Multiple Couples

[SkyBubble]

When your story invlves more than one couple having sex, do you prefer to intersperse them (couple 1, coupe 2, couple 1, couple 2) or to narrate one couple's activities, then anotehr couple's activities? Or does it depend on the story? Which do you think it the more effective technique?

 

[PennameWombat]

No single rule. It depends.

If the couples are in the same place, e.g., an orgy or group scene, then I'll cover the whole scene, interspersing each couple (or triple, as I've had those involved) around each other. The key caution when doing this is what is your POV? If it's first person, then the whole scene should be from your narrator's view. If they're involved, then what they can relate of the other couples will be limited. We get their thoughts and feelings as they're fucking, but not thoughts from others, only what the narrator sees of them. Same if it's third person close or limited, although you have a bit more freedom here. I try hard to not head hop, so inner thoughts are limited to the POV character, the rest are simply portrayed from 'outside.'

For me, best examples Books, Butts, and Bare Bodies or Sex, Toys and Video: A Tale.

If you're doing third person omniscient, then you have more ability to portray multiple viewpoints. But you have to be careful, as you can easily confuse readers and they get lost.

I've also had a number of scenes where the POV character isn't directly involved, so sees the action as a whole.

Used this in City of Angels and Chasing Robes & Shadows.

Another way is to do one section from the POV of couple 1, so we get the thoughts of one of that pair, while they observe the other couple(s). Then the next section switches (multiple rotating POVs) to the other couple, we revisit the action from their POV. But you need a clear break for the POV switch.

If I'm following multiple couples (or threesomes, or whatever) but they're apart, then I'll be doing via multiple POVs. In this case, I stick with couple 1 through a section, then switch POV to couple 2. How often I do this depends on the story, for instance, something is going to interrupt both of them, although they're not physically close to each other, I'll switch more quickly.

For me, this is Predators.

 

[SinclairGroupLLP]

I tend to focus on one couple at a time, usually using the POV character looking over to watch and then refocusing on what they’re doing. I try to narrate it like I’m the director in a porn shoot, having the camera focus on the action, cutting back and forth as the action changes.

 

[Cagivagurl]

There is no magic rule.
It's fiction. You can do whatever the hell you want.
So long as you enjoy it...

 

[SimonDoom]

It all depends on what you are trying to do with your story. Let's say two couples go on a tropical vacation together. One couple are experienced singers, and
they want to win over the other innocent couple to their lifestyle. In this case I would either a) focus on the inexperienced couple, because their story probably will be more erotically exciting, or b) I'd tell the story from both perspectives, but clearly demarcation separate sections where the point of view switches, because the points of view are so different.

 

[MrPixel]

Easy. The patriarch of my favorite polycule bought 'em a custom bed for eight.

 

[SawyerElle]

Good question!

I had to deal with this in a couple of different ways with Perion.

First, I was working with many characters and their respective sexual encounters, and everything was tied into the overarching plot, so I spent some time mapping things out and trying to figure out which chapters would be devoted to which characters, and in what order those chapters would be written.

To make things even more complicated: without spoiling much (hopefully), there were other encounters running concurrently with the timeline of the novel that couldn't be revealed until later. It was a lot to keep track of! I did worry at times that I was straying a little from the couple at the heart of the story, but I worked as hard as I could to balance things out structurally before I actually wrote the chapters.

Second, I could also read your question as asking about multiple couples having sex in the same place at the same time. I just juggled this challenge in the final chapter of Perion. Honestly: fun challenge to have!

I think in this case, I'd say that, if we as writers are lucky enough to get that many lustful people in a room together at once, even if they are coupled-off, it's going to be hard to resist the urge to intermingle their lust in some way. "As Jennifer tasted Steve's throbbing passion, she couldn't resist casting a glance to her left, where Racquel's milky body was writhing in ecstasy against the lashes to Thomas's tongue. The sight of her roommate's pleasure spurred Jennifer to take Steve still deeper, to desperately chase his release..." If you can manage to tie things together like this, then the order of operations is going to take care of itself

 

[Comshaw]

When your story invlves more than one couple having sex, do you prefer to intersperse them (couple 1, coupe 2, couple 1, couple 2) or to narrate one couple's activities, then anotehr couple's activities? Or does it depend on the story? Which do you think it the more effective technique?

Puppy pile! A naked pile of bodies. No? How about a blackout room? A totally blacked out room, additionally everyone has a blindfold so no one knows who's touching or doing what to whom. All those naked body parts touching and feeling and lickng and fucking...yeah I know...damned pervert that I am! you know what though? I've never, ever claimed anything else! WhoooWaaa!


Comshaw

 

[SkyBubble]

No single rule. It depends.

If the couples are in the same place, e.g., an orgy or group scene, then I'll cover the whole scene, interspersing each couple (or triple, as I've had those involved) around each other. The key caution when doing this is what is your POV? If it's first person, then the whole scene should be from your narrator's view. If they're involved, then what they can relate of the other couples will be limited. We get their thoughts and feelings as they're fucking, but not thoughts from others, only what the narrator sees of them. Same if it's third person close or limited, although you have a bit more freedom here. I try hard to not head hop, so inner thoughts are limited to the POV character, the rest are simply portrayed from 'outside.'

For me, best examples Books, Butts, and Bare Bodies or Sex, Toys and Video: A Tale.

If you're doing third person omniscient, then you have more ability to portray multiple viewpoints. But you have to be careful, as you can easily confuse readers and they get lost.

I've also had a number of scenes where the POV character isn't directly involved, so sees the action as a whole.

Used this in City of Angels and Chasing Robes & Shadows.

Another way is to do one section from the POV of couple 1, so we get the thoughts of one of that pair, while they observe the other couple(s). Then the next section switches (multiple rotating POVs) to the other couple, we revisit the action from their POV. But you need a clear break for the POV switch.

If I'm following multiple couples (or threesomes, or whatever) but they're apart, then I'll be doing via multiple POVs. In this case, I stick with couple 1 through a section, then switch POV to couple 2. How often I do this depends on the story, for instance, something is going to interrupt both of them, although they're not physically close to each other, I'll switch more quickly.

For me, this is Predators.

Thank you. I have one story where a couple of guys ("my roommate" and "I") pick up a couple of sisters and each take one to our rooms. (Sharing a house.) Mostly the focus is on the narrator and his girl, but the friend's room is right next door (other side of the wall), so "we" can hear a lot of what's going on. I did some back and forth in that one.

I think it <i>can</i> work with two couples. I'm not sure it works with more. I'm currently working on a story set in a sorority house. Towards the end, several couples are going at it. I'm currently leaning towards writing them sequentially, but I'm open to interspersing.