New author, and how to start your stories

[ofbuttons]

Hello, literotica authors.

Thought I'd introduce myself (I can't resist a forum) before I start commenting everywhere. I'm of the long time lurker/first time poster variety, and tend to gravitate to the noncon/reluctance categories of various predicaments. My reading is pretty eclectic, though, and so too will my spread of stories if I get into this hobby for any length of time! Hopefully, those who have followed me so far can keep an open mind, lol.

Something I wanted to get some advice on, though. I am guilty of opening a story and skipping straight for the porn to catch an idea of the vibe before I get invested. Most times, I go back and start at the beginning again, lol, but I tend to feel like a smut story needs to sell me on its preamble. Superfluous story details that don't contribute to the overall eroticism can be boring, but that may just be my taste. At the same time, layering in some background, motivation, and character can really supercharge the smut when you get to it (especially in a noncon/reluctance context, but I imagine this is still true for other categories).

I've started a new series and I realise I have spent a lot of time on set up, trying to explain a married couple's dynamic and the reasons and motivations behind the predicament they will wind up in. I got two Microsoft word pages deep before I realised nothing had happened, so I revised. Now it just feels too thin, and like I'm diving in too soon.

How do you guys feel about preambles, or non-smut story? Do you struggle with this too? I have experience in writing non-erotica stories, and I'm swiftly learning that it's a structurally very different task.

 

[Duleigh]

If you want to write smut - go write smut. Personally, I write stories where people have sex. A few are "Strokers" where there's a bit of a set up mostly to justify the kinks, but the majority of my stories are stories where the sex scene isn't really the climax of the story (so to speak) and my readers love my work. If you have a story in you, let it out and see what form it takes. Writers block hits me the hardest when I try to force a story into a format that doesn't work.

Personally I say, go back to that story and let the words flow until you hit the end, then let it sit for a while. Work on something else, then go back to it and see what it looks like once you've removed yourself from it.

 

[NotWise]

Write your stories any way you like. Lit has a enormous audience with tastes that cover the spectrum. You'll find readers for your writing any way you choose to do it.

I usually put sex into the story where it fits, which is most often not right at the beginning.

 

[AWhoopsieDaisy]

Everyone has a different method to their madness. Pantsers will sit down writing in prose from start to finish and then go back and make corrections. Planners tend to map out the key plot points and fill out the prose scene by scene.

As for the amount of plot, I think it depends on the category and what kind of story you want to tell. Readership in the Romance category is likely going to have a higher expectation of plot than say... Fetish.

In non-con it's a little hard to write without any plot at all. Jumping right in with no preamble likely isn't going to drive home the reluctance.

A decent plot structure for non-con goes as follows:

-Victim goes about their day
-Victim is noticed by Suitor and they have a breif interaction hinting at the Suitors later motive
-Suitor leaves, Victim continues with day
-Suitor returns and makes their move
-Sex happens
-Aftermath

But don't take this as gospel. It's just a suggestion if you find you need it.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Above all, write to please yourself,

 

[ofbuttons]

I think my current struggle is very much that my idea needs more 'story' time spent on it, rather than just skipping straight from basic premise to sex. My current published series benefited from a quick set up, but this one won't, I don't think.

I shall try to relax off the feeling that I need things to get hot and heavy right away and see where it takes me! (Still interested in advice/opinions, though! I appreciate the encouragement so far.)

 

[Rob_Royale]

I think my current struggle is very much that my idea needs more 'story' time spent on it, rather than just skipping straight from basic premise to sex. My current published series benefited from a quick set up, but this one won't, I don't think.

I shall try to relax off the feeling that I need things to get hot and heavy right away and see where it takes me! (Still interested in advice/opinions, though! I appreciate the encouragement so far.)

My two stories are 18000+ words and at least the first 6000 words are character development and generating the setting/situation. This is all before the first zipper comes down. The work has been very well received, with no complaints about my world-building. In your genres, I think that sort of thing would be even more important than in my mature romances. Good luck.

