What Won't You Write?

[Trish]

This is a great question. I don't think there's anything I actually wouldn't write, if the need arose or my brain insisted upon it. I think it's more about my lines for where I'm willing to approach things from. I could never approach say, pedophilia, from the perspective of the perpetrator. First of all, I don't think I could get through it without losing my lunch every 20 words or so and there definitely is not enough motivation in the world for me to even try. From a closed door/victim perspective I could do it. Open door/victim perspective would likely be the same as perpetrator pov in what it would do to me.

Sex I have zero problems writing. Historical makes me antsy because I need to be accurate and that leads me down many rabbit holes it takes a while to surface from. Sci-fi I have a hard time even reading so there's no way I'm writing it. That said, if I needed to write sci-fi or historical I could- it just would require the aforementioned rabbit holes. A short story in sci-fi would probably take me a year of rabbit hole digging

 

[Rath Darkblade]

Interesting. I don't mind writing historical (I've done plenty, both straight history and historical fiction). But before I do, I need to do several months of hopping down into what Trish called "rabbit holes". That's fine by me. *adopts the position and leaps into one, a la Bugs Bunny ... but without the follow-up Elmer-Fudd-with-rifle. All right, wabbit, I know you're in there!*

I can also do romance scenes like anything, but I don't think I could write sex scenes. (Having said that, I've written one or two "innocent character A asking characters B and C what sex is", with B trying to skirt the issue and C finally saying "Oh, for goodness sake" and taking charge, with predictable-yet-funny results).

I used to have problems writing fight scenes. Since I'm average height and rather bookish, I've never seen the appeal of either fighting myself or watching others fight. :-\ It's something I've worked on for a few years, and gotten better at.

One last bit, though slightly off-topic: For a second, I thought this thread was titled "Why Won't You Write?" and immediately knew the answer to that: 'cos I'm here, answering this fershlugginer thread!

 

[NobodySpecial]

First is I won’t do animal cruelty things. John Wick’s dog would never have come from me. My wife is big in the local animal rescue scene, and it wouldn’t go over well with her.
Second, there was an entire project I scrapped because of a suicide component I couldn’t write the story without. About half way through I realized it was reading like a how-to, and I just couldn’t put that out. I tried to rewrite it less graphic, but it just didn’t work.

 

[Louanne Learning]

I won't write things that upset me. Kids getting hurt, animals getting hurt. I don't want to go there.

I also don't write sex scenes. That's private. I can allude to them, but they must have some purpose in the story.

 

[big soft moose]

i tried to write a steamy romance once, it didn't end well.. although it became the basis for a triology of steamy thrillers

 

[Luxuria]

i tried to write a steamy romance once, it didn't end well.. although it became the basis for a triology of steamy thrillers

Haha. I feel you. I tried writing a smutty fanfic. Just ended up as angst as usual. But that was okay.

 

[Homer Potvin]

smutty

I love writing smut so long as it's smut for smut's sake. No need to take it seriously.

 

[Naomasa298]

I think I've written one sex scene, and it was about two sentences long.

 

[Homer Potvin]

I think I've written one sex scene, and it was about two sentences long.

I wrote a masturbation scene that was 2000 words once, most of it dialogue, and a lot of it was singing.

 

[Naomasa298]

I do prefer to keep my sex scenes ultra brief. I'm not a fan of blow-by-blow accounts.

Not without pictures.

 

[Luxuria]

I love writing smut so long as it's smut for smut's sake. No need to take it seriously.

What are you talking about? I am Edgy McEdgeface. I take everything seriously.

 

[Luxuria]

I do prefer to keep my sex scenes ultra brief. I'm not a fan of blow-by-blow accounts.

Not without pictures.

Okay, Gaston.

I get it. I just feel like some characters like privacy. Others flaunt it.

 

[Homer Potvin]

What are you talking about? I am Edgy McEdgeface. I take everything seriously.

At this stage of life, I'm Smoothy McBluntBalls, I guess.

