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.

[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!

[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.

[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. ;)

[koshien.livejournal.com]

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

[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.

[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.