Hi everyone. This is a little bit of a delicate one. I'll try and word it as nicely as I can.
My question regards sexual content in written work. Obviously we're all writing for a specific audience. But I can't decided how much is 'okay'.
Can anyone offer some kind of guideline?
It goes without saying that I'm not writing a work of erotica but I still think that sexual relationships are an important part of the main storyline. Do you shy away from it entirely? Mention it extremely delicately or just go all out and describe everything?
My sincere and most humble apologies, please delete if this post is not acceptable.
-Cate
I quote: "I still think that sexual relationships are an important part of the main storyline". In that case, how can you possibly leave them out?
I grew up in a fundamentalist Christian family. My parents were missionaries. I was taught that DANCING was sinful. (Dancing encourages "dark passions" to raise their head: passions that could lead to SHOCK HORROR!!! sex before marriage.)
Can I just add a personal detail here... that dancing is a passion in its own right for me now. Is this off-topic, or what???
What I want to say is that now I find coyness about sex as bizarre as believing that dancing is sinful. John Lennon once remarked that it was perfectly permissible (in our society [of that time]) to show explicit scenes of people slaughtering each other on public television (both as news and as story-line), but that 2 people engaging in LOVING sex was banned. He - as I - believed that we [our culture] have our opinions about what is "acceptable" and what is "disgusting" totally skewed.
I think it's ridiculous that television shows totally ignore people's needing to go to the toilet now and then. OK, OK, it's fair enough to have a half-hour show where nobody says: "Excuse me. I've got to go take a leak." The trouble is that our creations are influenced by earlier creations by others. And somebody who has grown up with television (and literature) where bodily functions just don't exist and then writes a scene where a dozen people are trapped for 4 days in an enclosed space without mentioning the unpleasant smell that everybody is having to endure is - frankly - not being very honest. Once again, off-topic?
Sex is a part of life. Why should we be ashamed to portray it? I'm very much NOT a fan of sex scenes just for titillation or to sell the book. And (speaking personally) sex for sex' sake (divorced from emotion) bores me. But a well-written sex scene which - as you wrote - is "an important part of the main storyline" should be dealt with honestly.
Hi, I think it depends on the audience. A good book in my opinion - someone falls in love (in which they make love sometimes), someone has to cry (sometimes someone dies) and someonly has to laugh. There's so much more detail you can add even before they start to kiss and the kiss itself, it all depends on the audience. I also agree with Louis. Its obviously an import part in you book and involves a lot of emotion which I'm sure you will just pour out there. Best of luck. Don't know if you can post on this site but wherever - I'd love to read your writing.
I think I agree with Lorraine, particularly the advice to read other novels and see what works for you. Paul's point about not wanting his young daughters to be offended is very commendable, but I suspect he'd be horrified if he saw the sort of sexting content which nearly all youngsters send to each other these days!
'Fifty Shades...' (which I am pleased to say I haven't read) must probably be the new litmus paper to test our draft manuscripts on, although I have to say that I dipped into Irving Walsh's 'A Nice Ride' when I was at the Hay Literary Festival last month and was simply amazed at what his editor had allowed him to put into print!