Lazy Stereotypes

[nice90sguy]

I use them all the time, because they're easy to write, mainly for secondary characters.
Here are some of mine:

The Cynical Sidekick/Confidante - ("Donkey" in Shreck, "Cyn" in "Working Girl", Larry David's buddy Jeff, and the orginal version, Sancho Panza)
The Hard-bitten Hooker with a Heart of Gold
The Hen-pecked husband and his sexually frustrated dominant wife - very British, this: (UK sitcom "George and Mildred")
The Cad and Bounder - The unscrupulous male sexual predator
The Bored Housewife who gave up her career as a dancer/photographer/concert pianist
The Frustrated Suburbanite who dreams of escaping his dull life
...and many more.

Which sterotypes do you find yourself writing all too often?

 

[TheLobster]

Bold of you to assume my stories are deep and complex enough to accommodate even those that you call "lazy" character stereotypes.

 

[nice90sguy]

Well, I guess I could have added
Black stud with 12" dick
Nymphomaniac porn star
Mom with the hots for her son
Party guy who fucks a lot

 

[StillStunned]

The redhead, and the guy with the dazed smile wondering what hit him.

Or, in terms of archetypes, the Seductress and the Fool.

 

[Erozetta]

The character who schemes to make the MCs do the thing they know they shouldn't.

Father figures, specifically mentor-like older men who are caring and affectionate toward a younger woman without any intent for it to go further.

Girl/Boy next door, very appealing but in an attainable way. These are often in my friends since childhood stories.

Loners and rebels... yeah, okay, these are probably most common for me. I don't like big casts bogging down my stories and this personality makes that more believable.

 

[lovecraft68]

The ones I play into the most is the attractive older woman who was cheated on and since burned has spent way too much time alone and needs to cut loose. This usually happens with a younger man, and often the info drop of why she's by herself is delivered by the friend who keeps telling her the ex was a fool and to get out there and having fun.

In taboo its the man of the house device. Mom is either divorced-to another of those cheats-or dad passed away and Mom is all work no play and not feeling great about herself. Son helps around the house, works, is in school and too busy for a social life so him and mom spend more time together. They've reached a point they're almost like a couple with only one thing missing and the son begins to feel he can be the one to give that to her too.

When I delve into the hotwife genre here or for sale its the scenario of the cuck who talks tough and tries to tell his wife he forbids her from having any other men, but she does it anyway and he ends up obviously turned on-and often hops on when she's done-but the next time it will be the same game between them.

Bratty free spirit sexy little sister that drives the older more responsible brother crazy with not just her reckless behavior, but her constant teasing.

Out of erotica I'm hung up on femme fatales in general, but for both them and male characters, I always buy in to the 'retired' killer that tries to live a normal life and manages to for some time before something bad happens to one of the new people in their life and they have to get back to who they used to be, and of course really are.

The thing about a stereotype is there is always truth to them at their core and because of that people can easily buy into them

I look at longtime successful tropes and stereotypes as "comfort food" for writing

 

[THBGato]

I have a gypsy flamenco dancer, a beautiful butch, and various versions of the best friend who sees what the protagonist cannot.

Otherwise, I don't think I have that many stereotypical characters (although my storylines are all trope-heavy). I'm musing about why that is, and I think it's because I write almost exclusively female characters, and avoid D/S scenarios or fetishing race. In the history of literature, women are generally forced to fit into the virgin-mother-whore trio of tropes. All of which are basically defined by men and women's relationships to them. So, I think as soon as you stop writing women in terms of their relationship with men you start to deviate from stereotypes.

 

[lovecraft68]

I have a gypsy flamenco dancer, a beautiful butch, and various versions of the best friend who sees what the protagonist cannot.

Otherwise, I don't think I have that many stereotypical characters (although my storylines are all trope-heavy). I'm musing about why that is, and I think it's because I write almost exclusively female characters, and avoid D/S scenarios or fetishing race. In the history of literature, women are generally forced to fit into the virgin-mother-whore trio of tropes. All of which are basically defined by men and women's relationships to them. So, I think as soon as you stop writing women in terms of their relationship with men you start to deviate from stereotypes.

I think that, at least for me, the best friend who sees what the MC does not, is basically the author sticking themselves into the story to push the reader to where they need to be so they agree this is what the character needs to want/see.

