Stories that are true

[LisaViva]

My stories. I have two that are from real experiences I have had. If I read a story I want it to be at least believable. Many I stop reading because I would just not see it happening like that in real life. I have many memories as a social nudist and from modeling nude the past 18 to 20 years. I have taken on plenty of gigs where I was nude for mostly older men at parties or things like that. Think serving drinks... but nude... Many of my experiences there wasn't much spoken, more small talk. Many were more visual like you had to be there... that type of thing. I would get more of my experiences on paper so to speak but I'm not sure how well they would come over to the reader. I wouldn't want to embellish or make up things to make them more readable. So that's my dilemma!

Question... Seasoned authors... Do you have suggestions... ideas... on how to make a more visual event into a story that people would enjoy reading as opposed to being there???

 

[NotWise]

Question... Seasoned authors... Do you have suggestions... ideas... on how to make a more visual event into a story that people would enjoy reading as opposed to being there???

Most of the stories I've seen that were based on experience tend to be short and lack detail. MelissaBaby's "My Fall and Rise" is an exception. Very short stories aren't usually very popular, and without juicy details they aren't very interesting to many readers.

Any details you include will help your readers, and extending the story will also help; character development, background for the settings and events, dialog (even if you have to make it up) are just a few things to add.

 

[SimonDoom]

I agree with what Notwise said. I think there's an audience for "real" stories, or stories that seem real, although those are not the types of stories that I write. You'll get a better reception if you draw them out somewhat more, inserting dialogue and doing more to establish the characters' desires and motivations.

 

[RelentlessOnanism]

I'm currently writing a story that is based on true events, although I’m embellishing it a bit to make it conform to my incest/taboo fetish.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Any story you write, regardless whether it's based on true events or is completely fictional, needs to evoke in the reader the belief that it's "real" in some way. You do that by describing scenes vividly, so the reader can picture themselves there, you portray your participants as people with emotions, with personalities, you tell a story.

I don't see what "truth" has got to do with it, frankly. It comes down to how you, the writer, portray your world. I have a story cycle here that is completely autobiographical, it's a true story. Style wise, it has all the elements of any of my other stories. Equally, I have stories that are completely fabricated; everything, everybody, completely imagined - and I've readers comment, "Thank you both for sharing," as if they believe the protagonists in the story are me and my partner - but they're not. I made everything up. I also have stories that blend truth and fiction, seamlessly.

Good story telling is good story telling, regardless whether it's true or not.

 

[KeithD]

I think the erotica audience is there for works pushing real experience to the enhanced arousal level--thus dropping the inevitable icky and dull parts and enhancing the sexual arousal and sexual satisfaction delivery parts. Couched in real situations, but going to the high eroticism levels with them. I don't think most readers of erotica are there for the limitation of "totally true." I think they are there for sexual arousal by enhanced stimulus and that the "real" will be appreciated mainly as a launching pad.

 

[yibala2]

My stories. I have two that are from real experiences I have had. If I read a story I want it to be at least believable. Many I stop reading because I would just not see it happening like that in real life. I have many memories as a social nudist and from modeling nude the past 18 to 20 years. I have taken on plenty of gigs where I was nude for mostly older men at parties or things like that. Think serving drinks... but nude...
Question... Seasoned authors... Do you have suggestions... ideas... on how to make a more visual event into a story that people would enjoy reading as opposed to being there???

Every story has a message. There is something you took from those experiences, something that made them memorable or that you want to emphasize. Your details should support whatever that emphasis or message is.

Beyond description, you want the reader to be able to relate to your experience. How did you feel in those situations? That's what will help the reader put themselves in your place.

Whether the story actually happened or not isn't as important. For the readers that care about truth... as you say, what matters is that the story is believable.

Good luck!

Yib

My stories

 

[yowser]

Literary realism

A fascinating paradox. It is of course difficult, if not impossible, to tell here when a story is 'true life.'

