So I'm a smut peddler with 13 stories under my belt.

I'd like to think I got the gist what I'm doing when I'm writing things of that nature. That's what I made this account for. To learn how to write NSFW stories. But suddenly I'm frozen. With this latest influx of followers and comments I've been getting about having a certain word count and build-up... It's messing with my head. They just came out of the blue, giving their saintly advice and destroyed my writing momentum.

All my earlier stories, I had folks tell me that I was too wordy and they couldn't tell when the sex started. They didn't care about build-up. They didn't care about characters. They wanted sex and they wanted it now. And at the time, I was like, "Of course. That's what I've been missing!"

And so I learned. I cut and I cut; getting faster, becoming quicker with my pacing and getting to the sex. My word count drops from averaging to around 5,000 to a middling 2,000-ish if I don't edit cleanly. I can't even hit 3,000 these days.

My head hurts because I don't usually get much feedback. I get your usual, "This was hot. Where's the sequel?" like everyone gets and I have to interpret what was the hot element so I could refine it for the next fic. So when these newer comments and pms came, I wasn't sure what to make of them.

Just like, where were you when I was first getting started?

I know I should be like, "I'm writing for myself so STFU" but I'm also writing to learn. And with these new comments, I'm kinda desiring to write something real. Something that has build-up and all that jazz, but I know for a fact that the new people giving me advice won't read it. And if it ain't a story worth reading, then what's the point? Sex sells and my up count doesn't lie. Every one of my fics that doesn't have build-up is over a hundred upvotes.

God, my head really hurts.

4828588 Either you write for those that have their dicks in their hands or you write for those who are to tired to fiddle themselves. You can't write for both camps, though. If you try, you'll end up disappointing both groups of people.

4828588

I'd say that if you want to write smut for smut's sake, basically like a cheap porno, then cut, cut, cut.

If you're writing for the sake of making something that's good, but like writing smut, then get wordy. I, personally, don't care for clop, but it doesn't get in the way of a good story.

also, remember that popularity does not mean quality; make your choice as to whether you want to learn how to write well done movies or popular pornos

4828694
My regulars are usually silent so I couldn't help but have a open ear to the new guys. Is it wrong to want to have it both ways?

4828697
I'm mostly writing to learn but I need to learn who I'm writing for. It's really annoying me because I can see it both ways. I don't like reading a clop-fic that goes on and on and the sex winding up on a half-note. But in the same breath, if a clopfic isn't focusing on a fetish I like in say a, 2,000 word fic, I'd pass it for something longer.

4828719 Drinking is fun. Driving is fun. Let's drink and drive; what could go wrong?

4828719

sadly, it's extremely hard to write to two audiences, so just pick the audience you want a particular fic to appeal to and write to that audience (and expect the other audience to complain)