Forcing Characters

[Guest]

Forcing Characters - A Writing Question

 

[scheherazade_79]

I'm working on the sequel to my first story and having some problems with a transition of the main character. In brief, she gets into a threesome with her husband and her best friend (a woman).

I've got the sex written out, but am having a lot of trouble with the transition of her from a monogomous (but hot, light BDSM) relationship to accepting/wanting the threesome. I've made several attempts, but all seemed "forced" from the writing standpoint and there isn't a natural change in her attitude.

Any suggestions, or should I give in to her beligerance and abandon the story?

I don't know... Give her some kind of orgasmic experience that turns her into a sexual animal?

 

[minsue]

What, you don't want to use the usual, "Hey, did I ever tell you I wanted to share you with so-and-so?" routine?

 

[impressive]

I'm working on the sequel to my first story and having some problems with a transition of the main character. In brief, she gets into a threesome with her husband and her best friend (a woman).

I've got the sex written out, but am having a lot of trouble with the transition of her from a monogomous (but hot, light BDSM) relationship to accepting/wanting the threesome. I've made several attempts, but all seemed "forced" from the writing standpoint and there isn't a natural change in her attitude.

Any suggestions, or should I give in to her beligerance and abandon the story?

I just finished reading your first story -- and truthfully, I was thinking she should get together with her friend. I think you've laid the groundwork nicely in the 1st part.

Incidentally, I tried to send you feedback, but it would never give me the confirmation page ("Your feedback has been sent.")

~Imp

 

[Quiet_Cool]

I'm not necessarily the best to give advice, but if it doesn't fit the character... I'd say give it up, or let it sit and fester longer. Maybe, perhaps, there's a third story somewhere that goes in between the two?

Q_C

 

[Guest]

 

[impressive]

Do your characters talk back to you?

Oh, yes! In fact, they typically RULE. I cannot make them do something they don't want to do. LOL

 

[pop_54]

I'm working on the sequel to my first story and having some problems with a transition of the main character. In brief, she gets into a threesome with her husband and her best friend (a woman).

I've got the sex written out, but am having a lot of trouble with the transition of her from a monogomous (but hot, light BDSM) relationship to accepting/wanting the threesome. I've made several attempts, but all seemed "forced" from the writing standpoint and there isn't a natural change in her attitude.

Any suggestions, or should I give in to her beligerance and abandon the story?

Do you always make life so difficult for yourself Mrs L

Well you've either got to force it, fill it with cliche's, or dump it, not overly satisfying any way you choose.

Cliche's seems about the best way to go if you want to stick with it... One saving grace, she's the 'best' friend, could be latent feelings from school days or whatever, might have done it for the other woman, rather than her hubby. Could chuck in a bit of alcohol and high arousal causing an otherwise monog lady to let go... hell it was a sex act, and do other women or not, who turns down a sex act when you're horny as hell. Over to you dear.

 

[minsue]

LOL, but no. I'm trying to build sexual tension between the two women. They start by sharing tales of what they do with their husbands and the main character is finding herself turned on (and attracted) by picturing her friend in various situations. The feeling is mutual, but what I've written seems very stilted to me. They both wanna give into the feelings, but are afraid to do so.

At least that seems to be what they're telling me.

Do your characters talk back to you?

No, but that probably has more to do with my lack of writing than anything else.

My clock talks to me*. Does that count?

*along with anything else that makes a steady monotonous sound

 

[Colleen Thomas]

LOL, but no. I'm trying to build sexual tension between the two women. They start by sharing tales of what they do with their husbands and the main character is finding herself turned on (and attracted) by picturing her friend in various situations. The feeling is mutual, but what I've written seems very stilted to me. They both wanna give into the feelings, but are afraid to do so.

At least that seems to be what they're telling me.

Do your characters talk back to you?

Having read the work Mrs, I would say you already laid the ground work. I think you rproblem is you are looking for a major mental shift from monagamous to open. IN reality, you laid a good framework for your character to become intensely curious about sex with her freind.

If you build on the curiosity and down play the radical shift in thought, you can asily get the character to a point where the right situation would make finding out hard to resist.

