Do you find there is a "rhythm" and "melody" to your (longer) stories?

[John_Vandermeer]

By that I mean, when I write multiple chapter novellas, often there are more developments every three chapters (or four, or two). Things happen in chapters (modulo) 1 and 2 leading to chapter 3, but there is a different dynamic/level of relationship after that, that starts another cycle again.

Also, often I find that successful chapters get things going with a sex scene, or sometimes some sort of pseudo sex scene. Then there are two or three scenes of relationship development. And then the chapter ends with a bang again in another sex scene.

To be clear, there are variations. Neither of these macro or micro patterns are rigid. But they certainly "rhyme".

Of course, this could all be crutches I revert to for being a poor writer. But it seems to work for me.

Have you noticed anything like that in your writing?

 

[Duleigh]

I write longer stories, I've written one multichapter story and numerous related stories, they're complete with exposition, conflict, rising action, climax, declining action, resolution, then the next story falls in line with that, such as the Enchantress stories in my signature. I do this so someone can grab any story and enjoy it without having to read the preceding stories if they didn't want to.

Each story follows with exposition starting nice and easy, explaining the characters and setting up the conflict, this might take half of the story or more, sex in this part of the story is light hearted and fun and often just described in an off handed way, IE Josh and Victoria awoke still aching from their sexual workout last night but still grinning over the splendor if it all" or something like that. As we precede through defining the conflict the pace starts to pick up, the story gets a bit darker, dark deeds from MMC or FMC's character are revealed or the plot against the MMC and FMC are revealed. Rising action goes fast, if you skip a paragraph you lose the story, then the climax, I think my very best was Enchantress where I drew out the climax into something completely weird, declining action heals the wounds, it's the weary warrior returning home, it's slow and possibly sad but I learned my lesson, I don't kill off characters anymore, it's too emotionally stressful for the author. Then for resolution I have been throwing in an epilogue that sits outside of the story but quietly answers any questions that might be left over.

I don't consciously plan out a story that way, but when the writing is done and the editing is complete, that's how the stories end up in my world.

 

[Candy_Kane54]

I am currently working on Opus 17 in D Minor - A Love Story in Four Parts written like a symphony. I have the Allegro and the Scherzo written and published while the Adagio and Finale are sketched out. Each movement is a standalone story.

 

[ronde]

I write longer stories, I've written one multichapter story and numerous related stories, they're complete with exposition, conflict, rising action, climax, declining action, resolution, then the next story falls in line with that, such as the Enchantress stories in my signature. I do this so someone can grab any story and enjoy it without having to read the preceding stories if they didn't want to.

Each story follows with exposition starting nice and easy, explaining the characters and setting up the conflict, this might take half of the story or more, sex in this part of the story is light hearted and fun and often just described in an off handed way, IE Josh and Victoria awoke still aching from their sexual workout last night but still grinning over the splendor if it all" or something like that. As we precede through defining the conflict the pace starts to pick up, the story gets a bit darker, dark deeds from MMC or FMC's character are revealed or the plot against the MMC and FMC are revealed. Rising action goes fast, if you skip a paragraph you lose the story, then the climax, I think my very best was Enchantress where I drew out the climax into something completely weird, declining action heals the wounds, it's the weary warrior returning home, it's slow and possibly sad but I learned my lesson, I don't kill off characters anymore, it's too emotionally stressful for the author. Then for resolution I have been throwing in an epilogue that sits outside of the story but quietly answers any questions that might be left over.

I don't consciously plan out a story that way, but when the writing is done and the editing is complete, that's how the stories end up in my world.

I usually don't write multi-chapter stories, but the few I have written share your methods. Each chapter has a beginning, a plot, and an end. At the end of the first and subsequent chapters, I try to leave a "hook line" that tells the reader another chapter is coming. Usually, that's something on the order of , "She didn't realize how that night would affect her future life". The beginning of the second and subsequent chapters have a paragraph or two to help the reader of the first to remember and to give the first time reader of the subsequent chapter at least a vague idea of what happened in the preceding chapter. The final chapter contains a final end.

