A question for anyone who's been reading Into the Fire

[only_more_love]

I've a question for anyone who's been reading Into the Fire.  I don't care if you've left feedback or not.   Please give me your honest opinion.  Take off the gloves and be as blunt as you want.  *g*  Answer anonymously if you're worried I'll bite. 

So I recently finished writing a bunch of 200-word ficlets in response to a table of prompts from drabble123 .  It was fun, and I think I did a decent job.  However, I recently signed up to write 20 300-word ficlets for the sex table.  I've written five so far, and I'm in two minds about whether or not I should continue. 

That's why I'm soliciting your opinion.  Yes, I absolutely write for myself.  Yes, I know ultimately I have to decide for myself whether I should drop this or not.  No, I'm not trying to write by committee.  But sometimes you're too close to your own work.  I'm curious what you think; sometimes hearing other opinions can help crystallize one's own thoughts. 

There was a time when I disliked drabbles and ficlets.  Over time, I've come to love them -- as a reader and a writer.  Short writing doesn't necessarily equal "bad" writing.  

But is it different when it comes to writing about things involving sex and sexual desire -- whether because it's just the nature of the beast OR because I simply am not a strong enough writer to do it well at this point ?  Am I not providing enough texture, context, or something else in the ficlets I've written for Into the Fire?  Are they not fun to read?

In other words, do you think I should stop writing these?  (No, I'm not talking about stopping writing entirely.  That's not happening.)

Obviously I can drop the challenge and just write longer pieces using the given prompts.  Longer pieces might allow for more immersion in the stories.  But ignore the question of whether longer would be more fun to read and tell me how you feel about the ficlets.  Love them?  Hate them?  Feel indifferent?

I don't expect you to have any answers; just tell me what you think, please.

Comments

[lerdo.livejournal.com]

Thanks. DB is incomparable. *drools and hands you a bib*

Very interesting perspective, Doc. I'd like to probe a bit, but don't feel pressured to answer if you don't feel like it. Do the ficlets in question seem OOC because they feel abrupt (i.e. Booth and Brennan are not a couple on the show, so without a lot of dialogue and narrative about their feelings and motivation to set it up, the intimacy seems out of nowhere)? Is that what you're trying to say? Feel free to correct me if I'm not getting it.

*hugs you back* Thank you for weighing in; you know I value your opinion.

[doc-3.livejournal.com]

I think that's exactly it. Without the set up, it's hard to "hear" their voices in intimate dialogue. I think
'abrupt' is the best way to describe it. It doesn't sound *wrong*, and it does sound like *them*, it's just that the words (and/or actions) are unexpected. With a ficlet, sometimes I'm not quite "prepared" for them to be together, yet they are. Am I making any sense? Like I said, you do an amazing job, so don't take this as a criticism, just my opinion. :)

[lerdo.livejournal.com]

You made perfect sense, Doc. Thanks for coming back. :) And no worries; constructive criticism is always, always welcome.