Writing Non-Fetishy Sickfic— How Much Is Too Much?

[AceOfSpades]

Hello, writers!

Outside of the fetish, I’m a writer of both fanfiction and original stories, and I’ve taken a stab at writing a few sickfics in the past. But these haven’t ever made it to posting, because I’ve been too concerned about giving myself away— despite sneezing being a core symptom of a cold, it’s so ingrained into me to view it Like This that I’m not exactly sure how much would be seen as weird.

In the past attempts, I’ve tried to either avoid it at all costs, somehow make it relevant to moving the story along (such as breaking up dialogue if the dialogue is too long), and provide minimal descriptions (I’ve gone as far as stating a tickle or a twinge, but I personally think that was rather bold). I have never ever written spelling outside of inherently fetishy stories, either, because I feel like that would immediately give me away as well.

I’m curious… for those of you who also write outside of the fetish, are you comfortable writing unrelated sickfic? And if so, how do you go about including sneezing or related symptoms?

[AllyKabbet]

This is very interesting, because the exact same thing happens to me! I am also a writer (of novels rather than fanfic) and I have always wanted (as a nod to myself or to give myself a little satisfaction) to include a scene about sneezing or similar in one of my novels, and I always end up dying of embarrassment and I ended up removing it hahaha.

I have noticed some novels I have read that include sneezes (for example, If we were Villians by M.L.Rio or The Secret by Donna Tarrt), and I think that what authors who do not have the fetish do and write sneezes (or I think they they don't have it hahaha) is to do it as something casual, one more element of the atmosphere or the ambient description. Usually we describe these sneezy scenes as something very detailed and something to take into account, something that the characters would notice, but normally someone without the fetish would see a sneeze as something very common that is part of everyday life (I don't know if you understand what I mean). It's funny, because I usually like snz fics that are more casual, that don't exaggerate the sneezing so much or that don't put too much emphasis on one of the characters sneezing (like asking the first or second sneeze if that person okay, like if it were not a common reaction of the body (??) Normally, in everyday life, those things don't usually happen (or at least where I come from.)

And of course, don't spell sneeze! Just mention it.

[MyOwnPrivateSFC]

This is why I never post any of my non-fetishy sickfic: because I’m always worried I’ll out myself by accident. And yes, I know I could post it under this name, rather than my regular one, but then I wouldn’t ever be able to share my writing with my friends, and it just feels all…icky.

I wish I had friends who knew about the fetish but didn’t have it, so I could ask them “hey, how does this read to you?”

[solitaire-au]

I’m fairly new to writing, but I’ve been reading fanfic and original works for over 30 years.

Non-fetish sickfic is really common. The terms sickfic and the hurt/comfort genre were almost certainly invented by non-fetishists, and they are insanely popular. So much so that AO3 has the Sicktember event (and I’m sure tumblr and other places do, too): a whole month for writers to showcase their sickfics and other H/C stories.

If you’re worried about outing yourself, consider publishing them during Sicktember when every woman and her dog is doing it too; that way, it won’t see out of place.

Also, I’m fairly sure that a few of the writers who spell out sneezes etc who I’ve come across, are not part of the community. They just see it as way of being more descriptive and detailed for the reader. They might have a thing for H/C, but that doesn’t make them a sneeze fetishist.

And remember, some people see sneezing as funny and comical.
 

One of my favourite snippets is from someone’s tumblr headcanon post, where the captain of a group of soldiers always sneezes in fits, and his men consider it amusing to count how many times he sneezes, much to his embarrassment. On one particular occasion, when the captain starts sneezing in the mess hall, one of the jokesters of the group gets up and starts giving a running commentary, as if he was a sports announcer at a big game, telling the crowd what’s happening and speculating as to what comes next. Needless to say, the others think it’s hilarious and their captain is mortified from the public embarrassment and not at all amused.

(For the curious, the characters are clone troopers from Star Wars: The Clone Wars, specifically Captain Rex and his men from Torrent Company, of the 501st Legion. I won’t link to the original, because I don’t want to bring the authors’ attention to the forum, but if you want to read it, the original post is by tumblr user keldabekush and the longer version was reblogged by user maulusque)