My attempts at 'real life' narratives have mostly fallen flat, and I think many real life adventures suffer in the telling if the writer isn't able to capture what it was in the actual moment(s) that made it all so remarkable. If the events don't lead to a well told 'story', with movement and internal interest, then it doesn't matter how real it is.

I often think 'real-life based' stories suffer when the author feels the need to 'enhance' the story with what he or she regards as 'more erotic' elements (ie. perhaps the real events were too 'vanilla.') The flourishes inevitably stand out (multiple climaxes, overly remarkable sexual anatomy, etc.) and usually ruin the thrill, at least for me.

I had a friend who could relate what happened to his fifteen minute trip to the grocery store and make it funny, tragic, anxious, engaging. He noticed small things, made you interested in them, had a sense of timing, and could string everything into a story with a beginning, middle and (usually) unexpected end.

That is what is required for a good 'real life' story.

 

[LisaViva]

My first story was three times as long. I had all the reasons and people I met and things that happened that influenced my thoughts to do what I did. But it was cut down because most was not the sexy part. But I wanted the reader to know what I was thinking and feeling to do what I did. I am sure there are others that are in the position I was in and wanted them to know they are not alone.

My second story much the same. There was more build up that was left out to get to the juicy part.

I kind of feel they stories are good but they don't explain it all. If if they did they may have lost many in reading it. Catch 22 for me!

I may try to do another true story and build it out with some background. Otherwise many of the stories I'd write are more you had to be there type of thing.

Thanks all that have responded!

Lisa

 

[Enchantment_of_Nyx]

My first story was three times as long. I had all the reasons and people I met and things that happened that influenced my thoughts to do what I did. But it was cut down because most was not the sexy part. But I wanted the reader to know what I was thinking and feeling to do what I did. I am sure there are others that are in the position I was in and wanted them to know they are not alone.

My second story much the same. There was more build up that was left out to get to the juicy part.

I kind of feel they stories are good but they don't explain it all. If if they did they may have lost many in reading it. Catch 22 for me!

I may try to do another true story and build it out with some background. Otherwise many of the stories I'd write are more you had to be there type of thing.

Thanks all that have responded!

Lisa

It may be that I'm just not catching your vibe, but you don't really sound like you feel the experiences were very erotic. Sex can happen without being erotic (unfortunately.) You mention a juicy part, but you also mention that your purpose is wanting people in similar circumstances to know they aren't alone. Is that your primary objective, with the juicy part being something that just happened?

You've mentioned things that you want the reader to know, like your thoughts and your reasons for the actions you're describing. If this is an erotic story, it's possible that the readers don't want to know that. I don't know enough about the types of things you're wanting people to know to have an opinion on whether or not that's probable, but it sounds like it's at least a possibility. If the juicy part isn't really what you want to talk about, you could write it as a non-erotic story. That would give you an audience that wouldn't be looking for the parts that aren't your focus.

One thing I'm confused about is that you say your story was cut down. By whom? If it was by an editor, remember that it's your story and you're in control of it. If you made the decision, own it, and realize that you did it for a reason. That doesn't mean you couldn't have made a mistake, but you had a reason that you felt was compelling at the time. Even autobiographies do not include every action and every thought. They're a carefully curated collection of the details that have a place in the story that's being told.

You're describing scenarios where there wasn't a lot of dialog. Was there no dialog at all, or was there dialog going on around you that you weren't part of? If there was, you could make use of that dialog. You might experiment in writing this in the form of a letter, for the letters and transcripts category. I think that format lends itself a little better than most to stories with less dialog.

Others will disagree, but I don't think there is anything inherently wrong with a story with no dialog. Older writing tends to have much less. And what about stories where only a single person appears. It can be done. One of the ways you can do it is to allow internal dialog to take the place of external dialog.

It sounds like you have a really challenging project. You'll probably learn a lot along the way.

