Well, i'm having some trouble with the harem story i'm writing and i figured this is a good as question as any to ask here.
What are some good tropes (recurring themes) in harem stories you've read? I'm trying to think of come cute/sexy themes and I find myself coming up with not alot.
Well, i'm having some trouble with the harem story i'm writing
What are some good tropes (recurring themes) in harem stories you've read?
I've got two of my own in progress.
A lot will depend on how the harem happens. Is it mind controlled slaves, consensual slaves, Non-BDSM, but something happened to cause a large shift in the basic gender ratio?
A couple of tropes (well, I'm not sure they qualify as tropes) that work well for any harem story would be MFF threesomes and sexual relations between the women (FF).
Original girlfriend is bi and pushes him to go poly, bringing in other girls so she can have sex with them without cheating on him. She becomes the recruiter bringing new girls into the relationship.
Guy has high libido. Original girlfriend loves him and likes sex with him, but can't keep up. She recruits one or more additional girls to share the load.
Ultra rich guy ends up with several women all willing to openly share him because he is rich.
Skewed gender ratio, lots more women than men. Women have to learn to share or go without male companionship entirely.
An important point here: If he is cheating, seeing several women, but they all think he is monogamous with them, In my opinion, that is not a harem, a harem requires openness about the sharing.
My story Sixth Generation Cowboy and a Third Generation Whore has several Tropes that I have rarely if ever seen in Harem stories.
I don't seek harem stories, but I do read stories that have a harem as part of the plot, such as the Team Manager series by Aroslav.
My story is more "Action" with aspects of Mystery, Crime, Prostitution, Harem, Military, War, and Ranching.
MC (Main Character) is a career Marine Infantry NCO, who also served in MARSOC.
Unlike many MCs in harem stories I have read, my MC is experienced in leading and managing groups of people.
MC has spent the last couple of years in enforced celibacy. Deployments to war zones, intense training, treatment for an amputation and other injuries.
MC is not (and has not for some time) been seeking marriage for several reasons. Nor a monogamous relationship.
MC is emotionally distant due to Combat experiences and the recent death of his last direct family member.
Generally sexually confident, he is just coming to terms with his amputation. (He has concerns that no "normal woman" wants a "cripple" for a husband.)
He has purchased sex in the USA and overseas. So, that is a taboo he has violated before.
Story starts with the MC facing a (several) major Turning Point(s) unexpectedly. Career, Family, Inheritance, and related issues.
MC discovers his neighbors are a small group of former military/PMCs (Private Military Contractors) with a harem of prostitutes. (This provides a/several models of relationships and a support network for the females that the MC begins accumulating.)
Unequal relationships. The MC is not seeking the women for a relationship; initially it is just sex. The women see an opportunity to get out of a bad situation (if not getting into an ideal situation). The females offer a variety of assistance to the MC, sex is only a part (sometimes a very small part) of the relationships.
Most of the females are bisexual, a couple are lesbians (willing to have sex with a man/men for money or some other benefit).
Conflicts between the members of the harems (in particular the PMCs much larger harem) occurs (sometimes "off screen") and the Men are either oblivious; or delegate handling of many issues to several top females (so they don't need to bother).
Unequal Endings. A major part of the story arcs are dealing with Risk Taking and other emotional issues, and sometimes substance abuse. Actions have consequences. Some characters learn from their own and others mistakes (and successes).
Men seek Sex, and offer romance and/or security to get sex.
Women seek romance and/or Security, and are willing to offer sex to get security.
One more for a small harem. Twin women who grew up sharing just about everything decide to share a guy.
Sounds like Death by Fucking to me
The OP is looking for harem tropes, not story recommendations.
You might want to look at stories by Verywellaged. Some are here on SOL, some newer ones with girls under 14 at the ass site. Mostly the guy and up to 15 girls are driven by the girls. Stories set in the Philippines where the economics of the American guy, local girls is different.
A few more:
Unexpected irreversible mind control/addiction requiring the main character to keep more than one woman.
Political environment (perhaps in an alternate universe, fantasy world, post-apocalyptic world) where multiple marriage is allowed and is desirable for political alliance or to give some sort of protection to the women or their families. One of the possibilities is that the MC's first wife or some advisor pushes to add wives/concubines to the harem.
Most harem stories I've read are about male dominating. I like polygamy without power imbalances. Eg Ryan Sylander's Opus One, one of the absolute best stories here, is a gentle equal three way relationship.
A big one a few decades ago was blackmail. In the mid-late 1990s, blackmail stories were big.
Generally a guy (normally a dweeb looser) finds something to use to blackmail the hottest girl in school. He then uses her to seduce her friends, then gains blackmail material over them (generally with the now obsolete use of a camcorder). Some had up to a half dozen girls all with the main character, often with a "Stockholm Syndrome" effect, where at least 1 started to really feel for him.
Another that is found in here that is similar is the sadly unfinished "Lucky Tickets" saga by JiMC. In short, a boy finds magical tickets that forces anybody he gives one to to give him a wish. He collects a fairly large harem in the series, with all of the girls wanting him.
https://storiesonline.net/series/9/lucky-tickets
Another one I have not seen as much of lately is drugs. Guy either creates a drug that makes gals super horny and will do anything for a fix, or manipulates them into having sex in exchange for their fix.
Another one I have not seen as much of lately is drugs.
Or addictive semen. I vaguely remember a couple of stories using that as the premise to assemble a harem.
AJ
Or addictive semen. I vaguely remember a couple of stories using that as the premise to assemble a harem.
The Lucky Tickets story used that as part of it.
I remember one story where the guy's sperm were sentient and powerful, and wanted him to be happy so they collected him a bunch of women starting with his wife. I thought that was hysterical and really enjoyed his early adventures as he tried to figure out what was going on.
Personally, I like the dynamics of harem girls trying to find their niche within the group.
If there's magic involved, that can add a spicy element to it depending on how things are done. One of the things I liked about Lucky Tickets was the unintended consequences like not realizing that the effects of a ticket couldn't be completely undone or reversed by the next ticket. Any time there are unforeseen problems, that just makes the story more realistic, imo, since that's how life works.
