A matter of opinion

[atariblue]

Out of curiosity. Do you prefer a story that's a bit more fanciful or something that's a bit more grounded in reality? The reason I ask is while reading an incest/taboo where the main characters were wrought with guilt and other intense feelings. It was a well written story with the characters fully fleshed out to resonate with the reader. This got me to thinking though, when I read erotica, especially in the taboo/incest category, I'm looking for more fantasy driven story lines. Plots that wouldn't and most times shouldn't happen in real life. Characters who don't think twice about having that intimate relationship with that other person. I like to separate reality and fiction. I don't mind stepping away from the hectic and sometimes frustrating reality of the world for awhile. Now, I don't shun those who like to write in a more grounded reality, if that's their style then more power to them, but for me I'll stick to the lusty moms, the sexy neighbors, the inquisitive daughters/sister dressed in their mini skirts, the hot teacher, the disciplinary dad... you get the picture.

So, back to my original question. When you're searching for a story what style do you prefer? Do you prefer substance over style? Or the other way around?

 

[Carnevil9]

I don't mind a fanciful, unrealistic story at all, especially if it is unrealistic in an interesting and novel way. But it still has to follow its own internal rules. I go by the "what if?" rule: every story gets one big "what if?" to set things up. What if we could make dinosaurs in a lab? What if vampires were real? What if my sister wanted to jump my bones? As long as they don't pile on more and more unrealistic assumptions, I'm willing to go along with the one that makes the story worth telling.

I spend all day in the real world. I don't need my escapism to be in that same world.

 

[Magineer]

For me, your thought revolves around the credibility issue... and in my mind, a story which has not persuaded me that it could be true will always struggle to get me on board.

So many so-called 'authors' make not the slightest effort to do this, in terms of pitching a little realia into the tale via character, setting or both. There need not be forensic psychological detail or suchlike... but there has to be something to twist my mental arm into giving the story the benefit of the doubt credibility-wise.

Otherwise, what have you got? Generic, wooden characters in a setting which could be anywhere and anywhen. Thanks very much. Really fascinating. Yawn, yawn. On the other hand, give me that minimum amount of realistic detail and I can suspend my disbelief along with the best.

 

[atariblue]

I don't mind a fanciful, unrealistic story at all, especially if it is unrealistic in an interesting and novel way. But it still has to follow its own internal rules. I go by the "what if?" rule: every story gets one big "what if?" to set things up. What if we could make dinosaurs in a lab? What if vampires were real? What if my sister wanted to jump my bones? As long as they don't pile on more and more unrealistic assumptions, I'm willing to go along with the one that makes the story worth telling.

I spend all day in the real world. I don't need my escapism to be in that same world.

So genetically altered vampire dinosaurs attacking a small village all the while your sister is seducing you is out of the question? Lol

 

[gordo12]

So genetically altered vampire dinosaurs attacking a small village all the while your sister is seducing you is out of the question? Lol

LOL, great plot, but not quite sure that's what he had in mind

A lot of my stories are over the top in some respects. I tend to warn the readers ahead of time and sometimes someone will call me on it, but the majority seem to enjoy it.

I wouldn't hesitate if I were you.

I spend all day in the real world. I don't need my escapism to be in that same world.

I agree with that idea. Fiction and disbelief are great companions to stories. I mean look at Guardians of the Galaxy. A raccoon running around with a tree and various humanoids to save the entire galaxy from a despot determined to kill 1/2 the living creatures using baubles like I've seen in a junk jewellery store.

Really?

Enjoyed it though

 

[JaxRhapsody]

LOL, great plot, but not quite sure that's what he had in mind

A lot of my stories are over the top in some respects. I tend to warn the readers ahead of time and sometimes someone will call me on it, but the majority seem to enjoy it.

I wouldn't hesitate if I were you.



I agree with that idea. Fiction and disbelief are great companions to stories. I mean look at Guardians of the Galaxy. A raccoon running around with a tree and various humanoids to save the entire galaxy from a despot determined to kill 1/2 the living creatures using baubles like I've seen in a junk jewellery store.

Really?

Enjoyed it though

The racoon is genetically engineered and has cybernetic parts- he's kinda a cyborg. Groot is an alien.

I can understand not wanting something too real, but I feel like it has to at least be plausible. I've read incest and seen some shit that could've been plausible, but had horrible execution. I have one, too. A few people have liked it, if I cared, I'd probably delete it.

 

[atariblue]

The racoon is genetically engineered and has cybernetic parts- he's kinda a cyborg. Groot is an alien.

I can understand not wanting something too real, but I feel like it has to at least be plausible. I've read incest and seen some shit that could've been plausible, but had horrible execution. I have one, too. A few people have liked it, if I cared, I'd probably delete it.

