Beyond Porn

[dr_mabeuse]

I came across something about E. A. Poe's ideas on the short story, and it was his opinion that a short story should seek to create a specific mood or a feeling in the reader (you can probably figure out just what mood or feeling Poe was going for), and that every word in thne story should be directed towards that end. In porn, that mood or feeling is one of sexual excitement: the stories are almost always meant to titillate and arouse.

I'm curious as to whether anyone ever tries to do more than that in the fiction they publish here, if there's any other kind of feeling or message you're trying to get across in what you write.

---dr.M.

 

[MathGirl]

Originally posted by dr_mabeuse I'm curious as to whether anyone ever tries to do more than that in the fiction they publish here, if there's any other kind of feeling or message you're trying to get across in what you write.

Dear Dr M,
For me, personally, the feelings of love and sex are so intermingled as to be inseparable. I think that comes through in my stories. With obvious exceptions, of course.
MG

 

[Green_Gem]

I have found that as I have become more confident in my writing, I have tried to incorporate aspects that are not specifically related to the sex. So while, of course the underlying premise when I post here is to make the story erotic, I find myself concentrating on some kind of plot or story line, character development and most especially emotional aspects. I now get a lot of feedback where readers comment on that and actually talk about the characters as though they are “real” people who they identify with, rather than just a short note saying “the sex was hot.”

I don’t think I try to get a specific message across but I have recently tried to write stories in different categories and that is quite a challenge. (I understand now why they call that contest “ The Survivor Contest”) and I take my hat off to the writers who are making progress there because it does stretch your creativity and ability to adapt your voice and style to the specific category.


G_G

 

[Guest]

I can only try to write well and for my own pleasure (not necessarily sexual). Whatever mood, emotions, etc. come across are there because of how I write, not necessarily due to the content, though how I write often makes the style and content inextricable.

Perdita

 

[oggbashan]

I try to amuse. Titillation comes second, some would say 'last' in my stories.

If I can get a reader to smile, I'm happy.

My story "Donna" does not fit. That one is cathartic and should make the reader angry. Not a good response to aim for.

Og

 

[OldnotDead]

Well, I don't have a long list of posted stories to use as examples, but I have a fair number of unfinished ones. My answer would be a lot like sex itself, 'it depends'.

Aren't there times when you just want to have sex and there are times when the personal interaction, buildup, and tension are just as important as the release?

 

[Icingsugar]

Some stories of mine are just sexual all the way through, some are barely erotic at all for long periods of time, and does not try to be. I guess those are not erotic stories per se, but a mix of genres. In the same way that you can write romantic history stories or social-realistic crime science fiction or whatever, those are another genre AND erotica interalcing.

 

[Uther_Pendragon]

That depends. For one thing, I think Poe was rather
restrictive. Sometimes you aim for just one thing,
sometimes for several things in the same story.
Often I plan to amuse. I've done social criticism,
wrapped a story around one of my opinions, written a story
to accomplish some auctorial target (I wrote one story
to use substories in each of four POV-types, 1st person,
2nd-person, 3rd-person limited, 3rd-person omniscient; and
also to have the substories in the future and the
future-perfect tenses.)

 

[A7inchPhildo]

Dr. M,

I am a big fan of Poe and follow some of his basic steps in every story I write.

As you may know Poe was a Poet no suprise his first love was poetry. The reason Poe wrote stories was to support himself not because he liked stories. His life was not that of one most today would even consider being realistic by any means. Of course tragic occurances played a big part on his mind set and alchohol was another. The fact that after all his childhood dramas had passed. Then he marries his cousin and soon as things begin to level out in his life she becomes ill and dies also is what sends Poe over the edge. Natural he writes a morbid tale. The restriction he uses through out is very precise in one direction. You can do the same with any topic even multiple topics with a common goal.

I pick and choose words in my stories that do not always seem to be the best words but they lay down a feeling that is intended for the reader.

My biggest kick is the feedback that tells me. How sorry they are for what has occured in my life, or the fanatic who rips up and down about how my stories are so wrong. Cause I got to them!

Of course I always get the suggestive input of what they want to happen next.

I might think I am not writing what is wanted except most of my feedback comes from females who tell me how much they can relate to the story. That alone says it is a story about feelings.

I do need to go back and edit some of my original submissions as they never had an editor and not even "Word" to make them more readable. But as many will say I never get feedback, I can say I still get feedback on my first stories never mind the newer ones. In my opinion my first stories are not that great and lack a lot of editing. Still I get the feedback I could really feel what you meant.

As you know one of my biggest suggestions to writers looking for feedback is to visit this page.
http://www.uni-koeln.de/~ame02/pppp.htm#P4

Not because I want them to write poetry, but because it gives a writer a way of putting feelings into a story. Short stories should be concise and still deliver a powerful feeling to the reader. If a poem can do that surely the use of specific items can be helpfull in a story.

 

[Guest]

As you know one of my biggest suggestions to writers looking for feedback is to visit this page.
http://www.uni-koeln.de/~ame02/pppp.htm#P4

Phil, I didn't know, but I've saved the page.

gracias, Perdita

 

[Seattle Zack]

Not to get too highbrow, but I think there is a difference between porn and erotica, and most of the writing of the Hangout members tends to fall into the latter category.

Porn has no characterization, no plot, no real narrative: I was trying on my new lingerie when the pizza delivery boy came to the door. He was tanned and blond and 6'2" and about 220 pounds. He took one look at my 38DD breasts and the bulge grew in his pants ... Stories I'd classify as "porn" are like watching a porn movie.

Erotica, on the other hand, can be almost any genre, just more explicit than conventional fiction. As such, I think Dr.M's Poe quote applies, although arousal may or may not be the mood that's intended. I've read some very good stories on Lit that are incredibly depressing, and others that are hilarious. Arousal is one one of many possible moods that a story is meant to inspire. The fact that there's explicit sex doesn't make it any less of a romance, or adventure, or sci-fi story.

 

[Colleen Thomas]

My stories are pretty diverse in setting, characters and plot. One constant is that they all have happy endings. For me reading erotica is supposed to be fun and I cannot see ruining that with a sad or down ending.

Some of my stories have a bit of social commentary in them. Sometimes that is intentional other times it's accidental. A few of them are hopefully poignant and carry some message that goes beyond the reader just getting off. Certainly in my case every word is not intended to promote a sexual response or further that response.

I don't see why the short story format should be so limited as to be aimed at promoting a single response from the reader. I don't even consider myself to be a particularly polished writer yet my stories often provoke more than a single response as they develop.

-Colly

 

[DirtyJJ]

I just started my next Lit story yesterday, and it begins with a lot of scene setting... not just the physical surroundings but a little history of the people involved. This story has a certain mood/ ambiance that I feel when I think of the story so I am trying to capture that before I dive into the sex. It may get less views or votes than a pure "stroke" story, but I think there is a wide enough audience out there to enjoy different approaches to the stories.
DJJ

 

[Dirty Slut]

I came across something about E. A. Poe's ideas on the short story, and it was his opinion that a short story should seek to create a specific mood or a feeling in the reader (you can probably figure out just what mood or feeling Poe was going for), and that every word in thne story should be directed towards that end. In porn, that mood or feeling is one of sexual excitement: the stories are almost always meant to titillate and arouse.

I'm curious as to whether anyone ever tries to do more than that in the fiction they publish here, if there's any other kind of feeling or message you're trying to get across in what you write.

---dr.M.

A good writer doesn't clutter up his work with too many agendas. Stick with the premise, confine the story to one major idea/philisophical thought, and write it.

DS