Wet behind the ears author needs help

[Dominivestri]

Hello everyone. I'm working on my first draft of my first ever story writing. I have established the framework or premise on which the story is based. Introduced a few of the characters and got to the point where the first sexual encounter begins.

I'm already at a word count of just under 4,000 and realised i haven't described all of the characters yet.

Is this an overlong wordcount at this stage ?

I fear that by the time the first sexual encounter is over it will be too long a story. If I go back and describe the characters I missed out, It will be even loooooonger.

I need some advice. If anyone is able to guide me, I would greatly appreciate it.

Dominivestri

 

[tomlitilia]

Don't worry about it. 4000 words is just over a litetotica page, and it's not uncommon for stories to wait even longer for any sexual encounters to occur. You may, however, want to think about keeping some sexual tension in the lead-up so the reader isn't just suffering through a long info-dump.

 

[SimonDoom]

Literotica readers have a high tolerance, even fondness, for long stories. The highest rated stories are usually over 10,000 words. So I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Dominivestri]

A Snitch In Time Ch 1

Thankyou both very much, you've alleviated my fears. I did give a little tease early on in the story that was sexual to provide a mechanism for forcing the protagonist to comply.

I'm so happy because I can go back and get my characters described. It's only the first chapter but at 10,000 words will perhaps give me the chance to include a second account teaser to lead readers to the next riveting instalment, lol, lol ,lol

Once again, many thanks. i used the title of the first chapter in my headline. It's gay fetish mostly but there will be a girl in it somewhere. I'm so looking forward to publishing and getting some feedback.

I don't have any academic qualifications whatsoever so, fingers crossed I make a reasonable job of it.

Dominivestri

 

[yibala2]

I'm already at a word count of just under 4,000 and realised i haven't described all of the characters yet.

Is this an overlong wordcount at this stage ?

I fear that by the time the first sexual encounter is over it will be too long a story. If I go back and describe the characters I missed out, It will be even loooooonger.

I need some advice. If anyone is able to guide me, I would greatly appreciate it.

Dominivestri

Think of it as if you're watching a film. Focus on the first scene and move on to the next from there. You don't need to know the entire cast in the first scene - unless the entire cast is in that scene.

So as the writer, you don't need to introduce all of your characters up front. Only introduce them when they are relevant to the story.

Let the reader immerse themselves in the flow of your story, scene by scene. Describe characters only when they become a part of the story. Then your reader will know to focus on them and be able to do so without disconnecting from the action/narrative.

I agree with what's already been said. Don't worry about the word count.


Yib

 

[Dominivestri]

flow and repetition

Thank you Yibala2. Your points are duly noted.

I have three characters that enter the story at the same time, should I describe them all before launching into the sexual part as they will all be involved.

alternatively, I could describe them as the protagonist moves from one to the other but this will interrupt, or segment the action

Obviously, the erotic action performed on all three will be much the same, although I will be careful to make each one of them as different as possible. Or I could summarise and skip the going from one to the other in detail

Dominivestri

 

[gunhilltrain]

You probably shouldn't be overly concerned with the word count at this point. Just write the story as you see it should go. The length will take care of itself. Some people write longer pieces than others. You can have a good story with only about 4,000 words. I had an eight-chapter series - I'd have to check the count again - that I think had only had 35,000 words in it.

 

[SamScribble]

I have three characters that enter the story at the same time, should I describe them all before launching into the sexual part as they will all be involved.

alternatively, I could describe them as the protagonist moves from one to the other but this will interrupt, or segment the action

Dominivestri

As a general rule, I find that it it is usually best to only tell the reader what she needs to know when she needs to know it. Also, remember that characters reveal themselves as much by what they say and do as the author does by way of description.

Good luck.

