Slow Burn Story and Hot Art - thoughts?

[Likri]

So, I've been drawing a slowburn romance, with the main pair, well, obvious for anybody with half a brain, but at the same time I was thinking of doing some more NSFW or couple art for them - for parteon or simply for promos. But then again, I personally felt kinda "meh" when I saw such art in other comics with obvious pairings, like "well what's the point of reading this whole thing if the author already shows the endgame?". I know it's the journey, not the destination most of the time, since a lot of stories are very predictable in there outcomes, but still. So, what are your thoughts on art that skips to the good stuff, while the story isn't there yet?

[elyss]

It makes me squee personally. Lclove it to bits. Specifically if the pair is obvious but the story is meant to take their time.

If it's a story where the pairings are up in the air though it bugs me a bit. Stories like that I like guessing, so if an author does art for that, I'd prefer they do a mix of the MC with different people and a couple joke ones in there like forever alone with their dog type stuff.

[sarrowsmith10]

My comic The Chevalier has plenty of promo art where the main couple is together, even though they aren't at that point in the comic. I don't think it bothers my readership at all.

[Iris-Grimoire]

If the couple getting together is a secret in itself, put spoiler warnings; people that open them probably are in just for the shenanigans and not to see exactly who's the one. If not and even the story is just waiting for a confession, yeah, no problem whatsoever in making NSFW of the very obvious couple, that only makes people want them together more and the slow burn more of that good pain.

[joannekwan]

I don't mind seeing it; I appreciate well-drawn erotica. And it's a good incentive to get people who want to see it over to your Patreon (many people love smut), especially if it's not going to show up for a while in canon!

If it's a spoiler, do as suggested above and throw in some red herring pairings.

[gempompadour]

I think a lot of people would actually love that. Slow burn romances are the best thing ever but do take a long time to build up and come to a conclusion. Releasing some steamy art on the side allows you to go straight to the good stuff when the story itself is nowhere near it.

[Likri]

And how about a story with an obvious endgame, but the author loves to whore out the MC with different love interests? XD Since they all have a different chemistry and the author likes a variety. =)

[Likri]

Hehe, nah, I think the meet cute for them was pretty on the nose, so I don't think anybody rn thinks there will be another outcome... for now. dun-dun-dun

[Likri]

Yeah, I guess I really need to step up my Patreon game with this.

[Likri]

I do tease their expectations in the comic a bit, but yeah, gotta add some gasoline to this slow burn once in a while.

[elyss]

You're speaking my language I'd say. I do the same thing It's so fun. Not to mention that method makes for the optimal spoil free and having fun. You get to have your cake and eat it too

[kurakart]

"well what's the point of reading this whole thing if the author already shows the endgame?"

I disagree. Here's the thing: if the only reason people are reading your comic is to find out if they're gonna end up together, then there's something wrong with your story. You were right when you said:

I know it's the journey, not the destination most of the time

Think of any action movie or battle anime. The good guys always beat the bad guys. That's not the point of the story. The story is about how you get there.

So no, I don't think drawing couple art is a problem. It shouldn't take away from the story because that's not the story. The story is how they get there.

THAT SAID, it's a bit overdone. I think it would be far more interesting, if you're going to draw one-off stuff, to draw "situations" from their current story status. Let's say you've got Alice and Bob. They haven't dated yet. You could draw Bob looking at her from afar. You could draw Alice getting jealous of Bob's new girl friend. Now they're dating. You could draw them having coffee. Riding a rollercoaster. Now they've moved in together. You could draw them doing the dishes...

You get the picture.

But I guess if you just wanna draw NSFW stuff... it is what it is.

[phoenixrenaissance]

I have both a story with a set couple and another with I guess "secret" pairings meant for the end.
I mix and match all of my characters with one another for the dirty art, including across comics/novels. It keeps things fun for me, playing with different pairings, and also doesn't make things too obvious, maybe?

[Likri]

I guess the story that triggered this "what's the point" response wasn't that interesting for me to begin with, now that I think about it. I saw every reaction and beat from a mile away and was frustrated with it - in terms of a journey it was a commute to work though traffic, lol.

I get your point with the parallel to the story progression, though probably won't implement it - not because the idea isn't good, just doesn't currently work for what I got in mind. I have a flare for the cliche and dramatic illustrations even if they got butt to do with the actual story.

[Likri]

Well I guess in the naughty arts I can go all out - since the're "not canon" anyway in regards to the storyline, just fun stuff to spice things up.

[phoenixrenaissance]

Yeah I think even when you're making things with the intention of them being bonuses for patrons or what not they should foremost be something you wanna draw in the first place.

[potatogirl]

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[Likri]

Yeah, I have my fave tropes and the story I go frustrated about made it to originals on a certain green logo website, so it sure was tea for a lot of folks. Just looking for opinions how other precieve this stuff, since I had a feeling that this was more of a personal issue, than a common trend. I mean, if people didn't like the extra art that maybe skip ahead or sideways or all over the place - it wouldn't be as common. X)

[ryoko]

I waited to do all the NSFW stuff until the story had reached the point of the two characters becoming intimate. Before that point, there was a part of the story where the readers weren't sure if one of the characters was going to die, so I didn't want spoiler the storyline for them. Once it got to that point in the story, I put all the NSFW stuff on Patreon because of the rules of what you can and can't show here in Tapas. Also, waiting to show that stuff gave me the chance to build the relationship up and get the audience more engaged.