I got to the first romance portion of my book. I'm going to feel weird having family read it. Does anyone have any experience with this? lol I'm telling everyone, "I'm writing a book, yay..but no, I don't want you to read it."
Anyone else uncomfortable?
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By 'romance' I assume you mean sex?
Maybe I'm just uber-ballsy, I don't know...but I feel no shame, and I write erotica.
The only person I'd hold back from discussing it with is my dad, but as he knows I'm friends with tt42 and what she writes, he's not stupid. He must at least suspect.
We'll have a deal. I can't stop him buying a copy when it's on sale (if he discovers my pen name) but he should never, ever tell me.
I just don't want to know.
Most other people? Don't care enough to stop writing, so...*shrugs*
Maybe I'm just uber-ballsy, I don't know...but I feel no shame, and I write erotica.
The only person I'd hold back from discussing it with is my dad, but as he knows I'm friends with tt42 and what she writes, he's not stupid. He must at least suspect.
We'll have a deal. I can't stop him buying a copy when it's on sale (if he discovers my pen name) but he should never, ever tell me.
I just don't want to know.
Most other people? Don't care enough to stop writing, so...*shrugs*
Oh yes... My first book is a nonfiction account of my high school experiences with drugs, alcohol, sex, etc. all right under my parents nose.
However, it is my story and if I lived it I shouldn't be ashamed to share it. Though it may be an awkward discussion I have similar feelings as scarletpeaches.. When they read it, I don't want to know.
Don't ask don't tell. Fortunately for me, my second completed project is fiction and even though it is based off real experiences I will never tell them that. I would let them read anything that I label 'fiction' just because it is exactly that, fiction.
However, it is my story and if I lived it I shouldn't be ashamed to share it. Though it may be an awkward discussion I have similar feelings as scarletpeaches.. When they read it, I don't want to know.
Don't ask don't tell. Fortunately for me, my second completed project is fiction and even though it is based off real experiences I will never tell them that. I would let them read anything that I label 'fiction' just because it is exactly that, fiction.
LOL nice. I guess that's a good way to do it. I don't plan on using a pen name though.
I'm still on the fence as to whether I'm going to have actual intercourse in the book, but this part I just finished is really tender. I keep thinking "God, I hope my nieces don't read this," and "I hope if their parents read it too, they don't look at me weird afterward."
I'm still on the fence as to whether I'm going to have actual intercourse in the book, but this part I just finished is really tender. I keep thinking "God, I hope my nieces don't read this," and "I hope if their parents read it too, they don't look at me weird afterward."
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If you're not mortified at the thought of your mom reading your sex scenes, the sex scenes aren't hot enough yet.
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I should tape that advice to the wall above my computer.
I struggle with not wanting family to read my romancey parts (even though there's no actual sex in this one) and to be honest, I should add a sex scene during edits, because the main reason I skirted around the subject was my family.
Coupled with the fact that my first book didn't have any swearing because I thought it might upset my grandparents, and I guess I'm just a worried little person.
Funny. When I get in a mood and don't care what people think about me, I sometimes feel like an arsehole, but I'm much more interesting and make friends easier. Maybe it would translate to my writing...
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I cringe at the thought of both my mother and my mother in law reading my love scenes, which tend to run toward hot. I don't want to know about it, though. Don't. Want. To. Know.
It doesn't stop me from writing them, though.
It doesn't stop me from writing them, though.
My mother's a whore. Nothing I write mortifies me when I think of her reading it.
Even with my dad...well...he can read my books if he wants. I just don't want to know. Mortified? Hell no. And my sex scenes are hot. (Ask the erotica SYW folks).
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Actually, I'd be more worried about my dad reading it, especially as the sex scene I want to put in happens from a female perspective. He's very homophobic, so the idea of his son writing, "I wrapped my hand around his cock" or whatever would probably make his teeth stand on edge.
Both my mum and sister read romance novels, and some of those have racy sex scenes, though they'd still probably look at me funny if they read one I wrote, regardless of the female perspective. Only my sister would give me shit about it, but I don't care about that.
The real question is, does a fleshed-out sex scene belong in my novel? I've already skirted around one - heavy petting, then mentioning that they had sex during the morning after. It's a tricky one, alright... I'll have to think long and hard about this, no pun intended.
