Character development - hot or not?

[Hypoxia]

I don't want to read about one dimensional characters, and I sure as hell don't want to write about them. But I guess that wasn't the question.

Character development is not impossible in 50 or 750 or 3750 words but longer forms allow more growth, and mistakes. Note that not all characters need or deserve to be deeply known. Cf supporting cast.

I've been praised both for well-developed players and for cartoon caricatures. My primary characters tend to be quirky or questioning -- such can fit in both long and short forms. But not all personal histories are relevant. It depends.

I'm sensing a gender split in responses.

On the InterWebz, one's identity as a hermaphroditic gastropod remains safe. That's a metaphor.

 

[MelissaBaby]

I just went back through the responses, and I don't see it.

You know, you're right. I think I put too much weight on a couple of replies and should not have generalized.

 

[JasonClearwater]

I don't want to read about one dimensional characters, and I sure as hell don't want to write about them. But I guess that wasn't the question.


I'm sensing a gender split in responses.

And BOOM, right to the point. You want more than a cutout of Mary and a cutout of John mashing their genitals together, in order to have a good time.

That was, indeed, the question.

 

[ElectricBlue]

And BOOM, right to the point. You want more than a cutout of Mary and a cutout of John mashing their genitals together, in order to have a good time

Ah yes, but take note, Mr Clearwater, that Melissa's Mary has a waist and curves, and I don't think she's mentioned boyish hips even the once .

#EBwillWriteJonahNextButFlightWillNotBeLedAstrayJustSaying

 

[MelissaBaby]

And BOOM, right to the point. You want more than a cutout of Mary and a cutout of John mashing their genitals together, in order to have a good time.

That was, indeed, the question.

Let's say that you learn that two friends of yours have hooked up. It's unexpected, it comes as quite a surprise.

What interests you most about the situation? What position they fucked in? How many times they came?

Or how did that come about? Are they together now or was this a one time thing?

 

[MelissaBaby]

Ah yes, but take note, Mr Clearwater, that Melissa's Mary has a waist and curves, and I don't think she's mentioned boyish hips even the once .

#EBwillWriteJonahNextButFlightWillNotBeLedAstrayJustSaying

I find it interesting that every time I have given any details about Mary's appearance, it has been from Alvin's POV, and yet, readers seem to accept it as an objective description.

 

[ElectricBlue]

I find it interesting that every time I have given any details about Mary's appearance, it has been from Alvin's POV, and yet, readers seem to accept it as an objective description.

That wasn't commentary on your descriptions, Melissa, more a note on Jason's tendency to auto-translate all of my female characters into young men. I have to be very, very careful which file copy I use, as his "light edits" can be rather alarming (but always amusing). He is very tenacious .

 

[MelissaBaby]

That wasn't commentary on your descriptions, Melissa, more a note on Jason's tendency to auto-translate all of my female characters into young men. I have to be very, very careful which file copy I use, as his "light edits" can be rather alarming (but always amusing). He is very tenacious .

No problem, your comment just made me muse.

 

[Maeven_quinn]

Do I personally enjoy erotic shorts without any character development whatsoever?

Yes, sometimes I do. Sometimes all I want is a quick description of sex on a lunch break or something. Judging by what gets popular in self-publishing, I'm not the only person who thinks this way.

I generally do not like writing this though. Everytime I start writing "quickie short porn" it always winds up into 10k word story. I think though, quickie short porn is something I need practice at. Its enough that I'll start a blog in the near future for that purpose.

 

[JasonClearwater]

Everytime I start writing "quickie short porn" it always winds up into 10k word story.

^^ Relatable content right there.

I personally have a D/S paraphilia that needs to include objectification in order for me to get physically aroused by a story. I can appreciate a well written story the same way I appreciate an attractive person's aesthetic, but without the D/S dynamic, there's no physical response.

I was mainly curious as to what authors here, those that post, find arousing. Not what they write, as I suspect many of us write content that's different from what we choose to read when we want to be aroused. I want to know what makes you go

https://images.discordapp.net/avatars/310366123759632385/f1aaf25f82e0cd077016fc96c23cdac0.png?size=512

 

[CoffeeWithMonkeys]

Realized I never really answered the question.

I need to know everything, or as much as I can, about the characters. Might be an aspergers thing though...

True story
I write about a muse, and he keeps me busy, and a close friend of mine once told me I was the only person who had ever captured his real essence.
I was so thrilled to hear this because he can be so complex.
And then a couple months ago she mentioned to me, You know I only ever read the sex scenes in your stories, I don't care about the characters.
I was crushed.

I guess like in real life, I can't have random sex. I couldn't just fuck someone I don't know. Someone I just met.
So yeah character development is HOT and very important to me.

 

[Hypoxia]

ObTopic: The OP question seems to be more about character description than development. Do readers want and need full biographies of all players? IMHO that's not like seeing them grow. Development implies change. Does your story support a player's evolution? We may know (in depth) Jan's emotional nature. Does how they got there matter more? And where do they go from here?

I've written tales with various hints of a player's history before the story starts -- but the narrative tells what changes them as you read. The past is past. What is happening NOW? What happens NEXT? What evolves?

 

[SimonDoom]

ObTopic: The OP question seems to be more about character description than development. Do readers want and need full biographies of all players? IMHO that's not like seeing them grow. Development implies change. Does your story support a player's evolution? We may know (in depth) Jan's emotional nature. Does how they got there matter more? And where do they go from here?

