More sex scenes = better vote?

[His Whimsicality]

So far I´ve written 3 stories: In my first and 'best', there was a couple having sex, in my second and 'second-best' the most explicit scene was a woman giving a man a deep-throat, in the third and by far 'worst' it´s just about dom./sub.

Makes me think that lots of people just wanna read fuckifucky stories with lots of sex scenes, never mind how well (and I think my writing must have improved at least by some degree) the story is written.

What´s your impression?

 

[mrwizard67]

sex scenes

When I'm reading erotica I want a fair amount of sex in the story. Hell, that's why I read it, but the story should also be well written. Given a choice between a poorly done story with lots of sex, a very well written story very little sex, or a decent story with a reasonable amount of sex. My choice would be the last one. From what I have read of other author's comments, I think my opinion is close to average. Hope it helps.

 

[SteamyChik]

I enjoy a well written story, but if it takes too long to get "to the good stuff" I loose interest fast. I hate to think what that says about me!

 

[KillerMuffin]

Ya'll just have to understand your audience, HW. Your audience is largely people who come here to read a story and get off. Then go about their merry way. They don't want Tolstoy. Some of them scroll down to the sex and ignore the rest of the story.

The trick to good erotica is to develop the characters while they're having sex. Regarding my stories that I have posted, I think Coming Home is my best. However I've gotten far more feedback for Pastorale better. I also imagine that if Coming Home had as many votes as Pastorale did, it wouldn't have nearly as high a score. The reason is that the sex wasn't developed in it. The characters were and sex, while necessary to the story, wasn't important. In Pastorale, the sex was the story and the characters were developed based on the sex.

I know that stories that I read where it's just sex and no character development get back clicked. I don't even read them. I just leave. You know the ones. "Jennifer was a stunning blonde, 36-32-34, 5'4" with long blonde hair and blue eyes. She reached for my cock and started to suck it..." The penthouse letters stuff. I prefer the kind that are more like stories. "Jennifer grinned slyly from beneath her blonde bangs. Whenever she grinned like that, I knew my cock was in for a workout. I should stop her, push her away, but I couldn't, I was addicted to her sucking mouth. I glanced around, hoping that her husband didn't notice when she reached for my fly..."

Give me some characters I can like, identify with, etc.

So, do develop your characters, make them real people that we can believe exist. Make them people we'd like to be with ourselves. Just understand that lots of buildup can get you into trouble, unless the story is good, you just have to understand your target audience when you write.

 

[NCmVoyeur]

Artistry versus Popularity

Makes me think that lots of people just wanna read fuckifucky stories with lots of sex scenes, never mind how well (and I think my writing must have improved at least by some degree) the story is written.

It's a safe call to say that the vast majority of readers prefer a healthier dose of sex. And if a story weaving lots of sex with vivid writing is done, it's bound to be a ratings hit.

However, looking the 'scores' to the stories I've posted, I can say that, with slight exception, the readers rate my stories almost inversely proportional to how I grade them (my stories don't exactly heap on the sex either). Now granted, most of us are rank amateurs, and after spending a lot of emotion and energy in writing it's hard not to hope the story gets a great reaction. But now and then you have to be content with an internal sense that 'this is good,' and (with hope) that one person who will find the story and give feedback saying "wow, that was just so well done.'

As an example (a story that was instrumental in my decision to go through the effort to re-format my stories for Literotica) is CreamyLady's "Still Life with Teeth." The story is by no means highly charged with sexual action (and, from what I can tell, doesn't appear on the "Bests" list for its category). But the way she incorporates the sex within the framework of the character she describes is simply wonderful. I hope to find many more stories like it.

 

[masterhypnotist]

My stories all deal with hypnosis so maybe slightly different. But, I noticed when the story has action "out of the box" the ratings went up. One story, which was something of a how-to was an "H" for awhile until the casual readers knocked it down. I suspect the "H" created expectations that were not going to be met.

 

[vgrey]

Asses in seats

Killer Muffin has a point about the nature of the audience. I think it was P.T. Barnum who said that show business wasn't about quality, it was about asses in seats. The ratings system is going to give you a limited indication of quality in the same way that the television ratings system will. "Survivor" will do better in the t.v. ratings than "I Claudius" because you can get up and go to the bathroom or grab a beer and not miss out. With all of the stories on this site it is a fair assumption that people will be skimming the stories to get to the things that interest them. Usually that is going to be sex. However that doesn't mean that there won't be an appreciative minority that will be hanging on every word that you write. It is perfectly allright to direct your stories to them, just don't expect to see the ratings go up.
Shakespeare made a point with Hamlet's advice to the players when he said:
"Now this overdone, or come tardy off, though it make the unskillful laugh, cannot but make the judicious grieve, the censure of the which one must in your allowance o'erweigh a whole theatre of others."

 

[Laurel]

Re: Asses in seats

Killer Muffin has a point about the nature of the audience. I think it was P.T. Barnum who said that show business wasn't about quality, it was about asses in seats. The ratings system is going to give you a limited indication of quality in the same way that the television ratings system will. "Survivor" will do better in the t.v. ratings than "I Claudius" because you can get up and go to the bathroom or grab a beer and not miss out. With all of the stories on this site it is a fair assumption that people will be skimming the stories to get to the things that interest them. Usually that is going to be sex. However that doesn't mean that there won't be an appreciative minority that will be hanging on every word that you write. It is perfectly allright to direct your stories to them, just don't expect to see the ratings go up.
Shakespeare made a point with Hamlet's advice to the players when he said:
"Now this overdone, or come tardy off, though it make the unskillful laugh, cannot but make the judicious grieve, the censure of the which one must in your allowance o'erweigh a whole theatre of others."

