How much story is to much?

[lovecraft68]

Hi,
I am working on an ongoing series in the incest catagory(Siblings with Benefits) I have 13 chapters posted and I do pride myself on the fact that it is an actual story with a plot line and decent character developement. I have gotten quiet a few compliments on it so far including the fact that there is a story involved. However so far I feel I ahve maintained a decent balance between story and of course giving people what they really read erotica for in the first place. Unfortunately I am at a point in my storyline where it is really difficult to have that balance example I normally try to get to some sex by 3-4000 words and sometimes do a little more story afterwards. sometimes I've done mulitiple scenes in a long chapter with stroylines in between as well but for my next three chapters which features the aftermath of the Sibs getting caught (not quite red handed but close enough that the father wants to throw the brother out) There is really no way to get an even mix it will be almost two lit oages of the story with a steamy scene to close out. after these 3 chapters I will be back to a more even mix but right now the story in these chapters will drive what happens in the conclusion of the series. My question is basically from others experience how much story can you really get away with here? are people receptive to it or do the strokers hold sway? Ultimately I am writing this for myself, but don't want to lose a lot of the following I have gained. any advice/experience would be aprreciated.

 

[bronzeage]

Don't worry about it. If a story has a following, it will keep it as long as it is interesting. When you announce the last chapter, plenty of people will write and ask for more.

 

[Tx Tall Tales]

If you write it, they will come...

In my case 23 chapters isn't enough and people ask for more. Still getting tens of thousands of reads. If there's less action, then the score for that chapter may suffer a bit but even that's not written in stone.

Feed the need. If they're asking for more (and you're still getting reads) and you like the story yourself, then write what you want. You might lose a few followers here and there, but strangely enough, you'll probably pick up knew ones to replace those.

Write.

 

[alwayswantedto]

If you're worried about too much story, write it the way you feel it (to do otherwise will wreck the story) but when you're done, go back and tighten it up, removing anything that doesn't really need to be there. Just my two cents, FWIW.

In one of my recent stories, the first comment was:
"Long, but not long in the right places." by Anonymous
"A 'complete' story, not just a stroke story, which is nice -- but each sex incident it too short."

The next 69 comments (the most for one of my stories) were all quite positive, so you never know. In a chapter story, I find that the readership generally declines but you probably have lots of people invested in the story and they'll likely stick with it but there will always be some who complain.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I'm reading a memoir of World War I. The author was a Marine 'boot,' fresh out of high school, and easily impressed by all the experiences he was was exposed to in France. He participated in Belleau Wood and the war was over soon afterwards.

But he had a genius for distilling experience into compact vignettes that inflate in your mind. The best porn writers can do it, too.

 

[JT_Stone]

Excellent question

That's an excellent question and I hope more people weigh in. I'm writing a chapter story too but have the reverse problem. Lot's of action, but I really need to add depth to the heroine for those who want more of a romantic erotica read.

I do have a five part series already submitted, but the final two parts are still in the pending queue unfortunately. I have lots of action and it's slow and very descriptive. I've received a lot of positive comments for the lingering pace. In that one my plot was original but more of just a premise for the action than a true incestuous romance.

By the way I'm amazed at the number of viewings they have received so far. They've been up for about a week and have been viewed just over 240,000 times. Damn there are a lot of us perverts out there. It's called Safe Sex Starts At Home if anyone is interested.

When I read, I go for the action and start to skip over the narrative if it's more than ten-twelve paragraphs. My goal is to move the plot forward in that amount of time as well as develop the character's arc. I am trying to make every sentence do just that.

Hope that helps.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

What I suggest to people is this: The story must be interesting or folks wont read it thru; it must deliver the goods it promises; and it must not break the spell with WTF! eruptions.

 

[favoritesgoddess]

It depends who you are writing for. If you write for those looking for stroke material, you'll probably disappoint with lots of story.

I know there's a lot of disagreement within the genre of how often sex needs to happen for it to be hot. Probably because people are as individual in their erotica tastes as there are stories.

I tell the story that comes to me. I find that if I try to direct it too much that it all falls apart. So some of my stories are quick and dirty because the story was a quick, dirty one. And others have way more story than sex because it's about the characters and the situations they're in. The sex happens as a result of the story, the story isn't just tacked on to some good sex, KWIM?

I guess what I'm trying to say is I think there's an audience for just about every story. If you're writing to be popular, I'd read the most popular stories and see if you can figure out why they got that way. The comments will probably be pretty helpful to you.

I'd say if you have a story that needs to be told, just tell it. Even if you're the only one that likes it or appreciates it, I don't really see a problem with that.

 

[pizzaboyatdoor]

Great question and very timely for me also, as I am in the process of morphing what had started as just some whack shorties into a full blown gay romance story. I had already blended some background and foundation while concentrating on the graphic action scenes in the first stories, but am now working with a storyline that will require me to also attempt to find an acceptable balance.

A part of me wants to say the heck with it and just keep writing to the strokers, but a bigger part is saying to continue working with a developing storyline and go for the audience that is telling me the mix of romance and erotica is sorely missing from the gay genre. Since I am already what would be 14 chapters into it, I am not sure I have an option other than to pull it all together in proper order; go with what feels right in my gut; and use what I crank out here as the first draft for an eventual e-book.

 

[JT_Stone]

I read something very helpful in Writers Digest that might be useful to other writers.

To add realism to your characters try brainstorming little details about who they are. Include such things as where they live (house, apt, refrigerator box, etc.), interests (reading, porn, sports, shopping...), daily minutia (grooming habits, pets, job...) and what have you. I just fill a page and I find that I can work a few of the details into the story, plus it gives me other plot ideas as well. Be careful not to add to much detail or it will feel contrived. The reader needs to be able to create the whole picture in his or her mind.

The same can be done for storyline, settings, you name it. It's actually really fun and get's those creative juices flowing. Great for writers block!

By the way, the stuff I have currently posted is short on those elements but long on action. The stuff I'm writing now incorporates more of the brainstorming ideas.