Oh No You Didn’t!
How far can you go in any given story before you have gone
too far?
That has been a question just as confusing as Douglass
Adams’ answer of life the universe and everything being 42 (I’m having fun with that question on
Goodreads!). There is a bit of a showman, springily, and ham in all of us,
but how much is really too much. Anyone who tells you that they aren’t looking
for on a bit of admiration from their fellow authors and the general public as
a whole is the biggest con-artist of them all. It doesn’t matter what your
life’s pursuits are, be they sports, academia, entertainment, or just being a
good person, everyone has an ego and it doesn’t like to starve. However, for
this discussion let’s keep it in the world of the insane. Yes, authors.
You know, those
people who write things that reminds, inspire, sadden, frighten, cheerful,
foretells, and just give you what you need to forget you. I’m sure some of you
might say I like it without limits and I will never place my feet on anyone’s
brakes but my own. As for you brave souls, in the wise world of Kanye West; Get
down, go ahead get down! For me there are three categories that I constantly
pull myself back from the abyss. Violence without cause our meaning, Future
Shock that is just a retelling, and some of the doors leading to Sex. Actually
forced sex, unless a woman is forcing the issue and the guy is willing but shy,
dumb, or just an idiot. Well, someone has to make the first move (chuckle). Besides, the fairer sex is
always bragging that they are more cunning, fiercely determined, and buy more
books than guys. Well, now, let’s get to it and start the debate amongst your
family, friends, and that know-it-all on your job.
Violence
I know there are many of you who are saying that they agree that violence in print or on film has gone too far, but to a point. My point is when it’s too much and without meaning. Now don’t get me wrong, I’ve had my characters cut a few throats, split people from the part in their hair to their happy place, but even the good old fashion slasher movies had a plot. I know this may sound unbelievable, but sometimes too much of a good thing isn’t good. For me, once violence loses its grip on keeping the story interesting, it’s gone.
I know there are many of you who are saying that they agree that violence in print or on film has gone too far, but to a point. My point is when it’s too much and without meaning. Now don’t get me wrong, I’ve had my characters cut a few throats, split people from the part in their hair to their happy place, but even the good old fashion slasher movies had a plot. I know this may sound unbelievable, but sometimes too much of a good thing isn’t good. For me, once violence loses its grip on keeping the story interesting, it’s gone.
How many times
have you read a book or watch a film that had you turning on the lights, jump
when the phone rings, or covering your eyes with your hands or the chest of the
person sitting next to you (guys like it
and so do girls so be prepared to put down that $8.00 big bucket of popcorn and
get ready to snuggle!). Now ask yourself how long before the story or movie
no longer give you that chill you felt deep down in your bones as it had in the
beginning? One thing I had realized is that most Violence occurs in the
beginning and end of most stories and films for a reason and that’s to keep it
fresh or helps build anticipation for the big finish. When it is continuous
throughout, it’s normally in short, fast burst and a form of misdirection or
gives inspiration to fight to survive or take flight to safety.
This is also a
small problem I have, but luckily I constantly ask myself if it helps the story
move forward, set the right mood, I want, or would this scare the crap out of
me if it was happening before my eyes at this juncture (or episode) of the story? Oh but, there are times when during my
first or second read through that new violence is added or increasing the
violence already written comes into play. My point is still the same. Too much
of a good thing isn’t always good. However, what happened when there are no
rules and you are left to your own devices because the world you are writing
doesn’t exist but may in the future.
Future Shock
The line for me on this subject is somewhat of a reversal. What I’m saying is that bridge that everyone is jumping off of or regurgitating the same old storyline base with some slight modifications. How many times are we going to destroy ourselves, or someone wanting to destroy us, or some alien life form coming or trying to destroy us? Whether it is infighting or being attacked from some gobbledygook from what-so-thingamabob, it’s us against them, and the cause or savior is some technological breakthrough or some simple common sense action that saves the day. STOP IT!
The line for me on this subject is somewhat of a reversal. What I’m saying is that bridge that everyone is jumping off of or regurgitating the same old storyline base with some slight modifications. How many times are we going to destroy ourselves, or someone wanting to destroy us, or some alien life form coming or trying to destroy us? Whether it is infighting or being attacked from some gobbledygook from what-so-thingamabob, it’s us against them, and the cause or savior is some technological breakthrough or some simple common sense action that saves the day. STOP IT!
