How Far Is Too Far?

[cu-kid9]

Okay, I have a story that I'm working on that I have successfully managed to go fourteen chapters without any full-blown smut. The story is rated Adult++, there have been a few...suggestive...moments, and the current chapter I'm working on has M/M/M action, with the possibility of my main character (female) getting a piece of it. However, I'm leaning toward not writing it that way for several reasons, one being that it may screw up part of my plot - which I could work around, but it would kind of make everything that much more complicated. Also, if I don't, I feel like I'm just being a tease (especially since I've already been called such by a few reviewers ) even though I do have every intention of getting to the smutty goodness...eventually.

I've read several stories where I just want the characters to get on with it, but the anticipation always seems better to me. However, I'm a little uncertain about whether or not backing out of writing this scene will cause readers to give up on me out of frustration or help add to the anticipation.

So, my question is how far can you conceivably push the readers (especially here when some are only looking for sex)? Is there a point when it just stops being a great read for the tension and becomes annoying?

[Psychostorm]

If you're a decent writer I don't think most readers will give up on you over one scene.

[Melrick]

You've already said some are reading it only for the expected sex, so you won't be able to push those people very far before they give up and stop reading. The ones that are there for the story will be happy to go along with it, assuming they're enjoying it. But if you've already done 14 chapters without full-on smut then I would think it's fair to say the people still reading would be there for the story. Although, if you have promised smutty goodness, and you keep failing to deliver, then that would undoubtedly annoy some people and cause them to stop reading. I guess it really all depends on just why people are reading your story. For me personally, teasing stops being fun and starts being frustrating and annoying when the promised pay-off never seems to arrive.

[Helluin]

It's a blessing and curse that AFF is where people go for smut. I confess, if I'm browsing here, I'm usually doing bedtime reading and more likely to flip to the next story after about two chapters unless it's really engaging, whereas if I'm browsing fic on LJ, Ficwad or FF.net, I'm looking for good story, and the sex scenes are just pleasant diversions along the way.

[Supersonic Bitch]

I've read several stories where I just want the characters to get on with it, but the anticipation always seems better to me. However, I'm a little uncertain about whether or not backing out of writing this scene will cause readers to give up on me out of frustration or help add to the anticipation.

So, my question is how far can you conceivably push the readers (especially here when some are only looking for sex)? Is there a point when it just stops being a great read for the tension and becomes annoying?

In my not so humble opinion, pr0n is much better with a story. Characterization, plot, reasons why said persons fuck each other, anticipation, building sexual tension and other such thing just heighten the intensity of pr0n scenes. There are quite a lot of enjoyable PWPs but these tend to include reasons and characterization still.

I just fukken hate pr0n logic: person X meets person Y -> pr0n without any reasons why -> ??? -> profit! (Oh, well, the South Park quote had nothing to do with the point but I have been mercilessly tormented by my new IJ account and therefore my current state ov mind is kinda insain. Insane Journal indeed.)

And then again, I just have to stress this certain point again: like homicide, fanfiction is self-expression, not fanservice.

(Sheesh, going all psycho again, this might help my very, very vague AU-ish consensual psycho!Malfoycest storyline. Torture, character deaths, blurring and destroyed identities, general insanity and other nice thingsees. Oh yesss..., I am sick fuck and rather proud ov it.)

[jungledrums]

It is the reader's responsiblity to know what they're looking for as well. If they aren't looking for say for example yaoi, then why bother with it? I also concur with Supersonic. Fan fiction should be a means of emotional expression. And smex scenes are better with a plot.

[Guest dwitefry]

In my not so humble opinion, pr0n is much better with a story. Characterization, plot, reasons why said persons fuck each other, anticipation, building sexual tension and other such thing just heighten the intensity of pr0n scenes. There are quite a lot of enjoyable PWPs but these tend to include reasons and characterization still.

Hmm... you see I like writing pornographic scenes, one shot deals, but I like the characters who take part in these scenes to be actual characters, rounded and filled with thier own characeristics, which I figure means I like there to be characterization right. I also try to make sure the scene as a whole tells a short story or could be a scene from a larger story, specifically the larger story that is the character's life. Does this mean I agree with you? Hmm...

MeX

[ShadowsPale]

I read a lot. I spend far more time reading than I do writing. As a writer I know how it feels to want to tell your story as you see it panning out. As a reader I know what it is like to be sitting there many chapters into the story going "where is the sex?" Being teased is a good thing if the wait is worth it. A well written scene of steamy goodness is well worth the wait but if it is rushed as so many are, I end up bored, disappointed and unless the actual story is amazing, disinterested.

I would say do what feels right for you as the writer. You know what you want, what will happen in the future with the characters. You know the Character and how they work in the story. Sometimes smut straight out of the barrel works, some times it doesn't. I have stopped reading fics where the sex felt rushed, like it was just thrown in at that moment as bait to keep reading. On the other hand, keeping me waiting for long periods when it seems that it is the writer stalling and not the characters, has had me hitting the back button more than once