Do readers prefer male or female POV?

[TheOtherTeacher]

One of those eternal questions.

Do readers (on this site) prefer a male POV or female POV?
For this context, for straight/bi characters, who will be having (primarily) straight sex.

Does 1st or 3rd person change your view?
(e.g prefer female 3rd person but male 1st person)

(Wish there was a way to create a poll on this forum)

 

[SimonDoom]

I do both, and I can't say I really have a preference, and I've done both in both first person and third person. My stories often have a male/voyeur-female/exhibitionist dynamic, so it depends on whether I want to tell the story from the POV of the voyeur or the exhibitionist. I mix it up because it's more interesting that way. I find it easier to keep writing new stories when I switch around perspectives.

Good suggestion about the poll. That would be a useful feature.

 

[AlinaX]

Isn’t polling possible? I’m confused.

 

[vanmyers86]

I have had success with all the POVs you mention. I think it comes down to crafting a well-written story with interesting characters, a decent plot and hot sex, but I'm old fashioned that way

Keep experimenting and you'll either find your niche, or expand your skills, or both!

 

[TheOtherTeacher]

I have had success with all the POVs you mention. I think it comes down to crafting a well-written story with interesting characters, a decent plot and hot sex, but I'm old fashioned that way

Keep experimenting and you'll either find your niche, or expand your skills, or both!

I'm asking because I'm feeling the same way as you - that I'm reasonably good at writing both. I've had "hot" stories with both POVs as well as head-hopping stories with multiple POVs.

So I was curious about if readers (rather than writers) have a preference

 

[TheOtherTeacher]

Isn’t polling possible? I’m confused.

If it is, please let me know and I'll add one to the first post

 

[SimonDoom]

I'm asking because I'm feeling the same way as you - that I'm reasonably good at writing both. I've had "hot" stories with both POVs as well as head-hopping stories with multiple POVs.

So I was curious about if readers (rather than writers) have a preference

Some authors are reluctant to try the POV of a different gender because they feel (understandably) that they won't be able to pull it off, but I strongly recommend giving it a try. It's more fun to mix things up and you learn more about writing when you push yourself and try new things.

For instance, I would say I have a fairly traditional hetero male perspective, but it's very enjoyable to get into the head of a female character and write a story from her perspective. It's easier to do than some think. As long as you don't write things like "I strutted down the street with my unfettered 36DDs" you usually won't obviously sound like a dude trying to write from a woman's POV.

 

[EvaLane]

So I was curious about if readers (rather than writers) have a preference

As a reader, I started out preferring the female POV. It was new, thrilling, something I could slip into and experience fully. Her emotions, her surrender, her release - it let me live the story through her skin.

But now, nearing 30, I know myself. I don't need to borrow someone else's hunger.

What fascinates me now is the male POV. The inner workings of a man l'd never be allowed inside otherwise. His conflict, his restraint, the tension between what he wants and what he'll allow himself to take.

 

[FidelityBoss]

One of those eternal questions.

Do readers (on this site) prefer a male POV or female POV?
For this context, for straight/bi characters, who will be having (primarily) straight sex.

Does 1st or 3rd person change your view?
(e.g prefer female 3rd person but male 1st person)

(Wish there was a way to create a poll on this forum)

It’s a mixed bag as some readers prefer male POV, others female, and many don’t mind as long as the story’s engaging. First person can feel more intimate, while third person offers broader perspective. A poll would be handy, but for now, write what feels right for your story. Readers will follow if it’s compelling.

 

[FidelityBoss]

I'm asking because I'm feeling the same way as you - that I'm reasonably good at writing both. I've had "hot" stories with both POVs as well as head-hopping stories with multiple POVs.

So I was curious about if readers (rather than writers) have a preference

Readers’ preferences vary widely, some love the intimacy of first person, others enjoy the flexibility of third. Multiple POVs can work if done well, but clarity is key. Since you’re skilled at both, maybe alternate or let the story dictate the POV. Ultimately, strong characters and a gripping plot matter most.

 

[TheOtherTeacher]

Since you’re skilled at both, maybe alternate or let the story dictate the POV. Ultimately, strong characters and a gripping plot matter most.

This is my issue - I'm planning my next story. I've got the basic setting and premise. And this premise won't work well with multiple POVs, because it's already going to need multiple secondary characters. Doubling the POV characters would basically double the secondary characters.

If I have a male POV, the story will develop in one direction. A female POV will take the story in a different way.
Right now I don't have a preference, so I'm trying to gauge what readers would like more.

A feedback I had from a previous story was that "I wrote what I wanted to write, and not what readers wanted to read" and I'm trying to address that.

 

[TheWritingGroup]

I'm working on a story right now that's (partly) about how some male erotica readers prefer to read female POV stories.

-Annie

 

[VerbalAbuse]

I'm working on a story right now that's (partly) about how some male erotica readers prefer to read female POV stories.