 

[Bramblethorn]

By that I mean, when I write multiple chapter novellas, often there are more developments every three chapters (or four, or two). Things happen in chapters (modulo) 1 and 2 leading to chapter 3, but there is a different dynamic/level of relationship after that, that starts another cycle again.

Also, often I find that successful chapters get things going with a sex scene, or sometimes some sort of pseudo sex scene. Then there are two or three scenes of relationship development. And then the chapter ends with a bang again in another sex scene.

To be clear, there are variations. Neither of these macro or micro patterns are rigid. But they certainly "rhyme".

I think this is a pretty common approach for longer stories. When I'm planning a story I think of it as having a kind of shape, made out of the different arcs within it. An arc might be something like "S and A grow closer together, but then move apart again", "A grows in maturity and self-confidence", "S makes friends at her new job", "L's attraction to S", etc. etc.

The Simpsons is an extreme example of short-arc storytelling. The universe almost completely resets from one episode to the next; very occasionally a character gets written out, or a new one comes in, or somebody gets married, but in general you could watch the episodes in any order and it'd still make about as much sense. That has its advantages, people can come into the story at any point without feeling "I missed episode 57 so episode 58's not going to make any sense". But that also makes it easy to drop out; there's not much "if I stop watching now I won't know whether Homer gets his job back".

Long-arc storytelling can be really rewarding when the audience reaches a payoff that's been building up for months or even years, but it's a big leap of faith by the audience to commit. I've bought books where I spent the first couple of hundred pages wondering if I was wasting my time, if this was going anywhere, before finally it all came together. On Literotica, without the recommendation of "people I trust recommended this to me", I probably wouldn't stick around to see whether there was a payoff.

So most long stories have some mix of the two, short-term arcs to provide instant gratification and keep the readers interested long enough to get them invested in the long-term arc, which then carries them through to the end. It's not uncommon for a story to start with a lot of short-term arcs and then gradually shift focus to a longer-term arc. You'll see this a lot with TV shows, where the first season is almost all self-contained episodes, and then they'll start doing more and more with season-long stories. There will often still be an episode-level arc, but not as prominent.

(If you've ever played something like World of Warcraft, your first few level-ups happen very easily, but as you keep on playing, the time between levels gets longer and longer. It's the same principle: scratch the instant gratification first, then start cultivating more long-term interest.)

 

[MelissaBaby]

The Simpsons is an extreme example of short-arc storytelling. The universe almost completely resets from one episode to the next; very occasionally a character gets written out, or a new one comes in, or somebody gets married, but in general you could watch the episodes in any order and it'd still make about as much sense. That has its advantages, people can come into the story at any point without feeling "I missed episode 57 so episode 58's not going to make any sense". But that also makes it easy to drop out; there's not much "if I stop watching now I won't know whether Homer gets his job back".

Okay, it's a gratuitous plug for The Gold Dollar Girls, but I can't resist:

"He lives in my house, eats my food, collects his disability checks and spends his days drinking Dr. Pepper and watching The Simpsons."

"Why do you put up with him?" Sherry asked.

Clover shrugged. "Why does he put up with me?'

"I like the Simpsons," Tony said, sounding a little hurt.

"Dude, I think that show has been on since before I was born," Clover said.

"That's what's so good about it," Tony explained, "There are so many episodes that by the time you see one again, you forgot about it."

"I ain't sure that's a great selling point, saying this show is so good that you can't remember anything about it."

 

[Bramblethorn]

Okay, it's a gratuitous plug for The Gold Dollar Girls, but I can't resist:

By coincidence, I actually was thinking of one of your stories when I wrote the above.

"My Fall And Rise" is a long story, and if you'd told it as you did but in chronological order, I think it might have suffered from that long-arc problem. The way you sequenced it, I don't know if it counts as "short arcs" as such, but it has the same effect of providing some short-term hooks that hold the interest long enough to get invested in a longer piece.

