How long should a scene be?

Sthaana

Sthaana

Really Experienced
So here's a question about sex scenes. How long do you think is ideal for a sex scene?

Since the sex is the main draw for stories here (at least, I think that's the case...) I try to put a lot of time and effort into writing these big, detailed sex scenes, often 2-4 full pages long, see my threads in Blowjob Universe ( https://chyoa.com/story/Blowjob-Universe.5056 ) and Family Succubus ( https://chyoa.com/story/Family-Succubus.9512. ). This can be quite a hassle and is probably one of the reasons I've had such writer's block these past months. I feel like my style is getting kinda bloated tbh, especially when I find stories where a sex scene takes up maybe half a page and still gets the job done...

So what do you guys think? How long and detailed should a sex scene be and when does it get too long? How do you handle it?
 
Considering this is a site for erotica I'm not sure a sex scene could be too long, as long as it doesn't become a tedious description of every little action. It is what most readers are here for after all. This is a tough question though as it varies so much from reader to reader. It also depends on whether it is just a gratuitous sex scene (nothing wrong with that) or if some plot or character is being revealed in the course of it. I think the only time it gets too long is if it is no longer "hot", and hot is subjective.

I just write what "feels" right in the moment for the characters involved. I try to give my sex scenes a flow and just go with it until its natural conclusion. Totally a non-answer I realize, but it's what I do. I'd say just keep doing you. If you suddenly shorten your usual style it might be an unwelcome change for your readers.
 
I personally dislike scenes that are too short or brief; too long is usually a matter of pacing more than anything else - you want to keep things interesting, focus on the sensations, the emotions, the anticipation leading up to climax or an important choice. As long as it doesn't drag out to the point where the reader is bored, it's probably fine.
 
Sthaana said:
often 2-4 full pages long
Click to expand...
How much is a page?


Sthaana said:
How long and detailed should a sex scene be and when does it get too long?
Click to expand...
I prefer long and pretty detailed/descriptive sex scenes, though I think it is important to avoid repetition of the same action. It also depends on the actual time the sex scene would take, which would also depend on if and how often they change positions, how much stamina the guy has, if they don't have time, and so on.

In my story AW there are currently 3 scenes,
- a 1200 words scene with 1 slow position,
- an 850 words quickie with 2 brief positions and
- a 3050 words scene with 3 positions,
so it quite depends on the situation...
 
I've got, hmm, more than a few in Lois Lane's Night Out. I like a little variety, in situation, although I'm keeping it constrained as far as perspective. When I talk about length and pacing and choices, I'm usually looking at something like this sequence:
7.1 Fuck Me, 8.1. Inside Me, 9.1 Make My Pregnant. "Fuck Me" is relatively short, it's not too brief (I think), but it exists to set the pace and work the reader up for the decision point, the first of which is "Inside Me"; I like to try and play the "escalating adjective" game - instead of saying "dick dick dick," "pussy pussy pussy" I like to start off with the less-dirty terms and work my way up - it lends more impact to the scene, because the reader can sense the escalation in the language. "Inside Me" ramps down where the last scene ended on a high note, and it strives to work the reader back up - you've already got a discontinuity, you want to edge them on a little bit further; in this case, I use dirty talk, play on the emotional angle, the consequences - to emphasize the taboo before it's broken...and that leads to "Make Me Pregnant," which is longer still, but focusing on the emotional climax before we get to the actual physical orgasm...

...which will be forthcoming, in a few weeks, when I get to that chapter again. But it gives you an idea of how I kind of construct a multi-chapter sex scene.
 
I don't think there's a right answer, although most of people here seem to agree on longer sex scenes. To me though I get bored if the scene plays out too long and I start skimming for the good parts. I also have a hard time writing that much variety to fill a lot of space. I'm that guy that fast forwards in pornos. Give me the scene and some extra details about their relationship or the emotions involved and I can fill in the rest, just give me the payoff.

I think there's room for both, personally. I write what I like to read.
 
So I mostly do a "self-contained" sex scene chapters (About 2k words). Those seem to be kind of well liked, although the data is pretty inconclusive. Keep in mind that I dont write a lot of choices though, I mostly write long narratives into stories that lend itself to being told from numerous perspectives.
 
I usually just write any kind of action that takes place in my story until it is finished or is set up to lead into the next chapter without giving too much away or I try to at least.
 
Depends on the scene in question. Some scenes require length, some don't. I don't think it's a good idea to have set word count in mind, because either you end up cutting up a good sex scene into something too short, or you wind up padding out a good sex scene, making it bloated and overdrawn.

I do like to break up my sex scenes though, especially between foreplay and the actual sex, in case anyone else wants to write any interruptions or changes, so I'd end a scene after a blowjob before transitioning to the sex, and have a separate scene for that. But also, every writer is different and there's really no point trying to copy someone else's style. Find what works for you.
 
I always find that my scenes last two or three chapters but that's only because I like to have options thrown in, giving opportunity to another writer that may see it going in a different direction.
 
Depends on what you define as being part of the sex scene. Like my stories, aside from 10 to 1, tend to have a lot of build-up to the act itself. I then actually don't end up giving a lot of time to the act itself. I think the most extreme example of that was two pages of build up to half a page of the act itself.

For me the foreplay and build up is the thing that I find interesting and arousing, I have found that there really are only so many ways to say "then they fuck".

Although you can also use extreme brevity to bring across how fast and hard a sex scene is. I think in A Beast Unleashed I have one that is maybe a couple of sentences.
 
gene.sis said:
Well, in my opinion "he fucked her hard and came inside her" is too short, no matter what story you want to tell :D
Click to expand...
He pushed into her.

Her fingers dug into his back.

He grunted.

She moaned.

The bed springs screamed.

His body tensed and it was over.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top