Should porn stories discuss how sex changes things?

[8letters]

Simple example story:
An office of six guys and a female admin decide to have a Super Bowl party at one of the guys' home. There's plenty of alcohol, one thing leads to another, and eventually they have a gangbang with all six guys fucking the admin.

Should the story discuss how things are going to change at the office?

I read I/T stories, and a lot of them don't have the characters wondering "What happens tomorrow?" as the story progresses. It's almost like the characters are sex machines who have had their "fuck like bunnies" switch turned on, and no corresponding emotional switch is thrown. I find those stories lacking.

What do you think?

 

[AlinaX]

Thinking about the consequences is what makes it fun, although in LW you would think the consequences are inevitably the destruction of any women involved.

 

[TadOverdon]

It's almost like the characters are sex machines who have had their "fuck like bunnies" switch turned on, and no corresponding emotional switch is thrown.

That's what they are, and they're written that way because, IMHO, it services a particular and common fantasy.

More often than not it's a male fantasy, but See: Zipless Fuck, Jong, Erica.

I write those. A lot.

I could elaborate. But the answer to the question is pretty obviously that it depends entirely on the story you're writing and what you want to get out of it.

 

[KeithD]

Whatever.

 

[HeyAll]

I think that enhances a story, makes it more erotic, because the consequences are greater. It makes the taboo stronger. Even if that's not the intent.

That's one of my tenants of writing erotica: What makes this special or important or taboo?

 

[NotWise]

I read I/T stories, and a lot of them don't have the characters wondering "What happens tomorrow?" as the story progresses. It's almost like the characters are sex machines who have had their "fuck like bunnies" switch turned on, and no corresponding emotional switch is thrown. I find those stories lacking.

What do you think?

I know what you man about I/T, but I'm not sure that's entirely the writers' want. Readers want to assume that the sexual relationship the story starts is going to continue forever, and it's easier to let them think that than it is to wrap things up with a bow. I think it's more popular to let the readers believe that the relationship will go on forever without consequences.

For my part, I want sex to serve a purpose. A story that doesn't address the purpose and resulting consequences is incomplete. That's an entirely personal matter of style.

 

[MelissaBaby]

Simple example story:
An office of six guys and a female admin decide to have a Super Bowl party at one of the guys' home. There's plenty of alcohol, one thing leads to another, and eventually they have a gangbang with all six guys fucking the admin.

Should the story discuss how things are going to change at the office?

I read I/T stories, and a lot of them don't have the characters wondering "What happens tomorrow?" as the story progresses. It's almost like the characters are sex machines who have had their "fuck like bunnies" switch turned on, and no corresponding emotional switch is thrown. I find those stories lacking.

What do you think?

I primarily write stories about issues regarding sexuality. For example, The Gold Dollar Girls had lots of sex scenes with hot strippers, but it's not about sex, it's about the way sex workers are regarded in our society. The Adventures of Ranger Ramona is, on the surface, about a horny young forest ranger bouncing from one lover to the next, but its real theme is the difficulties confronting sexually active women in male dominated parts of society. So, for me, the answer is yes.

But that's just me. It seems to be very much a minority view. But if others want to write stories for the sole purpose of getting people off, there's nothing wrong with that either.

 

[SimonDoom]

No, there's no need.

If you want to pursue that as an author, go ahead. But there's no need to.

The word "should" has no place in this discussion, IMO.

It's perfectly legitimate for an erotic story to depict a short slice in time, which leaves the reader free to imagine whatever happened before and whatever happens afterward. I typically, but not always, end my stories shortly after the sexual climax of an encounter. The reader can fill in the blanks after that.

 

[TxRad]

Simple example story:
An office of six guys and a female admin decide to have a Super Bowl party at one of the guys' home. There's plenty of alcohol, one thing leads to another, and eventually they have a gangbang with all six guys fucking the admin.

Should the story discuss how things are going to change at the office?

What do you think?

Maybe that should be the next story. The Day After.

 

[stickygirl]

Simple example story:
An office of six guys and a female admin decide to have a Super Bowl party at one of the guys' home. There's plenty of alcohol, one thing leads to another, and eventually they have a gangbang with all six guys fucking the admin.

Should the story discuss how things are going to change at the office?