Both my mum and sister read romance novels, and some of those have racy sex scenes, though they'd still probably look at me funny if they read one I wrote, regardless of the female perspective. Only my sister would give me shit about it, but I don't care about that.
The real question is, does a fleshed-out sex scene belong in my novel? I've already skirted around one - heavy petting, then mentioning that they had sex during the morning after. It's a tricky one, alright... I'll have to think long and hard about this, no pun intended.
Not to derail and I know it reads like I was joking but I'm really not.
I'm so far past allowing that woman to pass judgement on me it's not funny.
She's the last person I'd go to for advice on writing, sex, morals...heck, anything.
My devout church-going mother read my non-fiction book about losing weight, and then said to me, "I'm glad you're happy with the size of your penis now." She went on to crack a joke about my account (later in the book) of getting an erection whilst in the middle of a massage.
I figure if I survived those I can survive anything.
I figure if I survived those I can survive anything.
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After my first book came out, I swore my MIL was giving me the fish eye every time she looked at me...
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While I wouldn't shove anything at my parents, my sister I would be okay with I think.
...But only in third person. Hahaha.
I'm actually working on a new novel right now that's in 1st person and has several sex scenes in it. She's a part of my crit group (since she's the sort of sister where if I'm writing crap, she'll let me know, haha), and since this month it's switched to this novel I basically said, "Yeah, sorry, you won't have anything to read this month...heh."
But if they actively go out and buy my work (when it's published...knock on wood) then I can't stop them. *shrug* And then if they weird out on me, I'd just say, "Hey, you should have asked me about it first."
...But only in third person. Hahaha.
I'm actually working on a new novel right now that's in 1st person and has several sex scenes in it. She's a part of my crit group (since she's the sort of sister where if I'm writing crap, she'll let me know, haha), and since this month it's switched to this novel I basically said, "Yeah, sorry, you won't have anything to read this month...heh."
But if they actively go out and buy my work (when it's published...knock on wood) then I can't stop them. *shrug* And then if they weird out on me, I'd just say, "Hey, you should have asked me about it first."
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My parents are no longer with us, so I don't need to worry one way or another...hey, wait. I write inspies. I'm not supposed to worry about this!
(insert Emily Litella voice) Never mind!
Actually I suspect Mom would probably be okay even if I wrote hotter romance. She always said she planned to write her memoirs and call the book SEX AS I REMEMBER IT.
(insert Emily Litella voice) Never mind!
Actually I suspect Mom would probably be okay even if I wrote hotter romance. She always said she planned to write her memoirs and call the book SEX AS I REMEMBER IT.
I never intend to include sex in a story, but there are times when it has to happen. I've always known when I hit one of those moments. If everything short of sex has you feeling your character's are being short changed or missing something, you're probably right.
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Quite true. Most of the time I close the door on them and it works out just fine and dandy. It's only in two other ideas that I'm working on that I actually intend to include the sex because it's important for it to be there.
You people are worried about your mom and dads reading your work? Grown adults?
My 17 year old daughter begged me for a year to read my first book before I relented. I write Fantasy fiction and not the YA kind. I was not worried about the sex scenes from my protagonist. No, I was worried about the sex scenes of the various antagonist in which their form of love making is more akin to rape or bondage, you know, the fun perverted stuff.
For two nights I paced the floor while she read the book and when done, I had to pry out of her what she felt. She loved the book, wished all guys could me like my main MC. (Its fantasy honey, I told her.) When I asked about the other scenes, she said they were very vivid. VIVID? I asked if she tought me a perv for writing that stuff and she laughed and said she had read worse in teen magazines and for assigned reading in H.S. and her precollege courses. Teen Magazines?
To this day, she is now 27, she tells all her friends how good I write romance and sex scenes.
It's Fantasy honey, you know, like Lord of the Rings?
Did they have sex in that movie dad?
What about the damn plot honey?
Plot, there was a plot dad?
Try letting your kids read your stuff. Forget mom and dad, they are grown adults and I am sure they had sex at least once in their lives...
My 17 year old daughter begged me for a year to read my first book before I relented. I write Fantasy fiction and not the YA kind. I was not worried about the sex scenes from my protagonist. No, I was worried about the sex scenes of the various antagonist in which their form of love making is more akin to rape or bondage, you know, the fun perverted stuff.
