Emotional Attachment & Smutty Fic

[ithildin]

We discussed this on IM last night, and thought it was worth throwing out for conversation.  My musing is such: I've bought and read some of those 'erotica anthologies', and for the most part, they bore me to tears. So I've been wondering if there's a component of having an attachment to a character that adds to the enjoyment of such fic. As in: I find I enjoy 'adult' fanfic with a character I know and care about more than the 'professional' sorts of stories found in published anthologies. With many of those, it's virtually nameless and faceless and I just don't care enough about the participants for the story to be satisfying on any level.  Obviously, there are exceptions. but generally speaking that seems to be the pattern.

Thoughts?

And here's hoping the other participants of last night's conversation share their thoughts.

Comments

[jinxed-wood.livejournal.com]

Ah yes, the difference between erotica and porn.

If I had to come up with a definition, I would say it’s related to the objectification of the characters. If the characters involved have substance and depth, even in a short story, it’s erotica. It it’s a case of insert part of body A into part of body B, then it’s porn. Just my opinion, of course.

Erotica interests me, porn doesn’t, it’s as simple as that. I love a good love scene as much as the next gal, but context and character development is a must for me. I need to be emotionally involved.

As for the Anita books, Unlike other people here, I didn’t read them in strict order because I only started reading them a couple of years ago and all the books weren’t available to me at the time. Impatient woman that I am, I just thought ‘Oh, I’ll just skip those few and read the last two’

Ooops

What the hell happened to the plot? Fine, Anita, you’re cursed with need for sex ;-) But does every single encounter have to be written in such loving detail to the detriment of an actual plot. Hasn’t this author heard of ellipses? Doesn’t she know that there is such a thing as too much of a good thing?

Having said all this, there is such a thing as an exception to the rule. For me, that fanfic author is nautibitz, who writes’ Spuffy’porn with such a light handed touch and sense of humour, I can’t help myself!

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

Yes, there's always exceptions to everything. Thankfully :)

What the hell happened to the plot? Fine, Anita, you’re cursed with need for sex ;-) But does every single encounter have to be written in such loving detail to the detriment of an actual plot. Hasn’t this author heard of ellipses? Doesn’t she know that there is such a thing as too much of a good thing?

Oh! You nailed it! That's exactly it. I've told my boss after loaning him the latest books in the series that if you removed all the sex, you'd maybe have a novella left, if that. So if you want to give me all that sex, you need to give me some bones, some foundation, some plot! I know she can do it, she's proved that with the earlier books.

[beccadg.livejournal.com]

Oh! You nailed it! That's exactly it.

*Nods.* I think the mindless repetition "damages" the context along with not having any substance. I mean when I'm wondering if there's another word for "splash" LKH could've used instead of thinking about who's splashing/producing splashing.... *Rolls eyes.*