 

[Euphony]

I think my current struggle is very much that my idea needs more 'story' time spent on it, rather than just skipping straight from basic premise to sex. My current published series benefited from a quick set up, but this one won't, I don't think.

I shall try to relax off the feeling that I need things to get hot and heavy right away and see where it takes me! (Still interested in advice/opinions, though! I appreciate the encouragement so far.)

May seem pedantic but you likely need more CHARACTER time spent, not story. (I struggled w/this myself)

Characters (and their reactions to events) drive pretty much everything so they must be fleshed out for readers to care about their story.

Many rush into sex acts thinking that's the climax (pun) everyone demands but it's really about the reason WHY these two have come together. (and why it's interesting)

I won't say it writes itself if you write two dynamos but it's pretty much bumper bowling so even meat and potatoes sexual exploits will easily clear the better than average bar.

Good luck in your writing.

 

[ofbuttons]

May seem pedantic but you likely need more CHARACTER time spent, not story. (I struggled w/this myself)

This is a good point! And will probably make me more interested in writing these stories in the first place. I know I get more into reading longer/more ambitious stories when the characterisation is specific rather than generic.

 

[BobbyBrandt]

Here are my suggestions, for what they're worth:

1. Go to the Non-Con/Reluctance story lists and find a few stories that interest you. Don't pay attention to their scores, but focus on the tags and plot being related to or similar to what you have an idea to write.
2. Explore how those authors handled the details of the sexual acts within the stories. Try to find a variety of styles and techniques.
3. Read the comments from readers to see if defined preferences are stated. Learn from others.

As others have stated, there are a lot of different tastes among the readers, but you can use the experience of others to determine which tastes are the most popular, acceptable, or tolerated.

 

[Seadog777]

They are YOUR STORIES!!!

You write them any way you want and see.

The most important reader to your stories is you.

 

[stickygirl]

I just finished a story that had a long ( two-page ) pre-amble. I needed to have gone through the process of setting the characters and plot in order to lead me into the main story. So the pre-amble was just that - to help me. In the end my valued editor read it and said 'You're rambling at the start - cut it right down'. Once I'd got over the butt-hurt I realised he was correct so I went back and revised it into something that is much better.

Writing doesn't mean you make every sentence, word, paragraph perfect as you type - that's impossible. If you find it helpful to blurt down all your ideas first without stopping to nitpick, then do that. Be prepared to be brutal in editing but that's for later - blurt it down first.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

I think my current struggle is very much that my idea needs more 'story' time spent on it, rather than just skipping straight from basic premise to sex. My current published series benefited from a quick set up, but this one won't, I don't think.

I shall try to relax off the feeling that I need things to get hot and heavy right away and see where it takes me! (Still interested in advice/opinions, though! I appreciate the encouragement so far.)

OK, in my case, while I have done a number of strokers, of late I have been trying tp spend more time on character buildup before the sex.

 

[ofbuttons]

Thanks again everyone - you all helped me massively last night in starting my new series. It felt good to stop fretting about how a literotica story should be told and how quickly to pace it, and I think it resulted in a better story. I guess the ratings may disprove me, lol, but it was a lot of fun to write when I let myself indulge in character/relationship building. I did also follow advice and go back over some of my favourite NonCon/Reluctance stories to look at how they did it, and copied their example with pacing.

For the curious, what changed in the edit was instead of a two-page explanation and summary of relationship status and struggles (or my strictly pared down version of the same), which was so just boring to read, I just wrote out a nonsexual scene that exemplified those things and demonstrated their dynamic, hinting at the things to come. Probably an obvious solution, but I guess I was being tentative about writing story/character-building that wasn't an immediate swerve into sex.

I think I'll still publish the occasional 'stroker' for funsies, but my goal is to write my elaborate stories with higher stakes and developing characters over time, so this was a good exercise into trying it out. Looking forward to seeing how it performs.

