How Do You Get Around The "How Come There Aren't 1000 Other Guys Doing This?" Problem?

[mythtrav16]

I almost exclusively write fantasy stories; stories where the erotic elements come about due to magic or other fantastical causes. Quite often I find myself exploring a concept where a male character somehow ends up striking the sexual jackpot (women throwing themselves at him; girl of his dreams becomes putty in his paws, etc.), only to end up wrestling with an obvious question: "Why isn't every other guy doing exactly what this guy did?" I mean, lets face it, if some magic wishing well was discovered somewhere that could grant guys a hot hook-up with the sexiest babe they'd ever seen in their life, within a week the town where that well was located would be more crowded than Mecca during Ramadan, and every male within 100 miles would be getting laid left, right and center.

Generally, I don't want my lead males to be just "one of a million identical stories" who all sampled the same sexy magic. I want my characters' journeys to be more special than that; to be somewhat unique within their own universe. Not to mention that such situations tend to create a shortage of available women. So I need there to be some good reason why 1000 other guys aren't doing the exact same thing that my guy is doing.

Sometimes this can be easy to resolve; e.g. the magic may be tied to a unique object, hence only the bearer can utilize it. But other times, the solution is more elusive.

Right now, I'm toying with an idea where a guy visits a beach, not knowing that it's enchanted such that the babes there basically throw themselves at him. But of course, if such a beach really did exist, its reputation would spread quickly and it would soon be overwhelmed with horny guys. My vision for this beach is that it has a very small ratio of guys to girls.

I'm sure I'll figure out some solution eventually. But the dilemma just got me wondering, how do other erotic authors resolve this question? Those of you who write stories with magic or sci-fi-induced sex must also wrestle with this problem a fair bit. I'd be interested to hear about how you like to resolve it.

 

[onehitwanda]

1. the beach only appears every February the 30th, and only then if within four days of the new moon.
2. Only one man can be affected at a time.
3. There's a non-zero chance the man will die

 

[Zootonius]

1. the beach only appears every February the 30th, and only then if within four days of the new moon.
2. Only one man can be affected at a time.
3. There's a non-zero chance the man will die

So an erotic version of Brigadoon?

 

[StillStunned]

4. Afterwards, the man turns into one of the hot babes.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

Not sure you can guarantee "word would soon spread" and if it did would people believe the story?
"Ted from accounting came back from vacation, said the beach was full of hot chicks that all fucked him!"
"Ted's so full of shit!"
Why would someone kill the goose that laid the golden egg?

Maybe it's in a hard to reach place?
Only works on one person at a time?

 

[onehitwanda]

So an erotic version of Brigadoon?

"You saw the whole of the moon"

or is that the hole of the moon.

 

[Euphony]

There's a non-zero chance the man will die

That'll slow 'em down, surely.

 

[Zootonius]

"You saw the whole of the moon"

or is that the hole of the moon.

That's how my writing looked until I found an editor

 

[MrPixel]

I’ll answer this. I have two MCs that meet the OP's concept.

One has been tapped by a supernatural force. He is unique. Much of the story line is about him and his entourage not understanding what is happening, and then reckoning with this mysterious “something”. The other is basically “a nice guy” that appeals to women because he treats them as equals, and as persons, not collections of moist and warm holes, and not asserting ownership.

The first would be closer to your beach scenario, a “Why am I drawn to you?” sort of thing. But not a mob scene, emphasis on serial one-to-one discoveries of each other.

 

[alohadave]

1. the beach only appears every February the 30th,

 

[EmilyMiller]

That'll slow 'em down, surely.

View attachment 2294269

They are so cute. One on our stoop a few months back.

https://imgur.com/keo0oXb

Em

 

[Euphony]

Right now, I'm toying with an idea where a guy visits a beach, not knowing that it's enchanted such that the babes there basically throw themselves at him. But of course, if such a beach really did exist, its reputation would spread quickly and it would soon be overwhelmed with horny guys. My vision for this beach is that it has a very small ratio of guys to girls.

Make something special about him unlock the powers of the beach.

This two birds, one stone b/c readers need their protags to feel unique in some way (for believability and, low key, so they get to feel special too when they mentally drop into his shoes)

Could also make it less On/Off. Maybe certain conversations click all the magic gears into place and only then is the beach activated. (Is the beach ruled over by a lost civilizations fertility goddess (or similar concept) and lovers perk her ears and attentions up by showing themselves as worthy of her efforts?)

Story is in specificity. Often, having NO answer (leaving everything generic) is worse than even a wild guess (readers give you points even for trying)

You can make things more difficult for your characters without penalty.

 

[mythtrav16]

1. the beach only appears every February the 30th, and only then if within four days of the new moon.

I actually did this basic premise once before. Worked very well, but I'm hoping to do this story a bit differently if I can.

