What? No sex?

[FantasyXY]

My latest story has been up for roughly a week. It has done pretty well as far as score goes, and the number of votes versus number of reads is the highest I've ever had. It also hasn't gotten a single negative comment. Not even from that guy named Anonymous. People really seem to like this story.

The odd thing about this story is there is absolutely no sex in it. Now I'm starting to wonder if most readers are somewhat uncomfortable reading about explicit sex.

 

[Latenight_Pondering]

you might be looking at it from the wrong angle

I think readers respond to a good story rather than the quantity of sex in it. I've been trying to streamline the sex in my current writing into something that fits the story rather than twisting the plot around to make more sex opportunities and have had fairly positive feedback.

It's a big compliment from your readers for sure!

 

[Handley_Page]

My latest story has been up for roughly a week. It has done pretty well as far as score goes, and the number of votes versus number of reads is the highest I've ever had. It also hasn't gotten a single negative comment. Not even from that guy named Anonymous. People really seem to like this story.

The odd thing about this story is there is absolutely no sex in it. Now I'm starting to wonder if most readers are somewhat uncomfortable reading about explicit sex.

A well-told tale is an entertainment. Sex is not vital, IMO.

I think readers respond to a good story rather than the quantity of sex in it. I've been trying to streamline the sex in my current writing into something that fits the story rather than twisting the plot around to make more sex opportunities and have had fairly positive feedback.

It's a big compliment from your readers for sure!

Agreed

 

[sr71plt]

Oh, God, another "most readers want" thread.

 

[FantasyXY]

Oh, God, another "most readers want" thread.

Not asking for saying what most readers want. Wondering if there isn't some sort of natural reaction to reading about explicit sex, much like the squeamishness that is a normal reaction to reading about a brutal and grotesque murder.

 

[NotWise]

Wouldn't you expect arousal to be a natural reaction to reading explicit descriptions of sex?

Obviously, some people aren't going to care for explicit sex, but those people probably aren't a big part of the Lit readership.

Without reading your story, I'd guess that you made the story interesting enough to justify good scores without the sex.

 

[TxRad]

Over the years I've noticed that there are two types of readers and they vote differently. The one handed readers want lots of sex so they can get off. After that, they are like some husbands, they roll over and go to sleep without commenting or voting. The other group is reading the story but not as distracted. They like the story so they go vote and or comment.

Since you said you had a greater vote to read average, I'd say you tapped into the latter group.

Earlier in a PM, the slow burn with little sex type story was brought up. My thought on this type story are as follows:

1: An interesting story with good characters is always a good thing.

2: The brain is the biggest sex organ. Feed it tidbits and it anticipates a bigger meal.

3: Anticipation is as big a thing in reading as it is in BDSM.

4: Making a reader think and react is also a very good thing.

5: Make the reader come too quickly and you lose voters.

 

[Dream_Operator]

Over the years I've noticed that there are two types of readers and they vote differently. The one handed readers want lots of sex so they can get off. After that, they are like some husbands, they roll over and go to sleep without commenting or voting. The other group is reading the story but not as distracted. They like the story so they go vote and or comment.

I agree. I tend to write stories for the second group. Unfortunately, it not easy for reader to tell what is a stroke story and what is a plot driven story--a (short) title and a short blurb is all they have to go by.

 

[SamScribble]

Oh, God, another "most readers want" thread.

I don't think that there is a 'most readers' segment on Lit.

In another life, I used to edit research reports for a major retailer. When I first edited a report for them, they thought that they had nine different types of customers. Five years later, they had decided that there were 147 different types of customer. I suspect that Literotica is up there in 147 territory. At least.

 

[NOIRTRASH]

I think readers respond to a good story rather than the quantity of sex in it. I've been trying to streamline the sex in my current writing into something that fits the story rather than twisting the plot around to make more sex opportunities and have had fairly positive feedback.

It's a big compliment from your readers for sure!

I say 98% of readers have no idea what a good story looks like.