A question for those of you who are into plot and character.

[ElectricBlue]

Were there beavers and bears as customers?

A little chickadee bird; .

 

[AG31]

Erotica is fundamental to my stories. If I took the sex, but more so the slow arousal burn, out of my stories, there'd be no story. Paying for a coffee is erotic, in my world.

Yeah, but can you imagine them in a Barnes & Noble?
I can, but I want to know what you think.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Yeah, but can you imagine them in a Barnes & Noble?
I can, but I want to know what you think.

Yes, with a decent book cover, they would look pretty good.

Too much effort for minimal return, though. I've already tried that, bought a few coffees, but not much else.

 

[Duleigh]

Do those of you who put effort into good plots and developed characters think of your stories as the same as a novel or short story at Barnes and Noble (or wherever) with a lot of hot sex scenes? Or is there some quality that makes them "erotica," where that hot novel would not be so classified?

I am writing a fairly complex story right now that will tie up an octalogy that I've been working on since spring. the octalogy should land with a total of 360,000 words but I intend to add side stories for my fans. Other than the setting it's not much different from my stories, which are basic romances where the lights don't dim once the lovers are finally able to be alone. What makes them erotica? that depends, but mine is tamer than most. The vast majority of my characters are in a committed relationship with each other so I try to concentrate on couples who know each other very intimately and show them at their sexiest, but it has to work with the plot.

What is your definition of Erotica?

 

[Stimtheone]

Oh, I certainly believe that DE is something that could take steps towards the greater ones, but I also believe I made it to showcase my weird fetishes.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

Most of my stories have less gratuitous sex and incest than Game of Thrones. I'm not sure if that's a helpful answer though.

As to whether I see them as a novel? No. A novel (generally) takes far more work, and unless you're extremely lucky it's far less rewarding than writing here.

Heard a joke that the porn industry couldn't make a "parody" version of Game of Thrones because the sex content wouldn't have changed.

 

[MyBareTorso]

Note: Please don't read this as any sort of negative opinion about plot and character in erotica. Though I haven't written any (well... maybe one), I've certainly enjoyed good stories with good plots and developed characters, both here and in mainstream outlets.

Which brings me to my question. Do those of you who put effort into good plots and developed characters think of your stories as the same as a novel or short story at Barnes and Noble (or wherever) with a lot of hot sex scenes? Or is there some quality that makes them "erotica," where that hot novel would not be so classified? I don't think there's a right or wrong answer. I'm just curious as to how you see yourselves and your stories.

tia
ag

My stories are way too driven by my own fantasies and kinks to be even remotely in the same field as mainstream, commercial fiction. I see Literotica as a forum to explore my own sexual interests, with hopefully at least a few other people's desires coalescing with my own. Also, while my stories conform to their own internal logic in the "world" that I've created here, they really wouldn't work in a mainstream setting. This is very much a hobby undertaken to bring myself pleasure...and I really enjoy it!

 

[StillStunned]

Heard a joke that the porn industry couldn't make a "parody" version of Game of Thrones because the sex content wouldn't have changed.

Nah, they'd have to make Jaime and Cersei step-siblings.

 

[MelissaBaby]

Every one. If you knew my city, you could probably figure out which streets they're on, which suburbs they're in (except I change the name of every street and every suburb).

I have a story set in Canada - one of my readers who knows my content really well made this comment:

I had a commenter dig through the details in Mary and Alvin to try to pinpoint exactly where all the locations were. It felt complimentary on the one hand, but on the other, kind of creepy.

 

[gunhilltrain]

Have you ever watched any German-dubbed porn? It's like the voice actors are being paid by the word. They have long conversations the whole time.

(Not as bad as Russian-dubbed porn, where you have one man tonelessly saying all the characters' lines.)

This why subtitles were invented. Sure, they're not ideal and it takes some practice to be able to read them and watch the movie, although I suppose for porn it doesn't matter as much. I've seen Italian-made movies where even the American actors are dubbed into English for some unknown reason.

 

[ElectricBlue]

I had a commenter dig through the details in Mary and Alvin to try to pinpoint exactly where all the locations were. It felt complimentary on the one hand, but on the other, kind of creepy.

Someone tried to do that to me once, with an airport scene, and all they managed to do was reveal their ignorance as to how domestic flights work in Australia, and the fact that they didn't read very closely in the first place. I left the comment, with a quiet glee.

But yeah, in your case, that would be a little disturbing. Look for the car with the out-of-state plates!

 

[M_K_Babalon]

I never write erotica -- and rarely read it. I feel like I'm a faker posting my stories here.

Hey, this guys a phooney!

 

[M_K_Babalon]

Erotica is fundamental to my stories. If I took the sex, but more so the slow arousal burn, out of my stories, there'd be no story. Paying for a coffee is erotic, in my world.

I'll have the cumochino.

