Poll: What Do You Like In A Story?

[Juan1234]

I'm just wondering how everybody feels about these story elements. I'll give my opinions soon.

 

[Madiosi]

"to be continued" and "The End".

 

[Eulalia]

We're unanimous

 

[Barbaria1]

There are so many elements to a good story, but to name a few that I like:

1) A plausible premise, with believable historical or contemporary contexts to set the stage for what is to follow. And story development helps too. Some twists and turns. Hopes and reversals. The story can be a lot more than just a series of torture scenes ending with death.

2) As a victim, which I almost always am, a sense of real peril is important ... things spinning out of control, finding myself in a predicament from which it seems there is no way out.

3) Adequate attention paid to my thoughts and emotions: helplessness, fear, anticipation, humiliation, shame, resignation, pain, suffering, exhaustion, etc. (this can also apply to my tormentor, interrogator, or executioner ... what is she or he thinking?)

4) A recognition that the human body can take only so much, especially if the victim is to survive for multiple episodes ... so don't mutilate or destroy me in the first interrogation, whipping, or whatever torment or punishment may be inflicted. I want to believably be still able to take more in subsequent situations.

5) Thick and imaginative description of my suffering ... tell of the tools of torture, of the means of whipping, of the process of nailing, etc. ... and their effects on my mind and body ... make it realistic ... not just mindless cruelty accompanied by screams.

These are a few things that come to mind ... I am sure there is plenty that could be added to the above.

 

[old slave]

There are so many elements to a good story, but to name a few that I like:

1) A plausible premise, with believable historical or contemporary contexts to set the stage for what is to follow. And story development helps too. Some twists and turns. Hopes and reversals. The story can be a lot more than just a series of torture scenes ending with death.

2) As a victim, which I almost always am, a sense of real peril is important ... things spinning out of control, finding myself in a predicament from which it seems there is no way out.

3) Adequate attention paid to my thoughts and emotions: helplessness, fear, anticipation, humiliation, shame, resignation, pain, suffering, exhaustion, etc. (this can also apply to my tormentor, interrogator, or executioner ... what is she or he thinking?)

4) A recognition that the human body can take only so much, especially if the victim is to survive for multiple episodes ... so don't mutilate or destroy me in the first interrogation, whipping, or whatever torment or punishment may be inflicted. I want to believably be still able to take more in subsequent situations.

5) Thick and imaginative description of my suffering ... tell of the tools of torture, of the means of whipping, of the process of nailing, etc. ... and their effects on my mind and body ... make it realistic ... not just mindless cruelty accompanied by screams.

These are a few things that come to mind ... I am sure there is plenty that could be added to the above.

As a writer of two very modest little stories so far, I'm going to save this list and compare anything more I attempt with it.

I also feel there is a place for some of the fantasy, time-travel, dragons stories here, we need some lighter stuff ( I do anyway).

 

[Madiosi]

As a writer of two very modest little stories so far, I'm going to save this list and compare anything more I attempt with it.

I also feel there is a place for some of the fantasy, time-travel, dragons stories here, we need some lighter stuff ( I do anyway).

A little thing is in work. The hardworking Wragg translated for us all.

 

[Barbaria1]

As a writer of two very modest little stories so far, I'm going to save this list and compare anything more I attempt with it.

I also feel there is a place for some of the fantasy, time-travel, dragons stories here, we need some lighter stuff ( I do anyway).

What I wrote above assumed a serious story. There is of course nothing wrong with fantasy, poetry, time-travel, and tales laced with light-hearted humor and fun. Here on CF we do it all, and we do it all extremely well too!

 

[windar]

Excellent poll, Madiosi.

For me, #1 is believable characters, with realistic reactions to situations. Of course their bodies are experiencing pain, but what are they feeling in their heads, especially before the actual suffering? How are they dealing with the possibility, and then the certainty? Also, I like to see them develop and change under the force of circumstances.

Second is some suspense, some possibility of escape (though it should fail in the end of course) and as much detail in the description of the process by which they got in the situation and how those who are in charge handle things. The writer should try to show rather than tell as much as possible.

Here is what Alfred Hitchcock, the master of suspense had to say:

"We are now having a very innocent little chat. Let's suppose that there is a bomb underneath this table between us. Nothing happens, and then all of a sudden, "Boom!" There is an explosion. The public is surprised, but prior to this surprise, it has seen an absolutely ordinary scene, of no special consequence. Now, let us take a suspense situation. The bomb is underneath the table and the public knows it, probably because they have seen the anarchist place it there. The public is aware the bomb is going to explode at one o'clock and there is a clock in the decor. The public can see that it is a quarter to one. In these conditions, the same innocuous conversation becomes fascinating because the public is participating in the scene. The audience is longing to warn the characters on the screen: "You shouldn't be talking about such trivial matters. There is a bomb beneath you and it is about to explode!"

