Should Literotica Authors All Be Writing Strokers?

[TheNovelist2000]

I admit that most of the stories I enjoy on Literotica are strokers. These stories, often just a string of erotic scenes with minimal or no plot, offer the greatest amount of sexual pleasure for the reader. As an amateur author, I know I’m not obligated to please anyone, but if I ever want to become a good erotica writer, should I focus solely on crafting the best strokers I can possibly deliver?

On the flip side, I also enjoy writing stories that are rich in plot. I admit I don’t feel aroused during the non-sexual scenes, but I’m still happy to write them because they offer something else — romance, mystery, or simply the satisfaction of watching events unfold through a well-constructed plot. Still, since this is an erotica site, maybe writing anything other than strokers isn’t doing justice to what most readers actually want? Do people here want to read anything besides steamy sex scenes?

I’m reminded of an interview with the Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan, in which he spoke about his own dilemma: choosing between making the kind of films people want — films he considers shallow, lacking in artistic value — and making the kind of films he wants to do, which often end up as flops. I suppose my question is: how do you navigate that same dilemma?

P.s- I know that what makes a story a stroker is already discussed multiple times, but I couldn't find discussions about what we all should be doing to become better erotica writers.

 

[MelissaBaby]

There is no dilemma. The Lit readership includes people who like a wide range of stories, and writers interested in writing them. No one style or subject has a claim on a monopoly.

 

[Voyeurkenneth]

Variety is the spice of life!

 

[ElectricBlue]

I admit that most of the stories I enjoy on Literotica are strokers. These stories, often just a string of erotic scenes with minimal or no plot, offer the greatest amount of sexual pleasure for the reader.

Who knows that? That's a sweeping statement based on nothing at all.

As an amateur author, I know I’m not obligated to please anyone, but if I ever want to become a good erotica writer, should I focus solely on crafting the best strokers I can possibly deliver?

No. You focus on crafting the best story that you can write, but if you define erotica merely as strokers, you're going down a very limiting path.

On the flip side, I also enjoy writing stories that are rich in plot. I admit I don’t feel aroused during the non-sexual scenes, but I’m still happy to write them because they offer something else — romance, mystery, or simply the satisfaction of watching events unfold through a well-constructed plot. Still, since this is an erotica site, maybe writing anything other than strokers isn’t doing justice to what most readers actually want? Do people here want to read anything besides steamy sex scenes?

Of course they do. Many people will say they pass over the sex scenes to get back to the story.

I’m reminded of an interview with the Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan, in which he spoke about his own dilemma: choosing between making the kind of films people want — films he considers shallow, lacking in artistic value — and making the kind of films he wants to do, which often end up as flops. I suppose my question is: how do you navigate that same dilemma?

I write the stories I want to write, and don't much bother about reader's "expectations" - because no-one knows what those expectations are.

P.s- I know that what makes a story a stroker is already discussed multiple times, but I couldn't find discussions about what we all should be doing to become better erotica writers.

Write better stories, and don't limit yourself with false notions of what readers want.

 

[TheNovelist2000]

The answers make me feel very hopeful. (Since I wouldn’t want to be limited to just one type of story.) The thought that we should all be writing strokers came from my own experience as a reader. As much as I enjoy stories rich in plot and filled with compelling characters — which I often find in mainstream books — I’ve realised that whenever I visit Literotica, I usually end up searching for that one good stroker to get off to. And that made me question whether it’s even meaningful to write the kind of stories (non-strokers) people might not be actively looking for. But as you mentioned, the readership here truly varies, an argument against writing only strokers.

 

[MelissaBaby]

Literotica has almost 2.5 million registered member. Probably millions more unregistered readers. In the big picture, the difference in readership between a novel that gets 20k views and a stroker that gets 100k is insignificant.

 

[TheNovelist2000]

Literotica has almost 2.5 million registered member. Probably millions more unregistered readers. In the big picture, the difference in readership between a novel that gets 20k views and a stroker that gets 100k is insignificant.

Yes. I agree.

 

[Britva415]

Who knows that? That's a sweeping statement based on nothing at all.

He clearly means "this reader," not "the generic reader." You're reacting to a statement he made about his individual, personal experience.

 

[TheNovelist2000]

He clearly means "this reader," not "the generic reader." You're reacting to a statement he made about his individual, personal experience.

Thank you! Are your thoughts the same as everyone in this thread? Another question is do strokers make up the majority of what you like to read on Lerotica?

 

[Britva415]

do strokers make up the majority of what you like to read on Lerotica?

They might do, if there were more ones which were better.

I find myself reading longer stories because the longer stories generally tend to be written better and generally tend to be more arousing. Because the arousing parts are written better.