 

[SisterJezabel]

One of the biggest complements (imho!) is from commenters who ask if my stories are based on an experience of mine. I write mainly romance so it does lend itself to realism more than some other categories. To me, it's easier to be more realistic about contexts rather than content- even in fantasy stories it can be easy to write something that appears believable or that people want to believe. The reality is we write fiction and even autobiographical narratives will often be embellished somewhat- I mean, I don't know about anyone else, but from reading the majority of stories on Lit one would assume most couples always cum at the same time. That probably isn't my reality 90+% of the time!

 

[KeithD]

One of the biggest complements (imho!) is from commenters who ask if my stories are based on an experience of mine.

I agree, but there have been some real headscratchers on assumptions of what truly happens. I mean I'm sure there must be a jungle rainforest someplace that has crystal chandeliers for people having sex to swing on as they're doing it.

 

[Emirus]

My stories. I have two that are from real experiences I have had. If I read a story I want it to be at least believable. Many I stop reading because I would just not see it happening like that in real life. I have many memories as a social nudist and from modeling nude the past 18 to 20 years. I have taken on plenty of gigs where I was nude for mostly older men at parties or things like that. Think serving drinks... but nude... Many of my experiences there wasn't much spoken, more small talk. Many were more visual like you had to be there... that type of thing. I would get more of my experiences on paper so to speak but I'm not sure how well they would come over to the reader. I wouldn't want to embellish or make up things to make them more readable. So that's my dilemma!

Question... Seasoned authors... Do you have suggestions... ideas... on how to make a more visual event into a story that people would enjoy reading as opposed to being there???

Two of my stories are totally true with no embellishments and they are my highest rated stories. A maxim I came across long ago was to draw information from your own experiences if you want to make a story believable. A third story of mine is also true and received a comment that nothing described couldn’t have happened in real life. Two other stories include a scene that is true.

The vast majority of stories on this site are complete fiction. That’s not a reason for not reading them. A reason for not reading a story is it’s a bad story for some reason.

From my experience, if you are truthful, and put down what occurred with a degree of accuracy, then a reader would accept that and enjoy the story.

Embellishment of a story based on a true experience is not wrong. It’s the degree of embellishment to the point the story is in no man’s land between truth and fiction. It’s something and nothing. Nothing wrong with making a character more attractive than they actually are or giving yourself more than you actually have. It’s when it becomes ridiculous the reader stops reading and possibly doesn’t read any more of your stories.

If you want to put a visual event into words the reader will accept write it as if you are telling it honestly to a close friend. Think of what your emotions, or those of the character, would be in those circumstances no matter how small.

Finally, remember when you’ve written it you don’t like it then the chances are no one else will.

 

[Jada59]

Some of my stories are real. Some have real people from my life in them but in some cases, the name was changed. I might be writing about fantasy that involves the person but the setting is really my house or backyard or whatever.

I might not get every little detail correct. For instance, if I had sex on many different occasions, I might not remember exactly what all we did that night, but we did do it at some point in time so it's still real.

I might describe as building inside, out or both to the best of my ability. I might write about having sex in there, but in reality, the sex never actually happened in there. In my latest submission, I had sex in a bowling alley. Yes, I've been there countless times. Did I really have sex there? No. But it is highly possible that things could have played out just as I wrote. Reason being, the room we were in was off to the side and I never saw anyone use it but us.

In describing details, I like to mention sights, smells, sounds and even tactile things. Like the soft moss underfoot. The sharp rocks. His rough skin. But I don't get carried away. I read a story here that described a bathroom in such complete detail that I felt like I was living in there. I didn't want to read the rest of the story. I just wanted to be in that damned bathroom!

 

[Jada59]

Two of my stories are totally true with no embellishments and they are my highest rated stories. A maxim I came across long ago was to draw information from your own experiences if you want to make a story believable. A third story of mine is also true and received a comment that nothing described couldn’t have happened in real life. Two other stories include a scene that is true.

The vast majority of stories on this site are complete fiction. That’s not a reason for not reading them. A reason for not reading a story is it’s a bad story for some reason.

From my experience, if you are truthful, and put down what occurred with a degree of accuracy, then a reader would accept that and enjoy the story.

