On Incest · 8:43pm May 8th, 2019
So, I've been given the dubious honor of being one of the judges in the Incest is Wincest Contest. When Shake first asked me if I wanted to be a judge, I was a little baffled at first. Why me, one of the hardest to please and most critical, bitter husks of a human being that ever walked the Earth? Perhaps that was part of the point. For me, good clop is about more than just wet slapping sounds and twenty different colorful terms to describe pony genitals. I need a damn story, even a minimal one, to give me something to care about.
So here I am, going through the some odd 150 entries, rating them as I go. And as I went, I noticed a common theme. So common in fact I was compelled to write a blog about it. It relates to incest(obviously). More specifically, what is the true appeal of incest fics?
Now before anyone who may be reading this leaps to their keyboard to smash out 'AHHH SUBJECTIVISM AHHHH' give me a moment to make my case. First off, I know not everyone likes the same things. And within the things they like, there are shades of difference between them and others who like that thing. Incest is no different, doubtlessly.
So what do I think the appeal of incest is?
There are many aspects to it, but I can identify a few core elements that speak to me:
At the forefront is the taboo itself. But what is a taboo, really? As I use the word, It essentially means anything which is greatly frowned upon by society, whether explicitly or implicitly. Someone who violates a taboo may never have to worry about legal consequences, but they do have to fear the social consequences of breaking a taboo. Incest is no exception. Imagine the scandal if a major political figure, or artist or actor was revealed to secretly pork their sibling.
There is a real danger to incest. It comes with real consequences. It is, inherently, dangerous, and that's part of its appeal. Seeing characters come to grips with that danger, or how they respond to it, can be exciting. Perhaps most dangerous of all is the very real possibility of the incest destroying the bond between the family members. You can kick your ex out of the house and go spend time with mom until it all blows over.. but when your mom is your ex, you're fucked.
Then there's the wrongness. The shame. Which may stem from the taboo nature itself, or perhaps it's integral. Either way there's a real sense of struggle which these family members must overcome. There's an inherent tragedy and drama in their coming together. This is also exciting. It is very much the 'forbidden fruit'.
Third, and maybe most important, there's a sense of understanding from the reader about the nature of the relationship before they've even read a single word. I think it's a great benefit to the author of an incest fic that their characters are related, because the reader understands many things about their characters without ever needing to be told. Most of us know what the love of our family is like. We know how annoying our families are, and how much we want to wring their necks, even as we want to hold onto them and love them desperately.
Last(that I feel like writing about right now) is the thrill of it. The thrill of discovery. This probably exists more generically for most romance stories of course. Couples come together for the first time and its thrilling. It's new and exciting. However, I'd argue incest ratchets this aspect of sex and romance up to far more intense levels.
So what isn't interesting?
The title itself.
You can tell me Milftits thinks her son Oedipone is hot and has a big dick, but on its face that isn't really doing much. My basic rule of thumb is that if I removed all references of family title and changed the names to any random generic character names, and the story remains 95% intact, then you probably have a pretty dull incest story.
So what about stories which feature already established relationships? I have problems with most. Why? Because there's no drama, unless the story creates some other external drama anyway. Where's the sense of danger? There rarely is any. Quite often, such stories treat the incest with little or no true gravitas. It's almost commonplace. Mundane. They walk, talk and fuck like everyday couples. Why bother? You could have shown me any story of a random couple who aren't siblings and it'd leave the same impact. Sure they wouldn't be siblings in title, but like I said, the title is the least of it.
With that said, I do believe stories which feature established incest pairings *can* work, but they have their work cut out for them. They need some other driving force to bring the incest into focus in some way. Perhaps they are in danger of being 'discovered', or maybe the realities of relationships and relationship problems become real, and the fear of destroying the family bond pushes the drama. There are no doubt many ways you could do it.
So in closing, the one thing all this has in common is simple: it requires a greater deal of narrative finesse to touch on these core elements. In my (rarely) humble opinion, truly good incest is a very demanding niche; it's not like some arguably simpler kinks. I can't just say 'Billy thought his sister was hot and then they fucked' and then slap my hands together to clear the dust of a hard day's work. I need my intrigue. I need my shame, my fear, my excitement.
And you know, I have a lot of respect for everyone who tries to tackle this difficult and challenging kink. Not all of them smash it out of the park by any means, but I salute their efforts none the less. And to those of you who rise up and show me a work which tickles my shriveled heart? You are legends.
Keep it up.
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You listed valid points. I had to think about it for a few minutes, doing a little additional soul-searching for my reasons why exatly I like these stories.
Taboo I'd guess is the reason for me. Maybe even some deeper hidden complex that stemmed from my childhood could play a role. Who knows?
That's about it for the "Why?"-part.
I too prefer stories with depth that explore a much deeper level in the relationship between the individuals and not just the: And then they fucked - plot I have seen so many times again.
Let them have conflict. Let them doubt themselves and their feelings. Drive them to even greater lengths for the sake of their love.
5055254
The master has appeared.
5055255
Rarely have I asked what the source of my interest in the kink is... to be honest I'm not sure. Like most people who enjoy incest I don't have those feelings about any of my actual family... there is certainly something deeply psychological going on there and I could hardly guess what.
5055255
I doubt that I use it as a replacement for a personal hidden desire.
But the combination of some events in and outside of my family shaped me in many different ways - not even regarding incest as a subject.
Despite having both: A really attractive mother and sister. I would never cross the line - Even if I could.
Edit: I DO find them attractive tho.
5055262
I’d say at least part of it is the desire for a family that is unconditionally loving and endlessly supportive. I can only speak for myself but I can’t imagine the average clopfic writer has a very healthy home lifeZ
5055267
I'd disagree with that, I have a very happy home and family life, and I'm totally not attracted sexually to any members of my family.
I write clop and do debauched things in fiction writing, but those faults (if they are faults) are my own not my family's.
I will echo Rei's sentiment and just add this: every kink has its own subtextual appeal that lies beneath the surface.
The taboo of incest.
The power dynamics of S&M.
The control of bondage.
The masculine burden of futa.
Subpar fics simply make mention of the above.
Good fics do the same with some interlacing of character and plot.
Great fics are the ones that access that subtext.
Write great fics.
5055271
The moment you realize, that you don't have planned any clop in any story you have in your head. I'm not very interested in writing it somehow, despite reading it over and over again.
Last thing about me to the topic incest: My family life or rather my overall life improved when I finished school and my mother separated from my father.
Now it's fine. Just the normal crazy. Which is the most important thing in my opinion. Wouldn't change a thing, even if I could.
Good night.
5055289
It's totally fine to have a story without clop. Just know what you're trying to accomplish!
It's difficult not to with some fics.
5055444
You magnificent bastard.