For the last something-something weeks I have been studying for a professional certification exam. Anyone following the game at home will know that the score stands at 0-1, exam. Somewhere, amid the whining, gnashing of hair, and pulling of teeth, I think I mentioned that to de-stress, I noodle around with short stories completely outside my criminal wheelhouse.
Those stories will never see the light of day. Mostly because when I write anything remotely, ahem, suggestive, I turn beet-red and giggle like a boozy goose. That said, I did briefly consider posting on a nifty site called “Literotica,” where my scribble buddy Sofie LeCoeure publishes her work.
Literotical encompasses a cross-section of erotica writers publishing across myriad subgenres. Like Amazon, skills on Literotica run from sophomore (we all started there) to master-level. Writers on Amazon and Literotica have something else in common—what all writers have in common—readers.
Just like Amazon, there are WAY more readers on Literotica than writers. That may seem unlikely with the number of books/stories on Amazon. But I encourage you to look at the reviews/comments. There are multitudes of readers, looking for something in their little neck of the genre woods. Same with Literotica. That is both good and bad.
I always start with the bad. Yeah, I’m a “hoot” at parties but anyway… Just like on Amazon, there are a lot of people writing reviews on Literotica who haven’t written their name since direct deposit became a thing. They have opinions with little/no idea of how difficult it is to tell a story. We won’t even get into the skills necessary to convey a cogent idea.
Before you get the wrong idea, the comments/reviews on Literotica are actually more objective, even generous than much of what you see on Amazon. In truth, most are even keeled if brief, “I liked it,” or “Good story,” or “I didn’t like it,” or “Too short.” Some are more pointed, and I paraphrase, “You started off good but you screwed it up by rushing the ending.” This concludes the “bad.” Yep, that’s it. Meanwhile, I once read a book review on Amazon that concerned the “reviewer’s” inability to buy the 36-count of Jimmy Dean sausage biscuits. I wish I was making that up as a joke.
“What’s the good news,” you ask? On Literotica, like Amazon, like KOBO, and probably dozens more venues—THERE ARE READERS WHO WANT TO READ WHAT YOU WRITE. They’re hungry for your stories. Plus, the folks on Literotica are not pedantic twits. They want the story more than they want to correct your grammar and spelling. In short, it is an opportunity for support and an opportunity for growth.
There are countless fan-fiction sites where you can stretch your writer-legs, get some feedback, and engage a community of people with similar interests. There is interest. There is support. There is a hunger for your work. Even the trolls want to read your work. So get to it.
The image above is not mine, I just added the text. The image is used for educational and illustrative purposes only which is covered by the Fair Use Doctrine.
Criminal Activity 