yowser
xpressive
- Joined
- May 5, 2014
- Posts
- 4,639
What indeed? This is a topic that suffuses many AH discussions, with a variety of perspectives offered.
A common understanding is that Lit readership is devoted to consuming stories on a ‘porn site’ with the main and general goal being what the jurist Robert Bork famously characterised as ‘gratification.’ They’re reading to ‘get off,’, experience a ‘climax,’ nudge their mind and body sexual nerve centers into a state of satisfaction. The stories here serve purely as vehicles to that end.
Also commonly offered up is the notion that erotic writing is, or can be, not just ‘porn’ but literature, and that at least some subset of Lit’s readership enjoys a good tale, one with erotic elements, but which also induces the pleasure that includes an appreciation for an interesting plot and/or intriguing characters. Arousal (or just plain enjoyment from a good yarn) doesn’t require satiation to be an enjoyable result from reading a story here.
These two dipoles have been debated at length, which I prefer not to rehash. My question is likely unsolvable, although anyone suggesting a suitable approach to its answer would likely find appreciation from many of us.
As a reader here, I am capable of explaining what I like in a story. If you are reading this as a forum denizen, you can probably also outline what your own preferences in a story are. Two data points now. But in the AH we’re writers as well as readers, and surely not representative of Lit readership as a whole.
What do readers really want?
One approach would be to ask them. Of course this is a straightforward enough notion, which immediately poses all manner of methodological issues. A huge survey (composed of thoughtful probing questions designed by someone versed in survey theory)? Administered how? By whom? How would we reach a representative set of readers? Those who don’t visit the forums? Don’t answer surveys? Aren’t logged in, don’t have an account, just come here for a good fifteen minute diversion at the end of their day? What do these people want?
We do have some vestigial metrics, also endlessly discussed here: views and ratings and favorites, but it’s fruitless to answer the reader question on this shadowy statistical basis. Comments at least are more informative, providing some qualitative data, but commentary inadequacies (not enough, untargeted, generally not especially thoughtful - likewise discussed to death) are substantial and unsatisfactory.
Maybe each of us could survey our own readers, those who follow us or leave comments? That might help our individual understanding, but whether that data would generalise very well across the board would certainly be up for debate.
So here we are. Writers. One half of a dance partnership. What do readers want? What do you want as a reader?
Thoughtful responses welcome.
A common understanding is that Lit readership is devoted to consuming stories on a ‘porn site’ with the main and general goal being what the jurist Robert Bork famously characterised as ‘gratification.’ They’re reading to ‘get off,’, experience a ‘climax,’ nudge their mind and body sexual nerve centers into a state of satisfaction. The stories here serve purely as vehicles to that end.
Also commonly offered up is the notion that erotic writing is, or can be, not just ‘porn’ but literature, and that at least some subset of Lit’s readership enjoys a good tale, one with erotic elements, but which also induces the pleasure that includes an appreciation for an interesting plot and/or intriguing characters. Arousal (or just plain enjoyment from a good yarn) doesn’t require satiation to be an enjoyable result from reading a story here.
These two dipoles have been debated at length, which I prefer not to rehash. My question is likely unsolvable, although anyone suggesting a suitable approach to its answer would likely find appreciation from many of us.
As a reader here, I am capable of explaining what I like in a story. If you are reading this as a forum denizen, you can probably also outline what your own preferences in a story are. Two data points now. But in the AH we’re writers as well as readers, and surely not representative of Lit readership as a whole.
What do readers really want?
One approach would be to ask them. Of course this is a straightforward enough notion, which immediately poses all manner of methodological issues. A huge survey (composed of thoughtful probing questions designed by someone versed in survey theory)? Administered how? By whom? How would we reach a representative set of readers? Those who don’t visit the forums? Don’t answer surveys? Aren’t logged in, don’t have an account, just come here for a good fifteen minute diversion at the end of their day? What do these people want?
We do have some vestigial metrics, also endlessly discussed here: views and ratings and favorites, but it’s fruitless to answer the reader question on this shadowy statistical basis. Comments at least are more informative, providing some qualitative data, but commentary inadequacies (not enough, untargeted, generally not especially thoughtful - likewise discussed to death) are substantial and unsatisfactory.
Maybe each of us could survey our own readers, those who follow us or leave comments? That might help our individual understanding, but whether that data would generalise very well across the board would certainly be up for debate.
So here we are. Writers. One half of a dance partnership. What do readers want? What do you want as a reader?
Thoughtful responses welcome.
