Which POV for smut?

[Mr.J]

Hey all, I've just been wondering what's everyone's preferred pov when reading smut, well it doesn't have to be smut alone just any story in general. I generally dislike First person POV as I think it to be too cringe in stories I read, with that said I normally read wuxia and litrpg, stuff that is pretty action-heavy so it's always irked me if it's written with 1st POV. I found myself enjoying 1st person when I was writing earlier though, I began to realize why exactly some people prefer 1st person. You can really give your characters unique voices but I'm more concerned about how readers receive it so whats the verdict guys.

 

[Nolff]

@Voidiris @RepresentingEnvy @LuoirM

These are the big three when you're writing this... Heresy.

Also, don't ask my opinion on this, or else...

 

[Tsuru]

Hey all, I've just been wondering what's everyone's preferred pov when reading smut, well it doesn't have to be smut alone just any story in general. I generally dislike First person POV as I think it to be too cringe in stories I read, with that said I normally read wuxia and litrpg, stuff that is pretty action-heavy so it's always irked me if it's written with 1st POV. I found myself enjoying 1st person when I was writing earlier though, I began to realize why exactly some people prefer 1st person. You can really give your characters unique voices but I'm more concerned about how readers receive it so whats the verdict guys.

The tip i say next, can fit everywhere :

"Pick what fit you"



That is all.

As for "audience pref/meta-writing", its basically a buff. A gigantic buff in some case (coughSMUTnowadaysCOUGH) (coughNTRdoujinsCOUGH). But the reason why the old works had often masterpieces = is because they simply wrote what they wanted. Onepunchman and ZachBell(jp), were basically invented in school/uni days by their creators, and didnt think at that time they would turn into blockbusters.

 

[SPS4]

I don't know, man. The third person is weird because it doesn't accomplish anything more than the first person in a sex scene, but it does add an odd distance to something that should be very intimate. I can understand if you want to write more clearly about all the involved parties' thoughts/feelings. However, that's accomplishable by being more descriptive of the non-first-person participants' reactions.

Then again, I generally like first person more, so I'm probably biased.

 

[Mr.J]

The tip i say next, can fit everywhere :

"Pick what fit you"



That is all.

As for "audience pref/meta-writing", its basically a buff. A gigantic buff in some case (coughSMUTnowadaysCOUGH) (coughNTRdoujinsCOUGH). But the reason why the old works had often masterpieces = is because they simply wrote what they wanted. Onepunchman and ZachBell(jp), were basically invented in school/uni days by their creators, and didnt think at that time they would turn into blockbusters.

The tip i say next, can fit everywhere :

"Pick what fit you"



That is all.

As for "audience pref/meta-writing", its basically a buff. A gigantic buff in some case (coughSMUTnowadaysCOUGH) (coughNTRdoujinsCOUGH). But the reason why the old works had often masterpieces = is because they simply wrote what they wanted. Onepunchman and ZachBell(jp), were basically invented in school/uni days by their creators, and didnt think at that time they would turn into blockbusters.

this is the rule that i generally tend to go by. Except with this story I actually want to make cash off of it so the readers opinion is important. With that said it it could be said that its even more important I write what I want to, I know opinions may differ on this but I think myself capable of writing something even if I don't personally enjoy it. (mostly for short smut, if I had to write an entire novel and the premise is something I don't enjoy i'd become resentful and lose motivation)

I don't know, man. The third person is weird because it doesn't accomplish anything more than the first person in a sex scene, but it does add an odd distance to something that should be very intimate. I can understand if you want to write more clearly about all the involved parties' thoughts/feelings. However, that's accomplishable by being more descriptive of the non-first-person participants' reactions.

Then again, I generally like first person more, so I'm probably biased.

thanks for your thoughts man, i'll keep that in mind. I'm scouring Reddit for answers too and subs like Ao3 or fantasywriters are digging in on First POV trashing it badly lol. With that said a person shouldn't take reddit too seriously

 

[Tsuru]

I don't know man, third person is weird because it doesn't accomplish anything more than first person in a sex scene, but it does add a weird distance to something that should be very intimate. I can understand it if you want to write about all the involved parties thoughts/feelings, but that's accomplishable through being more descriptive of the job first person participants reactions.

Than again, I like first person in general so I'm probably biased.

Ditto
SPS4 explained it well + also liking 1POV



When reading pixiv (novel r18 section)
I saw a few nsfw oneshots, between 2 girls (yuri or nsfw)
and when its 3RDPOV, it feels SO DISTANT for some reason. Like : X does this to Y. Y then X.

Meanwhile, you got some nsfw ones (cough Miorine x Suletta) where it goes : "Can i really do this ?" (I feel like i shouldnt...) (Seeing her skin i ......)
ITS SO SENSUAL !

Meanwhile in chinese ero novels (po18)
sadly its also rare, but when you got stories in 1pov, they feel very "immersive", even for sfw parts.
But even the 3rdpov stories, THEY FEEL IMMERSIVE because like the 1pov ones, they feel like eroges, where you imagine yourself as one or the other party.
-------------------------

Conclusion :

FirstPOV give a buff of immersion (which is basically the ultimate goal of writing/2d) but in the end, is just a BUFF/BONUS so
if the author is better at 3rdPOV then its recommended to choose 3rdPOV. (Recommended to play lot of eroges for "better writing")

 

[Deleted member 84247]

Follow your heart.

 

[Mr.J]

Ditto
SPS4 explained it well + also liking 1POV



When reading pixiv (novel r18 section)
I saw a few nsfw oneshots, between 2 girls (yuri or nsfw)
and when its 3RDPOV, it feels SO DISTANT for some reason. Like : X does this to Y. Y then X.

Meanwhile, you got some nsfw ones (cough Miorine x Suletta) where it goes : "Can i really do this ?" (I feel like i shouldnt...) (Seeing her skin i ......)
ITS SO SENSUAL !

Meanwhile in chinese ero novels (po18)
sadly its also rare, but when you got stories in 1pov, they feel very "immersive", even for sfw parts.
But even the 3rdpov stories, THEY FEEL IMMERSIVE because like the 1pov ones, they feel like eroges, where you imagine yourself as one or the other party.
-------------------------

Conclusion :

FirstPOV give a buff of immersion (which is basically the ultimate goal of writing/2d) but in the end, is just a BUFF/BONUS so
if the author is better at 3rdPOV then its recommended to choose 3rdPOV. (Recommended to play lot of eroges for "better writing")

ive only ever written in the third POV before now but I feel like I do the first POV so so much better or it can be my own bias lol, I still don't particularly like first pov over the 3rd but will do it just this one time to see how people take to it

 

[LuoirM]

As a straight male, I usually write in first pov to imagine a hot muscular daddy roughly topping me without anyone calling me out as gay because the receiving character is female.

In all seriousness, take this advice
"When cooking, put in garlic and onions first, then decide what you're gonna cook."
In this situation
"When writing, pick a mood for the scene then choose the pov, more awkward and realistic choose 1st, more UWAAAA SEGGS choose 3rd"

 

[J_Chemist]

POV of the boobs.

 

[BearlyAlive]

Totally 2nd person. Absolutely can't go wrong with this one

 

[Obsoleteness]

I prefer when it's written from the pov of the guy hiding under the bed