non-vanilla sex in YA

missesdash · Aug 20, 2011

Hey it's me again, that person who always posts about inappropriate things.

I'm writing a sex scene between my MC and the guy who later turns out to be a murderer. The guy is pretty...sick I guess you could say. Anyway, the scene is getting a little kinky.

Not like handcuffs and whips kinky, but somewhat violent and rough kinky. As if that doesn't take it to far, my MC is 16 and he's 28.

So I know kinky sex between teenagers would maybe seem out of place, since they're both sexually inexperienced. But I think it's more probable because he's so much older.

I could fade to black, but this scene happens right before she finds out he's the bad guy, so I think it would have more impact if I show how he has sex. it's not my only sex scene, there are a few others.

Am I pushing it? I've fallen into this habit of using sex for the purposes characterization and now my scenes are a little more detailed.

Switch-Phase · Aug 20, 2011

Sounds like it would be really effective, since it's such a personal thing.. Heh I'd never be able to write a sex scene with a minor, but if it works for your plot, then I think you should go for it. I guess I would suggest to keep it from being overly lewd..

bethany · Aug 20, 2011

Well, as long as there are no handcuffs, you're probably okay.

Perks · Aug 20, 2011

I'm thinking the title of the thread needs to be adjusted before the Googlebots make AW into something it's not.

missesdash · Aug 20, 2011

Oh right, haha sorry. I hadn't thought about that. Should it be "writing non-vanilla sex with a minor"? Or..."feelings on statutory rape?"

No wait, "non-vanilla sex in YA"?

Perks · Aug 20, 2011

missesdash said:
No wait, "non-vanilla sex in YA"?

That'll probably do.

JSDR · Aug 20, 2011

Perks said:
I'm thinking the title of the thread needs to be adjusted before the Googlebots make AW into something it's not.

LOL.

To answer, I don't think it would be pushing it. I think the age of minority depends on country/ state even.

missesdash · Aug 20, 2011

Ah you know, that's true. She's legal in some states. Not the one she's in. But definitely some.

leahzero · Aug 20, 2011

missesdash said:
Am I pushing it? I've fallen into this habit of using sex for the purposes characterization and now my scenes are a little more detailed.

Sex as characterization is the best kind of fictional sex, IMO. Otherwise it's kinda porny.

Go for it. If it's too extreme, I'm sure an agent/editor would work with you on toning it down to suit the intended audience.

Sage · Aug 20, 2011

The more things you add along the lines of "edgy," the harder it will be to sell. That doesn't mean it's impossible, just harder. It's harder to get violent sex in YA. It's harder to get sex between an adult and a minor in YA. You'll have both, so you'll have a tougher sell (and a harder sell to libraries and such if it gets published).

That doesn't mean it's impossible or you should necessarily avoid it. Just know that it will make it more difficult on you.

JSDR · Aug 20, 2011

Oh wow, this is for a YA book? Hmmm... I'd have to agree with Sage. If you want to sell to American markets, that might be a tough road.
I totally misconstrued the title of the thread. I thought it was non-vanilla sex *with* a YA...
I think it can be done. The angle you're taking is new to me. Usually the YA novels I've read involving adult-young adult sex have some kind of preachy slant or are done in an alternate/ fantasy universe to remove the reader from the uncomfortableness of it.

Zoombie · Aug 20, 2011

Yeah, go for it.

missesdash · Aug 20, 2011

Yeah it's definitely uncomfortable. They aren't in a relationship, though. Until this point it's had almost a father daughter feel, on his part anyway.

This is the scene where he breaks out of character and we start to question if he's really a "good" guy. So you could call it "preachy" as in "only serial killers like to have sex with minors."

bertrigby · Aug 20, 2011

Does it need to go all the way? Perhaps some rough foreplay would suffice, enough to make the MC feel a bit weird about it?

missesdash · Aug 20, 2011

Well she doesn't feel weird about it, it's what she wanted. So it would definitely go all the way.

