All Comments on 'A Plea for Accuracy and Truthfulness'

Of course, if you're going to criticize other people's writing it would help to be able to spell. Look up 'rigid' and 'ridged'.

And while we're on the subject of penis sizes, can we remember that the most sensitive part of the vagina is the first bit? I actually had a boyfriend who was hideously over endowed. He hurt. He didn't try to hurt me but we ended up breaking up over it.. indirectly of course, but how much future can a relationship have when she starts to dread the idea of him touching her?

Thank you, I can't "get" into a story that doesn't have a modicum of realism in it or one that is so exagerated with wrong information that instead of being sensual it falls into a parody.

Especially about when a man accidentally hits the cervix. It's not really pleasurable. And in fact, a woman can get an infection of the cervix from the tip of the penis banging away there. So while I do want my man "balls deep," I don't want the tip of his penis literally banging on my cervix.

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As to penis size, while long and thick make much better descriptive writing, the main thing is that a penis be hard, and that its owner know what to do with it, and most importantly, how to control it. I.E., if you have a huge schlong yet you can't last more than a few minutes, it's a huge disappointment. The best lover I ever had, had a relatively small penis. But when I fantasize, I still think of him and the absolutely mind-blowing orgasms he brought me. *sigh*

I do hope your comments will assist writers. In a spirit of "coaching for success", I would encourage male writers (as I really don't think women make this mistake) to learn about bra sizes. The numbers in the size refer to the rib cage hence a woman cannot vary in size between 36 and 44! And the letter refers to the size of the breast - what us guys take in our hands! Again, like penis size of less than 6 inches, most women rarely go over a size D.

I'm glad I am not the only one who feels the way you do. I can't tell you how many stories that I've read where the man will say "I whipped out my respectable 8" penis." That turns me right off. A friend asked me to preview a story one time and it involved a woman having a weekend affair with three guys all of whom had 11" inch cocks and came gallons of cum 8 or 9 times each in a matter of hours. She got mad when I told her it just wasnt believable.

mentioning and then complimenting the story you wrote.

Mostly very sensible, But while it is true that the hymen is usually near the mouth of the vagina, I wonder if this is not a thing which has exceptions. I have read a supposedly non-fictional account of a woman who had what she took to be the breaking of the maidenhead AFTER several acts of intercourse, because (she thought) her previous partner had not gone in far enough to do that.

Trying to instill a little truthfulness into a fantasy site. Does that mean that authors might stop saying that all black men have 12 inch dicks? Or that all married men want to see their wives fucked by other men? Or that all family members want to have sex with the rest of their family? Or that cheating is a turn-on? If all the authors wrote down even a small amount of the truth, their fans wouldn't read them anymore.

So, just like a 5 foot woman can take a 12 inch dick to the hilt, it's doubtful that the authors on this site will begin writing the "truth."

Thanks for the effort though. It might rein in some of the more outrageous ones, but, it's not likely.

So often I've started a story, and then stopped, once it gets to the unbelievable stage.

Even, (although you glossed over and passed it up), into the science fiction genre - in the good ones there is always a modicum of truth. Should a story of any kind, but particularly sci-fi, require a step beyond reality - it is up to the author to explain that fact. Going faster than the speed of light? Ok, Doc Smith used the "ether" explanation. Need a "computer" that can think faster than a human, before the idea of a "computer" was thought of? Heinlein regularly used the "mathematical genius", so much so that they often were a centerpiece of his works. It doesn't have to be real, the "ether" was once thought so, but it must give a plausable transition into the implausable. Regardless, the point is he thought through the whole thing, he didn't lead you to a black box where he explained "and then a miracle occurred".

And we all have our pet peeves about spelling: my current one is "SHUDDERED" as in a vibration; vs "SHUTTERED" which means to close the window and batten down the hatches. How many times recently have I read where someone "shuttered in a mindblowing orgasm."

How nice to see someone articulate the difference between erotica and stupid porn. The purveyors of the "big dick" syndrome, black or otherwise, don't seem to get that big dicks are not even remotely sexy because only freaks have them. Put that crap under "fetish", like you would pigmy sex or scat. Or how about the old Penthouse standby of "amputee sex?" Anything longer than 7 inches is wasted because most women cannot take a penis that deep (unless pain is the point). Those who can have freakishly huge cunts - another sexy image! Employing gimmicks like huge organs, male or female, is not the ticket to a turn-on, writers. It always ends my reading whenever I see it.

For the record, the way I write erotica (or anything else) is in line with your philosophy.

However, I deeply oppose the idea of telling other people how to write anything. There are all sorts of people who log in to this site. Many of them have an erotic imagination that you or I might consider stunted. Many of the authors write in the style of Penthouse letters, or similar rags.