 

[Euphony]

Writing doesn't mean you make every sentence, word, paragraph perfect as you type - that's impossible.

Meth disagrees.

"I am the one who knocks... out perfect first drafts."

 

[PennameWombat]

I think my current struggle is very much that my idea needs more 'story' time spent on it, rather than just skipping straight from basic premise to sex. My current published series benefited from a quick set up, but this one won't, I don't think.

I shall try to relax off the feeling that I need things to get hot and heavy right away and see where it takes me! (Still interested in advice/opinions, though! I appreciate the encouragement so far.)

You may have found your way through, but wanted to add this. One of my highest-rated stories, A Christmas Miracle on Dewdrop, is around 34,000 words and has zero sex (some erotic moments and word play earlier) in it until about halfway through. In fact, the first chapter is a Christmas concert by a children's choir interrupted by a mysterious light in the sky. Plenty of my other higher-rated stories likewise take a bit of time. On the other hand, a few open with a sex scene, then we see an unfolding from there. And a small number aren't meant to be much more than strokers.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

One thing to consider is the common theory that male-oriented erotica focuses more on actions, who is doing what, whereas female-oriented erotica focuses more on emotions and feelings. YMMV.

 

[DonnaSmith987]

I am waiting for my first story to be approved but I'm a long time reader and while my mood can change from story to story, I do like a build or a tease.
Of course then, what often happens I'll get in the mood with that and then leap at a more 'nuts and bolts' story for my satisfaction.
I do think everyone has to write for themselves and that's what keeps things interesting.
An ex girlfriend read mine and got off on it (She was often the Central character, just in Victorian dress lol) though she did sometimes complain it took too long to get to the steamy stuff.
With this one, I've delved right in I think and while remaining a, basically unrealistic situation.. .it's my fantasy and I'm trying to eke out the tension.
I'd love to hear anyone's views on it?!

I mean, maybe I'm terrible?!

Thanks for reading.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Welcome, Donna! Such a fun feeling, awaiting for one’s first to go up. Please let us know when it does.

 

[alohadave]

One thing to consider is the common theory that male-oriented erotica focuses more on actions, who is doing what, whereas female-oriented erotica focuses more on emotions and feelings. YMMV.

I find it more about why I'm reading. If I want to get off, I want a stroke story that moves pretty fast. If I want to be entertained, or enjoy the story, slower with feelings and emotions are what I'm looking for.

I think it's a disservice to say that men only look for porn, and women only look at romance.

 

[SimonDoom]

I find it more about why I'm reading. If I want to get off, I want a stroke story that moves pretty fast. If I want to be entertained, or enjoy the story, slower with feelings and emotions are what I'm looking for.

I think it's a disservice to say that men only look for porn, and women only look at romance.

I don't think that's what she's saying. Focusing on action v. focusing on emotions/feelings is not the same thing as porn v romance. She's also not ruling out that some men like romance and some women like action. It's just a generalization. To me, it seems accurate in a very general way.

 

[burgwad]

Thanks again everyone - you all helped me massively last night in starting my new series. It felt good to stop fretting about how a literotica story should be told and how quickly to pace it, and I think it resulted in a better story. I guess the ratings may disprove me, lol, but it was a lot of fun to write when I let myself indulge in character/relationship building. I did also follow advice and go back over some of my favourite NonCon/Reluctance stories to look at how they did it, and copied their example with pacing.

For the curious, what changed in the edit was instead of a two-page explanation and summary of relationship status and struggles (or my strictly pared down version of the same), which was so just boring to read, I just wrote out a nonsexual scene that exemplified those things and demonstrated their dynamic, hinting at the things to come. Probably an obvious solution, but I guess I was being tentative about writing story/character-building that wasn't an immediate swerve into sex.

I think I'll still publish the occasional 'stroker' for funsies, but my goal is to write my elaborate stories with higher stakes and developing characters over time, so this was a good exercise into trying it out. Looking forward to seeing how it performs.

