should men write lesbian stories?

[killallhippies]

seriously, i've written a few and i'm currently writing another of what might be called lesbian stories even though i'd rather they be consider stories about bisexual girls fucking other bisexual girls, but what you gonna do? there's no such section on lit.

anyway, do you believe it's ok? is it even possible for a man regardless of their sexuality to capture the essence of sex with a woman from a woman's point of view?

or should i say is it likely for a man to be able to do that? i want to know. in my case i noticed that of the three stories i have posted so far the two that went to the incest category where it's possible that i got more reads by men had much better scores than the one that went to the lesbian section.

i wish i could say i know why, but the story that went to the lesbian section also recieved much less feedback than the other two. anyway, i'm just curious. i was going to post this in the authors hangout, but this seemed better. don't prove me wrong. humor me with your opinion.

 

[killallhippies]

fuckers. reading threads where the question is in the title and then refusing to post... why... i oughta...

 

[RavenSpirit2k4]

Oughtta what?

Ok, I read gay male stories occasinally and some of them are written by women. And some of those are damn hot too, might I mention.

I think the key is to do a little research. No, not that kind of research. I mean, ask bi & lesbian women, explaining that you want to write a realistic story, not just the kind of F/F that guys love (which tends to be unrealistic and sleazy).

Also try reading some some lesbian stories where it would appear form the author's name to have been written by a woman. Theres no guarantee that it was, of course, but many are. Most of all, avoid the sleazy porn movie cliches, like high heels and perfect super-model bodies.

 

[killallhippies]

Oughtta what?

Ok, I read gay male stories occasinally and some of them are written by women. And some of those are damn hot too, might I mention.

I think the key is to do a little research. No, not that kind of research. I mean, ask bi & lesbian women, explaining that you want to write a realistic story, not just the kind of F/F that guys love (which tends to be unrealistic and sleazy).

Also try reading some some lesbian stories where it would appear form the author's name to have been written by a woman. Theres no guarantee that it was, of course, but many are. Most of all, avoid the sleazy porn movie cliches, like high heels and perfect super-model bodies.

but i like sleaze. it's half the fun. most of my stories are about drug use and emotional drama leading to sexual experimentation. i'm not really going for a full on lesbian storyline. do you think this is a problem?

also, how do you propose me getting a bisexual or lesbian to tell me what they want in a story? i've tried before, but it seems most believe you just want the info to get yourself off and not for artistic purposes.

not that i blame them. i'm sure that's the case quite often and there's also that whole lesbian chic thing floating aroud pop culture that must get on some peoples nerves.

hell, the only reason i write them is because they seem to come easier to me. my straight stories are boring and my gay stories that i've written and never posted just have way to much sex and far too little plot imo. if i typed them up they'd fill half a lit page at most.

anyway, i'm rambling. let's cut to the chase.

bi and lesbian women: what makes for a good lesbian/bisexual story?


oh and i've read some gay stories written by women that just bugged the shit out of me. i actually try to avoid them. personal taste and shit.

 

[DirtyJJ]

Yes, I think anyone can write anything they want to. If you are a good writer it will show through regardless. Especially if you have a wild imagination! If the lesbian stories come more easily for you, then by all means you should write them.
JJ

 

[killallhippies]

Yes, I think anyone can write anything they want to. If you are a good writer it will show through regardless. Especially if you have a wild imagination! If the lesbian stories come more easily for you, then by all means you should write them.
JJ

but do you find that most stories written by men meet your requirements for a good lesbian story? i'm assuming you're either a lesbian or a bi-woman. please correct me if i'm wrong.

damnit, you're straight. i'll let the question stand in case anyone fitting my question wanders in.

 

[logophile]

I can almost always tell by reading a lesbian story (or even just one scene) when it's written by a man. The dynamics are just ... well ... completely different when two women are alone together than when there is any male involvement. Maybe if you want to include lesbian sex in your stories, you could add a man into the scene. He could be a participant or a known spectator. Male energy changes the sex, not in bad way, but it definitely happens.

Just for the record, I know that a really great writer can write about just about anything. Chris Bojelain (sp?) wrote several books, including Midwives and TranSister Radio. In Midwives he does a great job of accurately detailing the thoughts, feelings and motiviations of the midwife, which is a very tricky thing to do (midwives are complicated...). In TranSister Radio he really captures not only the female's emotions, but her sexual experiences as well. It's hard to remember that a man is writing the story.

I also agree that you ask a woman about lesbian sex. Hell, ask a couple. And if that doesn't work, find a woman you trust and ask her to read it after you're done writing for reality content.

Just a few thoughts...

 

[killallhippies]

I can almost always tell by reading a lesbian story (or even just one scene) when it's written by a man. The dynamics are just ... well ... completely different when two women are alone together than when there is any male involvement. Maybe if you want to include lesbian sex in your stories, you could add a man into the scene. He could be a participant or a known spectator. Male energy changes the sex, not in bad way, but it definitely happens.

