Flip the script!

[UtilityCurve]

I start from the presumptions that (a) most Lit stories are written by str8 men, particularly if we don't include "Gay Male," (b) that most authors write in the voice of their perspective/sex, male or female.

Now (b) in particular may be essential to some, most, maybe even all but me. You know, verisimilitude and all.

But I propose that it's a bit more rewarding to read when the author has flipped the script, writing in the voice or perspective of the opposite sex.

See, I already know, top to bottom, what at least one man experiences with sex. If I write something in that voice, women get an authentic if unique (and I'm a stickler for not using "unique" when I should say "distinctive") male viewpoint of the joys of bring with a woman.

I've read but very few stories written by men in a female voice or from the female perspective, but I'm damned sure I've read none by women in a male vouce or from the male perspective.

We ALL wonder what our partners feel, think, etc., when they are with us, and couples with great communication can clear up some of the mtstery, but in fiction, the limits are, well, unlimited.

I'd be enthralled this by a story that tells me what the woman thinks the man wants, feels, experiences, hopes for and all the other things truly intimate sex involves.

Not a "traditional" story idea, but then again the whole idea is nontraditional.

 

[sirhugs]

I start from the presumptions that (a) most Lit stories are written by str8 men, particularly if we don't include "Gay Male," (b) that most authors write in the voice of their perspective/sex, male or female.

Now (b) in particular may be essential to some, most, maybe even all but me. You know, verisimilitude and all.

But I propose that it's a bit more rewarding to read when the author has flipped the script, writing in the voice or perspective of the opposite sex.

See, I already know, top to bottom, what at least one man experiences with sex. If I write something in that voice, women get an authentic if unique (and I'm a stickler for not using "unique" when I should say "distinctive") male viewpoint of the joys of bring with a woman.

I've read but very few stories written by men in a female voice or from the female perspective, but I'm damned sure I've read none by women in a male vouce or from the male perspective.

We ALL wonder what our partners feel, think, etc., when they are with us, and couples with great communication can clear up some of the mtstery, but in fiction, the limits are, well, unlimited.

I'd be enthralled this by a story that tells me what the woman thinks the man wants, feels, experiences, hopes for and all the other things truly intimate sex involves.

Not a "traditional" story idea, but then again the whole idea is nontraditional.

you might get more uptake on this thread posted in Author's Hangout.

 

[StillStunned]

I think people make too much of the idea that writing another gender is such a big deal. We're all people, and writers write people who are unlike themselves all the time.

I'm more likely to be able to relate to a woman in my age bracket, living in the same country as me and working in a similar profession, than to a teenage boy in the favelas in Sao Paolo, or a man my age living in Kyiv during a drone strike, or an old man who's spent his life farming a patch of parched land in Spain's Alpujarras.

And what about people living in fantasy worlds? If you can wrap your mind around life where ghouls roam the streets at night but you're more likely to die at the hands of a demon, well, putting yourself in the shoes of someone of another gender in your own world really isn't so difficult.

(For the record, I often write from the female perspective. Generally I write the characters just as people.)

 

[LupusDei]

I've read but very few stories written by men in a female voice or from the female perspective, but I'm damned sure I've read none by women in a male vouce or from the male perspective.

Just saying, I'm pretty sure I have read such here. For quick example that comes to mind first, say "Saturday Night Shool" by jessica_tang_vonharper, I would be totally surprised to learn she's actually a guy... the way she gets some subtleties "wrong" (imho) and how she's doing the crazy girl, it's all very feminine voice shining through, but the nominal narrative protagonist is a guy all the same.

 

[Husky_Embrace]

I do write from the perspectives of a woman pretty often. It is a fun exercise and helps you find different perspectives. From my talks with women I think their desire for sex isn't necessarily lower, it is simply more selective.

Even with my pretty open view and regular talks with woman I'm sure I'm often not right on the money for their perspectives. There's certainly still a man perspective in there.

I've wanted to flip the script in a way. I've been thinking about a contest where each sex tries to write the fantasy of the opposite sex. So you'll get over the top male fantasies written by women, and over the top female fantasies written by men. the results can be as hilarious as they can be offending, but it'll get a lot of discussion going. People getting into perspectives they never have thought about before, or only finding out how far off they are off the mark afterwards.

 

[Husky_Embrace]

I think I may have come across a few women writing male characters. It's hard to tell, though.

