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How Much Backstory Does A Reader Want Before The Juicy Bits?

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RavenFox
Active Ink Slinger
I'm working on my first submission to Lush and I feel that I probably overdid the back story. *gulp* The action doesn't really pick up hot and heavy until about half-way through the story. When I do the accompanying audio, it will feature mostly the good parts

The entire story encompassed about 16 pages in Word, double spaced. I can get a word count if anyone needs it to answer my question.

So, what do you think? Should I chop off all/some/none of the back story on my two young lovers? As a point of interest, I'm submitting it for the Anal category. :d/
SixtyMinuteMan
Advanced Wordsmith
Nah, the length should be fine from the site's point of view. I just posted an 11,000 word story, which is well over 20 pages in Word.

As to what the reader wants... hell, I write stories that don't reach the sex until 5000 words are gone. I am DEFINITELY the wrong person to give advice here.
RavenFox
Active Ink Slinger
Quote by nicola
Hi RavenFox, and welcome to the site.

This thread might help, it's along similar lines: ://.lushstories.com/forum/yaf_postst9951_Too-much-back-story.aspx

You record the stories too? That's great. If it's 16 pages in word, I think you might need to send it in to us in parts. Please contact our Tech guy Gavin, who will be able to tell you file size requirements etc: ://.lushstories.com/contact-us.aspx


Thank you!

I enjoyed the thread you posted, although it sort of left me with an "it's up to you" scenario. LOL But good info nonetheless. I'm just going to submit as-is and hope others find the back story, as well as the sex, interesting. We shall see.

As for audio, yes indeed, I do! The writing part is more a vehicle for my audios than the other way around. However, I would never submit such a long recording. The audios will be my interpretation of the juicy bits, best listened to after the story is read or while one is reading the aforementioned juicy bits. Most of my audios range between 15-30 minutes long.

Thanks again for the advice.
RavenFox
Active Ink Slinger
Quote by SixtyMinuteMan
Nah, the length should be fine from the site's point of view. I just posted an 11,000 word story, which is well over 20 pages in Word.

As to what the reader wants... hell, I write stories that don't reach the sex until 5000 words are gone. I am DEFINITELY the wrong person to give advice here.


Well, it was more the readers than the site's requirements that concerned me, but it's nice to know that there are other Lush authors just as long winded as I
BrindleChase
Active Ink Slinger
The rule of thumb is.... write your story. Where the sex begins, doesn't matter. But when writing backstory, be sure your setting the scene, introducing the characters and launching the plot... and nothing more. Too much backstory becomes what is typically called "info-dumping"... which is bad. It bores the reader, drags down the story and is tedious to write to begin with. Keep your backstory quick and to the point. Your characters, setting and plot will be your best guides as too how long is needed.

Less is more. Always.

And with erotica, sex is the main interest of your readers, so backstory needs to be a brief as possible, without cheating your story. But get to the sex quickly. You can keep your readers hooked with well crafted lead up as you present the plot, and it's a good idea if you have a lot of backstory you want to put in, to intermix it with the plot leading up to the sex. Never bore your readers if it can be helped. =o)

paranormal • erotic • romance
www.forlorn-hope.net
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Quote by BrindleChase
The rule of thumb is.... write your story. Where the sex begins, doesn't matter. But when writing backstory, be sure your setting the scene, introducing the characters and launching the plot... and nothing more. Too much backstory becomes what is typically called "info-dumping"... which is bad. It bores the reader, drags down the story and is tedious to write to begin with. Keep your backstory quick and to the point. Your characters, setting and plot will be your best guides as too how long is needed.

Less is more. Always.

And with erotica, sex is the main interest of your readers, so backstory needs to be a brief as possible, without cheating your story. But get to the sex quickly. You can keep your readers hooked with well crafted lead up as you present the plot, and it's a good idea if you have a lot of backstory you want to put in, to intermix it with the plot leading up to the sex. Never bore your readers if it can be helped. =o)




That's excellent advice.
mercianknight
Active Ink Slinger
Yeah, exactly what Brindlefox said.

And another good thing to come from this thread? - My discovery of Brindlefox. All in all, a good day for browsing.

Oh, and getting back to the point, I might add that it helped me to read existing submissions for the genre I prefer and see how the writing style/content/back-story affects your enjoyment.
"Whoa, lady, I only speak two languages, English and bad English." - Korben Dallas, from The Fifth Element

"If history repeats itself, and the unexpected always happens, how incapable must man be of learning from experience?" - George Bernard Shaw
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Quote by mercianknight
Yeah, exactly what Brindlefox said.

And another good thing to come from this thread? - My discovery of Brindlefox. All in all, a good day for browsing.


My dear Mister Merciful Knight,

You have confuzzled Mr. BrindleChase with the lovely Ms. RavenFox, and come up with a hybrid: the Brindlefox.

As you know, fox hunting has now been outlawed in (perfidious) Albion, so perhaps now there are indeed foxes that are brindled; I don't really know. However, I am going to flit away, before you turn me into a TigerMoth, which would confuzzle me even more than I obviously am.

Sincerely,

GypsyMoth.



(All meant in a spirit of fun, since that is exactly the kind of thing I am prone to doing. Now if your feathers are ruffled, do I need to supply you with both another Lotus 7 and a date with Laetitia Casta, in order to appease your ire? )
RavenFox
Active Ink Slinger
Quote by BrindleChase
The rule of thumb is.... write your story. Where the sex begins, doesn't matter. But when writing backstory, be sure your setting the scene, introducing the characters and launching the plot... and nothing more. Too much backstory becomes what is typically called "info-dumping"... which is bad. It bores the reader, drags down the story and is tedious to write to begin with. Keep your backstory quick and to the point. Your characters, setting and plot will be your best guides as too how long is needed.

