Being new to here, I want to know what the majority of readers go for. I have a least three ideas going and could use some general feedback to help finish them. I want my stories to be read and enjoyed by many so I have a few questions:
The act (and sensations), or the connection between people (and emotions)?
Fantasy, or reality?
Willing and ready, or enjoy the build up?
equal partnership, or domination?
Hello EyeOfTheBeholder
First of all, let me WELCOME you to this site. This is a fantastic place with some wonderful writers. I think you will enjoy yourself here.
I’m not sure I can answer your questions, because I’m probably in the minority here. I’d think most people want to get ‘to the action’ as soon as possible, with little or no care about plot or character buildup. I’m just the opposite. To me, for it to be a delightful story, I need to get to know the characters which means there must be some time and words devoted to building their world. Show me what they are feeling and thinking so they seem real and someone I can associate with. If he/she is a bad person, then arouse a strong feeling of dislike in me so I’ll be happy when they get what’s coming to them. I have no problem reading a 10,000-word story, or even one that the author divided into a couple of chapters if it has been interesting up to that point. I know this is an adult site, but to me the sex is secondary, and if there is to much time devoted to its description or it is to graphic, I find myself skipping ahead a few paragraphs. To paraphrase a very well-known author here, ‘There are only so many ways to describe sex, and after that, it becomes boring’. I’m not into the DOM/sub lifestyle and frankly don’t understand it, so I need characters that come together willingly and on an equal basis. If you can provide that and throw in a little romance along the way, you will have a happy fan, and one that will remember your name and return again and again.
This may be slightly off topic, but still applies I think to where you said you want people reading your stories, but one way, besides being active in these forums, is to read, vote and leave comments on other people’s stories. By comments, I don’t mean only two or three generic words, but tell the author specifically what you liked and why. Maybe quote your favorite sentence. Authors spend days, weeks and sometimes months working hard to develop a story, so it seems to me it isn’t asking to much for a reader to spend a couple of minutes giving an honest comment. If there is something you had a problem with in the story, send the author a polite private message, telling them your reason for writing. Most authors here are trying to improve their writing skills and seem to welcome helpful feedback from their readers. I always do this and have gained several friends because of it. By doing these things, you become well known and people will be curious about you, so they’ll want to read what you’ve written.
If you're feeling bored during this Covid-19 epidemic I’d like to suggest
you take a peek at a story I collaborated with SueBrasil, a brilliant author.
It's about a mistake in judgment a lady makes concerning a friend, based
on the hurtful words of someone that only thinks of himself. Will that
conniving person succeed in ruining a beautiful friendship, or will she see
through his lies? It's gradually creeping up towards the 30,000 mark
and we’d love any votes or hearing whatever comments you may wish
to make. It is listed in my profile under ‘FAVOURITES’ as Apologize.
www.lushstories.com/stories/first-time/apologize.aspx I'm a build-up kind of guy too. Any glance at my stories will tell you that. But if it's done well (e.g. in the Flash category) I can totally get into things quickly.
Either way, I prefer realism and the thought of "that could happen" rather than just 2000 words of how someone boned their sister because they miraculously always fancied them. Realism, for me, comes through verbal sparring, reading between the lines, eye contact between characters, tension, build-up, and 'show not tell' before they snap and can't keep their hands off one another in a frenzy of lust.
Best advice, as LikeToWrite suggests: read some stories here and comment if you feel moved to do so. The Recommended Read or Editor's Picks categories are always good for showing the sort of things that people respond to. Not the only places of course, and there are far more popular categories; the stories in the RR and EP categories tend to be more slow burn or intense tales, which may or may not be your thing.
As AndreaDetroit says, if you write to please an audience, make sure the audience includes you first.
Over one million views on my stories can't be wrong, so please dive in and browse my 148 stories:
* 31 Editor's Picks, 84 Recommended Reads.
* 16 competition podium places, 12 other times in the top ten.
* 23 collaborations.
* A whole heap of often filthy, tense, hot sex.
