Is realism needed to make any story perfect?

[TheShaggington]

I've noticed that alot of the how-to's always say that realism is needed to perfect a story or connect to the audience. Is this mandatory for all stories? Poems even?

 

[patientlee]

I'e noticed that alot of the how-to's always say that realism is needed to perfect a story or connect to the audience. Is this mandatory for all stories? Poems even?

No such thing as perfect. Write what makes you happy, and hope for the best. Good luck.

 

[soflabbwlvr]

I'e noticed that alot of the how-to's always say that realism is needed to perfect a story or connect to the audience. Is this mandatory for all stories? Poems even?

Of course not.

 

[lovecraft68]

Some people do like a degree of realism. One example is a lot of people rag on the stories with the 12" cocks and 38DDD boobs and guys who can have sex 8 times in an hour etc....

But then again there are people who enjoy unrealistic situations so like many things here there is an audience for realism and off the wall ridiculous.

I strive for realism in a lot of my work and I have gotten compliments as well as "did we really need all that, just get to the sex"

Just write what is in your head and your audience will find you.

 

[jezzaz]

oooh, realism.

It depends on what you mean by it. If your story is set in modern day, realism can mean anything from your characters getting done for speeding while on the way home to simply not being able to get it up more than twice in a night.

Realism is what most people use to relate to what is going on - get their bearings and start to understand the situations, the characters and their reactions to it.

If you don't have 'realism' - you are writing Sci-fi, for example, where the world is alien and there's nothing for the viewer to hold onto in terms of their day to day lives - then characterization is what's required, because people are people everywhere and as long as they are recognizable as human and react in somewhat predictable ways, then you've got your touch stone. That's why stuff like Star Trek did so well - because the relationship between Kirk, Spock and McCoy is so human and relatable.

In my stuff, I'm striving for realism, but in the framework of something so utterly ridiculous in the first place. I'm trying to make it as believable as I can, given the fact that Ingrams & Associates could never possibly exist in the first place.

It always makes me laugh when someone picks on some obscure detail to rant about, when the entire premise is pretty silly in the first place.

My feeling is always, if you can put some realism in, then why not? Make it more relatable. Just don't write the story _about_ that. Do it where it makes sense and you'll be fine.

 

[StrangeLife]

Mileage may vary and this is a site for "stories" - not "biological research papers."

But personally I require a certain level of realism and credibility in order to get into the the story. I will stop reading at the first mention of a 15" cock, a pair of 98DDD boobs or a guy who ejaculates a gallon after having fucked for three days straight. The smartest strategy when writing big cock stories is completely refraining from specifying numbers and simply illustrate the size in the description: "His cock was considerably larger than mine" or something like that. Same thing with boobs: "Her massive mammaries enveloped my manhood and sent me over the edge..."

Unrealistic behavioral patterns are just as bad. Like a wife that after 30 years of marriage suddenly turns into a clueless idiot or a cruel bitch in order to fit the plot. You can get away with almost anything as long as you keep your characters credible.

 

[HeyAll]

Usually, people will adjust their Realism-O-Meter depending on the story. People judge things for what they are.

If you watch a drama on tv, which is made to be realistic, then people will expect realistic actions by the characters.

If you're watching a sci fi movie, then people won't complain if the characters go flying in the air after a big explosion.

With stories, if you set it up as a realistic story, then write it realistically. If you want to make it playful and clearly a fantasy, then make it that.

 

[lovecraft68]

Mileage may vary and this is a site for "stories" - not "biological research papers."

But personally I require a certain level of realism and credibility in order to get into the the story. I will stop reading at the first mention of a 15" cock, a pair of 98DDD boobs or a guy who ejaculates a gallon after having fucked for three days straight. The smartest strategy when writing big cock stories is completely refraining from specifying numbers and simply illustrate the size in the description: "His cock was considerably larger than mine" or something like that. Same thing with boobs: "Her massive mammaries enveloped my manhood and sent me over the edge..."

Unrealistic behavioral patterns are just as bad. Like a wife that after 30 years of marriage suddenly turns into a clueless idiot or a cruel bitch in order to fit the plot. You can get away with almost anything as long as you keep your characters credible.

My favorite "eye roller" is the 18 year old shy inexperienced virgin who suddenly becomes a gang bang slut and has moves Jenna Jameson would be envious of.

 

[SecondCircle]

For me, I enjoy reading things that use realism.

But that doesn't mean all fantasy is thrown to the wind for the sake of something "down to earth" or plausible. Realism for me means that the story reads true and is plausible within that tale. Meaning, as one more skilled with words put it, that the characters and dialogue and all that fits the rules that the author lays out.

I've used this example before, but think of The Matrix. Is it believable for someone to make a leap from the roof of one skyscraper to another a half mile away? Not in our world. But in that tale, given the rules the or stipulations the movie put down for us. In that computerized simulation of a world? Yes. That's believable. Plausible to the the plot and all else in that story.

As far as those little (or big) things like 716DDDD breasts and horse cocks, I think those things should be steered clear of unless somehow they make sense in their own plausible world.