I too most like more "realistic" settings where there's no specific external *necessary* explanation for why there must be a harem relationship, but it just happens *naturally* for internal dynamic reasons between those specific characters.
However, the first order of business is to break the traditional expectations of a typical couple, there's must be either reason why it wouldn't work, why alternative is preferred or even possible. That's where the "lazy" solutions -- like mind control and similar influence or drastic society shift and collapse, in one way or another allowing our perpetually horny, weak but likeable asshole male to force the *unrealistic* fantasy into (alternative) reality -- come often handy indeed, but with a bit of creativity those aren't necessary.
With "harem" understood broadly as single man (more or less) openly cohabiting (or at least intensely dating) with more than one woman at the same time we of course need said male to be at least not hostile to the very concept, but since that's our implied goal we can pretty much assume that's the case even if he initially denies that himself. Other than that we can ignore him quite freely, because *as everyone knows* all "realistic" (modern) sexual relationships are in fact defined by women.
Even if our horndog is already chasing two or more girls in parallel, it doesn't make it "harem" until at least two of them at least acknowledge such arrangement as at least acceptable. At very least a fiancee and a concubine have not only to discover each other, but also independently conclude it is in their best mutual interest to support their situation as at least temporary status quo, possibly including teaming up for fun.
This does cover open relationships that aren't "true harem" but a "harem" can't be formed *naturally* without at least some phase of opening up the relationship -- unless existing harem is inherited or otherwise acquired as a whole.
So, the most important question we have to answer is, why the First Girlfriend decides sharing her man is a great idea?
The "First Girlfriend" in this context is obviously the first who accepts or even comes up with the very idea to build a harem, not necessarily the historical first of current, even less all girls the man ever dated, but as the trope goes, it's often indeed is the holder of his virginity who *insists* he must have more lovers than just her.
- She may see it as inevitable, that monogamy for this guy isn't an option (or at least an option still involving her), for example:
-- she is a willing and happy slave and believes her master must have more slaves for his happiness (often but necessary in a result of mind control of some kind);
-- devoted to his deityfied partner she sees her goal in life as making his every whim happen even before he has voiced them;
-- she believes his man is of such status, talent or position that other women seeking to exploit him is inevitable, so she engage in "preventive training" actively seeking prospective lovers for him;
-- she believe she has no real choice in the matter, because of external circumstances, such as
--- she is the concubine of a man forced into formal marriage;
--- she is the formal wife of a man known to keep concubine(s);
--- she is King's concubine or otherwise engaged with a third party that cannot be refused but can be worked around with enough caution;
--- she for whatever reason believes she can't fully satisfy her lover's needs fully (reality doesn't need to intrude, but perhaps she is a transgender, born as defunct boy not yet fully finished her transition, and a self declared lesbian, of course except unexplainable attraction to our main male hero);
--- she is going to be partially or fully absent for significant periods of time (this works in reverse too, First Husband planning for extended absence may appoint his official replacement, even not necessarily consulting his wife; it's said to be popular case of polyandry historically);
-- she is his sister (or other relative; in society with active taboo for incest), notwithstanding the additional difficulty of incestuous seduction it can go from there easily, like:
"I never thought that you thought of me as your ideal girl. I'm really flattered that you think of me that highly."
He looked up to see his sister was serious. He was relieved that she wasn't mad at him for what he did. "I know I can't have you, sis. But I hope I can find somebody as great as you."
"We will remember our first times as being really good, not like the girls at school talk about. Too bad I can't tell them what a great lover you are." The last was said with a twinkle in her eyes. "You would be swarmed with virgins wanting you to break them in."
[Of course, she proceeds to make sure that's exactly what happens next.]
- she is herself bisexual and encourages him to bring in lovers for her and/or is teaming up with him in seduction attempts;
- she begs him to help a "friend in need" or otherwise bad situation, from simple horniness to *rescue* of a potential suicide in abusive relationship;
- she is herself taking another lover and would feel better if he did too, her side relationship break fast, but his one last;
Next is, why the Second Girlfriend is coming along?
Obviously, she can follow any of the reasoning above, as there's often little differences in order or preference between the first two as equals, or be the target of those. In addition to that she may be:
- equally attracted to both of the original couple, or even indeed *to the couple* not so much it's members;
- believe she have nowhere else to go, or be otherwise in dependent situation to either or both of the original couple;
- feel greatly indebted to the First Girlfriend (again, it's important what she believes not what truth is) while strongly attracted to the man;
- be a logical complement of a necessarily domestic or social function the orginal couple is lacking, while similarly benefiting from the relationship herself.
I see addition of the Third Girlfriend to be permanent fixture and not just occasional date in open relationship as just as important and difficult to satisfactory justify as going from a couple to a permanent threesome, especially if the Second Girlfriend somehow penetrated otherwise closed seemingly monogamous couple. If the threesome was open to being with, it's much easier. Regardless, she must be bringing something unique to the group. In addition to all previous:
- she may be more on the gay end of the bisexual spectrum and be more attracted to one of the girls and just accepting relationship with the guy as entry point;
- "nothing's more permanent than temporary" an arrangement that may be more or less a forced hand by one or more of the parties may be accepted by some or all as short term, but stick around and develop -- this is typical for "friend in need" and stray puppies of any kind.
After the third, fourth through sixth may follow a pattern. I personally see collections above four to be increasingly unrealistic, unless the structure of the relationship becomes (much) more complex than simple single level star with the man in the center. Unless the man is indeed some kind of a demigod, and even then above six a second center of attraction is pretty much necessary, such as designated butch in a mostly lesbian group.
For an interesting example, in one story series I follow (Transmogrification of Jacob Hopkins by aroslav) a polyamorous "harem" of one guy and eleven or twelve women (one is currently on associate status not a full member, at least he still believes so) was built and function in surprisingly natural and logical way with only few shortcuts, all while he still haven't had full vaginal sex with the secretly transexual friend nor with the youngest member and he have had and still occasionally have (fully accepted) lovers on the side, without being superhuman nor mind controller.