I've written tales with various hints of a player's history before the story starts -- but the narrative tells what changes them as you read. The past is past. What is happening NOW? What happens NEXT? What evolves?

I agree there's some uncertainty about the original question, and the responses indicate that. Full biographies aren't necessary, and in short stories they're a bad idea.

To give an example that I hope makes sense of what I'm trying to say:

Some stories on Literotica are of the "I had sex with my lover yesterday. Let me tell you about it" variety. I can understand why some people want to read stories like that, but I don't. It's not erotic to me. I want to read a story about a character with an interesting erotic need or desire, or who is put in an interesting erotic situation. Some trait or feature or need of the character should be a driving force of the story's plot. That's what makes a story interesting, even an erotic story.

It doesn't require a bunch of backstory. In an artful short story character can be sketched in a few words or sentences. That's all that's needed. To me "development" simply means, as you suggest, some sort of change that happens to the character over the course of the story. It's what makes a story memorable.

 

[Hypoxia]

It doesn't require a bunch of backstory. In an artful short story character can be sketched in a few words or sentences. That's all that's needed.

Stereotypes (and breaking them) are useful here. Heroes and villains are easily shown. A burly trucker's radio tuned to right-wing ranting -- there's a good hint of character. Pop-up a cartoon caricature, then twist it, so that trucker (he or she) is vegan. Or a woman looks quizzically at her lover's scars and is told, "Just some old Army stuff," with nothing further said. Readers (hopefully) sense that background flavor.

To me "development" simply means, as you suggest, some sort of change that happens to the character over the course of the story. It's what makes a story memorable.

And it's likely a major factor in popularity of 'romantic' Incest stories -- kins' attitudes change and they fuck each other. It's certainly a development, hey? Similar to BDSM tales of players realizing they're subs or dommes, or IR stories of players' growing lusts for interracial sex, or anyone discovering a new kink. All those can be short strokers as well as deep epics. The author's task: build a readable plot for the evolution.

 

[yukonnights]

Must be Tuesday.

So, I've tried a number of approaches to erotica now, some successful, others less so, but one thing I'm still curious about is the role of character development in creating arousal.

Do you, personally, find you get more tingle in your dingle when you get a character arc, or if you're reading about a plasticated stranger (porn-style)?

I'm not asking if you think character development makes a better story, or shows more skill, or has more merit... just whether or not you, personally, find a story more arousing if you know the character as a person?

And then, do you find it more arousing when the events match the personality (good things happen to good people), or the inverse (good things happen to bad people, bad things happen to good people).

I realise this will differ from person to person, but I'm curious about any and all opinions on this.

1) ...just whether or not you, personally, find a story more arousing if you know the character as a person?

I'd have to answer this in a similar way I just did on the 'short vs long story question'; It's like comparing a porn clip to a movie. They both have their place but can't be compared side-by-side. However, for me personally, I prefer a well developed character. I also enjoy knowing about their interior life...thoughts, desires, kinks, fears, etc.

2)...And then, do you find it more arousing when the events match the personality (good things happen to good people), or the inverse (good things happen to bad people, bad things happen to good people)?

I'd summarize this to; I prefer Happy Ever After endings...but bad things have to threaten that

 

[TarnishedPenny]

All stories (and their authors) have distinct needs. Players may need more or less or zero backgrounds, depending. A narrative may need more or less inquiry into thoughts and motives, depending.

Motive is crucial: WHY do they do that pervo stuff? Maybe the reason lies in Freudian drives, Reichian orgone theory, recent trauma (physical-chemical-mental). The WHY may need many or few words, depending.

Some players are deep. Some are cartoon cutouts. Some just ARE; maybe we learn some background, maybe not, depending. What does the story NEED?

Fully agreed, but it's not only stories and authors that have needs. Individual readers have needs, too. There's obviously a market for short strokers, which for me suggests that some readers simply don't care about characters. For them, nine-inch willies and 38DD hooters are all that's required to win five stars.

Personally, I'd go with HayAll's comment about, "creating a character(s) that's realistic and readers feel like they can imagine them." That hits it right on the head in terms of my personal preferences as, shall we say, a consumer.

As the old saying goes, Il y a n rat pour chaque chat.

 

[rescatooor]

I'm sensing a gender split in responses.

I'm going to carefully agree but then again I've read some excellent stories by men on this site that build a multi-faceted image of woman in their stories but leave their men somewhat one-dimensional.

I feel it might be more of a question of who you prioritize in a story. Some of my men seem a little one-dimensional (to me at least) simply because they're the vocalizer. Or maybe not simply because of that, maybe it's because the story isn't ultimately about them.

Let's face it, it is difficult to make all characters sound three-dimensional, especially outside of the main character and their love interest. Even most authors I like only get the job half done.

Whether character development is needed is usually concerning the characters that are least defined and built, I feel. You can make up for a blank slate with the fact that the blank slate goes through something that changes them into something less obscure. I try to do this with my stories constantly, for I know most of my female protagonists are just me in need of development.

 

[Hypoxia]

Let's face it, it is difficult to make all characters sound three-dimensional, especially outside of the main character and their love interest. Even most authors I like only get the job half done.

Many fictional humans don't need to be 3D. The walk-ons, spear-carriers, passersby -- we only need see them, not their histories and complexities. Especially in a 1st-person POV -- the narrator knows themself intimately but may be un- or mis-informed about those encountered. They're all cartoon cutouts. Play with them.