Pink Orchid: Story Event for Women-Centric Erotica - Official Support Thread

[MelissaBaby]

The Bechdel test comes up here now and then. Personally, I don't think it applies very well to heterosexual erotica. Per the Wikipedia article, there are three parts to the rule (rephrasing for written stories): there must be at least two women in the story, they must talk to each other, and their topic has to be something other than a man.

It isn't hard to meet the first two criteria, but in a story that only requires one man and one woman, it seems like a superfluous requirement. Meeting the third requirement is more difficult; it requires a diversion away from erotic subject matter.

Not that difficult, I think all my stories that have more than one major female character contain at least one scene where they talk about food or shoes.

 

[NotWise]

Not that difficult, I think all my stories that have more than one major female character contain at least one scene where they talk about food or shoes.

I guess food or shoes might even be considered erotic.

 

[Omenainen]

Well, all of mine don’t pass the Bechdel test, so I thought it’d be best to not mention it

 

[rescatooor]

Well, all of mine don’t pass the Bechdel test, so I thought it’d be best to not mention it

I don't think it's a requirement at all, for any media. I might have one story that passes. If you only work with a small number of characters or work on a story in which female characters just didn't play a role, there's no point in inserting a scene just to get the Bechdel approval.

But if the point is to humanize female characters, it's one way of doing it. Make it look like the characters have a life beyond their sexual relations with men. Or women. No need to "empower" anyone.

 

[NotWise]

I don't think it's a requirement at all, for any media. I might have one story that passes. If you only work with a small number of characters or work on a story in which female characters just didn't play a role, there's no point in inserting a scene just to get the Bechdel approval.

But if the point is to humanize female characters, it's one way of doing it. Make it look like the characters have a life beyond their sexual relations with men. Or women. No need to "empower" anyone.

I don't understand the idea, which seems inherent in the Bechdel criteria, that women can't express themselves in conversation with a man.

 

[MelissaBaby]

I don't understand the idea, which seems inherent in the Bechdel criteria, that women can't express themselves in conversation with a man.

You've got it flipped. The point is that in most movies, women only express themselves in conversation with men.

 

[NotWise]

You've got it flipped. The point is that in most movies, women only express themselves in conversation with men.

And the problem with that is...

 

[MelissaBaby]

And the problem with that is...

It presumes that the only things which are important are those that are important to men.

 

[NotWise]

It presumes that the only things which are important are those that are important to men.

I don't see that. Maybe if every male/female conversation were about the man then that would be true.

 

[MelissaBaby]

I don't see that. Maybe if every male/female conversation were about the man then that would be true.

Don't know what to tell you. I guess we don't watch the same movies.

 

[NotWise]

Don't know what to tell you. I guess we don't watch the same movies.

Maybe that's the problem. I'm talking about how the rule applies to the written word, and especially to erotica.

 

[MelissaBaby]

Maybe that's the problem. I'm talking about how the rule applies to the written word, and especially to erotica.

I agree with you regarding written erotica, but you said that the idea that women can't express themselves to men was inherent to the Bechtel criteria, which were formulated in regard to movies. That's what I responded to.

 

[Omenainen]

Edited the original post to add details of the Valentine's Day competition now that next year's contest schedule has been published.

 

[JuanSeiszFitzHall]

I’m starting to like what I have so far on one of the potential stories. I hesitate to promise anything, because I don’t have a complete first draft yet. But the structure seems to be there for the whole thing. I need to fill some gaps with at least placeholder text, with the hope of making that better in the rewrite.

But, whatever am I thinking? The first sex scene starts well past the 5k-word mark! The whole story could go past 12k, beyond the point when most readers of my stuff lapse into a coma! And no matter how I try to avoid it, I must surely be mansplaining!

Despite all that, I’ll keep at this.

https://www.literotica.com/stories/memberpage.php?uid=5116173&page=submissions

 

[Bramblethorn]

I don't understand the idea, which seems inherent in the Bechdel criteria, that women can't express themselves in conversation with a man.

