Question concerning sexual encounters in long stories

[flawed_ethics]

Hello,

So I'm actually making headway in a story that had been gaining dust on my computer. I've added two more chapters in the past week, and hope to have a rough draft to edit in another week.

This will be a multi-chapter story (14,800 words so far) with numerous sexual encounters between the two characters. By nature of the characters, the action cannot get kinky, so it's mostly good old sex, with little change of pace.

With that in mind, should every sexual encouter be described in detail such as when they first get at it, or would it be better to cut to the aftermath after every episode?

I'm afraid that with the repetitive sex, the audience will bore and leave, which is never good for a story. Likewise, to quicken the action, I wouldn't want someone to open Chapter 4 and say "Just Great! They cut out the good part!"

Is it okay to go half and half? Like start out with the foreplay, and maybe a little after intercourse, and then jump to the afterglow?

Any opinions appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Svenskaflicka]

Heavy foreplay in chapter 1, oral sex in chapter 2, 1-on-1 sex in chapter 3, a fight and then make-up-sex in chapter 4....

would work with me.

It's not so much the sex that makes a multi-part story interesting, but the action around it. Check out DeliciouslyNaughty's story Wesley's Woman, and you'll see how she did - a masterpiece, in my opinion.

 

[Octavian]

repetition?

I had the same problem with my story. Admittedly I had three characters rather than two, but it is some 47000 words long.

I realised that there was the potential for repetition so some encounters were described in detail whilst others were glossed over.

A long story can be repetitive if it is a just series of sexual episodes with no real development. A long story needs to have a plot as well as good sex.

Octavian

A Modern Love Story


___________________________________________________
If you can keep your head whilst all around are losing theirs, you don't understand how serious the problem really is.

 

[Pookie]

I have stories ranging from 7,700 to 39,000 words. One story I have in progress is already 32,000 words. The longer stories involve more than two characters though.

I agree completely with Octavian as well. While writing a lengthy story, I will focus intently on the plot and characters and let the sex be icing on the cake. With my longer stories, I developed a plot that could build over a lengthy time. Define your characters and let them grow throughout the story to keep them fresh. Don't depend on the sex to do this or it will seem contrived. In fact, I would write the sex scenes last so you don't grow dependent on them to carry the story. I wouldn't focus the story around specific sex acts either, unless it is a character's first time with something.

A long story won't survive with most readers if it is just sex scene after sex scene. The readers will need something else to hang onto in a lengthy story.

I'm curious about your definition of "kinky". What does this exclude? Anal? Watersports? Outdoor Sex? Voyerism? etc. The actual sex acts can be "routine" and still be extremely erotic based on the setting it occurs within. I would not go into detail with every sex scene, just focus on what is making that particular sex scene erotic or special.

Good luck with it. Remember, tell a story ... and don't make it a play by play calling of two people's sex episodes. I have said often that it is amazing how hot "routine" sex can be when a good plot is wrapped around it.

Pookie

 

[pop_54]

Hi

I can do nothing really other than agree with all that's been said so far.

Personally I try to vary the sex scenes if there are more than one, along the lines of, foreplay, main hump, afterglow, if it has to run to a hump a night for a week or two, best stick with, "then they made love" a few times of the week and leave it at that.

I try to avoid too many sex scenes in one tale, OK it's basically an erotic flick but it can get boring with too much humping.

A nice long dialogue with more teasing and hinting than sex can take the place of actual sexual acts.

pops............
I'm just trying to write a story with dialogue only at the moment, no explaination, history, or in fact narrative of any kind, it has got to 3800 words of dialogue and no ones had sex in it yet, will do soon though, hehe.

 

[MercyMia]

Hello,

So I'm actually making headway in a story that had been gaining dust on my computer. I've added two more chapters in the past week, and hope to have a rough draft to edit in another week.

This will be a multi-chapter story (14,800 words so far) with numerous sexual encounters between the two characters. By nature of the characters, the action cannot get kinky, so it's mostly good old sex, with little change of pace.

With that in mind, should every sexual encouter be described in detail such as when they first get at it, or would it be better to cut to the aftermath after every episode?

I'm afraid that with the repetitive sex, the audience will bore and leave, which is never good for a story. Likewise, to quicken the action, I wouldn't want someone to open Chapter 4 and say "Just Great! They cut out the good part!"

Is it okay to go half and half? Like start out with the foreplay, and maybe a little after intercourse, and then jump to the afterglow?

Any opinions appreciated. Thanks!

great! it sounds like you're gearing up to finish your story! is it more of a novel? i mean with the chapters and all...

at any rate...what is the overall conflict? the one main thing that you are trying to resolve in the novel? is it sexual? is sex the main meat? cuz if so, then you might want to heed the advice of the poster on this thread who suggested advancing from foreplay in chapter 1 to something more total by the end.

if sex is a subplot, one of several themes in the fiction, then there are so many ways you can weave it in. perhaps each episode of sex doesn't have to be completely resolved into orgasm, but rather one episode building on a previous one and moving the action forward.

good luck. i hope you're having fun writing it!

