So there are the three options to publish stories: Public - Anyone can contribute. Private - only an authorized writer can contribute Moderated - Anyone can contribute but the creator has to say yes for new additions What do you find is better? Or what is your preference?
In general, I prefer Moderated to have some control over quality and fitting of added chapters. Private can be useful if you plan a more complex story (game mode), where you could work with some trusted writers.
I only have one proper story and I made it private. I wouldn´t want to shoot someones work down, but I wouldn´t want my stories to get flooded in subpar stuff... Maybe once I´ve reached a point where I feel I´m finished with a story I´ll make it public, but til then I wouldn´t want the drama...
I almost exclusively go with Moderated. While I love the Idea of a "Public" story, I fear that people would ignore the writing guidelines I put down. The story would then end up with a lot of low quality chapters. It also might end up including things that are against site policy, like bestiality. (Or that just turn me off, like non-con.) I have considered using 'Private' in the past, (and may do so in the future,) but Moderated gives me the possibility of collaboration with other people who bring fresh ideas to the story. The other salutary advantage of going with Moderated over Public & 'Private' is flexibility. A Moderated story can still have trusted users, (ones that are allowed to add to the story freely,) however not everyone has that privilege. Yet, at the same time, anyone who wants can try their hand at adding to the tale and if they are good enough you can give them trusted status. In my veiw this is the best of both worlds compared to the other options.
All my stories have been moderated manly so I could control the flow of the story. also stop storylines that didn't have anything to do with the story. I like to think i'm not a ogre but it really ticks me off when I establish one theme only to have someone change it then rip off both my idea and actual words I wrote!
I just set my story ("Family Succubus" if anyone´s interested...) from Private to Moderated, since I haven´t felt like updating for a while and someone said they wanted to contribute. Luckily, my story is more of a hub for thematically-linked smaller stories (in the vein of Gunde´s amazing "Amazing Adult Stories"), so everyone can make their own... I still don´t like the idea of people branching off threads from "my" threads. Partially cuz I´m a protective, millennial snowflake and partially cuz I´m scared they´ll make stuff that´s actually way better than mine ;P
I always do moderated. I don't change anything in a collaboration chapter other than cleaning up the grammar. But one of the things that moderated allows you to do is stagger the release of chapters if you get multiple entries turned in at once. I say to do this for two reasons. 1. It allows you maximum time on the front page which always spikes views. So more time there eqauls more views and hopefully more comments and up votes. 2. It allows your readers the chance to shall we say to "rest and recharge" before reading the next tantalizing entry.
I have no story on my own as of yet (neither do i plan to make one) but if i ever where to make one i would choose moderated. I also prefer to write for stories that are moderated because that way i know what i wrote is at the very least not contradictory to the authors wishes for his story, if it is he has the chance to write me about it and maybe we can find a solution.
I think we should give Private and Public some love though. Private is a great thing for obvious reasons - if you want to design a core before anyone can meddle or just DO NOT want ANYONE EVER to contribute for the simple reason that his is your story and no one elses (Which is entirely valid) and you can write that stuff on your own. Public....Public is.... Sorry i got nothing. Public is just there and i don't think it's a very good idea to put anything into public that you couldn't make moderated as well. I don't trust people to not fuck up in an awful manner and put some surprise rape-scene into a love-story just because they like the supporting cast more than the main characters and want a quick wank.
Public encourages general contribution (if not necessarily quality), especially as potential authors don't necessarily know who will be deciding if their submission is acceptable or to their tastes. It could be a big waste of time or effort to write something and see it shot down. If you, as the story creator, just want more contributions Public is a good way to go. In a way, I don't think it really takes away from most CHYOA stories to have more branches, even if the kink, story direction, or quality aren't to your tastes... That's what your chapters are for. Another reader might get off on some eroticism that you don't, or care more about the fantasy taking a certain turn or having specific content than strict writing quality. Depending on the nature of the story, the more the content the merrier and Public encourages more content.
I'll keep the ones I set to public still public. I don't get submissions normally anyway. I'm always up to collaborate.
I get all of that but i would still refrain from ever using it. As you said it encourages quantity over quality. While that is entirely fine its not what i like, to each their own tho.
Yes, I haven't used it much myself . I was more playing devil's advocate, as I feel it is a legitimate and potentially underrated option that deserves a defense. As far as quality goes, its a mixed bag. Public could encourage solid authors to become involved without hassle where they might be less inclined to otherwise... There's no rule that only poor authorship will find its way into a public story. ... And there I go again.
I got all types. On story heavy I prefer moderated to be able to control the coherence of the story. I started one in private mode because I wanted to do something special that takes me time (wanted a picture per chapter, Damn this is time consuming to find the right one.) I have a more goofy one in public mode to encourage participation of any idea even silly (I don't mind chapters about kinks I don't have if they follow the basic premise of the story, that allows for pretty much anything.) I have got an Authorship on a moderated one and enjoys posting long interlaced story arcs on it. I started writing because of a two chapter story that inspired me and was on public mode on which I handed a few hundreds chapters. And I post on moderated ones here and there. I think all modes have their interest, to be honest I would like a few more public ones or a way to search by story type as those are, I think the more likely to get people that only lurk around (like I did long before writing here or anywhere for that matter) to take the pen and empty their dirty thoughts on a blank page.
I'm using private, I'm working on my first story, so I'm a bit nervous about people's ideas onto the story. Public scares me, thinking that people will make the whole story confusing, Moderate scares me, thinking that no one will make a chapter that kinda has to the same flow as the story and I'll have to decline them
It really depends on the type of story, if you try to create a universe with in depth background and lot of details then private or moderated is the way to go to maintain continuity. Some series (rather than stories) are based on loose premises with multiple character or threads totally unrelated to each other. On those you can consider public or moderate but accept most thing. Once I only used private on one story because I couldn't figure out how to go with it before there was enough material for other to add (one of the points I devoted was to create some encyclopedia like chapters for authors but it was hard to decide) I don't know what your story is about but, I would advise you to at least consider it moderated with a note to say that you will be very strict in the writing notes. Private stories lack the participative aspect that makes this site so great. Remember that you can change it at any moment so if you want it fleshed a little before being moderated it remains an option.
I like moderated or public. if it is something that is a basic project that I am trying to get new people to contribute too I do public. I also mildly prefer to contribute to public stories since I don't have to wait to get chapters published, which causes me anxiety. Though one story I have been writing for recently has a pretty good editor as the story owner and he has been really making the stuff I write amazing.
