Storyline vs Sex: The Right Balance?

[PaxNurgle]

I was just curious on people's thoughts about this.
I realize that the majority of people come here to read stories specifically centered on sexual activity.
That is kind of the point.

However, as a writer, I prefer to write stories- that is, stories with a specific plot, defined characters, dialogue, and flow. While sexual activity is featured in most of mine, they are not, for the most part, purely centered only on sex. Rather, the sexual activity is merely a part of the greater plot of the story, to carry it along. (I have also written a couple that are strictly non-erotic sci-fi/"twilight zone" type pieces with no real erotic twist to them at all.)

Should I focus more on pure sex and less on story, plot, details, etc.? On one of my pieces, some people left comments along those lines, and overall I was rather disappointed that the story was not as well received as I would have hoped.

I guess it depends on what people are in the mood for. I get the whole "You should write what you want to write and not worry about what people think" argument, but at the same time, I want people to enjoy reading my works, just like I enjoy reading the many stories other people have written here.

What do you feel is the right balance of plot and storyline vs. erotic action, or does it depend on the category (and the reader?)

 

[blozo]

I tend to write the story and the sex separately, then arrange things so the strokers never have to skim more than a quarter of a literotica page to get to what they are after.

I've never checked, but I'd guess I'm usually about 60/40 story to sex.

 

[Hypoxia]

What do you feel is the right balance of plot and storyline vs. erotic action, or does it depend on the category (and the reader?)

No formula exists. Write what feels right to you. I've some strokers with fucking every fourth paragraph or so, and a very successful romance with exactly one brief explicit blowjob. It all depends on what you want to say. My basic triage is:

• Non-erotic: Sex is not central to the story.
• Erotic: Sex is central to the story.
• Smut: Sex IS the story.

I generally like to write strong narratives, with explicit sex as needed. It may NOT be needed in many cases. I may leave a hint as a cliffhanger tease, or an O.Henry twist, or a multiple-choice for readers. Each story has its own demands.

 

[SamScribble]

I get the whole "You should write what you want to write and not worry about what people think" argument, but at the same time, I want people to enjoy reading my works, just like I enjoy reading the many stories other people have written here.

And there you have the answer. Whatever you write - assuming that you write it well - some people will enjoy reading it. I have written stories with very little sex, and the dozen or so people who read them seem to have loved them.

Good luck.

 

[PaxNurgle]

No formula exists. Write what feels right to you. I've some strokers with fucking every fourth paragraph or so, and a very successful romance with exactly one brief explicit blowjob. It all depends on what you want to say. My basic triage is:

• Non-erotic: Sex is not central to the story.
• Erotic: Sex is central to the story.
• Smut: Sex IS the story.

I generally like to write strong narratives, with explicit sex as needed. It may NOT be needed in many cases. I may leave a hint as a cliffhanger tease, or an O.Henry twist, or a multiple-choice for readers. Each story has its own demands.

That's basically how I feel. Most of mine would qualify as one of the first two categories you have, and I have always liked the plot twists and mind-bending storylines.

In my most recent one, sex is involved, but it is not central to the story, and it is based on a "Twilight zone" type of plot idea I have had for a long time. I am working on a new one which will be similar in that respect.

 

[Hypoxia]

Another Thing:

"Only a fool writes, if not for money," said Dr Johnson, and LIT is full of-em. You get to decide why you write and post on LIT when you are paid zilch. Do you write mainly for yourself, or to entertain or perturb others? Do you crave brownie points -- views, votes, faves, praise? Do you write because you MUST and will burst otherwise? Or to improve your writing skills?

If your goal is to please others and gain those brownie points, study the highest-rated stories in your target categories and learn how to pander. Be aware that a 9-11 LIT page story will likely get a good score because readers who don't like it won't stick around to the end.

 

[KeithD]

No formula exists..

This. There are thousands and thousands of readers here, all with their own individual sense of what the balance should be. Don't try to find the universal reader. The universal reader does not exist at Literotica and the closer you think you are getting to finding her/him the closer you are coming to writing weak pabulum. Just write as/what you want to write. You are likely to find interested readers here. If you don't, you probably should take up golf rather than writing.

 

[CuteSlaveLisa]

No formula exists. Write what feels right to you... Each story has its own demands.

Ding, ding, ding...

Love and Kisses

Lisa Ann

 

[Jada59]

This. There are thousands and thousands of readers here, all with their own individual sense of what the balance should be. Don't try to find the universal reader. The universal reader does not exist at Literotica and the closer you think you are getting to finding her/him the closer you are coming to writing weak pabulum. Just write as/what you want to write. You are likely to find interested readers here. If you don't, you probably should take up golf rather than writing.

