How much is...

[Jenny_Jackson]

The question is: How much sex is too much and how little is too little in a story?

I've done some experimenting with this and wrote two stories with spacificly this question in mind. The first story was about sex but had no sex in it at all and flew to an "H" immediately.

The second story was all sex with all the sucking, fucking, licking anal penetration I could imagine. From a technical stand point, the second story was actually better written. The vote score, however, hovered around 4.0.

What am I missing? Catagory differences, time of year or what?

 

[Cathleen]

Hi Jenny.

It's an interesting question. I've asked myself the same and I don't have an answer for you (or me). I have stories that have no sex, instead it moves the story forward, it's more character development. They've been well received but I still can't give an answer.

I tend to write in the romance genre and perhaps those readers prefer knowing the characters before the sex starts. I've also written stories that captures a moment in time which is sex.

I wonder if you might also ask this in the AH forum, I'd think it's all a matter of personal preference as well as knowing your audience -- so in other words it's a toss up.

Wasn't I a lot of help...

 

[Jenny_Jackson]

Hi Jenny.

It's an interesting question. I've asked myself the same and I don't have an answer for you (or me). I have stories that have no sex, instead it moves the story forward, it's more character development. They've been well received but I still can't give an answer.

I tend to write in the romance genre and perhaps those readers prefer knowing the characters before the sex starts. I've also written stories that captures a moment in time which is sex.

I wonder if you might also ask this in the AH forum, I'd think it's all a matter of personal preference as well as knowing your audience -- so in other words it's a toss up.

Wasn't I a lot of help...

I can understand Cathleen,
I've wrestled with this for 4 years. It seems insoluble to me too.

But 's for you anyway

 

[SweetErika]

It could very well be category differences, the time of the year, your target audience, etc. I would use the well-written feedback, and possibly put the second to the folks in the Story Feedback forum, as my guide, not the ratings.

There *might* be an article relating to this in the Writers Resources, but don't get your hopes up on account of my memory.

Do you use beta readers and an editor (or three)? If not, it might be worth trying out. I think it'd probably be reassuring as well; if I knew I'd done my best to incorporate the suggestions of and appeal to readers/editors whose opinions mattered to me, and those folks thought I was spot-on with the story, I likely wouldn't question a lower rating as much.

 

[Lust Engine]

It just might have to do with writer to reader compatability. Some readers like one more so than the other. I say write for yourself first and then let your audience find you.

 

[Exciteher]

The question is: How much sex is too much and how little is too little in a story?

I've done some experimenting with this and wrote two stories with spacificly this question in mind. The first story was about sex but had no sex in it at all and flew to an "H" immediately.

The second story was all sex with all the sucking, fucking, licking anal penetration I could imagine. From a technical stand point, the second story was actually better written. The vote score, however, hovered around 4.0.

What am I missing? Catagory differences, time of year or what?

What in interesting question.

Its the way you hold your mouth when you write...

Seriously, both approaches can be hot.

For instance, IMHO in John Updike's "Brazil" the sex seems sparce, but that seems to magnify it, and that makes the erotic undercurrent in the book and what sex there is smoke. Sort of like what John Coltrane said about playing sparcely, letting each note imply whole elisions, or the way the tip of an iceburg implies the gigantic mass below the surface.

On the other hand in something like "Too Beautiful and Other Stories" (Short stories) by Mark Prichard, the sex is abundant, raw, graphic, sometimes violent and some stories just plain shocking. But it is written with such an authentic "feel" to it, no matter how over the top it goes, he makes you believe it, and it smokes too.

You can write both ways, so do both! Let the masses do as they please, some of the best stories I have read on this site did not necessairly get a lot of votes.

Now... as far as getting a lot of votes on Lit, in terms of getting pure numbers, looking at the demographics should tell you a lot... as will looking at the stories that have gathered the most votes. Problem with that is, that may not be what you want to write. Thinking here of stories I have read here with 'H"'s that I may have liked (or written) when I was 25... but not now! lol!

Suppose I wasn't much help either...

 

[sunandshadow]

I've read great stories that had a sex scene every chapter and great stories that had only 3 or 4 sex scenes in a whole novel. Really it depends on your goal - if you want to write about sex and make your readers feel lustful, put lots of sex in, but if you want the story to be more about psychology or romance or adventure, etc. only put sex in when it makes sense in the plot and develops a relationship between 2 characters.

 

[Jenny_Jackson]

What in interesting question.


Suppose I wasn't much help either...

No, I think all of you have given me the answer I suspected to begin with. All the stories that I write an non-erotic stories. They are stories. They don't need sex. Most have sex, but were I to edit the sex out, the stories would still be good stories. The sex is there really because that is what I think the direction the action would take in real life.

Thinking about this, I have come to believe there is something I think of as the "Jack Off Factor" that goes into the voting more than anything else. In it's most base form it's a gravataion towards writers the readers know will get their weiners hard and the pussys dripping rather than looking for good stories, writing, etc. And so it goes (Kurt Vonnegut).

 

[SweetErika]

No, I think all of you have given me the answer I suspected to begin with. All the stories that I write an non-erotic stories. They are stories. They don't need sex. Most have sex, but were I to edit the sex out, the stories would still be good stories. The sex is there really because that is what I think the direction the action would take in real life.