Definitely has to have some plausibility. I don't expect the sister just to walk into the brother's room unannounced and start sucking his cock, and ohh surprise she's an alien from a distance galaxy... Unless that's how the story was set up to be lol

 

[JaxRhapsody]

Definitely has to have some plausibility. I don't expect the sister just to walk into the brother's room unannounced and start sucking his cock, and ohh surprise she's an alien from a distance galaxy... Unless that's how the story was set up to be lol

Lol.. like Quill and his sister. Minus the sex part. I have some incest written and of you check it out, you'll see what I mean about plausibility and execution. One of them is a mother wanting her son, who isn't keen on the idea, another is accidental, one is well has no explination but there is a lead-up to the incest to fix the result of their first try. There might be one more. Once I have another usb data cable for my hard drive, I'll be uploading the rest of them... and a laptop that I don't need to type like a tough guy poking you in the chest at a night club.

 

[SimonDoom]

I enjoy whimsical stories and stories based on implausible story lines or that have their characters push the edge of what real characters would do. Many of my stories push the edge. I find that quality erotic in stories that I read, so I write stories like that, as well.

I would quarrel with the OP's characterization of this as style v. substance. A fantasy story can be one of substance. It's not less substantial because it has fantasy elements.

The key concept is verisimilitude. It's completely unimportant to a story's quality, in my opinion, whether it's realistic. Instead, it must, within its own fantasy boundaries, maintain some semblance of reality. Once the story sets up its fantasy setting, or its character's pushed-to-the-edge motivation and behavior, the story must abide by the rules it sets up for its world. You can only ask the reader to suspend disbelief so many times.

So, for example, it's fine to have a story that features people who behave in familiar ways plunged into a fantastic situation. Almost every Stephen King novel, or almost any horror novel that involves monsters or the supernatural, is like this. It works as long as the characters, once confronted with something fantastic, act, more or less, like real people.

Or, it's OK to write erotic stories in which people do things that push the edge of believability (son and mom falling for each other in matter of hours or days and having sex) as long as you, the author, attend in some minimal way to motivation, triggering events, and the issue of overcoming guilt, taboo, and societal barriers. It doesn't take pages and pages of narrative. A little goes a long way. That's the thing about verisimilitude -- it's not realism, it's a facimile of reality. Readers are grateful for it.

As an erotica author, the thing you have going for you is that sex is a universal and powerful motivator. The sex drive has made people do crazy things for as long as people have existed. It's done a lot of the work for you as an author. Feel free to write stories where people do crazy things because of sex. Just do what's minimally necessary to explain what they're doing so you don't lose your readers along the way.

 

[Magineer]

I enjoy whimsical stories and stories based on implausible story lines or that have their characters push the edge of what real characters would do. Many of my stories push the edge. I find that quality erotic in stories that I read, so I write stories like that, as well.

I would quarrel with the OP's characterization of this as style v. substance. A fantasy story can be one of substance. It's not less substantial because it has fantasy elements.

The key concept is verisimilitude. It's completely unimportant to a story's quality, in my opinion, whether it's realistic. Instead, it must, within its own fantasy boundaries, maintain some semblance of reality. Once the story sets up its fantasy setting, or its character's pushed-to-the-edge motivation and behavior, the story must abide by the rules it sets up for its world. You can only ask the reader to suspend disbelief so many times.

So, for example, it's fine to have a story that features people who behave in familiar ways plunged into a fantastic situation. Almost every Stephen King novel, or almost any horror novel that involves monsters or the supernatural, is like this. It works as long as the characters, once confronted with something fantastic, act, more or less, like real people.

Or, it's OK to write erotic stories in which people do things that push the edge of believability (son and mom falling for each other in matter of hours or days and having sex) as long as you, the author, attend in some minimal way to motivation, triggering events, and the issue of overcoming guilt, taboo, and societal barriers. It doesn't take pages and pages of narrative. A little goes a long way. That's the thing about verisimilitude -- it's not realism, it's a facimile of reality. Readers are grateful for it.

As an erotica author, the thing you have going for you is that sex is a universal and powerful motivator. The sex drive has made people do crazy things for as long as people have existed. It's done a lot of the work for you as an author. Feel free to write stories where people do crazy things because of sex. Just do what's minimally necessary to explain what they're doing so you don't lose your readers along the way.

Agreed 100%. Things can 'go surreal' provided there's at least some kind of grounding.

The type of reader who enjoys simple, unadorned and 'unsupported' descriptions of fucking won't agree but, hey, that kind of reader usually never got past basic education anyway, so at the risk of sounding snobbish I tend to value their opinions in that light.

 

[atariblue]

I would quarrel with the OP's characterization of this as style v. substance. A fantasy story can be one of substance. It's not less substantial because it has fantasy elements.

Funny thing is I was debating on whether to add the Style v. Substance part. In retrospect it probably doesn't make sense in accordance with the question posed because style and substance can go hand in hand when you're writing.