Do You Have To Be Sexually Attracted to a Character to write about her/him in a fic involving sex??

[karadinart]

Um, well, for me yes? Maybe that's really shallow of me.

Case in point - SHERLOCK. Would I ever have written slashy fic about Sherlock Holmes and John Watson before this series? No.

I adore Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle, I adore Jeremy Brett's Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, which had I been into writing fic at the time I would have done so ... but not slash. I've even seen and enjoyed the Sherlock Holmes movie with Robert and Jude, whom I like, but I would never have written slash about it. (honestly, it's not Sherlock Holmes to me, that movie)

Just Ben's Sherlock and Martin's John. It's the chemistry they have as a pair.

Because if it was just Benedict's Sherlock, no. And only Martin's John Watson, no. It's what they have together. I guess I can't explain it better than that, because I have seen Benedict in other roles and Martin too, and they are great but no 'ding ding' *sporfle* sorry, that's the noise it makes in my head.

And I think in many Sherlock fics, you can see the author's attraction is the physical beauty of Benedict, but for me, it's equal parts John's complex character as Sherlock's brilliance and quirks.

Now, in anime fandoms, I get the pairing too, and that's on a purely abstract level, as say, in BLEACH the contrast of Byakuya, tall regal, aristocratic, black and white, and Renji, impulsive, dangerous, caring red haired maniac as he is - or even L and Light in Death Note, the contrasts and trying to fit them together.

And I should note, I canon pair like a canon pair whore. To me it's about what's been done and taking it on a tangent, what if, but not too far, cos if I go too far, well, they are not them anymore, it's something else. And yeah, I see everything in my head like a movie when I write, I wish I could just suck it out and throw it up on YouTube.

Okay long thing is long.

Comments

[suddenlyflying.livejournal.com]

I think for me, it's more about the personalities/dialogue than looks, but I tend to not be a very visual person in general and rather, I hear the scenes in a fic if that makes any sense. It's why I generally can't read hugely long PWPs that are just endless descriptions without dialogue.

I find Benedict endlessly attractive because his voice is just pure audio porn for me. And I find the pairing in the show fun because there's the right level of chemistry, conflict and emotional connection, even though I think the two of them would make a bit of an odd pairing visually when you really think about it.

[karadin.livejournal.com]

They do make an odd pair visual, so they probably look at all the slash coming out of the show and say wtf? But intelligence (and both characters have it) is sexy.

[glitterburn.livejournal.com]

Interesting! I don't always need to fancy a character/actor before I write them, but I need to feel *something* towards them - even if it's dislike. A couple of times I drew the short straw in 'secret Santa' fic exchanges and had to write about guys I have zero interest in, and while I could write about guys I hated, it was a slog to write about guys I found 'meh'.

I like what you said about anime characters. I always feel a bit weird about fancying animated characters but whatever, I have my favourites *g* but I'd never considered why I liked them. Abstract archetypes, as you said. That's a good way of putting it.

I wish I could just suck it out and throw it up on YouTube

This. I would really like a 'download brain' option. It would make things SO much easier and I wouldn't feel so guilty about all the half-finished fics hanging around the laptop!

[karadin.livejournal.com]

Oh, I think I could write about a character I didn't fancy, but write sex with them, and feel it? Probably not! ;D

Yeah, I never thought I would get into anime characters, but that's often not only the visual, it can be the sexy seyiuu, they add so much to the character! I feel sorry for the people who only viewed YnM in english, most of Muraki is in the Voice.

[unovis.livejournal.com]

This is exactly how I feel about writing slash--or about writing slash with any enthusiasm. I have in the past written pairings that do not appeal to me, and in some cases have been surprised that I could discover something. Lestrade/Mycroft, most recently, and that's more due to the writing of others than anything I see onscreen or could have derived from the show.

Yes, as well, to the slashyness of Sherlock for me compared to any other versions I've seen or read. I always found Holmes/Watson derived from other versions as almost repellent.
I would have been content to see BC's Sherlock as asexual and not been tempted to write, or even read, anything sexual about the characters if not for the wonderful pairing. Something about this show zings.

