I'm losing hope

[John_Owl]

I've noticed a severe increase in harem-smut novels and it's annoying when they all have a common theme. A protagonist with a dumb think with your dick mind who has endless amounts of plot armor with pretty much the same plot. I can barely find any novels with a protagonist that's OP from the start that doesn't involve harems and smut or either an extremely dumb MC or an MC who has an ungodly amount of power restrictions.

My current run is harem-smut, but I have a hard time writing stupid MCs. They're usually smart, but lacking in one aspect, since intelligence shouldn't be measured as a single blanket number. My current MC is good at singles combat and smart when it comes to battle tactics. But he's kinda stupid when it comes to interpersonal matters. And the truth is, the only reason he has a harem is because I couldn't decide on who his love-interest should be. So I chose all of them.

but mind you, each one has a purpose in the harem - none are just there for sex (actually up to current he hasn't had sex with any of them, and they've all decided that it's a harem, before he accepted it later on). one girl is a genius with healing magic, one is a long time soldier, one is a swordsinger (bard, but capable of casting/singing while attacking), and one is just a straight up bodyguard.

and yes, he's OP due to his race. He's halfdragon, so... yeah. powerful.

That's because stories with a protagonist who is OP from the start tend to be wish-fulfillment stories and that's just part of people appealing to wish-fulfillment stuff.

There are many stories that exist without it, but you're far less likely to see them here because they aren't what gets support. Plus most people who write these are just copying the stuff they like and there's a common pattern for whatever generation who makes stuff copying what's the most popular.

So yeah.

Mine isn't wish fulfillment for me. It turned out harem because I couldn't decide on a love interest, and it's smut because my audience has come to expect it (though i'd say it's about 75% plot and 25% smut). my actual wish fulfillment story is A succubus' Love, which is standard B/G smut. I couldn't handle a harem, and it'd be a nightmare for me. But I think my writing of one is fairly decent.

 

[ForestDweller]

Thank God my story only has harem and the occasional smut and doesn't have an OP MC.

 

[Story_Marc]

My current run is harem-smut, but I have a hard time writing stupid MCs. They're usually smart, but lacking in one aspect, since intelligence shouldn't be measured as a single blanket number. My current MC is good at singles combat and smart when it comes to battle tactics. But he's kinda stupid when it comes to interpersonal matters. And the truth is, the only reason he has a harem is because I couldn't decide on who his love-interest should be. So I chose all of them.

but mind you, each one has a purpose in the harem - none are just there for sex (actually up to current he hasn't had sex with any of them, and they've all decided that it's a harem, before he accepted it later on). one girl is a genius with healing magic, one is a long time soldier, one is a swordsinger (bard, but capable of casting/singing while attacking), and one is just a straight up bodyguard.

and yes, he's OP due to his race. He's halfdragon, so... yeah. powerful.


Mine isn't wish fulfillment for me. It turned out harem because I couldn't decide on a love interest, and it's smut because my audience has come to expect it (though i'd say it's about 75% plot and 25% smut). my actual wish fulfillment story is A succubus' Love, which is standard B/G smut. I couldn't handle a harem, and it'd be a nightmare for me. But I think my writing of one is fairly decent.

...It being smut is wish fulfillment for said audience... I don't care about your specific tastes, I'm talking about the audience for these things and the audiences that tend to be around these environments.

Even ignoring just going all out smut, that's part of what the power of using lust is in storytelling.

Though the rest overall sounds like standard stuff to me. I mean, great at combat, not so much interpersonal/romantic relationships tend to be a common thing.

To note, I have no issue with anybody writing it. Anybody can write whatever. It's just pretty common fair for what can be found in these types of stories.

 

[John_Owl]

...It being smut is wish fulfillment for said audience... I don't care about your specific tastes, I'm talking about the audience for these things and the audiences that tend to be around these environments.

Even ignoring just going all out smut, that's part of what the power of using lust is in storytelling.

Though the rest overall sounds like standard stuff to me. I mean, great at combat, not so much interpersonal/romantic relationships tend to be a common thing.

To note, I have no issue with anybody writing it. Anybody can write whatever. It's just pretty common fair for what can be found in these types of stories.

the issue there is, according to the readers i've spoken to, they don't generally fantasize about the pairings i do. I've got lesbians and milf-focused men, while most of my characters are petite or muscular.

also, when I say not great at interpersonal, I mean he can make friends easily enough, but he can't tell when people are into him without them saying it explicitly. I say this in response to your line about the MC usually having a "think with their dick" mentality. i mean hell, I'm on chapter 28, and the MC *JUST*had his first smut scene (other characters have had a few, but he hasn't until the chapter tomorrow).

