A Literary challenge

[jon.hayworth]

I had an idea today for what I think would be a great competition, one which would exercise everyone's imagination and writing skills.

As many of you will know John Cleland wrote Fanny Hill he set out to prove that it was possible to write an erotic novel without using any obscene language.

Nowadays we tend to call a pussy, a pussy; a cock, a cock: and that is fine why bother with euphanisms when we can use words in common usage. However as a challenge wouldn't it be different to go for what some people might call the literary route just for a change.

I am unsure about how such a competition should be judged - but there must be a way.

I think that if there was freedom in the subject matter there would need to be a stipulation as to the number of words.

So I guess its up to Laurel and to all of you to say if you would be interested.

jon

 

[The Sex Master]

I had an idea today for what I think would be a great competition, one which would exercise everyone's imagination and writing skills.

As many of you will know John Cleland wrote Fanny Hill he set out to prove that it was possible to write an erotic novel without using any obscene language.

Nowadays we tend to call a pussy, a pussy; a cock, a cock: and that is fine why bother with euphanisms when we can use words in common usage. However as a challenge wouldn't it be different to go for what some people might call the literary route just for a change.

I am unsure about how such a competition should be judged - but there must be a way.

I think that if there was freedom in the subject matter there would need to be a stipulation as to the number of words.

So I guess its up to Laurel and to all of you to say if you would be interested.

jon

A worthy suggestion.Many, including myself, could learn from such an excercise.

 

[sexylilmissie]

idea

I agree what a great idea! now if only other people will say the same.

...Although it would make the competition less intensive so I didn't finish dead last lol!

 

[Whispersecret]

I think this is an interesting idea. You'd have to give all entrants a list of taboo words. Why don't you look at the Poetry Olympics and how they set that up?

 

[jon.hayworth]

I have taken Whispersecret's advice and taken a look at the Poetry Olympics seems to me that it could be done if more people expressed interest 2 people on the PO site were talking about the same thing for prose so Ihave sent both of them e-mails.

Taboo Words are going to take some thinking about - allowing for National variations this could take some time. - like I am in the UK we are exposed to American writing, but I am unsure wether Americans are so aware of our slang.

eg PENIS -prick, cock, chopper, willy, prong, dick,

TESTICLES -balls, bollocks, bollox, goolies, scrotum, crotch, crutch.

VAGINA - cunt, pussy, snatch, fanny, quim, (and archaic Elizabethan Eng) quent.

BREASTS - jugs, tits, boobs, titties, mammaries.

ASS - arse, anus, bum

Anyway these are the few of the possible words that I have thought of for a Taboo List

I think we will all need to kick in to get this off the ground.
Ideally we would need all the submissions to be shown under one listing.

Back to you folks for your ideas.

Read my stories your votes will be appreciated

jon.hayworth

 

[abashed-dreamer]

I like the idea. I don't think the 'words' issue is that difficult.
The English trans of the Story of O has none of them.
We are not compiling a slang dictionary, and the 100s of slang synonyms are not worth listing. Basically one wants the main items of Jon's list

cock
prick
cunt
pussy
ass
asshole

then the acts,

fuck
suck
blow
eat
rim

then a few odds and ends,

cum
hard (as rock, as steel, as diamonds, etc.)

The 1000s of slang equivalents would be understood as not allowed. But normal dictionary entries are used by Cleland, such
as 'instrument' for prick. These have to be allowed. I don't see the point of eliminating ordinary words like 'wet.'

This issue of quality is NOT solved, however, by avoiding crude words. The story could be dreadful and boring.

Jack
abashed-dreamer

 

[Whispersecret]

I think that if you can have 'wet' in the story, the 'hard' should be acceptable too.

 

[jon.hayworth]

Taboo words - I agree with Whispersecret "hard" is ok as is wet I would have a problem with the colloquial combination "hard-on".

So it seems that we are starting to define a set of rules as far as taboo words. Any suggestions about number of words (+-) say 100 words. Or do we just have a minimum - say 5000 and let people do what they want.