In the first case we have given the public fifteen seconds of surprise at the moment of the explosion. In the second we have provided them with fifteen minutes of suspense. The conclusion is that whenever possible the public must be informed. Except when the surprise is a twist, that is, when the unexpected ending is, in itself, the highlight of the story.”

 

[Juan1234]

What great discussion! Obviously this is geared toward crucifixion/BDSM stories, but it's great to see that a lot of this is stuff that applies to ANY story. Good writing is good writing, regardless of genre.

Here's my opinion. And this is just my opinion. I'm sure others disagree, and I welcome the discussion.

Writing for CF opens up possibilities, because we can write about things that would be taboo out in the "normal" world. That's great, but to me, it can go too far, and we can end up talking ONLY about the things we can only talk about here, instead of weaving them carefully into high-quality stories, letting the erotic/BDSM details ENHANCE the story, not BE the story. To me, if every paragraph is chock full of nudity, sex, and torture, those elements lose their power. (I'm not disparaging anyone's work, BTW. This site is full of great stuff!)

For my personal taste, I prefer very realistic-feeling stories that explore the psychology of the characters. And I prefer mostly characters with a moral compass, so that we can feel it being violated, either by the things they, as victims, are forced to do, or by things they, as perpetrators, find themselves drawn to do by their baser instrincts.

Along the same lines, I like explicit sexual elements to be subtle and few. A rape as a tremendously humiliating way of degrading and punishing someone can be effective, for me. But mostly, I like the situations in the story to be inherently erotic because of the nudity, humiliation, and torture involved, not because of actual sex. For the most part, the moral compass of the perpetrators, however bent and warped, should, for me, prevent them from explicitly acknowledging the sexual nature of what's going on. This very hipocrasy is compelling for me.

I feel similarly about nudity. To me, stripping a woman naked is HUGE. But once she's naked, it's over. I get used to it, and it no longer has any power. So I like most of the story to deal with anticipation, rather than the actual stripping. And then I like the stripping to be somewhat gradual.

Finally, for me personally, erotic humor is a bit of a turn off, as is vulgar language. Sorry - that's just me.

I look forward to hearing how others feel about these things...

 

[windar]

That's great, but to me, it can go too far, and we can end up talking ONLY about the things we can only talk about here, instead of weaving them carefully into high-quality stories, letting the erotic/BDSM details ENHANCE the story, not BE the story. To me, if every paragraph is chock full of nudity, sex, and torture, those elements lose their power.

Absolutely agree-I like characters who start out doing absolutely ordinary things and somehow end up in "situations", whether accidentally or sub-consciously desiring it, but not daring to admit it to themselves.

For my personal taste, I prefer very realistic-feeling stories that explore the psychology of the characters. And I prefer mostly characters with a moral compass, so that we can feel it being violated, either by the things they, as victims, are forced to do, or by things they, as perpetrators, find themselves drawn to do by their baser instrincts.

Yes!!!

 

[Loxuru]

Interesting question, Juan.

Plausible situations and an interesting storyline. The story as a whole must be credible, considering of course that it plays in a fantasy world. It today’s world Roman crucifixion is not applied, but in a crux story playing today, the opposite is the case. Credibility can be enhanced by doing some research (e.g. when it plays in the Roman Empire, add historical elements as accurate as possible and avoid too obvious anachronisms). Some liberty is permitted of course, but do not let it spoil the story. Writing alternate history is also a challenge, as it still has to remain credible.

In our stories on CF, erotic punishment is the main issue, but it should fit in the plausibility of the story. It is not supposed to be ‘obvious’ that the lead character will end on the cross, it is a result of circumstances and acts, so the story must lead the condemned to the cross in a credible way, taking into account that the cross could be avoided (e.g. the condemned had made the wrong choice or deliberately taking too much risk). The same for the description of the suffering and the attitude of the condemned towards his punishment and towards the other parties of the story.

As much as sex as possible, vulgar language or gore are less my thing. They draw the attention of the story and do not contribute to it.

 

[Eulalia]

A very interesting discussion, thanks for launching it, Juan.
I very much agree with you, and with Barb, OldSlave, and Windar.* and Loxuru now
On the negative side, crux/ BDSM stories (or parts of stories) that don't work so well for me concentrate too much on the 'mechanics' and/or the anatomical details. I agree with Barb about 'thick description', yet it needs to be done lightly, giving just enough hints and small details for us to feel ourselves into the situation and fill in the picture with our imaginations. Again, I'm not squeamish about sex, violence or even sexual violence, but it needs to arise from the logic of the story, just grafting it in doesn't make for exciting reading, it soon gets boring. And always, it's the expectation, the slow build-up, the suspense that get the juices simmering - though a good story will often bring a shock, something maybe worse than expected!

 

[Darkprincess69]

I voted for

A storyline that would be interesting with or without erotic detail

Of course if it has a splash of girl-on-girl action, then so much the better

 

[SkatingJesus]

When I do a comics, I always try to do a realistic and credible story, as mush as possible.
And in the Andaros series, there is much more torture stuff, rather than sex scenes.

