How Much Is Enough

[Guest Agaib]

Here is what poor Melody tried and failed to do.

Boy will I be embarassed if I screw this up.

I think the question speaks for itself. I personally beleive that sex scenes should come and go as the author pleases. The erotic section is there because there is at least one place in the story that is meant to be erotic and you dont want little children reading it.

[redsliver]

Sex scenes need to come as the author sees the need, rushing sex or action ruins plot.

[StoryJunkie]

I think erotica is different from porn. Erotica is porn with taste, or you could say, love with details. It's almost a learning experience.

[Guest Barbara_Sheridan]

I've always thought it best to let the characters themselves decided when and where they want to do it and with whom.

Yes I'm weird and my characters are "real " to me I just listen to and watch their adventures in my head and write them down

[Guest Melody Fate]

I've always thought it best to let the characters themselves decided when and where they want to do it and with whom.

Yes I'm weird and my characters are "real " to me I just listen to and watch their adventures in my head and write them down

Well, I figure my characters are doing it perpetually. That's sort-of the way I made them.

The problem is, how many times do I wish to share this with my readers. After a bit, it starts to feel like the plot stops being important and all that matters is getting them into bed.

[NightScribe]

I agree, the sex scenes should be as often as the author chooses. I believe in erotica, those scenes are a part of the plot, enchancing and/or augmenting the relationship between the characters. For nothing but sex, sex, sex, there's PWP; there is a difference between the two.

[Guest Melody Fate]

I agree, the sex scenes should be as often as the author chooses. I believe in erotica, those scenes are a part of the plot, enchancing and/or augmenting the relationship between the characters. For nothing but sex, sex, sex, there's PWP; there is a difference between the two.

I agree with you too.

However... I have been posing this question to people and I have found one interesting thing...

If I poll a reader, I'm more likely to hear that there should be sex in every chapter. That the occational skipped chapter is fine, but in truth, if it's erotic, it should have lots and lots of sex. If I ask fellow writers they'll say I have to be true to myself. I agree, writers do have to be true to themselves, but there is something to be said for pleasing your readers too.

I'm not saying this to whine or moan, I'm saying it because I actually found it interesting the difference in opinions.

[NightScribe]

Melody Fate (sorry, I'm a moron when it comes to message boards, haven't taken the time to figure out that quote thing yet) anyhoo....

I find your poll results interesting, the readers vs. writers. Personally, I think the desire, longing, yearning, whatever you want to call it, plays an important role in erotica, and can make the sex, when it happens, read better. Anticipation can be sweetly agonizing. That's my opinion as a reader, not a writer, but maybe I'm in the minority.

As for pleasing my readers, (which I hope I'm doing) I don't have a clue what they like or don't, they don't tell me a damn thing, so I guess I'm basically just writing to please myself. My current WIP doesn't have as much sex as previous fics, but people keep hitting it when I post. At least I haven't gotten a slew of "this is boring, you suck" reviews, so I'm keepin' the faith and I keep on truckin'.

[Guest ShinigamiShimai]

I've been told there is more then one form of erotica. There are those short stories that only deal with sex and that is about it and then there is your romance erotica in which there is more of a story and maybe a few sexual parts here and there. Hell some of my dark stories have erotic bits here and there simply because that is how the characters feel. I've tried to stop them, but trust me when characters feel like doing something not even the author can stop them.

I was sent a link by a lesbian publishing company that was interested in my works. They had some interesting articals on writing erotica and the several different styles of erotica that exist. If anyone is interested I could post it here. Although it is from a lesbian writer I find the content could be of help or interesting to all writers.

Well jaa ne

Kat Williams

[Guest Reika]

As the author pleases, but I don't enjoy stories with random rushed smut, it should flow into the plot in some way.

[Guest Adara]

I've been told there is more then one form of erotica. There are those short stories that only deal with sex and that is about it and then there is your romance erotica in which there is more of a story and maybe a few sexual parts here and there. Hell some of my dark stories have erotic bits here and there simply because that is how the characters feel. I've tried to stop them, but trust me when characters feel like doing something not even the author can stop them.