Just for the record, I know that a really great writer can write about just about anything. Chris Bojelain (sp?) wrote several books, including Midwives and TranSister Radio. In Midwives he does a great job of accurately detailing the thoughts, feelings and motiviations of the midwife, which is a very tricky thing to do (midwives are complicated...). In TranSister Radio he really captures not only the female's emotions, but her sexual experiences as well. It's hard to remember that a man is writing the story.

I also agree that you ask a woman about lesbian sex. Hell, ask a couple. And if that doesn't work, find a woman you trust and ask her to read it after you're done writing for reality content.

Just a few thoughts...

that last option might be best the best. i was thinking about seeking the help of an editor at some point anyway because i have the nasty habit of typing the wrong word at times without even thinking about it.

i refuse to add a man to the story though. first of all, that would require a complete rewrite and second i just don't like those stories. adding a male to a lesbian scene even as a non-participant adds a feeling that the women are merely performing a scene for the man's enjoyment and not because they actually enjoy the act of making love to each other. it just seema so unnatura or at least forcedl. that's just my opinion though.

 

[DuckLover]

I think you were correct that posting your question in the Authors' Hangout would be much more helpful than posting it here. In that thread, you will be getting feedback from people who are actively participating in the story writing process (rather than focusing on helping each other have better sex IRL) and many of them may be able to give you specific suggestions on how to write better lesbian sex scenes.

Another extremely useful option would be to make use of the Volunteer Editors offered through Lit. From the "Stories Index" of the site, follow the link to "Volunteer Editors" and scroll through the list until you find someone who mentions being lesbian/bisexual or a focus on those types of stories.

Good luck! I hope your stories turn out well.

 

[killallhippies]

I think you were correct that posting your question in the Authors' Hangout would be much more helpful than posting it here. In that thread, you will be getting feedback from people who are actively participating in the story writing process (rather than focusing on helping each other have better sex IRL) and many of them may be able to give you specific suggestions on how to write better lesbian sex scenes.

Another extremely useful option would be to make use of the Volunteer Editors offered through Lit. From the "Stories Index" of the site, follow the link to "Volunteer Editors" and mention that you would prefer a lesbian or female bisexual editor.

Good luck! I hope your stories turn out well.

yeah, i started this same thread in ah and i've already recieved a great deal of help and encouragement. it is nice to get both perspectives though.

and thank you.

 

[logophile]

i refuse to add a man to the story though. first of all, that would require a complete rewrite and second i just don't like those stories. adding a male to a lesbian scene even as a non-participant adds a feeling that the women are merely performing a scene for the man's enjoyment and not because they actually enjoy the act of making love to each other. it just seema so unnatura or at least forcedl. that's just my opinion though.

Right, exactly! This is what I was saying about having a man actually participating in girl-girl in RL. It changes everything. It can still be a good time (a very good time), but it becomes at least in part a spectator sport.

I think what I was trying to say (and I didn't do it very well... sorry...) is if you don't feel that you're writing accurately about the experience of lesbian sex, maybe adding a man to the scene would masculinize the experience enough that any perceptible difference in the author's gender wouldn't be noticable.

Is that about as clear as mud?

 

[killallhippies]

Right, exactly! This is what I was saying about having a man actually participating in girl-girl in RL. It changes everything. It can still be a good time (a very good time), but it becomes at least in part a spectator sport.

I think what I was trying to say (and I didn't do it very well... sorry...) is if you don't feel that you're writing accurately about the experience of lesbian sex, maybe adding a man to the scene would masculinize the experience enough that any perceptible difference in the author's gender wouldn't be noticable.

Is that about as clear as mud?

understandable, but my main beef is really the lack of feedback. i mean, i don't know why my story in the lesbian section got a low vote. is itbecause of the mild incest in the beginning? the plushy masturbation scene? the fact that it was the middle of a story and it showed? or did it just suck? i wanna know why! WHY! WHY! WHY!

 

[logophile]

Post a link to it and I'll check it out. I'm no expert, but I'd be happy to give you my opinion!

 

[killallhippies]

Post a link to it and I'll check it out. I'm no expert, but I'd be happy to give you my opinion!

look in my sig under old shit. it's the second part of a series called the young sisters about, you guessed it, "lesbian" sisters. if you aren't offended by incest i suggest you read the whole thing to get the full picture. any criticism is accepted as long as you're polite.

 

[logophile]

Well, I read the first two. My kids are going to be home in a minute, so I need to get off of here but I wanted to give you my opinion.