I read I/T stories, and a lot of them don't have the characters wondering "What happens tomorrow?" as the story progresses. It's almost like the characters are sex machines who have had their "fuck like bunnies" switch turned on, and no corresponding emotional switch is thrown. I find those stories lacking.

What do you think?

Seriously? Sounds awful.

There is always room for consequences and next days, but as Melissa says, if that's what gets people off, then cool.

It would be dull if that was the only thing on the menu. Wham Bam doesn't interest me either as a reader or an author, but neither does mindless tittle tattle, like the tv soaps that wash viewers in banality. There is plenty of scope for stories that engage us three dimensional human beings, neither sex machines nor Stepford wives. It's a shame that Lit doesn't allow stories a synopsis beyond a single line.

 

[8letters]

The word "should" has no place in this discussion, IMO.

I didn't mean "should" as in "Thou shalt", but as in "it's wise to do this as it will improve your story".

 

[SamScribble]

I think a 'porn story' should discuss whatever the author wants to discuss. However, the difficulty that arises from writing a good well-rounded story is that it will probably not appeal to a large swathe of the readers looking for porn.

 

[lovecraft68]

Speaking for myself, I don't bring those things up because to me porn/erotica is fantasy, and I like to leave it that way. Something as absurd is a woman saying sure, I'll gang bang six of my co-workers doesn't seem to warrant-or ask for-any, oh, no the morning after.

You're going to do that, start throwing in condoms, STD's and no sex because the woman has her period.

Just write the story has the fantasy is it is and leave it at the fun.

Again. this is me, and others are responding based on what they thing, and yet again we have a topic of there is no right or wrong way, just opinions leaving what is really the answer to most questions here.

Write what you want, you don't need anyone else's validation

 

[ElectricBlue]

Should the story discuss how things are going to change at the office?

Unless the point of the story is the morning after, there's little point in writing about the morning after.

I'd say most porn stories exist in a bubble, erotica can float the bubble on a breeze, and erotic story telling can burst the bubble and introduce reality.

Is there any moral obligation to consider the morning after? Surely that comes down to the point of the story? For some writers, that IS the point, others don't care at all.

 

[TadOverdon]

Speaking for myself, I don't bring those things up because to me porn/erotica is fantasy, and I like to leave it that way. Something as absurd is a woman saying sure, I'll gang bang six of my co-workers doesn't seem to warrant-or ask for-any, oh, no the morning after.

You're going to do that, start throwing in condoms, STD's and no sex because the woman has her period.

Just write the story has the fantasy is it is and leave it at the fun.

Again. this is me, and others are responding based on what they thing, and yet again we have a topic of there is no right or wrong way, just opinions leaving what is really the answer to most questions here.

Write what you want, you don't need anyone else's validation

This would be more or less my take on it as well.

 

[Voboy]

Be true to the characters in the story. When I write, my characters let me know whether they'd be the sort who'd worry about such things.

But I doubt it matters a great deal; as many readers will want that sort of exploration as won't want it, if that makes sense. So you're best off just pleasing yourself.

I mean, face it: a significant portion of the readers will skim over that part while they're wiping up, anyway.

 

[yukonnights]

I tend to agree that this question has more to do with the author's intended readers. There is no story, per se. It's a scene out of a broader story that is never told. Personally, I don't write (or read) such stories — but here on Lit many people do. To that end, you're aiming at a specific audience and hoping for a bullseye winning shot with just the content they want. I don't see this as a right or wrong issue — more of a personal/creative choice for the author.

 

[SimonDoom]

I didn't mean "should" as in "Thou shalt", but as in "it's wise to do this as it will improve your story".

I know that's what you meant. I think even in that weaker form the word "should" isn't really helpful.

Even in the context of stories like yours, where the relationship is more involved than in some similar kinds of stories, I think it's perfectly acceptable not to clue the reader in about what happens after the story. It's totally unnecessary to let the reader know if they lived happily ever after, or if someone got an STD, caused a breakup, or whatever. If an author wants to let the reader know what the consequences of the encounter are, I think that's fine, too, but I don't usually do it that way. I like leaving the "ever after" open-ended, because I think life is that way. You don't know.

 

[Rustyoznail]

It really depends on the intent of the story. In some of my stories, there's a discussion about the consequences of their actions, in others - no.

Having it in can make the characters more real, but I wouldn't write "Before we have bareback sex, can you give me proof you don't have an STD, and I'll show you my half-empty packet of contraceptive pills" just because it's the socially responsible thing to do.