Just to weigh in on what LupusDei a little, i'm inclined to agree with him in general. But to add something to it, one of my favorite harem stories
https://storiesonline.net/s/14679/three-square-meals
it's called "Three Square Meals" by Telfer
To add something to what LupusDei said, i think arguably , each girl in the harem needs to bring something unique to the story. "Three square meals" is a good example of this by giving each girl unique skills. Also there needs to be some kind of end goal to the story.
I say that because from what i've observed, a lot of the harem stories i've read usually end up in a death spiral of continuously adding women until the author loses interest.
Finally like every other story a harem story needs something akin to struggle against adversity in it as well.
I say that because from what i've observed, a lot of the harem stories i've read usually end up in a death spiral of continuously adding women until the author loses interest.
"Dear indistinguishable harem member number twenty something, I never seem to get enough time alone with you. You're very special to me. I love you more than life itself and I'd willingly take a bullet for you. Remind me again, what's your name?" ;-)
AJ
One more point I planned, but failed to mention last night is the special case of sister-in-law.
Neither brother's wife nor even wife's sister is considered incestuous in even the most strict interpretation (nor should they ever be) and while they surely can be defined just as special case of "friend in need" / "stray puppy", the difference is that a man can have cultural expectations, even obligations to extend his support for those extra sisters. Especially if their own marriage has problems; traditionally typically if they respective husband is gone MIA for whatever reason. Sure, such support is normally understood to be brotherly, but it is easy to extend to sexual activity, especially in case of brother's wife where, especially unwed brother may be expected to step in (or even be there from start: in the most well known polyandry region of Himalayas it has been popular for brothers to collectively marry a single woman (mostly to keep scarce valuable family farmland intact)).
For historical example, my own grandfather pretty much merged households with grandmother's sister during the WW2. Her husband never returned and while the households were split again after the war, she never remarried and remained very close extended family.
On that note, it's useful to say that in my opinion the main male is not required to have "all the way" sexual relationship with a woman living in with the harem group for her to be considered full member. And, keeping the sexual part secret is perhaps the best way to keep such cohabitation socially acceptable in "conservative" environments.
Feral Lady's Von Solon's Universe Universe
Von Solon (aka "Wolf") has a sizable harem, but he has computer support and five stories in the universe at the moment. Some are wives, some are concubines, and some are associated through a religion. I think he kisses several hundred females every day, and that doesn't include his dozens or hundreds of children.
Go to any site where you can watch free anime (kissanime, animeram, etc) and watch any harem anime series, or series with harem elements. There are hundreds such anime, and plenty of tropes. See especially To Love Ru (and it's followup seasons), Rosario and a Vampire, and for a more comical bent, Peter Grill (current season) or Konosuba. Even if you don't care for anime in general, or think they're hokey (which most are) there are plenty of plot devices and tropes to use. Some harem anime would even translate well to simply be rewritten as erotic fiction.
1. Harem girls want the harem to be bigger, either because they want more girls to play with, or because they think the guy needs/deserves more women
2. guy offers reciprocity to the girls because he feels misplaced guilt about being the only guy, the girls all assure him they don't want any other guy
3. new additions to the harem increase variety, he collects one of each ethnicity, hair color, build, whatever
4. outside guys take offense at the guy for 'hogging' all the prime females, the girls beat those guys to a pulp
5. 'theme' sexual fantasies (the girls all dress as classic slave girls, or the Dallas Cowgirls, or the Swedish Bikini Team, or nurses, or whatever)
6. reverse gangbang (everyone focuses on one individual until that person can't handle any more)
7. 'teasing' someone gets cut off from all sexual relief until reaching a point of hair-trigger, then see 6
8. 'accidently' acquiring a slave who eventually wants to be part of the harem
9. (female) relative(s) of harem member(s) want to join in
6. reverse gangbang (everyone focuses on one individual until that person can't handle any more)
How is that a "reverse" gangbang, unless you are thinking of the guy on the bottom?
Well, reverse in that there's only the one guy. But I then sorta expanded it to have any of the members be the focal point.
What seems to be missing are actual stories about traditional actual harems like they had in palaces in the Middle East historically?
That might make a nice story angle.
I can't disagree much with that. My motivations for doing this supernatural harem story include two particular reasons. First it seems to me most harem stories eventually go into some kind of self destructive tailspin. This usually happens because the author continuously adds girls without rhyme or reason. Second I read Telfer's "Three square meals" which proved harem stories could be done in an interesting way. While there are some things about his work i've come to disagree with, there are things he also does very right in the harem story genre. Which after reading an incredible number of stories in the harem genre myself to me is high praise.
most harem stories eventually go into some kind of self destructive tailspin. This usually happens because the author continuously adds girls without rhyme or reason.
I found most harem stories selfdestroy by moving from a harem relationship to a open relationship, or by having multiple characters acting out of character do damage the relationship. Of course, it's entirely likely we've read vastly different subsets of the genre.
I don't think I've ever read any stories that went like you describe so i have to agree we've probably read different subsets of the harem genre.
Though I think you'd like reading telfer's "three square meals," because it does play differently than other harem stories. The only issue i ever developed with it is the author gave his characters "near demigod" like powers (it might just be nitpicky on my part) The reason why i don't like that sort of thing is because i figure every good story needs adversity to be interesting.
The only issue i ever developed with it is the author gave his characters "near demigod" like powers (it might just be nitpicky on my part) The reason why i don't like that sort of thing is because i figure every good story needs adversity to be interesting.
You don't think the rest of the progenitors and their "boss/god" in the astral plane create adversity?
The reason why i don't like that sort of thing is because i figure every good story needs adversity to be interesting.
Adversity... not so much. Challenge, definitely.
The thing is, you can give godlike characters challenges in two ways:
In the Amber Chronicles, Zelazny made pretty much every major character pretty much a god. So when they had different motives and such, they'd be up against opposition likely as powerful as themselves.
In the Wheel of Time, while the MC rapidly gains power to become one of the greatest powers in the series... he's torn internally, trying to save the world before he completely loses his sanity.
In other words - provide roughly equivalent opposition, or make a major challenge something that the insanely powerful MC can't really apply those powers to.
