Back Story

[sbrooks103]

I don't know about other categories, but in LW we get stories which usually involve a married couple, and many writers give extensive backstory about how they grew up, met, dated, etc., etc., that have NOTHING to do with the issue at hand. I mean, they're married, we can assume they met, dates and got married!

Once in a while we may see something that has some relevance, like the girl breaks a date with the hero, and he finds out she went out with an old flame, then after their married she ends up cheating, often with the same guy, but those are rare. Usually the backstory is little more than padding.

Maybe I'm just crabby - never mind, there's no maybe about it! But it just seems to be so much wasted space.

There was a story today that just ended chapter one on page 3 after spending over a page on backstory, and it wasn't even a good stopping point!

 

[NotWise]

I don't know about other categories, but in LW we get stories which usually involve a married couple, and many writers give extensive backstory about how they grew up, met, dated, etc., etc., that have NOTHING to do with the issue at hand. I mean, they're married, we can assume they met, dates and got married!

If I start a story and get nothing but an extended back story, then I stop reading. The back story can be important, but I try to find ways to build in what needs to be said, when it needs to be said.

 

[Kojak01]

If I start a story and get nothing but an extended back story, then I stop reading. The back story can be important, but I try to find ways to build in what needs to be said, when it needs to be said.

Fully with you.

 

[electric1]

I'm with you, too. I wrote an essay listing the 9 biggest problems with stories here, and the first two are:
1) Wasting the reader's time with irrelevant details; and
2) Wasting the reader's time with irrelevant details.

 

[SimonDoom]

I'm with you, too. I wrote an essay listing the 9 biggest problems with stories here, and the first two are:
1) Wasting the reader's time with irrelevant details; and
2) Wasting the reader's time with irrelevant details.

I had never read your essay before but did when you linked to it. I agree with all your points, and liked your essay, although I'll note that there appear to be many Literotica readers who do not agree with all the points.

The best way to handle backstory, in my view, is 1) strip it down to the minimum necessary, and 2) spread it out in the story rather than piling it on right at the beginning. I'm not sure I've always followed those principles but as I become a more aware writer I'm trying harder and harder to do so.

 

[eroticstoryspinner]

The best way to handle backstory, in my view, is 1) strip it down to the minimum necessary, and 2) spread it out in the story rather than piling it on right at the beginning. I'm not sure I've always followed those principles but as I become a more aware writer I'm trying harder and harder to do so.

This. I write SF in my mainstream writing. You often have to convey the world your characters are interacting in. As i write I try to make sure everything that is written is supported by what came before. When i hit a point where additional information is needed to continue reading I try to let the characters provide it. Then move on to the next point. And so on.

 

[yukonnights]

It's possible that the irking factor in the backstory is the way it's delivered. Most of the ones I've run across are written in the "telling mode - just the facts Jack". This is the opposite of the adage to show don't tell. I can imagine plots where a more detailed backstory could be an enhancement, but it needs to be interesting and properly executed.

Actually, this could be a nice self-challenge to play with.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Back stories can sometimes be very useful, mind. I try to work them into the story as it goes along rather than dump them in a heap at the beginning.

 

[ChloeTzang]

Back stories can sometimes be very useful, mind. I try to work them into the story as it goes along rather than dump them in a heap at the beginning.

One of the first lessons I learnt. Back story should be worked in where needed, and less is better.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Back stories can sometimes be very useful, mind. I try to work them into the story as it goes along rather than dump them in a heap at the beginning.

I reckon back story is only needed to give context to the story, and even then, only woven into the story as required.

Unless of course, you start right at the beginning.

God looked up. "For the seventh time, I've told you the light switch is by the door. Will you lot ever listen?"

 

[Vix_Giovanni]

I write stories, no strokers. I create characters, I try to avoid stereotypes. I'll use back stories whenever I feel for it.

Ditto.

 

[SamScribble]

Ditto.

Double ditto.

I have more than a few comments from readers who love the way in which the details are worked into many of my stories.

 

[KeithD]

What? There isn't only one way to write a story? Do tell. What will they think of next?

 

[ChuckWolf]

Back stories can sometimes be very useful, mind. I try to work them into the story as it goes along rather than dump them in a heap at the beginning.

That's what I do.

 

[Handley_Page]

It strikes me that, sometimes, a story (particularly LW) is rather like a well-told joke; a long funny story. The whole point of the length (and thus 'irrelevant' detail) is that the denouement is very sudden; it does not take many sentences to tell.
One example of this is "A Shitty Way To End a Marriage" by QMH11.

I think the long introduction (the back story) can be both useful & pertinent.
has merit;

 

[ChuckWolf]

Also, on a site dedicated to erotic stories, most readers are looking to get things started and not have the story get bogged down with mundane details.

 

[8letters]

I'm with you, too. I wrote an essay listing the 9 biggest problems with stories here, and the first two are:
1) Wasting the reader's time with irrelevant details; and
2) Wasting the reader's time with irrelevant details.

