What is desired in a spanking story?

I know this varies from person to person, so no exact formula can be discerned, but I was curious to know what people believe are qualities or components a good spanking story must have. Is there a particular length that is best? Does there need to be more than one spanking? Does the spanking need to come at any particular place in the story? How important are details of the spanking? How important are details not pertaining to the spanking? Is motivation important or does why the spanking take place matter less than the execution of the spanking itself.

Tcheser asks several good questions, but I can only come up with useful answers to three of them:


In my humble opinion, the LSF format works best with stories 5000 words or less. However, I have posted stories double that size which were well-received.


You can find hundreds of very good spanking stories that don't contain even one actual spanking.


Motivation can be very important. I posted one story that totally glossed over the reason for the spanking in favor of the emotions and details of the spanking itself. That really bothered some readers.

Depends on what you are trying to do. I've got stories that go from 500 words to 30,000. There's no real answer to this one, however, for this site, no more than 5000 words per segment seems to work best.


It depends on length and the story arc, the plot line. The longer the story, the more I'm likely to have several scenes in it. A very short story may climax in a single scene, and beyond this, there is nowhere to go. In a longer tale, there may be a series of incidents and perhaps that is the point, see e.g. THE ACME PADDLE CO.


Most of the time it comes at a climactic moment and that is near the end, at least near the end of that segment or part, because that is what the drama has been building toward and now it's time to resolve it. Once resolved the story must move to something else. Normally I load the climactic scene toward the end because I delay the "reveal" that a spanking is in the offing. See e.g., IT WAS A VERY GOOD YEAR. Every scene in this 3 part story is near the end of that part and the reveal comes only after plot and characters have developed.


I don't skimp on details. I want to create a word picture so that the reader sees and perhaps feels what the characters are going through. At the same time, I don't think it necessary to go overboard. About a paragraph or two will usually be enough, interspersed with dialog and an onomatopoeic effect or two.



For me, it's critical. The story is the thing, not the spanking. Spanking happens IN the story, it is not THE story. For example GOOD YEAR above, is a story of young love. It's boy-meets-girl. RETRIBUTION, a recent story, is a crime drama. Most of my stories are like that. I have a tale to tell, first and foremost. It turns out that spanking figures into it because of plot, the setting, and who the characters are, but the story itself is not about the spanking.

As you said, this depends entirely on personal taste. I've met people on here who feel the exact opposite from me on just about all of your questions. But, assuming that this meant to be a survey...


It depends on pacing, but in general I feel that anything longer than five or six thousand words should be broken up into two chapters. I'm terrible at following this rule myself.


There doesn't need to be, depending again on length and pacing. My favorite, though, is to have two spankings, the second longer and more intense than the first. I love "out of the frying pan, into the fire" type stories.


The spanking should either be the climax of the story, or directly precede it. We need some time to get to know the characters before the spanking, and we need to see the aftermath, so right around the climax is perfect.


I like detail. Emotional, tactile, and visual. I sometimes overdue the visual details myself...what can I say, I just love asses.


Only VERY short stories can get by on spanking alone. For anything longer or more plotted, you need a good story with engaging characters.

Boy, do I agree with that.

For me, I'd rather see a part 1 and part 2 etc... than a 5,000 word story. I try to keep my long stories between 2,000 + to 3,000 +. I may have gone over a few times as SNM says. Many authors on the LSF write really well, but to me seeing a 7,000 word story just kind of makes me believe it's more of a short story with a bit too much sub-plot to it.

I like to see the character(s) identified to begin with. I want to see what they're doing and what they're saying. Then comes the problem. What did they do? Who do they have to report to in order to make amends? I like a little story behind it, but I don't want to read a whole life story about them. A good build up to the actual event isn't bad either.

More than one spanking? Sure. It happens in our stories all the time. It happens in mine quite a bit. I do this because there are times I use F/m F/M and M/f M/F pretty often. This in my opinion gives a little bit to everyone with a preference to orientation.

Details are great. I love to get a comment about how I wrote the details and description of the spanking, both in dialogue and descriptive data. This is what keeps us slavering at the mouth. Where does the spanking occur? Well, we have those who love college type spankings, school spankings involving both female and male heads, maternal and paternal spankings, older sister and brother spankers, housemothers, mother-in-laws, etc... A person can go on and on.

I also like put put a few OW's, I'm Sorry's, Pleeezzzzzzz, I'll be good's, etc... A few CRACK WHACK, SMACK, but not go overboard as the LSF help section says. There are times I describe the spanking without the use of those buzz words. There are other authors who are excellent at it, too.

How is the spanking done? OTK, Over a chair, Over a desk, Over a bed, fully nude, naked from waist down, (includes pants and panties/knickers/shorts down to ankles)? This all has an effect on the reader as well.

Then comes the implement. We all have our likes and dislikes. It's all in the creative writing and the imagination. We get away with a lot in the LSF with our spankings. Are they plausible? Who cares? We just like a good spanking story.

What is desired in a spanking story?

1) A STORY (i.e., plot)
2) Interesting characters
3) Good writing
4) Spanking

Yes the STORY is essential! Meaning it has to have an attention holding plot to sustain reader interest throughout.

Interesting characters - part of the fun of writing for me is creating interesting characters that readers can, empathise with; laugh at/with; feel sorry for; egg on; back up etc.

Good writing is essential. and is largely covered by 1 and 2 above, given that the writer has a good command of written English and formatting.