Props for your single-paragraph solution to the old expo dump conundrum. And for letting yourself write how you want. Please hang onto this self-motivated perspective.

It will be tempting to abandon ship when/if you get your first critical drubbing, and to reorient toward appealing more to the masses. This way lies folly. Granted, there are some phenomenal works on Lit that have mass appeal (usually written by established contributors with 60+ submissions and hundreds of Followers to their name), but these are the exception to the rule. Plenty of hot garbage *also* boasts a 4.7+ out of 5, and an unknowable but surely depressing quantity of wonderful stuff languishes in the low 4.0s and even 3.0s.

You sound like someone who wants to write the wonderful stuff, so like you're already doing: focus on your craft, not on your Lit clicks. Solicit feedback on these forums if/when you're ready, but then be ready for the full spectrum of humanity to show up with their opinions. Ignore the destructive criticism, consider the constructive, and start up private message conversations with those precious few reviewers you feel truly attuned to.

All that said, I hope your first published story arrives to unanimous rave reviews, and that everything I've said here is irrelevant.

 

[SamScribble]

I've said this before, but I'll say it again. My approach to story telling is to try to tell the reader what they need to know when they need to know it.

If, in the very first sentence, they need to know that there's some heavy Tab A into Slot B action going on, then that's what I'll tell them and that's when I'll tell them. Right there in the very first sentence. But if I think they need to know that Janet is standing in front of an ATM that won't play ball, I'll tell them that. It all comes down to the story.

Listen to story as you write it, and you'll seldom go wrong.

Good luck.

 

[ofbuttons]

Props for your single-paragraph solution to the old expo dump conundrum. And for letting yourself write how you want. Please hang onto this self-motivated perspective.

It will be tempting to abandon ship when/if you get your first critical drubbing, and to reorient toward appealing more to the masses. This way lies folly. Granted, there are some phenomenal works on Lit that have mass appeal (usually written by established contributors with 60+ submissions and hundreds of Followers to their name), but these are the exception to the rule. Plenty of hot garbage *also* boasts a 4.7+ out of 5, and an unknowable but surely depressing quantity of wonderful stuff languishes in the low 4.0s and even 3.0s.

You sound like someone who wants to write the wonderful stuff, so like you're already doing: focus on your craft, not on your Lit clicks. Solicit feedback on these forums if/when you're ready, but then be ready for the full spectrum of humanity to show up with their opinions. Ignore the destructive criticism, consider the constructive, and start up private message conversations with those precious few reviewers you feel truly attuned to.

All that said, I hope your first published story arrives to unanimous rave reviews, and that everything I've said here is irrelevant.

Thanks for this encouragement! I'll try to avoid letting ratings get to me, lol, and I think the overlap of niches in which I like to read and write will probably miss out on widespread appeal anyway. My latest upload got someone hitting a 5 immediately, and then the next person must have hit 1 or 2. But what motivated me to try erotica at all was the pleasure of writing what specifically appeals to me, so I'll make peace with appealing to readership who share my interests, even if there aren't many. Unanimous reviews are unlikely, but even if they were, I think everything you said is highly relevant!

And definitely among those interests is writing with some complexity. I'll be honest, my stories will probably have a hint of trashy fun to them no matter what, but I do love developing characters and pushing narratives to their logical conclusions, so I'm calling it a long term goal as I figure out what I'm doing.

 

[ElectricBlue]

OK, in my case, while I have done a number of strokers, of late I have been trying tp spend more time on character buildup before the sex.

It's interesting to me how one goes through phases. I'd written a number of long, slow burn stories with back story, character development and so on; but I'm now writing some quick and dirty stories, which for me are the equivalent of strokers.

I suspect I have a long, more complex, story brooding, waiting to surface. My subconscious gets rather busy sometimes - it usually manifests itself with long, complex dreams - last night's could have been a story.