 

[Jackie.Hikaru]

Shy in the streets, domme in the sheets aka hidden mistress
Caged bird is freed (or not)
Love in plain sight aka slow burn besties
Sword crossed lovers aka hate fuck to true love

Those are my big ones I think

 

[pink_silk_glove]

You can't avoid these stereoptypes (stereotypes is a strong term, perhaps characters trope types is better). I use the dynamic (the relationship between the two characters) to be more fresh or original. Characters on lit can vary a bit but the dynamic is always tired.

Sexy wife neighbor, sexy office boss, sexy trailer park skank, sexy college co-ed, these characters all vary to a degree, (the male characters on lit tend to be the same old lump) but the dynamic to which they interact with the male (we're talking het stories here of course) is always the same: she's horny, she jumps the guy.

Most of my stories, the female is still quite assertive (sometimes very) but they only choose men who can keep up with them or are worthy enough to get some, which is very hard to find on lit. The women on lit will bone the closest bum within 100 yards for no reason ... out of the blue!! - and the readership likes it that way. The audience is majority male here and they mostly want to read a fantasy that they can self-insert into, and they can't relate to or don't want to read about some guy who is actually sexy. The fantasy is that the hot women in their life (the neighbor wife, the girl at office, etc) could someday - for no reason at all - jump them. They've had 100 opportunities in the past but they're going to pick today, dammit. This leads to this waaay too common dynamic of hapless dude gets 100% random lucky. Super popular story! Stray from it at your own risk.

Well, I risk because that dynamic bores me to death. I'd rather write something fresh and different and score shit. The dynamic that I tend to use is more equal between the two characters, and there is motive in the attraction that rises well above "I'm horny, what the hell!"

We hear all the time people saying that they need their brain engaged to get turned on but most of the time they don't. The scores bear that out. "I'm horny, what the hell!" almost always scores high and straying form that usually drops the score. Obviously there are certain niche categories where things can be different, but the vast majority of the time it rings true.

People complain about lack of female agency on lit. Well perhaps in certain categories it may be an issue, but by and large there's TONS of female agency in lit stories. 95% of the females are total sluts and the men are undefined lumps of putty.

The character tropes themselves are fine. What lit (on the whole) should do is vary them up and work the dynamic between them.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

I think that, at least for me, the best friend who sees what the MC does not, is basically the author sticking themselves into the story to push the reader to where they need to be so they agree this is what the character needs to want/see.

And that can be a very effective device. If it can be written to feel natural and less transparent it's an excellent technique.

 

[lovecraft68]

You can't avoid these stereoptypes (stereotypes is a strong term, perhaps characters trope types is better). I use the dynamic (the relationship between the two characters) to be more fresh or original. Characters on lit can vary a bit but the dynamic is always tired.

Sexy wife neighbor, sexy office boss, sexy trailer park skank, sexy college co-ed, these characters all vary to a degree, (the male characters on lit tend to be the same old lump) but the dynamic to which they interact with the male (we're talking het stories here of course) is always the same: she's horny, she jumps the guy.

Most of my stories, the female is still quite assertive (sometimes very) but they only choose men who can keep up with them or are worthy enough to get some, which is very hard to find on lit. The women on lit will bone the closest bum within 100 yards for no reason ... out of the blue!! - and the readership likes it that way. The audience is majority male here and they mostly want to read a fantasy that they can self-insert into, and they can't relate to or don't want to read about some guy who is actually sexy. The fantasy is that the hot women in their life (the neighbor wife, the girl at office, etc) could someday - for no reason at all - jump them. They've had 100 opportunities in the past but they're going to pick today, dammit. This leads to this waaay too common dynamic of hapless dude gets 100% random lucky. Super popular story! Stray from it at your own risk.

Well, I risk because that dynamic bores me to death. I'd rather write something fresh and different and score shit. The dynamic that I tend to use is more equal between the two characters, and there is motive in the attraction that rises well above "I'm horny, what the hell!"

We hear all the time people saying that they need their brain engaged to get turned on but most of the time they don't. The scores bear that out. "I'm horny, what the hell!" almost always scores high and straying form that usually drops the score. Obviously there are certain niche categories where things can be different, but the vast majority of the time it rings true.

People complain about lack of female agency on lit. Well perhaps in certain categories it may be an issue, but by and large there's TONS of female agency in lit stories. 95% of the females are total sluts and the men are undefined lumps of putty.

The character tropes themselves are fine. What lit (on the whole) should do is vary them up and work the dynamic between them.

Shallow male characters represent the shallow male reader.

Most males here are expected to simply be 'real men' who fuck the hot girls and nothing else is required to make many male-and some female-readers happy on a smut site.

