How long is too long for a story?

[mrmgp]

I've written erotica in the past, and at the encouragement of a dear Lit friend (love you, Erotic-Kiss!), I've started writing again for the first time in years.

I've settled on a style of storytelling focusing on beginning relationships. I don't want to have a story where the author spends two or three paragraphs setting things up and then instantly gets to the sex between two people who are just starting a relationship, but I don't want fifty pages to pass before they share their first kiss, either. I'm in the middle of a story between a man and a woman who have shared a long-time secret attraction for each other, and tonight, circumstances help them reveal their attraction toward each other. After 19 MS word pages (12-pt font, line space between each paragraph), they have shared their first kiss. By page 30, they are about to have intercourse after spending a long time making out and engaging in a lot of foreplay. Does this sound okay for length for those who appreciate long stories that take time to introduce the characters and let attraction build up before they start acting upon it? For those who like romantic erotic stories instead of stroke material, how long do you think is too long for a story?

 

[lil_elvis]

I've written erotica in the past, and at the encouragement of a dear Lit friend (love you, Erotic-Kiss!), I've started writing again for the first time in years.

I've settled on a style of storytelling focusing on beginning relationships. I don't want to have a story where the author spends two or three paragraphs setting things up and then instantly gets to the sex between two people who are just starting a relationship, but I don't want fifty pages to pass before they share their first kiss, either. I'm in the middle of a story between a man and a woman who have shared a long-time secret attraction for each other, and tonight, circumstances help them reveal their attraction toward each other. After 19 MS word pages (12-pt font, line space between each paragraph), they have shared their first kiss. By page 30, they are about to have intercourse after spending a long time making out and engaging in a lot of foreplay. Does this sound okay for length for those who appreciate long stories that take time to introduce the characters and let attraction build up before they start acting upon it? For those who like romantic erotic stories instead of stroke material, how long do you think is too long for a story?

It all depends on the writing. A good story is a good story, regardless of length.

However, a few considerations:

At lit, long stories have fewer readers, but those you lose are probably just interested in stroke pieces anyway, so there will be fewer votes/comments/feedback.

Consider making the story into parts/chapters and submitting them separately. There's only so much text you can read at a computer in one sitting before getting bug-eyed. Just finish the whole story before submitting so that you don't have contradictions develop with subsequent installments.

My $.02

 

[rgraham666]

My experience has been different from yours then l_e.

My best piece, according to amount of feedback is five Lit pages long. But to date it's received 265 votes and over fifty pieces of feedback.

My longest piece is seven Lit pages and doing very, very well.

It's my short pieces of smut that tend to be iffy.

I'm also not sure if the chapters idea works. My first piece, which would be 5 Lit pages if posted as one piece, hasn't really attracted the attention other, later pieces submitted whole have garnered.

In regards to the original question, I really don't know. Some people like a long story with characters and plot, some just want to whack off. The masturbators probably wouldn't read a really long piece, and the readers would be bored with a short vignette.

I guess, as always, write what you want, submit it and pray for the best.

 

[Sabledrake]

A good story cannot be too long. A really good story, no matter the length, always ends too soon anyway.

I've had pretty good luck with my smut-epic, "The Ravishing of Constance." It's 20 chapters, 80-damn-thousand words, and has a number of devoted fans.

My 10-Lit-page "Infernal," however, hasn't done so well ... I think there's a limit to how long a story the typical reader is willing to read at a sitting, and Infernal exceeded it.

-- Sabledrake

 

[elsol]

My experience has also been better with long pieces, with the caveat that my long pieces are usually more stroke than my short pieces.

I rarely go more than two chapters without a well-framed steamy sex scene.

Sincerely,
ElSol

 

[minsue]

I prefer the longer stories and have yet to find one that I considered too long. If it's only one or two Lit pages, it's just not worth it to me.

 

[stormkitty]

My first and only story on the site, "A Private Heaven", is just over fourteen lit pages long (it ends about three sentences into the fifteenth page). In a little less than a month it has garnered eleven votes, one anonymous feedback, and is still waiting for the first public comment. I wouldn't consider reducing the length; if anything, when I glance over it now and see things I would do differently if I reworked it now, most would make it even longer. I could break it into chapters - maybe I should have. The problem you run into then is that readers can only rate and comment on the individual chapters, not the story as a whole.

 

[Erotic-Kiss]

I've written erotica in the past, and at the encouragement of a dear Lit friend (love you, Erotic-Kiss!), I've started writing again for the first time in years.

I've settled on a style of storytelling focusing on beginning relationships. I don't want to have a story where the author spends two or three paragraphs setting things up and then instantly gets to the sex between two people who are just starting a relationship, but I don't want fifty pages to pass before they share their first kiss, either. I'm in the middle of a story between a man and a woman who have shared a long-time secret attraction for each other, and tonight, circumstances help them reveal their attraction toward each other. After 19 MS word pages (12-pt font, line space between each paragraph), they have shared their first kiss. By page 30, they are about to have intercourse after spending a long time making out and engaging in a lot of foreplay. Does this sound okay for length for those who appreciate long stories that take time to introduce the characters and let attraction build up before they start acting upon it? For those who like romantic erotic stories instead of stroke material, how long do you think is too long for a story?

If you get great ratings...I'm taking credit! J/K

You know... it all depends on the reader. I've written two long stories and broken them down into chapters and they are doing quite well. I'm just no able to write "stroke" material (which is what I call short, get-to-the-point erotic fiction). I gotta have story.

 

[Sunnie]

I was worried about whetherone of my pieces was too long, when one of my favorite people said to me, "Write it till it's finished."

Short and sweet and I couldn't have said it better.

 

[Erotic-Kiss]

I was worried about whetherone of my pieces was too long, when one of my favorite people said to me, "Write it till it's finished."

Short and sweet and I couldn't have said it better.

That is probably the best bit of advice for any of us that write.
It seems some of the stories are hurried..."get to the point"....I don't like it. I want to know the characters.

VERY well said (or well-quoted), Sunnie!

 

[Goldeniangel]

if you start feeling like it's too long just break it into chapters, that's what i do. i actually hate opening a story and finding out that it's like, 10 pages long... but if it's broken into chapters i love the anticipation.

the story line sounds like somethign that could be put into Romance (and they appreciate the long stories) or into a Novel/Novella category, either one the readers usually appreciate the super long stories and don't care that it's not split up into chapters, so it's really up to what you want to do!

*HUGS*

 

[Weird Harold]

After 19 MS word pages (12-pt font, line space between each paragraph), they have shared their first kiss. By page 30, they are about to have intercourse after spending a long time making out and engaging in a lot of foreplay. Does this sound okay for length for those who appreciate long stories that take time to introduce the characters and let attraction build up before they start acting upon it?

The question is quality, not quantity. "Erotic" does not necessarily require hard-core sex.

If your first 19 pages are boring, your readers aren't going to invest the time to get to that first kiss or press on through thirty pages to the foreplay and "real sex."

On the other hand, if the build-up is interesting and/or erotic then it doesn't really matter how long it is. You just have to decide when teasing will turn to frustration for your readers.

The only answer to your question is a question: Are you satisfied you're telling the story the best way you can? If you are, then it's the "right length."

There is also the, "if you have to ask, it probably IS too long," consideration. Simply asking the question indicates you have doubts about how well written or necesary the build-up is to the story you want to tell.