Sex:Story Ratio

[Guest Starmongoose]

Hiya,

I'm writing a Final Fantasy fic but I have convinced myself I am going to write an honest-to-god plot as well.

The main reason I love the Final Fantasy series is the depth of the story and the originality.

However, since this IS a site for the more adult side of fiction, I was wondering:

How much sex, is too much sex?

I could probably pad out my story for seventeen chapters before I got to any hint of erotica, but I know alot of people are going to read my fic to see their favorite characters get taken rough and ready.

So far my fic has seven chapters and two sex scenes.

I'm having difficulty deciding whether or not to wait a while before further sex scenes ensue (It's hard to write nudity into every chapter whilst trying to advance a plot) or to keep adding the smut in the boiling cauldron in the hopes the fans don't get pissed off waiting to see Zidane getting it on.

[greenwizard]

I don't think there's a good answer to this. Some readers want sex in every chapter, while others like a good plot. My story is currently 26 chapters I think and there are two sex scenes. I have a third in a chapter that is sitting in my beta's inbox. But I have a few fans.

The only thing you can really do is write it how you want it and just hope there's someone out there that likes it. You should be writing for yourself anyway.

[Saitochan]

I totally know what you mean. I had the very same problem with my first fic (posted in the Naruto fandom, by the way), and ended up with 9 chapters and one sex scene. Yeah, it sounds like too little, even for me, but at least I know the characters got there without me forcing anything, you know what I mean? Of course my story is not read as much as any of those PWP out there, and doesn't get that many reviews for that matter, but I feel really good with myself for having written it.

On the other hand, while this IS a site for stories with adult material, you must remember that the Adult in Adult Fanfiction doesn't necessarily or exclusively means sex. Of course, sex makes kind of a big part of it, but in my opinion, what makes the difference between a great story and a merely good or decent one (besides the spelling, writing style and grammar, of course) is that great writers delve into the emotions of their characters, and describe their feelings with such accuracy that you feel moved when you read their writings. That kind of content is what catches the eye of a serious reader, and what drives away most readers only looking for a fic with lots and lots of sex.

Well, that's my opinion.

OK, in the end I think I didn't really answer anything, but at least this should help you make the desicion on your own.

Good luck with your writings!

[Guest Starmongoose]

Thank you very much

It's nice knowing other people have just the same problem with this as I do. So in a way you did help, you made me feel better .

I have decided to keep on writing the story the way it seems natural for me to write it. Even if it's another 20 chapters before I reach another sex scene, I will be happy cause iv'e stroked my artistic ego a bit.

[WarlordEnfilade]

That depends. Are you writing a collection of vignettes about sex (PWP, or short plots focusing around sex) or are you writing a longer story/plot that happens to include sex?

I don't think there's much point in throwing in sex scenes for the sake of having sex scenes. By all means have sex scenes if they are essential to the plot, or to explore the relationship between the characters. It is going to depend on the story how much sex is required....I wrote one 9-chapter fic that culminated in sex in chapter 8, another longer fic that's having several chapters about sex because the characters have certain issues that they're working through and not much experience, and i needed to give them space to do it in without making it seemed rushed or unrealistic.

Conversely, if you want to just have sex for sex's sake, a oneshot is a better way of doing it.

[Guest Starmongoose]

I am writing a longer story with plot that just happens to have sex in it (even though I lack the ability to write a good sex scene), I was just such a sucker for approval I decided my 400 odd views with zero reviews was down to the lack of sex in it (or my writing is crap, but let's not think of it that way).

Anyway, I’m going to keep writing the story and write a sex scene where I think it appropriate. If I’m only getting reviews because a couple of the characters get sweaty with each other, I’m not sure I want to. I write 'cause it makes me happy and attracting the wrong kind of audience might put me off it.

I'm not saying I mind people who read fiction to see some porn, I just don't want to become that writer. The kind who wastes their talent writing medicore smut with no artistic merit.

[DodgeSuperBee]

That sounds like a good plan, as you've got to write for yourself and if sex for the sake of sex is going to throw off your vision for the story then it's not worth it.

Not everyone may like this idea, but there's always the option of putting a note on your story warning for "strong adult content in chapter x and x" so those who just want to skip straight to the sex can do so. I did that for one of my FF.N stories that was very plot-heavy and sure enough, the two sexy chapters got the most hits, though it was impossible to tell if those were from readers who skipped straight to them or from those who went back to re-read them. I hope readers who were there for the plot didn't spoil the story for themselves by skipping right to the good stuff. That's like peeking at that one Christmas present that really, really looks like it might be the thing you wanted the most!

[Guest Starmongoose]

Hah, that's a good idea. I probably won't do that though, it makes it too easy for them .

If they want to use my writing as jack-off material when it's something more, I'm gonna make them work for it!

Though I am sometimes guilty myself of just looking for a sexy one-shot to...satisfy myself. Maybe I should stop being so judgmental and hypocritical.

Bad writer!

Bad!