How To Write Creative Story Lines For Erotica
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Tired of writing the same old thing? Have you found your way around a sex scene but can’t seem to figure out an engaging, creative plot that hasn’t been done before? You have all the resources you need right in front of you, you just haven’t been looking at them the right way.
This isn’t a complicated system. It’s actually beyond simple. But it also take into account that you have the ability to come up with ideas to begin with. So, if you struggle on the creative front, you may want to just go on a summary reading binge, see what other people are doing, what draws your eye, what seems boring as fuck. If you’re the type to struggle with creative story lines, it’s probably because you’re not exposed to enough raw material, or you’re just not used to stretching that particular muscle. But the only way to get better is practice, and this system below helps in that sense immensely.
I took a basic color and design class back in college and learned this really simple skill that I feel applies well to writing stroke fiction. Stroke fiction, for those that don’t know, is basically short erotic writings 7,000-10,000 words in length. Smut, short and sweet. You’ll find a million little fics out there, all in particular niches and kinks—some much more popular than others.
So, during this course there was an exercise we had to do where we picked a topic and then during the week drew 50, 3×3 inch designs that concerned that topic. Colored sketches, nothing polished or perfect. The idea was to basically explore a topic without putting pressure, flipping ideas around and then, out of the 50, pick one that you want to finalize for the final project. Because I am a notorious procrastinator, I did all of my little sketches the night before my next class. It turned out fine.
Ideas can flow really well when you’re in the right place and some times they pop up when you least expect it. So when intentionally going to generate ideas, taking that little drawing model to mind, I came out with something similar for writing.
Start with a Topic
Pick a topic, in this case, kink. Pick a few of your favorites. Maybe there’s a type of fic you want to explore or break into because it’s popular. Whatever. Give yourself a few key topics/niches/kinks, then open a document or notebook and label 1-50. I think you see where I’m going with this.
Start small. Topic oriented. Oh, let’s say 1) Forced by shifters 2) werewolves stole my virginity 3) Sold to a werewolf alpha. Now, you don’t have to stay as niche as werewolves + dubcon (#2 has first time in there, #1+2 have multi, possibly gangbang, #3 has Master/Slave, possibly bdsm) for all 50 if you don’t want, it’s up to you your topics, niches, variety. Have fun. Write stuff you like and you’ll probably find more ideas to come faster because of it.
So, you might be thinking, those topics sound really fucking generic. Oh, they are. You’ll find in the kink community, it isn’t usually about creativity, it’s about fulfilling whatever strange is wired in the human subconscious to help a person get off. And people, no matter how varied we are, still have these similar archetypes when it comes to fantasizing about sex. You really think a black leather stiletto is ever going to go out of style? We don’t all agree on what’s sexy, but you’re rarely completely alone in what does it for you.
This doesn’t mean you’re required to be boring in your short stories. It just means that you want to make sure you know what primal desire you’re fulfilling before you go crazy with plot. Otherwise, you may write a great, interesting story, but people may not want to read it because it doesn’t have that sexy factor. And if people don’t want to buy, you wasted a bit of time writing.
Expand On Each Idea
After you’ve gotten yourself some very clear topics as to the content of your story, go back in, pick one, and write a quick summary/synopsis. It doesn’t have to be gold, but you do have to find those key points you’re going to want to get across to create tension in your story. Do it until you have your chosen number of fics. Maybe you can fill out all 50. Give it a shot.
Quick example: Sold to a werewolf alpha
#1 stolen in broad daylight at a mall. Fear, uncertainty, self hatred of his own weakness to be captured, hearing about what’s going to happen behind blindfold. #2 isn’t even there when the blindfold is finally taken off at the auction, faced with a sea of hard, hungry eyes. No, #2, the werewolf alpha calls in his bid. More uncertainty, #1 making plans of how to escape, hoping not to be eaten by a crazy ass werewolf–there are rumors just how messed up they are. But #2 hasn’t even seen him yet, doesn’t even know his scent; surely he’ll be able to escape and not be followed. Switch to #2’s perspective. He’s actually the driver taking #1 to his new home, the seemingly easy going guy that’s been keeping #1 calm the entire time. When #1 jumps from the car and nearly kills himself, #2 is there to keep him from dying while also make a very aggressive claim for what he’s bought.