When you seek to try to put a bit more into the male-say for example them hesitating to have sex because there could be a reason they shouldn't (example the best friend's mom trope. The hot milf says let's go, and the kid actually has the moral conundrum of "Crap, she's my friend's mother, this is a shitty thing to do to him) you know what you get? You get told your male characters are wimps and whiners. When a son stops and thinks "Okay, yeah, I want this but...Jesus this is my mother" same thing. Big brother thinking he might be taking advantage of his younger sister even though she's being pretty open about wanting it? Same thing.

Any time a male character here stops and thinks like a person and not a cardboard cut out with a 10" dick who says bitch get on your knees. That is the reaction you will get from readers.

Ask me how I know.

Of course its not all of them, but as always, it seems that the detractors are the ones who take the time to express their opinion.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

Any time a male character here stops and thinks like a person and not a cardboard cut out with a 10" dick who says bitch get on your knees. That is the reaction you will get from readers.

But "bitch get on your knees," isn't very common. Perhaps in certain niche categories (BBC maybe? some BDSM? which I basically don't read). The common fare is usually more like "we can ignore that my urges make me a prick because she will jump me anyways, which absolves me." A world where prick-ness doesn't make you a prick is a perfect fantasy.

 

[StillStunned]

Any time a male character here stops and thinks like a person and not a cardboard cut out with a 10" dick who says bitch get on your knees. That is the reaction you will get from readers.

Ask me how I know.

Of course its not all of them, but as always, it seems that the detractors are the ones who take the time to express their opinion.

People interpret characters according to their own prejudices. Write a sex-positive woman with a plausible reason to want to have sex with someone, for instance, and some readers will still complain about it being a male fantasy. Give your male character a background, infirmities and neuroses and he's still a lazy writer's trick to get readers to insert themselves into the fantasy.

And complaining about reading fantasies on a sex story site is like going to see a Twenty-20 match and complaining that you miss the tactical struggle between bowler and batter that you get with Test cricket.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

People interpret characters according to their own prejudices. Write a sex-positive woman with a plausible reason to want to have sex with someone, for instance, and some readers will still complain about it being a male fantasy. Give your male character a background, infirmities and neuroses and he's still a lazy writer's trick to get readers to insert themselves into the fantasy.

And complaining about reading fantasies on a sex story site is like going to see a Twenty-20 match and complaining that you miss the tactical struggle between bowler and batter that you get with Test cricket.

So ... if the subject of lazy characters comes up in a writer's forum we should not discuss it?

 

[lovecraft68]

But "bitch get on your knees," isn't very common. Perhaps in certain niche categories (BBC maybe? some BDSM? which I basically don't read). The common fare is usually more like "we can ignore that my urges make me a prick because she will jump me anyways, which absolves me." A world where prick-ness doesn't make you a prick is a perfect fantasy.

You're taking me literally. What I mean is the consensus is the male has to take the lead to various degrees, if the women does, then its because he's a simp. In other words, according to them a 19 year old college freshmen who has had one girlfriend should take the sexual reins over a 44 year old woman who has been sexually active for far longer than he's been alive.

 

[lovecraft68]

People interpret characters according to their own prejudices. Write a sex-positive woman with a plausible reason to want to have sex with someone, for instance, and some readers will still complain about it being a male fantasy. Give your male character a background, infirmities and neuroses and he's still a lazy writer's trick to get readers to insert themselves into the fantasy.

And complaining about reading fantasies on a sex story site is like going to see a Twenty-20 match and complaining that you miss the tactical struggle between bowler and batter that you get with Test cricket.

Topic is lazy stereotypes and my response is regarding one of them and the reason behind it. Therefore, on topic. But I'll remember this next time you express a complaint or personal preference.

 

[SimonDoom]

One of my "go-to's" is the husband who isn't nice to, or paying enough attention to, the wife, giving the wife a motive and/or opportunity to explore some new area of her sexuality, such as getting it on with the son.

 

[lovecraft68]

One of my "go-to's" is the husband who isn't nice to, or paying enough attention to, the wife, giving the wife a motive and/or opportunity to explore some new area of her sexuality, such as getting it on with the son.

Its old, its tired, but it will always work.

 

[SimonDoom]

I honestly recoil a bit from the acceptance of the term "lazy stereotype," because stereotypes are not in and of themselves lazy. There's often some truth in them, and they have always been useful in fiction, even what we think of as "good" or "literary" fiction. I think with even modest effort you can breathe enough life in a "lazy" character to move him or her into the "non-lazy" category.

