When to get to the Sex!

Last year, I published my first story. I enjoyed reading erotic literature, and Inthought I would give it a try. I also wanted to try my hand at writing.

As my writing progressed, I found that I wanted to expand on setting the scenery, how characters reacted to each other, and work towards the sexual encounter.

So, now I wonder, “Am I getting to the sex fast enough?”

After all, we are here to read about the sex.

Stories that are just sex, sex, sex are boring for me. I like some background and character development.

For me, the setup is more interesting than the sex. I want to get to know the characters before they jump in the sack. I want to care about them and understand why they're going to do whatever it is that they do. Otherwise I could just watch online porn. In these stories, all of the sex descriptions are basically the same. Some better than others, but mostly the same.

Indulging too much in your characters' desires can make for an extremely boring story lacking any sense of conflict or suspense. There's only so many ways you can write "that goes in there" before it (quickly) loses its appeal. In my opinion, the main thrust (pun intended) of an erotic story is building up the sexual tension, which means not allowing your characters to get it on until you reach a nearly inevitable breaking point in their frustration and horniness. It's the denial that creates interest. Don't just give them whatever they want. Give them some significant barrier or obstacle to overcome. Make them work for it and earn their rewards.

That said, it's also important to create a sense of momentum, and give readers a sense that this is all headed somewhere. I can't tell you how often I feel irritated with authors who spend several thousand words meandering in pointless character-sketching and world-building only to take a sudden left turn into a wild sex scene that seems to come out of nowhere and is almost entirely disconnected from everything that came before it. You need to introduce conflict (not sex) early and make it the central driving force guiding your narrative. There should be a clear and consistent progression of plot leading to the steamy scene(s). Sex is not the story, it's just the resolution of the conflict - the climax, so to speak.

For me, it is important to invest some writing time in developing the story's characters. Give them some depth, give the story meaning, maybe an intriguing situation or a plot twist. Pace the story. Then, whatever type of sex occurs, and when, it will be more meaningful for your readers.

Thanks. That’s exactly the way I feel.

Exactly what JAGYK says.

As I mentioned in another thread recently, stories don't have to be linear to give context. You can start with something that grabs readers' attention and then fold in other backstory elements as you develop the ideas.

Characters could discuss something that happened beforehand—perhaps even during sex—which gives them roundedness. Or you could flashback, or have moments of contemplation as a character is about to do something but it had an undesirable outcome before.

Play with structure and form to keep a story moving forward. Mix things up a bit. As long as each part flows, your readers will stick around for the duration and be more invested in your characters overcoming their various demons or obstacles as they get it on (or work towards that goal).

I’ve started a few ‘sex only’ stories then binned them and had a wank instead 😜

‘Story’ is the key for me. You’ve gotta be telling one. That said, Lush is perhaps not the best place for 17 chapter novellas, as the publication delay (the necessity of which I appreciate) makes them too hard to follow.

Posters above well describe the craft and subtleties of timing, characterisation and content.

I can see why anyone would ask your question. There are plenty of very popular stories here that are mostly sex and have no real storyline or they tell one you’ve read a bunch of times, just with different characters. Kinda like Harlequin Romance novels that are basically all the same.

But there are also readers here who enjoy stories like those everyone mentioned above.

I’d suggest writing what YOU like, and you say you like some character development, so do that.

I still feel like I am learning myself, but yes it is way more satisfying to pen something with decent story, characters, conflict and a resolution. I don't consider myself any master or even intermediate, but I have been trying a little more as of late.

Read many novels, watch TV and movies along with YouTube videos giving instruction on writing. Passive learning comes from the novels/TV/movies consumption. You learn why you like something like say, Conflicts into another conflict into another.

Quote by KimmiBeGood

I can see why anyone would ask your question. There are plenty of very popular stories here that are mostly sex and have no real storyline or they tell one you’ve read a bunch of times, just with different characters. Kinda like Harlequin Romance novels that are basically all the same.

But there are also readers here who enjoy stories like those everyone mentioned above.

I’d suggest writing what YOU like, and you say you like some character development, so do that.

I couldn't say it any better Kimmi!

