Dilemmas when writing speculative fiction

[StillStunned]

Fantasy and sci-fi are great for letting your imagination run wild. Even if you're going for a more grounded setting, you can still come up with outlandish stuff and your readers won't bat an eyelid.

Right now I'm writing a story about a hapless sorcerer's apprentice who summons a succubus. Great fun, of course. But because he's so hapless she decides to show him how it's done - by putting on a show with some imps.

In my description of the succubus, I decided to give her a tail. Because, well, sexy. It goes with the red hair, the curves, and the flame bikini that's all she's wearing.

But now with three imps going wild on her, the tail gets in the way. I almost forgot about it, and then thought about ignoring it, and now I've decided to just delete the mention in her description. It's a shame, but this succubus will just have to make do without.

Has anyone else had to make these choices? Between aesthetics and practicalities, for example?

 

[Erozetta]

Fantasy and sci-fi are great for letting your imagination run wild. Even if you're going for a more grounded setting, you can still come up with outlandish stuff and your readers won't bat an eyelid.

Right now I'm writing a story about a hapless sorcerer's apprentice who summons a succubus. Great fun, of course. But because he's so hapless she decides to show him how it's done - by putting on a show with some imps.

In my description of the succubus, I decided to give her a tail. Because, well, sexy. It goes with the red hair, the curves, and the flame bikini that's all she's wearing.

But now with three imps going wild on her, the tail gets in the way. I almost forgot about it, and then thought about ignoring it, and now I've decided to just delete the mention in her description. It's a shame, but this succubus will just have to make do without.

Has anyone else had to make these choices? Between aesthetics and practicalities, for example?

You could always make the tail out of smoke, leave it up to the readers to question if it's actually a tail or an optical illusion from the flame bikini.

 

[BlazonG]

That’s a non-issue. Succubi are shape shifters and can have a tail one minute and not the next.

 

[NotWise]

Couldn't she just move her tail to the side, like a cat in heat? Maybe wrap it around herself to keep it out of the way.

Overcoming those conflicts is part of the fun of speculative fiction, and I'll include most erotica under "speculative fiction."

 

[StillStunned]

You could always make the tail out of smoke, leave it up to the readers to question if it's actually a tail or an optical illusion from the flame bikini.

Ooo, I like this! I've been wondering about giving her horns too, and this could be the perfect solution.

That’s a non-issue. Succubi are shape shifters and can have a tail one minute and not the next.

I prefer my demons to have a single immutable "demon" form, even if they can disguise themselves as humans too.

 

[Off_base]

The very first story I started, two females jogging in the rain crossed paths at the exact moment a sink hole opened up, trapping them below ground in a precarious position(sixty-nine) for several hours, setting the scene for some unexpected naughty behavior.
Then I realized they'd probably be hurt, at least bruised from the fall, panicky because they were trapped, and would probably have to pee at some point, all of which could never have led to a credible sexy plot.

 

[StillStunned]

Couldn't she just move her tail to the side, like a cat in heat? Maybe wrap it around herself to keep it out of the way.

Yes, but there are three imps. You know, for the full service. I think a tail would just get in the way.

 

[Statius]

The tail being in the way could make for some fun awkward comedy?

 

[StillStunned]

The tail being in the way could make for some fun awkward comedy?

That's an idea, but the concept is that the sorcerer is awkward and inexperienced, and the succubus is completely in command. I think the comic relief would diminish that contrast.

 

[Statius]

That's an idea, but the concept is that the sorcerer is awkward and inexperienced, and the succubus is completely in command. I think the comic relief would diminish that contrast.

That makes sense. Of course the imps could use the tail on her, or rather in her.

 

[TheLobster]

How large is this tail of hers? Is it a thick slab of meat (ahem) and scales which hangs all the way to the ground, like in many depictions of dragon tails? If so, then sure, I can see how it might get in the way.

But maybe the solution is not to eliminate it but change it? In my succubus story, which is completely coincidentally titled Winding Tails, I equipped the succubi with very long, very thin tails that could coil into many kinds of useful shapes and that ultimately had a rather large relevance to the overall plot.

Perhaps something similar would work for your fiery demon?

 

[EmilyMiller]

But now with three imps going wild on her, the tail gets in the way. I almost forgot about it, and then thought about ignoring it, and now I've decided to just delete the mention in her description. It's a shame, but this succubus will just have to make do without.

My angels and demons can absorb their supernatural appendages (or grow other ones). No problem. Emma has a tail when it suits her / the plot and not otherwise.

 

[crookedletter]

I like a lot of the ideas presented here, and I think they mostly point to one of the glorious things about any speculative "dilemmas": you can invent your way out of it. The tail is sentient and when the time comes for imp sex he scurries off the observe some propriety. The tail is visible and touchable when desired, but when it's in the way it ceases to occupy space in this dimension. The tail is retractable; or during sex it merges with the flesh of the succubus's partners.