 

[SimonDoom]

Its old, its tired, but it will always work.

I don't think it's necessarily tired. For one thing, it's real. It's a real phenomenon in marriage that partners ignore their partners' needs, giving the unsatisfied partner a motive and/or an opportunity.

It crosses the line, IMO, if a) the "oblivious husband" is too cartoonish, or b) the device is used to justify infidelity as opposed to simply explaining it. My stories tend to be short enough that I don't have to, or want to, deal with moral justifications and consequences. I write about the experiences and leave it to the readers to make of it what they want. For most of them that seems to be OK, but some of them can't withhold judgment about what's happening.

 

[lovecraft68]

I don't think it's necessarily tired. For one thing, it's real. It's a real phenomenon in marriage that partners ignore their partners' needs, giving the unsatisfied partner a motive and/or an opportunity.

It crosses the line, IMO, if a) the "oblivious husband" is too cartoonish, or b) the device is used to justify infidelity as opposed to simply explaining it. My stories tend to be short enough that I don't have to, or want to, deal with moral justifications and consequences. I write about the experiences and leave it to the readers to make of it what they want. For most of them that seems to be OK, but some of them can't withhold judgment about what's happening.

That's the point of the topic, that stereotypes are always grounded in truth which is how they got to be so overused technically, but if you can put your stamp on it, then its still your story.

I write longer pieces and I will get the reader to look face the 'morality' of what the MC does and why. I generally use the husband being discovered as having cheated which is why they are neglecting the wife, and her inevitable dalliance being a form of revenge. Or, on occasions I will have her cheat. Ironically these are not my personal ethics, I don't advocate anyone cheating or anyone putting up with an unhappy marriage, life's too short to spend it with someone you're not happy with. But these are characters and stories, not my life opinions.

But on the note of the stereotype of not getting what you want at home, that's the excuse/motivation of a large portion of people on the personals, playground and fetish forums. Or, so they claim to justify their sexting, flirting and internet cheating. But again, the latter statement is my opinion, but them being here proves out the stereotype

 

[SimonDoom]

Here's what I would call a "lazy" erotic fiction stereotype. It's a stereotype that is unique to erotic fiction because I don't think people believe it actually exists in any significant sense in the real world.

It's the stereotype of the 18-year old son who develops a thing for mom and instantly transforms into a smooth, confident Dom-type who tells Mom what to do and effortlessly turns her into a slut to do his bidding. This is, understandably, a fun fantasy projection for a lot of men, and maybe for some women, too, but, to me at least, it doesn't match what the vast majority of 18 year old men are like. Most have no clue what to do with women, especially older women. So, to make this fantasy actually work, a little effort is needed, otherwise, it does indeed come across as "lazy."

 

[nice90sguy]

I guess what I meant by lazy stereotype is when I write characters I don’t want, or need, to flesh out , usually because they’re not the main protagonists - I think it’s fine to do that , because otherwise they sort of clutter up the main story. My main characters are often stereotypes , but I try to take the time with them to go a bit beyond that. My male main characters are usually me — and I’m somewhat of a stereotype of a sexually frustrated middle-aged guy

 

[lovecraft68]

Here's what I would call a "lazy" erotic fiction stereotype. It's a stereotype that is unique to erotic fiction because I don't think people believe it actually exists in any significant sense in the real world.

It's the stereotype of the 18-year old son who develops a thing for mom and instantly transforms into a smooth, confident Dom-type who tells Mom what to do and effortlessly turns her into a slut to do his bidding. This is, understandably, a fun fantasy projection for a lot of men, and maybe for some women, too, but, to me at least, it doesn't match what the vast majority of 18 year old men are like. Most have no clue what to do with women, especially older women. So, to make this fantasy actually work, a little effort is needed, otherwise, it does indeed come across as "lazy."

This is exactly what I was talking about that when I have the son not act like that is when I get the 'kid is a wimp' reaction.

Thanks for backing that up, but here's a couple of a slew of comments I got from one drip a few days ago.

Alehandriys6 days ago
I've watched some of your stories about mother and son.Everywhere, the same type of son is actually timid, unsure, a virgin loser puppy into whose hands a woman's vagina falls by itself, and he also does everything possible to get her to run away from him, but she persuades him to take her.The wet fantasy of virgin losers snotty.

This twit did variations of this on about 10 stories in a matter of an hour or so, so I doubt he read them, and all this because the sons don't act like the type you referenced.

I'd be concerned if it wasn't for this.