[karadin.livejournal.com]

As I see canon Sherlock as just not interested - not necessarily asexual - his being not interested in the show (Sherlock) works fine for me,

I don't know if it's the nod/wink to slash they put in Sherlock, it's probably just what Martin and Benedict are putting into it,

they are nothing like their onscreen characters in rl, and are friends in rl, its translating. (and that doesn't mean I think that they fancy each other!) It's only us the fans that take it further! ;D

[unovis.livejournal.com]

Asexuality the way it's presented now was not a concept I held when I first began reading Sherlock Holmes (well, I was probably eight or so), so for me as well, canon Holmes is simply not interested. To be honest, one reason I loved the character and the stories was because Sherlock had no interest in love or a romantic relationship. I thought he treated Watson badly for the most part, but like Watson, whom I also loved, I forgave Sherlock much.

It's funny that the current show's presentation of the characters and the chemistry of the actors and the various nods and winks in the writing and direction have fueled both the "Sherlock Holmes as asexual poster boy" and the "Holmes/Watson: subtext icons" fires among viewers and critics. This version is definitely a work of the post-author times.

[karadin.livejournal.com]

Yes, Benedict himself is surprised when people come up to thank him for 'what he's doing for asexuals everywhere' and then he says, you mean Sherlock? *snorlfe*

In the show Sherlock never says he's asexual. It's only - 'not really my area,'

So in stories your focus is on the mystery and the adventure, and it's not spoiled by love interests! (which also appealed to me as a child, and as an adult) and the different kinds of relationships/friendships one can have. We'd all be hard pressed to find someone to kill and die for us like John, maybe.

I'm excited at the prospect of a strong female character in Irene as a foil to Sherlock - because Mark has promised it won't be a romantic interest for Sherlock.

[ashkitty.livejournal.com]

I definitely don't. ;) I get a bit swept away in how the characters see each other, and sometimes I don't actually have to like or fancy either of them. ;)

[karadin.livejournal.com]

But you do get into the character dynamic to get the slash out, is that with canon pairs, or if someone suggests, pair these two up? Do they tend to be pairs that are friends or antagonists?

[ashkitty.livejournal.com]

This is a fun topic; I was about to run out the door to work so had to keep it short but now am settled here. :)

The character dynamic is what gets me into a pairing, regardless of whether it's 'canon' or not (having said that, I definitely tend toward 'main' pairings in a canon that look quite obvious, like Holmes/Watson or Kirk/Spock or something). But the characters can have chemistry together regardless of whether I find them fanciable, and I feel like, I don't know, I'm writing them for each other, not for me, if that makes any sense! Like, even with those pairings--as good-looking a fellow as Benedict Cumberbatch is, I don't fancy Martin Freeman at all, but I still would (if I were writing in that fandom) have them have a lot of edgy repressed sex. ;)

Or, say, Kirk/Spock: in the reboot, okay, I am desperately in love with Chris Pine like a 14 year old girl, but I also write TOS, and Shatner and Nimoy, while awesome, are sort of like grandparents and I am EWW about them being naked when not in character. But the characters are so clearly hot for each other that I forget I don't fancy them and write them as if I do.

FWIW, when writing original characters having sex, I almost go out of my way to have them not be the sort of person I fancy. Is that odd? ;)

[karadin.livejournal.com]

Oh edgy repressed sex indeed! :D

Yes, that's the thing, Martin on his own and even Benedict on his own, no, together, well, I can see what (for example) Sherlock would be attracted to in John, and write from Sherlock's pov, not mine, so yes in a way, writing for the characters - but in looking through Sherlock's eyes, Martin's John is dead sexy to me now, wooly jumpers included. ;D

But with Sherlock it's maybe the things that others would not find attractive, what do they mean to Sherlock? The stress lines on John's face, his hands, what others might see as ordinary, typical, flaws, if you would.