As for that story - I only read completed stories anymore. Preferably completed series, if I know there are sequels, especially when dealing with stories that might end unexpectedly with a "to be continued next book" (I also prefer binge-watching series rather than wait for new episodes. Patience is not a strength.)
Yea those of some perfect examples of how to make a story interesting. You also might consider making an exception in the case of "Three Square Meals" because so far its at 125ish chapters and they're not short in the least :)
Yeah, I could. But then next week I'd be waiting for new chapters, and I hate that.
What is DVA?
https://storiesonline.net/s/57098/deja-vu-ascendancy
The author has done a revised version cutting done the tech stuff for print publication, but wasn't able to get it published in the end and he's not gone further with it since.
At the time, it was one of the five longest stories (completed, that is) on SOL. Six Times a Day, Arlene&Jeff, and 3square meals are the only ones I can think of off the top of my head that are longer now, but ISTR a few more in the same range. (Note, it's since been reduced in size.)
Yeah, I could. But then next week I'd be waiting for new chapters, and I hate that.
You will need a lot more than a week to get to the current point of Three Square Meals. Some chapters are novel sized. :)
Mention of Tefler's work reminded me of one of the biggest problems I've seen in just about every harem story --- too many women.
Simply put, once you get so many characters going, I find it impossible to relate or empathize with any of them. Any more than 6 and I can't remember their names, who goes with what abilities, who looks like what, etc.
Constantly introducing yet another 'wounded little bird' to the nest means that there's yet another character to keep track of, which means the rest of the cast aren't getting any screen time. The story ends up faltering because we have to go through yet another long-since-gotten-boring sex scene where our Hero goes over just how much he loves and admires the newest addition.
On top of that, there's no forward movement on the bigger tale being woven. The big conflict is the fight between all the various races/planets/gods, yet the sex scenes take up 70% of the chapter and the reader is left with only snippets of what's going on as relates to the ongoing war.
It's not an easy balance to do, I'm sure.
Constantly introducing yet another 'wounded little bird' to the nest means that there's yet another character to keep track of, which means the rest of the cast aren't getting any screen time.
...
It's not an easy balance to do, I'm sure.
That's the same problem I have with Tefler's story. It's great story, no doubt about that, but it would even be better with a lot less of the repetitive sex scenes.
That's the same problem I have with Tefler's story. It's great story, no doubt about that, but it would even be better with a lot less of the repetitive sex scenes.
You are correct. I mean, exactly how many blow jobs can a guy get before he gets tired of them?
Beuler? Beuler? **sound of crickets**
Nevermind. My bad.
You are correct. I mean, exactly how many blow jobs can a guy get before he gets tired of them?
I thought that guys thought of blowjobs in much the same way as breasts.
Or to quote Ron White, "once you've seen one pair of naked breasts... pause ...you want to see the rest of 'em.
Or maybe you just had a BJ from someone who sucked...?
:)
Mention of Tefler's work reminded me of one of the biggest problems I've seen in just about every harem story --- too many women.
I can't disagree too hard with this. One thing i will say though Telfer's work does do some things right in the harem genre i figure.
First while too many women are a problem in harem stories you got to give credit for Telfer keeping his harem reasonably small. Second he gives each girl some unique skill to bring to the table.
After i read so much of his work, I've come to realize that it's a bit more interesting to have girls of different personalities in the story rather than body types. Also it's good to include as many girls as possible in conversations.
I give Tefler a ton of credit. His story is really good and I've enjoyed it in the overall sense. Definitely one of the top 5 stories on the site, imo.
I also appreciate Tefler's willingness to listen to constructive criticism. A recent re-read starting from Chapter 1 showed that he has gone back through the story and edited out all the Whiny John appearances that had really irked his readers.
I think that much like the sex scenes, Tefler had taken the Whiny John persona too far. There were tons of comments about it from readers, including myself, because it just didn't mesh with how men behave and was causing a lot of damage for the story. So, he went back through and chopped that stuff out.
The end result? Well, a story that flows a lot better and makes the character realistic and relatable. It really is markedly better for getting rid of Whiny John.
Harem stories, in general, are a tough nut to crack. Even if you can explain away how a man is able to have that much sex, because they always included bunches of sex, you still have to balance things in terms of characters, time-on-screen, and the overall story. Tefler did a good job by giving each of the girls in the harem a separate skillset, but even that is pretty standard fare for stories like this.
Balancing all the details, trying to keep it interesting for the readers, and publish regularly.... makes me glad I'm not an author!
I think one possible example of a large harem done right is aroslav's "The Transmogrification of Jacob Hopkins" series (fifth and supposedly final book is supposedly finished but still ongoing posting slowly, a short chapter every three days). There a guy have over ten women at once and somehow not feel at all too crowded. It starts as kind of do-over -- albeit in parallel universe rather than time travel, so there's some world quirks and some people "from before" have their ages shuffled, still more than few of his relationships have echoes from the previous life. And between the women there's several stable pairings existing independently and/or before of him.
Let me try to count...
[POSSIBLE SPOILERS WARNING]
...a lesbian friend with a secret; his own older sister; a girl his local host had already ongoing relationship with and he himself had an affair in previous life as well; the fantasy girl from his previous life (as his primary if there's any) and her girlfriend on for the ride (probably the most disposable member if there's any); daughter of the woman affair with whom almost ended his second marriage the first time (as the primary girlfriend of his lesbian friend); his physical therapist; another lover from before and her niece in incestuous relationship between them; their teacher he lusted for the first time as well; his musical partner and co-star on stage -- that's his ten married wifes -- and then there's his live-in liaison with the School of Arts for the almost eleventh, and then a few on the side like his sister's pregnant friend long not seen from early on, a couple of cheerleaders, and so on...
It reads much better than it sounds in fast count, the core is build quite fast but there's enough of team building and role division and spatial constraints to keep it interesting and organic.
I think one possible example of a large harem done right is aroslav's "The Transmogrification of Jacob Hopkins" series
I find it off-putting that harem members who once had finely crafted personalities and lives are now relegated to "Hi, haven't seen you for a while. Let's fuck then you can disappear for another n chapters."
