Maybe this explains some of the writing on Literotica...

[angela146]

I just took a look at one of the "writers resources" under "ESSAYS AND HOW-TO'S" and learned some interesting things.

If people who want to submit stories to literotica are reading this, it explains some trends in Literotica writing.

Here's an excerpt from the second article: (emphasis mine)

When describing a character in a story, the more details you can throw in the better. We don't want to know that a girl has nice tits, we want to know how high they sit, what shape they are, what colour the skin is, what colour the nipples are, what they smell and taste like, and how big they are – which brings me to my main point.

"Her breasts were small/medium/large/grotesquely over-proportioned" simply does not cut it if you want your reader to visualise them. The easiest way to put a size on a pair of mammaries is to put a bra size on them.

Maybe that's why we have so many stories that start off by telling us the explicit details of the woman's bodies and maybe that's why there are so many stories with bra sizes...

OK, first of all, putting a bra size in a story is a hallmark of bad erotic writing.

Second of all, *telling* us the details of a character's anatomy is bad style. If you want us to know that she has big tits, give us some imagery or tell us what someone is thinking. Tell us that the woman is seriously tired of having men think of her as nothing but a pair of tits or tell us that her boyfriend/husband likes to bury his entire face between them.

Third, and perhaps most importantly, if you give the reader details of a character's anatomy, it prevents the reader from imagining his/her own favorite body type/color/smell.

If the reader loves women with perky breasts and you tell him that she has "breasts that seem to have been on loan from the Harlem Globetrotters", he's likely to he the "back" button and go on to another story.

If you leave it unspoken, he can imagine whatever he wants.

General rule: only include physical details *if* it is relevant to the plot or to some aspect of the character.

For example, if you tell us she has dark aureoles, flesh it out a little (so to speak). Make her Greek or Italian. Give her curly brunette hair and olive skin. Make her Catholic or Greek Orthodox or whatever. Then, have us meet her in Little Italy or on a vacation to the Vatican or wandering the streets of Athens.

If you tell us she has small breasts, how does she feel about it? Does she dread getting naked? Does she always want to have sex with the lights off? Does she like her body? Does she love the fact that a lover can take her entire breast into her/his mouth and give her a full-breast hickey?

My general advice: don't give us a physical description unless you are going to do something with it. Even then, only tell us what we need to know for reasons of character, plot, setting, or flavor. Otherwise, you deprive the reader of her/his fantasy.

 

[BlackShanglan]

Wonderful. Now they're not content with individual error - they're invented a dogma.

Heretics!

 

[flavortang]

I always like describing the female character's bodies, especially noting a bra size, but instead of just stating it, having a male character come upon a bra lying around her room or something while they hang out.

I like reading stories where I can get a more precise idea about that kind of stuff. Details helps my imagination, personally. I don't like vague descriptions, but that's me.

 

[Vermilion]

I always like describing the female character's bodies, especially noting a bra size, but instead of just stating it, having a male character come upon a bra lying around her room or something while they hang out.

I like reading stories where I can get a more precise idea about that kind of stuff. Details helps my imagination, personally. I don't like vague descriptions, but that's me.

male vs. female mentality????
x
V

 

[flavortang]

male vs. female mentality????
x
V

That might be it. Being a guy and knowing what I like to read, I like knowing details. Maybe women are more interested in subtle descriptions? Most of the comments I got on my story were from guys.

 

[BlackShanglan]

It's not so much that I dislike detail as that giving a bra size seems to me to focus attention on the container rather than the contents. But then, I'm not a numerically-minded horse. When I hear numbers, I don't receive a visual image - or if I do, it's of a size tag on the back of the bra. Melons, tulips, pomegranates - those I can see. Cupping, covering, overflowing - those I can touch.

 

[damppanties]

But then, I'm not a numerically-minded horse.

*Ahem*

 

[Vermilion]

*Ahem*

ooooh... Touche!
x
V

 

[lesbiaphrodite]

Rules....

One of the reasons I love to write is because, with the exception of certain basics related to style, grammar, spelling, etc., you can do it how you want, if you're good enough. And, descriptions are the key for me. I don't go in for statistical writing (she was x in. tall and has x size breasts). Way too technical and frankly a little dull.

 

[CeriseNoire]

I find the whole bra size thing rather silly since it varies so widely from country to country and brand to brand. Then again, the type of guys (usually) who focus on that aren't likely to get that. Not o mention the info in that particular article is misleading--it implies a lager band automatically means the girl described is fat, while in many cases it's rather a matter of ribcage shape. I found it funny too that the author says writing in characters with "huge knockers" is a mistake girls usually make.

