Is dialogue a requirement for you when you read erotica?

[lolaraewantsitall]

Hey all!

As the title states, I was wondering is dialogue a requirement for you to enjoy erotica or could you enjoy a story/get off to the MC's recollection of events alone?

 

[NotWise]

For me, dialog is an absolute requirement. As a reader, I can only put up with a few uninterrupted paragraphs of narrative before my eyes roll back and I click away. I might make an exception if the narrative is particularly clever.

My taste might be a little extreme.

 

[ElectricBlue]

A narrative recount without dialogue would be pretty dry, I reckon.

As NotWise says, the writing and the encounter would need to be exceptional for a story to work.

 

[TxRad]

Narrative is the spice that adds flavor to writing.

 

[XerXesXu]

Depends if it’s full contact or non-contact sex. In non-contact or pre-contact sex, the dialogue best carries the narration, in full-contact sex the narration best describes the action. Dialogue would seem very artificial when you're actually doing the business.

 

[Britva415]

It doesn't have to be dialog, but there does have to be intercourse (the non-coital kind).

You know. Interaction. Back and forth. Signals.

If they aren't being shown to communicate in any way whatsoever, it might as well be a blow up doll.

 

[KeithD]

No. I would consider such a requirement to be anal retentive. If it became a problem for me in the read, that would have been caused by more or other factors than just if there was dialogue or not.

 

[SimonDoom]

This is a very good question.

For me, not an absolute requirement, but some element of dialogue almost always enhances the story, and I usually notice when the story is short on dialogue and think less of the story as a result.

Most of the time, variety is good. That means mixing up three elements in the story: narrative of action, dialogue among characters, and description of the setting, characters, and feelings. Most good stories combine all three elements. I think the eye tends to get bored when it sees the same thing all the time.

As a general matter I try to get a snippet of dialogue into the story as soon as possible so the reader doesn't have to wade through a lot of narrative or backstory before dealing with characters interacting with one another.

 

[lolaraewantsitall]

This is a very good question.

For me, not an absolute requirement, but some element of dialogue almost always enhances the story, and I usually notice when the story is short on dialogue and think less of the story as a result.

Most of the time, variety is good. That means mixing up three elements in the story: narrative of action, dialogue among characters, and description of the setting, characters, and feelings. Most good stories combine all three elements. I think the eye tends to get bored when it sees the same thing all the time.

As a general matter I try to get a snippet of dialogue into the story as soon as possible so the reader doesn't have to wade through a lot of narrative or backstory before dealing with characters interacting with one another.

Thanks for the insight. I'm about 1,200 words into my story and realized I had no dialogue. It was more her inner thoughts and recollection of past and present events pertaining to her intended paramour. All of my commissions are in 2nd POV so I find that it can be a bit of a challenge switching back to 1st. I'm trying to figure out how to tweak it to include dialogue.

 

[lolaraewantsitall]

No. I would consider such a requirement to be anal retentive. If it became a problem for me in the read, that would have been caused by more or other factors than just if there was dialogue or not.

That's an interesting perspective, thanks!

 

[lolaraewantsitall]

It doesn't have to be dialog, but there does have to be intercourse (the non-coital kind).

You know. Interaction. Back and forth. Signals.

If they aren't being shown to communicate in any way whatsoever, it might as well be a blow up doll.

I think I understand. She's more so recalling past and present events/encounters and including his looks, actions, and reactions in her musings. I'm not sure if that still comes across as blow up doll-is lol

 

[lolaraewantsitall]

Depends if it’s full contact or non-contact sex. In non-contact or pre-contact sex, the dialogue best carries the narration, in full-contact sex the narration best describes the action. Dialogue would seem very artificial when you're actually doing the business.

Makes sense. During the act, sounds and groans are the main players as opposed to heavy dialogue.

 

[AlinaX]

I think it tends to be obvious when an author is avoiding dialogue. If I'm reading a story and there's no dialogue but clearly the characters are talking, it's frustrating.

Dialogue makes the story lighter and more fun to read. Stories where there's no character interaction tend to be more about atmosphere.

Dialogue is a handy way to sneak in exposition. Instead of long paragraphs rich with detail, you have people discussing the past. If you can have some tension between the people too, even better.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

Dialogue is often useful and can save a lot of narration, as well as revealing character. It's better than an info-dump, or at least breaks up an info-dump.

But stilted dialogue, or messy formatting where it's not clear who is speaking because action is in paragraphs with the wrong person's dialogue, gets on my wick.

 

[Smuttyandfun]

Whenever I read a story without any dialogue, it seems kind of flat. When it runs on and on, with no one ever speaking, of course that means no teasing banter, or sexual innuendo, which is always fun to read in an erotic story.

 

[nice90sguy]

"Is dialogue a requirement for you when you read erotica?"

No.

But "yes" when I write it.

 

[Trionyx]

Putting humor in a story is far easier with dialogue than without, IMHO.

 

[lovecraft68]

Just my opinion, but unless its a very short piece describing a situation where dialogue might not be necessary can work, but if we're talking anything longer I prefer their to be dialogue. I feel this, not narrative, is a better way to get to know the characters. Don't tell me about them, let them speak for themselves.

My stories feature a lot of dialogue, my style is to rely on it more than narrative and its my way to get some sarcasm and humor into a story as well as conflict through arguments and confrontation.

But again, this I'm only speaking for me. Like everything else, no right or wrong, just what works for you as a reader or author

 

[davion2308]

Here's what's adds some challenge to this. Dialogue isn't a requirement for me but dialogue makes stories better. Bad dialogue absolutely destroys the story for me. I won't 1-bomb someone or attack them in comments if there's bad dialogue but I will just stop reading and move on with my life. Dialogue doesn't make the story but it can easily break it.

 

[TadOverdon]

It's a requirement when I read any fiction.

 

[onehitwanda]

Stories without dialogue; cake without icing.

I require both or it's simply... unsatisfying.

 

[shakespeare_i_aint]

It seems when there isn't any dialogue in a story that there will still be a bunch of "he told her to suck his cock and she did," and "then she told him that she wasn't on birth control." It becomes obvious that these things should have been dialogue, but they aren't. It is usually the work of someone who doesn't know how to punctuate dialogue and doesn't want to learn, or a writer who values the physical action in a story rather than the detail (such as human language) that makes those physical actions seem more realistic to the reader. It is a very broad sign of weak writing.

 

[AlinaX]

Writing dialogue can be daunting for new authors. Very often it can come off as stiff and formal. It doesn't help that dialogue tagging is also a thorny issue.

Writing character interviews can be a fun way to learn dialogue and also get to know characters. Don't just respond with facts. Think about how the character views the interviewer. Do they trust them? Do they want to get them in bed? Do they want to drink their blood? The interview becomes a story. The questions get answers that may be lies, may be truth (but why? to shock?). Answers may go off on bizarre tangents. Maybe someone else comes along and starts arguing about the answers...

 

[DanDraper]

I think it helps to connect the readers to the characters, and improves the plot.
There might be some exceptions, but most of the time stories with no dialogue can be stale and uninteresting.



....

 

[Djmac1031]

Thanks for the insight. I'm about 1,200 words into my story and realized I had no dialogue. It was more her inner thoughts and recollection of past and present events pertaining to her intended paramour. All of my commissions are in 2nd POV so I find that it can be a bit of a challenge switching back to 1st. I'm trying to figure out how to tweak it to include dialogue.

Certainly your character has had some kind of verbal exchange with her "intended paramour" in the past?

Even if the story is told as her remembrance, she would also recall previous conversations that could be added.