Exactly. My last story was full on porno because that's how I wanted it. It didn't appeal to some people, but you can't please everyone.

 

[yukonnights]

My preference for what I write has evolved over the years. I think the more a person knows about the technicalities of writing, the more they enjoy the challenge to create something more than 'smut' and 'fap-fodder'. My stories have tended to grow longer than when I first started, and that length is generally used more in story telling and character development than sex scenes.

In response to your question; "What do you feel is the right balance of plot and storyline vs. erotic action, or does it depend on the category (and the reader?)"

I think it has less to do with the category—which somewhat defines the reader—than it does the story itself. Some tales just lend themselves to a fun filled sexual marathon...while others need to explore the feelings and emotions of complex characters before any sex ever happens. So my answer is; The storyline and theme will dictate the best style and length as well as the ratio of sex to story. However, it does seem prudent to give thought to the intended audience as well since it serves no good purpose to write a great story to the wrong audience.

One thing I don't do is to specifically set out to write a certain length, or a preconceived ratio of story to sex. I may make a judgment call to break a longer story into chapters based on category/readership—using my best guess at what length they may prefer . But I don't recall ever setting a limit or fluffing it to reach a larger word count or adding in more or less sex scenes.

Disclaimer: All of this may just be proof that I'm not a very good writer though All liability of anyone taking this too seriously is shifted to someone else

 

[ElectricBlue]

What do you feel is the right balance of plot and storyline vs. erotic action, or does it depend on the category (and the reader?)

As everyone above has said, there is no formula, there is no answer, there is no golden rule. For every author who writes one way, the next person will write it another. Both will get readers; but who knows what the readers want - it's rare that they explicitly tell us.

 

[Hypoxia]

As everyone above has said, there is no formula, there is no answer, there is no golden rule. For every author who writes one way, the next person will write it another. Both will get readers; but who knows what the readers want - it's rare that they explicitly tell us.

Sometimes an Incest reader explicitly demands that Sonny ass-rapes Mom. While Dad watches. Others just want me to suicide. Yawn.

"There are ten million stories in the Naked City..." and zillions of LIT readers, each with their own kinks and cravings. As Pilot/Keith said, 'general' LIT readers don't exist. We've no average audience to target. So we can write what we want (or pander) and hope that some enjoy it. I'm happy with any reaction. I moved them.

 

[Javahead]

This.

I’m just getting back into writing after a long layoff (thanks to ChloeTzang for the kick in the tail I needed) by moving the stories I had languishing on my ASSTR site over here. I was pleased how well most of them held up, but rereading them with fresh eyes showed me that the stories that failed mostly did so because they were formulaic. None of them were terribly long by current standards, but the best were ones that had a plot or twist that made them fun to write. And they’re all over the map from mostly non-erotic to enthusiastic smut.

Mostly, that is. There is one (“Party Girl”, still pending) that I had to write to get out of my head - and still disturbs me over 20 years after I wrote it. But *technically* it does just what I set out to do.

I’ve started outlining a new story; assuming I don’t lose my way, it’ll be my longest yet. And I’m trying to see if it’s possible to have a bit a plot and tons o’ smut.

 

[tomlitilia]

Should I focus more on pure sex and less on story, plot, details, etc.?

I think you should do what you want.

What do you feel is the right balance of plot and storyline vs. erotic action, or does it depend on the category (and the reader?)

Depending on what you mean by erotic action, I don't think these are at odds. To me, there is a limited number of ways to describe intercourse. What makes it sexy is how you got there, and there's an infinite number of paths for that journey. Even if actual sex is a small portion of a story, the character development, arc and plot can be sexy. That's what I enjoy reading and try to write.

 

[jaF0]

Consider that many of the soft, medium and harder 'R" rated stuff of the 80s on Showtime, Cinemax and the Playboy Channel were more intriguing than the XXX stuff. Review some of the films with Shannon Tweed and Joan Severance for example.

The explicit bumping of uglies doesn't always make a story better.

Also, considering the mention of TZ, remember that Serling and Hitchcock scared the bejeepers out of a whole generation without any graphic violence.

 

[MelissaBaby]

Write what you want to write and don't worry about it. My stories are about 5% sex. I've always said that they are the spice in the meal, not the meal itself. I do not get as many readers as other authors, but I have a loyal and appreciative following, and I'm happy with that.

 

[oggbashan]

If the story works as well without the sex, then the sex is unnecessary.

For Literotica, if there is sex, it should be significant to the plot.

Other than that? Write what you want to.

