Is this a terrible idea (a Hot Button Issue)?

[MrPixel]

Absolutely - the same applies to pregnancy and especially childbirth in stories, birth always being more dramatic than 99% of reality. Not to mention fake urgency. If you actually call the hospital to say waters have broken in the street, they actually say "OK, we'll be seeing you in the next few days then. Do come in for a checkup if nothing happens or you have any of these symptoms." Not "OMG an ambulance is coming!!!"

That's useful to know. Thanks. I'm still writing a piece with a childbirth scene, and now's the time to get it factually straight. I did in fact write it where the troops were summoned to rush her to the ER. More research required, evidently.

I have had but one direct experience with a birth event, a hippie-ish woman who wanted her close friends bedside. In fact, she was a midwife. Her entering labor for the at-home birth did come shortly after her water broke, but she knew from her job the labor was taking too long and instructed us to cart her off to a hospital.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

That's useful to know. Thanks. I'm still writing a piece with a childbirth scene, and now's the time to get it factually straight. I did in fact write it where the troops were summoned to rush her to the ER. More research required, evidently.

I have had but one direct experience with a birth event, a hippie-ish woman who wanted her close friends bedside. In fact, she was a midwife. Her entering labor for the at-home birth did come shortly after her water broke, but she knew from her job the labor was taking too long and instructed us to cart her off to a hospital.

Birth procedures can be very different by country. I thought a lot of the drama you saw on US TV birth scenes was fictional, until reading books on giving birth and realising all the American ones needed to be totally ignored - apparently birthers in the US really do get made to put on hospital gowns, get put on a drip son you have to be in a bed, even enemas and shaving are still pressed upon women, very medicalised, as opposed to the typical "There's some cushions for kneeling over, there should be a pool available in an hour or so if you want, enjoy huffing G&A, see you in an hour" NHS approach!

 

[lovecraft68]

If you are that concerned with how a reader might react to a topic you shouldn't be writing anything more than "let's fuck"

If you want to write something that involves real life topics and situation that are polarizing and regardless of how you handle it someone is going to get a bug up their ass, then you need to accept the fact that is going to happen.

Like the morality thread where people are arguing over whether writing a rape story can influence a person to rape someone and many people's take is we just write stories we cannot control people's reactions and actions, the same applies here. You write what you want and if some people get screechy over it, oh, well. Its a story, maybe the problem isn't the author but the professionally thin skinned offended that looks for reasons to be upset.

Write the story you want to write. That's more important than reader butthurt. And who knows, maybe no one even says anything about it? If so, who cares, you're not making or losing money here.

 

[TheRedLantern]

For anyone who was interested in where this discussion led to once I thought about what I was trying to accomplish, it's here: Lemon Soju

Ultimately I went with downplaying the whole detail because it was the emotional state of the characters and the totality of their relationship that was important and not the particulars of this one (admittedly complicated) aspect of it:

Because you got me pregnant when we were teenagers, it went really wrong, and now I'm damaged forever. And I know you've always wanted to be a dad.

Thank you to everyone who offered their thoughts and reactions. AH has been really helpful to me several times, and this was a big one.

 

[big_cane_sugar]

I'm working on something that's a little experimental for me, and as I was writing the topic of abortion came up. I'm looking for insights from authors who have been posting stories for a while to see whether anyone has touched on a Hot Button Issue, even in passing. Should I think about abandoning this particular idea so that the reactions to the story aren't based mostly on this one sentence (in bold & italics)?

Here's the passage, so that you can see what I'm talking about:



This is a first draft so it's all subject to being rewritten. The goal of the scene is to establish that the two characters have a long, very intimate, very close relationship that has experienced many things that probably haven't left the confines of the relationship. I wasn't expecting it to go where it did, but it felt right given the darker, more pessimistic tone that this piece needs.

Personally, I love it. If you love it too, do it. If someone doesn't like it, shrug.

 

[big_cane_sugar]

For context, I'm working on a story for this site where a man and his first wife get back together after many years apart. They divorced for good reasons in spite of having children together, they both got remarried to other people (him twice) and divorced again for good reasons, and gradually they find that they've forgiven each other and that in some deep part of their hearts they're still each other's "one true love." So just like that, ba-da-bing, ba-da-boom, senior sex.