He hasn't done anything "wrong" up until this point, so I hope this will vilify him a bit, even though it's consensual.

thebloodfiend · Aug 20, 2011

In The Study Series and the Glass Series by Maria V Snyder, there's some odd rough sex that's not always fade to black. I'm unsure if the Study series was her YA debut or her actual debut.

I've read a few adult/teen sex scenes in YA. Spare me the preaching and write it without gratuitousness if you feel like it belongs.

Speaking of which, while Boy Toy wasn't his debut, Barry Lyga gets pretty pornographic with his sex scenes written between a 13-year-old boy and his 24-year-old teacher. Nothing rough, but it was rather explicit.

You really do have the oddest questions. What was the original thread title?

missesdash · Aug 20, 2011

The title was "non-vanilla sex with a minor" or "kinky sex with kids"

I don't think my scenes are explicit because I very strongly hint at what's going on, but you won't find any direct references to sex organs.
I guess I could post it.

Maybe I'll post it.
And yeah I know, I only seem to have questions about really odd things. I just don't have a very good idea of what average people consider "offensive" or "inappropriate" so I always end up asking

Stacia Kane · Aug 20, 2011

missesdash said:
Yeah it's definitely uncomfortable. They aren't in a relationship, though. Until this point it's had almost a father daughter feel, on his part anyway.

This is the scene where he breaks out of character and we start to question if he's really a "good" guy. So you could call it "preachy" as in "only serial killers like to have sex with minors."

Just as a general note, be wary of using "kinky/BDSM" as shorthand for "evil pervert." Lots and lots of people enjoy BDSM or D/s or whatever else in the bedroom, and very few of them are evil pedophiliac murderers. They tend to object to being characterized that way, and a lot of them read books.

I'm not saying you've done this, at all, or that you're mishandling it or shouldn't include it. I'm just saying it's a cliche, and it's one people don't like, so be careful of straying into that territory; make sure the evil is in the way he does it, rather than just the fact of his doing it.

Lady Ice · Aug 20, 2011

I think it could be quite effective, as long as it's done for the right reasons.

bethany · Aug 20, 2011

I'm sad that no one besides Smish liked my Handcuffs joke.

I typically don't comment in sex threads. Really, just write it the way you want, and then if it needs to be edited, that will probably happen. Either the scene will fill wrong to you or your betas...or when it gets further up. Right what feels true to the characters and worry about the censors later.

Polenth · Aug 20, 2011

The whole way you're discussing it comes across as saying BDSM means a person is a depraved evil villain. That'd get me wall-banging the book pretty fast.

missesdash · Aug 20, 2011

Polenth said:
The whole way you're discussing it comes across as saying BDSM means a person is a depraved evil villain. That'd get me wall-banging the book pretty fast.

I don't think I said or implied that. I just said that my villain is sadistic both in and out of the sack. I don't know how one scene could "imply" that anyone into bdsm is depraved.

AmyJay · Aug 20, 2011

missesdash said:
I don't think I said or implied that. I just said that my villain is sadistic both in and out of the sack. I don't know how one scene could "imply" that anyone into bdsm is depraved.

Doing something consensual in bed with someone =/= being sadistic in real life. Real BDSM, if done right, involves *lots* of trust and communication from both parties.

If it's not consensual, then that would be a problem, of course, but it'd be a problem regardless of whether the sex is rough/kinky or not.

Liosse de Velishaf · Aug 20, 2011

Polenth said:
The whole way you're discussing it comes across as saying BDSM means a person is a depraved evil villain. That'd get me wall-banging the book pretty fast.

All she mentioned was rough sex. That doesn't automatically equate to bdsm.

missesdash · Aug 20, 2011

AmyJay said:
Doing something consensual in bed with someone =/= being sadistic in real life. Real BDSM, if done right, involves *lots* of trust and communication from both parties.

I'm not comfortable calling it "bdsm" because that's a very specific thing. I'm not talking about trust and communication. I'm talking about a one night stand that ends up being rough to the point where it borders on sadistic. It's not an agreement and there's no discussion before hand.

It's an aspect of his personality that's first revealed in the way that he has sex with her.

There's no bdsm in my story.

non-vanilla sex in YA

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