Spanking: well yes this IS a spankings site so most of the time we do expect the story to be building towards a spanking or two... or 3... But having said that I have read some great stories here which haven't contained an actual spanking.

To be honest, I get really bored just reading about a spanking without any character development or plot surrounding it. For me, the spanking has to have a context to enable the reader develop empathy with one or more of the characters. This is the approach I always use for my writing and likewise, I prefer to read stories in which the spanking occurs as part of an overall engaging plot with captivating characters. I guess this this harks back to what Rollin said above:
Now with regards the positioning of the spanking or spankings, I agree with everyone above who says that the climactic point, leading to the final resolution, is the best place to write the spank scene. The beginning paragraphs are used to engage the reader by building plot, developing characters and causing one or more character sufficient strife to earn them a spanking hehe. Then, of course, the main spanking scene serves as a pivotal point for the story to reach a final resolution.

I have, however, read stories here which have started at the spanking scene, then have used a line break to flash back to the build-up and story behind the spanking. Those I have read have worked well. But to make this work well the spank scene has to described beautifully and some empathy for the character or characters should shine through and the spank scene should be written in a way which evokes further reader curiosity about the characters and the reason for the spanking. Also this flashback writing technique works best if it goes full circle. Meaning, the story ends right back where it started and follows thru with the rest of the spanking action and then the forgiveness or resentment being the finale.

With regards story length, to me it doesn't matter so long as all the above boxes are ticked, regarding engaging plots, captivating characters and a well described and placed spanking scene. If a writer is able to engage the reader with the above - so long as the reader isn't furtively reading on the work computer, cautiously glancing over their shoulders in case they get caught out - the reader will usually be so engrossed in plot and characters that they feel compelled to read until the end, even with a longer story. I know I do!

Some of my longest stories have been my most well received on this site, such as KLSF Party at the Spanker Inn; and Mooning in Butt Hole Rd. So I really don't think length is an issue unless readers are in a hurry and are purposely seeking a 'quick fix'!

Spanking isn't necessary. It's a tease if someone keeps hinting at them and never delivers, but one of the best ever stories I've read didn't contain any actual spanking.

Interesting questions - thanks, Tcheser.

I tend to agree that more than 5,000 words is best avoided and stories can be effective at less than 1,000, though clearly they then become more of an anecdote than a story with little description or character development. However, on occasion it's hard to break up a story into episodes. One of mine ("For a Fistful of Knickers") ran to over 10,000 and a lot of people saw the word count and still read it - or started it, anyway.

I have seen the view expressed that more than one spanking distracts from the impact of the first. There is certainly no need to go for more than one if the one is the climax of the story. However, I don't go along with the view that more than one is an embarras de richesse, especially in scenarios like the spanker or story-teller being in due course spanked, or the detective or teacher or sister seeking to catch the spanker or wreak revenge getting spanked.

In general a story on a spanking library that went on for a long time after the last spanking would be anti-climactic, but I'm sure there are exceptions.

Some stories go into a lot of detail and vivid description of the spanking, and this clearly interests and excites many if it's well done. Others don't: if, for example, the interest of the story is in the clever manoevres by which someone starting in a weak position (servant, younger sibling, junior teacher or student, private soldier) gets someone proud and powerful (master/mistress, older silbling, head teacher, teacher, officer) in a position where he or she must submit to be spanked, then going into a lot of detail on the spanking might well detract from the impact of the rest of the story, but failing to empahise the humbling or humiliation of the proud one would be a missed opportunity.

As with any kind of writing, the amount of detail in general is a matter of priority. Too much incidental detail would distract from the main interest. Imagine a crime thriller in which the detective, being a keen gardener, is shown in great detail admiring flowers in a garden AND THERE ISN'T EVEN A BODY HIDDEN THERE! Some atmospheric description at the start (a storm, a beautiful early morning, a disordered teenager's bedroom, the stern buildings of a traditional and well-ordered school, a rough and shabby housing estate) can be very effective, though, especially as the reader at that point doesn't know quite what kind of a story this is and will be alert and looking for clues. If you can do this kind of thing well, exploit it - but if you can't, don't tie yourself in knots. Thereafter detail should generally contribute to the spanking interest - for example, the colour of a girl's eyes or the pattern of her pleated skirt. Some people will want to know these things, but do it succinctly.

I like to provide some character development. We find out things about some characters we didn't know at the start, or they change in response to engaging in spanking or being spanked. The spanking is often associated (as cause or effect) with a change in power relationships. As for motive, this can be very simple: she has a fantastic arse and I want to spank it. It can be more complex, in which case it's worth spending some time exploring motive. Some fine stories will concentrate mainly on what's happening in the characters' minds and others on what's happening on a bottom, but in most cases there's a balance. Otherwise, we might as well turn to the many internet pictures of arses looking like bacon and forget these awkward word things.

There have been some really good comments already made. Let me add one thing that makes a spanking story appeal to me. I used to live around the corner from a movie theatre. I could see the marquee from my bedroom window. When the 1st Christopher Reeves Superman movie was playing, it read, "You'll believe a man can fly." When I went to see the movie, I was indeed able to suspend belief for the duration of the movie. At no time did I think, "Wow, the special effects sure make it look like the actor playing Superman is flying. of course, I know that's impossible." No, while watching the movie, Superman really was flying. I enjoyed it more that way than if I had taken a more realistic view of what was happening. Now spanking stories sometimes (often?) have elements of fantasy. But the writer must present the fantasy to the reader in such a way that the reader is able to suspend belief for the time he or she is reading the story.