If at any moment your reader is reading along and encounters such a glaring "unrealistic" detail, that is unrealistic just because you wanted a skinny chick with giant tits, this may sever the reader's immersion into that story.

I've read a bunch of stuff like that here that has made me back click. It's just not good writing. Have a guy fuck eight girls for three days straight with a 12 incher and blast one of them out the window with his fire hose cum? C'mon. Everyone has to kinda think that's false immature and completely irrational fantasy. It's gonna make a reader say "yeah right" and leave your story.

Can a guy have a huge dick like that? Sure. But it's not the average, and you'd have to write it in a way that makes it believable. Can a short girl with a small frame sport some DD's? Yah. Seen em. (Aahhh, good memories.) But I mean this stuff ain't what you generally see. It's not believeable, so you sometimes have to set up that kind of writing with believable circumstances.

One good start? As others have said, stop using flat measurements. It's uncreative, uninteresting, and usually false or fantastical. Instead, weave your spell with words. If she's got big titties, describe those things without a cup size. Use words like heavy, fleshy, natural, bounced, wobbled, etc. Bring those titties to life.

He got a big dick? Don't just tell us that. Make us feel it. Let us squeeze that thick thing. Have it stretch mouths and hurt jaws. I'd rather read that than, "I looked at his 10 inch dick."

-Ramble Ends-

 

[StrangeLife]

I've used this example before, but think of The Matrix. Is it believable for someone to make a leap from the roof of one skyscraper to another a half mile away? Not in our world. But in that tale, given the rules the or stipulations the movie put down for us. In that computerized simulation of a world? Yes. That's believable. Plausible to the the plot and all else in that story.

The Matrix is credible because the Wachowski brothers made an "implied contract" with the audience, defining certain extended parameters for the movie. It's the same way that Buffy The Vampire Slayer is credible within the defined parameters of the story (vampires and magic exists). But the moment Buffy were to travel to Roswell and encounter an alien the entire premise would fall because it breaches the defined boundaries of Buffy.

And imagine a "Donald Duck vs. X-Men movie." You can accept that Wolverine has adamantium claws and Storm commands the weather, but the moment they meet a talking duck it's all over.

If you write an erotic story featuring Vampires and Werewolves you can easily stay credible and end up crafting an engrossing tale, as there are numerous examples of in the supernatural category. But if you write a romantic or loving wife story with a 15" inch cock or a virgin enjoying getting gang-banged by twenty dirty bikers on her wedding night, you will loose many of your readers...

 

[Hypoxia]

My favorite "eye roller" is the 18 year old shy inexperienced virgin who suddenly becomes a gang bang slut and has moves Jenna Jameson would be envious of.

Quite right. But we don't expect strokers to bear much relation to reality, do we?

Some stories may indeed be perfect, or nearly so. Such stories may or may not be realistic. Some perfect stories are perfect fantasies. Reality is nice, but doesn't necessarily stand up to fantasy.

 

[lovecraft68]

Quite right. But we don't expect strokers to bear much relation to reality, do we?

Some stories may indeed be perfect, or nearly so. Such stories may or may not be realistic. Some perfect stories are perfect fantasies. Reality is nice, but doesn't necessarily stand up to fantasy.

I strive for a mix.

I mean with incest it is so far fetched to begin with that any form of reality is difficult, but I try. None of my taboo work is "mom was hot, why not"

But for my group sex fantasies especially I try to take a realistic approach to how they reach the fantasy. I think its more fun if I can get the reader to identify the characters and they are not just cut out "let's fuck" types.

 

[PennLady]

I go for plausibility more than "realism" although as people have noted, realism is kind of a subjective or flexible concept. If you have vampires and werewolves or something like that, "realism" is kind of out the window from the start. If you are trying to write a contemporary story about contemporary people and events, then you will probably need more realism in the sense of realistic actions by the characters, etc.

I think you should make your reality, and then make the actions in that reality plausible according to the rules of that reality. "Plausible within its bubble," I call it.

 

[lovecraft68]

I go for plausibility more than "realism" although as people have noted, realism is kind of a subjective or flexible concept. If you have vampires and werewolves or something like that, "realism" is kind of out the window from the start. If you are trying to write a contemporary story about contemporary people and events, then you will probably need more realism in the sense of realistic actions by the characters, etc.

I think you should make your reality, and then make the actions in that reality plausible according to the rules of that reality. "Plausible within its bubble," I call it.

For me Non human/sci fi and erotic horror don;t fall under reality because the point of all three is usually a made up reality of its own so belief is suspended automatically.

Like I said incest is by far the most unrealistic or implausible of all the "true" sexual categories.

Aside from incest everything else can happen to people depending on how far the author stretches it.

 

[StrangeLife]

Like I said incest is by far the most unrealistic or implausible of all the "true" sexual categories.

I will venture a guess that you're from the South...

 

[lovecraft68]

I will venture a guess that you're from the South...

nah, if I was from the South I would say "what do you mean, this happens every day!"

