkTip]

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.

Couldn’t get on with either of them. But then I had broken myself on extended book series years before (‘Gor’, ‘Chronicles of Thomas Covenant’, even ‘Dune’) The only thing that took my interest recently was ‘The Expanse’ and I grew weary by volume 6.

 

[Erozetta]

My current reading is caught up in two authors and my work schedule has not been allowing me much time to read.

 

[AwkwardlySet]

Couldn’t get on with either of them. But then I had broken myself on extended book series years before (‘Gor’, ‘Chronicles of Thomas Covenant’, even ‘Dune’) The only thing that took my interest recently was ‘The Expanse’ and I grew weary by volume 6.

They take some patience .

I loved The Expanse until it made the switch from an interesting SciFi story, where the central focus of the story was about this mysterious and unknown alien race from distant worlds, to a political drama and strife for power between planets and factions. To say that I was disappointed is an understatement.

 

[THBGato]

to a political drama and strife for power between planets and factions.

But it was that from the very beginning. That's pretty much the whole plot of the first book - war between Earth, Mars, the belt. The alien race doesn't really get explored at all until they get through the ring gate. Book three?

I loved the Expanse. I've read the whole thing twice.

 

[AwkwardlySet]

But it was that from the very beginning. That's pretty much the whole plot of the first book - war between Earth, Mars, the belt. The alien race doesn't really get explored at all until they get through the ring gate. Book three?

I loved the Expanse. I've read the whole thing twice.

Of course it was there, but I saw it as worldbuilding and something that would add to the depth of the plot, that would present additional challenges against the real threat - the much more advanced alien race. The protomolecule was there from the start as something that seemed to be the real focus of the story. I expected the story to focus on exploring new worlds, finding out more about those advanced aliens and the threat that destroyed them, while still building and expanding the political strife. But it soon turned out into full-out political strife and zero aliens. In book four there's this new world but all we learn is that there is some black hole sort of thing and that's it. From there on, it's time leaps and politics for a long while. I gave up on the series after book five.

 

[THBGato]

Of course it was there, but I saw it as worldbuilding and something that would add to the depth of the plot, that would present additional challenges against the real threat - the much more advanced alien race. The protomolecule was there from the start as something that seemed to be the real focus of the story. I expected the story to focus on exploring new worlds, finding out more about those advanced aliens and the threat that destroyed them, while still building and expanding the political strife. But it soon turned out into full-out political strife and zero aliens. In book four there's this new world but all we learn is that there is some black hole sort of thing and that's it. From there on, it's time leaps and politics for a long while. I gave up on the series after book five.

Aw, that's the wrong time! The aliens really come into it in the final couple of books. The last one is so good! I'd recommend giving it another try.

 

[WhiteTailDarkTip]

Aw, that's the wrong time! The aliens really come into it in the final couple of books. The last one is so good! I'd recommend giving it another try.

Maybe. I’ve got vol.7 sitting unread on the shelves.

 

[LisaMayTurner]

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.

Writing for short attentions spans does not do language or meaning any favours. Just saying "it is what it is" and going with the flow of imagining everyone wants to be 'sketchy' does not develop much in terms of extending human endeavour or creativity.

 

[alohadave]

Writing for short attentions spans does not do language or meaning any favours. Just saying "it is what it is" and going with the flow of imagining everyone wants to be 'sketchy' does not develop much in terms of extending human endeavour or creativity.

There's nothing stopping you from bucking the trend. Write how you want, you will find an audience.

Writing aimed at common readers has been around for a very long time, it hasn't stopped literature from thriving in it's own spheres.

 

[StillStunned]

Writing for short attentions spans does not do language or meaning any favours. Just saying "it is what it is" and going with the flow of imagining everyone wants to be 'sketchy' does not develop much in terms of extending human endeavour or creativity.

You originally wrote:

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.

I explained that short paragraphs is a specific choice for many writers who write for online publication. It has nothing to do with "difficult to write in longer, descriptive paragraphs". It's a natural evolution of the craft.

Specifically for the erotica genre, another issue is that readers are often more interested in the action than in description.

And lastly, how many of us are here to extend human endeavour or creativity? Most of us just want to share our stories and entertain readers. And that means adjusting our style to something that will be read.

But if we are going the road of development, it still takes skill to set a scene in as few words as possible to let the reader picture it in their mind. It's less self-indulgent than giving long descriptions, it keeps the story moving forward and it makes it easier for the reader to become immersed.

 

[THBGato]

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.

I was reading a really old (and really good) piece the other day and the paragraphs were massive. I remember thinking to myself, "ah yes, pre-smart phone smut."

 

[bi11ionaire]

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.

Attention has become so rare these days, and so when I get someone to pay me attention I consider that as such a gift. Reciprocally, I relish being deeply focused and attentive myself. The short nature of interactions leaves a lot to be desired.

 

[TheUKGent]

I usually find a couple of stories a week that I REALLY enjoy, but I tend to browse every morning with my first cup of tea of the day.

 

[Duleigh]

I fall under the group that rarely reads stories because I try to focus what time I have on mine. That, and if I'm in the middle of a story, reading another author can screw with me because I get their voice stuck in my head.

When I do read something, its usually from the feedback forum.

That's me to a tee. I can't read another story while working on my own, and you put it perfectly. Their voice gets in my head. I owe it to my readers to give them a story that's 100% me. The only time I read another author's work while writing is when I'm writing a fan fiction of that author's work.

 

[NTR_senpai]

Too often I feel.

 

[littleCleo]

I used to have more time to read here compared to now so this might actually be less than it used to be, but I would find a fun or really sweet new story once or twice a week. I usually go to the 'New Erotic Stories' category, though, and I don't judge by title but I sure do judge by blurb.

 

[Orcwords]

I probably find one or two good new stories a month, and I've been reading the site essentially daily for at least the last fifteen years. Admittedly, part of the problem is that my tastes aren't the most common on the site given the comments I regularly see from people complaining stories are too long and wanting them broken up into smaller chunks. I'll check out new stories in my preferred categories, but anything under about 8,000 words is a really hard sell for me, and most of what I really like on here runs around 30-50,000 words or longer.

 

[Belegon]

just now wading back into the pond after an absence of approximately 14 years. But I'll get some new reads under the belt soon... and the plan is to get writing again as well.

 

[UsuallyPresent]

I read a lot, multiple hours most days but not exclusively on Lit. I find careful searching gets me about one good tale outta two or three attempts at the slushpile of Lit. *shrug* Am I picky? Yep!

 

[SinclairGroupLLP]

I will read anything the folks I'm following put up, and I try to poke around and see some new things and try things I haven't before. I also like to check out stuff written by the folks on the forums in here who chat a lot.

It can be intimidating for a noob. You guys all seem to know each other and your stories, lol.