It's rapidly approaching the excesses of LNDtH. Which is a shame, because there's quite an original, engaging story underneath it all.
AJ
Well, I think it's more to do with intensity of Jacob's life.
The story would risk quickly to become unmanageable if we tried follow tightly every member in the group. And to some extent yes, he really doesn't have time for them all, and I just have to assume he retain the deep connection with Beca off-screen somehow, and a bit worried about him taking sis for granted (but suspect that might be intentional). But the important thing is, he doesn't have to, it isn't single level simple star focused on him, at least not in his own perception. Like, imho, Livy, Brittany (or Sophie, whatever way you twist that quite peripheral pair) and even Joan have always been rather partners of partners, except for their respective moments, and both Beca and lately Dona are strong centers on their own right even if we mostly have just seen little implied glimpses of it. And don't forget the original goal of the partnership was indeed to overcome separation, in a way it is not even designed to be single household with everyone present all the time like it almost is trying to be right now. And Remas, I still don't trust her and think she's there just to complicate things. Trying to add someone else permanent on top would indeed be mild insanity, even if he's in acute need of in-house security person, lol (beyond Nan's stepping in that role, but there might be things we don't know).
Trying to add someone else permanent on top would indeed be mild insanity, even if he's in acute need of in-house security person,
You obviously haven't read today's installment. "Hi, I'm the President's daughter. You're Jacob Hopkins and I'm female therefore I'm going to move in and become yet another harem member."
AJ
And Jacob was actually terrified by such a possibility and ready to protest if it won't be shut down. That she might try to worm her way into his life and/or become a possible affair, sure, such is possible and almost expected. A harem member, no, unlikely. Rather likely that girl from school orchestra who wanted to try them and Jacob quite looked forward to shag got nowhere, just fell out of schedule somehow.
ETA: and yeah, I'm kind of looking forward to how Dana will react finding out he's ten (and a half) times married. I believe we will see more of her. But I don't expect her to move in either.
A harem member, no, unlikely.
But she has self-esteem issues. She absolutely will be joining the harem ;-)
AJ
But all in all I would agree, six is about max one center of attention can hold in ongoing relationship.
It really depends. There's a few ways to spend enough time developing relationships with more than six, but it would be a challenge to have much of a outside story trying to maintain relationships among twenty harem members...
But all in all I would agree, six is about max one center of attention can hold in ongoing relationship.
So six makes for a strong harem, but seven makes it week..??
So six makes for a strong harem, but seven makes it week..??
A guy needs to rest sometime. Six makes one for each day of the week with one day of rest. With seven he gets no rest day. :)
Six makes one for each day of the week with one day of rest. With seven he gets no rest day. :)
Only if you presume that a guy with six women totally committed to his pleasure would only play with one a day. NOT going to happen..!!
A guy needs to rest sometime. Six makes one for each day of the week with one day of rest. With seven he gets no rest day. :)
Sure you do. You can have as many as you want, actually. It's just one for each day of the week, with one day for the rest.
A guy needs to rest sometime. Six makes one for each day of the week with one day of rest. With seven he gets no rest day. :)
What about the harem trope where all the women's menstrual cycles synchronise? He gets a week off per month anyway! ;-)
AJ
What about the harem trope where all the women's menstrual cycles synchronise? He gets a week off per month anyway! ;-)
That's from the front door. If it's a true hareem, then the back doors, for him, don't have signs on them saying 'exit only'.
joy, have been hanging too much with richard?
No, if I had then I'd have suggested that the optimum number would be nine, at least for those keen on golf.
Six also works, but it is more usual at the turn to play "the back nine"...
Or so I'm told
:)
But there's always got to be a bunch of teens in the harem so he can celebrate with the nine teenth holes.
AJ
I read a story on royalroadl a long time ago that actually had a good basis for having a HUGE harem, the mc could literally split himself into multiple copies/clones in order to sleep/sex all of his girls every night.
I don't remember the name of the story, it was years ago and it was dropped pretty early.
One loose idea i've came up with to handle giving all the girls in the harem equal attention is to have a lottery to have a designated "date" time consisting of one day with the male main character.
'Equal' attention is wrong.
Some will need extra attention at times, some may not want a lot of attention ever... trying to treat them all the same is one of the quickest ways to go wrong.
'Equal' attention is wrong.
Some will need extra attention at times, some may not want a lot of attention ever... trying to treat them all the same is one of the quickest ways to go wrong.
Whilst I appreciate you guys think that the Harem owner is compelled to treat every member equally, that isn't really a realistic scenario. Polyamorous, certainly, but the Harem serves their owner, so whilst he may be munificent, equality isn't a requirement. After all, playing favourites and competition between the woman for his attention is a dynamic that keeps the women on their toes and provides him with eager bedmates.
I, for one, am impressed at the expertise on this site about how to manage the women in a harem.
I, for one, am impressed at the expertise on this site about how to manage the women in a harem.
Unless it's in something like a swingers realm I suspect all of it is from reading and hearsay :)
I, for one, am impressed at the expertise on this site about how to manage the women in a harem.
Well, I wasn't wanting to brag....
I, for one, am impressed at the expertise on this site about how to manage the women in a harem.
Pffft, you've never lived on a farm. Take pig breeding, for example.
While the boar's mounting his sow of choice, the other sows lie around pleasuring each other with their tongues.
AJ
Well okay, maybe equal was the wrong word to use, but would everyone responding to this thread kind of agree all the girls in a harem need some attention to be a happy harem?
In almost all cases, yes.
A member of the harem who was forced into the role somehow, and is completely lesbian with no bisexual tendencies at all... well, she'd be happiest only getting attention from the other members of the harem. However, if she genuinely liked (as a strictly platonic friend) the 'owner' of the harem, she'd certainly be happy in the harem (assuming the 'owner' didn't mind that their relationship remained platonic indefinitely).
Some of the stories by Verywellaged here on SOL and on another site for the ones that don't meet SOL's standards for age involve numbers of Filipina "girls" that live with the American hero mostly in the Philippines. I am not sure the relationships are a "harem" but they might fit what you are looking for. One of them is named Fifteen because that is the number of girls he winds up with.