I'd rather hear about color, texture, etc. Even large, small, or heavy gives and idea while allowing the reader to visualize what that means to them.

Edited to add the part in blue

 

[_Lynn_]

I find the whole bra size thing rather silly since it varies so widely from country to country and brand to brand. Then again, the type of guys (usually) who focus on that aren't likely to get that. Not o mention the info in that particular article is misleading--it implies a lager band automatically means the girl described is fat, while in many cases it's rather a matter of ribcage shape. I found it funny too that the author says writing in characters with "huge knockers" is a mistake girls usually make.

I'd rather hear about color, texture, etc. Even large, small

I agree, Cerise. When I first read this thread, I chuckled. It would sound so clinical to use the numbers, I think, in a way. That could be just my view, knowing the numbers are misleading, but there are so many sexy ways to describe or hint at size, shape, etc.

 

[CeriseNoire]

I agree, Cerise. When I first read this thread, I chuckled. It would sound so clinical to use the numbers, I think, in a way. That could be just my view, knowing the numbers are misleading, but there are so many sexy ways to describe or hint at size, shape, etc.

I was struck by the 36B=big-boned comment. Back in college, I went bra shopping with my roommate. As it turned out, she was a 36B. She also wore size 4 clothes--not exactly 'big-boned' outside of Hollywood.

 

[TheeGoatPig]

I'm tired of dull. It's seems like lazy writing when reading it. I know it isn't lazy as I have written vague, and it can take more effort than a detailed description if done right, but when reading it, it seems like they didn't want to finish the character description, as if body type and look doesn't effect the character at all, but it does.

I prefer a detailed character description from personality, to body type, and descriptions of their face, breasts, genitalia, and everything. Give me the whole picture.

I don't care for the bra size line right up front in first person stories though. A lot of the time the writer throws that in there, even though their character should have no idea what the woman's bra size it. "I saw her for the first time, and I just knew she was wearing a 30" DD bra!" For one thing, no one with DDs is going to have a 30" chest (which is near impossibly thin to begin with), and for another, you wouldn't know that just looking at her for the first time! Shut the hell up!

Meh... I'm a picky bastard

 

[Jenny_Jackson]

I don't know. Bra size works for me. As in -

Angelica stood next to her bed. In the darkness she was confused. She took one step in the direction she though would the bathroom and tripped over her 96HHHHH tits.

See?

 

[hmmnmm]

Now this is an interesting topic. I'd tie it to the Audience thread, because that's part of it.
Different people, different tastes, different feelings, different histories...
For myself, I happen to be more a leg and butt man than a breast man. As a male reader, I care less about reading physical descriptions and more about what a character is feeling or thinking. And how they express or what they perhaps try not to allow expression. If a character is a woman I will assume she has corresponding body parts. Now, sometimes clothing can be effective in the right places and with the right wording. Or maybe occasionally a mention of a hair style; but these are not necessary for my enjoyment, and with the briefest sketch I can then fill in the rest with my imagination.

As a hatchet prose man, as I read so I try to emulate. I prefer getting into a character's mind and soul: what are they thinking and feeling in this particular circumstance. Is it something new and are they nervous? Is it with someone they love and they feel safe, secure, loved in return? Did they just step through a gap in time? Are they running, are they chasing, are they hiding? Do they resist, do they surrender? All these and more, create fresh feelings and thoughts that may or may not be obvious to the onlooker.

As a reader, if I can read about or watch someone go through a portion of life, I can hope for them, cheer for them, curse them... Or, I can feel as if I am them. The writer has so effectively helped me identify with that character, that I can imagine that the writer could be describing me. And so I somehow become that character, and now it is no longer happening or the character is no longer doing, but I am the one it is happening to and I am the one doing.

As a hatchet prose man, as I read so I hope to emulate. Success still lies far in the distance... if it was a football field, I'm on my own five yard line. Many more yards to go and obstacles to overcome, but I enjoy it enough to continue. And if I can someday successfully do as I described, then breast sizes and shapes are quite trivial, at least to me.

 

[Stella_Omega]

I always like describing the female character's bodies, especially noting a bra size, but instead of just stating it, having a male character come upon a bra lying around her room or something while they hang out.

I like reading stories where I can get a more precise idea about that kind of stuff. Details helps my imagination, personally. I don't like vague descriptions, but that's me.

