How much build-up do you prefer?

[Cagivagurl]

Okay, so I saw there's an opposite question where somebody asked something like, "How much story is too much before sex?", so I guess mine must be the guy's version: How much build-up is necessary? Because I notice that a lot of good authors on here really do a great job with world-building, character interactions, and general plot before they even get into any sex. Since I've only just begun publishing erotic stories and they don't seem to be very good, I've been trying to emulate this a little bit. I've drafted a couple of messy novellas, but what I find is that a lot of my stories are 70% or more sex. So when I sit down to revise, I try to get closer to 50% by adding backstory and setting (usually right up front) and trying to give the characters more interaction outside of sex. Does this seem like a process that anybody else would use? Or is my approach all wrong? Love to hear from somebody who has an idea of what works best for them.

Suggestion...
Cut the sex scenes out and read what's left...
Is it itntresting??? If so leave it in...
If not, cut it out. If it can't hold your attention. It's of no value...

Cagivagurl

 

[EmilyMiller]

How much build-up do you prefer?​

It’s changed for me over time (is there any other way to change except over time? I think not).

Many of my early stories (though not all) dive straight into sex. Few of my more recent ones do. For example:

Ignoring the preamble / intro (which I now also seldom do), the first sentence of Because I Deserve It is:

I straddled my lover and sucked avidly on his cock that had just been deep in my ass, while pushing my pussy down onto his face and extended tongue.

Contrast with Jacob’s Progress, where the first sex* is something like 6,000 words in.

Even my in progress Off the Shoulder sequel, which is basically a sex romp, has a long build up (admittedly before letting rip in much the same way as the original).

I used to write strokers (and still do sometimes - see Traffic), but now I tend to write stories. I also write less autobiographical stuff now, so world building is more relevant.,

Em

—

* I’m ignoring the MMC masturbating with a cam girl as it’s done to establish his state of mind and not described in any detail, let alone as being titillating; quite the opposite.

 

[AchtungNight]

I am a male writer who appreciates both smut and world building. Guess which one I end up reading more of over time when frustrated. The smut? Yeah, it’s more relieving for my frustration. But when I’m writing, the world building helps me get to the smut. I also find out little gems during research like “Evan Rachel Wood isn’t just hot and willing to play sex-obsessed characters, she’s also great at taekwondo!” and want to include them in the story somehow if I can. Let’s have her sock some groper or inappropriate gossip monger pervert in the face! (Rendezvous 5, Counseling 2 if you want to see Evan do this in my stories.) I get an immense amount of relief from that.

My answer to how much world building is necessary? Let the writer decide what is necessary as they type, the beta reader skip over and point out what they don’t like, the editor find the difference, the rewrite adjust for publication, and the critics cry what they may. Then adjust for next story based on your evolved perspective and proceed!

 

[Tomh1966]

It's more of a variable in absolute length but pretty standard as a percent. On a five page story, get to the story by the beginning of page 2. I see a ton of stories that go

10000 words of how they met in college and every party they went to for four years.
followed by
She fucked her boss so I divorced her then set them both on fire and danced over them as they screamed in agony.

 

[Djmac1031]

On a five page story, get to the story by the beginning of page 2.

Gonna respectfully disagree
The STORY needs to start at page one, paragraph one.

If I'm at the bottom of page two and there's no story? I'm not clicking to page two.

I'm already bored and moving on.

 

[Tomh1966]

Djmac

I don't mind people world-building and setting scenes. There are a fair number of stories that are all world-building and scene-setting followed by a tiny bit of plot.

 

[Djmac1031]

Djmac

I don't mind people world-building and setting scenes. There are a fair number of stories that are all world-building and scene-setting followed by a tiny bit of plot.

Oh agreed, and I'd go as far as to say world building and setting scenes IS part of a story.

In many cases, an INTERGRAL part.

 

[Tomh1966]

>
Oh agreed, and I'd go as far as to say world building and setting scenes IS part of a story.

In many cases, an INTERGRAL part.<

But I've seen a fair number of stories that actually somewhat like my extreme example in reply #29

10000 words of how they met in college and every party they went to for four years.
followed by
She fucked her boss so I divorced her then set them both on fire and danced over them as they screamed in agony.

 

[Djmac1031]

>
Oh agreed, and I'd go as far as to say world building and setting scenes IS part of a story.

In many cases, an INTERGRAL part.<

But I've seen a fair number of stories that actually somewhat like my extreme example in reply #29

10000 words of how they met in college and every party they went to for four years.
followed by
She fucked her boss so I divorced her then set them both on fire and danced over them as they screamed in agony.

Writing stories is like The Force: it's at its best when it's in balance.

 

[Djmac1031]

Bringing this one up to muse about a story I recently finished and is now in the editing process.

After a brief opening scene where the main character has sex with her husband, a scene basically only a few small paragraphs long because the husband is a two minute chump, there is literally no sex for the next several pages.

