Help with fic plot?
If anyone has some 'thinking' time, I need some help....
So I'm writing a 'thank-you' fic for the individual who left the 125th review on "Merits" on ff.net. They'd like a mature Zutara, lemon if possible, with a non-emo ending.
I'm completely stumped -- I think my suck-tastic lemon-writing skills are blocking my creativity. (I'm so terrible at writing 'hot' scenes... and it is obvious. I really avoid them when I can.) So it is a case of nerves that I need to get over. So I'm trying to 'trick' myself with the first line, to force myself to get over it.
The first line to start the fic off... Does this work, or is it too 'out-there'? :
"I can't believe you got us into this mess. If you hadn't tried to lightning-bend to jump-start the dead vibrator..."
...?
I'm hoping I can warp this into a lemon... Is there anyone who's good with lemon scenes who'd be able to concrit mine when I get it written? (Geez this is embarassing to ask...) BTW, partial credit for the above line goes to my fiance: we did the, "I'll start the line, you tag on the end'-technique. He's great with that kind of stuff.
... Also, what is (in your opinion) the difference between lemon & smut? Is it a fine line? A word-usage/vocabulary distinction? The way you say something, or is it what is being said? Is it the intention behind the words, or the intention towards the reader's reaction? Is it 'how far' the characters go? Is it the mention of body parts (the euphemisms used, the actions engaged in)?... I used to know this, and I'm just drawing blanks now that it's my turn to write it. Urgh. I've read / beta'd so many, it all kind of blends together now. Plus, being an adult, the subject matter isn't as 'shocking' or 'titillating' as it would have been were I still a virgin teenager. I know for a fact a large number of the readers of "Merits", however, ARE teenagers. A lemon is one thing, smut is another -- but I want to make sure I'm not crossing that line (at the very least, on ff.net). I think this is a story that'll end up in "Silk & Twisted", at any rate.
Does anyone have any suggestions/resources? I'm checking my old fanfic-reference sites, and they're all pretty vague. ^^;