Are you going to slow?

[Dwarfsetsfire]

Ok strange question too ask, but has anyone else had a story they were posting and writing and had complaints that the story was not fast enough? I got a couple of those lately, and I am not exactly sure if it is merited or not. I think the basis they were commenting on that what I was doing was too slow, because I had not slipped a good fuck scene into the story within the first two chapters. I had clearly labeled this story as slow,romance,humor,MF. I even said in the desc of it that it was a slow story, and not to expect alot of sex yet. But the comments while most if not all but a few where in the positive of where I was going with it. The few that are not seem to want me to have sex scene right now.

Now I am not going to change the whole story to make a few people happy, but what do you other writers do when this comes up? Do you try to fix the problem, or just ignore them and be damned with the low scores people who want stroke will give you?




Hope some of this makes sense.

 

[AchtungNight]

I've had complaints like this before. I always blow them off, telling myself I have to get me and my readers into the characters to make the sex really good. I also remind them they can always skip ahead to the sex if they must. It's hot enough to be worth the wait. That said, I do also go over my stories and make sure every step towards the sex is both right and necessary and the sex itself properly releases the buildup and develops things when it comes.

 

[3113]

heh. All the friggin' time. And I don't know that they're wrong. I do get off to slow, leisurely starts. But then, you have to remember, there are stories on Lit that start: "He licked her clit making her shudder and cry out...." Or "He fucked her tight hot ass..."

That's sentence 1, paragraph 1, page 1. This instant gratification--along with the stroke stories that barely have characters saying "hello" before they're ripping each others clothese off spoils a lot of readers. They come up on a story--a real story not a stroke piece--and they're checking their watch. What's all this character development and setting and plot stuff? They want to get to the juicy bits by the middle of the first page, not have to wait till page 2 or, worse, page 3!

My biggest sin was one two-part story where the first part (2 Lit pages) had no sex at all.

If you only get one or two complains on a story about that, ignore them, they're not your audience. If you get several, then you might want to think about whether you're indulging yourself and being too leisurely--erotic short stories should have some sexual heat to them even if they don't need such heat in the first sentence of the first paragraph of the first page.

 

[rgraham666]

I've had it happen. And I ignore it.

I think I have a pretty good feel for pacing a story. If something's there, it's because I thought it should be.

If someone has a problem with that it's their problem.

 

[Aurora Black]

Only once so far, and it was more of a complaint about overall story length than anything else. Screw 'em, I say.

 

[oggbashan]

It depends

They could mean one of two things:

1. They have to wait a long time for any sex. I think my record is about 4 Lit pages before the sex starts. Of course, in some of my stories the sex is only implied or is off-stage. That really annoys anonymous. Or,

2. The actual writing seems slow when read. If the story has large chunks of description with little dialogue to break it up then the overall impression will be that things are happening slowly, no matter what the action of the story. I found that writing in 3rd person limited gave a much slower story than 1st person:

Example A, 3rd Person: "He looked through the bedroom doorway to see her displayed nude across the bed."

Example B, 1st Person: "I looked through the bedroom door. I saw her - nude on the bed."

Or a change of tense to speed it up:

Example C, 1st Person, present tense: "I look through the bedroom door. I see her - nude on the bed."

Example B should seem faster than A, and C should feel fastest of all.

Og

 

[yui]

Now I am not going to change the whole story to make a few people happy, but what do you other writers do when this comes up? Do you try to fix the problem, or just ignore them and be damned with the low scores people who want stroke will give you?




Hope some of this makes sense.

Actually, I can honestly say it has never come up with me; but, I write (when I actually write) vignettes that are all about emotion and sex, not "stories". If you've got a good story with a good plot, then revel in your talent.

That said, so many writers overestimate their ability to engage the reader; most readers, even in popular fiction (not only the much distained "stroke readers" of which I readily admit, I am one) don't enjoy wading through self-indulgent nattering or a lengthy back-story to get to the "good stuff" (be it sex or something interesting, at least … plot … character … a little of both ….).

I suppose, in my opinion, it depends on what your goal is. If you want your audience to adore you, write to them. If you want to remain true to your "art" and your style, then learn where you can and write what you want. Just don't forget to learn from the people who are actually reading what you write and don't have a vested interest in stroking your ego; often writing is such an emotional thing that we all have trouble seeing the good and the bad of it all.

Much luck and peace,

Yui

 

[dr_mabeuse]

I don't think you have to have sex on the first page of a Lit story. But you do have to have sexiness.

There's a difference and any writer worth his or her salt knows it. Anyone can write sex. Writing sexiness is an art.

--Zoot

 

[AchtungNight]

Actually, I can honestly say it has never come up with me; but, I write (when I actually write) vignettes that are all about emotion and sex, not "stories". If you've got a good story with a good plot, then revel in your talent.

That said, so many writers overestimate their ability to engage the reader; most readers, even in popular fiction (not only the much distained "stroke readers" of which I readily admit, I am one) don't enjoy wading through self-indulgent nattering or a lengthy back-story to get to the "good stuff" (be it sex or something interesting, at least … plot … character … a little of both ….).

I suppose, in my opinion, it depends on what your goal is. If you want your audience to adore you, write to them. If you want to remain true to your "art" and your style, then learn where you can and write what you want. Just don't forget to learn from the people who are actually reading what you write and don't have a vested interest in stroking your ego; often writing is such an emotional thing that we all have trouble seeing the good and the bad of it all.

Much luck and peace,

Yui

Amen, friend.