When is detail not needed?

[ChibiFangirl]

This mainly applies to one shots or erotic mini series. What I mean is, does a writer need to have one person's personal history on how they met their partner(s)? Does a good story have to include non-erotic antidotes and still be good? I'm only questioning this because I'm worried that my upcoming one shot has too much unnecessary detail.

 

[Bramblethorn]

This mainly applies to one shots or erotic mini series. What I mean is, does a writer need to have one person's personal history on how they met their partner(s)? Does a good story have to include non-erotic antidotes and still be good? I'm only questioning this because I'm worried that my upcoming one shot has too much unnecessary detail.

Depends a bit on the reader, but IMHO, you don't need to have that sort of background info unless it's important to the story. If it's bogging you down and you don't feel it improves the overall effect, feel free to snip.

 

[HeyAll]

Doesn't need much background in my opinion. The main thing that matters is the present; what the characters are like, their personalities, what they're doing, how they feel, why they're doing it, ect...

 

[Hypoxia]

Basic rule: Everything in the story should advance the story. I interpret that to include flavorings, character studies, plot gerbils chewing their way into the storyline, etc. In the 3 one-page chapters of A Taste of Lemonade, each chapter has the same structure, continuing the account from a different POV. I first describe the current setting and action, then include a brief backstory establishing that player's context, and then proceed to more action. Lemon-drink recipes abound. IMHO I provide enough detail to illustrate the scenes without overloading.

Commentators sometimes complain about my irrelevancies. But those stories also tend to get the most votes and favorites, so I guess many readers enjoy the approach.

 

[sr71plt]

Basic rule: Everything in the story should advance the story.

This. Everything should serve/inform the story. (Caveat: for a mystery, it can spread out the options of outcome, but that's serving the story.)

 

[ChibiFangirl]

Thanks this advice really helps. ^.^

 

[Hypoxia]

...does a writer need to have one person's personal history on how they met their partner(s)?

If that history is important to the story, yes. Here's how two principals met in Bride of Kong:

Time stopped. The few other library patrons froze, motionless. Dust motes hung suspended in frozen light. The wall clock stopped ticking. Silence was total. Their eyes were locked.

Time resumed. They both inhaled, spoke at the same time.

"Would you..." Their voices collided. They paused.

"Yes. Lunch. I'm Susan. Susan Driscoll."

"Lunch it is. I'm Alex, Alex Myers."

"I can leave in ten minutes. No, hell, I can leave right now. Let's go."

One month later, the new librarian married the newly assigned marketing executive.

Sue did not tell Alex about her past, her hippie days, her lovers, her family secrets. Alex did not tell Sue about his past, his military service, his lovers, his other secrets. They knew their colleges: Berkeley and Stanford. Otherwise, they started fresh. They knew they were destined. That was enough.

A lot of hinting at their histories -- just a framework for readers to flesh-out in their minds' eyes. Other background details are scattered about. The last paragraph hints that there's more to learn.

Does a good story have to include non-erotic antidotes and still be good?

I include many non-erotic details; IMHO they distinguish a *story* from a raw *stroker*. My Taste of Lemonade mentioned above includes numerous lemon-drink recipes. They certainly flavor the tales. But mostly I'm building images of settings, and maps of players' characters.

Include enough detail that readers see what you see when you wrote it. You can be allusive: "Thin and rat-faced, he looked like a candidate for rehab." You can be numeric, but be careful; some readers demand heights, weights, and bust or penis sizes while others immediately barf and hit EXIT. About my only use for measurements is something like: "She was almost six feet tall; I had a few inches on her." That's fuller than just saying, "They were tall," without going anal on centimeters.

Again, all this depends on what and how you are writing. A one-LIT-page (~3700 words) piece has less room for delicious padding than does a much longer tale. A stroker may need less personal background than a romance or epic -- but you still want to paint that player's picture for readers to see.

 

[JayG88]

I like a little background but not in one lump. Maybe things come out over conversation or are referenced by other characters. I think the 'telling detail' always good. One thing that in someway reveals something that encapsulates the whole character, or symbolizes them. Like Harry Potters scar. That kind of thing. Obviously if it's Erotica then it doesn't have to be so perfect. Plus if it's not just a one off story you have plenty of time to pace it and fill up the details where and when you see fit.

 

[SamScribble]

Does a good story have to include non-erotic antidotes ... ? I'm only questioning this because I'm worried that my upcoming one shot has too much unnecessary detail.

Pretty much what has already been said. (And I assume that you mean anecdotes rather than antidotes.)

If it helps the reader to get to know the character better, put it in. If it takes the story forward, put it in. Otherwise, keep it in your scrapbook to (maybe) use on another occasion.

Good luck.

 

[sr71plt]

The question was asked almost nine months ago. It's a bit late to count on good luck with that particular story.

 

[SamScribble]

The question was asked almost nine months ago. It's a bit late to count on good luck with that particular story.

Bloody hell!

Now you tell me.

 

[sr71plt]

Bloody hell!

Now you tell me.

What is tragic is that this is still the mostly interesting thread in a deadly dull evening on the the forum. It's a good thing my muse dropped a story that simply had to be written today.