 

[flawed_ethics]

Wow - thanks for all your constructive feedback! Since there is a power-play issue in my story, I fall back more on how the two preceive it washing over them as they continue to go at it.

I apologize for using the word kinky without much boundry. I meant to say that the two people view sex as the boundary of their union. They contemplate taking it farther, but it's not in their nature. So they just hump. You can see how it could get boring fast if they're objective to even touching each other.

As for the plot line, I view the story as my prized piggy. It's really nothing that hasn't already been contrived, I'm sure. But for me it's huge. It's got a lot of little intricate weavings anyone familiar with it's backdrop will either appreciate or demand my head for. I'll leave that for the editors (if any), votes and feedback my story receives though.

Thanks again!

 

[Whispersecret]

It's funny. I thought that this thread was going to be about a lack of sex in your long story and whether that would cost you readers.

I know it probably seems like a lot to you, but 15,000 words is only about 60 pages, double spaced. I prefer my chapters to have some meat to them, both the ones I write and those written by others. It always bothers me that someone pecks out a couple thousand words and consistently calls that a chapter.

If you're writing a real story (with a plot) as opposed to a description of a sexual encounter, here is my advice. Include the sex only if it advances your plot. That's actually the rule of thumb for anything in fiction. If it doesn't advance your plot, it probably doesn't belong and is weighing your story down.

Try having one character or the other have some sort of goal for the sexual encounter. Perhaps she wants to convince him that she's sexy. Or he wants to prove to himself that he can make her beg. Try having one or both characters realize something as a result of the sex. Or have them realize something before the sex, so that the sex takes on a different meaning.

Just some ideas. Hope this helps.

 

[kiwiwolf]

I have a similar problem flawed_ethics. I have a couple of stories hovering around the 30,000 word mark each which are pretty heavy on both plot and sexual content. The plot lines are based loosely around what I would call thriller content.

My problem is how to continue. Is the thriller content going to be enough to carry the story without having to increase the already heavy sexual content? I can't drop the plot... that would wreck the story and I can't drop the sex... it's going to be posted on a porn board for God's sake.

 

[pop_54]

Hi

I have a similar problem flawed_ethics. I have a couple of stories hovering around the 30,000 word mark each which are pretty heavy on both plot and sexual content. The plot lines are based loosely around what I would call thriller content.

My problem is how to continue. Is the thriller content going to be enough to carry the story without having to increase the already heavy sexual content? I can't drop the plot... that would wreck the story and I can't drop the sex... it's going to be posted on a porn board for God's sake.

Hi kiwi don't destroy your thriller for the sake of a couple of extra votes from the pervs, if the plot is good and holds the attention you will easily make up from genuine appreciation of your story as a thriller with a bit of sex in it.

OK it's a sex site, but a guy teasing a woman's tits once in a story constitutes sex doesn't it, I wouldn't overload it with humping mate, up to you though.

 

[LGL]

What an excellent thread. I am very much a novice writer and have giving the question much thought I could have thought about it for another year and not come up with thoughtful perceptive comments found here. good job everyone and Thank you to flawed_ethics for asking the questions and making the post.

 

[Pookie]

I know it probably seems like a lot to you, but 15,000 words is only about 60 pages, double spaced. I prefer my chapters to have some meat to them, both the ones I write and those written by others. It always bothers me that someone pecks out a couple thousand words and consistently calls that a chapter.

I agree with you. I wrote a chapter last week to an unfinished story that was 10,300 words. A chapter is not defined by length though, but by the content and message it delivers. It should have a natural beginning and ending point. There should be a reason to having the chapter, not just because you want a multi-chapter story.

If you're writing a real story (with a plot) as opposed to a description of a sexual encounter, here is my advice. Include the sex only if it advances your plot. That's actually the rule of thumb for anything in fiction. If it doesn't advance your plot, it probably doesn't belong and is weighing your story down.

Try having one character or the other have some sort of goal for the sexual encounter. Perhaps she wants to convince him that she's sexy. Or he wants to prove to himself that he can make her beg. Try having one or both characters realize something as a result of the sex. Or have them realize something before the sex, so that the sex takes on a different meaning.

Excellent suggestions! I like to weave the sex into my stories to serve a purpose. I don't worry about trying to balance the sex so that each chapter has something. I have chapters in a few things I have written with no sex at all. But those chapters setup future chapters that have some intense sex scenes that would not have been as effective without the no-sex chapter setting it up. Let the sex serve a purpose. It will make it all the more satisfying to the reader.

Sex scenes without a purpose can get monotonous and boring over the course of a long story. They begin to seem as if the author just felt the need to fill the story up with something.

Pookie

 

[flawed_ethics]

Hmmm, seeing as there are concerns about the direction of the story....

Well, my story has the leading lady in the family trying to conceive another child. However, circumstances in the past since having his children have made it difficult for the father to do so, despite his willingness to do give it another go. The wife decides to have the son also give it a go - although I won't say why - that's the part I'm so driven by my story to write!