 

[UtherVierDragon]

I have three characters that enter the story at the same time, should I describe them all before launching into the sexual part as they will all be involved.

alternatively, I could describe them as the protagonist moves from one to the other but this will interrupt, or segment the action

It may be of help to focalise the three conquests through your protagonist. Offer a brief physical description (1-5 sentences is plenty*) from the protagonist's point of view, and work out the conquest's character through their interaction with your protagonist. If you adopt an omniscient narrator (or zero-focalisation to speak with Genette) you can include further information, but then you do need in fact ask yourself how much the reader needs to know and when.

Obviously, the erotic action performed on all three will be much the same, although I will be careful to make each one of them as different as possible. Or I could summarise and skip the going from one to the other in detail

Dominivestri

I do not know your story, but the action should not ever be "obviously much the same". If you are going for variations on a theme do really lean into the differences. And if the point is to have sex with multiple people at (almost) the same time, you could lean into that. Blur them together, be sparse with descriptions and go straight for the fucking. Write a single hot scene, not three meh ones.

----
* Here I would personally counsel against the 'numbered cup size tits, height in inches, body mass index' type of description.

However, and this true for my post as well as most of the others: We all offer writerly advice. That means we all have by definition practised writing as a craft. Furthermore, many have a college education, or have even worked professionally as writers. Readers, on the other hand, my be willing to give you a pass for ignoring best practices and careful composition, but then savage you for not catering for their precise fetish.

 

[Demiurging]

I've noticed in my non-erotic experience writing that many readers only really need a couple of physical descriptions up front to hook onto. I would also recommend against specific quantities unless necessary since this isn't a visual medium and we're mostly relying on our readers to fill in the graphical gaps.

If you introduce a character, even "he was tall" gives me something to hang onto that can be built on when it becomes relevant. So a one-sentence description can be more than enough to form an image. I tend to describe my characters more in the act, while physicality becomes important, and as impressions from my viewpoint characters in the leadup to sex.

Frankly, I prefer longer works. It really gives me the time to get immersed.

 

[missyunderstanding]

Wet behind the ears?

I have a good level of understanding regarding wet between the legs but I am not sure what would cause a person to be wet behind the ears. But if someone can write a story hot enough to make me wet between my legs and behind me ears I would love to read it.

 

[Dominivestri]

A Snitch In Time Ch 1

I thank you all very much for your sterling advice , tips and suggestions.

I will take them all on board and do my level best to utilise them.

"Wet behind the ears, refers to a new born baby, as In I'm a new born author lol

All the best to you, hope I haven't been an annoyance.

Dominivestri

 

[gunhilltrain]

Thankyou both very much, you've alleviated my fears. I did give a little tease early on in the story that was sexual to provide a mechanism for forcing the protagonist to comply.

I'm so happy because I can go back and get my characters described. It's only the first chapter but at 10,000 words will perhaps give me the chance to include a second account teaser to lead readers to the next riveting instalment, lol, lol ,lol

Once again, many thanks. i used the title of the first chapter in my headline. It's gay fetish mostly but there will be a girl in it somewhere. I'm so looking forward to publishing and getting some feedback.

I don't have any academic qualifications whatsoever so, fingers crossed I make a reasonable job of it.

Dominivestri

Academic qualifications - I assume you mean creative writing courses. I suspect they are mostly overrated.

I know this is hard to do, but try to be confident, not afraid. Think: if I like this, then the readers will too. Don't rush it into publication; give yourself some time to review and reconsider what you did. If you are writing a series, then you can make adjustments as you go along.

Some people hit the jackpot and get high scores in their first ten or fifteen stories. It does happen more than you might think. If you are lucky, the more you write, the more ideas you will get about what to do next.

 

[CyranoJ]

Hello everyone. I'm working on my first draft of my first ever story writing. I have established the framework or premise on which the story is based. Introduced a few of the characters and got to the point where the first sexual encounter begins.

I'm already at a word count of just under 4,000 and realised i haven't described all of the characters yet.

Is this an overlong wordcount at this stage?