By all means, as a writer, please have any number of theories on how things should be written. (I know I do.) Please exercise your ideas in your fiction to any extent that you wish (and are able to). If you find stories that aren't accurate enough, don't read them.

But please do not ever presume to tell anyone how to write what they write. There is room enough for all types of stories from all types of people. This site is not here to please you and you alone, or people who think like you.

And get over yourself.

Yep, I am turned off by the mentions of penis size, bra size, testicle size, and specific volume of semen that some writers insist on defining.

I have selfishly hesitated to mention my turn-offs because I don't want the other writers to improve to the point where they get more votes than I.

PW

I have to disagree with the comment about bra sizes. The number actually refers to the distance around the trunk just below the breasts and can be influenced by the amount of fat a woman has. The letter refers to the difference between the first measurment and the second which is taken around the fullest part of the bust.

What more can I say except that I hope that those authors that really need to read this do,I doubt it though;a great pity.

a bit misguided for this site. When I first found this site a few years ago I was amazed at the number of people writing erotic fiction. I found that Literoitca was sexier than any porno site with a million explicit pictures in it. The reason was the large array of stories found here. Some were right up your alley with perfect grammer and spelling and an incredible plot while others were well quite flawed. I still found many of the flawed and less believable plots very erotic and read many of them and left comments that tried to point out where the writer could improve. By reading so many stories on this site the one truth I found was that we are all amatuers on this site prone to misspelling words and getting stuck in confused plots. Consequently there are many unbelievable plots with a truckload of anatomical mistakes littered throughout the stories. The unfortunate thing is that we will never change that fact on Literotica because we are all writing as a hobby and an escape. I do agree with you wholeheartedly on some of the things written in stories on this site. I roll my eyes when I hear about the housewife with the 44DDDs just like you do but what I also understand is that this is the writer's fantasy. Maybe he wants his wife to have huge tits in his sotries because she is a 34A in real life. I guess what I am saying is that while you made a good point Literotica is a place where we go to escape. The stories are more fantasy than fiction here.

Believe you me you are on the right track,we as mere readers never really know what is in it for the authors.It amuses me when I look at some profiles which are lacking to say the least.I am quite capable of writing erotic stories,I have had two well known books published,I cannot tell you what they are for obvious reasons.Lets try to put the erotica back in Literotica,and get rid of extreme sexual deviants.One final thing,the way to make serious money is to exploit the character defects in other human beings,think about it? By the way I am willing to give biology lessons gratis to women authors only,bi or not

Its fascinating to read the comments on this well written article.I note the comments on bra sizes and womens breasts,I saw two HUGE women the other day 44DDDwould be an understatement.

The books I referred to are about gardening,ploughing furrows that sort of thing?

I love how people assume that you are trying to force them in line with your views. If someone came to read this article, it probably means they want to improve their writing.

I absolutely agree, ProfWriter.

Here are some words I believe no one ever has to put into an erotic story:

*precum (a fake "technical" word that really is a total turn-off to me personally)

*glans

*"ropes" of "sticky" white cum (it's rarely in a "rope" form, and if it is, and it's sticky, that isn't very healthy or normal, never mind attractive)

Ah well. ::sigh::

History Nut was not issuing an edict as to how anyone should write. He was simply informing writers on how to improve their stories as he sees it. This article was excellent advice, in my opinion. Like any other free advice, we're all free to accept or ignore it. We should not, however, shoot the advisor (the messenger).

I would like to let you know how much I enjoyed your submission. I have recently submitted my first piece of erotic fiction to the website having discovered it, and am now in the process off looking through the help and comments section. As a woman with a degree in anatomy, and of course a lust for erotic fiction, Ihave found all too often that some writers simply have no clue about the ins and outs of intercourse! So three cheers for your submission, it is precise, to the point, and exactly portrays my opinions on the matter!

Dee

I understand the sentiment, but can't agree with some of the comments.

I think you may be overestimating the anatomical knowledge of some readers, and the desire of many others for accurate detail. If an author writes that a character 'shot straight into her womb' or released 'gallons' of fluid, that doesn't necessarily detract from the story, or constitute a lie. The author is often trying to create an impression of the vigour and urgency of the sex act for the reader and, in that situation, neither of them may want to concern themselves with accurate anatomical detail. As you, yourself, say, it may just feel like that at the time! I suppose it's like saying 'our team gave them a pasting' - we know it's not literal, but it captures the excitement we wish to convey.

I believe many readers are forgiving of technical inaccuracies - provided that the structure and flow of the story works as a whole. Hopefully, some will be so engrossed that they don't notice the flaws. Others, having read and been carried along by that flow, will then go back and analyse the errors, and I've seen several comments along the lines of 'I enjoyed your story, but in (California) state law doesn't work that way.'

