The Nature of the Beast

[jakbird]

What is the nature of the beast?  In context, the beast is the Gromet website, and the nature is the type of story found there.  Is it bondage with a story wrapped around it, or a story about characters that happens to include bondage, discipline, submission, domination, all those facets of life certain groups on the fringe of society find so attractive?

When someone comes to this website, what's the expectation?  Is there a place for a story with plot and character development, or is it primarily for a scene description intended to stimulate the sexual little gray cells?  My impression is that the nature favors the shorter bondage story; not the longer story as primary focus, with bondage as one part of the relationship between characters.  Does that reflect the audience for this website?

The Gromet site was survived when larger, similar sites have faded away.  Longevity is a strong argument that whatever the nature, the beast is healthy and thriving in an ecosystem that is not conducive to survival over so many years.  The formula, whatever it may be, does work.  Submitting stories that don't fit the formula raises the obvious question: why try to swim against the current?  So I ask the question, which type of story is the best investment of time given the audience preference?

[Tigerstretch]

In my opinion, a lot of those questions don't really have an answer.

I've been on Gromet since the 90s and, inarguably in my mind, the owners of the site are the reason why the site never failed. As far as I know, there were only two, Gormet himself and now Teann, and it's their dedication that allowed the site to thrive.

As for the story type and format, they more or less stuck to the ones listed on the home page since the beginning of times, but at the same time, they allowed stories that were outside those worlds. I wrote many unclassifiable stories and Teann always find a proper spot for them. Same for the size. I wrote small short ones and bigger ones, and that never seemed to be a problem.

To me, I stick to gromet because it feels like home because the main categories are the ones I personally like, and everybody is able to participate in the vibrancy of the site in their own way as long as it's done within the limit of rationality and common sense.

[teanndaorsa]

Honestly I think "the beast" is so large that it defies simple expectations like that. The readers are as varied as the authors. There definitely are readers who are craving that longer form, higher quality story, some get in touch. But there is also positive feedback on the simpler, shorter, more titillating stories. I think both have value, at different times, to different people. All that really tells me though is to not write to appease the audience, but to write for yourself instead. I'm sure I said as much to Tigerstretch in the earlier days - audiences are fickle, and often unappreciative. If you're not writing things that you personally want to see out there in the world, there's no point.

I wouldn't read too much into the fact that the Plaza survived. I think that it very nearly didn't. Different historical decisions, personalities, personal circumstances, all could have made the difference between it still being here, and the number of stories posted dwindling to nothing and then eventually the site just goes offline due to neglect. I'm fairly sure that stubbornness, Gromet's and mine, plays its part.

It's very much a feedback loop, from what I've seen. The sorts of stories posted affect the sorts of readers that keep returning, and the sorts of authors that choose to submit work. That cuts both ways - positive and negative. I've had first hand accounts of that from readers I've met in other places, being candid with me about how the sorts of content posted affected their perception of the site, and in turn reduced their desire to submit their own work. It is why I've started to be much firmer about passing on the low quality submissions, and the darker, non-consensual material. Because the site can't be everything to everyone without being mediocre or bad to everyone too. So I'd like it to be a place where good, thoughtful kinky stories can live alongside playful, light, sexy tales.

I can't speak for everyone though, obviously. I'd love to hear from the other longer term readers what they most enjoy. There's no wrong answer, naturally, different sorts of things appeal to different folks!