I think you're probably right about the fact that it's the middle of the story. The first part had great build-up and was sweetly written. The reader was involved with the characters before the sex. Since the second part was put in a different section, it was hard to relate to the characters or to the sex. Too bad they couldn't have all been placed together. I think it would have changed everything. I'm eager to read the third part, and will do so tomorrow.

Additionally, the only other thing that might give you away as being male is that you use a few euphamisms in the second part that sound distinctly male. But it's well written lesbian sex. Nicely done!

 

[killallhippies]

Well, I read the first two. My kids are going to be home in a minute, so I need to get off of here but I wanted to give you my opinion.

I think you're probably right about the fact that it's the middle of the story. The first part had great build-up and was sweetly written. The reader was involved with the characters before the sex. Since the second part was put in a different section, it was hard to relate to the characters or to the sex. Too bad they couldn't have all been placed together. I think it would have changed everything. I'm eager to read the third part, and will do so tomorrow.

Additionally, the only other thing that might give you away as being male is that you use a few euphamisms in the second part that sound distinctly male. But it's well written lesbian sex. Nicely done!

thank you. care to be more more specific on the euphamisms?

 

[Pookie]

You seem to be getting some good advice, KAH. There's not much more I can suggest that hasn't already been mentioned. I believe that men who take the time to research and understand what their writing about can write excellent lesbian sex stories. It's pretty much the same with any genre too. I feel the same way about women who write gay male sex stories as well. Know your characters.

My approach to writing stories is to focus on developing a plot along with interesting characters first. I try not to even think about the sex scenes until later. Once you have characters that can "come alive" for the reader, then let them "take" you through the sex scenes. If you have the imagination and writing ability, few if any will even notice that you're not a lesbian.

 

[killallhippies]

You seem to be getting some good advice, KAH. There's not much more I can suggest that hasn't already been mentioned. I believe that men who take the time to research and understand what their writing about can write excellent lesbian sex stories. It's pretty much the same with any genre too. I feel the same way about women who write gay male sex stories as well. Know your characters.

My approach to writing stories is to focus on developing a plot along with interesting characters first. I try not to even think about the sex scenes until later. Once you have characters that can "come alive" for the reader, then let them "take" you through the sex scenes. If you have the imagination and writing ability, few if any will even notice that you're not a lesbian.

i'm trying. it's almost done. one more night of work and i'll be sending it off to get it edited. i've gathered a lot of good advice from this thread and it's twin in author's hangout. i'm very thankful.

 

[BohemianEcstasy]

This has probably been said, but I figured I'd add my two cents, too. I don't even read the gender of my author. As a girl who considers herself capable of falling in love with someone of either gender, I consider it kindof slimy when a guy is writing about lesbian lovers because with women, it's USUALLY a much more loving breed of sex than the "fuck me, I'm so wet, what's your name again?" breed that guys seem to jizz for. But if you're doing it tastefully and with respect, I'm sure that it will come across in your writing and not manage to piss off every lesbian who reads it.

Now, from the other side of things, your audience also consists of a lot of straight men. Since you are a straight man, you can probably write a story that they'd love, and it just so happens that the topic is lesbian sex. So it would probably be successful from that standpoint, too. I think it's more how you write the story than who you are. Does that make sense, love?

 

[killallhippies]

whoever said i was straight? anyway, point taken.

 

[shy slave]

Personally don't think your gender is relevent.

After all George Elliot was a woman who wrote in 19th century.

Its about making the reader care more about the story and less about the author thats important. In vanilla stories men write Mills & Boon type stuff (often under diff name) and women write crime thriller.

Write what you enjoy and that will shine through and make the reader enjoy regardless of gender or your orientation.


~~ Hi Pagen~~

 

[BohemianEcstasy]

whoever said i was straight? anyway, point taken.

You're totally right, I apologize--that was a stupid assumption on my part. I hadn't read much of the thread, otherwise I would have been better able to deduce correctly. And I thought about that, too, but it just slipped off my fingers. :S

*bows down, begging for an apology, kissing toes*

BohemianEcstasy

 

[killallhippies]

no need for apologies. i'm not offended.

 

[Etoile]

Have you seen the book Switch Hitters: Lesbians Write Gay Male Erotica and Gay Men Write Lesbian Erotica? Now there's some nice stories along those lines.

Personally, I feel that anybody can write about any kind of interaction...the question is will they do it well. Obviously, first-hand knowledge of the topic is going to help, but it isn't necessary. Research and imagination go a long way toward a really good story.

 

[killallhippies]

Have you seen the book Switch Hitters: Lesbians Write Gay Male Erotica and Gay Men Write Lesbian Erotica? Now there's some nice stories along those lines.

Personally, I feel that anybody can write about any kind of interaction...the question is will they do it well. Obviously, first-hand knowledge of the topic is going to help, but it isn't necessary. Research and imagination go a long way toward a really good story.

nope. i've never heard of it. i'll have to look it up. thanks.