COVID-19 RESOURCES
LIT CAMS (200 Free Tokens)ADULT TOYSVOD MOVIES

So does there have to be sex in Romance?

C

CoffeeWithMonkeys

Guest
I struggle with sex scenes. I mean there are only a few ways to make a sex scene interesting when you're writing a series.

So someone mentioned that in romance it isn't necessary to have a sex scene, do you think that's true? Could I get away with one every few chapters?

And it's in my No Such Thing As Time series. I could get chapters out a lot quicker if I didn't have to keep struggling over a sex scene in nearly every chapter.
https://www.literotica.com/s/no-such-thing-as-time-ch-01

Thanks!

ETA wasn't sure if I should post this here or in the Author's Board so I stuck it here, but yeah move it if you need :D
 
No, you don’t need to include sex in every chapter. As I put it in another thread, in my stories, I consider the sex scenes the spice, not the meal.
 
I don't think you need sex in every chapter of a romance story, but in some other categories you need to make sure every chapter includes whatever is covered by that category.
 
Explicit sex can be skipped in many categories without negative responses, even in LW, where I've seen tales of faithful loving couples looking back over their shared lives without detailing any fucks. My one story in Romance, with good votes, contains only one brief explicit sex scene, a short paragraph. A guy proposes marriage to his gal; she says 'yes' and blows him. That's all.

My little triage:

* Non-erotic: Sex is not necessary to the story.
* Erotic: Sex is necessary to the story.
* Pr0n: Sex IS the story.

Strokers in Incest, Group, some other categories, may do best with sex at the start, end, and overflowing in-between. Other narratives have other dynamics. Do whatever is needed to tell your story.
 
You don't have to put sex in any story or chapter you post to Literotica. Whatever you put in a story is subject to response by a gazillion readers, each with different tastes, though. What mix of readers each of your entries gets is a crap shoot. Some stories without sex do well on Literotica and there's a whole category for them. (I have an account that only posts nonerotic stories and that's my highest rating account.) There's no meaningful answer to be had on the question "Do readers like/not like X?"
 
When I read Romance stories, I’m looking for a slow build up - that “reason” why two people engage in sex. I think it’s all the little things that add up that make the sex seem special, magical. Sure, sex is going to happen at some point, but two people fucking like rabbits in heat in a Romance story isn’t very Romantic. That’s more like young lust. I wouldn’t try to work BDSM style into a Romantic story either. I’m sure it could be done, but not my cup of tea. I’d say space the sex scenes out and you should be okay with modest sex scenes🌹Kant💋
 
Do you need sex in every chapter? Put it another way: Do you need sex in ANY chapter? For the purpose of a good story, no, you don't. However, if you wish to turn the fickle eyes of the raters, then yes.

Making love is not the physical manifestation of expressing emotion, whatever that emotion at the time may be. Sex is the physical manifestation. Making love can be done without sex of any kind because it is cerebral, mentally, emotionally, and psychologically euphoric.
 
A lot of authors will warn up front that there is no sex in the story. I'll read it if I know they write good stories.

For a new author it's a crapshoot. I might start reading, but if something doesn't capture me quickly I'll drop it.

The category matters. So Romance without sex is ok for me. BDSM without sex, a complete fail. Erotic couplings without sex, again a complete fail and so on.
 
I'm just me, but I come to Literotica to read erotica. I'm not here to read non-erotic stories, That doesn't necessarily mean I demand sex as a reader, but I want "sex" in a story, broadly defined. If it's an exhibitionist story, I expect nudity, if not necessarily sex per se. If it's an anal story, I need anus. Not necessarily anal sex, but licking, or butt plugs, or something. When I select a story and see what category it's in I expect something erotic relating to that category.

But as KeithD notes, the number of readers on this site is enormous and the variety almost infinite. I don't understand people who come to porn sites like this one to talk politics, but they do. There are all kinds. So the bottom line is you don't HAVE to do anything, but be aware that there are many readers with certain expectations.
 
CoffeeWithMonkeys said:
So someone mentioned that in romance it isn't necessary to have a sex scene, do you think that's true? Could I get away with one every few chapters?
Click to expand...
Provided the story is moving along with heartstrings being tugged, I reckon you could spread the sexy bits out. But as others have said, Lit is an erotica site, so there's that.

