How To Write Incest

There are many, many "How To" books on writing. But when I Google'd how to write incest it returned no result. There are offers to write incest for "research" purposes and lists a large number of other links, but apparently this taboo topic has not produced any "How To" guides. Now you have one.

Keeping in mind that I'm no expert by any stretch of the imagination, I will share with you my writing approach, which you may also find useful, or at least partially so. This is intended to explore this controversial category and not necessarily educate, although the tips I share may help new writers venturing into this arena.

First, allow me to reveal my personal journey into this area. I joined Literotica in February of 2005, initially submitting stories in the Erotic Horror and Celebrity categories. After spending some time in the forums I learned about the "Hot" rating and wondered why my stories, which had high scores, lacked that distinction. It was then that I discovered the minimum requirement of 10 votes.

I quickly became discouraged and sought out the counsel of those far wiser in the forums. That was when I found that some categories had far higher numbers of readers, with Loving Wives and Incest/Taboo being two of those suggested. After being cautioned to steer clear of Loving Wives (which would later actually treat me very well ), my sights were set on the Incest/Taboo arena.

Keeping in mind that my background included a positive and supporting family when growing up, where no such thoughts had ever been entertained in my mind, it would prove to be a very difficult topic for me to embrace; far harder, in fact, than I could handle emotionally. Beginning the story was all fine and good, but when things turned intimate between a brother and sister, I simply could not continue. I'd hit a brick wall.

Finally I came up with a workable solution: remove the family ties by having them find proof one of them was adopted. That was all I needed to allow me to finish "Family Tradition", and to submit - with fingers crossed, I might add. As a result I had my first red little "H", and I was instantly hooked by comments such as the one listed below:

I read these stories with great frequency and I found yours exceedingly well written and very entertaining. The ending was great. By the way, this is the first story that I have ever rated or commented on.

Already aware of the emotional difficulties I'd encountered with "Family Tradition", I employed a completely different style of writing for my next effort. Characterization was swept "under the carpet", so to speak, and I wrote a "stroke" story that grew into a series under different titles.

"Daddy's Girls" marked my return to the category. Nothing but sex, with no reasons offered for the sinful couplings other than forbidden desire. And those continued for a time, until my senses were overwhelmed. Like a rescue or medical worker who has seen too many grotesque injuries, I grew numb to the repeated emotional shocks , but I suddenly discovered that I could write more involved stories, the reasons for which I'm still uncertain.

And thus was born "Reluctant Desire". Please understand I'm not advertising my stories, but I cannot possibly relate my transgression into this category without mentioning these milestones, which are an inextricable part of my evolution as an erotic writer. Below is one example of encouragement I received in response:

Great pacing & wonderful, sensuous, erotic descriptions... really liked the flashbacks with wife/mother to establish their loving relationship... made the initiation of daughter even more poignant. Sequel, maybe... with first anal experience???

How could I not be sucked in with feedback like this, compared to the virtually silent Erotic Horror and Celebrity categories? I had worked so hard, invested so much time and effort, and I was finally receiving the recognition I felt I deserved for my efforts. I was becoming "somebody" at Literotica. Who could give THAT up? I won't go on except to say I saw the mud puddle, jumped in, and continue to play, proverbially speaking. I was hooked, along with my readers.

But why are there so many clamoring for stories in this category? In my mind I remain uncertain, and can only speculate. Are the readers anxious to fulfill a long-standing fantasy? Or does the mere "forbidden" nature make it irresistibly attractive? If you tell someone NOT to do something, odds are they'll do it in an effort to figure out why; it's human nature.

And now the "How To" part begins...

1. What are readers looking for, and how to best end an incest story?

I'm sure this varies from reader to reader. But in my experience simple sex stories work, where the characters are shallow and are not taken seriously, and no ending is required except as to leave open the possibility for additional chapters, if desired.

Some also appreciate deep characters that the reader gets to know and becomes emotionally attached to. But when the reader makes this kind of commitment to a series, faithfully reading and in some cases voting and commenting, they deserve the author to respect their role. This is accomplished by keeping true to the characters and not having them do something that would not seem plausible. And, when wrapping things up, deciding on a suitable ending.

Perhaps this can best be answered by including a small sampling of the comments from a few stories.

"Daddy's Girls": Great story. I am hoping that the twins not only keep this relationship going, but that we can read about their actions with their cousin.

As mentioned previously, "Daddy's Girls" was nothing but sex, with no reason offered as to why it happened, and with just enough plot to set the stage for the incestuous erotic couplings. Sex, more sex, and nothing but sex is appealing to many readers.

"Stormy Desire": The perfect blend of romance and loving. I love a happy ending.

Others enjoy being caught up in a story where the characters are well developed over time, which they connect with at an emotional level. And in this series I had an ending already established before I'd even started writing, which allowed me to make it a happy and believable one.

"Ripples On A Pond Ch. 11": Not very erotic, really, but sweet, except for the obvious fact they can't get away with this, unless they move to New Zealand and start new lives, or something. And then what about the future? Will they always have this fairy-tale love? Or will it develop into a bitter cynicism as they age?

This series actually started as a single story. Due to its success I was encouraged to add sequels. After ten chapters I was ready to find an ending. Readers wanted the brother and sister to remain together, so I did the best that I could given the illegal and immoral nature of their relationship. But not all readers found it believable. So when planning to write incest, if a series is planned, I suggest you give serious consideration in advance as to how it will end.

2. The mechanics are the same, but different.

Once you get down to it, a story is a story. I won't get into how to write one, as this is not the subject matter being explored. But rather, what makes a story incestuous? The obvious answer is that somewhere along the way it was revealed that the characters are related in one way or another.

That being the case, I recommend reinforcing that idea. Although it may be mentioned at the start of the story, as this is an incest gig, mix in "brother" or "sister" or "father" or whatever "in lieu of" a name, at times. Remind a reader continually that they are reading incest. I've been using this technique more and more lately.

3. Use Lit-approved verbage.

This is where it gets sticky, no pun intended. It should be no surprise that Lit has an '18+' policy, which I happen to support. So how does one refer to "younger others"?

Here are a few suggestions after establishing your characters' ages at 18 or more. Use expressions like "adult-aged offspring", "the adult-aged offspring of my brother", etc. I think you see my approach. Avoid the use of words that might appear to others as their age being less than 18, such as "child", "children", etc. Sure, it makes a story just a little bit more difficult to read, but those are the rules we operate under.

4. Review before sending along to your editor.

Software suites these days offer many tools. Take a moment and use them. The more spelling and grammatical errors that can be resolved before reaching the editing stage would be most appreciated. As an editor myself, it's such a joy to be required to only provide minor corrections, thus allowing me additional time for other projects.

If you're the type of author that pecks out a story and sends it along without taking this vital step, you are neither doing yourself nor your editor any favors. Please, take the extra effort. Not sure? Then send it regardless. A good editor and mentor will find errors and, if required, raise questions.

In summary, many different writing styles can be successfully employed, as long as the story is plausible and the ending believable. A little pre-planning before starting an incest writing project can result in very beneficial results.