Writing about the participation of others in the sex act does not dictate that the character must possess an educated knowledge of that act - many get by without it in real life! What I feel to be important, however, is that the level of knowledge, and the associated commentary, fits in with the character elsewhere portrayed.

In other words, I believe that the flow of the story is usually more important than the technicalities.

It may be a matter of reading style - you seem to find inaccuracy of detail jarring but, for me, that's less true. Perhaps that's because I tend to 'speed read' - at least, the first time I read a story - and, in building my own mental picture of events, I concentrate on the outline and not the detail. Accordingly, whilst I might have a vision of the couple lying on the bed, I may not pick up that the author has given it red sheets, and so my picture is of a slightly different hue.

I'm sure that I'm not the only one who reads in that manner, and there are clearly some who agree with you, so perhaps we're both demonstrating that there is no general rule!

I am amazed sometimes when reading stories on Literotica,that the authors of potential decent stories fail so miserably in doing some basic research. Read professional authors comments in the prologues, the vast majority thank people for their efforts in the research for the story. The author will sometimes go to incredible efforts to research either a profession or an event to make the work of fiction believable. Today, I was reading a new story, and part of that described an " Army " relationship. It was clear that the author had plucked the " facts " from thin air. 20 minutes research on-line would have rendered the storyline more believable, and improved the end result no end, as it was, it was a disaster.

However well you know your way around a vagina there is still an element of magic in your stomach when your penis is inside her. By that stage - or if you believe you are in that stage - your brain is irrelevant. One thing though, you dont need a big hefty penis to hurt a girl with because a change in position could make it possible. Then it might hit her like a blow to the solar plexus if she is (unusually?) sensitive - just when you are cuming.

About the section regarding stories with no storyline, I think a sound piece of advice is to try and fit the sex scenes around the storyline, and not fit the storyline around the sex scenes.

I too have trouble laying aside the real world when reading a bit of fiction unless the author actually creates the world in which the impossible in this world can happen. (See J.R.R. Tolkien or C. S. Lewis.)

However your comment about penis size shows your ignorance. It's true that average is five to six inches, however; the very fact that it "average" demands us to consider that both larger and smaller exist. In my experience eight and nine inches is not that uncommon, nor are the women that can accommodate that size. The current penis in my marriage is just over nine inches and I have personal experience with one slightly longer. Likewise, I've seen several in that range as well. It would be good to remember, that length isn't the end all and be all of sexual pleasure. Girth is a great deal more important in pleasuring a woman, as is the skill of the lover.

It's also my experience that black men don't, by virtue of being black, have inordinately large penises or are exceptionally adept at pleasuring a woman. Experience with two, prior to marriage suggested just the opposite on both counts. However, two is hardly a scientific study now is it.

until the typo in the next-to-last sentence: "me" should be "be". Shows how off-putting even one wrong word can be in an otherwise well-written and extremely useful article. Your points are all well-taken. If you're writing human physiology, be accurate. As for penile endowment, we all know (within certain limits) it's not how long you make it, it's how you make it long.

I find it humorous that so many writers feel the need to tell us a man's cock size or a woman's bra size. So what? These things are really only relevant to a story if, for example, a man with a large penis is fucking a virgin. And I agree with you 100% about the average size of men's cocks. If the one recent commenter actually knows a lot of men with 9" cocks, bully for him/her. But I have had sex with more than 75 men over the span of 35 years, and I can count on one hand the ones that were big enough that I could feel the difference. Give me that 6" on a man who really knows how to USE it anyday!

Thanks for a good article!

Let me preface this comment by stating that I agree with what you have posted and find it a useful and insightful addition to the 'how to' section of the site. Your plea has not fallen on deaf ears for this aspiring author and I will attempt to be as truthful and honest as I can in the contents of my fiction.

That said I do have some nits to pick in regard to the statements above:

1: The first and most irritating was the fact that some words in the above were, well not precisely misspelled, but a correctly spelled words used in an incorrect context. I will refrain from giving explicit examples because this is not intended to tear you down but rather give you a heads up that you should go back and re-proof the document. I find this problem to be the most irritating of all because it is one I struggle with myself and thus is glaringly obvious when encountered in others work.

2: Some stories which are very well done simply would not make sense without their explicit content. As an example I point to the 'Sex in a Can' series of which I am a fan. Yes, the very best of erotica requires nothing explicit to still be a good read and stimulating, but do not make the best the enemy of the good.

3: Third and finally, I find it somewhat discouraging that you would single out an individual for ridicule by posting identifying content of their work, no matter how bad that work might be. With the exception of the noted glaring error in the quoted piece I find nothing about it that is so deserving of mockery that it should be so put down not only on its own but as a cautionary example for all to see. This is both discourteous and unkind. I am sure that with little effort you could have written an example of your own devising that would not have left authors who should be nurtured and encouraged for the benefit of all feeling that their work is worthless and unworthy.

