I have written a number of erotic stories and have discovered a conundrum: what one thing can help sustain titillation in a story, other than the word 'panties.' You can sort of throw in panties any time and create some form of sexual tension but I can't think of anything as a substitute for that one word. Anyone got any ideas of a generic 'something' that can help sustain titillation?
Sustaining titillation in writing
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ElectricBlue
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Knickers, frillies, undies, thongs, scraps of material, skimpies, cotton, silk and lace, boy shorts, pajama bottoms, gone commando, peek a boo, brazen come look... Can't see the problem, myself.
There are repeated threads here, as to what women call their underwear. Failing that, catalogues.
Titillation is in the eye of the beholder. Look around more
.
There are repeated threads here, as to what women call their underwear. Failing that, catalogues.
Titillation is in the eye of the beholder. Look around more
.
SimonDoom
Kink Lord
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This is a great question. I don't think there's just one thing. I agree that titillation is a huge, important element of a good erotic story. You want to keep readers hanging on your words. You can't do it with mechanics alone.
Some off-the-cuff thoughts about what creates titillation:
1. Words relating to sexy clothing. I agree "panties" (to an American, anyway, a Brit might prefer "knickers") is a good word. So is "bikini." Put the word "bikini" in a story and you increase its titillation factor. A few years ago I wrote a story about a woman whose bikini keeps falling off of her on the beach, and the only reason I can figure it still gets a lot of views every day is that the word "bikini" is in the title. I think readers like that word.
2. If you can come up with a way of describing human sexual anatomy in a novel way, I think that's titillating. It's not easy, though.
3. Reluctance and internal conflict are titillating. Should she or shouldn't she? She wants it so badly, but she's not sure. That's titillating.
4. Delays and roadblocks are titillating. The panties are about to come off, but something happens that delays the process, driving the participants (and the readers) crazy. Mom and Dad enter the room. Don't make it too easy. Easy is not titillating.
5. Anticipation is titillating. Before the main characters get it on, make sure you convey how one of them is anticipating getting it on. You want the reader to WANT it to happen well before it actually happens. Then they'll be hanging on every word.
6. Focusing on a detail is titillating. A scent. A touch. The unique way something looks. An object, like a scarf.
7. Slyness and allusiveness are titillating. Don't describe something in the head-on, cliche way. Allude to it. Describe around the thing. Be metaphorical (but not ridiculous). Find a way to describe a woman's breasts other than her "38-D melons" (although, it must be said, some readers think that's very titillating).
8. Involve the reader in how a character feels as something sexual is happening. That's titillating.It's not just a matter of how part A goes into part B. How does the character feel as part A goes into part B?
9. Good word choice, in general, can be titillating. I used the word "lambent" to describe the way cum streamed down a woman's legs while the sun set right after sex and I had a reader praise me for the word choice.
10. Clandestine activity is titillating. For example, two people having sex with others nearby, and the others have no idea what's happening. That's titillating. I wrote an incest story where a son was fingering his mother in the kitchen while his clueless father/ex-husband had no idea while standing on the oppposite side of the island in the kitchen. It's titillating if something happens and somebody might be caught.
Some off-the-cuff thoughts about what creates titillation:
1. Words relating to sexy clothing. I agree "panties" (to an American, anyway, a Brit might prefer "knickers") is a good word. So is "bikini." Put the word "bikini" in a story and you increase its titillation factor. A few years ago I wrote a story about a woman whose bikini keeps falling off of her on the beach, and the only reason I can figure it still gets a lot of views every day is that the word "bikini" is in the title. I think readers like that word.
2. If you can come up with a way of describing human sexual anatomy in a novel way, I think that's titillating. It's not easy, though.
3. Reluctance and internal conflict are titillating. Should she or shouldn't she? She wants it so badly, but she's not sure. That's titillating.
4. Delays and roadblocks are titillating. The panties are about to come off, but something happens that delays the process, driving the participants (and the readers) crazy. Mom and Dad enter the room. Don't make it too easy. Easy is not titillating.
5. Anticipation is titillating. Before the main characters get it on, make sure you convey how one of them is anticipating getting it on. You want the reader to WANT it to happen well before it actually happens. Then they'll be hanging on every word.
6. Focusing on a detail is titillating. A scent. A touch. The unique way something looks. An object, like a scarf.
7. Slyness and allusiveness are titillating. Don't describe something in the head-on, cliche way. Allude to it. Describe around the thing. Be metaphorical (but not ridiculous). Find a way to describe a woman's breasts other than her "38-D melons" (although, it must be said, some readers think that's very titillating).
8. Involve the reader in how a character feels as something sexual is happening. That's titillating.It's not just a matter of how part A goes into part B. How does the character feel as part A goes into part B?
9. Good word choice, in general, can be titillating. I used the word "lambent" to describe the way cum streamed down a woman's legs while the sun set right after sex and I had a reader praise me for the word choice.