Less is more. Always.

And with erotica, sex is the main interest of your readers, so backstory needs to be a brief as possible, without cheating your story. But get to the sex quickly. You can keep your readers hooked with well crafted lead up as you present the plot, and it's a good idea if you have a lot of backstory you want to put in, to intermix it with the plot leading up to the sex. Never bore your readers if it can be helped. =o)


Good advice! I didn't find the back story tedious to write. Does that mean it wasn't too much? LOL I hope it was just the right amount. So, asking opinions and getting in a shameless plug for my first story.

When Love Comes To Town
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It's all about balance. Too much sex and not enough back story makes for an equally boring read. A good back story gets the reader interested in the characters and aids in the "picture" of the sex that is about to take place. That's why I build a lot of backstory first, and try to write the sex without the cliches.
Guest
Lurker
I don't like a backstory at the start of a story, I much prefere smatterings through out the whole story.
Guest
Lurker
To be perfectly honest, I like backstory. A lot. It makes a better story. I like stories that take a while to read, and being a speed-reader, that means I want a HUGE story.
RavenFox
Active Ink Slinger
Quote by Dudeness92
To be perfectly honest, I like backstory. A lot. It makes a better story. I like stories that take a while to read, and being a speed-reader, that means I want a HUGE story.


I have the same problem with reading too fast. Unfortunately, I just can't (at least not YET) write erotica novels. I admire those who can, but I'm much more slam-bam-thank-ya-ma'am than an 800 page epic.
RavenFox
Active Ink Slinger
Quote by roccotool
It's all about balance. Too much sex and not enough back story makes for an equally boring read. A good back story gets the reader interested in the characters and aids in the "picture" of the sex that is about to take place. That's why I build a lot of backstory first, and try to write the sex without the cliches.


Yes, balance is key. I agree. But do you think you are they typical erotica reader with that opinion? I've seen it posted elsewhere (not Lush) that if there isn't a reason to start stroking after the first page, then the reader will likely move onto something else.
RavenFox
Active Ink Slinger
Quote by HoneyBee000
I don't like a backstory at the start of a story, I much prefere smatterings through out the whole story.


At the moment, I can't think of a way to do that without messing with the continuity of the story, but I'm sure it can be done. I'm just not wrapping my brain around it yet. Do you have any examples of how that would work best?
Guest
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But do you think you are they typical erotica reader with that opinion?


No, I'm just stating my opinion and the way I like to write my stories.
Guest
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Quote by RavenFox
Quote by HoneyBee000
I don't like a backstory at the start of a story, I much prefere smatterings through out the whole story.


At the moment, I can't think of a way to do that without messing with the continuity of the story, but I'm sure it can be done. I'm just not wrapping my brain around it yet. Do you have any examples of how that would work best?


I haven't done it myself yet but I suppose the back story bit's you could entwine them after the faster paced sex scene to reminise the past in the character maybe, this also slows the reader down and keeps them on an emotional tug back and forth.
I did read a book that has lot's of examples in like I suggested, it is called 'If my Father loved me' by Rosie Thomas. This author did this really well, it was a book that I could not put down at all till I raced to the end to find out what happened.
Guest
Lurker
Backstory is a must for me but it has to be eroticly charged if that makes sense. For example let's say the setting is a classroom and the players are a teacher and student. I DO want to read about how the lust builds to the point where they are both willing to risk it all for mind blowing pleasure, I do NOT want to read all about the history of Abraham Lincoln lecture the teacher was giving during class. If the backstory is filled with sexual tension I will read for pages and pages. If not I skip down until I see the words, lick suck or fuck.
mercianknight
Active Ink Slinger
Quote by gypsymoth
Quote by mercianknight
Yeah, exactly what Brindlefox said.

And another good thing to come from this thread? - My discovery of Brindlefox. All in all, a good day for browsing.


My dear Mister Merciful Knight,

You have confuzzled Mr. BrindleChase with the lovely Ms. RavenFox, and come up with a hybrid: the Brindlefox.

As you know, fox hunting has now been outlawed in (perfidious) Albion, so perhaps now there are indeed foxes that are brindled; I don't really know. However, I am going to flit away, before you turn me into a TigerMoth, which would confuzzle me even more than I obviously am.

Sincerely,

GypsyMoth.



(All meant in a spirit of fun, since that is exactly the kind of thing I am prone to doing. Now if your feathers are ruffled, do I need to supply you with both another Lotus 7 and a date with Laetitia Casta, in order to appease your ire? )





Forgive my tardiness in responding, however, OMG, too many late nights hath befuddled my ageing brain sweet Gypsy. Methinks I should proof-read more and submit less.

Also, whilst eternally grateful for your watchful eye, I find my ardour dampened by your words **sniggers to self** and wondered if the offer to console me would extend to the mutual application of soothing oils to our tired bodies? Purely therapeutic of course.
"Whoa, lady, I only speak two languages, English and bad English." - Korben Dallas, from The Fifth Element

"If history repeats itself, and the unexpected always happens, how incapable must man be of learning from experience?" - George Bernard Shaw
Guest
Lurker
I think it depends on the reader and the story. For the most part there should be somewhat of a balance. I have written long winded tales with a great deal of backstory and realism that I have gotten mixed reviews on. I have also written really shorty stories with little back story which have gotten mixed reviews as well.

The rule I live by is that you should, as the author, have a fairly good idea of how good you are, as well as a good idea of how good you are not. It will be hard to judge how readers are going to react to your particular balance until you have a few stories posted. When you have a good idea what works for readers or not, or even if you care what some readers are going to think, it will help you temper exactly how much backstory you give in a particualr story in the future.

-MV