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

[beccadg.livejournal.com]

I'd compare a lot of erotica/porn to science fiction "space opera... The Act is more important than the people Doing It, it seems.

*Nods.* I think you've got something there. "Space opera" I am a junky for unlike the erotica/porn, and I'm not necessarily into it for the characters or plot. It's nice if they're good, but not essential. I'm into it for the, "fancy futuristic spaceships and robots and exotic planets and aliens with odd foreheads." I imagine the people that are into the erotica/porn where the Act is more important are reading it for that.

Sometimes it's not just a matter of not caring about the characters, but a matter of *actively disliking* them.

There's only so much even a story with good substance can do to over come my disliking the characters doin' it.

I think it's because the writer's love of the characters comes through in the story, whether or not *I* love them (yet).

*Nods.* The ability of people to "borrow" other people's love of characters is kind of what I was talking about to mischief5 when I told her, "You didn't get Pirates until the recommendations of friends had gotten you emotionally invested." She "borrowed" her friends' love of the movie to get into it.

[mischief5.livejournal.com]

Actually, the only reason I bought "Pirates" was to get Ith, Ducky, Kim and Jenni off my back.

"I hate Johnny Depp."

"You'll love Pirates!"

"I. Hate. Johnny. Depp."

"Oh, please? It's so funny!"

"Shaddup already."

"There's this one scene..."

"Grrrr!"

"Just buy it and you'll see!"

"Will you shut up if I buy it?"

"Will you watch it?"

"Yes. Fine. Whatever."

Then I had to eat crow and listen to the chorus of "I told you so's" when it turned out that I did love it. Sheesh. I haven't given in to peer pressure since junior high.

VBEG.

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

In my defense, I didn't really realize you hadn't seen it till you told me you saw it. Or something like that [g]

Did I tell you I didn't think I liked Johnny Depp? In fact, I was so bummed when I heard he'd been cast on POTC. Well, I'll admit, I was wrong wrong wrong. Now, I've gone back and watched a lot of what he's done and I'm a huge fan. Even the odd arty things like
"The Man Who Cried". Don Juan DeMarco is a joy to watch, and I'm also very fond of Chocolat.

(I'll use my Depp icon)

[mischief5.livejournal.com]

Actually, that was mostly Kim and Jenni. :) But with you and Ducky such big fans as well, I finally gave in. Kim and Jenni have a tendency to talk me into all kinds of things. X-Men for one. I watched those because Jenni is a huge fan of Hugh Jackman but just couldn't get into them. They were okay but that's about it. They keep talking up Smallville as well but other than making a Superman baby quilt for Kim's new baby, I'm not going there.

And I still hate Johnny Depp. *grin*

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

That's okay, I love him enough for both of us :)