Sex in a story or story about sex?

[Jada59]

My stories are mainly about sex. Yes, I've had a few complaints about that. Oh well! I write what I like.

 

[Wilson Spalding]

I have asked a couple of questions and the answers have been very useful.

On here, do readers prefer stories where the sex is just more explicit than normal, or do the readers generally want just outline characters and then down to the filth?

I know that is a massive generalisation and will vary reader to reader and category to category.

I ask because is the complete absence of sex in one part of a multi part story a killer to a story or is that what people might expect?

thanks in advance for any views!

First, welcome to the community!

Second, your question brought out a great representation of views and takes. The average is largely "both" (sex in a story vs story about sex).

Third, don't remember who mentioned it, but if you've got a stand-alone chapter that's nookie-free, categorizing it (or categorising it, if you prefer) as non-erotic would be helpful to the browsing public. A small foreword and perhaps some appropriate story tags could also help folk avoid dashed expectations (and the right tags might bring in fresh readers).

 

[davion2308]

Different

Everyone's different but I can say from my own experience, if I want something that's a little more slow-build and I want to wrap myself into 'meaningful' (I use that loosely) sex, I'll come here and read.

If I want just to see some sex, I watch porn instead. I take my time here so it's not a rush.

Saying that, I found that the stories I have with the highest votes often go 1,000 words or more before anyone has any sex. Those ones, with basic development, a defined 'hero' or protagonist, and a reason for the sex, do much better than stories about a sex scene. The sex scenes simply seem to mean more when they're wrapped into a story.

It's a mix, the sex in the story and the story about the sex, but you need both to really succeed.

 

[TheStoryTeller2342]

I can only speak for my own writing, but some of my highest rated chapters have no sex at all. I might be writing for a different audience though. The stories I post aren't about sex, IMHO, but about people who happen to have lots of sexual relationships, and lots of sex.

If your characters are well developed, if your story is good, readers will tolerate or even LIKE a break that advances the plot.