More and more lately, I have been toying with the idea of a reverse-harem story. Where one gal has multiple men.
Maybe I should sit back this weekend and watch Paint Your Wagon again.
Well, you can write a story about a gangbang/slut/whatever. I can't see it appealing to many tho. Especially not to anyone who likes harem stories. Maybe the guys into cheating stories...
Well, you can write a story about a gangbang/slut/whatever. I can't see it appealing to many tho. Especially not to anyone who likes harem stories. Maybe the guys into cheating stories...
Just so I and others don't falsely believe your tendencies, could you please explain why you feel that a guy with a harem of women is perfectly ok, but a woman with a harem of men is a slut?
Then please explain how a guy isn't cheating if he has a harem of women, but a woman is cheating if she has a harem of men?
I would agree with you that such a story may not appeal to as many readers as a traditional one guy/multiple girls harem story, but perhaps that simply reflects the number of misogynists who read harem stories?
Actually your supposition may be in part correct. However, I'd wager there are a number of male readers of zuch stories who like them for other reasons thn you claim.
Also, I never claimed that a guy with a harem isn't a man 'ho.
However, a rule of harems is harem members have sex with the harem owner and other harem members only... So most traditional harem story fans would have no interest in such a story if the harem was guys. I know I would have less interest than that.
Then please explain how a guy isn't cheating if he has a harem of women, but a woman is cheating if she has a harem of men?
Neither is the case. However, guys that like harem stories like women who only have sex with one guy (and lots of girl-girl action). Guys who like cheating stories like women who have sex with more than one guy. So they would probably like a "reverse harem" story. I doubt they really care about the betrayal aspect so much as the sluttiness of the female lead.
Guys who like cheating stories like women who have sex with more than one guy.
There is a lot more too it than that.
Guys that like cheating stories where the cheater is a woman are I think looking for one of two things.
1. Cuckolding of the male she has an official relationship with.
2. Stories centered on revenge against the cheater.
A reverse harem would have neither of those features.
Guys who like cheating stories like women who have sex with more than one guy. So they would probably like a "reverse harem" story. I doubt they really care about the betrayal aspect so much as the sluttiness of the female lead.
Exactly why is a woman with a harem of guys a slut?
Exactly why is a woman with a harem of guys a slut?
In some quarters any woman who enjoys sex is a slut.
I kind of like the discussion in Second Best of the discussion of the difference between sluts and whores.
A slut can be particular about who they are with, whores generally are not particular and they use sex as a lever to get stuff.
From the perspective of a guy with the above view, a woman being a slut is a good thing, especially if she is particular and chooses to be a slut with him. Whore are always bad.
In some quarters any woman who enjoys sex is a slut.
Whore are always bad.
Man-whores get high-fives, female whores get paid...
It's amusing to call them on it
Not all the "any woman who enjoys sex is a slut" crowd are men. There are a lot of women, mostly feminists from what I've seen of it, who engage in "slut shaming" other women.
The men split in to two groups. One group despises sluts, the other sees sluts as a good thing.
Not sure why you'd want to call out the later group of men who see sluts as a good thing.
female whores get paid...
Per the definition I laid out above, a whore, male or female is a mercenary who uses sex to get other things (not necessarily money).
Of course then there are the cheating whores who promise sex in exchange for stuff in bad faith (they intend to welsh on their end of the deal).
Of course then there are the cheating whores who promise sex in exchange for stuff in bad faith (they intend to welsh on their end of the deal).
You forgot to include the "value added" whores who leave you with a little something extra, an STD
Well, you can write a story about a gangbang/slut/whatever. I can't see it appealing to many tho. Especially not to anyone who likes harem stories. Maybe the guys into cheating stories...
And who even says it would be "cheating"?
In case you have never heard of it, Paint Your Wagon is 1969 western, staring Lee Marvin, Clint Eastwood, and Jean Seberg. About exactly that.
It takes place in a mining camp, where a Mormon shows up with two wives. Under pressure and needing money, he finally sells one of his wives, to a pair of miners who work a claim together. She decides she loves both men, and if a Mormon man can have two wives, why could a Mormon woman not have two husbands?
No cheating at all.
And who even says it would be "cheating"?
Never said it would be. Just that the guys who like stories where a woman has sex with multiple guys (ie: guys who like cheating stories) would like a story where a female character has sex with more than one male character, far more than the guys who like stories where female characters only ever have sex with one male character (ie: harem story fans) would enjoy that same story.
Just that the guys who like stories where a woman has sex with multiple guys (ie: guys who like cheating stories) would like a story where a female character has sex with more than one male character
I have to disagree. From what I've seen on the forum guys looking for cheating stories where the woman is the cheater are looking for one of two things
1. A burn the bitch revenge story.
2. wimp husband/Cuckolding
Neither of those elements would be present in a reverse harem (one woman with multiple husbands).
The male audience for reverse harem stories will be small, but I would expect close to zero overlap with cheating story fans.
I have to disagree.
Fine?
I'm not a fan of cheating stories. I basically have to guess at the motives of those who like that crap.
I do like a good harem story, though, and pretty much see the appeal as being pretty much the 'loyalty' (from female to male character) aspect (which is totally absent in 'cheating' stories).
Neither of those elements would be present in a reverse harem (one woman with multiple husbands).
The male audience for reverse harem stories will be small, but I would expect close to zero overlap with cheating story fans.
The thing is that is a large area when it comes to what a "harem story" is. And many seem to be trying to make it into fit only their own definition.
I myself purposefully created one, but I did it in the vein of a "Japanese Harem Story". In those, the male character is quite often surrounded by females, all of which to one degree or another are attracted to him.
They interact almost constantly, can even be intimate to various degrees. However, he only has his eye on one girl, the others are various forms of support, distraction, or even competition.
I kind of used that in one of mine. And in later stages other than two specific situations he then at later times went through all of the other females. But one at a time. As in, he dates one for a while, breaks up with her, then moves on to another female.
In the trope of Japanese YA stories, that qualifies as a harem. In fact, stories like Love Hina and Familiar of Zero are specifically known as "Harem Stories".