 

[BuckyDuckman]

There's not a one-size-fits-all answer. Readers have differing tastes. I believe it's most important to develop a nice flow. Many authors start in the present before trying to squeeze in a lengthy flashback to explain things.

Give your readers a rhythm to your writing. While writing Filled with Joy, I struggled with multiple flashbacks between present time, especially with the story's rhythm. I struggled with flashbacks that were too long or short. The same with present time sequences. It took quite some time to find the right mix.

Good luck!

 

[KindofHere]

..............

 

[Green_Knight]

There's not a one-size-fits-all answer. Readers have differing tastes. I believe it's most important to develop a nice flow. Many authors start in the present before trying to squeeze in a lengthy flashback to explain things...

Quite. If you're writing a 'how to fuck' technical manual, it might be best to leave the detail out. If you're writing a story, tell a story.

Some people like reading porn with as few and the shortest interruptions between the sex as possible. Other people like the sex to be set in context. It really depends which group of readers you want to write for and whether you think there are enough such readers on Lit to make it worthwhile.

 

[HandsInTheDark]

If you're writing technical documentation, you write short, crisp, unambiguous sentences. You aim for a low level of redundancy (but not none). You trim anything distracting or off point. This paragraph is an example.

But if you're writing an erotic story, you're attempting to engage the imagination of the reader, and as many ways as possible. It's like a clit: give it some attention and stop, then nibble somewhere else. Go back to the clit and rub, and stop again. Tease and then distract. Overstimulate and pause. Keep toying with it. Get it to beg for more.

In writing you do that by constantly teasing the imagination with details, and then changing the topic. Make them want to know what and why - and don't be generous with the why.

I'm aroused. I'm hungry. The sunset is pretty; I'm glad he took me here. Is that warm bread I smell in the basket? He's so... thoughtful. Yes, I'll use that word. His hand on my breast... I should say something. I should. Whatever happened to asking before touching? Oh, that parrot sailing by, crying so mournfully. It's such a beautiful place. Mmm, his hand... he just... knows. His thumb slides over my nipple and I just curl into him, I guess there's no point in claiming I don't like it. And his eyes... he's going to kiss me. I don't know how I can tell, is it that tiny smile? The bird crying in the distance, and his hand, tightening. I don't remember telling my lips to part, but...

Anyone who thinks the bird is extraneous probably also wants to know if her breast is 32 B or 34 C. But that's porn, not erotica.

 

[49greg]

It depends on the reader, and on how you wrote it.

 

[RetroFan]

It depends on what you are trying to achieve.

My stories are humorous as well as erotic, so I will put more details in to make a scene funny.

For example, I wrote a lesbian story called 'The PTA Queen Bee & The Teen Rebel', which features a fat, stupid and lazy bully called Todd. Todd does not feature in any erotic scenes (which is a good thing), but I described this character's antics in some detail - bullying, gluttony, stupidity and spreading false gossip - to amuse the readers.

 

[NOIRTRASH]

I make sure readers know my characters have navels.

 

[TxRad]

I make sure readers know my characters have navels.

Unless you are writing scfi, non-human, or fantasy, then all characters have navels. It is a given.

 

[Hypoxia]

Unless you are writing scfi, non-human, or fantasy, then all characters have navels. It is a given.

Especially if they are oranges. Or orangutans. But don't rule out parthenogenesis. Many social-spiritual leaders and divinities were born whole-hog from an eggplant or seashell or rib or whatever. Their navels may be only appliqué. Exploratory abdominal surgery may be required to tell what's real. Cue the nurses with scalpels. Calling Dr Benway!

 

[HandsInTheDark]

Especially if they are oranges. Or orangutans. But don't rule out parthenogenesis. Many social-spiritual leaders and divinities were born whole-hog from an eggplant or seashell or rib or whatever. Their navels may be only appliqué. Exploratory abdominal surgery may be required to tell what's real. Cue the nurses with scalpels. Calling Dr Benway!

Um... med check. And I'm used to bizarreness out of you.

 

[Hypoxia]

Um... med check. And I'm used to bizarreness out of you.

Yes, I was a bit on the exploratory side there, what with the Wm Burroughs reference and all. I'll go easier on the painkillers.

 

[uksnowy]

The detail I create, not in one lump, is mostly about the female characters - their age, persona, hair, makeup (some times), figure, clothing, footwear and body, bodily functions (some times), highly detailed genitalia etc.

My new work is mainly centred on mature to elderly females. Detail is important to my stories and I research a lot to include in the text, just to get the correct underwear labels, sizes etc.

 

[Hypoxia]

The detail I create, not in one lump, is mostly about the female characters - their age, persona, hair, makeup (some times), figure, clothing, footwear and body, bodily functions (some times), highly detailed genitalia etc.

My new work is mainly centred on mature to elderly females. Detail is important to my stories and I research a lot to include in the text, just to get the correct underwear labels, sizes etc.

I am reminded of old-time SciFi writers who created elaborate, detailed histories and geographies of the worlds they built -- but only as background, not to be featured in the finished work, only insinuated. I find setting to be vastly important to some stories and I fill my mind with a space-time map but I only reveal what's necessary, not laying-out blueprints. I try to expose characters by behaviors rather than descriptions. Yeah, sometimes I cheat.