Thinking about this, I have come to believe there is something I think of as the "Jack Off Factor" that goes into the voting more than anything else. In it's most base form it's a gravataion towards writers the readers know will get their weiners hard and the pussys dripping rather than looking for good stories, writing, etc. And so it goes (Kurt Vonnegut).

I wonder what descriptions or an author's note indicating they're more "stories with a touch of eroticism" (or whatever) than strictly masturbatory material would do. Maybe that'd help you attract an audience that won't be disappointed by the non-sex focus, and lash out with lower votes?

 

[Jenny_Jackson]

I wonder what descriptions or an author's note indicating they're more "stories with a touch of eroticism" (or whatever) than strictly masturbatory material would do. Maybe that'd help you attract an audience that won't be disappointed by the non-sex focus, and lash out with lower votes?

I'd done some thinking along those lines, Erika, and came to the conclusion that titles have a lot to do with the readers selection too. Same thinking the publishers of Romance Novels use when they put artist renditions of big breased women being ravished by pirate women on the covers regardless of the setting or content of the book.

Frankly I refuse to put a description that reads "Sophie gets more BANGS than a battering ram in this saga" or some such. It just isn't respectful to the story or honest with the reader.

But thank you for your thoughts, Erika, and all of you.

Jenny

 

[human_male]

It depends who your target audience is. Women have to have a story for some reason, pfft, go figure. But most men I would think like their erotica like their vidoes and whatnot... get right to it.

 

[Cathleen]

I've read great stories that had a sex scene every chapter and great stories that had only 3 or 4 sex scenes in a whole novel. Really it depends on your goal - if you want to write about sex and make your readers feel lustful, put lots of sex in, but if you want the story to be more about psychology or romance or adventure, etc. only put sex in when it makes sense in the plot and develops a relationship between 2 characters.

Excellent thoughts sun. I'm more about the characters than the sex. I've written stories that are sex first but even then I can't just let the characters be anonymous. I have to care about the characters first, no matter if there's sex or not.

I can understand Cathleen,
I've wrestled with this for 4 years. It seems insoluble to me too.

But 's for you anyway

Thank you Jenny. I've found myself pondering your question today...still nothing is that clear other than write what I feel.

 

[TBKahuna123]

I struggled with this when I posted my first story. It had a long lead up until the actual sex scene, in fact the sex was maybe only 30% of the whole story. It was a gamble, but very well recieved. The fact is there are two types of stories on Lit, those that have litterary value, and those that are there just as masturbation fodder. Nothing wrong with either one, but the question you have to ask yourself if why are you writing?

If you are writing to try and get higher ratings, then I've found there has to be some litterary merit to the story. The reason is simply because the people that vote and give feedback are the usually the ones looking for more than a stroke story. Unless that stroke story is really hot or really well written, and I have read a few like that, then it probably won't garner a lot of votes.

The other question though is why worry about the votes? Are you worrying about them because you want to improve your stories? Are you writing specifically to gain high ratings because of ego? I started writing just to express some fantasies, but found myself getting too hung up on the ratings when one of my stories didn't as well as the others. I then realized that I wasn't writing to get a score, I was writing to express fantasy, to offer share something with others. Don't get me wrong, I love the feedback and the high scores, but I don't obsess about where I am on the Top List anymore.

So, try to do your best and improve, but don't get too hung up on the numbers. You can't please everyone, even if you write the perfect story.

 

[Camaro396]

I jerk off twice a day. I find that when I am really turned on l shoot a biggger load then when I am just out to bust a nut. Sometimes when really horney I shoot a load that would make Peter North Jealous. Seems like I shoot a bigger load when i jerk off than when I fuck my wife. Course she isn't into porn and I am so That has a lot to do with the working up to the climax.

 

[Jenny_Jackson]

Tmi

I jerk off twice a day. I find that when I am really turned on l shoot a biggger load then when I am just out to bust a nut. Sometimes when really horney I shoot a load that would make Peter North Jealous. Seems like I shoot a bigger load when i jerk off than when I fuck my wife. Course she isn't into porn and I am so That has a lot to do with the working up to the climax.

Thank you so much for your comment, Camaro... now what does that have to do with the question?

 

[Jenny_Jackson]

Human and TBK... I appriceate your thoughts. I would seem, if I read this all correctly, that there really isn't any answer... Therefore, I will stop worrying about it and concentrate to improving the quality of writing.

for all of you

 

[Camaro396]

Thank you so much for your comment, Camaro... now what does that have to do with the question?

Not sure hun, but i wanted to share ya know.

 

[DrDav]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b5/DoNotFeedTroll.png

 

[TBKahuna123]

Human and TBK... I appriceate your thoughts. I would seem, if I read this all correctly, that there really isn't any answer... Therefore, I will stop worrying about it and concentrate to improving the quality of writing.

for all of you

You are absolutely right. Personally I think if you develop your characters a little, it helps your reader identify with them better. In the end, this puts them more deeply into the story, which enhances the impact of the sexual content.

At least that's what I think.

 

[Michelrpg]

This probably sounds simple or stupid, but I think the amount of sex isn't that important. Detail, descriptive writing, thats what can make it really good. Just my 2cents sweetheart =/