Embellishment of a story based on a true experience is not wrong. It’s the degree of embellishment to the point the story is in no man’s land between truth and fiction. It’s something and nothing. Nothing wrong with making a character more attractive than they actually are or giving yourself more than you actually have. It’s when it becomes ridiculous the reader stops reading and possibly doesn’t read any more of your stories.

If you want to put a visual event into words the reader will accept write it as if you are telling it honestly to a close friend. Think of what your emotions, or those of the character, would be in those circumstances no matter how small.

Finally, remember when you’ve written it you don’t like it then the chances are no one else will.

I agree with you and perception is another thing. My brother once gave me the nickname of 'Pad A Story" I didn't. It's just that I notice things that he doesn't.

Here's an example.

When we were kids, my mom sent us to day camp at our school. Neither one of us wanted to go.

He got home first. My mom asked him how it was. He said it was fine. They made rockets and shot them off.

That was all he said. Then he went to his room. My mom did notice signs of possible dehydration though and gave him a glass of water.

I came home a little later. Why? I'm always on the lookout for interesting rocks, wild flowers, cats or dogs to pet, etc. And I talk to strangers. My brother is always off in his own little world, ignoring everything around him.

My mom asked me how it was. I told her to please not send me again. It was torture. When she asked me why, I held up a white ribbon. I still have it. It's in my scrap book.

I told her that I got the ribbon as a prize for a race. After we'd done all sorts of activities in the blazing sun, they lined us up, made us eat a certain number of saltine crackers, then run to the finish line and whistle. The first one to get there and whistle was the winner. I think my white ribbon was 4th place. We were not allowed to run until we chewed and swallowed all the crackers. They checked our mouths to be sure they were empty.

I complained to her that we were already dehydrated, then forced to eat the salty crackers, making us even more thirsty. There were no drinking fountains outside and the one external bathroom was locked. The entire building was locked. I checked all over looking for water! I was sooo thirsty.

Then to top it all off, we had to march to the other end of the school to watch the boys shoot off rockets, Several of us asked to go home, but we were told we had to stay and watch.

I'm sure I gave my mom a lot more details than that. But those are the ones I remember today.

My story was not believed by my mom because my brother left out the crackers and the race. I was adamant about so she asked him. He screwed up his face like he was thinking then muttered something like... Yeah. There were crackers. Then he shrugged.

 

[MelissaBaby]

Most of the stories I've seen that were based on experience tend to be short and lack detail. MelissaBaby's "My Fall and Rise" is an exception. Very short stories aren't usually very popular, and without juicy details they aren't very interesting to many readers.

Any details you include will help your readers, and extending the story will also help; character development, background for the settings and events, dialog (even if you have to make it up) are just a few things to add.

Thanks for the shout out, NW.

 

[Jamie_and_Lisa]

We have received some very mixed messages on this topic. Lisa's first two submissions were rejected with messages that said

(paraphrased because we didn't save it)

For your protection and ours, Literotica does not accept for publication stories that claim to be real or true in the story’s title or the description. Authors are free to use the words ‘real’ and ‘true’ in the body of the story…

Both had said that they were "99 and 44/100 true" in the description, this was removed and the stories resubmitted. One (but not both) was rejected again with this appended to the earlier rejection statement (copied word for word)

"To our knowledge, and it is our belief that every story on this site is 100% fiction. We consider these stories to be the artistic expression of the authors represented, and thus we do not censor the stories that are submitted. If this bothers you, please refer to the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. If you aren't in the United States, then please realize that we operate under the laws of the United States and we strongly believe in free speech and the right of artists to be heard, even if what they say may be offensive to some."

"A work of fiction," was added at the beginning of the twice rejected story and it was published.

 

[KeithD]

Well, that's interesting. The first indication I've seen that claimed factual stories aren't accepted here. I suppose that's out of concern that, if they are, they are possibly maligning and/or libeling actual people and the Web site could be sued.

