Passing reference to naked children, advice needed

[Writer61]

If I felt compelled to include the children, then I'd establish that nudity is the norm in the commune before mentioning the children. I'd then not point out that the kids are also nude. That would be asking for trouble.

Thanks, that may well be where I end up. At the moment, I have a clear picture of the scene in my head, which is why I will wait before revisiting it.

 

[SimonDoom]

If I felt compelled to include the children, then I'd establish that nudity is the norm in the commune before mentioning the children. I'd then not point out that the kids are also nude. That would be asking for trouble.

This seems like good advice to me, to get past the Lit censors. Establishing this point early on, and not making a big deal about it, is likely to decrease the chance that your words could be interpreted in a titillating way, which is what you want to avoid.

 

[designatedvictim]

My WIP include the MMC visiting the FMC at a commune where nudity is the norm, except he does not know that before he arrives.

You know... I could have written that first line of yours about my own WIP.

I have a similar scenario on tap, as well.

MMC visits FMC1 & FMC2 and finds out when he wakes up the next morning about the optionality of clothing.

I know they could be entirely written out, and the situation could be conveyed in other ways, but I want to use them to establish how casual/normal the group's nudity is.

My concern is that even mentioning their presence/state of dress will be a problem. What do you think?

I have one brief mention of children in mine and I thought nothing of it.

We’d met many of the other renters over the last week, or so. They were just like Jo and Rie, middle- to late-twenties, mostly couples, a couple of families with young kids.

Even in non-nudist areas, seeing some three or four year old tearing through their back yard naked wouldn’t raise many eyebrows.

Like your scenario, it's only there to display the ubiquity of the nudity. It's simply to say that some families had kids.

I think it's fine, but now I have to wonder.

 

[Writer61]

Sorry

I think it's fine, but now I have to wonder.

Sorry, it seems there are some here who wish every author were 'holier than the pope' regarding Lit's content rules. The vehemence of their response has surprised me.

That said, I asked the question because I do not want to transgress the rules, and I will probably follow the advice of some of the more thoughtful responses above to make the references even less egregious.

 

[Off_base]

Sorry

Sorry, it seems there are some here who wish every author were 'holier than the pope' regarding Lit's content rules. The vehemence of their response has surprised me.

That said, I asked the question because I do not want to transgress the rules, and I will probably follow the advice of some of the more thoughtful responses above to make the references even less egregious.

Fwiw, I saw your post as a simple request for opinions on how best to describe the MCs experience. Unlike Karen and friends, I found nothing inappropriate about it, or you. Just wanted to post this so you didn't think everyone agreed with Karen's assessment.
I found it ironic that after her rant and insinuations, she thought that announcing she was adding you to her ignore list was going to seem like a punishment.

 

[nice90sguy]

@Writer61 You do realise, of course, that if Laurel reads this thread she might actually scrutinise your story a lot more than if you hadn't started it...

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

Fwiw, I saw your post as a simple request for opinions on how best to describe the MCs experience.

Derogatory terms are not welcome here.

 

[Off_base]

Derogatory terms are not welcome here.

Derogatory is subjective

 

[Writer61]

@Writer61 You do realise, of course, that if Laurel reads this thread she might actually scrutinise your story a lot more than if you hadn't started it...

Perhaps, but I don't mind if she does.

As I said in the OP, I do not wish to transgress the content rule.

I will make sure to point out in the submission notes exactly where there are any references to children. Also, following the fuss, I have thought of a way to indicate their presence without mentioning their state of dress.

 

[Writer61]

Just wanted to post this so you didn't think everyone agreed with Karen's assessment.

Thanks.

I found it ironic that after her rant and insinuations, she thought that announcing she was adding you to her ignore list was going to seem like a punishment.

Indeed, I am happy that she will no longer see anything that I post. It avoids the risk of her finding anything that I post helpful or amusing. It's her loss.

 

[Off_base]

@Writer61 You do realise, of course, that if Laurel reads this thread she might actually scrutinise your story a lot more than if you hadn't started it...

I don't know Laurel, do you?

