Should I write the first person as me or him?

[ashlee777]

Hey, I'm new here.

I'm a girl in my 20s and I wanted to try writing about some of my fantasies (mostly incest, father/daughter brother/sister). I've never done it before, so I'm not sure how it will turn out, but we'll see I guess.

My question is, I started writing and so far so good. I'm writing with me (female) as the first person, fictional of course. But i was thinking that maybe people on here would want to read it with the man as the first person. Stereotypically, it's probably men that will be reading the stories most of the time. Any thoughts or suggestions on this? Do Literotica members have any preferences if the man or woman is written as the first person? Thx
I'm quite naive on this, so I thought i'd ask. Sorry if this seems like a stupid question.

 

[amicus]

Hello and welcome to the forum...

My only advice would be to write what you are comfortable with; dismiss what your readers may prefer and do what you need to do to tell the story.

I have a story, "I'm a Girl", a rape/incest story, that may still be posted here and I wrote it from the female pov although I am a male.

I think, perhaps, what you want to say, as your author's message in the story, should be uppermost in your mind...not what others will think.

Best wishes for your story...

amicus

 

[litfan10]

Hey, I'm new here.

I'm a girl in my 20s and I wanted to try writing about some of my fantasies (mostly incest, father/daughter brother/sister). I've never done it before, so I'm not sure how it will turn out, but we'll see I guess.

My question is, I started writing and so far so good. I'm writing with me (female) as the first person, fictional of course. But i was thinking that maybe people on here would want to read it with the man as the first person. Stereotypically, it's probably men that will be reading the stories most of the time. Any thoughts or suggestions on this? Do Literotica members have any preferences if the man or woman is written as the first person? Thx
I'm quite naive on this, so I thought i'd ask. Sorry if this seems like a stupid question.

Hey ashlee777 (same one as in the sexual roleplay forum?? If so nice work there!)

It's important to think of your audience when you write, but you can get really bogged down fast if you constantly play to reader desire. It's impossible as for every person who hates something - some else will love it.

As Amicus said, write what comes natural to you. It's natural so it'll work better in the long run. How it comes out of you is the way you should write it, especially when learning!

Good luck and have fun! Welcome to the AH!

 

[talismania]

Ashlee, I agree it's best to simply let the story tell itself without thinking too much (or at all) about your audience at this point.

Thinking too much about readers and who they are or what they might want can mess with a writer's mind. Ultimately it all comes down to readers wanting to find a fun, moving or powerful story . . . whatever it is they're looking for.

Not every reader is looking for the same thing. In fact, they are here looking for very different things. Your story will appeal to a lot of people no matter which audience you write it for. So have fun with it!

 

[TheeGoatPig]

I am a man and I prefer the female first person. I hate reading about men as the main characters for some reason.

 

[Stella_Omega]

I am a man and I prefer the female first person. I hate reading about men as the main characters for some reason.

A lot of men do.

Plus a lot of men really want to believe that women want the kind of sex they (the men) want to read about. So if you write as a woman, they find that encouraging.

On the other hand, if you want to stretch your skills by writing from another point of view-- I say go for it, but for yourself as a writer, not for your readership. One of the great things about posting to tjhe internet is the feedback you get. it can be a fast way to learn.

 

[Carnevil9]

My advice is to start writing it three ways: Female POV, male POV, and third person POV. After a few paragraphs of each, you'll probably get a feeling for which one is working best for you. Good luck!.........Carney

 

[bronzeage]

Hey, I'm new here.

I'm a girl in my 20s and I wanted to try writing about some of my fantasies (mostly incest, father/daughter brother/sister). I've never done it before, so I'm not sure how it will turn out, but we'll see I guess.

My question is, I started writing and so far so good. I'm writing with me (female) as the first person, fictional of course. But i was thinking that maybe people on here would want to read it with the man as the first person. Stereotypically, it's probably men that will be reading the stories most of the time. Any thoughts or suggestions on this? Do Literotica members have any preferences if the man or woman is written as the first person? Thx
I'm quite naive on this, so I thought i'd ask. Sorry if this seems like a stupid question.

For some reason, a lot of Lit readers assume any story in the first person voice is a personal history and think everything they read really happened.

There is no accounting for any reader's preference. I don't believe it should be a factor in the writers choice, unless the story is written for one specific person.

The main drawback of first person is the limit it puts on the narrative. The story is limited to what the narrating character knows and learns. If his aftershave makes her pussy wet because her father wore the same scent, he'll never know unless she says something. If he really is her father, that's another matter.

I have used first person in many short stories, but I find 3rd person more versatile for longer work.

 

[Liar]

Hey, I'm new here.

I'm a girl in my 20s and I wanted to try writing about some of my fantasies (mostly incest, father/daughter brother/sister). I've never done it before, so I'm not sure how it will turn out, but we'll see I guess.

My question is, I started writing and so far so good. I'm writing with me (female) as the first person, fictional of course. But i was thinking that maybe people on here would want to read it with the man as the first person. Stereotypically, it's probably men that will be reading the stories most of the time. Any thoughts or suggestions on this? Do Literotica members have any preferences if the man or woman is written as the first person? Thx
I'm quite naive on this, so I thought i'd ask. Sorry if this seems like a stupid question.

