Monday is for shitpollsting about sex in fanfic

[lunabee34]

I was just commenting in china_shop's journal that I don't write much explicit fanfic anymore and that I don't really read it much now either. When I first got into fanfic, the porn aspect was novel for me, and almost everything I read was explicit. Now if I do read explicit fanfic, I'm just as likely to skip all the sex scenes so I can get to the good parts: Draco crying in the bathroom because Harry hates him or Tony crying in the workshop because Steve hates him or, you know, some other people crying and misunderstanding each other egregiously (like in ways that stretch the limits of credulity).

And that got me to wondering about what the rest of you think about sex in fanfic. Please discuss any and all points in comments! Tangents welcome.

Poll #22479 And then the taller man licked into the tallest man's mouth

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 36

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I often skip the sex scenes in explicit fanfic.

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yes, and I'm going to tell you why in comments
9 (25.7%)

no
12 (34.3%)

how much is often?
14 (40.0%)

Never thought I'd be reading fic that features __________, but here I am. Reading it.

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OT3's

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do not solve love triangles, sheesh.
8 (25.0%)

are the best way to resolve love triangles, sheesh.
24 (75.0%)

Effective sex scenes are really hard to write.

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yes; I mean you can't just write, "she tasted like strawberries, and sugar, and something uniquely her," TWO times in a single fic
14 (42.4%)

no; you get the right combo of elements (say, spanking, some egg custard, and a little light bondage) and *somebody* out there's going to find it hot
5 (15.2%)

sometimes
14 (42.4%)

Comments

[tabaqui]

I enjoy reading sex scenes, but i find that a higher percentage of them are really *boring*. Not because I'm bored of sex, but because a) they're just going through the numbers (one finger, two finger, scissor, omg, stop), b) they're using way too much of the sex scene to natter on about consent, boundaries, and 'are you okay?' stuff, even when it's not BDSM/kink, or c) it's just really *bad*.

Good sex scenes do take a little work, and, of course, you have to find your audience/find your author. Some people will love what i loathe, and vice-versa, so it's all pretty subjective. But if i'm reading an explicit scene and rolling my eyes or skimming, well.... They're not the author for me.

[lunabee34]

*nods*

It's all subjective. I do tend to think that *somebody* out there is going to find it hot regardless even if that's not me.

I find as a writer that writing something that isn't perfunctory and formulaic is really hard. I think it's because I am drawn to dialogue and other aspects of story, and it's hard for me to think of ways to write sex scenes that aren't really familiar already.

[tabaqui]

I like writing sex scenes that are not too terribly *detailed*. Not fade to black, but a bit more on the sensation/feelings side than the 'then he moved this finger' side.

[lunabee34]

*nods*

Those tend to be the kind I like to read the most as well.