And because of Sherlock's actors, I can read Sherlock Holmes slash fic - that's well written - even if it was from Jeremy Brett days, or Nigel Rathbone and enjoy it now, where I would not before, (as you say with old school Kirk/Spock)

When I'm writing original fic, I have at least one character in mind that I fancy, because usually I 'cast' an actor as him, well, just in general I like to have an idea of what they look like, cos it makes writing easier. Maybe that's my problem with my current OF, my lead keeps morphing! (I was trying for Sean Bean ....)

[ashkitty.livejournal.com]

I find it really hard to 'cast' characters, though I know a lot of people do it. I'm not that visual, I think--I have pictures in my head, but they almost tend to be more pictures of the words describing the person than the person themself. (That is a strange way to put it and probably not clear at all, but oh well, I do my best!)

I totally know what you mean about being able to read anything Sherlock now you have the characters in your head! I hadn't written any at all, but I had watched the Downey/Law film and the BBC series (and read Doyle of course), and so then when I got a chance to write steampunk Holmes erotica, that was all in my head and informing the characters I ended up with--even though I wasn't writing about them, exactly, but really enjoying making my own versions of them.

I do tend to have a 'type', though, I confess. Other than my Harry/Draco days I almost always go for the 'best friends are more than friends' tropes, where the characters balance each other out (and usually one is dark and one is fair...).

[ashura-oh.livejournal.com]

Oh my! A fellow Ashura! =D

[ashkitty.livejournal.com]

Well, we are a remarkable sort. ;)

[karadin.livejournal.com]

I agree.

[karadin.livejournal.com]

I think it's so interesting to see how other authors 'visualize' when they write, and sometimes to me, the words are something I try to get through to get to a picture of the character, yet, I think in my early writing days I got too descriptive, and pared it down, now it's going a big the other way, I think you needn't be so specific, to let the reader come up with their ideals to a degree ...

I like the Harry/Draco dynamic as being antagonists, to begin with, and they both have to get over their upbringing to come to an understanding, but I never want Draco to stop being arrogant, which could sort of be Sherlock as well ...

[unovis.livejournal.com]

An advantage to writing fic, for me, is in not having to introduce the character with a physical description. I can describe as much or as little as I like as I go along, or use a kind of synecdoche by focusing on hands or lips. It can work with OCs to an extent, though you have to give the reader a little more to work with. Mainly, I just want a physical reference in fanfic when it means something or serves some purpose in the whole.

As I've gone on, my sex scenes are less and less physically descriptive? choreographed? too.

[karadin.livejournal.com]

yes physical reference when it serves a purpose. It's a little peeve of mine in stories to constantly see one character referred to as 'the brunet' or 'blonde' over and over! I think sometimes some authors are afraid to use a name, that the name itself would become too repetitive.

It's tricky with sex scenes that are too involved, they can go too long, or there is an element which throws the reader off.

[koshien.livejournal.com]

This is interesting! Does this also apply to reading and enjoying fic too?

[karadin.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I guess, do you only enjoy reading pairs where you would be into them anyway, for example, of course I could see a and b get together, or no way in hell, but it would be hot? *sporfle*

Sometimes I can't see a certain pairing at all, but the author makes it work for me.

[ashura-oh.livejournal.com]

Generally I need to be able to put myself in the character's shoes (or maybe rather their sheets) whose point of view I'm writing about, and that necessarily means I need to feel what they feel. I should keep myself from going all moany though. *lol*

[rubynye.livejournal.com]

Oooh, a fascinating question. In general, I think I have to fall in love with something. A character, both characters, neither apart but their dynamic together... something has to grab me.

[karadin.livejournal.com]

Yes I agree, I find myself really loving some of the Kirk/McCoy fics in New Trek fandom, and it's not something I ever would have conceived of before the movie.

In fact, I found a really fun Sherlock/John Kirk/McCoy fic, believe it or not!

[hideincarnate.livejournal.com]

And yeah, I see everything in my head like a movie when I write, I wish I could just suck it out and throw it up on YouTube.

ME TOO. WHEN I DRAW TOO.