Also, in Romance, when you do decide to turn up the heat, you can go quite raunchy (I've found) - you don't need to be all giggly and coy. So maybe that's a solution, wind it back for a while, then notch it right up.
 
CoffeeWithMonkeys said:
I struggle with sex scenes. I mean there are only a few ways to make a sex scene interesting when you're writing a series.

So someone mentioned that in romance it isn't necessary to have a sex scene, do you think that's true? Could I get away with one every few chapters?

And it's in my No Such Thing As Time series. I could get chapters out a lot quicker if I didn't have to keep struggling over a sex scene in nearly every chapter.
https://www.literotica.com/s/no-such-thing-as-time-ch-01

Thanks!

ETA wasn't sure if I should post this here or in the Author's Board so I stuck it here, but yeah move it if you need :D
Click to expand...

In Romance, the buildup of the relationship is what counts. You can get along without sex and, if you include it, the sex scene should be the culmination of the story, with a promise of living happily ever after.
 
There can be multiple sex scenes, any place in the story, even in Romance. This is fiction. It's very flexible.
 
CoffeeWithMonkeys said:
I struggle with sex scenes. I mean there are only a few ways to make a sex scene interesting when you're writing a series.

So someone mentioned that in romance it isn't necessary to have a sex scene, do you think that's true? Could I get away with one every few chapters?

And it's in my No Such Thing As Time series. I could get chapters out a lot quicker if I didn't have to keep struggling over a sex scene in nearly every chapter.
https://www.literotica.com/s/no-such-thing-as-time-ch-01

Thanks!

ETA wasn't sure if I should post this here or in the Author's Board so I stuck it here, but yeah move it if you need :D
Click to expand...


Definition of erotica, per wiki: Erotica is any artistic work that deals substantively with subject matter that is erotically stimulating or sexually arousing but is not pornographic.

I think a story can be erotic without blatant sex. Some people come here to stroke one out, some come to be titillated, some (me) read to stave off boredom while eating breakfast or lunch.

If the natural progression of the story calls for sex, then have the characters fuck. If it doesn't, then don't. I don't think you're obligated to do anything specific. If it is a series and there is at least some sort of fucking at one point or another then I'm sure it will be just fine outside of the non-erotic category.

I have a story posted that is 16 Lit pages long with exactly one (1) actual sex scene. It was a long build up to it and frankly it wasn't the point of the story either yet it has done quite well. It wasn't in the Romance category either.

So, moral of my post: just be you.
 
CoffeeWithMonkeys said:
I struggle with sex scenes. I mean there are only a few ways to make a sex scene interesting when you're writing a series.
Click to expand...
The Kama Sutra lists something like 240+ positions for two humans of opposite physical genders without notable kinks. Toss in a few friends and relatives and the number of combinations explodes.

So someone mentioned that in romance it isn't necessary to have a sex scene, do you think that's true? Could I get away with one every few chapters?
Click to expand...
Read some of the top Romance stories here and see how they do it.
 
Does there have to be sex in romance? According to the majority of the readers on this site, yes. Very few appreciate a sexless story, regardless of how well-written it may be.
 
kurrginatorX said:
Does there have to be sex in romance? According to the majority of the readers on this site, yes. Very few appreciate a sexless story, regardless of how well-written it may be.
Click to expand...

Few on this site only because this is a sex site.
 
Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?

In real life there doesn’t need to be sex because romance isn’t about sex.

As far as this site is concerned it depends on the type of reader. Also it depends on the story itself.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Heartfeltman
Absolute Joy ! When you find a series that knocks you out.
Replies
1
Views
228
AG31
AG31
C
Looking For Some Feedback If You Have A Few Minutes
Replies
3
Views
275
Milo_Grigsby
Milo_Grigsby
A
Series vs Standalone stories in Incest category
Replies
4
Views
718
VerbalAbuse
V
Mogrem
Feedback request: Sinbad in the Sultan's Palace
Replies
6
Views
313
Mogrem
Mogrem
U
First Story Feedback - Past or Present Tense (Femdom/Incest)
Replies
17
Views
610
ElectricBlue
ElectricBlue
Back
Top