Most of the pure strokers are of much lower quality, they just aren't thrilling or exciting because their amateurish writers put in so much less effort and they honestly seem like they think that JUST using dirty words and naming body parts and spelling out sex acts is enough to get someone else off. I mean, I'm sure it got. them excited while they were writing it, but, whatever was in their mind's-eye which was turning them on is not translating to the written word.

Once in a while I do find a great pure stroker. The preceding paragraph was about the ones which are low-quality. There is a certain extent to which that is just a matter of taste, but there is also an extent to which we do see here on Lit a hell of a lot of objectively low quality stories. We all have different criteria we judge by and we certainly all have different tastes, and I'm probably pickier than most, but I refuse to take seriously anyone who would say there are no low quality stories or that there aren't a lot of them, probably even the majority.

People who put the investment in to writing longer stories are generally capable of producing better quality. So when one of these people writes a pure stroker, it's more likely to be one which I appreciate.

 

[TheLobster]

Strokes or plot-rich stories? Nah.

 

[Euphony]

choosing between making the kind of films people want — films he considers shallow, lacking in artistic value — and making the kind of films he wants to do, which often end up as flops.

Some of the actors, producers, etc. with the biggest clout in the industry do exactly this.

They do the popcorn fare then do a project near and dear to their heart.

Lessons can be learned from both. If you choose to take both seriously and do the work.

Write what you are inspired to write. Lit readers do get knocked a bit for lack of discernment (usually only the loud voices stand out) but there are plenty of readers here who enjoy all types of works.

 

[StillStunned]

In Laurel's house there are many rooms. The huge benefit for amateur writers is that pretty much anything goes, from a half-page no-context sex scene to a hundred pages of profound character development with no sex whatsoever.

As for strokers, there's a huge range in those as well. The ones I enjoy writing have at least some development, but that's secondary to the sex. My newest story, for instance, is Annie's Inhibition Removal Therapy. Over the course of three scenes (8.5k words), the narrator overcomes her sexual anxieties by distancing her mind from her body. Pure pulp psychology, obviously. But each scene builds up towards sex, and each scene ramps up the level of sex. It's unapologetically a stroker, but a stroker with context.

It's the same with Red Hot and The Walled Garden: enough context, character and story to make the reader care about the sex. Tammy, Jessica, Yuliya, Pas de Trois, While She Watches Them and Angry Fuck have even less story - just enough to create an interesting backdrop for the sex. Enough dialogue and emotion to engage the reader. But they're all about the sex just the same.

Should everyone here be writing stories like this? No, because lots of people don't want to. Lots of readers don't want to read stories like this. For some, there's too much character and not enough sex, for others there's too much sex and not enough character. And some people come here purely to read and/or write stories that could easily feature in mainstream publications.

Write what you want to write, let the stories take you where you want to follow. Experiment with different styles and explore the entire spectrum from stroker to mainstream. And even when you've found your comfort zone, don't feel compelled to stick to it. No-one can tell you what to write and what not to.

 

[TheNovelist2000]

Some of the actors, producers, etc. with the biggest clout in the industry do exactly this.

They do the popcorn fare then do a project near and dear to their heart.

Lessons can be learned from both. If you choose to take both seriously and do the work.

Write what you are inspired to write. Lit readers do get knocked a bit for lack of discernment (usually only the loud voices stand out) but there are plenty of readers here who enjoy all types of works.

Ok! It makes sense.

 

[TheNovelist2000]

Write what you want to write, let the stories take you where you want to follow. Experiment with different styles and explore the entire spectrum from stroker to mainstream.

Ok…I’ll.

 

[Erozetta]

The long and short of it is, if your question starts out with a premise of "Should all..." The answer is most likely gonna be no, unless the question ends with "Should all people strive to minimize the harm they cause to others?" Or something similar.

The very long of it is:

I have nothing against strokers, I've written a couple, they are fun and light. But they are also just not fulfilling to me as a writer. I don't learn enough about my characters or their situation. I don't get to know them. I don't care about why they exist. They are dolls to be posed in a quick scene and nothing more. (And there's nothing wrong with that.)

My enjoyment comes from the psychological aspects of relationships and people. The sensuality that can exist in the way a word is said rather than what the word is can really amp the chemistry within the story. The physical reaction to an unexpected touch speaks volumes of a character's experience in life. Whether or not the other person notices subtle changes with such interactions also speaks volumes about their life experiences. Do they make assumptions based on an initial read of a person/situation without seeking confirmation, or do they take their time to assess a situation and person before deciding how to proceed?

