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Realism in stories?

sophia jane

sophia jane

Decked Out
Joined
Feb 10, 2005
Posts
15,225
Yesterday while dealing with a particular scenario in a new story, I asked a few people if they thought it was realistic. This lead to a short discussion on whether it even matters how realistic a story is. I try to make my scenarios fairly realistic. And I want the sexual acts within the story to be physically possible. But I wonder- does it matter? Do you try to make your stories and your sex scenes realistic/possible? When you read a story, which do you prefer? Obviously not all stories can be realistic, like non-human, but I'm curious about the rest.

SJ (Anyone think I ask too many questions??)
 
I for one, do not believe that you ask too many questions.

For the most part, I too believe that the stories should be believeable and strive for same.

I guess there are some exceptions but if it isn't believeable it takes something away from the story for me.
 
I have to be able to develop a clear picture in my mind of what's happening in order to enjoy a story. The simplest misstep in describing a scene can turn me off to it altogether. I don't necessarily mind backing up and re-reading it once or twice to be sure I can 'see' what's going on, but if I'm unable to place it or know it to be unrealistic it will nag me until I finish reading the piece, if I finish reading the piece. Some things are just that important.

~lucky
 
sophia jane said:
Yesterday while dealing with a particular scenario in a new story, I asked a few people if they thought it was realistic. This lead to a short discussion on whether it even matters how realistic a story is. I try to make my scenarios fairly realistic. And I want the sexual acts within the story to be physically possible. But I wonder- does it matter? Do you try to make your stories and your sex scenes realistic/possible? When you read a story, which do you prefer? Obviously not all stories can be realistic, like non-human, but I'm curious about the rest.

SJ (Anyone think I ask too many questions??)
Click to expand...

Other than fantasy or non-human (ref my "Ghouls ..."), I want the sex to be doable. :D
 
impressive said:
Other than fantasy or non-human (ref my "Ghouls ..."), I want the sex to be doable. :D
Click to expand...

Yeah that's me too. I want to be able to picture myself doing what's in the story. If I can't, it loses something for me.

SJ
 
I think realism isn't the issue -it's how believeable it is that matters. If you write well you can make anything seem berlieveable if you plot it right with the right characters and the right tone. Look at and Sci fi or fantasy writer...when you read a good Pratchett(just for an example) you're there inthe discworld with the wizards and witches and it doesn't seem bizarre that the Librarian is an orangutan. It's believeable in the context of the rest of the book. That's what matters I think.
 
Personally, I prefer longer tales where not only the sex is realistic/technically feasible, but also the scenario leading up to it. The attraction bewtween the partners is what makes the story erotic more so than the actual sex. I want to feel drawn in and captivated along with the participants, so the scenario and characters must be realistic.

At least in what I enjoy reading.

Edit to add: easier said than done.
 
Considering the trouble I’ve had finding guys with nine inch schlongs, who can (and will) make me come at the same time as they do, or baring that, keep at it until I do; I am slightly prejudiced toward accepting most stories as fantasies.

Additionally, the few women I’ve encountered who even come close to the mandatory 48-inch triple-D sized breasts, most of whom must wear a back brace, were saving up for breast reduction surgery, and far too worried about being smothered by their own surpluses to be much fun on their backs.

Wish fulfilment forms a large part in the believability of porn stories.

Not all — but not excluding some of the best — in a large percentage of stories, realism is an also-ran.
 
lucky-E-leven said:
I have to be able to develop a clear picture in my mind of what's happening in order to enjoy a story. The simplest misstep in describing a scene can turn me off to it altogether. I don't necessarily mind backing up and re-reading it once or twice to be sure I can 'see' what's going on, but if I'm unable to place it or know it to be unrealistic it will nag me until I finish reading the piece, if I finish reading the piece. Some things are just that important.

~lucky
Click to expand...
Agreed. Especially when it comes to positioning during a sex scene. If the writer doesn't believe it enough to keep track of where people are and what they're doing, how on earth can they expect the the reader to care?
 
Virtual_Burlesque said:
Considering the trouble I’ve had finding guys with nine inch schlongs, who can (and will) make me come at the same time as they do, or baring that, keep at it until I do; I am slightly prejudiced toward accepting most stories as fantasies.
Click to expand...


damn!! we need an introduction.. that or I need to get out of my fantacy world!
 
minsue said:
Agreed. Especially when it comes to positioning during a sex scene. If the writer doesn't believe it enough to keep track of where people are and what they're doing, how on earth can they expect the the reader to care?
Click to expand...


Ditto.

And readers do want realism - not just in the sex. I was picked up on one of my stories about someting as simple as whether I would get soaked by rain coming through trees, or simply dripped on. Sheesh. And there was I thinking the sex would distract them from that.
 
matriarch said:
Ditto.

And readers do want realism - not just in the sex. I was picked up on one of my stories about someting as simple as whether I would get soaked by rain coming through trees, or simply dripped on. Sheesh. And there was I thinking the sex would distract them from that.
Click to expand...
That's easy - depends on the trees. :D
 
If I'm assuming wrong, sobeit, but if this is the brief conversation we had in the chat room, I think we're going out of context a bit. It wasn't an issue of the believability in terms of DD breasts or 9-inch cocks or the unmentioned six pack abs everyone has and the terrible lines that everyone seems to fall for without resistance in those stories. It's a bit more detailed, to the extent that I think most readers would take what the author says as given, not question it much. That's the stance I took when i answered, anyway.

If I'm wrong about said assumption, feel free to ignore the above and give me a quick smack, SJ. ;)

Not there, around back... A little lower...

