How Much Intro is Too Much Intro?

[bashfullyshameless]

Obviously the answer is "write what you are comfortable with," but...

I am working on a (new) story (potentially a series; it's got some length to it) centering on a couple. The bulk of the story will be once they're married, but I'm currently writing how they first meet. It offers a lot of exposition about the two characters, buuuttt...they don't jump in the sack right away. Instead, you see what's going on in their lives right before they first meet. And then the first meeting.

I'm a little concerned. I'm about 9 pages in on Word, and I don't think there is yet a moment wherein the reader will go, "AHAH! There's the PLOT!" I could remedy that right away with a prologue that sets up the plot for later, of course, but then I have to ditch my exciting first page. There is also the fact that this is Literotica, and I imagine most readers here would prefer things get to Teh Sexxings before too long...though I admit I feel I'm still rather new here.

One learns a lot about the main characters, and I like to think that what I've written so far is engaging and appealing, but so far it's definitely character-driven rather than plot-driven.

Do such stories tend to turn readers (here, at least) off? I'm inclined to go with my instincts, but I'm curious what people think. How long will you read something where the plot isn't immediately recognizable before you growl, "Get to the point already!?"

 

[sr71plt]

Obviously the answer is "write what you are comfortable with," but...

No, not really. The answer is how much you can write and still keep the reader with you, which depends on what has to be there up front , how interesting it is, and how good you are at writing it. Which becomes a question that can't be responded to with universal, pat answers.

 

[bashfullyshameless]

No, not really. The answer is how much you can write and still keep the reader with you, which depends on what has to be there up front , how interesting it is, and how good you are at writing it. Which becomes a question that can't be responded to with universal, pat answers.

I don't really expect universal, pat answers. I was curious to know if anyone had thoughts on it, though. Is the "get to the point already?" reaction something that you find yourself having a lot as a reader? Do you prefer to really know your characters well before the plot kicks into gear? Does it seem disjointed to you when you learn something vital about a character well into the plot, such that it seems thrown in by the author (i.e., you can tell all along that zeppelins will be important, but it's already page 150 before you find out that Bob can fly a zeppelin and always could!)?

 

[sr71plt]

There aren't any magic bullets for this sort of thing--although I'm sure there are folks here who will give you a pat answer--or an anecdotal one based on something completely irrelevant to you and your writing. This is why it's called creative writing and market driven.

If someone answers this sort of question without looking at the specific work, I'd question their usefulness, if I were you. But, I'm not you, so go right ahead. Sorry I responded.

 

[lauren26f]

Movies run 1 hour and 30 minutes to two hours for a reason. Audience gets bored. Hope there is a lot of sexual tension in those 9 pages. Sounds like you know the back story only needs a chapter not a book.

 

[lauren26f]

Romance found in a survey that romance novels needed more sex in them. Don't see many stories on this site with 9 pages till any sex.

 

[Noira]

I imagine that's nine pages in Word, which isn't even one Lit page depending on your font size.

There is a clear cut answer for this: write what your story requires, in order to be told.

If you're writing a novel, nine pages without sex is not a big deal. If you're writing a short story, yeah... nine pages without sex is probably a huge deal. Ask yourself: am I writing for my readers or am I writing for myself? If the answer is for your readers, then cut out all pretense of a plot and go write some incest wank fics wherein there is 80% sex and 20% backstory, buildup, and character development (which should consist only of physical descriptions and a bit of sexual tension/angst). If the answer is for yourself, then write what's needed for the story. You may need to edit in more plot direction into those nine pages, but there sure doesn't have to be sex if the story doesn't call for sex yet.

BUT REALLY. Nine pages is not all that long. I gave a check of one of my stories... that's 3000 words (size 12 Times, default margins)... that would probably be the first, oh, chapter of an average novel. That's where the setup begins, but definitely not where the action begins.

Are you writing for your readers, or for your story? There's the universal pat answer: write what the story needs to be told in the most effective, compelling way possible. (In my opinion that means no prologues. Ever! Please! For the love of interesting vibrating jelly objects!)

 

[GinaTina]

I'm about 35,000 words in -- no sex yet, but I still have people following it. Plenty of tension though. It's all in how you present it, I think.

Also a large part depends on what type of mood your audience is in. Some want wank, some want a story - some want both at different times. People are fickle.

*sigh*

 

[CWatson]

There is a clear cut answer for this: write what your story requires, in order to be told.

Yes. This.

From personal experience: my best sex work doesn't have any action for almost 20,000 words. My most popular didn't have any until the second chapter of ten. My longest didn't have any until most of the way down Lit-page 3. Now, to be sure, I write stories that revolve way more around characters than sex; the first story mentioned has two examples of full-on intercourse over the course of almost 100,000 words. People who don't like that, shouldn't read my stories. But I don't apologize for writing the way I do. I don't need to.

Furthermore, the pacing of events will tell The Reader something about the length of your story. If characters start having sex by the 5th paragraph, we expect (say) a 20-paragraph story. If characters don't start having sex until 8,000 words have passed, you know you're in for a longer, more luxuruant ride. Chapters are difficult to rate without context, and so part of what you do with the spacing is create that context.

A long period of time in which "nothing happens" is obviously bad... but keep in mind that people have different definitions of "nothing" and "happens".

Finally--because I'm a writer and contractually obligated to shill my own works--I should point out that my story, "The First Ninety Days," seems to concern itself with similar subject matter as your current tale. In particular, the first chapter has a lot of exposition in it. What I ended up doing was setting up the two characters (who are about to get married) and then having the infodump about how they met--followed immediately by "something happens" type action. But, again, they don't get it on for 8,000 words and 3 Lit-pages. A lot of other stuff has to happen first. If you needed inspiration, it's there for the taking.