I very purposefully tried to gear him away from the standard anime tropes i watch. I don't read a lot on here, so I don't know what is or isn't common here. as for the power thing, most of what I watch is "I'm weak... And now i'm powerful because [training/cheat skill/uncommon usage of weak skill/etc]" I rarely see "born strong because things that make sense in universe". by which I mean, he's not really more directly powerful than others of his same race. But he is a much better commander.

 

[J_Chemist]

 

[fantasyretreat]

Even ignoring just going all out smut, that's part of what the power of using lust is in storytelling.

You said it best.

Dark One [A Progression Fantasy]

Dark One is set in the kingdom of Vorthe, a land that has earned its peace and stability as a result of the efforts and sacrifices of past heroes. But alas, calamity draws near! A being of unearthly hunger for chaos and destruction, which leaves ghost cities in its wake —...

www.scribblehub.com

 

[LuoirM]

Hi losing hope

 

[Premier]

I've noticed a severe increase in harem-smut novels and it's annoying when they all have a common theme. A protagonist with a dumb think with your dick mind who has endless amounts of plot armor with pretty much the same plot. I can barely find any novels with a protagonist that's OP from the start that doesn't involve harems and smut or either an extremely dumb MC or an MC who has an ungodly amount of power restrictions.

Why would you not go to Royal Road for that. This is like getting upset you found Porn videos on Pornhub

 

[ZukoMee]

Why would you not go to Royal Road for that. This is like getting upset you found Porn videos on Pornhub

I gotta agree. This place is called SmutHub for an extremely obvious reason. RoyalRoad for quality, ScribbleHub for "feelsgoodman".

I almost made a pun. How terrible of me.

 

[Corty]

RoyalRoad for quality

http://imgur.com/5bz6Opm

http://imgur.com/FBWfCdd

Is it though?

Because I see more variety in the trending page here than on "for quality" where almost all of them are litrpg stories.

 

[HungrySheep]

http://imgur.com/5bz6Opm

http://imgur.com/FBWfCdd

Is it though?

Because I see more variety in the trending page here than on "for quality" where almost all of them are litrpg stories.

Everything I see on there is LitRPG and I sleep. No offense to the LitRPGheads, but it just isn't for me.

 

[SailusGebel]

Everything I see on there is LitRPG and I sleep. No offense to the LitRPGheads, but it just isn't for me.

yes

 

[ZukoMee]

http://imgur.com/5bz6Opm

http://imgur.com/FBWfCdd

Is it though?

Because I see more variety in the trending page here than on "for quality" where almost all of them are litrpg stories.

I still stand by my statement. The quality of the writers are better on RR, and I say this regardless of genre.

 

[HungrySheep]

I still stand by my statement. The quality of the writers are better on RR, and I say this regardless of genre.

Nah. They're about the same.

 

[CarburetorThompson]

Because I see more variety in the trending page here than on "for quality" where almost all of them are litrpg stories.

RR has non litrpg stories?

 

[ZukoMee]

Nah. They're about the same.

We'll have to agree to disagree.

 

[HungrySheep]

RR has non litrpg stories?

It does, but they're rarely on the front. The last good one I remember was this Star Wars fanfic.

 

[Izumi_Kenshu]

I've noticed a severe increase in harem-smut novels and it's annoying when they all have a common theme. A protagonist with a dumb think with your dick mind who has endless amounts of plot armor with pretty much the same plot. I can barely find any novels with a protagonist that's OP from the start that doesn't involve harems and smut or either an extremely dumb MC or an MC who has an ungodly amount of power restrictions.

Woah, I have a large opinion about Harem and Dump Op Mc in any story. I honestly agree with you here, cause the Author might have been chasing clout on a Current trend that is going on in the writing community. This happens in any Isekai Light novel with the same plot and Harem Issues.

 

[nemonusquam_]

My serial doesn't have OP characters from the start, no LitRPG numbers going "Brrrr!" and no smut.

I might be doomed, but hope is the last thing ever lost :')

 

[Jaymi]

I've noticed a severe increase in harem-smut novels and it's annoying when they all have a common theme. A protagonist with a dumb think with your dick mind who has endless amounts of plot armor with pretty much the same plot. I can barely find any novels with a protagonist that's OP from the start that doesn't involve harems and smut or either an extremely dumb MC or an MC who has an ungodly amount of power restrictions.

Worry not, friend. I'm working on a 'normal' story. It'll be out soon lol