That’s just one idea for this topic. Maybe #2 is a vicious jerk, has his way with #1 once he gets to the mansion and the plot continues with #1 seeking safety from another master. Maybe #1 is really a sorcerer, was caught off guard when first captured and is planning on putting #2 in his place once he meets him–if he doesn’t fall for the werewolf first. Maybe #1 is rescued by his friends who followed the kidnappers before he’s even out of the parking lot to be shipped off to his new alpha and #2 is furious and hunts him down, determined to get what he paid for. You can have a thousand ideas for one topic and none of them are wrong, some may just be more interesting to read than others, or you’re just more happy to write.
That very simple mix of words ‘sold to a werewolf alpha’ allowed a spark of a variety of different ideas. Let me give you some insight into how I approach something like this and why I chose the things I did.
I start with creating the main character, #1, and knowing that I’ll need my readers to know him as well. Having him out doing his normal activities before he’s stolen not only lets you see who he is, but offers a huge dramatic contrast once he’s kidnapped. How he acts around his friends compared to how he acts in the situation will be completely different and going with the character through those moments of uncertainty and fear will be immersive for the reader. Once that characterization is set and free to fuel #1’s actions, I focus on a series of events to let the character react and the tension build.
The auction house. This would be a scene all its own. You need a feel of the character really starting to understand what he could be in for. Creates tension, creates emotion and drama and maybe even sparks some desire in our main character. When the bid is called in that buys him, his emotional reactions and fear of the unknown are going to be huge. Yes, he’s not going home with any of these creeps, but shit, who just bought him? Werewolf alpha–they’re supposed to be monsters. He might be killed the second he walks in the door. But that might be better than some sort of fuck toy for some horrible shifter. Whatever the character is afraid of, your reader will be wondering about too.
Next event pushes the plot along. He’ll be in a car, treatment not terrible, car rather fancy looking, the chauffeur bulked but not menacing. He wants to ask a million questions, the big one being if the guy will just drop him off at his house, but he’s still chained in the car. The chauffeur keeps asking him questions like he gives a fuck even though he’s some bought slave. It’s weird but the least of #1’s concerns. You can get a feel for #2’s character before it’s even revealed the chauffeur is really the werewolf alpha. When #1 determines he’s going to jump out of the car and then you immediately switch to #2’s perspective, you’re not only offering a big twist, but you’re also creating this really dramatic moment. #1 thinks there are no werewolves around to follow after him and he’s been sitting right next to the most dangerous werewolf of them all the entire time. #1 doesn’t know he’s screwed but your readers do and they’ll react to it.
After this point, getting to the sex seems about right for a short stroke fic. If you wanted a longer story, you’d probably have #2 bring #1 back to his mansion first, look around, not feel so terrified, hell, maybe fall in love or discover he had a kink for being in a master/slave relationship before you get to the sex. Depends on the format of your story. The more you write these types of fics, the more you get a feel for how to pace things.
Outline And Prepare To Write
After that, it’s up to you if you want to use the ideas you just generated. You can go down the list, outline five out of fifty, and get them out in a week. You may decided you really like an idea and want to do more in that category—or just expand and write a longer book. I have a great post on Outlining to speed up your writing.
What you actually do with your ideas is up to you, but it’s important to make a habit of having ideas. If you do a list of thirty and write one story each day, you just wrote thirty books in a month. Pretty killer.
Yeah, like I said, it’s a really simple technique but it might not feel simple if you’re the type struggling on the creative front. All the more reason to push yourself. Practicing even once a week can make a huge difference. Surround yourself with raw material. This part of erotic writing is more just learning how to write. You could get ideas from a movie or watching people while you’re in a restaurant. You need to train yourself to be looking for ideas all the time. No one wants to wait for inspiration to strike when you gotta pay the bills.