It's quite a challenge for me because I want to make the pain feel real but also make the forgiveness and healing process feel plausible, and I find myself constantly doubting I have the authorial chops to pull it all off.

But the relevance here is that I have to get into good reasons for people to get divorced, the lessons they can learn from their pain, what changes and what stays the same, and a lot of that stuff is going to alienate various readers. To which I say: screw 'em. If I can write this story well enough to satisfy myself then I can write this story well enough, period.

 

[Lifestyle66]

I'm working on something that's a little experimental for me, and as I was writing the topic of abortion came up. I'm looking for insights from authors who have been posting stories for a while to see whether anyone has touched on a Hot Button Issue, even in passing. Should I think about abandoning this particular idea so that the reactions to the story aren't based mostly on this one sentence (in bold & italics)?

Here's the passage, so that you can see what I'm talking about:



This is a first draft so it's all subject to being rewritten. The goal of the scene is to establish that the two characters have a long, very intimate, very close relationship that has experienced many things that probably haven't left the confines of the relationship. I wasn't expecting it to go where it did, but it felt right given the darker, more pessimistic tone that this piece needs.

In my story "Neverland, Don't Go Back There!" "A wild youth past now threatens her marriage." the main character explains how she had three abortions before she married her husband. That story (in Loving Wives) is rated 3.46/217, which isn't bad for my writing.

So that was a non-issue to most of that audience.

 

[BeautyInTheStruggle]

This was an interesting read, I look forward to seeing more like this.

I have reference to an abortion (being offered, being rejected) in the current story I am writing.

In another story I haven't finished the MMC got the FMC pregnant and then left town, leaving her to realize the consequences, and live with them including a messing late term miscarriage - its based something like ten years after this fact.

I am no authority on stories, I do not have anything published (for anyone reading this) just contributing to the conversation, it was interesting to read what people think about including stuff like this in terms of my own writing.

 

[DeMont]

I'm working on something that's a little experimental for me, and as I was writing the topic of abortion came up. I'm looking for insights from authors who have been posting stories for a while to see whether anyone has touched on a Hot Button Issue, even in passing. Should I think about abandoning this particular idea so that the reactions to the story aren't based mostly on this one sentence (in bold & italics)?

Here's the passage, so that you can see what I'm talking about:



This is a first draft so it's all subject to being rewritten. The goal of the scene is to establish that the two characters have a long, very intimate, very close relationship that has experienced many things that probably haven't left the confines of the relationship. I wasn't expecting it to go where it did, but it felt right given the darker, more pessimistic tone that this piece needs.

@TheRedLantern,
My dear colleague, I see where you are going from that snippet. If you want to avoid a flaming row between the pro camp and the anti camp then might I suggest that, in place of the paragraph you have, use something more like:

Quote:
“Why can’t that be us, Na-Young?”

“You know why.”

Harlan’s silent for a moment. “Is it because —”

“Yes it’s Because,” I say.

Because you got me pregnant when we were teenagers, and complications with the abortion left me damaged and unable to get pregnant again.

He picks at his hash browns with his fork, and I feel like an ass. I came here asking for help and only managed to dredge up the lowest point Harlan or I have experienced in the twenty years we’ve known each other."

Rather;

“Why can’t that be us, Na-Young?”

“You know why.”

Harlan’s silent for a moment. “Is it because —”

“Yes it’s Because,” I say.

Because you got me pregnant when we were too young, and the complications from that left me damaged and unable to get pregnant again.

He picks at his hash browns with his fork, and I feel like an ass. I came here asking for help and only managed to dredge up the lowest point Harlan or I have experienced in the twenty years we’ve known each other.

Deleting the "A" word and generalising the events and effects might be able to convey what you're looking for rather than running the risk of an unwarranted backlash.
Hopefully helpful and with respects,
D.

 

[goldytheGoldfish]

For anyone who was interested in where this discussion led to once I thought about what I was trying to accomplish, it's here: Lemon Soju

No it's not.

 

[TheRedLantern]

I took it down. I decided it wasn't a good story for Literotica.

 

[SmilingLez]

I took it down. I decided it wasn't a good story for Literotica.