 

[CuteSlaveLisa]

Consider that many of the soft, medium and harder 'R" rated stuff of the 80s on Showtime, Cinemax and the Playboy Channel were more intriguing than the XXX stuff. Review some of the films with Shannon Tweed and Joan Severance for example.

The explicit bumping of uglies doesn't always make a story better.

Also, considering the mention of TZ, remember that Serling and Hitchcock scared the bejeepers out of a whole generation without any graphic violence.

Censors generally lack imagination IMHO. I particularly like old 40s 50s movies because witty writers figured out how to get around censorship to say something.

My old Cross Country coach (whom I immortalized in prose as Sally Fulbright) said that in running as in life challenges make us better at what we do.

Love and Kisses

Lisa Ann

 

[SimonDoom]

There's no right answer. There's no "golden ratio" for a Literotica story. If you recast your question in functional terms, though, it might yield more fruitful answers.

As I see it, there are two kinds of stories here. One kind is stories with sex, and the other is stories about sex.

An example of the first kind is a murder mystery where a female detective is investigating a crime, and she happens to have sex during the story. In this story, it isn't necessary to fill the story with sex. You must devote plenty of attention to the mystery, quite apart from the sex. There's a big audience for stories like these, especially among the Sci Fi and Fantasy readership.

The other is a story about sex. It doesn't have to be wall to wall sex, but sex (broadly defined) is the center of the story. For example, a female detective investigates a murder at a strip club, and she goes undercover and becomes a stripper, and discovers that she loves the exhibitionist aspect of it. In this story, the exhibitionism is the center of the story. It's what the story is about, so it will occupy a bigger portion of the story. The murder mystery is secondary, and doesn't have to be given as much attention.

I write stories about sex. By "sex" I don't mean intercourse; I mean a particular sexual kink or fetish or encounter. Everything is integrated toward that kink or encounter. Usually these stories are about a person (usually a woman) who has a sexual/kinky need or interest, but also has an obstacle of some kind in her way (her job, taboo, embarrassment, social restrictions, marriage, whatever) before she can indulge in it. The first part of the story sets up her character, her situation, and the obstacle, the middle part explores her tentative initial involvement in it, and the last part her surrender to it.

A truly skilled short story writer can do all of this in very few words. Some of the world's best short stories are very short.

I don't consider myself in the "truly skilled" camp. It takes me about two Lit pages (roughly 7500 words) at a minimum before I feel satisfied with both the development and the sexual fulfillment in my story.

Not that you should let the approval of others be your guide, but I've found that, while tastes among Literotica readers vary widely, the following things can positively affect how your story is received:

1. Develop your lead character sufficiently. Your character should have a personality, other than just a craving for sex, or exposure, or watersports, or whatever. Add a few details.

2. Add dramatic tension: taboo, resistance, circumstances, mystery, something. An erotic story is like any other story in this regard. If you want to write a story about a couple who wake up in bed and have sex, you can, and some people may love it, but it probably will be more satisfying if you weave some element of dramatic tension into the encounter.

3. Don't skimp on the sex, and the character's feelings about it. There's no ideal length for a sex scene, but it should have enough detail to make it seem real and to draw the reader into it. Include the character(s)'s feelings about it. Readers like good, well-developed sex scenes. If something improbable happens during the sex, they'll call you on it. There is a sizable component of the readership here that uses stories for "stroke" purposes, so the pace, length, and detail in the sex scene are important to whether the scene will satisfy them (if any of that matters to you).

 

[SimonDoom]

Censors generally lack imagination IMHO. I particularly like old 40s 50s movies because witty writers figured out how to get around censorship to say something.

A memorable example of this is the wonderfully homoerotic scene in Spartacus in which the Roman General played by Laurence Olivier informs his slave, played by Tony Curtis, that he enjoys both "snails AND oysters." It was written by Dalton Trumbo, a great writer. Back then he couldn't get away with having a character simply say he wanted to have sex with men as well as women.

 

[MelissaBaby]

As I see it, there are two kinds of stories here. One kind is stories with sex, and the other is stories about sex.

I think there is a third kind of story, and that is a story that is not overtly about sex, but has a strong sexual subtext. Stories about how sexual desires, attraction, fetishes, whatever, influence us even when they do not manifest themselves in specifically sexual context, but rather in how we form relationships. For example, my series Mary and Alvin is, on a subtextual level, about a woman working through "daddy issues", after having lost her father when she was young. Both main characters dismiss the notion that that is in play, but the subtext, even in non-sexual scenes, is clearly a factor in their relationship. Yes, I include sexual scenes, but as I said in a previous post, the sex is the spice, the relationship is the meal. But even so, that sexual dynamic is ever present, and for me, that's much more interesting then what position they fucked in or who came first.

