unpublished drawing

[Magineer]

"meaningful competition"?

You have suggestions?

I have suggested to manu some thoughts on the "up front" visual arts area.
There could be some sort of vetting, as with the written material. — minimal standards. much like spelling, grammar.

It seems that the visual area(s) are of low priority (it is LITerotica after all).

There is, of course the time/effort involved with that. I really doubt that there would be many (any?) volunteers to become visual "editors". Frankly, I don't see many who would be qualified.

*shrug*

Suggestions as to possible competitors? Er... no. We can only wait and see what, if anything, emerges in due course.

What you say is true and of course a shame. I'm with you completely on the "vetting" idea. Crap usually breeds crap and there's almost always a direct relationship between the quality of presentation and the quality of ideas/inspiration/imagination etc. If only for that reason, in ideal circumstances I'd have your "minimal standards" idea brought to bear and that would immediately get rid of much of the utter dross submitted.

It doesn't take much reading of a submission to identify such stuff for what it is, incidentally. Perhaps if Lit. resources are inadequate for even that, a future competitor might be able to do it.

As regards visual stuff, if you want to insist on this being "art in its own right" and totally divorced from storytelling, I'm not surprised that Lit. views this less than charitably. If, on the other hand, you're prepared to submit your own illustrated stories - or collaborate with writers to produce these - then I suspect these would be far more warmly received.

 

[THROBBS]

Suggestions as to possible competitors? Er... no. We can only wait and see what, if anything, emerges in due course.

"only wait and see"? Why?
One can be an advocate for change (I certainly have been. You wouldn't even have this forum or That art area, if I had not advocated for them).

And one can/should look elsewhere — I have a bit, but for the most part, LIT has served my needs, if somewhat poorly.

As regards visual stuff, if you want to insist on this being "art in its own right" and totally divorced from storytelling, I'm not surprised that Lit. views this less than charitably. If, on the other hand, you're prepared to submit your own illustrated stories - or collaborate with writers to produce these - then I suspect these would be far more warmly received.

I don't insist this being a place for "art in its own right"... not at all. I believe there is room for Literary, visual and combo...and have submitted two illustrated stories (not currently posted). I also contend that visual Art is never "totally divorced from storytelling". If it is, then I say that it isn't "Art" at all, merely "decoration".

 

[Magineer]

I'm just saying that advocating "change" from within is one thing (and how far have you got with this approach?) - but there's nothing quite like external pressure in the shape of competition to stir things up. Yes, "only wait and see" because I personally am not proposing to set up that competition.

IMHO, Lit. is verging on the moribund. Nothing new for donkeys years... which includes even the ads, so help us! Simply awful rubbish accepted as submissions. Chaotic boards with legions of male trolls parading as female throughout. Unresponsive site management. Ask yourself why and one answer rings out... nowhere else to go, a cornered market. Take it or leave it, is the attitude...

It's only an observation. I'm not trying to pick fights... and apologies to the OP for the digression, even if fairly relevant.

 

[THROBBS]

I'm just saying that advocating "change" from within is one thing (and how far have you got with this approach?) - but there's nothing quite like external pressure in the shape of competition to stir things up. Yes, "only wait and see" because I personally am not proposing to set up that competition.

IMHO, Lit. is verging on the moribund. Nothing new for donkeys years... which includes even the ads, so help us! Simply awful rubbish accepted as submissions. Chaotic boards with legions of male trolls parading as female throughout. Unresponsive site management. Ask yourself why and one answer rings out... nowhere else to go, a cornered market. Take it or leave it, is the attitude...

It's only an observation. I'm not trying to pick fights... and apologies to the OP for the digression, even if fairly relevant.

Initially I got "somewhere". I got THIS forum to be added. Started as a sub-forum to the Authors' Hangout. Then I advocated that it become its own forum, as it seemed "buried". For a while it was somewhat vibrant.

With communication with Laurel and Manu, I advocated for updating the erotic visual arts area, which had been many years stagnate with only a handful of rathe weak submissions. Manu eventually posted here about the beta version and asking for trial submission, which I provided, followed by a few others. It moved long some. Though many suggestions have not been implemented.

I do not know, but I have heard rumors that Laurel and manu sold literotica. If that is true, they were still online...at least transitionally, but in the past year or so, they seem to be absent. My speculation is that their accounts are still there, but "handled" by someone else. If all that is true, that would explain the lack of further progress. Along with your observation of having a monopoly.

 

[Magineer]

Initially I got "somewhere". I got THIS forum to be added. Started as a sub-forum to the Authors' Hangout. Then I advocated that it become its own forum, as it seemed "buried". For a while it was somewhat vibrant.

With communication with Laurel and Manu, I advocated for updating the erotic visual arts area, which had been many years stagnate with only a handful of rathe weak submissions. Manu eventually posted here about the beta version and asking for trial submission, which I provided, followed by a few others. It moved long some. Though many suggestions have not been implemented.

I do not know, but I have heard rumors that Laurel and manu sold literotica. If that is true, they were still online...at least transitionally, but in the past year or so, they seem to be absent. My speculation is that their accounts are still there, but "handled" by someone else. If all that is true, that would explain the lack of further progress. Along with your observation of having a monopoly.

My highlights. Amazing... we must have some kind of telepathy going as that was a thought which had passed through my head more than once in the past year or so! You DO indeed generally get the feeling that you shout out here and all that comes back is echoes. Nobody's home.