So how are you finding that group scene?

[MaxSebastian]

Writers everywhere: feel like sharing?

Tell us all how you cope with writing wild group scenes. When there's people all over the place doing all sorts of things to different people at once - how do you keep the narrative in order? How do you keep from confusing the heck out of the reader? Do you simplify so the story concentrates on one particular part of the action or do you switch POV to try and take it all into account? Do you make it as detailed as possible or leave more up to the reader's imagination?

What's the best way for you?

Or do you avoid group scenes as much as possible?

 

[Ray Dario]

Max;

Great thread!

I have agonized over this myself. A lot of what I write has group sex in it and I'm always wishing I could do it better.

I have tried it several different ways and the way that got the best reviews has been to pick a POV and stay with it, leaving much of the extraneous action out, but refering to it every now and then to let the reader know it is still going on.

Maybe some of the good writers out there will give us their opinion.

Ray

 

[Softly]

Try this.

Before you get to the action, describe to the reader how many people are there, and why. From the view of the hostess, perhaps, describe what she thinks may/could happen.

Set the stage by dividing the action, as it develops, into different areas, such as - the master bed room - the den - on the deck. Next, it is important that the names of the characters be such that they are not confused, one to another.

All that done, as the action happens, write about each event as if it is an adventure in itself, which it is.

You might read my stories, "It's My Party," "Amenity Project: Mothers Undercover." and "Velvet Acres Leasure Club." In one scene, in "Party," a turned on man takes one woman behind the bar, lowers her to the floor and is fucking her. Another man, in the process of seducing the main female, sees them disapear. He positions the main female so that she sees that, which turns her on.

Note that the hostess, while being seduced herself, sees and comments as to who is coming on to who.

The bottom line here is that you take the reader through the action like the two of you are there, moving from area to area.

 

[Couture]

I hate 'em. Groups scenes are a nightmare to write as far as I'm concerned. Too many arms and legs all over the place and no convenient way to tell which is which in a story. Maybe I need to insert a picture and say, 'See diagram A'

-Couture

 

[wildsweetone]

groupies

they sure as heck make editing fun though

 

[Art]

It's a royal pain in the butt, but I guess it's not too painful as I keep writing them!

I try to keep it sorta simple, don't over describe it, and try to keep it clean in my mind as I write it - which is the hard part. I don't think I have ever done more than a threesome, and they are hard enough. One thing I really try to do is keep the sex scene reasonable - no "stunt sex" stuff.

Art

 

[its Leslie]

I am currently composing a "group scene" actually.

A silly notion know to the evening crowd of Stories and Authors in the chat rooms here.

I will be writing about my friends as if they were all engaged in a free for all. Hope it goes well.

I figure it might get at least kudos for goofy originality at least.

 

[DRxBlue]

That's a good question!

So far i haven't had a group scene in a story, but i have noticed in the older porn movies the same sort of problems.

They used to take cameras and some sound equipment to swinger's parties. They'd film the action, sometimes concentrating on couples or clusters who were really into something interesting. They'd chop up the footage, add a sound track (usually horrible fake looped panting and moaning from the editing crew), a little cheap uncopyrighted music and voilá! Our Masterpiece.

The results were usually not even up to the level of being pornographic. As for being erotic? Nowhere close.

The answer (if there IS one) would be in POV as Ray and Softly mentioned. Homing in on the main characters and concentrating on their reactions to the mayhem would make it easier to sort things out.

Thinking in terms of a camera might give you the perspective to control the uncontrolled.

More power to ya!

 

[Frederick Carol]

I find it difficult. Threesomes aren't too bad, but anything more gets difficult. POV matters. In the only scene I've so far written with more than three people, the POV was first person. My protagonist was concentrating on what his partner was doing to/with him, and the actions of the other two couples were mentioned only when they impinged on his consciousness. That was the only way I could make it seem plausible.

FC

 

[MaxSebastian]

I don't think threesomes are a real problem - it's when you get more than that that it starts getting into risky territory. I think writing threesomes are only slightly more complicated than the simple pair.


"try to keep it clean in my mind", Art? I'd have thought it should be the complete opposite! (I know what you mean, though)

 

[Monazwx]

Group Scenes can be tough

I'm currently working on a group sex story. At first, keeping track of all the arms, legs, breasts, etc. was (and still is sometimes) quite troublesome.

What Coutre said about the diagrams is what I find best. During the story, I draw miniature pictures so that I can actually see what's going on before I put it down on paper.

It's easier for me to see what's A doing to B and where and how it could be possible to switch partners for more hot group sex. It's time-consuming, but to express the right position and feelings, it's way worth it. I feel tingly just talking about it!

 

[Weird Harold]

I've only written one Orgy scene,

but I've written a couple of crowd scenes which present the same sort of problem.

In all of them, I chose to present the scene from the POV of my main character, showing the action through the character's eyes.

It works best when the character is not directly involved, I think. You can skip around and present whatever attracts the character's attention for however long it holds that attention.

Using a single, uninvolved, character's POV lets you get closer to the feel of actually being there, because you're putting the reader in a familiar situation -- everyone has been in a situation where different things compete for attention.

 

[Axeltheswede]

Group scenes

I would like to share a bit of actual experience in group and
orgy scenes. I have been a cab driver here in Las Vegas on and off over the past ten years. I have found it interesting and a good alternative to starving to death on the street.

Anyway, we have a number of "swinging clubs" here in sin city. I have been inside these establishments quite a few times as a driver waiting for a fare to leave the place or as a driver dropping off a fare and just going inside. I can tell you my observations. Orgies appear to be 90% looking at other people and 10% actual sexual acitivity. It stands to reason. How long and how often can an average male perform sexually?

The thrill seems to be watching others and being an exhibitionist for the enjoyment of those watching you. Writing a group scene could be more of a sequential description than having to worry about things happening simultaneously. Stay with two couples of major characters. Everyone else is like an extra in a movie, nameless people engaged in various sex acts.

One other observation; bisexual activity between women is a major part of the action. We can all figure out the reason for that.

Hope this helps, Max.

 

[MaxSebastian]

Interesting. Of course writing a story about a group scene at a swinging club would be quite different from a group scene with a group of people who knew each other and were 'performing' in a more private setting, surely?

 

[Axeltheswede]

Group scenes

I don't know, Max. An orgy by any other name would probably still smell like fish.

 

[TheWriter]

I did what was essentially a group scene in mystory "Day One". It was in third person, but it focused on the main character. And she was gagged, blindfolded and anaethetised from the waist down. So it was all about what she could - barely - feel.