 

[SimonDoom]

I think there is a third kind of story, and that is a story that is not overtly about sex, but has a strong sexual subtext. Stories about how sexual desires, attraction, fetishes, whatever, influence us even when they do not manifest themselves in specifically sexual context, but rather in how we form relationships. For example, my series Mary and Alvin is, on a subtextual level, about a woman working through "daddy issues", after having lost her father when she was young. Both main characters dismiss the notion that that is in play, but the subtext, even in non-sexual scenes, is clearly a factor in their relationship. Yes, I include sexual scenes, but as I said in a previous post, the sex is the spice, the relationship is the meal. But even so, that sexual dynamic is ever present, and for me, that's much more interesting then what position they fucked in or who came first.

I agree that doesn't fit neatly within my dichotomy. It's more of a story with sex than a story about sex, by my reckoning, but it has elements of both.

I guess the takeaway from all this is that sex -- broadly defined -- can play an infinite variety of roles in a story, and no one-size-fits-all formula applies. As an author you have to figure out what role sex will play and then take things from there.

I see your stories as a good contrast with mine, and the "rules" for them are completely different from the rules for mine. You write stories with plots that go beyond sex. My stories are all about sex (again, broadly defined). You can't apply the same rules to both kinds of stories.

 

[8letters]

As I see it, there are two kinds of stories here. One kind is stories with sex, and the other is stories about sex.

To me, the two kinds are stories that have casual sex and stories that build up to romantic sex. In the first kind, the two people basically look at each other and decide to have sex. There's a lot of emphasis in those stories on surface attractiveness - she has big tits, he has a big dick, and that's enough for them to start fucking like bunnies. A story might have a sting of such encounters. In the second kind, there's a steady rise in the sexual tension between the two main characters that eventually boils over into sex. They may have sex a couple of times as they conquer the challenges in the story. Such a story is more focused on character development, building the case for why the two main characters would fall hard for each other.

An example of the first kind is a murder mystery where a female detective is investigating a crime, and she happens to have sex during the story. In this story, it isn't necessary to fill the story with sex. You must devote plenty of attention to the mystery, quite apart from the sex. There's a big audience for stories like these, especially among the Sci Fi and Fantasy readership.

The other is a story about sex. It doesn't have to be wall to wall sex, but sex (broadly defined) is the center of the story. For example, a female detective investigates a murder at a strip club, and she goes undercover and becomes a stripper, and discovers that she loves the exhibitionist aspect of it. In this story, the exhibitionism is the center of the story. It's what the story is about, so it will occupy a bigger portion of the story. The murder mystery is secondary, and doesn't have to be given as much attention.

To me, people read stories on LitE for the sex. If your story is about a murder mystery or a fantasy quest and you slip in a little sex out of the blue as a break in the action, I'm doubtful it would appeal to LitE readers.

A truly skilled short story writer can do all of this in very few words. Some of the world's best short stories are very short.

I don't consider myself in the "truly skilled" camp. It takes me about two Lit pages (roughly 7500 words) at a minimum before I feel satisfied with both the development and the sexual fulfillment in my story.

Two pages? I'm just getting started at two pages.

1. Develop your lead character sufficiently. Your character should have a personality, other than just a craving for sex, or exposure, or watersports, or whatever. Add a few details.

2. Add dramatic tension: taboo, resistance, circumstances, mystery, something. An erotic story is like any other story in this regard. If you want to write a story about a couple who wake up in bed and have sex, you can, and some people may love it, but it probably will be more satisfying if you weave some element of dramatic tension into the encounter.

3. Don't skimp on the sex, and the character's feelings about it. There's no ideal length for a sex scene, but it should have enough detail to make it seem real and to draw the reader into it. Include the character(s)'s feelings about it. Readers like good, well-developed sex scenes. If something improbable happens during the sex, they'll call you on it. There is a sizable component of the readership here that uses stories for "stroke" purposes, so the pace, length, and detail in the sex scene are important to whether the scene will satisfy them (if any of that matters to you).

Good advice. I'd add to it that you should get your readers to want to have your two characters to have sex before they have sex.

 

[HeyAll]

My philosophy towards erotica is that there should be a goal of some kind.

If it's straight sex, it's boring.

If there's too much story, it can lose it's erotica appeal.

But I like adding something that pushes a character towards taboo sex. For example, a detective infiltrating a group. A college girl joining a sorority. etc...

 

[SimonDoom]

Good advice. I'd add to it that you should get your readers to want to have your two characters to have sex before they have sex.

I like that. That's great advice. The story sex is so much more enjoyable to read if you really want it to happen before it happens.