A lot of the male written female characters are nothing more than these porn stereotypes, who become out of control lust crazed nymphs when they come across an enormous schwanzstucher. I'm not a woman myself, but they don't come across as very authentic. Not that women don't care at all about that kind of stuff, but I don't think they obsess over it quite like that either. I usually bale on those kind of stories pretty quickly. I can watch porn videos for that kind of thing.

But how else can we know the women are attracted to them? Only if it's the biggest schlong they have ever seen, making them slide off their chair of wetness straight onto that big cock, with an instant orgasm to boot.

As far as I can tell only a percentage is enthusiastic about big cock, while others are more concerned with their cervix becoming a trampoline and how few positions can be done comfortably.

I agree. Nymph's and the like are male fantasies, and just like non erotica I like it better when there's more depth to a character. More than just the length of the cock.

 

[StillStunned]

I've read but very few stories written by men in a female voice or from the female perspective, but I'm damned sure I've read none by women in a male vouce or from the male perspective.

Through the Watching Glass by @EmilyMiller.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Through the Watching Glass by @EmilyMiller.

@UtilityCurve - I’ve even written from the POV of a male telepathic space octopus…

Coleoidal Control (Mind control, but with consent).

My first attempt to write male POV was Fragile. Back then I asked several guys I knew to take a look at the draft and tell me how I did. But now I don’t worry so much. I am a firm believer that humans share more in common than they have differences.

I’m guessing, but I think maybe around 5-10% of my stories with a protagonist as narator are male voice. It’s fun to try a different perspective. I often chose male narator if I want to conceal something about the FMC.

The feedback from some men has been that my MMCs are too emotional and notice color and clothing too much. The feedback from women has been that I nailed it. Make of that what you will .

 

[sirhugs]

I'm thinking of moving this thread to the Author's Hangout but will wait a day for feedback- or for someone to flip the switch from discussing gender and POV to an actual story idea.

 

[Husky_Embrace]

@UtilityCurve you might actually want to move this to the Author Hangout. It seems more suitable. If you're still curious to a story idea:

FLIP
Pierce was invited by Yvonne. She had been nervous about her invention. It was based on his research, and she was afraid it would be too dangerous to be put to use. That was his first clue it was too dangerous. Otherwise people aren't nervous about it.

The evening was falling on the modern but abandoned industrial park. Cameras could be seen everywhere if you looked beyond the frivolous designs and colours. If you looked even closer you would see that the buildings were fortresses of themselves.

He was let in by the sarcastic chAIt bot. Yvonne loved that sort of thing. Said it kept her grounded. Inside a huge hall was a machine. The rest of the floor was barren, with the exception of a table, chair and coffee machine. They talked over some tea, though he quickly started about the machine. It was clear Yvonne could hardly think about anything else.

[too long]

Originally I wrote something similar but with other gender roles. My flip was that I wrote for a woman who flipped, experiencing how it was to be a man. To first touch him/herself, then getting offered to experience his point of view while fucking herself. I flipped that script to the outline above. I hope that is flipping great to you.

 

[EmilyMiller]

I often chose male narator if I want to conceal something about the FMC.

Cannonical example: Off the Shoulder.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

I start from the presumptions that (a) most Lit stories are written by str8 men, particularly if we don't include "Gay Male," (b) that most authors write in the voice of their perspective/sex, male or female.

Now (b) in particular may be essential to some, most, maybe even all but me. You know, verisimilitude and all.

But I propose that it's a bit more rewarding to read when the author has flipped the script, writing in the voice or perspective of the opposite sex.

See, I already know, top to bottom, what at least one man experiences with sex. If I write something in that voice, women get an authentic if unique (and I'm a stickler for not using "unique" when I should say "distinctive") male viewpoint of the joys of bring with a woman.

I've read but very few stories written by men in a female voice or from the female perspective, but I'm damned sure I've read none by women in a male vouce or from the male perspective.

We ALL wonder what our partners feel, think, etc., when they are with us, and couples with great communication can clear up some of the mtstery, but in fiction, the limits are, well, unlimited.

I'd be enthralled this by a story that tells me what the woman thinks the man wants, feels, experiences, hopes for and all the other things truly intimate sex involves.

Not a "traditional" story idea, but then again the whole idea is nontraditional.

First person from the male perspective:
https://www.literotica.com/s/camp-tomaqaudle



Third person close from the male POV:
https://www.literotica.com/s/love-with-the-proper-stranger

 

[YmaOHyd]

I've read but very few stories written by men in a female voice or from the female perspective, but I'm damned sure I've read none by women in a male vouce or from the male perspective.