IMHO

-Colly

 

[LadyJeanne]

LOL, but no. I'm trying to build sexual tension between the two women. They start by sharing tales of what they do with their husbands and the main character is finding herself turned on (and attracted) by picturing her friend in various situations. The feeling is mutual, but what I've written seems very stilted to me. They both wanna give into the feelings, but are afraid to do so.

At least that seems to be what they're telling me.

Do your characters talk back to you?

Perhaps the ladies could extend their tale-telling beyond their husbands? Maybe they start talking about fantasies or whether they are curious about sex with other women - one of them could describe a favorite fantasy or something she's read or heard about and get the ball rolling that way?

A shared bottle of wine or two might help them be more bold with each other

 

[herecomestherain]

Sometimes if a situation seems to come out in a stilted way it can mean (well at least for me) that I haven't thought through in detail the actual feelings the situation will bring up and the kind of ways the character might respond to those feelings. Maybe a bit of reading in the area might spark more ideas, I like this site The Art of Open Sensuality .
I guess another tack might be a full disclosure if you like on the characters behalf of how unusual, awkward etc it makes her feel, then she may come off as more authentic? I don't know, this is just food for thought...

 

[ChilledVodkaIV]

It's stilted because you know the character wouldn't do it. You know lots more about the character than you've written down. You need to change how you think about her.

VIC V

 

[minsue]

It's stilted because you know the character wouldn't do it. You know lots more about the character than you've written down. You need to change how you think about her.

VIC V

Damn. That's good.

 

[Belegon]

CV4 may be right. But, how many of us wouldn't be nervous in just such a situation. I think you mave have an opportunity to explore some of those conflicts. Might take a little longer but may be worth it.

My characters always talk. Megan's Secrets went from basic quickie stroke to very complicated, and I promise it was NOT my idea!

 

[Seattle Zack]

It's always annoying to me when the characters get out of control, start prancing around and taking over the story on their own. I always have half a mind to write them getting suddenly run over by a bus ... that'll show 'em.

On the other hand, go with it, don't try to force anything, write about her own struggle with wanting the threesome on one hand, but not being able to go through with it on the other. Characters and conflict make a story real, not hot sex. In my experience, sometimes characters write themselves, and they turn out much differently from what you originally had in mind. I've had boring heroes turn into interesting villans and vice-versa. They're always more authentic if you let them have their way (within reason) than if you shoehorn them into a situation that doesn't feel right.

Either write your way out of it, or write up a big ol' bus barreling down the street. My advice, for what it's worth.

 

[Guest]

 

[Colleen Thomas]

Thanks everyone for your input. I guess I was looking for her to have some kind of epiphany, but that really isn't necessary.

the ephipahny comes after you have tried it

 

[Guest]

 

[SeaScram]

Confront the Fear

Now that you've laid the groundwork, and they are talking about sex within their separate couples--it sounds to me like you need to either work into the discussion (or using some other plot element or event) work into their interaction SOMETHING which will enable them to confront the Fear of the Next Step which you have mentioned. Until you directly or indirectly give BOTH your characters a rationale or motivation for confronting the fear which is holding them back, you're not going to feel right about having them forge ahead.
What exactly IS the fear--of what others would think, of violating their love or fidelity, of ruining their friendship (that is, of offending each other), of being "labelled" (in their own heads or others') as lesbian, of something about the physical act...?
I think if you establish what the fear is, you can probably come up with a way to have her/them confront it BEFORE they throw themselves at each other...

 

[Guest]

Re: Confront the Fear

 

[Sunnie]

LOL, but no. I'm trying to build sexual tension between the two women. They start by sharing tales of what they do with their husbands and the main character is finding herself turned on (and attracted) by picturing her friend in various situations. The feeling is mutual, but what I've written seems very stilted to me. They both wanna give into the feelings, but are afraid to do so.

At least that seems to be what they're telling me.

Do your characters talk back to you?

Yes.

Give the tension its own chapter, and save the sex scene for the part after that.

That's what I think anyway.