There was a recent thread where the conversation included the question of kissing portrayed by characters under 18.
Several well known authors chimed in with examples of this that they had used in their own stories, with no pushback. As long as the kiss wasn't dwelled upon or described in any detail, the consensus seemed to be it was ok.
It seems like the same standard should apply to a simple mention of something as benign as children playing in the front yard at a nudist community.
It was a writing question, that got blown out of proportion.

 

[Writer61]

I don't know Laurel, do you?

No.

As long as the kiss wasn't dwelled upon or described in any detail, the consensus seemed to be it was ok.

It seems like the same standard should apply to a simple mention of something as benign as children playing in the front yard at a nudist community.

I agree.

 

[ChuckWolf]

Why even have that in there?

It's unnecessary; get rid of that description.

 

[TheWorldBuilder]

As I said, some people want 'holier than the pope' to be the standard.

Only in this one topic. They're perfectly happy for stories to contain other illegal acts; such as murder, rape, arson, theft, kidnap....

 

[ChuckWolf]

If it were me writing the scenes mentioned, I would "hear" the sounds of children rather than seeing them. It establishes their presence in a context much more likely to pass muster on this site.

Or even better, NO references to children.

 

[jsmiam]

…I agree. As I said, some people want 'holier than the pope' to be the standard.

The pity party, defensiveness, and poor widdle me act is wearing thin. Not a good look.

Naked children. You feel it’s so important to mention naked children. Maybe time to look in the mirror.

You’ve by my count lobbed veiled insults at people for disagreeing with you about six times now. I predict seven in a few minutes.

Regarding your main critic, their posts are all gone. I presume she deleted them herself. Here it is again. She didn’t insult everyone on the thread as you claimed she did. But she made two, maybe theee posts, you’ve made six specifically insulting or otherwise lobbing insults at those who didn’t agree with you.

So again: why so important to mention naked children? And why so defensive?

 

[jsmiam]

Only in this one topic. They're perfectly happy for stories to contain other illegal acts; such as murder, rape, arson, theft, kidnap....

Who exactly, among the posters here have made statements supporting mirder, rape, etc.?

When you make a statement like this, you should be able to back it up.

 

[Writer61]

The pity party, defensiveness, and poor widdle me act is wearing thin. Not a good look.

Feel free to block me.

Naked children. You feel it’s so important to mention naked children. Maybe time to look in the mirror.

I have explained the reasons.

You’ve by my count lobbed veiled insults at people for disagreeing with you about six times now. I predict seven in a few minutes.

You can't count.

Regarding your main critic, their posts are all gone. I presume she deleted them herself. Here it is again. She didn’t insult everyone on the thread as you claimed she did. But she made two, maybe theee posts, you’ve made six specifically insulting or otherwise lobbing insults at those who didn’t agree with you.

As I said, you appear unable to count. Until now, the only person I have insulted was @MiaBabe23.

So again: why so important to mention naked children?

Again, I explained the reason. As I said in an earlier post, I now have a way to avoid mentioning their state of dress.

And why so defensive?

I am not being defensive.

 

[TheWorldBuilder]

Nice strawman @jsmiam

No one has explicitly supported those things in this particular thread, but neither is there such vehement stream of condemnation when stories containing those acts are discussed here.

 

[Writer61]

Or even better, NO references to children.

If that's the world you want, then write away.

 

[jsmiam]

Nice strawman @jsmiam

No one has explicitly supported those things in this particular thread, but neither is there such vehement stream of condemnation when stories containing those acts are discussed here.

Not a strawman. You lobbed an accusation when a small handful of people participated. That implies an accusation.

Evidence. As you’ll see momentarily in another post

 

[nice90sguy]

Or even better, NO references to children.

Now that’s so bonkers, it’s funny

 

[Writer61]

Why even have that in there?

It's unnecessary; get rid of that description.

As I noted a few posts earlier, I now have a way of not mentioning their state of dress.

 

[TheWorldBuilder]

Not a strawman. You lobbed an accusation when a small handful of people participated. That implies an accusation.

Evidence. As you’ll see momentarily in another post

No accusations were made, especially against any named individuals. There is a specific category for stories which have the core plot of kidnap/rape but it's very rare you'll see the level of condemnation when questions are asked about writing for that niche.

 

[TheWorldBuilder]

Now that’s so bonkers, it’s funny

Can you imagine telling the authors of breeding stories that they're not allowed to mention children?