In closing: your request for judicious caution and due diligence is not lost on me and will be headed; but I find the way you have gone about it less than ideal and would urge you to re-edit the piece to correct its few errors, both the small and the large.

Good day to you:

~ Simon Silver

Simon Silver has helped me to add another homophone to my ever-growing checklist. Thanks Simon for headed/heeded.

As a former professional editor, I generally agree with your evaluations of the common mistakes found in the stories here on Lit. Bad spelling and grammar make me feel like I'm hitting a literary "pothole" in the flowing ride of an otherwise good story.

Frankly, however, in regards to your example passage, I was more struck by the word choice of the author, than his anatomical slip. "Love sausage" and "private innards" practically had me spraying my coffee in a chortle.

Thank you. As a fairly well read and educated person, my frog phobia kept me away from life science classes despite a degree in chemistry. I knew some of the information you shared but not all. I appreciate the clear and thorough explanation you gave. It gave me more a wider knowledge base but also a clearer understanding of prior knowledge. Again, many thanks.

I don't know how many times a physical impossibility regarding human anatomy has thrown me out of a story, even a very good story. Your article is an excellent map for an explosive minefield that ends in a 'whirlpool of despair' (a.k.a *flush*). Research research research is the only preventative I know of!

As a male reader of Literotica one of the things I look for is female writers who seem to accurately portray their experience of various sexual activities, including what turns their characters on, how each thing feels, where they feel it and so forth. While I know that a) every woman is different, and b) any given piece of writing may be more or less "true" in the sense you describe, in aggregate, I find this reading helps me to get more inside of my partner's head when I am giving her the pleasure she so richly deserves. When a writer makes things up because he or she doesn't have the experience or the knowledge to write the truth, the value of the writing goes dramatically down, no matter how steamy the scenes may seem.

Writers, please keep in mind that not all readers of Literotica are here only for auto-erotic stimulation. Some of us like a good erotic story both for how it makes us feel and for how we can better ourselves by it. I don't expect or want your writing to be research material (boring!!!), but please make it as true to your own experience as you can and we can all take something more than fleeting stimulation away from it.

I have been wrestling with this because I do not want my writings to become crap. Thank you

In reply to the 'Anonymous' commentator who said:

"Most women rarely go over a size D."

Wrong (at least where I come from.)

1. The average British woman currently wears a 34DD-cup bra, while most high-street retailers now stock bras up to and including a J-cup.

2. According to the latest figures, 57% of British women wear a D-cup or larger.

Thank you for sharing this. Hopefully when I am ready to submit a story it will be with minimal mistakes.

Thanks so much. .

I get so tired of writers that are obviously virgins and know nothing about a womans body! I was going to try to advise these virgins, but there appears to be too many, and it would take to much time. Glad you have already addressed this foo-par saves me a lot of time! Now, to get them to read your comments, thats the problem!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By-the-way how many nipples have you seen the size of thimbles?

There’s a typo in the last paragraph

“...but me truthful” should read “ but be truthful”

In addition to the typo in the final paragraph, there are others, including "Some a shorter" should be "Some ARE shorter".

Thanks so much for the helpful heads up! I haven’t written anything yet, but I’ll remember not to get so enthusiastic!

I know I'm about 13 years late to the party, but this is a great PSA. I've been super turned off by unrealistic sex scenes in an otherwise well laid plotline.

My one quibble, which is probably more of an opinion, is that you said a good story should be good without the graphic sex scenes. However, I try to write in a way that incorporates the sex scenes into the story. So they become a plot point.

Just like a good action film uses the fight scenes to tell the story, so should a sex scene be to erotic literature. But that shouldn't be an excuse to skimp on the plot.

Very helpful thank you 🙂

All very good readable advice, but the fact is that my penis really does reach almost eight inches when fully excited and also my wife’s nipples, while maybe not quite the size of a thimble, are certainly getting there, being very long, thick and rubbery. During and just after pregnancy they were huge, to be honest. So, when describing our sex am I supposed to knock a couple of inches off my penis size and describe Susan’s nipples as being far smaller than they actually are? A significant aspect of the pleasure we express during sex is found in gleefully telling each other just how big each other’s significant sexual parts are. Susan will often say “baby I want your big cock” and indeed, why shouldn't she? Similarly I go crazy for her nipples and she loves to hear me tell her how big they are. Any description of our sex would simply have to involve descriptions that the writer of this advice would call into question.

Well, the example used was pretty funny, although it's debatable whether that writer described a love scene or a circus act. Well-written and amusing article. Thank you!

I think writers should exaggerate to a quarter of a cup instead of gallons. I've seen that happen in porn, and it looks good, despite it being basically impossible.