Say Character 1 meets character 2 in a cafe for coffee. They are there to discuss a work project that both are frustrated with. Character 1 comes in from outside and casually touches characters 2's shoulder. From the perspective of C1, there's a slight tension that causes c2's shoulder to lift and tense. They back off and are careful to not touch the person again. What they maybe can't see from their limited perspective is that c2 nearly smiled at the touch. It wasn't discomfort in their tension, just surprise. Then C1 continues avoiding any type of physical connection to c2. That causes tension between them because now c2 questions if they did something wrong, but doesn't ask because things are already awkward and C1 is now even avoiding coming near their desk in the office.

A conversation is needed, but difficult to achieve because our brains tend to be wired to interpret the reactions of others in specific ways without allowing for nuance. Tension in the shoulder is usually interpreted as a bad thing, some sort of discomfort, but surprise can cause that same reaction and surprise isn't bad. Surprise usually takes more than one data point to come to that conclusion. The tensed shoulder and almost smile after would be enough for C1 to be tentative about the cause of the tension, but interpret it as something other than discomfort due to that smaller reaction that they didn't see initially.

Human psychology is wild and so much fun to explore. Even in my strokers there are elements of power dynamics and boundary pushing at play. Cat and mouse is my jam. I don't think I can stop writing with that element in place to at least some degree. Without it, I don't have characters, I just have posable stick figures to play with. And I can't work out the interest in that, personally, but I know it exists for others.

 

[NightPorter]

I'd like to see someone break down the percentage of sex in a story into categories and give them names. I've read strokers that are mostly sex but I've also read stories that are 90 percent plot and only about ten percent sex. Both great but they're very different beasts in terms of writing.

 

[TheNovelist2000]

My enjoyment comes from the psychological aspects of relationships and people. The sensuality that can exist in the way a word is said rather than what the word is can really amp the chemistry within the story. The physical reaction to an unexpected touch speaks volumes of a character's experience in life. Whether or not the other person notices subtle changes with such interactions also speaks volumes about their life experiences. Do they make assumptions based on an initial read of a person/situation without seeking confirmation, or do they take their time to assess a situation and person before deciding how to proceed?

Well said! There is no contention at all about how enjoyable it is for us authors to write stories that are rich in plot and go beyond just sex. I myself enjoy getting to know my characters slowly over a long time by putting them through different situations and also exploring their world with them. My concern has only ever been about whether my indulgence might be in the way of me becoming a good erotica author. But the rest of your response—along with many others’—convinces me that we should not be limited to just strokers.

 

[TheNovelist2000]

I'd like to see someone break down the percentage of sex in a story into categories and give them names. I've read strokers that are mostly sex but I've also read stories that are 90 percent plot and only about ten percent sex. Both great but they're very different beasts in terms of writing.

Yes, it should be part of the disclaimer!

 

[AG31]

I think you should write stories that make you excited to be a writer. Find stories that flow out of you, short or long, sex stories or complex plots with some hot sex scenes. As almost everyone here has said, there's a market for all of it.

These stories, often just a string of erotic scenes with minimal or no plot,

Ah, but were they well written or not?

should I focus solely on crafting the best strokers I can possibly deliver?

If you focus on quality, check out the concept of simple erotica, and then let us know here when you've published one. It's my preference in erotica.

 

[Britva415]

Yes, it should be part of the disclaimer!

Counting down to pushback against disclaimers

*prepares a drink

 

[MillieDynamite]

No, you don't have to write strokers to publish here. You don't have to write strokers to get a following either. But most of us write at least a few of those. But it also depends on your idea of what a stroke to story is. Stories can have plots, character development, and a few sex scenes, and either be or not be a strok story.

 

[iwatchus]

My first story here would probably be considered a stroker by at least many people. I am not sure anything else Ihave written would be. The rest of the that first series had a lot of se in it, in a lot of forms and flavors, but I think there was too much emotion and character for anyone looking for a quick release. And almost everything since then has a pretty low sex content. One has none (Fantasia Ch 4) and one has a little oral at the very end (Perfect Sunset). And they have mostly been well received by the readers, although not huge numbers of views.

 

[redgarters]

In my experience as a writer of mostly slow burn romances, people here like to read all kinds of story. My stories mostly don't have that much sex in them, and they are still getting good reading numbers for their category and generally good feedback.
As a reader I even sometimes skip over the sex scenes if they aren't adding anything to the emotional core of the story. I want to know what happens next, a page of which appendage went into which orifice doesn't necessarily add anything to the narrative.

What I'm saying is that there's plenty of evidence that not everyone on Lit reads the stories published here for sexual gratification. So why should you only write for those who do?

 

[AwkwardMD]

Aaaaand drink