That's the spot. :D

Is believability important? Yes, but not to the fine details. As long as the position is possible, under the circumstances within the story, does it matter if it's less than comfortable in reality? Not really. In reality, sometimes, I get cramps in my thighs if I spend too much time ina certain position. Seldom is this mentioned in any stories. But is that really an issue?

We can suspend disbelief on those small hints of detail that don't quite line up, so long as the larger, more prominent details are in place, I think. I can, anyway.

Q_C

P.S. V_B, are the stories you mentioned really what you consider the good ones?
 
Quiet_Cool said:
If I'm assuming wrong, sobeit, but if this is the brief conversation we had in the chat room, I think we're going out of context a bit. It wasn't an issue of the believability in terms of DD breasts or 9-inch cocks or the unmentioned six pack abs everyone has and the terrible lines that everyone seems to fall for without resistance in those stories. It's a bit more detailed, to the extent that I think most readers would take what the author says as given, not question it much. That's the stance I took when i answered, anyway.

If I'm wrong about said assumption, feel free to ignore the above and give me a quick smack, SJ. ;)
Click to expand...


No, that's the conversation I was thinking of. But that conversation made me think of all my other questions. I think we were right in chat to say that I was close enough to accurate. I just wondered what other writers think as far as realism/accuracy, etc.
So, sorry no smack for you today. :devil:

SJ
 
minsue said:
Agreed. Especially when it comes to positioning during a sex scene. If the writer doesn't believe it enough to keep track of where people are and what they're doing, how on earth can they expect the the reader to care?
Click to expand...
It is not always a matter of lack of belief. Sometimes, I believe it is a matter of flawed description, or even bad grammar.

First example, have you ever actually tried to follow an instruction book?

Second example, if you read some published sentences with confused subject/objects the way they were written, rather than they way you realize the author meant them to be interpreted, you can find some real howlers in this archive.

Perhaps even some of mine :rolleyes:

Other times, when you get into the ". . . insert Tab A into Slot B and turn 90 degrees counter clockwise. . ." I believe some authors use jump cuts in their descriptions, under the impression that you will follow what they mean to describe without so much detail.

Possibly, they sometimes leave out too much, in their attempt at brevity.

I'm at least willing to give some the benefit of the doubt. :cool:


Q_B,

Just because a story contains character(s) with a superfluous quantity of some feature, that does not necessarily destroy the entire story. And, while I believe it is more the exception than the rule that a new couple orgasms together, this is usually the case in these fictions, even in those stories involving original reluctance, or worse.

Ninety percent of the stories which I have read involving coitus would be rejected for that reason alone, were I that adamant upon realism.
 
It's not so much a question of real, as being true to life. They're very different.

You have to suspend the readers disbelief, unless you're going for comedy (which I do in a lot of my stories).

An erotic or romantic story doesn't have to be real to be believable. People want to believe fairy stories, and Rom Coms are nothing more than fairy stories. We know damn well they're not real. But while we read them, they are real. Just watch a kid's face while they're watching Snow White or Dumbo.
 
There's realism in physical actions and realism in character emotions / reactions. You can get away with a great deal in category A if you do category B well; hence Pratchett's popularity, and other works in fantasy and science fiction genres.

I'll throw in a good word for context, as well. If the story as a whole is realist in focus, wildly improbably sex scenes will be out of place. If, however, the story as a whole focuses on more wild and unrestrained imagination, a less realistic sex scene will fit in accordingly.
 
Sub Joe said:
It's not so much a question of real, as being true to life. They're very different.

You have to suspend the readers disbelief, unless you're going for comedy (which I do in a lot of my stories).

An erotic or romantic story doesn't have to be real to be believable. People want to believe fairy stories, and Rom Coms are nothing more than fairy stories. We know damn well they're not real. But while we read them, they are real. Just watch a kid's face while they're watching Snow White or Dumbo.
Click to expand...

Amen, Oscar.
 
matriarch said:
Ditto.

And readers do want realism - not just in the sex. I was picked up on one of my stories about someting as simple as whether I would get soaked by rain coming through trees, or simply dripped on. Sheesh. And there was I thinking the sex would distract them from that.
Click to expand...

True, and didn't some author get blasted for saying that you get paid for giving blood in Canada. Don't recall where I heard that, nor from who, but if memory serves, it was a big deal.
 
Virtual_Burlesque said:
It is not always a matter of lack of belief. Sometimes, I believe it is a matter of flawed description, or even bad grammar.

First example, have you ever actually tried to follow an instruction book?

Second example, if you read some published sentences with confused subject/objects the way they were written, rather than they way you realize the author meant them to be interpreted, you can find some real howlers in this archive.

Perhaps even some of mine :rolleyes:

Other times, when you get into the ". . . insert Tab A into Slot B and turn 90 degrees counter clockwise. . ." I believe some authors use jump cuts in their descriptions, under the impression that you will follow what they mean to describe without so much detail.

Possibly, they sometimes leave out too much, in their attempt at brevity.

I'm at least willing to give some the benefit of the doubt. :cool:
Click to expand...

Good points all. I try to give the benefit of the doubt and sometimes I'm even successful, but having to do so tends to detract from the story. Also, there are some truly egregious leaps from reality in some of the stories here. The ones where there's a M/F sixty-nine and yet somehow his balls are "nestled" between the cheeks of her ass and other complete and utter confusion. Or a woman described as wearing skin tight jeans lifts her skirt. Or when the names change. All of which I tend to assume are the fault of really poor editing.

Disbelief can only be suspended so far. ;)
 
CharleyH said:
True, and didn't some author get blasted for saying that you get paid for giving blood in Canada. Don't recall where I heard that, nor from who, but if memory serves, it was a big deal.
Click to expand...

Please tell this to my SO, who is laughing at me for looking up bus fares and timetables from Victorian London. Someone will know, damnit!
 
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