The Bechdel Test seems to have been inspired by this observation from Virginia Woolf:

I tried to remember any case in the course of my reading where two women are represented as friends. ... They are now and then mothers and daughters. But almost without exception they are shown in their relation to men. It was strange to think that all the great women of fiction were, until Jane Austen's day, not only seen by the other sex, but seen only in relation to the other sex. And how small a part of a woman's life is that

It's not about "expressing themselves" so much as whether they're treated as fully-fledged human beings who aren't just accessories to the male characters.

It's not watertight; you can find some very three-dimensional female characters in stories that fail the Bechdel test, and some very one-dimensional characters in stories that pass it. But when applied to stories en masse it's useful for highlighting systematic differences in how female characters tend to be treated.

 

[DonnaBaker21]

Strong female characters

This looks like a great event!
I have only started writing stories for Literotica, but my main focus in writing is for strong female characters. Not overpowering, but that know what they want, have confidence in themselves, and do not degrade those around them. And just a little bit cheeky!!

I'm currently working on a story I feel would be suitable for this event, however as I have very few stories up now, I will publish them first, and look at new ones that fill the requirements for this event.

 

[JuanSeiszFitzHall]

I have a complete first draft of a story for this event. Would anyone like to volunteer for beta-reading?

The story would go in Mature. A 59-year-old widow and her just-divorced 37-year-old daughter travel to a mature singles resort in Florida to get their groove back (although they may not think of it that way) (at first). The sex is all straight, one-on-one, with oral, and totally consensual.

The story is 13.5k words long, so if that’s too big a time commitment for you, I get it. I would send it in something like MS Word for Windows, or some kind of Rich Text format. If you’re interested, please PM me with an email address you’re willing to divulge.

What I’m looking for is a content read. I’d like you to address the following: (1) Is this a good story? (2) If not, why not?

I don’t need you to proofread. I take care of that myself, and this is a first draft, so I’ll be doing plenty later. So don’t sweat the small stuff, unless there’s wording that you find to be indecipherable or meaningless.

 

[Omenainen]

This looks like a great event!
I have only started writing stories for Literotica, but my main focus in writing is for strong female characters. Not overpowering, but that know what they want, have confidence in themselves, and do not degrade those around them. And just a little bit cheeky!!

I'm currently working on a story I feel would be suitable for this event, however as I have very few stories up now, I will publish them first, and look at new ones that fill the requirements for this event.

Welcome to Lit and my event! Best of luck to your Lit career!

I have a complete first draft of a story for this event. Would anyone like to volunteer for beta-reading?

I do.

 

[Thefireflies]

Can I clarify the story can be posted throughout February? I have neglected my orchid story and it has not grown much over the past month and the way I’m going with it, or more correctly, not going, I’m not sure if it’ll be ready for the event.

 

[Omenainen]

Yes, posting in February, list to come out on international women’s day in March. I’m aiming my own in the beginning of February because I want it in the valentines comp too, and that closes early in February.

So you have two more months to go! Good luck with your story

 

[Thefireflies]

Yes, posting in February, list to come out on international women’s day in March. I’m aiming my own in the beginning of February because I want it in the valentines comp too, and that closes early in February.

So you have two more months to go! Good luck with your story

Thanks Omenainen. Will do my best to get writing.

 

[Omenainen]

Mine is finished and I’m super happy about that. Muses are fickle creatures and it would’ve been embarrassing to host an event and not have anything in it. My story is now in the hands of the most critical of my beta readers, and after that I’ll just sit on it and wait for the beginning of February.

In other words, I am available for beta reading others’ event stories. Contact me if you’re interested.

 

[Omenainen]

Edited the original post to add details about the 750 words challenge, which overlaps this event perfectly. I'm also tempted to have an unofficial subchallenge for everyone who writes a 750 word women-centric Valentine's Day story

 

[stickygirl]

Edited the original post to add details about the 750 words challenge, which overlaps this event perfectly. I'm also tempted to have an unofficial subchallenge for everyone who writes a 750 word women-centric Valentine's Day story

Exactly 750 words?
EB will know what I mean

 

[ElectricBlue]

Exactly 750 words?
EB will know what I mean

Lol

But yes, the intent of the 750 Word challenge is exactly 750 words, excluding the title.

But it doesn't mean you stop half way through a sentence... .