The last area
that comes to mind when going over the line for the topic of Future Shock is
SEX. You rarely (if at all) read
something along the line of all communal venereal diseases being eradicated and
humanity is free to get its 1960’s or Studio 54 freak on once again, but you
have read over and over about the latest state-of-the-art sex-bot, synaptic tied
compatible companion, or virtual reality coupling with others around the world
without having to leave the comfort of your hyperbolic sleeping chamber and
artificial intelligences’ dietary feeding tube and waste removal system. Come
on people, in one end and out the other! My point is to just think a bit more
on making the storyline more futuristic and a bit less freakalistic (I know it’s not a real word…. Yet!). And
as promised, here comes the sex talk children.
Sex
Let’s start with the obvious. I NEVER PINNED UNDERAGE SEX! This is not a disclaimer, but just me. Oh, I skirt around this one very close and when placed in a situation where it’s needful to show the depravity, immorality, degeneracy, and all out evil of a character, my fix is simple. I just write about the deed being done and never the horror as it occurs in detail. The graphic description of a female’s womanly attributes and male’s endowments are also areas I choose to take the high road, although some say I just get down and dirty less openly and more metaphorically.
Let’s start with the obvious. I NEVER PINNED UNDERAGE SEX! This is not a disclaimer, but just me. Oh, I skirt around this one very close and when placed in a situation where it’s needful to show the depravity, immorality, degeneracy, and all out evil of a character, my fix is simple. I just write about the deed being done and never the horror as it occurs in detail. The graphic description of a female’s womanly attributes and male’s endowments are also areas I choose to take the high road, although some say I just get down and dirty less openly and more metaphorically.
I’ve found that
given a reader enough for their imagination to blush, redden, and give them the
idea that the particular chapter they are reading would be best enjoyed in the
pool, hot tub, or a cool bubble bath is one thing. However, I try really hard
not to force feed anything that is far over the line that it has no way of
being considered passion or passionate. Readers are intelligent and can figure
out most things on their own, but I’m not so much of a prude to leave out a bit
of bump and grind, a turn your head and cough joke, or a;
“I guess you are happy to see me.” “You are such a very big boy aren’t you.” “I got your saddle right here buddy, so let’s ride. Getty up!” “I will not only feed them to you, I’ll burp you afterwards, and let you fall asleep on them with a smile. Just don’t freak-out when you wake up and can’t hear a thing.”
I’ve also have
written on the seedier aspects of the more exotic adult taste. However, even
there, I’ve looked over the edge and have stopped myself from jumping in (more than once). Trust me; there are
long lists of successful authors who, as your momma would say, have jumped off
that figurative bridge because their friends had. The dark side is temping (Star Wars reference), but I’ve been
lucky enough to understand the meaning of the rewrite (and rewrite, and rewrite). Of all the subjects when it comes to
going over the line, this is the only topic that has several lines in the sand.
The reason for this is the audience expectations are vastly different.
It is evidently clear that there are
readers from the average Steamy Romance, Paranormal Romance, Sci-Fi and Fantasy
Romance, Horror Romance, and those who just like some nice clean down and dirty
Erotic Romance Sci-Fi Fantasy Horror Paranormal Smut Spank Me Daddy/Mommy readers.
And that’s alright; if that’s what you want to write about because there are
readers for you then do your best to make them read with the covers over their
head with one hand on the book, a flashlight in their mouth, and their other
hand… I’m taking the high road once again. And, here comes the disclaimer. Once
you pic the road you want to walk, it might be hard for you to take another
one. Unlike actors being typed cast, authors can suffer from the same
affliction (but we can pin under a
different name… until someone rat us out). Also, what you should keep in
mind if you are going to dip your big toe into the water before jumping in and
you might have a bit of doubt that you just might have gone too far with the
Sex, Drugs, and Rocking Worlds, there is always the “Adult Content Advisory”
sticker. It goes without saying that sex sells, but doesn’t it always start
with sexy first. SD
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