Story Feedback - does it stand alone?

[MaiaEmpire]

Hello all, I'm interested in getting feedback in my latest story. I've been writing a collection of stories for some time now, which are not strictly serialized. I've been trying to make the stories each self-contained, even though the stories involve the same set of characters. Basically, you should be able to pick up any of the stories I wrote, except those explicitly in a series, and understand what is going on. Plus, if you enjoyed it, you could go back to the first stories I wrote and see the full narrative. Maybe too over-thought? I dunno.

My latest story is the first in a multi-part story, and I was curious if it is indeed self-contained. Could someone read this story without reading what came before? Or is it pointless to do so, and should just label my stories from 1 to infinity?

The story involves a group of students, and it is primarily from a female perspective. There's an emphasis on group stories in my works, but the way I've set up the scenario it's all over the place. I would more accurately categorize it as Bisexual, but no such category exists, so I merely label each story as what it contains. The link is below, any feedback is appreciated.

https://literotica.com/s/weekend-revelry-day-01

 

[Kumquatqueen]

It does work as a standalone - I liked how you referred to other stories and will look for them. There's not that much characterisation (still much more than many people do!) but as the characters have been introduced elsewhere it makes sense.

Nice to see some women appreciating bisexual men (well, we haven't seen it yet, but you know what I mean!)

 

[MaiaEmpire]

Nice to see some women appreciating bisexual men (well, we haven't seen it yet, but you know what I mean!)

Well...there are other stories...

I worry about adding too much description of the characters; if I do it in every story I'll end up repeating myself. Trying to find a decent balance.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

As a fresh story to entice more people to read your stories, it's worked for at least one reader.

Amount of description is a very personal decision - I tend to go for longer stories myself, with the occasional chucking characters together one for a bit of variety. I suppose the only universal is that however long your description is, to make every word count. That advice attributed to Stephen King, going through your draft and removing 10%, is something I find very helpful.

 

[AlexBailey]

Weekend Revelry stands alone very well, and it's an enticing teaser for more to come. Very well done. While the piece is relatively short and wasn't able to get deep into the characters, you gave enough to make each of them interesting enough that I was hungry to glean any details I could about them. I also liked how "Alex" was the most forward among the group.

 

[MaiaEmpire]

While the piece is relatively short and wasn't able to get deep into the characters…

It was short? I feel like a lot of my stories are longer than the usual fare. But I did gloss over a lot of details, because they were in previous stories.

That’s one reason I am curious about if it stands alone. On one hand, i would think you need to describe characters in depth for a stand alone piece, on the other hand if I did that in every story I would quickly start repeating myself.

 

[AlexBailey]

It was short? I feel like a lot of my stories are longer than the usual fare. But I did gloss over a lot of details, because they were in previous stories.

That’s one reason I am curious about if it stands alone. On one hand, i would think you need to describe characters in depth for a stand alone piece, on the other hand if I did that in every story I would quickly start repeating myself.

Short? Lol, I guess not if you’re comparing it to many lit stories, but 6.7k words seems short for really fleshing out four characters.

I wrote a 90k+ word novel that I had intended to write as four stand-alone parts. I tried to split them off but I think the only part that really works by itself is part three - which happens to be the best rated section. https://literotica.com/s/a-t-girl-and-a-tomboy-pt-03

I have something like 26 characters, seven of which have thorough backgrounds. I like getting into what makes someone tick, why they are the way they are, and I like stories like yours where you can feel the the way they interact emotionally rather than just physically. The hardest part of writing it for me was being efficient in the ending. I wanted to tie-up all of the lose ends and leave the feeling that a new door was opening rather than bringing everything to a close.

I left a note on your story. It really sounds like a scene from my early twenties when I was ‘one of the girls’ living with a bunch of lesbians. We took a trip to parent’s cabin in Tahoe and had an orgy when we got snowed in for the weekend. Petting in the hot tub as the snow dumped and settled on our hair, steaming naked bodies dashing back inside for a cuddle-puddle in front of the fireplace…