 

[Rath Darkblade]

If you like, "steamy romances" and "steamy thrillers" might take place by an old-fashioned, coal-powered train. It could produce the steam to give our romantic lovers some privacy.

I'm sure that's been done before, but if it's done effectively, why not?

I do prefer to keep my sex scenes ultra brief.

Or ultra-briefs?

No Sex Please, We're British ...

 

[Pik]

I feel awkward when writing about anything that is taboo in today's society but at the same time feel like part of the writing process is to be willing to discuss what others won't for some reason. Not that all writing needs to be about shocking the audience.

 

[Homer Potvin]

I feel awkward when writing about anything that is taboo in today's society but at the same time feel like part of the writing process is to be willing to discuss what others won't for some reason. Not that all writing needs to be about shocking the audience.

I wouldn't say discussing taboo subjects is shocking. I mean, some are, but most aren't. Look at all the things that were taboo once that are commonplace now. Look at homosexuality for instance. It's as old as human anatomy. Yet Ellen DeGeneres being the first openly gay person on TV was earth shattering in the 1990s. Now as far as media goes, it's not even mentioned anymore. It just takes society a few extra centuries to acknowledge what everyone knows already.

 

[Pik]

I wouldn't say discussing taboo subjects is shocking. I mean, some are, but most aren't. Look at all the things that were taboo once that are commonplace now. Look at homosexuality for instance. It's as old as human anatomy. Yet Ellen DeGeneres being the first openly gay person on TV was earth shattering in the 1990s. Now as far as media goes, it's not even mentioned anymore. It just takes society a few extra centuries to acknowledge what everyone knows already.

The homosexuality might have been shocking but I wouldn't say it's unethical as some of today's taboo topics such as pedophilia, incest, human trafficking etc. Some of these are no longer taboo but still unethical I think. I met a writer who didn't display much of antagonism toward convicted war criminals because they believed that is not the purpose of literature (but of other professions). I often heard "don't be judgemental" as a feedback to my writing. Edit: Not saying I have any morals these days

 

[Rath Darkblade]

Hmm. Human sexuality (of any kind - hetero, LGBTIQ+, ace etc.) isn't something I touch in my writing. Not, I hasten to add, because I'm a prude or anything, but because that stuff is intensely personal and private for so many people.

Besides, what business is it of mine, as long as it takes place between consenting adults? As Trudeau (Pierre, not Justin) said when Canada decriminalised homosexuality in the 60s, "Government has no place in the bedrooms of the nation".

The problems arise, of course, when something truly awful is taking place (e.g. rape, child abuse, spousal abuse etc). But these are, again, intensely painful subjects for many people, and I don't want to harm my readers by unintentionally bringing up bad and/or possibly repressed memories.

I've also heard the advice "Don't be judgmental", but sometimes ... OK, often ... this is unavoidable. Take -- I dunno -- just about any movie made in Hollywood (please). The antagonist (fancy word for villain) always gets his/her comeuppance. Especially in action films. ;P

Why does this happen? 'Cos humanity is vindictive, and loves to see an asshole/bully/whatever get what's coming to him (and sometimes to her). It doesn't happen often enough in real life, but it can happen in fiction, dammit!

 

[Luxuria]

. I often heard "don't be judgemental" as a feedback to my writing.

Ugh. I will judge all I want- and you can too!

 

[CatrionaGrace]

Anything with emphasis on romance to the detrement of all other literary elements. Sweet romance, spicy romance, Hallmark romance, Christian, gay, or teenaged romance- I do not care to write any of it. That being said, Daphne DuMaurier's Frenchman's Creek is one of my favorite books, but it is a novel that involves a romance as opposed to being a romance novel.

...I don't want to harm my readers by unintentionally bringing up bad and/or possibly repressed memories.

That is a commendable, compassionate attitude that eliminates just about every subject under the sun, including romance. My job is to write the story, not to avoid upsetting anyone with the content.