-Annie

I keep saying this to the annoyance of some. The famous Emmanuelle was writen by a man and signed with his wife's name. As you know, it was well received.
Now, the question is whether the POV is indeed female. The MC pretends to be one (the eponymous Emmanuelle.) But unless your an excited, antsy teenager, you can't miss that "her" voice is distinctly masculine.

So if it turns you on to read an old man claiming to be a young female slut, while speaking as himself...

 

[FidelityBoss]

This is my issue - I'm planning my next story. I've got the basic setting and premise. And this premise won't work well with multiple POVs, because it's already going to need multiple secondary characters. Doubling the POV characters would basically double the secondary characters.

If I have a male POV, the story will develop in one direction. A female POV will take the story in a different way.
Right now I don't have a preference, so I'm trying to gauge what readers would like more.

A feedback I had from a previous story was that "I wrote what I wanted to write, and not what readers wanted to read" and I'm trying to address that.

It’s tricky balancing your vision with reader preferences, but it’s great you’re thinking about it! If you’re torn between male and female POVs, maybe test both with a short scene or outline to see which feels more natural for the story. So, write what excites you, readers will follow if the story’s compelling. Go with your gut.

 

[nice90sguy]

Isn’t polling possible? I’m confused.

I used them profusely back in the naughties, but alas "new " UI doesn';t allow them anymore. they were fun

As to the O.P.,

I don't mind if it's male or female POV, as long as it's from below.

 

[EvaLane]

I used them profusely back in the naughties

Oh that’s very clever, love that lol

 

[Trionyx]

Different readers prefer different things. Some want past tense, some prefer present tense. Some male POV, some female. Some like IT, some LW, some R, etc. I recommend that you write what you want to write since the pay here is the same either way.

I like to challenge myself with writing in different styles and with writing, for me at least, different themes.

Occasionally I will get a comment which makes it all worthwhile. For example: “Wow. Just, wow. You are either a woman or you had help. That was the best female character lead story I have read on here. Sweet Jesus.”

So it is possible to write from the viewpoint of the opposite sex and do well enough to fool at least one reader.

 

[Nynah]

If I have a male POV, the story will develop in one direction. A female POV will take the story in a different way.
Right now I don't have a preference, so I'm trying to gauge what readers would like more.

You could try with a truly omniscient third person POV so we get interiority from both sides. If you have a lot of characters this can obviously get unwieldy, though.

 

[mrs_mackenzie]

I've written both and can't say either is more successful or preferred.

Some readers might prefer to vicariously experience a man seducing a hard-to-get woman; some might want to hear her inner dialogue as she is seduced.

Overall, I find it depends on the plot and which character has the most interesting story to tell.

 

[alohadave]

I prefer interesting characters telling their story. Gender POV isn't something that I look for when looking stories to read.

 

[alohadave]

Some authors are reluctant to try the POV of a different gender because they feel (understandably) that they won't be able to pull it off, but I strongly recommend giving it a try.

I don't feel that it's that much harder to write female characters versus male. I'm sure that I miss things that I have no experience with, but overall I think I do okay. It's not like I'm writing literature after all.

 

[ronde]

I don't think it makes a difference as long the writing is well done and if the narration reflects real life. By "real life" I mean the thoughts and actions of the characters should be what one would expect given the personality described for the character in the story. Your garden-variety shy girl wouldn't end up stripping clothes and screaming "fuck me in the ass". Your average nerd wouldn't be attracting many gorgeous blondes with perfect figures and libidos the size of Texas. Just keep it believable and readers will like it.

 

[KittyOfSteele]

In my experience erotica written in first person with a male PoV triggers my gender dysphoria horribly, so I do my best to avoid it at all costs. There's nothing I have against it; it's just one of the quirks my brain has.

E: Even though this is a quirk of mine, I still am able to go through some, but I may need to take a couple of breaks, whether it is after the first page or after an hour of reading it depends on the story. So far, the only author I didn't need to take a break with was Henry Miller. Who knows? Maybe because some of his works had Anaïs Nin's hand on it help, but I don't know why it never happened with him.

 

[YmaOHyd]

Just keep it believable and readers will like it.

I don't think that's necessarily true. Fellow authors might like it, but I don't think readers care very much about plausibility. In Lit-world, your garden-variety shy girl does end up screaming to get fucked in the ass, and your typical average nerd does attract gorgeous blondes with huge libidos, to the point where it's actually surprising when they don't. Many people write realistic work and are very successful, but I don't think there's any correlation between success and realism here. 'Just keep it sexy and readers will like it' is more accurate, I think.

 

[Trionyx]

There might be times when a male POV or a female POV makes sense.
Since men are generally more visually stimulated than women, it would make more sense to me for a story focusing on voyeurism to be in the male POV and likewise, since women are often the objects (victims?) of male stares and leers, that a female exhibitionist should be written from her POV. A third person limited POV could easily follow these same guidelines.