For two nights I paced the floor while she read the book and when done, I had to pry out of her what she felt. She loved the book, wished all guys could me like my main MC. (Its fantasy honey, I told her.) When I asked about the other scenes, she said they were very vivid. VIVID? I asked if she tought me a perv for writing that stuff and she laughed and said she had read worse in teen magazines and for assigned reading in H.S. and her precollege courses. Teen Magazines?
To this day, she is now 27, she tells all her friends how good I write romance and sex scenes.
It's Fantasy honey, you know, like Lord of the Rings?
Did they have sex in that movie dad?
What about the damn plot honey?
Plot, there was a plot dad?
Try letting your kids read your stuff. Forget mom and dad, they are grown adults and I am sure they had sex at least once in their lives...
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LOL this has been very insightful. I'm definitely going to keep in mind what Namatu said. I think you're right, if it feels like it needs to happen, I'm just going to have to do it.
I actually told my husband about this when he got home from work, and said "There's no sex in it," and he said, "Why not?"
I think one of my problems is I haven't pinpointed a demographic. I'm not sure if I want this to swing toward YA or the 20-30 somethings. Right now it's hovering in between both.
I actually told my husband about this when he got home from work, and said "There's no sex in it," and he said, "Why not?"
I think one of my problems is I haven't pinpointed a demographic. I'm not sure if I want this to swing toward YA or the 20-30 somethings. Right now it's hovering in between both.
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I feel uncomfortable about my parents reading any of my fiction.
(When I was 15 I won our library's pupils' competition with a short story told in first-person with a morally slightly ambiguous mother in it. It was science fiction and rather not likely to be misconstrued as autobiographical, still Mum got a bit offended. I've learned my lesson)
Since I'm not getting published any time soon, I don't worry too much about it though.
(When I was 15 I won our library's pupils' competition with a short story told in first-person with a morally slightly ambiguous mother in it. It was science fiction and rather not likely to be misconstrued as autobiographical, still Mum got a bit offended. I've learned my lesson)
Since I'm not getting published any time soon, I don't worry too much about it though.
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I'm not concerned about sex scenes. Aside from juveniles, pretty much everyone I know has children. Not one virginal birth in the bunch. Honestly, I'm more concerned about the little old ladies from church being offended by the occasional f-bombs that my female MC drops.
My heroine drops the F-bomb several times. I'm not particularly worried about the language--of course I don't think I'd be up to throwing about various synonyms regarding he male member lol. I guess it's because it's meant to be more romance style than erotica.
I know plenty of people with kids, but I know even more without. I couldn't care less what my friends would think about it, it's mainly just family. lol, some of my in-laws are very conservative, and a couple of them I think are on the fence about whether they even like me because of that.
I know plenty of people with kids, but I know even more without. I couldn't care less what my friends would think about it, it's mainly just family. lol, some of my in-laws are very conservative, and a couple of them I think are on the fence about whether they even like me because of that.
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My mom has read Between Brothers, which is by far the filthiest thing I've ever written. That book is non-stop, wall to wall sex, and it's in first person. I was a bit weirded out at the thought of her reading it, but she liked it. Having her refer to my book as "hot" was one of the most surreal moments of my life.
She's currently reading Rules of Engagement, which is an erotic M/M romance. I await her reaction.
It doesn't make me uncomfortable. I put my real name on my books, I make no effort to hide the fact that I write highly sexual material, and I'll look people in the eye and tell them what I write. But...it is still a little strange, I'll admit that. I mean, knowing my mom has been subjected to scenes I have written involving everything from self-love to threesomes to a man experiencing "catching" for the first time...yeah...it's a bit surreal. LOL
She's currently reading Rules of Engagement, which is an erotic M/M romance. I await her reaction.
It doesn't make me uncomfortable. I put my real name on my books, I make no effort to hide the fact that I write highly sexual material, and I'll look people in the eye and tell them what I write. But...it is still a little strange, I'll admit that. I mean, knowing my mom has been subjected to scenes I have written involving everything from self-love to threesomes to a man experiencing "catching" for the first time...yeah...it's a bit surreal. LOL
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