Tips for Creating Stories Women Appreciate

[AG31]

No shade but you could make the same statement about sea-sponges. Or dust mites. In the fact that to keep a species going it's statistically more likely if many of the individuals reproduce, that's a given. But there's no scientific consensus that 'biology is the root of human sexual attraction' unless you reduce it spectacularly to the fact that all living things on Earth came from a single-celled organism. But even regardless of the iffy 'scientific' premise, writing about human attraction using assumptions about biology/evolution would be (not impossible) but difficult to make erotic. I think I'd imagine it being narrated by David Attenborough.

"The sea sponge considers its choice between mates, on the one hand, the sponge before it looks especially 'spongy' & may result in excellent spongy offspring. On the other hand, it could simply produce more sponge by growing it from itself, asexually. It was sexually attracted to both itself & the other sponge. What was the sponge to do? Was there a way to have a threesome? With itself & other sponge? Sponge felt wet with seawater & desire, based on its biological urge to create more sponge. Oh no! A hungry looking turtle! Sponge would have to make a choice quickly, lest it be eaten before reproducing!" I jest, I jest.

On the second point where you say 'attraction to skin tone is the same as eye colour' I've heard that from people, but honestly, it only works if reduced to terms on a page, examined in a theoretical vacuum, without the historical, social & systemic context that exists in the real world. No value judgement, but if you know someone who's only attracted to (for example) Asian women, it may be healthy for that person to unpack the reasons for that. Just for their own edification & personal development. Not to say that fetishisation can't be wielded to write some wonderfully creative erotica by the right writer. I think most things go on this site.

Who were you replying to?

 

[Imakewetspots]

Maybe I don't need to make this point, but if you're going to write a story that's interesting to women, then you have to stop talking about it and start writing.

Underway as this thread goes on.

 

[ShinyCrazyDi]

Worth noting that from the few interactions I've had with posters via PM who claim to be women a significant percentage clearly aren't, many seem as if they've never even spoken to a real woman IRL.

FOR REAL

(Didn't want to come out & say it, so new here, but so glad someone else said it!)

 

[ShinyCrazyDi]

Who were you replying to?

Sorry! Mostly the pinkglove poster or whoever was arguing strongly for human attraction being based on standard biological traits? Not to say it can't be a contributing factor, just pointing out that a lot of the ideas that those theories are based on are from models that were posited during a time when scientific research (particularly into human psychology) was overwhelmingly tipped by the internal bias of the only academics at the time (largely, straight, white, cis, male, wealthy). More recent interpretations challenge a lot of what has been ingrained into culture as 'common sense' about what (& why) is deemed attractive & gender roles etc.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

Sorry! Mostly the pinkglove poster or whoever was arguing strongly for human attraction being based on standard biological traits? Not to say it can't be a contributing factor, just pointing out that a lot of the ideas that those theories are based on are from models that were posited during a time when scientific research (particularly into human psychology) was overwhelmingly tipped by the internal bias of the only academics at the time (largely, straight, white, cis, male, wealthy). More recent interpretations challenge a lot of what has been ingrained into culture as 'common sense' about what (& why) is deemed attractive & gender roles etc.

Thanks for putting me into my place. What would I do without you?

 

[MillieDynamite]

There is physical attraction, mental attraction, emotional attraction, possibly pheromonal attraction, straight attraction, bi attraction, gay and lesbian attraction, and what other attraction do you see that pulls two people together?

Sorry! Mostly the pinkglove poster or whoever was arguing strongly for human attraction being based on standard biological traits? Not to say it can't be a contributing factor, just pointing out that a lot of the ideas that those theories are based on are from models that were posited during a time when scientific research (particularly into human psychology) was overwhelmingly tipped by the internal bias of the only academics at the time (largely, straight, white, cis, male, wealthy). More recent interpretations challenge a lot of what has been ingrained into culture as 'common sense' about what (& why) is deemed attractive & gender roles etc.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

There is physical attraction, mental attraction, emotional attraction, possibly pheromonal attraction, straight attraction, bi attraction, gay and lesbian attraction, and what other attraction do you see that pulls two people together?

"So, Debbie McGee, what first attracted you to multi-millionaire Paul Daniels?"

A headscratcher, that one, for sure.

 

[ShinyCrazyDi]

Thanks for putting me into my place. What would I do without you?

I'm going to assume that's sarcasm because you clearly weren't being told off or 'put in your place' but politely disagreed with about a neutral & research-able body of work. <3

 

[ShinyCrazyDi]

"So, Debbie McGee, what first attracted you to multi-millionaire Paul Daniels?"

A headscratcher, that one, for sure.

Reminds me of the criticism about Fifty Shades & how if Chris wasn't super-wealthy & described as being almost supernaturally good-looking it would be a much less 'romantic' story. Like if you replace Chris with Danny DeVito (minus the fame & money) it's super-creepy!

(No shade on Danny DeVito, he actually seems like a really cool guy & I'm a big fan).

 

[Britva415]

Aaand now I'm going to hear that voice every time I read a story here, aren't I.

I mean, hopefully just those ones.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

Reminds me of the criticism about Fifty Shades & how if Chris wasn't super-wealthy & described as being almost supernaturally good-looking it would be a much less 'romantic' story. Like if you replace Chris with Danny DeVito (minus the fame & money) it's super-creepy!