 

[StrangeLife]

nah, if I was from the South I would say "what do you mean, this happens every day!"

You wrote unrealistic! Oops - I need new glasses... or maybe my brain is in 2014 already

 

[lovecraft68]

You wrote unrealistic! Oops - I need new glasses... or maybe my brain is in 2014 already

No worries, but you had me double checking in case I mixed myself up

 

[SecondCircle]

I go for plausibility more than "realism" although as people have noted, realism is kind of a subjective or flexible concept. If you have vampires and werewolves or something like that, "realism" is kind of out the window from the start. If you are trying to write a contemporary story about contemporary people and events, then you will probably need more realism in the sense of realistic actions by the characters, etc.

I think you should make your reality, and then make the actions in that reality plausible according to the rules of that reality. "Plausible within its bubble," I call it.

Aye, this. Plausible within it's bubble, that's a fine way of putting it.

I go back to that whole "suspension of disbelief" thing. You can use elements that are unrealistic from the get go and still write a "real" story.

I read something that described suspension of disbelief as cohesion in a story. The person wrote something like, a reader should read your story and always be fully immersed. No matter how farfetched a specific thing may be, they should still think "yes, given the story, I believe that could happen."

You should strive to write in a way that everything fits, or is plausible with its bubble as PennLady so put it. At no point should the reader say "yeah right." If you've woven your story well, you'll "trick" them into believing something is plausible. You'll make them feel it belongs. Because they are so drawn in to your fiction, they follow it as though the events are "real".

But I don't think it works to write a story grounded in everyday life and just drop 18" cocks and virgin porn sluts into that world. They stand out as unbelievable.

The "trick" to writing believable fantasy sometimes (for me this isn't a mandate) is to pave the way and write in that bubble so well, that when you inject those "implausible" things, the reader never notices. Like a poison they never tasted in their drink. That drink tastes so good and is so intoxicating they never know they've been killed.

I'm trying to say to craft your fantasy so smoothly and so realistically that it allows the implausible to slip in unnoticed. Even welcomed. This ain't the greatest example, but I wrote a story here bout a couple college girls out for a night on the town. The MC is a wild spirit, daring and bold. They spot a dude that another girl had reportedly slept with, and started the myth of how huge he was. In the bed. ... His dick was big.

So this heavenly harlot kinda makes it her mission to conquer him, disprove the rumors so to speak. She gets a lot more than she can handle but has a blast. Fun little story, and I waved a mythical penis in people's faces in the process. I mean, it was no two footer or anything, but it was a "big cawk" story without the usual eye rolling stuff.

People believed in that cock.

...that's something not said often...

 

[lovecraft68]

I'll preface this with I am not trying to insult anyone with this, but it is always the first thing I think of when I see a "big cock" story.

the males who read and write them are...compensating through fantasy.

I imagine many drive over sized pick ups as well

 

[sr71plt]

I'e noticed that alot of the how-to's always say that realism is needed to perfect a story or connect to the audience. Is this mandatory for all stories? Poems even?

What how-tos are those? I haven't read anything that gave that guidance.

 

[Handley_Page]

Shaggy,
I commend this to you.
The lady knows of what she speaks.
Set out your world - and stick within it.

I go for plausibility more than "realism" although as people have noted, realism is kind of a subjective or flexible concept. If you have vampires and werewolves or something like that, "realism" is kind of out the window from the start. If you are trying to write a contemporary story about contemporary people and events, then you will probably need more realism in the sense of realistic actions by the characters, etc.

I think you should make your reality, and then make the actions in that reality plausible according to the rules of that reality. "Plausible within its bubble," I call it.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I'll preface this with I am not trying to insult anyone with this, but it is always the first thing I think of when I see a "big cock" story.

the males who read and write them are...compensating through fantasy.

I imagine many drive over sized pick ups as well

Mmmm yes. But most of us spend our whole lives on quests for Holy Grails. Its why WAR & PEACE can never be improved upon.

 

[jehoram]

Usually, people will adjust their Realism-O-Meter depending on the story. People judge things for what they are.

Which is why it's usually a mistake to put too much detail into a story. By saying that the guy had an impressive cock or the gal had an impressive rack, you let the reader fill in the details of what he considers impressive, so no calibration of the Realism-O-Meter is necessary. When you start specifying the dimensions, you deprive the reader of that privilege.

With stories, if you set it up as a realistic story, then write it realistically. If you want to make it playful and clearly a fantasy, then make it that.

That's my take, too. As others have said, the main thing is to establish the rules for the particular universe you're creating, and stay within those rules.

 

[lovecraft68]

Which is why it's usually a mistake to put too much detail into a story. By saying that the guy had an impressive cock or the gal had an impressive rack, you let the reader fill in the details of what he considers impressive, so no calibration of the Realism-O-Meter is necessary. When you start specifying the dimensions, you deprive the reader of that privilege.



That's my take, too. As others have said, the main thing is to establish the rules for the particular universe you're creating, and stay within those rules.

Just wondering, is your name from The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant series?