My opinion: That when I skim a sex scene in a well written fic (let's set aside the shitty fics); it's very often not the sex that's boring, it's the relationship. Or rather, that the sex is boring because it reflects the relationship. If there's no tension in the relationship (if everyone wants the same thing and the fic is going through the motions of getting them to the inevitable HEA); or if there is tension in a relationship but the problems are easily solved (e.g., through talking and/or magical OT3), I find that I am not particularly interested in the sex.
In some ways I see it as equivalent to (but far less problematic than) the listening lamp problem. Can you replace the sex scene with AND THEN THEY FUCKED and move on to the next section and it makes no difference to the story? Then maybe it doesn't need to be there.
And then there are the other issues. Does it seem like sex real people would have or is it porn sex? Does it go on for too long? Does it get too anatomical and explicit (I don't need a description of someone's asshole, sorry.) Is it presented in context/character or can it be cut and pasted from another fic? And I find that the more formal BDSM/kinky it gets, the more I tend to skim. It requires too much description and discussion and explicit consent? it takes me out of the story?
in terms of my own (limited) writing...as I said recently, when I do write fic with explicit sex scenes (and the majority of my stories don't have more than a passing mention of sex; or are totally gen), I love to write sex that's kind of awkward, that makes the reader feel like they've intruded on a private moment. And I tend to narrate what people are thinking as it's happening more than what's happening. What's the emotional state they're in? How is the sex changing/reflecting it? I also tend to replace relationship conversations with sex.
Er...I have so many thoughts on this. This is one of those metas I wrote but never posted. :P
no subject
In some ways I see it as equivalent to (but far less problematic than) the listening lamp problem. Can you replace the sex scene with AND THEN THEY FUCKED and move on to the next section and it makes no difference to the story? Then maybe it doesn't need to be there.
And then there are the other issues. Does it seem like sex real people would have or is it porn sex? Does it go on for too long? Does it get too anatomical and explicit (I don't need a description of someone's asshole, sorry.) Is it presented in context/character or can it be cut and pasted from another fic? And I find that the more formal BDSM/kinky it gets, the more I tend to skim. It requires too much description and discussion and explicit consent? it takes me out of the story?
in terms of my own (limited) writing...as I said recently, when I do write fic with explicit sex scenes (and the majority of my stories don't have more than a passing mention of sex; or are totally gen), I love to write sex that's kind of awkward, that makes the reader feel like they've intruded on a private moment. And I tend to narrate what people are thinking as it's happening more than what's happening. What's the emotional state they're in? How is the sex changing/reflecting it? I also tend to replace relationship conversations with sex.
Er...I have so many thoughts on this. This is one of those metas I wrote but never posted. :P