(No shade on Danny DeVito, he actually seems like a really cool guy & I'm a big fan).

There was a meme going around that if 50 Shades took place in a trailer park it would be a horror movie...

 

[TheRedChamber]

Reminds me of the criticism about Fifty Shades & how if Chris wasn't super-wealthy & described as being almost supernaturally good-looking it would be a much less 'romantic' story. Like if you replace Chris with Danny DeVito (minus the fame & money) it's super-creepy!

(No shade on Danny DeVito, he actually seems like a really cool guy & I'm a big fan).

There's a reason why this exists as a meme template...

 

[ShinyCrazyDi]

Aaand now I'm going to hear that voice every time I read a story here, aren't I.

The guy has a fantastic voice! Now I'm tempted to try & write some erotica in his voice as a challenge XD

 

[ShinyCrazyDi]

There was a meme going around that if 50 Shades took place in a trailer park it would be a horror movie...

The 50 Shades of Texas Chainsaw Massacre? I could see it (like Pride & Prejudice & Zombies)

 

[WCSGarland]

Well, my wife, being a non-typical woman, would say murder-mystery.... anything but smut. And yet, I feel compelled to write erotica instead. Maybe one day, my muse will slice my gut and a murder-mystery will tumble out with my intestines.

 

[AG31]

Like if you replace Chris with Danny DeVito (minus the fame & money) it's super-creepy!

There's no doubt that Shades of Grey depends on on having an almost impossibly handsome person in the Christian Grey role, but I keep thinking about this idea, that a physically unattractive person can be the central character in an erotic story. It can be done. In one of those flash-in-the-pan mainstream publications some years ago, an anthology of short erotica, one of the stories featured a man who was clearly physically unattractive. I think he was overweight, I'm not sure, and I can't remember the particular eroticism he was involved in, but I do remember that it worked. It needs a better author than E. L. James, here on Lit @ElectricBlue comes to mind. I'd read the submissions in any category if there were such a challenge here, just because it would stretch people's skills.

 

[Bramblethorn]

There's no doubt that Shades of Grey depends on on having an almost impossibly handsome person in the Christian Grey role, but I keep thinking about this idea, that a physically unattractive person can be the central character in an erotic story.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

There's no doubt that Shades of Grey depends on on having an almost impossibly handsome person in the Christian Grey role, but I keep thinking about this idea, that a physically unattractive person can be the central character in an erotic story. It can be done. In one of those flash-in-the-pan mainstream publications some years ago, an anthology of short erotica, one of the stories featured a man who was clearly physically unattractive. I think he was overweight, I'm not sure, and I can't remember the particular eroticism he was involved in, but I do remember that it worked. It needs a better author than E. L. James, here on Lit @ElectricBlue comes to mind. I'd read the submissions in any category if there were such a challenge here, just because it would stretch people's skills.

On the mainstream
side, the Steve Martin, Daryl Hannah movie "Roxanne" comes to mind.
And yes, I know it's based on the play Cyrano de Bergerac.

The theme of both works is the self doubt of a physically unattractive man.

 

[ShinyCrazyDi]

There's no doubt that Shades of Grey depends on on having an almost impossibly handsome person in the Christian Grey role, but I keep thinking about this idea, that a physically unattractive person can be the central character in an erotic story. It can be done. In one of those flash-in-the-pan mainstream publications some years ago, an anthology of short erotica, one of the stories featured a man who was clearly physically unattractive. I think he was overweight, I'm not sure, and I can't remember the particular eroticism he was involved in, but I do remember that it worked. It needs a better author than E. L. James, here on Lit @ElectricBlue comes to mind. I'd read the submissions in any category if there were such a challenge here, just because it would stretch people's skills.

Yeah, fully agree. In fact, I think you've inspired me to try & do it.

 

[ShinyCrazyDi]

View attachment 2450238

A challenging wank, to be sure, but maybe not impossible?

 

[ShinyCrazyDi]

On the mainstream
side, the Steve Martin, Daryl Hannah movie "Roxanne" comes to mind.
And yes, I know it's based on the play Cyrano de Bergerac.

The theme of both works is the self doubt of a physically unattractive man.

No joke: we had that movie on DVD when I was a kid & Steve Martin was one of my first crushes! I think regardless of his nose Steve Martin's character in the film was absolutely charming. I loved the scenes where his physicality was shown (like him shimmying up Hannah's house) or when he was showing off by making better jokes about the size of his nose.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

No joke: we had that movie on DVD when I was a kid & Steve Martin was one of my first crushes! I think regardless of his nose Steve Martin's character in the film was absolutely charming. I loved the scenes where his physicality was shown (like him shimmying up Hannah's house) or when he was showing off by making better jokes about the size of his nose.

My mom adores that movie, and I agree, the whole "the best you can do is 'big nose'" scene is comedy gold.

 

[Bramblethorn]

A challenging wank, to be sure, but maybe not impossible?

Many seem to have managed it!

 

[pink_silk_glove]

A challenging wank, to be sure, but maybe not impossible?

The most common thing you will find on lit is a completely unsexy guy getting pounced on by a hot girl, so no, hardly impossible.

 

[ShinyCrazyDi]

The most common thing you will find on lit is a completely unsexy guy getting pounced on by a hot girl, so no, hardly impossible.

That's SO TRUE, it should be one of the categories!