Bravo! Extremely well said! I wish I could have said it so well, but if I did then I guess I'd be writer as well, lol.

 

[His Whimsicality]

Okay, thanks everybody, perhaps I should cater a little bit more to what the readers want to read (if I want I good vote). Thanks again for your advice.

 

[Madame Pandora]

It all depends on what you're going for, HM.

You don't show Waiting for Guffman to a Caddyshack kind of group and expect the same feedback on comment cards, even though both are great comedies.

MP

 

[Laurel]

Precisely! That's not to say that everything that does well - be it in our voting system or at the box office - is crap. A good example is "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" - a film that's garnered glowing reviews while at the same time bringing people into the theaters. But that's not the norm. Most of the movies that touch me don't aren't box office rockets, just as many of the stories on the site that grab my attention get hardly any votes. That doesn't mean the voters are lame, or that I'm lame. It just means that people are different, that's all.

Most readers come to Literotica to read and relax. The vast majority do not vote on stories. This isn't unique to this site - I've talked to other webmasters on adult and non-adult sites and it's the same situation there. It's not that they don't care or don't enjoy the stories...it's just that they log on to the site after working a ten-hour day and the kids are finally in bed and they've got a little time to themselves and they just want to chill. So, for every positive piece of feedback you receive, there are dozens, if not hundreds of other readers who've enjoyed your story to some degree. There's probably at least a dozen who really really liked it. And if you can touch even one person - REALLY touch them, to where they remember it forever - with your story, that's pretty amazing.

 

[WriterDom]

And if you can touch even one person - REALLY touch them, to where they remember it forever - with your story, that's pretty amazing. [/B]

It's even better when they touch themselves

 

[Laurel]

LOL! Yeah, I'd have to agree with that...

 

[Dillinger]

So, for every positive piece of feedback you receive, there are dozens, if not hundreds of other readers who've enjoyed your story to some degree. There's probably at least a dozen who really really liked it.

Very good point. I forget the exact numbers but in politics they say for every letter that your congressman, senator, representative (whatever) recieves that reflects the views of a thousand people (as I said, I can't remember the exact ratio but there is one).

The point being that for every person who takes to time to write (or vote) there are MANY more who feel the same way...

 

[NCmVoyeur]

So, for every positive piece of feedback you receive, there are dozens, if not hundreds of other readers who've enjoyed your story to some degree. There's probably at least a dozen who really really liked it.

Very good point. I forget the exact numbers but in politics they say for every letter that your congressman, senator, representative (whatever) recieves that reflects the views of a thousand people (as I said, I can't remember the exact ratio but there is one).

The point being that for every person who takes to time to write (or vote) there are MANY more who feel the same way...

And they say that for every cockroach you see there are . .
Wait. No. Terrible analogy. Forget I even thought . . .

 

[bluntforcemama]

sex (what else?)

KM is exactly right, most people want to get off as easily as they can when they read erotica. I wonder how many people come through here a day, and are not members... anyway, it really is like good sex to read a story or two. When I'm a little frisky, I usually go to a story that I know will get me off hard and quickly, and THEN I linger on the more meaningful stories, and get off on them! Sheesh... I'm baring my soul here. I think a lot of your stories' rating have to do with the sexual content. Statistically most people prefer good ol' heterosexual sex, without kinks and surprises, at least not until they get into it more, and lower their inhibitions. Personally, I'm not a really big fan of extreme BDSM, I think as far as I'll go is a blindfold and a pair of handcuffs. I read your stories, though, after reading your thread, and you do write particularly well, dear. I say just do what makes you happy, and let the rest fall into place.

 

[His Whimsicality]

Ah, my dear Myst, coming from a literotica author such as you, your compliment means a lot to me. Thank you.

Regarding baring my soul... I´ve discovered that what I write kinda reflects the goings on of my love life and my inner state of mind, it´s some sort of vent to let out what I feel at the moment. Since you´ve read my stories, this will perhaps allow you to know me better *g*.

 

[mrwizard67]

story sex content

I've just had my second story published here. The second is less well written, has less sex, and is shorter. To my great surprise, it has more votes, and a somewhat higher vote score. Don't know what the hell that means, except maybe to just write your best, and hope for the best.

 

[Problem Child]

I'm probably in the more character development/less wham-bam-T.Y.-ma'am camp. Some of the stories I choose from the "top lists" are fairly boring, but they have tons of sex. Like it's already been said, if that's what they like....

I've submitted three stories. The first is hovering in the 4.4 range, which is fine with me for a first try. What I'm really interested in is some feedback on it, but I'm thinking a story has to be damned good (or bad) for people to actually want to take the time to e-mail you on it.

I have submitted the first two chapter of my second story, but they're not up yet. The first chapter has NO sex in it, (well actually the lead character gets naked, but people hardly notice that here.) It will probably be showered with 1's, but that's ok, I like it.