 

[secondlullaby]

Do those of you who put effort into good plots and developed characters think of your stories as the same as a novel or short story at Barnes and Noble (or wherever) with a lot of hot sex scenes? Or is there some quality that makes them "erotica," where that hot novel would not be so classified? I don't think there's a right or wrong answer. I'm just curious as to how you see yourselves and your stories.

To me: If it's contrived, it's porn, regardless of the medium. There are definitely written equivalents to those "here's your pizza oh wow your cock is so big, can I have some?" videos. And hey, sometimes that's what we need.

Erotica has story and sensuality intertwined. The whole piece is written to entice and satisfy. This is what I'm aiming for here. Whether I achieve it is debatable.

If you just put sex into a story, I don't see it as either. I love The Preacher Man by hammingbyrd7; it's probably my favourite story I've read here. But I see it as science fiction with sex scenes here and there, not as porn or erotica.

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

While I've written a few "wankers"(thank you my British friends for an absolutely delightful word), even those have story and character development, and even the most egregious has a hint of romance. Three Days that Changed my Life(Gay)

Most of my stories, though, are very plot and character heavy. From the comments I receive, I've found that the majority of my readers get vested in good characters and a good plot.
The stories seem to get even better when I vary the sex from blatant balls out explicit porn to subtle innuendo even within the same story. Sometimes suggestion is the best aphrodisiac.

 

[Smuttyandfun]

Were there beavers and bears as customers?

Only a moose and a Cariboo.

 

[Jmanchu]

Note: Please don't read this as any sort of negative opinion about plot and character in erotica. Though I haven't written any (well... maybe one), I've certainly enjoyed good stories with good plots and developed characters, both here and in mainstream outlets.

Which brings me to my question. Do those of you who put effort into good plots and developed characters think of your stories as the same as a novel or short story at Barnes and Noble (or wherever) with a lot of hot sex scenes? Or is there some quality that makes them "erotica," where that hot novel would not be so classified? I don't think there's a right or wrong answer. I'm just curious as to how you see yourselves and your stories.

tia
ag

A story is a story, in my opinion. Anyways, if we're talking Barnes and Nobles books or whatever, there are good stories and not so good stories. I've read stories that are supposed to be either best sellers or just popular but are real stinkers in my opinion, like really crappy, not well thought out crappy plot, or really one-dimensional characters (A Testament of Steel comes to mind for one dimensional characters without real depth). I've also read good stories that really feel well put together. The same goes with this site. The only difference between Lit and B&N is the books in Barnes and Nobles are likelier to have a lot more polish(At least in grammar) because there's a team of editors and a writer making sure it's polished aaand the books get a spiffy cover(which none of my stories have), even with the stories that would make better toilet paper. Lit, though, you're likely either doing the editing yourself on top of writing, or you may get a volunteer editor, meaning the chances of a not so polished work managing to go through are higher. Barring the really below-the-bar stories (and I mean stories with really low level or basic English), and stories meant to be just for author's amusement and a quick enjoyment/fantasy, I've read stories on here that could be "B&N" profession quality for sure.

As for my stories? I only would put it at the same level as a professionally produced book if it was published with spiffy cover and a decent number of people buying it. Otherwise, it's just a hobby for me.

 

[madelinemasoch]

Do those of you who put effort into good plots and developed characters think of your stories as the same as a novel or short story at Barnes and Noble (or wherever) with a lot of hot sex scenes?

Yes.

 

[Britva415]

I've seen Italian-made movies where even the American actors are dubbed into English for some unknown reason.

Possibly to make the soundtracks match. So the Italian actors' lines sound the same as the American actors' lines, instead of having one of them sound like the inside of a dub studio's dry booth while the other sounds like they really delivered their lines outdoors on the pool deck.

Or possibly because they didn't even bother with sound at all on the shoot, anticipating overdubs anyway.

 

[Bramblethorn]

Note: Please don't read this as any sort of negative opinion about plot and character in erotica. Though I haven't written any (well... maybe one), I've certainly enjoyed good stories with good plots and developed characters, both here and in mainstream outlets.

Which brings me to my question. Do those of you who put effort into good plots and developed characters think of your stories as the same as a novel or short story at Barnes and Noble (or wherever) with a lot of hot sex scenes? Or is there some quality that makes them "erotica," where that hot novel would not be so classified? I don't think there's a right or wrong answer. I'm just curious as to how you see yourselves and your stories.

I consider my two long stories (A Stringed Instrument, Anjali's Red Scarf) to be novels. They're comparable length and they have similar levels of plot and character development to what I'd expect from something I bought as a "novel".

For me, part of what makes the difference between "erotica" and "regular novel with explicit sex scenes" is how integral the sexual content is to the story. In Red Scarf, for instance, a fair bit of Sarah and Anjali's character development (and to some extent Lucy's) happens as part of their sexual encounters. Anjali gets more assertive, Sarah tries to reconcile their friendship with their sex-for-money arrangement, blah blah blah. If I took out the sex scenes and what happens in them, I don't think it'd work as a story. Getting back to my "sex as a conversation" motto.

