To couple or to not-couple? First-Time vs. Established-Relationship Fics

[nos4a2no9]

belmanoir's excellent post on writing sex for ds_workshop brought up an interesting point, one that I've been mulling over for the past few days. In the comments to Bel's post, china_shop linked to resonant8's Smut Rants, and one entry in particular caught my eye. Resonant was writing about her smut pet peeves and said:

"A first-time story is a particular kind of pleasure. A

Comments

[nos4a2no9]

Heh, yes, it was hard to include all of the reasons why people write a particular kind of fic, so I just went for the broad strokes. Sorry if it was tough to choose.

that there needs to be momentum forward in an ER story for it to be more than a PWP -- and that can be surprisingly hard to do, I think.

See, that's interesting! I've heard that from several people who avoid est-rel stories: they're "boring" or "lack momentum" and as a result they prefer first-time fic. I'm not sure it's inherent in the form, but more a signal that the writer didn't have a good basis for the plot, or didn't set up the conflict. And those problems can crop up in first-time fic, but perhaps they're harder to identify because the structure of a first-time story is a bit more forgiving. Hmmm.

I just rarely think of them as dramatic stories; even when there is a transition, there's usually less at stake

I think this is what Res meant by her "lesser" assessment: it's harder to see what's at stake in est-rel stories unless it's the relationship itself, and yeah, that would probably alienate a lot of readers. How do you approach that development of tension in your established-relationship stuff? Do you tend to make the stakes about something external to the couple involved? And why isn't that an approach more established-relationship authors take? Because this question of conflict is something you can address through structure, and again, I'm not sure lack of drama/tension/momentum is something inherent in est-rel fics, just points at which the writer dropped the ball and didn't show us why the story matters.

[china_shop]

And those problems can crop up in first-time fic, but perhaps they're harder to identify because the structure of a first-time story is a bit more forgiving.

I think with FT fic you have a set structure -- the basic romance plot: attraction, doubt, possibly misunderstanding, making a move, acceptance, resolution, sex. ;-) That can be drawn out, and the elements can move around all over the place -- the sex to nearer the beginning, the misunderstanding to later on -- but there is a clear path and we've probably all read enough of them that our subconsciouses can figure that out in a satisfying way in our sleeps.

With ER, you pretty much have to make your own map.

I think the common problems with FTs are different from the problems with ERs, though. With FTs it's more things like a failure to establish the obstacles to getting together, a lack of UST, too much assumption within the story that they're OTP, an improbable/annoying misunderstanding or uncharacteristic failure to communicate, etc.

I just looked at my fic index, and I do tend to default to FTs (and have committed all of those sins listed above, no doubt). I guess it's partly because I find them satisfying, partly because of that inherent structure, and partly because of the challenge of trying to make them fresh and interesting and new. Meanwhile, my ER fic can pretty much all be categorised into: vignettes (snapshots of a relationship), PWPs (almost all my PWPs are ER, because if it's FT I want some plot), relationship transitions (usually from fuckbuddies to committed, usually Ray/Ray), cheats (eg. Fraser has amnesia and has forgotten about the relationship), and outsider POV or interaction (Stella, Frannie, Bob -- these are all pretty short and all F/K).

I guess the Gloriaverse should get a special mention. There are so many dynamics and issues in that 'verse that it's good fodder for ER stories: Kowalski coming to terms to Vecchio's past, and with Gloria; Vecchio dealing with the risks of being outed; Fraser recognising his differing responses to Vecchio and Gloria, etc. There's lots of space for clear emotional and practical transitions.

How do you approach that development of tension in your established-relationship stuff?

I often don't. :-) Like I said, a lot of my ER stuff is shorter, vignettes or PWPs. The point isn't the tension, it's to wallow in the relationship. If I'm writing ER, it's often schmoop.

Do you tend to make the stakes about something external to the couple involved? And why isn't that an approach more established-relationship authors take?

Off the top of my head, I'd say when I do go for the big dramatic thing, I tend to make the stakes about a love triangle. So in This Here Now, there's established K/V and then Fraser turns up. In Canoes and Taxidermy, there's simultaneous F/K and K/V. Even in my "cheat" ER, This Is Your Life, Fraser thinks there's established R/R and that he's the outsider. I'm probably more likely to do that than most because I ship all combinations of F, K and V. Also, this approach has a tendency to raise the angst levels through the roof.

I'm not so interested in the stakes being external to the relationship because I mostly read for the guys and how they feel about each other. It takes a very deft hand to weave together a crime plot and the emotional plot in a way that makes the crime plot seem relevant to the relationship. Some people are excellent at this, eg Ces, but it's hard, and the relationship side of the story has to be really strong.

Um. This has gotten really long. Mea culpa. /dork

[arrow00]

This is fascinating. And I find it totally non-dorky to read such a considered viewpoint, CS--especially since I've never even thought about this at all.

I'm not so interested in the stakes being external to the relationship because I mostly read for the guys and how they feel about each other.

What she dorked. When an outside influence comes in and causes problems, it's almost like a Mary Sue coming between them: not my bag of tea.

CS quoted Res:

What I like -- what I read slash for -- are stories about relationship transitions. About moments when people take a risk, face a fear, overcome resistance and gain a deeper intimacy.

Well, that would partially explain why I so dearly adore Res' writing.

I think the reason I prefer FT stories in general is many times ER stories are, as china_shop mentioned, more about the schmoop. The point of the snippet is to paint a snapshot of them together, and that's a lovely thing. But I'm an angst whore, especially when writing.

Intimacy--achieving it, allowing it--I'm addicted to that theme in most of my writing, and it's what interests me the most in reading as well. With an ER story, it's much harder for me to create a situation where lack of intimacy is a problem. It's a given, however, with a FT story.

Also, the problems an established couple might face to cause angst--fidelity issues, money problems--are in general too depressingly mundane (real) to excite me as a writer. (Already living it, thanks.)

I really need to think about this more.