Trusting your gut is almost always the best decision.

 

[goldytheGoldfish]

I took it down. I decided it wasn't a good story for Literotica.

Abortion isn't really a sexy topic, TBH.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

Abortion isn't really a sexy topic, TBH.

In this case it wasn't actually being written as a fetish. : /

 

[TheRedLantern]

In this case it wasn't actually being written as a fetish. : /

The whole detail in question was changed in the manuscript. However, I took it down (for reasons unrelated to this particular detail) so I feel like I forfeited the right to talk about or defend it.

 

[DeMont]

The whole detail in question was changed in the manuscript. However, I took it down (for reasons unrelated to this particular detail) so I feel like I forfeited the right to talk about or defend it.

@TheRedLantern,
As @SmilingLez mentioned, for any author, at any time and for no other reason/s than their own, trusting your gut is always the best thing to do.
Deepest respects,
D.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

Sorry the story didn't work out for you. I must admit to being curious how it would go.
Speaking in big picture terms, it's unfortunate that artists even have to worry about people being offended by something that absolutely happens in real life being represented in art.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

it's unfortunate that artists even have to worry about people being offended by something that absolutely happens in real life being represented in art.

Oh, fuck I never worry about that. : P

 

[Kelliezgirl]

Oh, fuck I never worry about that. : P

Certainly your prerogative, but it's something that should be considered.
Do I alienate part of my audience with something resulting in them missing my greater point?

 

[pink_silk_glove]

Certainly your prerogative, but it's something that should be considered.
Do I alienate part of my audience with something resulting in them missing my greater point?

I consider how the story might be received in general but not the tastes of someone who is not really interested in my story so much as some narrow personal kink. If I did that, it would be impossible to write anything.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

I consider how the story might be received in general but not the tastes of someone who is not really interested in my story so much as some narrow personal kink. If I did that, it would be impossible to write anything.

Fair enough, I don't really "chase kinks" so to speak.
While I've written a few strokers, the sex in my stories is character driven. The kink has to make sense for the person I've created.

 

[DeMont]

Oh, fuck I never worry about that. : P

@pink_silk_glove,
What's that old saying, "Life imitates art"?
The philosophical position or observation about how real behaviors or real events sometimes (or even commonly) resemble artistic presentation.
Makes you wonder sometimes, doesn't it why certain themes, concepts or images are "generally forbidden"?
Deepest respects,
D.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

@pink_silk_glove,
What's that old saying, "Life imitates art"?
The philosophical position or observation about how real behaviors or real events sometimes (or even commonly) resemble artistic presentation.
Makes you wonder sometimes, doesn't it why certain themes, concepts or images are "generally forbidden"?

This is porn, whether we want it to be or not. Even the deepest artiest most literary stuff published here is subject to the scrutiny of porn. Art imitates life except for the subgenre of porn. Erotica usually imitates life at least to some degree but porn does not imitate life. It is pure fantasy. When the readers want porn, they don't want life, they want 100% fantasy - their own specific fantasy. There is nothing that the writer can do to change that. The writer can only find a niche to pander to, or just not care and write the story.

Even sci-fi and high fantasy uses pure obvious fiction yet still imitates life by isolating human conditions. How much of Star Trek and LotR tell us about ourselves? Porn? Nahh.

 

[goldytheGoldfish]

https://www.shorpy.com/node/27815

 

[iwatchus]

This is porn, whether we want it to be or not. Even the deepest artiest most literary stuff published here is subject to the scrutiny of porn. Art imitates life except for the subgenre of porn. Erotica usually imitates life at least to some degree but porn does not imitate life. It is pure fantasy. When the readers want porn, they don't want life, they want 100% fantasy - their own specific fantasy. There is nothing that the writer can do to change that. The writer can only find a niche to pander to, or just not care and write the story.

Even sci-fi and high fantasy uses pure obvious fiction yet still imitates life by isolating human conditions. How much of Star Trek and LotR tell us about ourselves? Porn? Nahh.

I think you are unfair to a lot of the work on this site. I think it often does reflect deeper feelings within ourselves. And I think you feel the readers short, too. Many of them do want a quick release. But other times they (or other readers) want a good read unfettered by our lingering victorian mores.