I think we discussed this a few years back, and IIRC you mentioned that you hadn't consciously planned it that way, but it was a good choice even if it was instinct rather than conscious design.

 

[AwkwardlySet]

Huh... I am not sure there is a certain "rhythm" but if there is, then I think it varies between story types. My fantasy series and my lesbian series are nothing alike really. In the lesbian series, the focus is on sex and romance and the dynamics and drama it creates. There is barely one new character per chapter that I introduce. In the fantasy series, there are new cities/lands and characters in almost every chapter, and there is a lot of exposition I need to write in smaller bits throughout the chapter. Also, I often need to skip periods of time, due to travel, waiting for certain events to happen, etc.

The way I develop characters is also quite different. In lesbian series, I can take my time and develop a character over the course of several chapters, which is actually what I prefer. In the fantasy series, I need to do it faster as that particular character is there in one chapter and then he is gone for like several chapters, and then he comes back again, and so on. The passage of time also doesn't compare at all.

I don't know really, I am not sure if there is any actual pattern that chapters follow... I mean, some authors prefer long chapters that include sex scenes, plot development, character development, and so on. Other authors prefer short chapters that encompass one sex scene with a little bit of context. Too many variations to dare to analyze

 

[oneagainst]

There is a distinct cadence to longer form stories, because it's not all just set up, rising action, climax and then denouement. Cutting epic action chapters with short interstitials between, for example, otherwise it all gets a bit unremitting. You need the quiet otherwise you don't get the bang. So yes, there is a rhythm to these things.

 

[Emilymcplugger]

By that I mean, when I write multiple chapter novellas, often there are more developments every three chapters (or four, or two). Things happen in chapters (modulo) 1 and 2 leading to chapter 3, but there is a different dynamic/level of relationship after that, that starts another cycle again.

Also, often I find that successful chapters get things going with a sex scene, or sometimes some sort of pseudo sex scene. Then there are two or three scenes of relationship development. And then the chapter ends with a bang again in another sex scene.

To be clear, there are variations. Neither of these macro or micro patterns are rigid. But they certainly "rhyme".

Of course, this could all be crutches I revert to for being a poor writer. But it seems to work for me.

Have you noticed anything like that in your writing?

I know what you mean about rhythms.

I prefer to have hints of sex when there’s nothing much going on and keep coming back to it throughout the story, but always trying to make sure it’s appropriate. In fact in HOT AND FUZZY I had to remove some sex as it wasn’t serving the plot.

I love the bounce between plot and plot and sex, showing what a person’s drives are. I think when you’re in that rhythm you feel it in your writing as well. You want to write, want to get it down, NEED to get it down.

It’s a powerful, almost intoxicating feeling.

 

[MelissaBaby]

By coincidence, I actually was thinking of one of your stories when I wrote the above.

"My Fall And Rise" is a long story, and if you'd told it as you did but in chronological order, I think it might have suffered from that long-arc problem. The way you sequenced it, I don't know if it counts as "short arcs" as such, but it has the same effect of providing some short-term hooks that hold the interest long enough to get invested in a longer piece.

I think we discussed this a few years back, and IIRC you mentioned that you hadn't consciously planned it that way, but it was a good choice even if it was instinct rather than conscious design.

Thanks.

Before I wrote anything here, I had a blog on Tumblr. Most of the "instructional" material in MFAR; how a person is processed into prison how the prison economy works, my infamous instructions on making a prison dildo, was taken from those posts. So when I decided to turn it into a narrative, that's where I started, basically working the story from the middle, out in both directions.

(Probably a good thing too, because I think if I had told the story in a straight chronology, most readers would have fled before ever getting near the end.)

So, once I structured the narrative in that before/after format, it necessitated that each chapter had to have its own separate arc, as it could not be carried over into the next one.

Sometimes I'm still amazed it worked as well as it did.