 

[Jada59]

Well, that's interesting. The first indication I've seen that claimed factual stories aren't accepted here. I suppose that's out of concern that, if they are, they are possibly maligning and/or libeling actual people and the Web site could be sued.

I didn't know that either.

 

[SimonDoom]

Well, that's interesting. The first indication I've seen that claimed factual stories aren't accepted here. I suppose that's out of concern that, if they are, they are possibly maligning and/or libeling actual people and the Web site could be sued.

I've never seen that before, and I cannot recall it ever having been included in any content regulations for stories here.

Obviously, they are concerned about defamation, or invasion of privacy. As long as the story represents itself as fiction, there's no (or at least very little) concern. But if the story claims to be true I suppose defamation is a greater concern.

I wish they would post a comprehensive statement of their content regulations.

 

[MelissaBaby]

We have received some very mixed messages on this topic. Lisa's first two submissions were rejected with messages that said

(paraphrased because we didn't save it)

For your protection and ours, Literotica does not accept for publication stories that claim to be real or true in the story’s title or the description. Authors are free to use the words ‘real’ and ‘true’ in the body of the story…

Both had said that they were "99 and 44/100 true" in the description, this was removed and the stories resubmitted. One (but not both) was rejected again with this appended to the earlier rejection statement (copied word for word)

"To our knowledge, and it is our belief that every story on this site is 100% fiction. We consider these stories to be the artistic expression of the authors represented, and thus we do not censor the stories that are submitted. If this bothers you, please refer to the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. If you aren't in the United States, then please realize that we operate under the laws of the United States and we strongly believe in free speech and the right of artists to be heard, even if what they say may be offensive to some."

"A work of fiction," was added at the beginning of the twice rejected story and it was published.

I think the key phrase in Lit's statement is "To our knowledge". It's plausible deniability if someone were to claim that a story libels or defames then.

 

[LisaViva]

Maybe what I was saying didn't come across correctly. I think many of my erotic adventures didn't need many words... I am not that much of a writer to capture what happened and make the reader say wow! As I said... you had to be there type of thing. Not everything was full blown sex but sexy. Erotic. I think of Eyes Side Shut type of erotic. You see it and you know!

My first two stories were a breeze to write. Those experiences were very powerful for me. Maybe I will try to get more of my memories onto paper. We'll see.

 

[gunhilltrain]

I think the erotica audience is there for works pushing real experience to the enhanced arousal level--thus dropping the inevitable icky and dull parts and enhancing the sexual arousal and sexual satisfaction delivery parts. Couched in real situations, but going to the high eroticism levels with them. I don't think most readers of erotica are there for the limitation of "totally true." I think they are there for sexual arousal by enhanced stimulus and that the "real" will be appreciated mainly as a launching pad.

Not sure I agree with this. The dull and icky parts can be in there if they are relevant to the story. Broadly speaking, the erotic part of a story is how explicit it is, not whether it's "arousing" or not. There is a considerable amount of, call it disappointing sex, in novels like Fear of Flying or Portnoy's Complaint and neither one of those stints on the details.

 

[KeithD]

Not sure I agree with this. The dull and icky parts can be in there if they are relevant to the story. Broadly speaking, the erotic part of a story is how explicit it is, not whether it's "arousing" or not. There is a considerable amount of, call it disappointing sex, in novels like Fear of Flying or Portnoy's Complaint and neither one of those stints on the details.

Sure, put them in your stories if you like. Don't look for too much of that in my stories, though. But isn't it wonderful when there can be a wide variety of stories and not that many folks telling you what you can and can't write here?

 

[gunhilltrain]

Sure, put them in your stories if you like. Don't look for too much of that in my stories, though. But isn't it wonderful when there can be a wide variety of stories and not that many folks telling you what you can and can't write here?

Absolutely true. I even have one story in the Non-erotic category that has no sex at all. And I've published some non-fiction essays that have no sex either. I was perhaps surprised that they mostly did find an audience. So I'm - grateful? - that Literotica gives me the latitude to go in different directions.