Wouldn't that say something about the guy-- that he'd pick up a bra to read the size? I like that!

 

[flavortang]

Wouldn't that say something about the guy-- that he'd pick up a bra to read the size? I like that!

LOL Exactly. I explain it in my story that the guy is curious and peeks at her bra when she walks out of the room.

I like saying the numbers, height, weight, .etc. Helps me makes a mental picture.

 

[BlackShanglan]

*Ahem*

Lo, I am stung. A touch, I confess, a touch.

*winces*

I don't suppose I can plead that I took that challenge from the cardinal sins thread because I am indeed so number-averse?

 

[Edward Teach]

I agree with Angela that if Lit is going to publish how-tos they should at least be good ones.

As to the bra size question, I think it all depends on the story, the context and the writing.

A couple of examples:

1. Jessica was one of those small women with big tits. I’m talking five-one with a pair of 30DDDDs. She drew stares, man. She drew stares.


2. You are one of those tiny women with watermelons for breasts and everywhere you go people can’t help but notice you.

Number 1 seems fine to me whereas number 2...

 

[damppanties]

I don't suppose I can plead that I took that challenge from the cardinal sins thread because I am indeed so number-averse?

I know you did. It's just that your sentence made me think of it so I linked it. Never leave unlinked that which can be linked and all...

 

[only_more_so]

In a way I agree with Angela's rant, but at the same time I think it makes the same errors that the author of the quoted text makes: All generalization is stupid.

If I were writing about two people meeting and getting it on, I would leave out details like the size of her breasts unless it became pertinent to the story. If they were swaying pendulously beneath her, then they kind of need to be big. If they merely jiggled briefly with each thrust, then kind of need to be small.

But, in most of my stories the character is well defined in my mind and the details of the characters are equally well defined. I would never be so crude as to state the actual bra size, but the size would get conveyed in the course of the story. My characters are "real" people constructed for the story. Women with small breasts and women with large breasts behave differently and dress differently. Women with narrow hips and wide hips move differently. If I allow a reader to substitute their own vision of a character for mine, then the character will move wrong and behave wrong.

 

[flavortang]

I think the only reason I describe the figure of the female character in my current story is that her 'assets' give her a lot of unwanted attention. She's a tomboy so having large breasts and a nice butt go against the way her mind is wired. She'd rather sit around, play video games and eat chips than get all dolled up, waste time putting make-up on and trying to impress boys.

I don't think I'd describe a female character's endowments so specifically unless it helped the story move along.

 

[LadynStFreknBed]

But, in most of my stories the character is well defined in my mind and the details of the characters are equally well defined. I would never be so crude as to state the actual bra size, but the size would get conveyed in the course of the story. My characters are "real" people constructed for the story. Women with small breasts and women with large breasts behave differently and dress differently. Women with narrow hips and wide hips move differently. If I allow a reader to substitute their own vision of a character for mine, then the character will move wrong and behave wrong.

I like how you put that. I think that's an excellent goal for good erotica.. to give the reader a picture in their mind through the actions of the characters without thrusting your image in front of them. However, considering how many male readers IM me asking what my bra size is, maybe I need to rethink this. LOL Obviously, knowing bra size matters to them.

 

[flavortang]

I like how you put that. I think that's an excellent goal for good erotica.. to give the reader a picture in their mind through the actions of the characters without thrusting your image in front of them. However, considering how many male readers IM me asking what my bra size is, maybe I need to rethink this. LOL Obviously, knowing bra size matters to them.

I think it does, too. I know that, as a male reader, when the main female character is introduced, my eyes automatically look for numbers of some type to help me size up the character. It makes it easier, rather than having vague descriptions for no reason other than to be vague.

 

[only_more_so]

I like how you put that. I think that's an excellent goal for good erotica.. to give the reader a picture in their mind through the actions of the characters without thrusting your image in front of them. However, considering how many male readers IM me asking what my bra size is, maybe I need to rethink this. LOL Obviously, knowing bra size matters to them.

Actually, I did mean to give them an image so that it enhances the actions rather than potentially contrasting with them. But I don't say things like a size 4 dress and 32B breasts. I try to be subtle, adding details gradually so it doesn't overwhelm a reader with details from the beginning.

Basically I want the reader to start with a vague idea of what the character looks like, and then slowly bring things into focus. Although things like the eyes I want in sharp focus from the onset, since those are the things a person would immediately see in a person.