Wecome to the madhouse.

As long as it's a good story, I don't think it matters much. Some may have a POV preference, but most readers' pereference for an erotic story is: "is it hot"?

And in order for it to be hot, write it the way that works most effortless for you, from a perspective that you think is hot, with plot and charachets that you think are sexy, and with a languiage that turns you on when you read it.

Chances are that unless you're totally weird , others will find it hot too.

 

[scouries]

http://www.angelic-scarlett.com/ashlee-simpson.jpg QUOTE Ashley Hey, I'm new here. I'm a girl in my 20s and I wanted to try writing about some of my fantasies (mostly incest, father/daughter brother/sister). I've never done it before, so I'm not sure how it will turn out, but we'll see I guess.

My question is, I started writing and so far so good. I'm writing with me (female) as the first person, fictional of course. But i was thinking that maybe people on here would want to read it with the man as the first person. Stereotypically, it's probably men that will be reading the stories most of the time. Any thoughts or suggestions on this? Do Literotica members have any preferences if the man or woman is written as the first person? Thx

Hello Ashlee,

FYI The most popular father/daughter stories on the site feature the daughter as the ‘first person’. They are significantly more popular than father/daughter stories where the father is the ‘first person’ (I know this from writing these stories both ways).

Mother/son stories work both ways pretty equally.

As do brother/sister stories.

However, even in the later two cases you’ll get more comments and emails (if not more views and votes) if you use the female POV.

I’m relatively shy about promoting my own writing but in this case, to give you an idea, I’m going to suggest you read the following story. It’s a daughter/daddy story from the daughters POV and is presently regarded as the best story in this category on the LITEROTICA site. I hope you enjoy it.

Good luck with your story - let me know when it’s up and published and I'll give it a read - jim

[size=+3]

”Daddy”, I Whispered

http://www.literotica.com/stories/showstory.php?id=242587[/SIZE]​

[size=+2]james r scouries esq.[/size]
Multiple A.I.R. AWARD winner, MILLION SELLER,
Author of the MOST COMMENTED on
and the MOST VOTED on story on LITEROTICA

 

[Stella_Omega]

My advice is to start writing it three ways: Female POV, male POV, and third person POV. After a few paragraphs of each, you'll probably get a feeling for which one is working best for you. Good luck!.........Carney

Best advice out of this entire thread.

 

[sr71plt]

Best advice out of this entire thread.

Or start writing it in the voice you think works best and if you find that you are having a hard go keeping from writing in another, change it. Although I rarely change it, when I review a work I'm trying to do in third person, I find that I've sometimes switched to first person on either the protagonist or some side character viewing the action. I'm identifying with one of the characters even though I was trying to step farther out of the action.

 

[Big_Kahuna_69]

Write a story that you would want to read. For my own part, first person female is hot, especially when written by an actual female. As it happens my next planned piece will be first person female, and as I don't have a vagina I expect it will be a right bitch-kitty.

 

[Guest]

All of this is good advice

Delete

 

[Verdad]

I am a man and I prefer the female first person. I hate reading about men as the main characters for some reason.

I am a woman and I prefer male first person. I hate reading about women as main characters for some reason.



On a serious note, I’m with everyone else, Ashley. Tell it the way the story needs to be told.

 

[ashlee777]

Thank u for your comments everyone. I have some ideas to work with. It will be a few months til its done i think, since i dont have too much time to work on it. But i'll see how it goes.

 

[HeyAll]

Interesting post Scouries; I definetly learned something there.


But for me, it doesn't matter who's pov it is. It all depends on the story and the angle. Either way would be hot.


I wrote a father/daughter two part story (as seen in my sig) and it's told from the father's pov. Now that I think about it, my particular story only works from the father's perspective. If I took the same plot and told it from the daughter's pov, I don't think it would be as intersting.

So like i said, it all depends on the plot.

 

[Metamorphose]

New Advice - Third person POV

Much easier.
Contrary to belief, 1st person is hard, really hard. You got to keep a unique enough voice for the entire story, otherwise the repeated –
I did, I fucked, I licked, I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I
Soon enough start to sound like bloated ego and make the reader wanna grab the writer by the throat and do all kind of stuff to him (See the non-consent section, minus the pleasure).
A story teller must be transparent to the reader. The reader must never hear his voice in order for him to get involved in a story. Very hard to do in fst person. Few like Mark Twain can get away with it. So far I’ve only read a single writer here who writes in 1st person worth mentioning (oneSilk if you’re interested) and I’ve read a few (including the ‘best story on Literotica’ from the shy guy in the other post. Looking at his signature I believe he and his therapist must have solved that shyness problem pretty good, they might consider taking it back a bit.)

My advice to you. If this is your first piece. Choose 3rd person instead, much easier. When you’re comfy with it, you can consider going 1st again.