I think it depends on the context and genre of the story. In the concepts I'm working on, I like to experiment with different paces. In some, sex occurs pretty much immediately or suddenly, in others it's more a 'steady tease,' and in a few it's more like 'climbing Mount Everest' where it almost seems unreachable. I'm not a fan of sticking to a formula. So, I would say to a writer then is to spruce it up and be spontaneous as I'm certain that there is no one size that fits all!

I feel like the tension can be "the sex" if deployed well. Another component I think serves as "the sex" that we must be getting to fast are details and dialogue. Lingering on what someone is wearing even if they're going grocery shopping is a good example, if the encounter depends on grocery shopping, of course. You can also have a character thinking dirty thoughts of anticipation while building up the world and workaday detail.

If I'm working on a vignette and feel the need to "get to the sex" quickly, I usually just straight up start with a sex act, and if necessary, have it functioning as a flashback. For example, I once wrote a story that was about a college football team getting put on probation because it was throwing sex parties for its recruited athletes. Rather than build up with the investigator's personality or background (a woman whose desires were co-opted by her brushes with the team, its coaches, and the cheerleading staff) I started with the description of an orgy — which had been captured on a tape that was sent anonymously to the investigators' offices. So the main character and her partner watch it, share some expository dialogue about what's going on, the reader gets the fucking and sucking in obscene detail, and we've moved the story along to a point where we can do non-sexy things to round out the characters and their journeys.

According to some folks in another thread; if it's not 1500 words, and the sex starts later than the second paragragh—it's wrong.

It's your story, do what feels right, and makes sense.

Some of my stories get right to the sex, especially if they are continuation chapters in ongoing series. But perhaps because so many of my stories are about male bisexuality, many of them take a while to get there, exploring the building tension between two guys and/or inside their heads.

In bisexual or gay porn, dudes often just start going at it as if that's the most natural thing in the world. But in real life, it's not socially acceptable for that to happen between straight-presenting men, no matter how much they both want to taste another man. Even if a woman is seducing two guys at once, it's not something you can assume that they are both going to be comfortable touching another guy. I mine that hesitancy for dramatic effect over and over again, and "the sex" only happens once one man or other finally wrenches up the courage to make a move, risking whatever might happen next.

It can depend on the story. A slow build up can add to the excitement of anticipation. But in some stories the core is the exposition of a particular sexual scenario. For example two of my recent stories respectively explore the scenarios of accidentally discovering your woman neighbour has had a power dildo delivered, and what happens when a man and woman are in an adult store booth and a guy pokes his dick in through a glory hole. There you might not need a slow build up but a good introductory setting of the background scenario followed by the sex.

I'd have to reread them all but I think all of my published stories have a slow build towards sex. I can't think of any of them that start - Wham, Bam, etc.

Each story has its own center whether sexual or not. If it is well written it will generally be appreciated if not it won’t.

Logically the sex should come at the end of story because everyone falls asleep after that. Furthermore, it is a case of also prioritising the key events in the story. Ten pints of lager, with salted peanuts of course, followed by a really lavish meal and the football on the television, should all precede the sex.

Quote by darkroot50

I'd have to reread them all but I think all of my published stories have a slow build towards sex. I can't think of any of them that start - Wham, Bam, etc.

Nothing wrong with 'Hello my name is John. Drop em baby'.

I am currently outlining a story that opens with sex, but I think it will work for the story.

Quote by Alfresco
I’ve started a few ‘sex only’ stories then binned them and had a wank instead 😜

Howling! 🤭

Also, snap.

My current story, Redemption, is probably the longest I've made readers wait for the sex. But it worked in the story. I think that's what matters most. Every story is different. 😉

Quote by simplyjohn

Logically the sex should come at the end of story because everyone falls asleep after that.

This is how my stories often go. 😅

More than once, I have begun a story with something unsexy that I personally think is interesting. One character will explain something to another character -- a scientific principle, a mathematical formula, an item from the newspaper in 1926 -- but with enough witty banter (I hope) to make it interesting. It's possible that I've softened every boner and dried up every pussy before the reader gets beyond the introductory lesson and into the sexy parts of the story, but that's who I am as a writer.

Character #1: "Hey, let me tell you about Germany's economy before Hitler's rise to power."

Character #2: "Cool story, bro. Can we bang now?"