A thought inspired by the Feedback Exchange

[unfeathered]

Something that dynapink said in her feedback on Lessons Learned for the Feedback Exchange got me thinking. She said ’ I was somewhat less convinced by some of Nine's characterisation [ ] I have a hard time buying Nine gruffly ordering Jack into his bedroom (in front of Rose, especially) to "punish" him for irresponsible behaviour. The first half of the story almost seems more kink than characterisation, although oddly enough the second half, where most of the actual sex is, seems much closer to the actual characters.’

This made me realise that, because I move in a fairly limited circle on LJ, I actually write for a fairly specific audience. I expected most people who read Lessons Learned to be familiar with the work of other people who write kinky, D/s Jack/Nine. (Especially as most of my friends are also friends of a certain becky_writing who somewhat specialises in that genre! *g*)

And yet, I’d like my stories to be accessible to readers coming to the idea for the first time. So now I’m wondering if I need to put a bit more setting-up stuff into stories like that.

Any thoughts?

Comments

[fandom-me.livejournal.com]

Disclaimer: I went to lie down, and instead got violently sick at my stomach with what is apparently sudden onset stomach-flu. I'm also groggy. The combination is probably giong to make me sound stranger than normal.

In short: Maybe.

With more detail: I've been thinking about this issue lately, and while I think it's perfectly fine to write 'established relationship' sex/PWP, where it's not the character's first time together, and the dynamic's shaken out before, there does need to be some indication that they've gotten to that point (inside the fic and in the header) and how they got there. ESPECIALLY with Kink, and if you're assuming it's not something that's not generally familiar to the character.

But I'm not sure set-up's the right word for it, either, since you don't really have to 'get them together' every single time on the page, either. Just. Weave it through. Even a line to indicate what's going on, in narrative or dialogue, is often enough to pull the reader through, to the place the character's you're writing are, and to give them something to suspend their disbelief from.

Also, honestly, and this is only slightly on topic: Definitely, definitely, writing BDSM fic, familiar with my stuff or not, will limit the hell out of your audience.

[unfeathered]

Oh no! Poor you! Hope you feel better soon! *sends hugs*

writing BDSM fic, familiar with my stuff or not, will limit the hell out of your audience.

Starting at the end... Oh yes. I know that. But the circle I (we) move in, even if it's not really their thing, are at least relatively familiar with the idea and I tend to forget that there are a lot of people who aren't.

I'm not sure set-up's the right word for it,

No, probably not, and I didn't mean a bit spiel at the beginning or anything, just getting the info in surreptitiously throughout the fic - and, as you say, in the header.

Of course, Lessons Learned (though that's not the only thing I'm referring to here) is interesting in this respect because it is a first-time fic, and I felt the setting up was done in the fic. But maybe I was assuming that everyone else saw angry, scary Nine as really hot and dominant (which was my starting point for the fic), when actually they don't. Of course they don't!

In not-first-time fics, I would normally include a little bit of the history - like in Constant there were references to Nine/Jack etc.

[fandom-me.livejournal.com]

*nods* It's very possible that it's just not the audience you're writing for, period. It's that change in interpretation of characterization. Even among seeing Nine as dominant and hot, people, there's going to be enough shift that some stuff just won't work for them. Which is unfortunate, actually, but also pretty educational.

[unfeathered]

Yes, I suppose it all comes down to dynapink and me having been 'forced' to read each other's stuff here, when we wouldn't normally have done that. On the other hand, I was just about able to believe in her fluffy Ten (because the fic was pretty silly) and her Nine/Rose, and even, just about, her slightly silly Jack, and I suppose I'm just a little bit sad that my Nine didn't work as well for her. But you're right, I shouldn't really expect him to.

And she did say nice stuff about the latter part of the story. :-)

Have you had your feedback back yet? I keep meaning to have a look.

[fandom-me.livejournal.com]

Nope! But I'm cool with that - she's a RPS bandom writer/reader, mostly *G*

[unfeathered]

So she hasn't done it? That's a bit rude!

(Btw, I'd never come across bandom before this - definitely a tiny bit squicked!)

[fandom-me.livejournal.com]

Eh, things happen. It's not something I'd do, and I do think it's a bit rude, but well. Shit happens.

[unfeathered]

Yeah. Well, I would offer to do yours, but... I kind of already have. *g*

[fandom-me.livejournal.com]

Bwah! Yep! And so have other people. I'm pretty content that I know what's in there, honestly. It's useful and fun, but I'll be ok.

[unfeathered]

Yeah, and you did it before, didn't you? It was very useful for me because I haven't been writing (or at least posting) as long as you.

Anyway, off home in a min as we have friends coming round with their 8 month-old son whom we haven't seen yet and then we're all going out for tea/dinner together. I'll be back later this evening but I'd hope you'll actually be getting some sleep by then!

Hope you feel better. :-)