Needless to say, she's nervous about it. It's not natural, and what more she's doing it behind her husband's back. The son is as horny as any other teenager, but he's also got his hang ups about this (which become evident as the story continues).

It takes place over a week, Sunday to the Monday after, with Saturday and the second Sunday excluded for the sake of the ending. As it's written right now, each day is a chapter, although it isn't referred to as such. It seems like a nice way to break things up though. The wife/son duo don't even have sex until the second day - there's a lot of reading to do before one gets there - about the situation of the father, wife and kids past and present. The each have lives, and different characters related to them interact through out the story. It's not just sex for the sake there-of.

As for the length, like I said, it's not done. It will be bigger, although by how much I don't know. I'm not much of a writer - I only have one story posted here, and I know it was a short story.

I don't want to flesh a story out to try and add unnecessary depth - but your critiques do point one thing out to me - the father of the story is kinda pushed to the back. I can pick his mind in a couple of places to add to the family dynamic.

But would scenes where one character - unrelated to the meat of the story - is talking about another warranted? Although it might prove entertaining to read for content purposes (assuming the reader does care about the characters), it is outside the premise of the story. Remember - it's an incest story. Cliche as it might be, they're not the deepest of readers.

Regardless, thanks again for your input!

 

[Whispersecret]

Heh heh. I didn't exactly give a critique, but you're welcome anyway.

I agree with Pookie. Don't shortchange your story because you fear losing readers. If you don't have sex occur in a chapter because it would be superfluous, that's all right as far as I'm concerned. The story comes first. You'll NEVER be able to please everyone anyway, so why try? Please yourself. Be true to the story.

My novella Hostile Takeover was heavy on sex at the beginning. There were a couple of chapters later on that had almost nothing. It's interesting that those chapters got lower votes, but even if I had known that would happen in advance, I would not go inject sex scenes there. They don't belong.

However, even with all this said, there are some erotic stories that ARE just about the sex. They're plotless, mindless fuck-sessions and they have their place in the world too, but judging from what you've said here, your story isn't one of those.

As far as the question about other characters discussing other characters, I'm afraid you lost me.

 

[jfinn]

A lot of times if I think that a sex scene would be too repetitive of another, what I'll do is just break them up and do them in pieces. Have the first scene only showing the actual screwing, the second show maybe some foreplay etc. I like to do it out of order too. I think it's more interesting. But I always have at least one pivotal scene where I do a start to finish love making scene. Heck, usually I wait until the fifth or sixth chapter so I figure it's the least I can do for the readers who've stuck with it.

BTW, I agree with Whispersecret and Pookie, 15,000 words isn't really asking a lot of your readers. Most of my chapters average 10,000 to 12,000 words and the only time I've heard about it was when I posted a chapter that went "short"-- about half that.
I don't even think that's all that unusual. I've read lots of stories that were longer and more intricate than anything I could come up with and judging by their scores and views, pretty popular too. None of them were loaded down with sex scenes either. I guess you could say the longer the story is, the smaller the ratio of sex scenes. It makes sense because you have to have space to fit in your plot, otherwise it would just end up a series of stroke stories and then you'd want to post them separately.

Jayne

 

[MercyMia]

A lot of times if I think that a sex scene would be too repetitive of another, what I'll do is just break them up and do them in pieces. Have the first scene only showing the actual screwing, the second show maybe some foreplay etc. I like to do it out of order too. I think it's more interesting. But I always have at least one pivotal scene where I do a start to finish love making scene. Heck, usually I wait until the fifth or sixth chapter so I figure it's the least I can do for the readers who've stuck with it.

BTW, I agree with Whispersecret and Pookie, 15,000 words isn't really asking a lot of your readers. Most of my chapters average 10,000 to 12,000 words and the only time I've heard about it was when I posted a chapter that went "short"-- about half that.
I don't even think that's all that unusual. I've read lots of stories that were longer and more intricate than anything I could come up with and judging by their scores and views, pretty popular too. None of them were loaded down with sex scenes either. I guess you could say the longer the story is, the smaller the ratio of sex scenes. It makes sense because you have to have space to fit in your plot, otherwise it would just end up a series of stroke stories and then you'd want to post them separately.

Jayne

In my opinion, 5,000 words is about the length of a short story or a chapter for online reading. In hard copy, there is more leeway. However, online, readers get antsy. The feel is not as intimate. The writer must work harder to keep the reader hooked. Just my thoughts on length--there's a difference between online and hard copy.

 

[TrinaT]

I agree with the others, don't forego plot for sex or sex for plot. In most of the research I've done on various publishers the main goal was some sort of sexual encounter in each chapter. Or, build up the scene in one chapter but bring the readers to the encounter in the next.

Let's face it, every story has repetition. Foreplay, intercourse, aftermath (or afterglow). Each can be varied in length by description and intensity.

Trina T.