Just make it a good story and make the action hot. Achieve those two things and Lit readers absolutely will not care about word count. (Or at the very least, you'll attract as many people with a longer story as will veer away from it.)

 

[MsNatalie99]

Hello everyone. I'm working on my first draft of my first ever story writing. I have established the framework or premise on which the story is based. Introduced a few of the characters and got to the point where the first sexual encounter begins.

I'm already at a word count of just under 4,000 and realised i haven't described all of the characters yet.

Is this an overlong wordcount at this stage ?

I fear that by the time the first sexual encounter is over it will be too long a story. If I go back and describe the characters I missed out, It will be even loooooonger.

I need some advice. If anyone is able to guide me, I would greatly appreciate it.

Dominivestri

I recently read a 30,000+ words story. Yes it was hot,yes the characters were interesting, but I have seen the same thing pulled off in a 750 word submission. Write what you want to write. If your characters are vague, then so be it. If you force yourself to add details or descriptions, then it may very well come off as overwritten. The hottest story I've read on here didn’t have any names or physical features to the characters. It was just a description of a sexual encounter.

I would personally write it to completion, read it, and then decide if changes need to be made. Making alterations on a work in progress can make the story confusing, and create errors in continuity. For example if you imply that your character is roughly 22 years old and a college drop out, but then also mention his service in the army. The math will fault you. First write, then tweak. That's just me. If I feel like the story is too long but I'm still writing it, I simply finish it, and if it is indeed long, I'll break it into chapters. But before you decide on anything, you have to finish it, so that you know exactly what you are dealing with.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

Sounds fine. My only advice is to write a draft of the whole story, then re-read and edit it. Does every sentence need.to be there? Does it add to the pace of the story or.are half the words filler that we'd all be better off without?

I tend to delete about 20% on my first pass, add about 5%, and leave comments like 'insert more detail here' and 'make this argument work'. Stuff like 'i went downstairs to the parking lot, got in my car and drove home in the rush hour' gets condensed to 'I drove home.'

 

[BelleCanzuto]

Sounds fine. My only advice is to write a draft of the whole story, then re-read and edit it. Does every sentence need.to be there? Does it add to the pace of the story or.are half the words filler that we'd all be better off without?

I tend to delete about 20% on my first pass, add about 5%, and leave comments like 'insert more detail here' and 'make this argument work'. Stuff like 'i went downstairs to the parking lot, got in my car and drove home in the rush hour' gets condensed to 'I drove home.'

^^^This
Especially the second paragraph.

Write the whole thing, and don't worry about how many words it is. Let it sit a few days or a week, and then edit. When you edit, keep in mind the kernel of the story you want to tell. What's the most important thing you want to convey about these characters, in this chunk of the story (if you're thinking there will be multiple chapters). Have your words serve that kernel.

 

[gordo12]

Thank you Yibala2. Your points are duly noted.

I have three characters that enter the story at the same time, should I describe them all before launching into the sexual part as they will all be involved.

alternatively, I could describe them as the protagonist moves from one to the other but this will interrupt, or segment the action

Obviously, the erotic action performed on all three will be much the same, although I will be careful to make each one of them as different as possible. Or I could summarise and skip the going from one to the other in detail

Dominivestri

I guess my question is why describe them at all? I read so many stories where writers go into all the gory details about their people. They'll spend a paragraph or more. I've written the last few of mine without bothering. It hasn't made the slightest difference to the readers. A simple "she jerked her petite body at the..." says a lot. You can add details that way.

PS 4000 words are just an appetizer.

 

[Ginlover]

I rarely describe any of my characters. In A.Xmas Song we know the MC is a man and works in the press and late thirties early forties and that’s a 16k word story. His personality is shown through out the story but there is no description of his physical appearance and the woman he ends up with again no physical description. Characters where their appearance is relevant are described because it’s important to the story line.

In my two 750 word stories there is no description of the characters beyond one is male the other female.

I purposely let the reader picture the characters as suits their imagination of the main players.