Okay, so this thread has me scratching my head a little: http://absolutewrite.com/forums/sho...-of-gender-roles-in-erotic-romance-on-readers
I didn't want post this question there to avoid stepping over Susannah Shepherd's original question, so here goes.
I am currently working on three characters for a pseudo-BDSM erotic novel. This is my first swing at the genre.
Brief background to the question:
So, the female character enjoys erotic humiliation. She has no taste for pain, but she loves talking about herself in derogatory terms, being talked down to, and being made to do humiliating things. This taste is exclusively limited to her sex life.
The story features two dominant men. One is a regular bondage rope rigger. I need him to be the antagonist. That is to say, he will demand more complete submission from the female lead than she really wants to give. Given that he is a rigger, however, he is well versed in matters of safety and consent. Even so, he does try to push her limits.
The other male lead and protagonist, enjoys power games, but is not sold on the particularities - etiquette and training etc. He enjoys a stimulating game once and while, but is not interesting in long-term servitude. The antagonist is quite clear in my mind... while the male protagonist is still vague.
So THE QUESTION:
I am a little worried about the antagonist male coming across as stereotypical... without me knowing it. Owing to his plot function and his characterisation, he must scare readers a bit, and even verge on the edge of being psychologically abusive - never in a truly horrible or legally problematic way. He is fully aware of safety procedures, but he overshoots in terms of his aims for the female protagonist. Nonetheless, he has to despicable enough for readers to root for the other man.
Pointers from more experienced authors, or common pitfalls?
I didn't want post this question there to avoid stepping over Susannah Shepherd's original question, so here goes.
I am currently working on three characters for a pseudo-BDSM erotic novel. This is my first swing at the genre.
Brief background to the question:
So, the female character enjoys erotic humiliation. She has no taste for pain, but she loves talking about herself in derogatory terms, being talked down to, and being made to do humiliating things. This taste is exclusively limited to her sex life.
The story features two dominant men. One is a regular bondage rope rigger. I need him to be the antagonist. That is to say, he will demand more complete submission from the female lead than she really wants to give. Given that he is a rigger, however, he is well versed in matters of safety and consent. Even so, he does try to push her limits.
The other male lead and protagonist, enjoys power games, but is not sold on the particularities - etiquette and training etc. He enjoys a stimulating game once and while, but is not interesting in long-term servitude. The antagonist is quite clear in my mind... while the male protagonist is still vague.
So THE QUESTION:
I am a little worried about the antagonist male coming across as stereotypical... without me knowing it. Owing to his plot function and his characterisation, he must scare readers a bit, and even verge on the edge of being psychologically abusive - never in a truly horrible or legally problematic way. He is fully aware of safety procedures, but he overshoots in terms of his aims for the female protagonist. Nonetheless, he has to despicable enough for readers to root for the other man.
Pointers from more experienced authors, or common pitfalls?
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