The other problem is to get more people involved - any ideas on promotion.

jon

 

[Whispersecret]

100 words is too short. Your post was only just short of eighty.

I think a limit on length is a good idea.

 

[jon.hayworth]

whispersecret.
If you read my message again I was suggesting either unlimited length with a minimum of 5000 words.

Or alternatively a fixed length (any suggestions???) with a tolerance of plus or minus 100 words
eg If we said all submissions to be 5000 words then 4900 to 5100 would be acceptable.
I think if the length was too short it would be too easy. But that is only ny opinion - kick-in your ideas everyone.

jon

 

[abashed-dreamer]

A lot can be done, I've seen, in about one and one half literotica pages, i.e. about 12 ordinary pages of 300 words; that is 3600 words-- as Jon says, +/- 5%.

Jack.

 

[LadyDanali]

I have just recently submitted some of my stories to Literotica, so am definately a new kid on the block, but I am very interested in your idea. I see no reason why really good erotica need to be filled with gutter slang, and I for one would like to see this tried.

 

[Whispersecret]

My apologies, Jon. I read carelessly.

For the record, I'm not planning to participate, but felt like making suggestions. I hope that's not unwelcome.

 

[EviePrice]

I think this is a very good idea generally and would do a lot to improve the quality of the submissions to this site if it were adopted as universal practice. I stopped coming to this site for a long time because it was just too crude. It turned me off in a big way.

You don't need a list of taboo words. Part of the competition should be to see how subtle the writers can be and it should be up to the judges to decide how well the author has managed to meet the challenge.

I actually think it is relatively easy to write very explicit stories without using any crude words and I try to do that in some (but not all) of my stories because crude words can weaken the erotic experience. I was inspired to do this by reading some very erotic passages by John Updike in which I noticed he never once used an explicitly sexual word but nevertheless used very evocative, descriptive language that aroused me intensely.

Using subsitute or old-fashioned words is very silly and that is why you should not have a list of taboo words. For instance any word can become a substitute for cock, from obvious words like pistol, pole and shaft to less obvious ones like motor, lever, watch. (For that last one see my story Language Difficulty at
http://www.condomsandcocoa.co.uk It is often better to eliminate the word completely by saying 'He put himself inside her.'

That is easy. What is hard is creating the erotic tension, which is what really pulls us into a story and makes it erotic. This should be the aim of all stories, not just those written for competitions.

 

[EviePrice]

I think this is a very good idea generally and would do a lot to improve the quality of the submissions to this site if it were adopted as universal practice. I stopped coming to this site for a long time because it was just too crude. It turned me off in a big way.

You don't need a list of taboo words. Part of the competition should be to see how subtle the writers can be and it should be up to the judges to decide how well the author has managed to meet the challenge.

I actually think it is relatively easy to write very explicit stories without using any crude words and I try to do that in some (but not all) of my stories because crude words can weaken the erotic experience. I was inspired to do this by reading some very erotic passages by John Updike in which I noticed he never once used an explicitly sexual word but nevertheless used very evocative, descriptive language that aroused me intensely.

Using subsitute or old-fashioned words is very silly and that is why you should not have a list of taboo words. For instance any word can become a substitute for cock, from obvious words like pistol, pole and shaft to less obvious ones like motor, lever, watch. (For that last one see my story Language Difficulty at
http://www.condomsandcocoa.co.uk It is often better to eliminate the word completely by saying 'He put himself inside her.'

That is easy. What is hard is creating the erotic tension, which is what really pulls us into a story and makes it erotic. This should be the aim of all stories, not just those written for competitions.

 

[Hitchhiker]

I know we are all in our way clever, but why do people always want to put controls on self expression?
Yes it would be nice to write without useing words that are to some offensive. But don't forget even if you describe an act without taboo or dirty words. To some the very act is offensive.

If one doesn't want to be offended then read Mills & Boon.

But personnely I prefer a dam good FUCK! A good anglo-saxon word. Meaning two consenting adults having sex in a public place.

What do I find offensive? The word "cunt"

Right thats my chest lightened-thanks people