I spend a few thousand words going into the MCs origin (she's a human that becomes a demon) and then a few thousand more setting up her relationship with the young human woman she falls in love with.

From there they finally do finally connect, starting with some simple kissing that quickly leads to clothes coming off, fondling etc.

The scene ends with the now tied up human woman begging to be truly fucked by the secretly She-Demon character after an extended tickle session with an Angels's feather.

The scene ends with the She-Demon demon saying "now you're truly ready."

Cut to a completely different scene.

I originally left it there because I wasn't in the mood to continue the sex scene at that point and was more interested in writing what happens after: the fall of the relationship and the She-Demon planning on winning her lover back.

Coming back to it now; I'm kinda tempted to leave it there.

I mean, we can all figure out what happens next, right?

Two women? Tongues and fingers and toys, oh my.

Part of me is like "do I even really NEED to write all that? Or leave it to the readers to imagine?"

17k words. One actual sex scene that's not fully detailed; one quick masturbation scene, and a few passing references to sex.

And that's it.

As I've said before, I'm not against Stroke stories. I've written plenty.

But the more I've been working on this, the more I'm understanding that I don't care if some readers complain there's not enough hard core sex.

I'm actually writing a story for the STORY.

And it's kinda freaking me out lol

 

[ElectricBlue]

But the more I've been working on this, the more I'm understanding that I don't care if some readers complain there's not enough hard core sex.

If it's an interesting story and the writing is creamy, readers won't complain. They're more likely to add that the sex was hot, when you finally got to it.

 

[Abbafan]

If there's no sucking or fucking after 2-3 Lit pages, I start getting impatient. I don't mind some tension or characterization but don't want to read a novel.

 

[Djmac1031]

If it's an interesting story and the writing is creamy, readers won't complain. They're more likely to add that the sex was hot, when you finally got to it.

That's kinda what I'm hoping, but what I'm hoping for more is that they get so hooked on the story, they wind up not worrying about the sex.

A pipe dream, I know

 

[joy_of_cooking]

FWIW, I was interested enough by your summary that I went to your author page and made sure I was subscribed.

 

[Djmac1031]

FWIW, I was interested enough by your summary that I went to your author page and made sure I was subscribed.

Really? Thank you.

It'll be at least a few weeks before I publish.

The title will be The Seduction Of Darkness.

 

[sapphyrix]

for smut stories, i like it to get to the smut pretty damn fast. very minimal buildup
i read smut primarily for the sexy parts and if it has a fun plot that's secondary to me
however, i do really like it if it manages to have character development mixed within the smutty parts, like managing to be hot and characterizing their personalities at the same time.

 

[Gamblnluck]

What I do is I start with a setting or, more often, a situation. Then I comb through my many, many characters (who genuinely feel like real people to me) and find the right matchup of character and situation. And then?

Curious why reuse the same characters? Unless the story is part of a series or you are bringing back a character from another story to 'visit'. I bring back/mention the same characters in three of my slave stories simply because I stage it in a similar local.

Now one thing I do is model a character after real people. Several of my characters have personalities that at time mimic people I know. Like my sister in law character in "My Fragile Male Ego" is modeled after my own sister in law. Not that she is a cheating slut, but both women are compulsive with the way they gamble, both can;t seem to keep her finances in order and is always looking to be bailed out or is constantly broke, and can't pay her own way to a function. So it is pay for her or exclude her.
Make up and develop new characters for each story line.

 

[madelinemasoch]

But if you're looking to tell a more complicated, fleshed out tale, character is KEY.

Who are these people?
Why are they fucking, besides "He's hot / she's hot?"
What's their motivation?
Why do they like (insert kink here) so much?

Most importantly: why should we, the reader, CARE about whether they fuck or not?

Pick your plot, flesh out your characters, make them real people, not cartoons, and the rest will write itself.

When I actually got to this on CC, I found it to be the most enjoyable part of writing the whole thing.

 

[Voboy]

Curious why reuse the same characters? Unless the story is part of a series or you are bringing back a character from another story to 'visit'.

No reason; I just enjoy it.

I like RL authors who construct not just "a story," but "a world" that many stories can inhabit. I've done the same thing here. I'm mostly copying Irvine Welsh, though a lot of real authors do the same thing.

 

[Devinter]

I think it's important to write what you enjoy and feel in the mood for. That being said, the stories I personally see myself enjoying the most - both in terms of writing and reading - in simplified numbers are about 75% story and 25% sex. I like longer-lasting sexual encounters - even if they aren't graphical. My opinion is that people who write 'Erotica' and basically skim over the sex scenes are in the wrong category and should be writing 'Romance'.

As for what readers seem to enjoy? I have a few stories that are maybe 90% story and 10% sex, and a couple that's close to 10% story and 90% sex - and they have about the same rating, so long as the story part has elements of anticipation, tension, flirtation, seduction, etc. So there's readers for all types - and if your writing is good, they'll come back for more. Also, I do believe that readers are more likely to forgive you for going too heavy in one direction or the other if your characters and scenarios feel captivating and original.