Cheers

 

[Bebeslut]

I have to disagree -- respectfully -- with Metamorphose. I find writing in the first person makes for a much less contrived-sounding story. Of course, the talent of the writer has a lot to do with how contrived a story sounds.
I agree wholeheartedly with all the commentators who urge you to write the way you feel most comfortable with.
And I note this: back when I was writing confessional porn for all those Penthouse Letters type of magazines, the author's guidelines always stated "write from the female point of view." That is, I suppose, because the main audience was male, and guys like to put themselves into the story ("I felt his massive cock invade me." "Yeah, baby! That's me!")
Having said that, I'll also note that I write exclusively from the female point of view and some of the most appreciative comments I've gotten were from women.
Follow your muse. She's probably female.

 

[sr71plt]

I wrote a father/daughter two part story (as seen in my sig) and it's told from the father's pov. Now that I think about it, my particular story only works from the father's perspective. If I took the same plot and told it from the daughter's pov, I don't think it would be as intersting.

Oh, I don't know. I think writing a two-part take on the same story from both the father's and daughter's POV makes for a very interesting story. I've done that a couple of times with stories. Not father and daughter, though.

Have several very-well-received books out with a cowriter where we each take a character and work through the same plot from two (or more) character's perspectives. Such multiangle looks at the same circumstance can be both revealing and entertaining.

 

[sr71plt]

Much easier.
Contrary to belief, 1st person is hard, really hard. You got to keep a unique enough voice for the entire story, otherwise the repeated –
I did, I fucked, I licked, I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I
Soon enough start to sound like bloated ego and make the reader wanna grab the writer by the throat and do all kind of stuff to him (See the non-consent section, minus the pleasure).
A story teller must be transparent to the reader. The reader must never hear his voice in order for him to get involved in a story. Very hard to do in fst person. Few like Mark Twain can get away with it. So far I’ve only read a single writer here who writes in 1st person worth mentioning (oneSilk if you’re interested) and I’ve read a few (including the ‘best story on Literotica’ from the shy guy in the other post. Looking at his signature I believe he and his therapist must have solved that shyness problem pretty good, they might consider taking it back a bit.)

My advice to you. If this is your first piece. Choose 3rd person instead, much easier. When you’re comfy with it, you can consider going 1st again.

Cheers

I teach writing. Although I say write in whatever person seems best to you, the most successful (in terms of compeling writing) results by beginning writers has, in fact, been in the first person. And it's the natural voice for erotica.

Third person is usually the choice of those who never really learn to write compeling stories. They continue to be too detached from the plot and the characters.

 

[Metamorphose]

Not really

< Third person is usually the choice of those who never really learn to write compelling stories. They continue to be too detached from the plot and the characters.>

You mean like Dostoyevsky, Chekov, Bulgakov, Tolstoy, Steinbeck, Marquez, Borges, Vergas, Hardy, Austin, London, PKD, – should I continue?.
No disrespect for your teaching skills, but your claim doesn’t have a grain of truth in it. You can write a detached plot in 1st person and the Crime and Punishment or Master and Margarita in 3rd person. All depends on your skill.
Speaking with first voice doesn't automatically makes the reader involved.

All I said and I’m standing by it, first person may look easier or convenient, the result is usually lacking. It requires much greater skill than 3rd person.

 

[sr71plt]

< Third person is usually the choice of those who never really learn to write compelling stories. They continue to be too detached from the plot and the characters.>

You mean like Dostoyevsky, Chekov, Bulgakov, Tolstoy, Steinbeck, Marquez, Borges, Vergas, Hardy, Austin, London, PKD, – should I continue?.
No disrespect for your teaching skills, but your claim doesn’t have a grain of truth in it. You can write a detached plot in 1st person and the Crime and Punishment or Master and Margarita in 3rd person. All depends on your skill.
Speaking with first voice doesn't automatically makes the reader involved.

All I said and I’m standing by it, first person may look easier or convenient, the result is usually lacking. It requires much greater skill than 3rd person.

I didn't realize that those authors were either beginners or wrote erotica. Yes, perhaps you should continue--with authors relevant to the topic of the thread.

Not that I posted that there are authors who can't write third person well.

I can tell from your six chapters of one running story in one category posted to this site that you are an authority on the topic.

 

[sr71plt]

It's fine to have your own opinions, Met. And I've already posted to this thread that I think a writer can just start writing (or rewrite) to the voice that seems the most useful and authentic to that particular story.

But you came on like gangbusters with all sorts of screwy reasoning of why first person "can't" work.

Probably the primary guidance given in writing a story is to show not tell. As far as I can tell you have nothing to show to back up the validity of your opinions when a writer in his/her early development of writing erotica reads this thread.

I'll stand by my view that although either first or third person can be made to work (and second for a short piece that is deftly handled--by someone who actually knows what second person is), first is by far the easiest and most effective for erotica because erotica is all about the reader putting her/himself in the place of one of the characters--and, most effectively, in the place of the story's narrator. It's the most intimate voice. And if your erotica isn't intimate, in what sense is it erotic?

 

[Bebeslut]

Here's hoping this thread doesn't degenerate into personal squabbling like so many threads do.
That is why when I disagreed with Metamorphose, I made sure to include the word "respectfully."
The whole point of threads like this is to offer advice to the newbies.