Jacqueline Carey's Imriel trilogy is written in first person with a male narrator, as is her standalone Cassiel's Servant.

 

[Trionyx]

It can be done and successfully so. A comment on one of my stories (Shivering Sarah) written from the female point of view:

"Wow. Just, wow. You are either a woman or you had help. That was the best female character lead story I have read on here. Sweet Jesus."

No, I am not a woman and no, I did not have help. This one comment made my day and then some.

 

[MelissaBaby]

My series, Mary and Alvin and my Christmas story, If Only In My Dreams, are divided pretty much evenly into male and female perspective. Both have won awards, so I believe I can confidently say it worked to the reader's satisfaction.

I have written from a male perspective in a few other stories as well.

 

[iwatchus]

I have written slightly more from female POV than male, but both are common for me (I am male). Trying to count in my head I think 30 of my 47 published gendered stories are female POV. I think I slightly prefer writing from the female perspective. My only prize was for a male perspective, so maybe I should do that more, but I get pretty good ratings for my female POV stories. And three of my four lowest rated stories are male POV.

 

[NuclearFairy]

My first story was written from the male perspective. Although all of the short stories I wrote while writing that were written from the female perspective. I didn't write my first male perspective short story until I started writing a long story that was mostly from a female perspective... Just realized that.

But anyways, people of both genders write from the other perspective all the time. Although, it is also not too uncommon to see people asking about how to write from the other genders perspective. I've seen it both here, and in the other places I frequent.

 

[Rambling_Chantrix]

Many of my early stories were written from a 'male' POV. Scare quotes because those POVs all turned out to be transfem

I've now written at least one story from the POV of a cis gay dude. Someday I'll try writing a straight dude's POV, for fun.

 

[CalBishForNow]

Cishet guy here. My first story published here was from the perspective of a straight woman. Just over half my stories so far have been from a woman's perspective. Every protagonist has been straight, though. Maybe I should do something about that someday.

 

[ColtonWrites]

I would bet money you have read stories written by women that are male POV, without realizing it.

 

[Milo_Grigsby]

I am and probably always will be terrified to attempt to write from a female 1st person POV, especially when writing any type of erotica or erotic fiction. At best, I would just be pulling from tropes or referencing female erotic writers like Erica Jong or Ingeborg Day. At worst, I would be guessing and getting it completely wrong. I know that when I write from a male first person POV or 3rd person and depict female behaviors and reactions, I can at least base it on my personal observations. Admittedly there is a male bias in the latter, but I can at least attempt to compensate for that. I have mad respect for any male writer who has the courage to venture into that realm and gets it right.

 

[Rambling_Chantrix]

I am and probably always will be terrified to attempt to write from a female 1st person POV, especially when writing any type of erotica or erotic fiction. At best, I would just be pulling from tropes or referencing female erotic writers like Erica Jong or Ingeborg Day. At worst, I would be guessing and getting it completely wrong. I know that when I write from a male first person POV or 3rd person and depict female behaviors and reactions, I can at least base it on my personal observations. Admittedly there is a male bias in the latter, but I can at least attempt to compensate for that. I have mad respect for any male writer who has the courage to venture into that realm and gets it right.

You didn't ask for input or advice, but "terrified" sounds extreme, and I just wanna reassure you that it's within your grasp if you're ever willing to do the work.

You can always just jump in headfirst. Doing it poorly doesn't take much—and doesn't cost much—and you can get feedback that will help guide you in better directions.

But there's also ancillary work you can do around breaking down preconceptions you hold of the divisions between men and women (and people of other marginalized gender identities). Making friends and talking to them about their experiences (and really listening) is a great tool. Doing a gender journey is another (yes, cis people can do them; and actually, you can in this manner unlock the coveted 'supercis' status of being an examined cis person who knows they're cis). There's an idiom somewhere here about wearing other people's shoes. It's probably applicable.

 

[Britva415]

I don't anticipate writing from a first-person female perspective, but I've done close-ish third and would do it again.

But I have grown to avoid first-person anyway. It isn't about gender.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

Just have your male lead spit, grab his crotch and talk about sports. Oh, and fix things by hitting or kicking them : P

 

[Statius]

Most of my stories are from my MFC 1st person. I didn't even hesitate to write that way and that was long, almost 2 yrs, before I even looked at the forums.

Straight white male here.