I was sent a link by a lesbian publishing company that was interested in my works. They had some interesting articals on writing erotica and the several different styles of erotica that exist. If anyone is interested I could post it here. Although it is from a lesbian writer I find the content could be of help or interesting to all writers.

Well jaa ne

Kat Williams

I'm interested in reading what you were sent. I do believe that any tips on writing erotica, no matter for what type of sexual "genre" can be used universally.

On that note. I'm a firm believer of the some sort of plot. Aimless sex is good and all, but I want to know the character background at least a little. It's hard to just imagine radom people who I know nothing about having sex. It's the same with characters.

I like the kind of smut that has some sort of by-play with the said characters before they actually get at it. It does more for me that way. Most of my stories have explicit sex scenes, not so much because I think they're awesome (sex scenes that is.) but because I want the reader to know how passionate these two characters are in bed, and out of it.

We all have to admit; people are different fully clothed and in public, than they are when they're hot and ready to go in private. I don't think it's much different in characters.

[Guest Pink Lace]

I read more than I write and as I reader I want erotica in every chapter. Not necessarily sex, in one of my own fics the only thing they do in the first chapter is kiss (just a little peck, no tongue!)with an implied promise of more. However, having absolutely no sexual content whatsoever pises me off when I read it in the erotica section, especially when the fic is unfinished. Eight chapters and nothing whatsover? Too slow and boring.

[wattersk]

I can't believe the poll doesn't include "There should be no graphic sex" and "There should be minimal graphic sex". o.O Um, hello? Erotica and porn are two separate things. Bubble gum can be erotic without ever involving sex.

Erotica does not mean sex, and it cheeses me that every story in the Erotic section is smut.

Hmm... In fact, I think I'll go populate the Erotica section with some non-sex stories.

[Guest ShinigamiShimai]

Although I do agree there is a differance between porn and erotica I don't think that erotica can be written without some kind of sexual interaction. The dictionary definition of something erotic is "relating to sexual desire or excitemnt". Now according to several publishers on erotica the differenace between erotica and pron depends on the reader. Most state that erotica must has some sort of story to it no matter now small it is and porn is just two people jumping into bed for no reason at all. I do wish more of the stories here had some kind of story to it I don't think that will happen because even if they added a porn section many would still list their stuff the way they want too. It is up to the reader to close a book if it is not the quality of erotica they wish to read.

That is enough from me.

jaa ne

Kat

[wattersk]

Although I do agree there is a differance between porn and erotica I don't think that erotica can be written without some kind of sexual interaction. The dictionary definition of something erotic is "relating to sexual desire or excitemnt". Now according to several publishers on erotica the differenace between erotica and pron depends on the reader. Most state that erotica must has some sort of story to it no matter now small it is and porn is just two people jumping into bed for no reason at all. I do wish more of the stories here had some kind of story to it I don't think that will happen because even if they added a porn section many would still list their stuff the way they want too. It is up to the reader to close a book if it is not the quality of erotica they wish to read.

Agreed, erotica conveys feelings of sexual desire, however that doesn't necessarily mean that sex has to be in it. That's why I also added "There should be minimal graphic sex" to the comment. The poll's options limit erotica to pornographic nature, though.

[Guest Adara]

I naturally assumed when looking through the erotica section that it was just that, erotica. Not written out porn. Erotica entices, seduces, entrances us. It makes us hot and bothered. Of course, anyone who usually reads erotica wants to get some satisfaction, be it for themselves, or for the characters in question. Just plain all, "No penetration" sex may not do it for most of us.

Of course, anyone who has a SO may not care much, they could get it live and in person when they're done.

[EveKnight75]

Well, it is erotica...

I don't feel that there needs to be a sex scene every chapter, or a specific number of times. Hell, there doesn't need to be an actual sex scene at all. However, there needs to be at least one point in the fic where you manage to turn the readers on. That's what erotica is.

I think that perhaps a lot of readers and writers don't quite understand that. Most people automatically assume that the only thing that can turn a reader on is an actual sex scene. This is why there's so much PWP floating around.