I had a little argument a few days ago with one of the renderotica mangers, as he thinks that I do too much torture scenes, and not enough sex scenes. For him, a whipping:beating scene is not erotic, just pure brutality, and he asked me to do less violence, and more normal sex. Some of the buyers asked for a refund, as "the comics is not what they were looking for".
It's bullshit to me, as I uploaded enough promo pictures to show what's inside.

But well, I guess I will have to do less classic sex scenes, even it would totally unlogical in the story. We will see...

 

[Barbaria1]

When I do a comics, I always try to do a realistic and credible story, as mush as possible.
And in the Andaros series, there is much more torture stuff, rather than sex scenes.

I had a little argument a few days ago with one of the renderotica mangers, as he thinks that I do too much torture scenes, and not enough sex scenes. For him, a whipping:beating scene is not erotic, just pure brutality, and he asked me to do less violence, and more normal sex. Some of the buyers asked for a refund, as "the comics is not what they were looking for".
It's bullshit to me, as I uploaded enough promo pictures to show what's inside.

But well, I guess I will have to do less classic sex scenes, even it would totally unlogical in the story. We will see...

Don't listen to them SJ ... I think you have the right formula as is ... critics are not always right, you know.

 

[Juan1234]

When I do a comics, I always try to do a realistic and credible story, as mush as possible.
And in the Andaros series, there is much more torture stuff, rather than sex scenes.

I had a little argument a few days ago with one of the renderotica mangers, as he thinks that I do too much torture scenes, and not enough sex scenes. For him, a whipping:beating scene is not erotic, just pure brutality, and he asked me to do less violence, and more normal sex. Some of the buyers asked for a refund, as "the comics is not what they were looking for".
It's bullshit to me, as I uploaded enough promo pictures to show what's inside.

But well, I guess I will have to do less classic sex scenes, even it would totally unlogical in the story. We will see...

Wow - hate it when money gets in the way like that.

 

[Juan1234]

When I do a comics, I always try to do a realistic and credible story, as mush as possible.
And in the Andaros series, there is much more torture stuff, rather than sex scenes.

I had a little argument a few days ago with one of the renderotica mangers, as he thinks that I do too much torture scenes, and not enough sex scenes. For him, a whipping:beating scene is not erotic, just pure brutality, and he asked me to do less violence, and more normal sex. Some of the buyers asked for a refund, as "the comics is not what they were looking for".
It's bullshit to me, as I uploaded enough promo pictures to show what's inside.

But well, I guess I will have to do less classic sex scenes, even it would totally unlogical in the story. We will see...

And I'll just add this: There are a number of fabulous artists on CF, and my hat's off to them all. But your wok is my personal favorite.

 

[SkatingJesus]

And I'll just add this: There are a number of fabulous artists on CF, and my hat's off to them all. But your wok is my personal favorite.

Thanks for your support, friend.

 

[Wragg]

A little thing is in work. The hardworking Wragg translated for us all.

Hardworking? I'm having a whole lot of fun!

There are so many elements to a good story, but to name a few that I like:

1) A plausible premise, with believable historical or contemporary contexts to set the stage for what is to follow. And story development helps too. Some twists and turns. Hopes and reversals. The story can be a lot more than just a series of torture scenes ending with death.

2) As a victim, which I almost always am, a sense of real peril is important ... things spinning out of control, finding myself in a predicament from which it seems there is no way out.

3) Adequate attention paid to my thoughts and emotions: helplessness, fear, anticipation, humiliation, shame, resignation, pain, suffering, exhaustion, etc. (this can also apply to my tormentor, interrogator, or executioner ... what is she or he thinking?)

4) A recognition that the human body can take only so much, especially if the victim is to survive for multiple episodes ... so don't mutilate or destroy me in the first interrogation, whipping, or whatever torment or punishment may be inflicted. I want to believably be still able to take more in subsequent situations.

5) Thick and imaginative description of my suffering ... tell of the tools of torture, of the means of whipping, of the process of nailing, etc. ... and their effects on my mind and body ... make it realistic ... not just mindless cruelty accompanied by screams.

These are a few things that come to mind ... I am sure there is plenty that could be added to the above.

Barb's just about covered it.

The situation ought to be believable, and not jarringly historically improbable. There needs to be tension in the story, drama, something to draw the reader forward. The Hitchcockian tension alluded to be Windar can be elusive in a crux story.... somehow I suspect that if the victim narrowly escapes the cross it won't go down well, although doubt about whether the victim survives can add tension.

To this I might add exploration of the sexuality of the victim, the onlooker, and the executioner.

Sex? Depends on the story. As Juan says, not too much sex, and not too much gratuitous gore.

But just a little, a couple of orgasms never hurt a story...

(I just love adding to Kleenex' profits! )

 

[Barbaria1]

To this I might add exploration of the sexuality of the victim, the onlooker, and the executioner.

Yep, Never neglect to mention 'tumescence' whenever it applies