I'm just wondering and looking for some advise on the length of an introduction for a sex story.
I wrote a couple of short stories before and I easily find the balance between introduction and story but with a story I seem to be a little lost.
I read a lot of stories, not just for pleasure but also to analyse and learn and usually I try to find what I liked or disliked about a specific story.
Often when there is barely an introduction (a few sentences to a few paragraphs) I notice that I often find the characters flat and boring. Even when there are pages filled with steaming scenes in quick succession.
I somehow want character to live and just act as placeholders for a random women/men.
I'm writing my first sex story and upon an initial review I notice I have about 3/4th of a page shaping the characters and setting the scene.
I start to wonder if that's a good idea. Maybe I might bore people as they usually don't want to read sex stories for the plot or complex characters.
All that said... I want to see if someone has advise on this topic.
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How long should an introduction be?
The Right Rev of Lush
There's an old cliche' that the intro to a story should be like a mini-skirt, long enough to cover the subject but short enough to attract attention. I've pontificated on intro's and opening hooks in a sticky post on this forum called, How To Be a Happy Hooker. Check it out if into heavy bloviation.
That said, the prime directive of a short story is to provide readers with a brief account of a limitedincident. Some editor-types prefer short stories to take only one day.
My FWIS advice is to give the bare minimum of info needed about the characters. Remember the old authorial adage, "Show, don't tell." Well, an intro is basically all tell.
And in conclusion (finally) check out some of the top Lush writers such as Sprite and other contest winners.
Welcome to Lush. I'm looking forward to reading some of your work.
That said, the prime directive of a short story is to provide readers with a brief account of a limitedincident. Some editor-types prefer short stories to take only one day.
My FWIS advice is to give the bare minimum of info needed about the characters. Remember the old authorial adage, "Show, don't tell." Well, an intro is basically all tell.
And in conclusion (finally) check out some of the top Lush writers such as Sprite and other contest winners.
Welcome to Lush. I'm looking forward to reading some of your work.
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Home of the Lush "IN" crowd: indecent, intoxicated, and insolvent
a place to gossip, share news, talk sports, pimp a story, piss & moan, or just grab a drink. Check it out.
Writing is not necessarily something to be ashamed of, but do it in private and wash your hands afterwords. -- ROBERT HEINLEIN
Quote by SparrowMus
I'm just wondering and looking for some advise on the length of an introduction for a sex story.
I wrote a couple of short stories before and I easily find the balance between introduction and story but with a story I seem to be a little lost.
I don't generally write an "introduction" per se. I just start writing the story. The story isn't just introducing the sex, it's giving it depth and meaning. Expository introductions are boring. Telling a story is not. As for how much story before getting to the sex, the answer is how much is needed to make the sex feel like real sex between real people. Sometimes, you can kick off with some sex, then get into the story, other times you want to spend some time fleshing things out before you get down and dirty.
Quote by SparrowMus
I somehow want character to live and just act as placeholders for a random women/men.
Quote by SparrowMus
Maybe I might bore people as they usually don't want to read sex stories for the plot or complex characters.
Read your two quotes above. The second contains the answer to your first. People DO want plot and complex characters, even in sex stories. If you want characters who live and are not placeholders, you needs to have plot and complex characters. Do not treat "story" as a mere introduction to the sex, treat it as the reason for the sex and make the sex integral to the story. That's how you'll make the characters live and breathe.
To see my approach, try the two stories in my sig. They are interrelated (featuring a common character at different stages of her life) and reflect much of what I say above. And one is a Recommended Read with lots of favorable comments.
Gravelly-Voiced Fucker
I hate exposition, both in erotica and non-erotica. Start with a catchy hook, then let the important details leak out. You can play with time too, start in the middle of the action, then backtrack to show how your characters got there.
I think back story is over-rated, and should be used sparingly, but that is a minority opinion I'm guessing.
I think back story is over-rated, and should be used sparingly, but that is a minority opinion I'm guessing.
Quote by Verbal
I hate exposition, both in erotica and non-erotica. Start with a catchy hook, then let the important details leak out. You can play with time too, start in the middle of the action, then backtrack to show how your characters got there.
I think back story is over-rated, and should be used sparingly, but that is a minority opinion I'm guessing.
Back story has its place but it needs to revealed in the course of the story, not in an expository blurb. Exposition in moderation can be used, but so can flashbacks, references in dialogue, and so on.