10. Clandestine activity is titillating. For example, two people having sex with others nearby, and the others have no idea what's happening. That's titillating. I wrote an incest story where a son was fingering his mother in the kitchen while his clueless father/ex-husband had no idea while standing on the oppposite side of the island in the kitchen. It's titillating if something happens and somebody might be caught.
NotWise
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I wouldn't have considered the word 'panties' as sustaining titillation -- unless you're talking about a panty fetish story. I'm also not sure why you want to sustain titillation. The level of excitement in most stories rises and falls.
I usually use sensorial clues to build excitement -- especially touch, taste, and smell.
SamScribble
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For me, the word panties does not sustain titillation. It makes me want to clutch my head and moan - not in a pleasurable way.
JuanSeiszFitzHall
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I think it depends on who's throwing the panties, and whether they're still occupied.
davion2308
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Yup
I read this and nodded in complete agreement. I think we just became friends.
I like the delay to tease. A man's about to make a move on a woman (or vice versa) and he's stopped because whatever reason. She doesn't know it's coming; she wants it come, of course, but she doesn't realize the guy is bearing down on her for some sexy fun. And he's ready but a stranger appears.
Quick example:
I love public nudity and my wife is hesitant to indulge me with her getting naked or semi-undressed in public. We were at a parking structure downtown many years ago with the intent of her to get naked and perform a specific challenge.
She was trying to strip down but footsteps, or a car door slamming and echoing through the deck, or sounds of drunken laughter from the street kept making her freeze like a deer in the headlights and want to hide.
Half the fun, shit, MOST of the fun was the anxiety and excitement and tease leading up to her getting her clothes off because we might get busted. That's the part I remember more than her actually naked.
Luckily I have video for the second half.
I read this and nodded in complete agreement. I think we just became friends.
I like the delay to tease. A man's about to make a move on a woman (or vice versa) and he's stopped because whatever reason. She doesn't know it's coming; she wants it come, of course, but she doesn't realize the guy is bearing down on her for some sexy fun. And he's ready but a stranger appears.
Quick example:
I love public nudity and my wife is hesitant to indulge me with her getting naked or semi-undressed in public. We were at a parking structure downtown many years ago with the intent of her to get naked and perform a specific challenge.
She was trying to strip down but footsteps, or a car door slamming and echoing through the deck, or sounds of drunken laughter from the street kept making her freeze like a deer in the headlights and want to hide.
Half the fun, shit, MOST of the fun was the anxiety and excitement and tease leading up to her getting her clothes off because we might get busted. That's the part I remember more than her actually naked.
Luckily I have video for the second half.
yowser
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Whenever I need to look up a word in a non-technical piece, especially here on Lit, I am ecstatic.
You did it, from the Latin 'lambĕre' to lick.
You've made my day, beautiful.
Privates1stClass
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There are some who find titillation with "panties," but there are others of us who are titillated by no panties. When you see a woman wearing a tight little black dress and you don't see a panty line or bra straps, what's the first thing that pops into your head? Is she, or isn't she wearing underwear? Same here. Then my mind wanders--why did she dress that way?
I think you can titillate your readers by having your male character(s) observe, then attempt to judge the behavior of the female who goes commando.
So, panties or no panties, there are a lot of ways to titillate your readers, and I'd say there's no best way, since every reader has a different kink.
gunhilltrain
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The word bloomers is a good one; it has a nice retro sound. They actually look retro too. And don't forget garters and straps; wearing underpants on top of those is common but still optional. These items are still sold new, so there must be women who like old-fashioned undergarments. And there must be men who like looking at them.
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Neverlander
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The Devil (and devilment0 is in the details. E.g., re: panties - careful description of how tight panties clearly mold the shape of what's being frustratingly concealed by them can tease up an erection!
George_Barker
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If you've been writing for a while, I'm sure somebody's told you to never(-ish) leave your characters alone. So long as that's true you can always shove arousing dialogue into a scene that feel is boring or week, especially if your story centers around some sort of power exchange.
If character A finds some way to exercise power over character B, who either fights back or finds themselves too taken to try, you've got a sexy exchange. You can even link it back into your wider plot: Jeremy has to have this boring scene with his boss for your story to work, so make his boss 6'1" in high heels and have her absolutely crush his new idea for a spreadsheet organization system and send him back to his wife fantasizing about being stepped on.
Inhabit your main character for a moment and figure out what words would make them breath heavy, then have a side character say them. Boom. 10% of your readers are going to tell you that scene is sexier than any of the actual sex in your book; some people just love that.
If character A finds some way to exercise power over character B, who either fights back or finds themselves too taken to try, you've got a sexy exchange. You can even link it back into your wider plot: Jeremy has to have this boring scene with his boss for your story to work, so make his boss 6'1" in high heels and have her absolutely crush his new idea for a spreadsheet organization system and send him back to his wife fantasizing about being stepped on.
Inhabit your main character for a moment and figure out what words would make them breath heavy, then have a side character say them. Boom. 10% of your readers are going to tell you that scene is sexier than any of the actual sex in your book; some people just love that.