The problem is that many determine in their head what something means (be it harem, child porn, or many other things), then try to insist that only their definition is correct, and no others apply.
Me, I admit that a great deal of my writing specifically revolves around "breaking tropes". Writing incest stories, where none of the characters are even aware they are committing incest until after the fact. Harem stories which follow the Japanese and not European model. Even superhero stories without traditional "superheroes". Even the "often fun" male to female transformation, which in reality is a nightmare for the man who transforms.
Myself, I have a lot of fun "burning tropes". To be honest, I started doing it because 25 years ago I found most erotica dull and boring, and started doing it to change things up a bit, at least in my writing. And now, I largely see the same thing.
Most in here is now basically repeats of the previous 15 stories before it in the "New stories" or "recently updated" list. Incest, check. Cuckold, check. Cheating, mind control, BDSM, bondage, I find most stories in here are now like that.
I feel like I should just wander off, return to the old ASSTR archives, and party like it's 1999 again.
and party like it's 1999 again.
Aaaand you've done it. Starting up Prince, Diamonds&Pearls Tour, Rotterdam...
Aaaand you've done it. Starting up Prince, Diamonds&Pearls Tour, Rotterdam...
Well, reading through the stories in here now, that is often what it reminds me of. I could take 80% of them, and throw them on ASSTR in 1999 and nobody would know the difference.
There was even one author in here I was reading when they started. But in the last few weeks hopped onto the "every story is incest" train, and I have stopped reading the series.
Not a judgement, but I do not care for it.
Most in here is now basically repeats of the previous 15 stories before it in the "New stories" or "recently updated" list. Incest, check. Cuckold, check. Cheating, mind control, BDSM, bondage, I find most stories in here are now like that.
Possibly why I spend so much time rereading older stuff now. BDSM can be interesting (although some makes me wonder if the author even knows anyone in the scene or is just imagining it all after seeing a few toys somewhere); bondage - well, it's part of BDSM; incest... it can be done well, but often isn't; mind control is actually a old favorite; but cheating and cuckold are both a hard no. And I don't recall the big 'cuck' scene way back.
Still, most people get into writing erotica via the "I could do this better than [fill in blank]" and modifying someone else's story to more closely fit their kinks (or just improve the story by closing plot holes and remove internal inconsistencies or whatever). So when some story gets a huge following and enough of those fans try rewriting that story their own way, you end up with a bunch of similar stories.
Still, most people get into writing erotica via the "I could do this better than [fill in blank]" and modifying someone else's story to more closely fit their kinks (or just improve the story by closing plot holes and remove internal inconsistencies or whatever).
I think it is about half and half. That does describe quite a few, but then you have others.
Those are those that simply are so obsessed with their kinks and fetishes, that they write about it over and over and over again. And even some great authors can be picked out for their love of certain fetishes.
Anne Douglas for example, she loves writing about lesbianism, and fan fiction. That is the majority of her work, but she is also a very good author in her own right.
But I look at many, and every single story is a repeat of their story before. There is one author I now avoid at Nifty, because every single story she writes is pretty much the same thing. I click a story, see her name at the top, and close it out. She is not a bad writer, but monotonous.
And it it is just the same thing over and over and over again really. Just the names and setting changed slightly.
Which is why I often mock what I call the "Kitchen Sink" stories in here. A 25k story with 40 story codes. And every single one of them tending towards the more extreme of kinks. Those are not really normally "authors" in my view, just people trying to satisfy their fetish.
Heck, I often laugh when I look through the "Stories Suggested" are in here. "I want a story that involves a sister making a cuckold of her husband-brother, who after running a train in the local theater ties him up and makes him watch her do their dog. Somebody help me find a story like that!"
I just shake my head and laugh. They are so deep down that they do not even realize their fantasies are probably shared with no authors in here.
BDSM can be interesting
Without DS, BDSM is BM. Like a bowel movement, or possibly an automobile from Germany, BM double you.
D and S are both different things, quite different. Discipline and Domination are vaguely similar but Submission and Sadism are more like chalk and cheese.
Without DS, BDSM is BM. Like a bowel movement, or possibly an automobile from Germany, BM double you.
IBM, you BM. We all BM, for IBM.
I remember laughing out loud when I read that in a book that was written in 1972.
You know i always wondered how relevant BDSM is in 2020/2021, i can't imagine anything good coming out of that type of relationship in this day and age with modern feminism and the metoo movement.
i can't imagine anything good coming out of that type of relationship
I have no evidence but I have been led to believe some people are naturally submissive and prefer that kind of relationship. For a story, following that theory can help make the story better.
I have no evidence but I have been led to believe some people are naturally submissive and prefer that kind of relationship.
While that is true, it doesn't mean they all enjoy or want to be involved in any bondage or sadistic treatment. Naturally submissive people simply want to be told what to do all of the time.
However, there are people who enjoy hurting people who are into the sadism side and people who enjoy being hurt who are into the masochistic side, and some who are masochistic and submissive.
Thus the whole genre is a mixed bag of people.
Well, yes... There's B&D, D/s, and S&M. The chances of any two people in a relationship perfectly matching in their interest levels in each aspect are pretty low, that's why communication is vitally important in such relationships. First, interests and limits need to be determined... and then how open to having those limits stretched needs to be discussed.
And as to the 'acceptability'... popular media is actually very open to BDSM, at least when the sub is male. (Although if you consider it carefully, traditional middle eastern relationships tend to be in the BDSM range with the male Dom, and that's not really portrayed as bad. If the guy isn't a muslim, though, yeah... he's a bad guy.)
You know i always wondered how relevant BDSM is in 2020/2021, i can't imagine anything good coming out of that type of relationship in this day and age with modern feminism and the metoo movement.
Hell, look no farther than the book and movie "50 Shades of Stockholm Syndrome".
Most of those hated it, yet women still flocked to read/watch that nonsense.
More and more lately, I have been toying with the idea of a reverse-harem story. Where one gal has multiple men.
I have a story in progress about a woman who when she becomes Queen replaces her Father's concubines with cockubines. I'll add the harem code of course. They're only a sub-part of the overall story though. All the guys looking for a traditional harem story will probably score it at best a "2" LOL!