In Stringed Instrument, I'd have to reread to be sure, but I don't think the sex scenes are quite as integral to the relationship between Phoebe and Yvonne. I could (and did) edit it down to a more work-safe version. So maybe that's closer to "regular novel with a lot of sex scenes".

 

[stickygirl]

I consider my two long stories (A Stringed Instrument, Anjali's Red Scarf) to be novels. They're comparable length and they have similar levels of plot and character development to what I'd expect from something I bought as a "novel".

For me, part of what makes the difference between "erotica" and "regular novel with explicit sex scenes" is how integral the sexual content is to the story. In Red Scarf, for instance, a fair bit of Sarah and Anjali's character development (and to some extent Lucy's) happens as part of their sexual encounters. Anjali gets more assertive, Sarah tries to reconcile their friendship with their sex-for-money arrangement, blah blah blah. If I took out the sex scenes and what happens in them, I don't think it'd work as a story. Getting back to my "sex as a conversation" motto.

In Stringed Instrument, I'd have to reread to be sure, but I don't think the sex scenes are quite as integral to the relationship between Phoebe and Yvonne. I could (and did) edit it down to a more work-safe version. So maybe that's closer to "regular novel with a lot of sex scenes".

I've never written anything approaching novel length, but I've applied the same analysis to my stories 'Does it work without the sex'? I'm conscious of the energy I can tap into in the seduction before sex as much as the intimacy after it, like the sides of a classic volcano! I only wish I had the patience to explore the gentler slopes and plains, because there are subtle intimacies and intrigues in the drive to work or the walk with a mutual friend.
That was an aspect I enjoyed and is widely admired in Red Scarf: the frisson never disappears entirely. I think an author can maintain a style through pace and setting in the same way as a film director, but both need believable characters we can recognise.

 

[stonedinstilletos]

Note: Please don't read this as any sort of negative opinion about plot and character in erotica. Though I haven't written any (well... maybe one), I've certainly enjoyed good stories with good plots and developed characters, both here and in mainstream outlets.

Which brings me to my question. Do those of you who put effort into good plots and developed characters think of your stories as the same as a novel or short story at Barnes and Noble (or wherever) with a lot of hot sex scenes? Or is there some quality that makes them "erotica," where that hot novel would not be so classified? I don't think there's a right or wrong answer. I'm just curious as to how you see yourselves and your stories.

tia
ag

I try to hit that level, but I’m not that good. I‘m trying to write somethign I would want to read. And I like stories where the characters are more than cardboard cut outs and have something to them that makes them feel like more than a marionette. Not sure that make sense.

My dream would be to put something together of the quality of something sold at a bookstore.

 

[harmonicks]

I think from one perspective the answer is yes. The current series I'm working through is at 30,000 words, will probably be up to 50k words by the time I'm done. That's not really a novel, but it'd be a 150 page short story if it was a printed paperback. It's taken months of writing on and off to produce, it's not something I just casually knocked out one Sunday for some easy thrills.

The distinction I'd make is that my story is just my own output. It's not been through multiple passes of editing, it's not had notes from a publisher, overall the level of effort and feedback that has gone into it isn't anywhere near what would go into a published book of the same length. I think it would be doing a disservice to the workings of professional authors and the publishing industry to claim that what I write in my spare time is on the same level just because it's got a high word count and character development.

 

[davion2308]

I started making an effort to develop characters and plot more as an internal challenge for myself. I write other works outside erotica and I'm trying to 'get better' at writing in general just so I can feel a sense of growth and accomplishment.

I don't compare my work to anyone else's. Not personally and not in broad strokes. My stuff isn't in the same stratosphere as B&N bodice-rippers or books or novels with sexy scenes. I'm doing this mostly for me, a bit for the rush of getting comments and scores, and the only thing that ever makes me compare myself is when I read some really, really bad published works and think, "I'm doing better than this."

They got paid, though, so that kinda hurts.

 

[gunhilltrain]

Possibly to make the soundtracks match. So the Italian actors' lines sound the same as the American actors' lines, instead of having one of them sound like the inside of a dub studio's dry booth while the other sounds like they really delivered their lines outdoors on the pool deck.

Or possibly because they didn't even bother with sound at all on the shoot, anticipating overdubs anyway.

I think this on topic. Fred Williamson describes, among other things, what it's like to work in the Italian film industry where apparently the dialogue is often overdubbed. He also has a lot comparing the European to the American film industries (and cultures) at the time of the interview. He's just an overall interesting guy and a great storyteller (he also worked as an architect and a pro football player, sometimes at the same time). He really seems to have enjoyed working on the somewhat cheesy movie that is highlighted here.

"Get me a coffee and a sandwich."