Suggestions Wanted: How do we increase the take?

InkFinger

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Hey folks,

We've done a pretty fair job of reinvigorating the E-SYW board, but it's a pretty core group. Any recommendations for how we increase the number of posters? Commenters or Writers. Those of us posting do learn with every practice, but we'd learn more with more participation. any ideas on how we get the group rolling even bigger? I'll run the practice threads again in the new year - we've got the full year plan to practice the full scope of writing erotica. Is there anything else that would drive more content? I'd love to see more work from everyone regardless of where you are in your journey. The group is pretty good about reading what gets posted and all to happy to provide feedback as requested.

Thoughts?
 

Tocotin

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Hello InkFinger,

I've been lurking in your SYW forums for a while now. I write historical fiction, but I do have quite strong erotic components – or should I say undercurrents? – in my writing, and I've always wondered if I'm doing certain stuff right. Last summer I wrote a story (for an anthology that my friends were putting together) that might or might not be erotica... historical erotica? Is that even a thing? Would anyone be interested in that? /confused face

Anyway, I've been debating with myself whether to post something in one of your practice threads, but the thing is, they change weekly, and it takes me a long time to prepare something palatable to post. Perhaps there are more folks like me, and if you changed your topics less frequently, you might have more participation there?

Btw, we have a similar thing going on in out Historical SYW forums. We post longish excerpts monthly, in separate threads, and we interpret topics very loosely. And our group is small too. Come visit us!

:troll
 
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InkFinger

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Thank you, Tocotin.

First, please post anything you'd like to. We would love to see it. As for historical erotica, it's both contemporary to the period and currently being written. There are as many flavors of erotica as there are genres.

To the practice threads, feel free to add to a thread anytime. Everything gets read and it does not matter if the next thread has been started. I have wondered if weekly was too heavy a cadence. Although my intention for the thread to be relatively raw, and about an hour of writing. Practice should give you a good exercise, but should not get in the way of your main work. When we start the 2021 threads, I will reiterate that to all.
 

Maryn

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Wait... there was sex in Ye Olden Tymes?

Maryn, confused
 

Maryn

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Serious answer: For me, the weekly deadline is too short. I'll see a prompt of interest, but I can't, or at least don't, make time to address it within the stated time frame.

For that reason, I wonder if an alternate approach might be to give four prompts for a month, done by month's end, rather than one per week done by week's end. Or to give one prompt a week but more than a week to complete it.

Or something.

Maryn, trying to think of ways to add critics
 

InkFinger

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I have been concerned that the pace was too high. I like the idea of four prompts for the month. I am also totally open to submitting when you are ready.
 

Maryn

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So if today I were to submit something from a prompt six or ten weeks ago, that wouldn't be out of line?

Because so far, every time I start playing with one, it turns into a fairly long short story. Those don't come fast.

Maryn, who simply cannot write short
 

InkFinger

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Of course. More is always better. The only point of the due date is that's when we start commenting and open a new thread. Keep all of them rolling for months if we can. I'm a relatively fast writer, 2,000 words a sitting as a rule and what you see me post is basically first draft - full disclosure I come back and edit all week, but usually small changes. That's why you see so many missing words - my particular sin - in what I post on day one. By the time I stop touching it most of that is gone.

Please post to any of the practice threads when you have something appropriate. I would love to see and I'm sure everyone else would too. The goal is to promote practice. And, for all of you, I will post all 52 prompts for 2021 on January 1.
 

Liz_V

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I think emphasizing that it's okay to post a piece any time, even to an older prompt, would help a lot. I too have seen prompts I was tempted to play with, but I'm a very slow writer *and* perpetually behind on AW; the due date's usually long past before I even see the thing. Maybe instead of calling it a due date or deadline, just say "commenting starts on ..."

Actually, now I come to type it, what's the reason for having a wait before commenting? Any reason not to let people start commenting as soon as there's something to comment on?
 

InkFinger

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Liz_V, none at all. The due date is simply there because I've found that things without a due date never get done. Maybe that's just me, the ever-procrastinating man.
 

Woollybear

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Have you invited erotica writers from elsewhere (twitter, FB, etc) to join AW? This could be a way to goose the numbers up.

Btw, we have a similar thing going on in out Historical SYW forums. We post longish excerpts monthly, in separate threads, and we interpret topics very loosely. And our group is small too. Come visit us!

Tocotin--FWIW I have a HF project in mind and will probably start participating on the H boards next year to get it underway. I've been lurking there more, recently.
 

Tocotin

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Tocotin--FWIW I have a HF project in mind and will probably start participating on the H boards next year to get it underway. I've been lurking there more, recently.

Oh, that's excellent! Welcome! I'm looking forward to seeing you there.

:troll <--- friendly despite the axe
 

Liz_V

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Ink, that makes sense. Hmm, how to make a deadline that isn't a deadline... Maybe something like "Deadline for weekly participants is X; everybody else post when you like"? (Probably that would fail for both groups.)
 

guppie1813

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I also found a week turn around time a little too quick. I like the idea of several prompts with several weeks to complete them, but kept on the same thread so that everything posted gets viewed more, rather than splitting each prompt into its own thread.
 

InkFinger

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Everyone,

The weekly prompts will go up with two to three weeks to write them. You don't have to do every one of them, and get them in as you can. There is an index to point you to the right one. And I assure you that everything posted in ESYW will get a read and comment. Come along and play, as much or as little as you are comfortable doing.

I reiterate to everyone, practice makes perfect, and a good practice piece that isn't your baby is a good place to do it. We'd love to have you.
 

Maryn

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I double down on the invitation, especially for people who are not specifically writing erotica but find themselves uncertain when it comes to writing any love scenes. It feels icky-weird at first, but writing practice pieces allows you to get quite comfortable.

Maryn, so at ease she's got her shoes on the coffee table
 

InkFinger

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One additional note, don't be intimidated by the erotica title. We do have some pretty spicy writing, but we also have sweet romantic stuff too. If it's past your tolerance, skip it, there will be another in the thread that's more to your taste. And since we recognize there is a time and place for all of it, we work on all of it. I myself have written some of the most blushingly pure erotica and raunchiest blue erotica in the threads. I would love to see what you have or let you read what we have posted.