 

[8letters]

Having it in can make the characters more real, but I wouldn't write "Before we have bareback sex, can you give me proof you don't have an STD, and I'll show you my half-empty packet of contraceptive pills" just because it's the socially responsible thing to do.

In most of my stories, the characters discuss birth control, sometimes at length. The guy assumes the girl is telling him the truth on the topic.

I don't discuss STD's. I assume that if someone had an STD, they'd have it treated or disclose it before the action starts. In one story that I didn't finish, the female character having an incurable STD was a major plot point.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

If you've got something to say, feel free to write it. If you don't know what would happen the next day, or it would be a real downer, leave it out.

I like writing how people feel after, then they can have sex again and it's different. But that's just me - I also like trying different voices and seeing how distinctive I can make them without typed sound-spellings or dialogue tags.

 

[Erlikkhan]

Should the story discuss how things are going to change at the office?

Hey, it's just a fuck story. Nobody gives a shit about the next day. This site is about hot sex. Don't overthink it.

 

[PennameWombat]

Simple example story:
An office of six guys and a female admin decide to have a Super Bowl party at one of the guys' home. There's plenty of alcohol, one thing leads to another, and eventually they have a gangbang with all six guys fucking the admin.

Should the story discuss how things are going to change at the office?

I read I/T stories, and a lot of them don't have the characters wondering "What happens tomorrow?" as the story progresses. It's almost like the characters are sex machines who have had their "fuck like bunnies" switch turned on, and no corresponding emotional switch is thrown. I find those stories lacking.

What do you think?

In my latest Winter Holidays story my MCs had a short discussion that "the morning after" (which would come in about two weeks for them, not the literal next day) was going to involve some... decision making and the story gave the readers a bit of an idea of the issues with which they'd have to deal. But they, and the story, simply ended with them deciding to deal with "the future" in the future and they fucked themselves raw and we didn't see how they handled those issues.

Other stories simply ignore that there would be a morning after. The readers can think on it as they will. Fuck bunnies, if you want.

Finally, plenty of my stories depict long enough periods of time that morning afters play big roles. Last year's Geek Pride story was a long story that to some degree saw the effects of morning afters push the story along. Other stories, it's more subtle, if still there.

So, which story do you want to write? All stories are acceptable, it just depends on what you want to achieve, and likely what you want readers to take from it. If you enjoy depicting what the next day in the office looks like, by all means show it. If you want someone to say or think "man, this is probably a bad idea," but they go ahead and do it anyway without showing that next day, feel free.

 

[8letters]

I know that's what you meant. I think even in that weaker form the word "should" isn't really helpful.

Even in the context of stories like yours, where the relationship is more involved than in some similar kinds of stories, I think it's perfectly acceptable not to clue the reader in about what happens after the story. It's totally unnecessary to let the reader know if they lived happily ever after, or if someone got an STD, caused a breakup, or whatever. If an author wants to let the reader know what the consequences of the encounter are, I think that's fine, too, but I don't usually do it that way. I like leaving the "ever after" open-ended, because I think life is that way. You don't know.

Maybe I'm getting jaded from having read too many sex stories, but stories that are all about the sex are boring to me. I've read just about every way tab A can go into slot B. If the only action happening in the sex scene is physical, I've read it before. In my example story, how are you going to write the sixth guy fucking her that's different from the first five?

I like stories where the author shares what's in the character's mind, provided it's more than "FUCK LIKE BUNNY! FUCK LIKE BUNNY!". Back to my sample story, each guy is going to be impacted differently by fucking the admin. What's it going to do to the guy who's been secretly crushing on the admin? What's it going to do to the guy who's married? What's it going to do to the guy whose relationship with his girlfriend is souring? As what may happen tomorrow will be different for each of them, each of their fucks can be unique even if they fuck the admin in the exact same way.

I guess what I'm saying is I think stories are better if the characters are putting the sex into some context of their lives while they are having it.

 

[NotWise]

I guess what I'm saying is I think stories are better if the characters are putting the sex into some context of their lives while they are having it.

I agree. I think that's a common theme among writers on the AH, but I'm not sure how representative it is of the larger community. Erlikkhan's opinion up the thread may represent a larger group, and that goes some distance toward explaining why I don't read that much on Lit.