I don't think you'd like my stories as they normally don't have anything overtly sexual for quite some time.

 

[ChloeTzang]

I don't think you'd like my stories as they normally don't have anything overtly sexual for quite some time.

Lol. I can empathize with that. Probably readers of my stories can to.

 

[Rustyoznail]

Lol. I can empathize with that. Probably readers of my stories can to.

Yes, but you have epic battles to tide things over.

 

[ChuckWolf]

Wonder where 'Lit' stands for...

I don't really care for 'most readers', just like they don't care for me.

OK.......

 

[yukonnights]

Also, on a site dedicated to erotic stories, most readers are looking to get things started and not have the story get bogged down with mundane details.

You might want to rethink this. If you check out the most viewed and highest rated stories, I think you'll change your opinion.

Now if you changed; "most readers are" to "I'm". Now it's getting more accurate.

I think one way to look at this is; There are stories, and there are scenes (a piece of a story). Both have their place and both have their audience. It is an amazingly big world...

(Just an aside; I'd really like to know the breakdown of those who read on a cell-phone and those who read on a larger screen. I wonder if this plays a role in reader preferences in regard to length?)

 

[ChuckWolf]

You might want to rethink this. If you check out the most viewed and highest rated stories, I think you'll change your opinion.

I checked out the Most Read stories on Literotica and it did not change my mind.

At first glance, what I saw was an abundance of incest stories, almost entirely dedicated to Mom-Son screwing and, going by the lack of subtlety in the story names, I don't get the sense that most of them spend a lot of time developing the backstories of the main characters.

Not into incest, so I didn't read ANY of them, but I'll give the list another look and get back to you.

 

[Hypoxia]

R.I.P. Charles Portis

Chas Portis has died. He wrote TRUE GRIT and other hilarious novels, all long shaggy dog jokes, strings of vivid unconnected events twistily stopped by anticlimax. Erotica can work thus, too. My well-received journal-style tales are like clusters of fucks, then go down the road for more, then some sort of wrap-up. I'll insinuate crumbs of backstory for a barely-seen framework.

Even if not shaggy dogs, I'll frugally introduce the past -- avoid fat initial data dumps, those steaming piles of backstory sludge. But I may start with a l-i-t-t-l-e shot of background, then either stealthily mix-in more as the tale proceeds, or just shoot on ahead because further setup isn't needed. Or start with action, sneak in some history, then on to more action. Repeat as desired or until imagination departs. Or everyone is fucked to death.

Think of backstories as decorated stages ranging from blatantly baroque to ultra-minimalist. Every detail of decor is a backstory fragment meant to tell SOMETHING just by showing itself. A fully-dressed set can convey period, place, status, etc. An empty set forces audience focus on the words and deeds. Maybe we need to know what led to a situation; maybe not.

 

[yukonnights]

Here's the Top List of Literotica stories -> https://www.literotica.com/top/

Just a quick look at some of the major categories for the number 1 stories;

Anal - 8 pages - 4.80
BDSM - series of at least 20 parts - 4.88
Erotic Couplings - series of at least 20 parts - 4.92
Fetish - series of at least 29 parts - 4.92
Romance - series of at least 20 parts - 4.93
Sci/Fantasy - series of at least 100 parts - 4.93

This brief example should give a fair indication of what the top stories here look like. I think this record indicates that developed stories (longer stories) rise to the top.

A good story can be any length provided the author is capable. It's very clear that different readers are here for different reasons. As I've said before; To be a happy reader - find those authors who write what "you" like. Don't read stories that "you" don't like. It's really quite simple.

 

[NotWise]

Here's the Top List of Literotica stories -> https://www.literotica.com/top/

Just a quick look at some of the major categories for the number 1 stories;

Anal - 8 pages - 4.80
BDSM - series of at least 20 parts - 4.88
Erotic Couplings - series of at least 20 parts - 4.92
Fetish - series of at least 29 parts - 4.92
Romance - series of at least 20 parts - 4.93
Sci/Fantasy - series of at least 100 parts - 4.93

This brief example should give a fair indication of what the top stories here look like. I think this record indicates that developed stories (longer stories) rise to the top.

A good story can be any length provided the author is capable. It's very clear that different readers are here for different reasons. As I've said before; To be a happy reader - find those authors who write what "you" like. Don't read stories that "you" don't like. It's really quite simple.

The score seems like the authors' preferred way of looking at how a story rates. If you look at the number of favorites or the number of views then you will get completely different rankings.

The favorite story on Lit is "Sitting on My Son's Lap" by retired04. It has 6,328 favorites. The score? 4.43 -- it doesn't even have the red H. The length? Not even a Lit page.

Rating a story by favorites depends a lot on the number of views, so a category that gives you a lot of views -- by which I mean I/T -- will produce stories with a lot of favorites, and a lot of comments. Are they inherently better stories? I kinda doubt it.

The score is the only measure of success that takes the number of views into account in any way, but I'm not sure it's really a good measure of popularity among readers.