Character development trumps all. Without it you’re not writing a story. For erotica to be good and meaningful you have to have this. Short of just randomly listing details about a character, the only way to develop characters is through telling a story. If you don’t have this foundation then what you’re probably writing is something plot driven. Fiction that is plot driven, for it to be successful, has to be done on such a high level few of us have the talent to pull it off. The best example I can think of where a plot driven story fails is ever M. Knight Shyamalan movie except for “6th Sense.” Why have none of his movies been as successful as “6 Sense?” Because “6th Sense,” was character driven before you knew it was plot driven all along. You felt for the scared young boy and the struggling mother. You empathized with the psychologist trying to help someone amidst his failing marriage. And then you got hit hard by the truth that all of those was an avenue for the major plot twist at the end. Sayamalan’s other movies were flops for two reasons. One, they lacked the character development needed to pull it off. And Two, the audience had come Tom expect the plot twists and we’re looking for them.
Usual suspects is plot driven but you don’t know that till the end after 90 minutes of character development. I think erotica is done best when it’s the same way. You almost don’t want the reader to know it is erotica until they are neck deep in the eroticism.
I second what Sprite and Verbal said . I enjoy a build-up but not too long. I love to read and I have read many different authors but if I have to wade through a thousand words then one paragraph of vanilla sex, probably won't read that author again. I'm probably i in the minority but that's just me. I've read many great authors here,if I've not read yours then please introduce yourself.
I like to set the scene and characters, then begin the erotica.
So far most of my comments on my stories have been complimentary.
I enjoy the conversation as part of my sex so I build that into my stories.
If I am writing a stand alone story I try to get into the action quickly but if I write a series I draw it out to heighten the experience
Back story and build up every time. But as others have said, you don't have room to describe things to the nth degree. You have two sentences max to get people interested enough to click. You then have the rest of the word count available to keep their attention and sell the idea behind the intro.
I try to approach everything like a movie script... not always successfully, but that's learning the craft. And it doesn't have to be linear. With a strong plot to back things up, you can jump into the action and then go back to explain how the character got there. Then maybe even carry on where the intro left off. That's a standard movie trope (think: Reservoir Dogs, American Beauty, ...) and it works exceptionally well here, as Buz atested.
One thing I've tried a few times is to keep physical descriptions of characters to a minimum and use their actions and mannerisms and other people's reactions to them to flesh out their look. The old "show don't tell" mantra. Couple of examples:
* Use the fact they're pushing a Bugaboo pram and listening to some 80s hair metal band on their phone to give people an idea of age and social outlook. Not perfect, but it's a start, then introduce more defining qualities later.
* If your character is jogging around the park in tight leggings, men's heads are turning and she leaps over a ditch, you know she's not likely to be 300lbs, but of a more athletic build. Maybe she stops at a water fountain and has to brush a lock of blonde hair that's escaped from her pony tail out of the way.
Best advice: go read anything by browncoffee. Learn from it.
Please browse my digital bookshelf. In this collection, you can find 110 full stories, 10 micro-stories, and 2 poems with the following features:
* 29 Editor's Picks, 74 Recommended Reads.
* 15 competition podium places, 10 other times in the top ten.
* 21 collaborations.
* A whole heap of often filthy, tense, hot sex.
I like a narrative to give depth to the story. But a really good flash with "grab" (attention grabber) element often gets me too.
I actually don't read many stories anymore....
But I have done basic statistical analysis on my stories and I have found that the longer my stories are (which usually equates to more backstory) the higher ratings they get.
I also think that the type of people that want immediate gratification usually aren't the ones that bother to comment on a story or give it a rating so it's hard to tell what the majority wants.
When I used to read stories I wanted enough intro to set the scene... But if the sex stuff was boring I had no interest at all. I feel like the build up should paint a picture in the reader's mind so that the sex scenes are amplified.
You can have both story build-up and sex right away. I do this a lot, because I like a long, slow burn but I know that it can be irritating to a reader.
Just show sex that isn't happening between your two protagonists. I think I used this in Ty's Girl and Night Music.
I prefere to both read and write stories that set the scene and let it flow into the erotic and sexual scenes. When writing I try to write to create a visual for the reader. That is why I include a good bit of detail.
Brandie
I like a nice buildup. I like being taken on a journey
Jumping right into the sex has its place such as in a Flash piece but for me I like a good story that builds slowly to the actual sex. Erotica to me is as much about the sensual exploration of the characters and that thrill of anticipation. In my humble opinion the best writers here on Lush develop the psychological aspects of their characters and weave a sensual path of escalation that allows one to paint their own vivid pictures. Sex is about touching the mind, the physical sensations enhanced by thought.
I think it depends on the writer. Verbal, for instance, is able to create truly interesting snippets with a bare minimum of words. It can be really tough, though without a creative author who had a real vision.
For me though, feeling a connection requires some back story. Without it that, no fancy prose will turn me on. That’s one reason I’m not really into flash.
As a writer, I find the story and characters the most interesting part to write. Let’s face it, a blow job can only be described so many ways. It’s the set up that really makes it special. My stories run from 5k to 10k and the responce has been worth the effort I put into each story
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