3. There's a non-zero chance the man will die

I already considered this - specifically, I was thinking that the beach could be a notorious breeding ground for a venomous species of snake. At first, that might explain why my guy is one of only a handful of people who ends up at this beach. But then the idea lost its luster for me.

I have relations who are avid international travelers, and the various hazards of 'exotic' countries don't deter them. Hazardous wildlife, notorious thievery problems, unsanitary food that's guaranteed give you the runs... nothing phases them. They get off on "breaking out of their comfort zones", as they put it.

So even with the snake problem, you'd still end up with plenty of gung-ho adventurers visiting this place. And, as others have pointed out, once its acquired a reputation as being a hot spot for horny babes, its guaranteed to see a massive influx of traffic.

 

[Djmac1031]

1: Make the beach appear only every 100 years or so.

Even if others believed his tale, they wouldn't be able to take advantage, and the legend would fade with each generation.

2: it's cliché, but make him Worthy. A Chosen One type. The good guy who's dealt with adversity or defended the innocent at a cost to himself who now receives his reward.

 

[Euphony]

specifically, I was thinking that the beach could be a notorious breeding ground for a venomous species of snake.

As a reader, based on your earlier pitch, I'm immediately questioning why a plentitude of women are at the viper beach to sex with.

 

[Djmac1031]

As a reader, based on your earlier pitch, I'm immediately questioning why a plentitude of women are at the viper beach to sex with.

I suppose it depends on the size of the snakes....

 

[Euphony]

I suppose it depends on the size of the snakes....

Lest we forget the buns...

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

4. Afterwards, the man turns into one of the hot babes.

Love this. May steal. Probably not…

 

[StillStunned]

Love this. May steal. Probably not…

Help yourself! It *would* make an excellent twist, for the right kind of story.

 

[mythtrav16]

As a reader, based on your earlier pitch, I'm immediately questioning why a plentitude of women are at the viper beach to sex with.

Yes, this was another problem I'd noticed with the idea, too. Girls tend to be more averse to creepy-crawlies than guys. A beach with a snake problem would be most likely to have a higher proportion of guys than girls. Ditto if it's a crime hot spot - even if it's only petty crime. Girls have a greater compulsion to feel safe than guys.

 

[Euphony]

Yes, this was another problem I'd noticed with the idea, too. Girls tend to be more averse to creepy-crawlies than guys. A beach with a snake problem would be most likely to have a higher proportion of guys than girls. Ditto if it's a crime hot spot - even if it's only petty crime. Girls have a greater compulsion to feel safe than guys.

I'm warming on the idea he's "cursed" at the beach but the magic travels with him. It expands your location opportunities but you can still do a sex freak show if that's part of your motivation.

I can't help but want to play with him not quite putting two and two together at first. Maybe he gets lucky at the beach and he attributes it to dumb lucking into a right woman at the right time.

He goes to a coffee shop to relax and replay the experience in his mind and has more flirting success without really trying (b/c he's tired/disinterested from just had sex)

Hell, maybe that's part of your downside. Fertility god (or whatever magic) is pissed off he's not capitalizing on her efforts and doles out small but scary cosmic punishment to show she's boss. Now you have conflict.

 

[Euphony]

Also, the beach doesn't have to be dangerous, just where he is to receive the "blessing."

He gets caught in a current and swept into a dangerous rocky cove where few dare to go. (so no line forming for sex magic)

The few who HAVE gone (surfed?) there, chalked up their newfound sexual success from onlookers turned on by their spitting in the face of danger OR their internal attitude from having cheated death and now living more "there's no tomorrow." Confidence is sex rocket fuel. Confidence is about internalized attitude and not solely reliant out outer appearances or status.

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

As suggested, make the beach magic. As for the plethora of girls, make them Nymphs, or horny little demons.

 

[Omenainen]

Why would someone kill the goose that laid the golden egg?

Because the only thing better than fucking a beachful of babes is bragging about it later?

 

[mythtrav16]

I'm warming on the idea he's "cursed" at the beach but the magic travels with him. It expands your location opportunities but you can still do a sex freak show if that's part of your motivation.

I can't help but want to play with him not quite putting two and two together at first. Maybe he gets lucky at the beach and he attributes it to dumb lucking into a right woman at the right time.

Oh yes, there are definitely residual effects upon him after his beach encounter. I have a good idea what I'm doing there.

And yes, I think that initially, he's very confused about what happened to him on the beach. Magic isn't the first explanation that enters his head. I think he definitely goes through an adjustment period where he just coasts on the benign assumption that it just happened to be a random wild day.

And therein lies the danger of creating a legend. Because if he doesn't yet realize the significance of the beach, he'll probably just go carelessly telling people his story, and no doubt that would attract a people to the beach.

I think I'm pretty close to resolving the problem now, BTW. It all comes down to narrowing down the 'motivations' of the magical force that's behind all this.