You make up the rules in speculative fiction. That's why it's fun. It's only a dilemma until you make up the rule that waves it away, or even makes it an asset.

 

[EmilyMiller]

You make up the rules in speculative fiction.

I’m my supernatural stories, it’s magic and anything goes. In SciFi I try to have some in universe explanation (e.g. no FTL travel, no teleporting in the Star Trek sense).

 

[Bazzle]

Fantasy and sci-fi are great for letting your imagination run wild. Even if you're going for a more grounded setting, you can still come up with outlandish stuff and your readers won't bat an eyelid.

Right now I'm writing a story about a hapless sorcerer's apprentice who summons a succubus. Great fun, of course. But because he's so hapless she decides to show him how it's done - by putting on a show with some imps.

In my description of the succubus, I decided to give her a tail. Because, well, sexy. It goes with the red hair, the curves, and the flame bikini that's all she's wearing.

But now with three imps going wild on her, the tail gets in the way. I almost forgot about it, and then thought about ignoring it, and now I've decided to just delete the mention in her description. It's a shame, but this succubus will just have to make do without.

Has anyone else had to make these choices? Between aesthetics and practicalities, for example?

I can't "do" imps and stuff...my brain hurts thinking about it

 

[CalBishForNow]

How scary is this story of yours supposed to be? How funny? How sexy?

Trying to follow human practices with nonhuman bodies can get very weird, very easily. There was a post in the Story Ideas forum a few days ago about how sexual reproduction works for certain non-human species. A lot of it could only appear in the Sci-fi/Fantasy or Erotic Horror categories. If you want this to have a horrific feel, then you can totally have the tail bending or changing in ways no vertebrate's appendage could, and have it weird out the apprentice. If you want it to be funny, you could have it weird out the succubus.

 

[StillStunned]

I like a lot of the ideas presented here, and I think they mostly point to one of the glorious things about any speculative "dilemmas": you can invent your way out of it. The tail is sentient and when the time comes for imp sex he scurries off the observe some propriety. The tail is visible and touchable when desired, but when it's in the way it ceases to occupy space in this dimension. The tail is retractable; or during sex it merges with the flesh of the succubus's partners.

You make up the rules in speculative fiction. That's why it's fun. It's only a dilemma until you make up the rule that waves it away, or even makes it an asset.

But the solution needs to fit the "tone" of the story. And it shouldn't distract the reader too much from the real action.

If the tail is just their as a gimmick or for the aesthetics, I'd rather leave it out and make the storytelling smoother.

 

[crookedletter]

But the solution needs to fit the "tone" of the story. And it shouldn't distract the reader too much from the real action.

If the tail is just their as a gimmick or for the aesthetics, I'd rather leave it out and make the storytelling smoother.

That's fair, and generally I agree.

I haven't read much -- read: any -- succubus/imp erotica, but my instinct would be to imagine that a tail that behaves by strange physical rules would fit right in. But if not? Yeah, absolutely, nix the tail.

 

[MillieDynamite]

Mary's @theWolstonecraftWoman has a Halloween entry under her alternate pen (at another site where the writers' identities are not disclosed until after the contest is over), where one of the characters is wearing a panther costume, and the tale keeps twitching. Which, you know, shouldn't happen with a costume. It's probably a violation for me to mention that much. So, keep it under your hat.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

I did a story that was Succubi adjacent (things are deliberately left vague). I went with the long windy tail because it had so much potential, and also fits the classic look. The MMC believes it's just a costume and at one point thinks the tail is wrapping around him, pulling him into her. But of course it can't be, because it's just a costume...

I doubt if your readers are going to get too worked up over the exact physiology of the tail and how it interferes with a DP scene.

 

[cw5523729]

(at another site where the writers' identities are not disclosed until after the contest is over)

Hey, that's an awesome idea!

 

[Kelliezgirl]

Hey, that's an awesome idea!

Yeah, but then people wouldn't be able to complain that they didn't win because they were 1 bombed.

 

[MillieDynamite]

Only paying premier subscribers can read and vote on the stories. This shuts out all writers who've earned their premier subscription. Doesn't mean someone doesn't have a paid subscription, but how much advantage is that? None.

Hey, that's an awesome idea!

 

[cw5523729]

Yeah, but then people wouldn't be able to complain that they didn't win because they were 1 bombed.

Pfft! Amateur. Of course they could. I'd know which story was mine so I could still 1-bomb everyone else and tell all my friends which one was mine.


Wait, everyone else might do that too...

 

[NuclearFairy]

How big are the imps?

The tail is sentient and when the time comes for imp sex he scurries off the observe some propriety.

As funny as that is, it also makes a certain amount of sense. In cephalopods, the limbs have their own brains and can act independently of the main animal. True they don't make the brightest of decisions when cut loose so the main brain is still the brains of the operation... But I could totally see this being applied to demonic tails and amped up.