If you put a fic in the Erotica section, I'd say make sure that there's a lot of erotica in it. I'm not necessarily saying that there has to be a lot of scenes that are supposed to be turn-ons for the audience.

Build-up to a scene can make the scene in question a lot hotter than it would have been otherwise. Build-up can also count as erotica, so long as you don't leave the readers hanging at the very end of it all.

I prefer making my audience read their way up to at least the first sex scene. Making them want it is all part of the fun. I know that they'll appreciate the sex scene more if they're waiting, wanting, anticipating. That's what build-up does. It's foreplay: it makes you work harder and longer so that the sex will be better when it finally does come. Not to mention that the orgasm will be more amazing because your body has been begging for it even longer and harder than it would have if you got to the sex straight away.

Please forgive the repetitive use of "longer" and "harder". I'm in the mood for sex with a man right now and I'm not getting any. Excuse me while I go visit the Erotica section of AFF...

[CocoReed]

Pandering to the audience is never that great of an idea. Write however you want, whatever you deem necessary for your story. Erotic does not always mean sex, remember that. The truly sexy stuff, in my humble opinion, is the inuendo and tension leading up to the sex scene. I wish I was good enough of a writer to accomplish every sex scene without having to go action by action and still have a satisfying moment between characters and writers. It makes for a more serious story. I mean have you read Anne Rice's Sleeping Beauty trilogy? It's rubbish, plain and simple. Three books worth of just sex and hardly any plot.

[Guest Monsterking]

i think that the writer should write what he wants to. afterall its his story

peace out and may the furs be with you "WOOOOOO!!"

[shinigamiinochi]

erotic fiction, general fiction, doesn't matter, everything is decided by the author. readers can make suggestions, but not demands. I mean, no one in their right mind would walk up to a painter and say "hey, that painting with reds and blues you did was great, but next time I want to see more green!" Yes, stories fit into certain genres and styles, but putting limits on a writer's head is not only painful, but disrespectful. It's all about telling a good story, but I guess that some people need those guidelines to function, but if anyone said to me: your fic is in the erotica section, but there isn't enough sex! I'd be annoyed. Of course this applies both ways. When writing PWPs, I have often this kind of review: stop writing so much smut and focus on the plot. But, PWP stands for Plot what Plot? Or Porn without Plot, so that review annoys me, too. >.< Please just let me write my story!

[Harley Quinn hyenaholic]

If a story is in the erotica section, there should be at least one erotic scene in the whole story.

But if the writer doesn't think there should be more than that, that's fine.

[Solaris]

I think the author should write as many sex scenes as he or she desires in the story that they write.

Beth

[Harley Quinn hyenaholic]

Incidentally, I'm currently writing an AFF fanfic with NO SEX AT ALL. Just to explain how a character can be fucked up in the head without the need for rape.

[Kamenjin]

I can't say I was surprised when a forum for Authors has "Author's choice" as the overwhelming majority, and while in general, that fine, I decided to choose "at least once in most chapters" because I think coming to a site like this, people are expecting sex, and while I don't think author's should be slaves to the readership, I think there are always ways to work some sex into most chapters. Sometimes there may be periods of 3-4 chapters where characters who would otherwise be having sex are separated, or can't find the time, and that's fine too but I suppose even in those instances, you could throw in some Solo, just to keep the readers on the edge of their seats.

Certainly one can write a novel length fic with occasional sex, and it will still be a great story, and there is nothing wrong with that. There are exceptions to every rule. But as a generalization I think unless you are going for something such as Harley Quinn hyenaholic, at least 11/20 chapters containing some sort of erotic content is fair.

Edited November 23, 2008 by Kamenjin

[animefreakandgeek]

I've always thought that what makes something in the erotica category is not how frequent the sex is - though that can play into it- but rather the lvl of detail and what not that goes into it. It can happen once every three or four chapters and be a chaper all on its own each time and depending on the way it is written it would be erotica. Ive seen stories where its basically sex without a plot but it never went as far as to be called erotica. Anyways thats my thought on it.