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the typical fic
There is a Typical Fic in the 2K - 8K range, and approximately 1/3 of this Typical Fic is the Advertised Porn. Sometimes it's closer to 40%, sometimes closer to 25%, but 30% is the most common ratio.
The remaining fic is usually something like 50-69% Getting There, 1-10% Sex is Next, with 1-10% Aftermath. "Getting There" most typically includes groundwork for the trope (we are best friends realizing our feelings; we're enemies but we're in prison together; aliens are going to make us do it! etc). Groundwork for the trope can be laid by talking about the trope (which was set into motion pre-fic, e.g. the enemies start in prison) or plot to make the trope happen (e.g. the enemies team up against a Bigger Enemy and get caught and thrown in prison).
"Sex Is Next" refers to the denouement of "Getting There." The best friends confess they love each other, the enemies get bored and one mentions there's nothing to do but The Do, the aliens who are making them do said do are herding them toward the arena. In other words, the plot is either resolved or stops; the other characters go away; there is a moment of They're Going To Do It before they, you know, Do It.
The Advertised Porn is whatever kink or tropes are referenced in the title, tags, and/or summary (usually all three).
Aftermath length can vary wildly depending on whether Getting There involved Plot (the enemies have to get out of prison) or Talking About It. The aftermath for the latter is usually How They Feel about each other, usually with a little nod to how they Got There ("Why did it take us so long?" "See you next time you're in prison!" "Let us never speak of that planet again.")
I don't have any particular value judgments about the Typical Fic as I've laid it out. I have come across examples both terrible and amazing. I was just wondering if you have thoughts about it, including but not limited to: how did we arrive at these ratios, is this a pwp, what are your thoughts on yaoi
The remaining fic is usually something like 50-69% Getting There, 1-10% Sex is Next, with 1-10% Aftermath. "Getting There" most typically includes groundwork for the trope (we are best friends realizing our feelings; we're enemies but we're in prison together; aliens are going to make us do it! etc). Groundwork for the trope can be laid by talking about the trope (which was set into motion pre-fic, e.g. the enemies start in prison) or plot to make the trope happen (e.g. the enemies team up against a Bigger Enemy and get caught and thrown in prison).
"Sex Is Next" refers to the denouement of "Getting There." The best friends confess they love each other, the enemies get bored and one mentions there's nothing to do but The Do, the aliens who are making them do said do are herding them toward the arena. In other words, the plot is either resolved or stops; the other characters go away; there is a moment of They're Going To Do It before they, you know, Do It.
The Advertised Porn is whatever kink or tropes are referenced in the title, tags, and/or summary (usually all three).
Aftermath length can vary wildly depending on whether Getting There involved Plot (the enemies have to get out of prison) or Talking About It. The aftermath for the latter is usually How They Feel about each other, usually with a little nod to how they Got There ("Why did it take us so long?" "See you next time you're in prison!" "Let us never speak of that planet again.")
I don't have any particular value judgments about the Typical Fic as I've laid it out. I have come across examples both terrible and amazing. I was just wondering if you have thoughts about it, including but not limited to: how did we arrive at these ratios, is this a pwp, what are your thoughts on yaoi
no subject
As for the writing, I guess it's mostly just emulating the structure of the things that I've been reading and the basic storytelling that I learned in school. I started out by writing a lot on kinkmemes (and still do) but I'm a really slow writer, so to finish a fill in a reasonable amount of time I would focus solely on what the prompter requested without adding a significant buildup (majority of my fills were 3k or less). Also, the fact that these types of fics are popular and generally well-received is positive reinforcement. I wouldn't say that they're exactly PWP; to be completely Porn Without Plot I'm thinking of an 'in media res' type of thing where the characters just fuck and that's it, which usually ends up at less than 2k -- it's more like the porn IS the plot for these Typical Fics.
I absolutely love to read long fics with elaborate plots, but as far as being able to write one of my own, I don't know if I could and I don't know if I want to commit to trying, and I think a lot of fic writers of this type might feel the same way. When I get an idea, it's usually a small idea, and I end up with a short fic from it. I don't have a strong value judgement either; obviously I enjoy these types of fics but they're as forgettable as they are enjoyable.
I've never read/watched much yaoi since it's mostly visual and I prefer reading (other reasons too, but that's the main one). Plus, I think part of the buildup towards the characters getting together that I mentioned before is in the original media itself, and without that background, I don't enjoy it as much.
no subject
For instance, there's really no exposition. It starts with rising action, which is often resolved in the Sex is Next phase. Even if it's not resolved, I would say that if you're looking at the common diagram usually used to explain plot structure, there is a plateau after rising action, and that the sex is another arc with its own (often separate) climax.
Take the friends-to-lovers trope example. There is no exposition to explain that they are friends because we already know all that. It begins immediately with the problem, which launches into "rising action". The rising action is, "oh, God, I've fallen for my best friend; does he love me back?" The Sex is Next phase is the part where A finds out B loves him back. That is the climax; the rising action is actually resolved. The sex they have for the next 30% of the fic is, if you go by the classic structure, actually the denouement--and it's far too long to fit the classic structure. However, as you point out, there is a literal climax built into most sex scenes, and most sex scenes build toward that peak; therefore I would argue there's a second plot arc 2/3 of the way through the fic.
Enemies-trapped-together and aliens-made-them-do-it can in fact be similarly deconstructed, but I won't belabor the point.
I agree with you about everything else, though--that you care more if you get to see these particular iterations before they start having sex, and that was the other reason I made this post. I think it's interesting that we come in caring because we already know the characters, but all of us want to care about These Particular Characters Right Now. On the one hand it makes sense, but on the other hand it's amusing just how important character and relationships truly are integral to us getting off on porn.
I love that you actually told me your thoughts on yaoi, thank you. <3
no subject
I think caring about their relationship is a big part of why I gravitate towards written porn. Like, to some extent I can watch two actors having sex with each other and see that their characters are feeling some type of way (same with looking at a drawing). But I want to be told /exactly/ what way they're feeling! I want to be inside their head and know it! Ultimately when I'm reading those types of fics, yeah, I am 90% there for the porn, but if I wanted pure porn, I'd just go to redtube or whatever people use for that.
Yaoi hadn't really crossed my mind in a long time until reading this post. I'm curious what your thoughts on yaoi are too.
no subject
My thoughts on yaoi are mainly:
1) I still think "what are your thoughts on yaoi" is funny
2) More people used to call all slash yaoi and that's not the case any more, so with the exception of 1) I don't think about it much at all, except,
3) When Yuri on Ice was a big deal I kept thinking people were talking about yaoi not YOI