How easy is writing a quick story supposed to be?

[Warden-Yarn15]

So a long time ago in my "former workplace," there was this rather famous story called "Quick Fics for a Quick Fix" which is, more or less, supposed to be a cure-all for those aggressive moments of horniness where the mind is too clouded. At least that's how I treated it.

Trying my hand at quick fixes to satisfy my own creative and hormonal urges... I fail. Each and every time no less.

The problems I have with quick fixes, or quick stories, are that, for the most part, the lack of context of why anything is happening infuriates me. What's so satisfying if a scene immediately jumps to a sex scene, where's the buildup? Where's the foreplay? Where's the sexual tension that demands to be resolved?

While I am writing for myself, there's that feeling that either I commit to writing that short story, or not write at all. It's made worse when I want to write a story inspired by a picture too, as somehow, in my head, I simply cannot jump into the sex scene and describe how man and woman are grunting, no, there MUST be a buildup to that.

This... this mindset is slowly killing me... but if you, dear reader, have any experiments in writing that I can try and do, something that could potentially satisfy both needing context while getting right to the action, I'd appreciate it. I've tried writing prostitution before, it was just as bland and long as my other stories.

 

[Warden-Yarn15]

Fun fact: You can find my account if you look deep enough in to the comments of the linked website.

I was younger at the time and my brain wasn't fully mature. Still isn't.

 

[Hvast]

The problems I have with quick fixes, or quick stories, are that, for the most part, the lack of context of why anything is happening infuriates me. What's so satisfying if a scene immediately jumps to a sex scene, where's the buildup? Where's the foreplay? Where's the sexual tension that demands to be resolved?

If you want to write a satisfying quick short stuff consisting of one sex scene, you still need those things BUT they can stay in your head and be vague.

Also, you can throw quick references to those vague ideas. Narration, bits of dialogue (even something as simple as "I wanted you since I saw you in a towel leaving bathroom".), flashbacks, etc

 

[JWtts]

@Warden-Yarn15,
I have the same problem whenever I think of doing something small and not getting caught up in a giant story.

I'll come up with what I think is a "simple" idea or plot, or come across a picture that conjures up an idea for a scene. I then start building up around the idea or pic and soon I have a whole elaborate story with character backstories, motivations, etc. and then I'm like, "damn, this got away from me." OR I'll start writing and all of a sudden the "quick fix" part of the story is the least interesting thing and I'm several chapters deep before I get to the part that original started the idea.

Maybe I should be writing non-erotic fiction but then again, most of my ideas are generally geared around something sex related so my stories would be like erotic movies edited for basic cable.

Sorry I don't have any suggestions. Just wanted to say I (and my cloud folder full of ideas and notes) share your pain.

 

[SeriousBrainDamage]

So a long time ago in my "former workplace," there was this rather famous story called "Quick Fics for a Quick Fix" which is, more or less, supposed to be a cure-all for those aggressive moments of horniness where the mind is too clouded. At least that's how I treated it.

Trying my hand at quick fixes to satisfy my own creative and hormonal urges... I fail. Each and every time no less.

The problems I have with quick fixes, or quick stories, are that, for the most part, the lack of context of why anything is happening infuriates me. What's so satisfying if a scene immediately jumps to a sex scene, where's the buildup? Where's the foreplay? Where's the sexual tension that demands to be resolved?

While I am writing for myself, there's that feeling that either I commit to writing that short story, or not write at all. It's made worse when I want to write a story inspired by a picture too, as somehow, in my head, I simply cannot jump into the sex scene and describe how man and woman are grunting, no, there MUST be a buildup to that.

This... this mindset is slowly killing me... but if you, dear reader, have any experiments in writing that I can try and do, something that could potentially satisfy both needing context while getting right to the action, I'd appreciate it. I've tried writing prostitution before, it was just as bland and long as my other stories.

What's a quick story? What's the word count limit? I have no idea.
Let's assume those prompts are quick stories.

You should try to treat this quick story like a sketch of something bigger.
You know the drill: start with a concept and stereotypical characters, expand the concept to a scene and flesh out the characters(or not...), and put that between a "why it happens" and an ending.

Now, if you wanted to make a real story out of it, you would need to keep working on it.

Don't do that. Leave it there, or post it somewhere.

If you think that guy you linked did anything more than this, you're wrong. He did even less, possibly.
I honestly didn't read much after the 3rd-4th entry, but I can't fathom how that stuff got its fame, other than being the equivalent of our "quick story ideas".

I guess the hard part for you is either being able to stop at the sketching phase or simplifying enough the "why it happens".

If it is the first, you have to accept it won't look/read well.
That stuff doesn't, yours won't as well. That's about it. You won't win a prize with quick smut.

If it is the latter, you have to train on that.
To use the words of a better man

 

[Zeebop]

Sex has a narrative arc: beginning, middle, climax (usually), and end. By itself that can stand on its own, for a quick & dirty narrative, but it usually gains if you give it a proper setting to define the context of the action, and spend a little time to get to know the characters. I would classify a lot of the "epilogue" chapters to LLNO as fairly quick & dirty, mostly self-contained narratives, since I usually try to incorporate a sexy scene and to focus on a single idea or lead-up to a particular resolution or revelation.

But everybody is different, what works for one person might not work for you. That's okay - you just need to figure out what does oil your gears. Lean in to what you're good at, or want to be good at.

 

[Dissonant Soundtrack]

It can feel a little cheap. but fan fic is an easy-ish way to do that because the characters and motivations are established already. You don't need to invent a long drawn out backstory for why Batman and Catwoman are banging on top of Wayne Tower, their sexual tension has played out over hundreds of comics, movies, and games for decades. You can allude to scenes or situations you don't write. In a CHYOA context, this can be just dropping a chapter onto someone else's story.

Aside from that, I also have a couple of my own characters that I re-use if I want to write a specific scenario. A "fantasy" character, a "sci-fi" character, a college student, etc. Just abandon your need for continuity and embrace madness.

 

[Warden-Yarn15]

It can feel a little cheap. but fan fic is an easy-ish way to do that because the characters and motivations are established already.

Sad to say that I am primarily a fan fic writer, but I do agree with your sentiment.

More or less, the reason I write fanfic is because things have already been established for me. I've ranted in the past how some fan fics do not capture the personality of characters in the past, which I've questioned if it still constitutes as fan fiction at that point.

While I do agree with your sentiment, it does feel a little great when your story makes some sense or follows a game that you like's storyline. Recently, I was even complimented for writing in an Easter Egg you could find in New Vegas. But writing that story, even if most players do know how this and that could happen, it does feel like I'm still obligated to tell how the MC got from Point A to Point B.

Maybe I'm overthinking it though, or being a purist.

Just abandon your need for continuity and embrace madness.

This... this feels like the words that I've been looking for.

Been recently thinking of writing a more horror-esque story involving Carbon Monoxide poisoning with one of my established characters. Suppose you just gave me the best excuse for the brain.

With that, I appreciate it.