All the guys looking for a traditional harem story will probably score it at best a "2" LOL!
As a fan of traditional harem stories, as long as the description clearly marks it for what it is, no, I won't go out of my way to down vote it.
Actually, while not normally a fan of femdom stories, I might read that just to see how certain issues are handled.
I'll add the harem code of course.
You'd deserve downvotes, due to inaccurate coding. Unless you include the technically accurate 'gangbang' code (multiple men fuck the same woman) which would be enough to warn off anyone expecting a real harem story.
You'd deserve downvotes, due to inaccurate coding. Unless you include the technically accurate 'gangbang' code (multiple men fuck the same woman)
Technically, it could be done without the gangbang code being applicable.
Even in a normal harem story, the sex can be strictly 1 on 1, so a reverse harem wouldn't have to involve a gang bang.
The gangbang code definition doesn't require simultaneous fucking. Just one woman and multiple men.
The gangbang code definition doesn't require simultaneous fucking. Just one woman and multiple men.
Since the SOL definition is fairly sparse, I would apply the general definition which while multiple simultaneous penetration is not necessary it does require multiple males in the same room at the same time taking turns such that the woman is continuously engaged with at least one of them.
The reverse harem could be Bob on Monday night, Fred Tuesday night and Gary on Wednesday. That's not a gang bang by any rational definition.
The gangbang code definition doesn't require simultaneous fucking. Just one woman and multiple men.
Yes SOL has the "Gang Bang" defined as "Multiple men fucking same woman"
but the true definition of Gang Bang is
A gang bang is a sexual activity in which several people, usually more than three, engage sexually with one specific person sequentially or at the same time. That specific person is the central focus of the sexual activity; for example, it could be one woman surrounded by several men, or a man with multiple women (a "reverse" gang bang).
You'd deserve downvotes, due to inaccurate coding.
No.
If a King has concubines, isn't that a harem?
So the King dies and his daughter becomes Queen and she has a group of men for her sexual desires, isn't that a harem?
I know technically a harem is only women and the term for men is a reverse-harem which sounds so lame. The word Harem can cover both and I see no need for SOL to add a new code for something so rare in posted stories.
harem
harΒ·em
/ΛherΙm/
noun
(in former times) the separate part of a Muslim household reserved for wives, concubines, and female servants.
"we were invited into the harem in the rear of the house"
Similar:
women's quarters
seraglio
zenana
gynaeceum
haremlik
serai
the women occupying a harem; the wives (or concubines) of a polygamous man.
"the Maharaja of Delhi had a very fine harem of 18 young and nubile wives"
a group of female animals sharing a single mate.
"the dominant bulls gather a harem of anything from two to ten cows"
If the queen's male concubines continue to occupy the same quarters that the king's harem did, the area is still a harem.
I know technically a harem is only women and the term for men is a reverse-harem which sounds so lame. The word Harem can cover both and I see no need for SOL to add a new code for something so rare in posted stories.
I'm on your side on this. It's BK69 who thinks you'd deserve a down-vote.
You'd deserve downvotes, due to inaccurate coding. Unless you include the technically accurate 'gangbang' code (multiple men fuck the same woman) which would be enough to warn off anyone expecting a real harem story.
And you would be wrong. YOU know, there is actually a definition of the codes available.
There is a harem involved in the story. A traditional old fashion harem, is where an old sultan has a collection of women housed in a palace for his own pleasure. Could apply for newer setting stories where a similar situation exists.
Where one gal has multiple men.
I recall a western story where one woman becomes the wife of multiple brothers.
Another good question is why would a harem story be it a man with multiple women or a women with multiple men be tagged as cheating ?
SOL defines "Cheating" as "One party is cheating on their partner"
and the definition of "cheating" is "the inclination or practice of misleading others through lies or trickery"
so since in a harem they openly known about each other then how or why must they use the cheating tag ?
I'm not sure where the claim about coding the story as cheating comes from. My supposition was basically guys who like cheating wives stories like reading stories with some chick who bangs lots of different guys, but guys who like harem stories wouldn't like it, as their ideal story involves any number of chicks who have sex only with one guy (or the other girls), so no more than one guy per chick.
I was asking an open question as to why cheating would apply to a harem as yes when one has a harem they do have more then one sexual partner but it is openly known thus harems don't meet the definition of cheating as no one in the harem is being lied to or deceived. What made me think to ask the question was a statement you made to mushroom
"bk691/21/2021, 3:57:36 PM
@Mushroom
Well, you can write a story about a gangbang/slut/whatever. I can't see it appealing to many tho. Especially not to anyone who likes harem stories. Maybe the guys into cheating stories..."
Well, if it was a hypothetical as to "how could you write a harem story that involved cheating?" ... If one of the girls in the harem had sex with a different guy, or the guy with the harem met a new girl nobody in the harem knew and had sex with her, that would mostly count. Although in the second case many harem stories are 'one way open' in that the guy has been given permission in advance to have sex with any chick he wants by the girls in the harem.
Has anyone ever written a modern day harem story that takes place in america? I feel like even six times a day by spacer was taken place 10-20 years ago. How do you even make a harem story work in modern day with our technology being so advanced, i mean you have facebook, twitter, dating apps, metoo and feminism movements that would make it damn near impossible i would assume, if your going for realism anyways.
Would be interesting to see someone take on a 2020/2021 harem story with how society is now and days.
Has anyone ever written a modern day harem story that takes place in america?
Yes, Finding Home
https://storiesonline.net/s/66183/finding-home
Ed's New Life is in modern times and set in Australia
https://storiesonline.net/s/15563/eds-new-life
I've also a few with 2 or 3 females, most of which are set in Australia in modern times and in my Life in the Suburbs series, but Rough Diamond is in the USA with twins.
https://storiesonline.net/s/59645/rough-diamond
https://storiesonline.net/universe/462/blind-luck
Three stories!
I know I've read lucky tickets but I can't remember much about it :-(
AJ
I know I've read lucky tickets but I can't remember much about it :-(
CRSS (Can't Remember Shit Syndrome)
Makes re-reading stories you've read before more fun. :)