I need a ruling

regularguy13

Experienced
Joined
Jul 8, 2005
Posts
65
Hello, I'm not trying to pull a fast one and include under-age sex in a story. All characters in the story are over 18. I need to be able to blackmail the bad guy.

Here's what i have - A computer expert finds kiddie porn on a criminal's computer.

^^^

He said, “This guy has some sick stuff on his computer. He’s got tons of naked photos of prepubescent girls.”

“The bastard likes little girls?” Luna asked.

“Not little little girls. More like ten to twelve-year-olds.”

^^^
Later in the story, the good guy takes the bad guy's computer and threatens to give it to the police if anything happens to his family.

Do you think this is over the line? Thanks, r
 
I think Laurel's going to X it as soon as she sees the words "k*ddie p*rn". Hell, she might even remove this thread.

I'd try to find a way to allude to it without being explicit.
 
Hello, I'm not trying to pull a fast one and include under-age sex in a story. All characters in the story are over 18. I need to be able to blackmail the bad guy.

Here's what i have - A computer expert finds kiddie porn on a criminal's computer.

I only got this far before the "no, not on this site" clicked in.

There's only one person who can give you a "ruling" on submissions here. Laurel, the sole submissions editor (and site owner). You can reach her by Private Message (PM), top right corner of this page if you have private messages turned on.
 
Hello, I'm not trying to pull a fast one and include under-age sex in a story. All characters in the story are over 18. I need to be able to blackmail the bad guy.

Here's what i have - A computer expert finds kiddie porn on a criminal's computer.

^^^

He said, “This guy has some sick stuff on his computer. He’s got tons of naked photos of prepubescent girls.”

“The bastard likes little girls?” Luna asked.

“Not little little girls. More like ten to twelve-year-olds.”

^^^
Later in the story, the good guy takes the bad guy's computer and threatens to give it to the police if anything happens to his family.

Do you think this is over the line? Thanks, r

Personally I think as long as it’s more or less as you worded it and there’s no under 18 sex, you’re good. In the end the only way is to submit it and find out. If it doesn’t fly, rewrite and resubmit. Until it does. You don’t get banned for trying. And you can always write a note in the notes field explaining context.
 
I think Laurel's going to X it as soon as she sees the words "k*ddie p*rn". Hell, she might even remove this thread.

I'd try to find a way to allude to it without being explicit.

Ditto. The concept seems fine to me, but the language raises red flags.
 
I'm inclined to agree with Chloe, but I think it depends on what the overall erotic focus of the story is. If it has some other focus, and during the story it comes to light that bad guy has this porn on his computer but you don't describe it or focus on it, I think you'll be OK. But if this is the focus of the story I think you will have problems.

You always have to ask yourself, what is the point of this content, and how are readers likely to take it? If some readers are going to be turned on by this part of the story then you have a problem.
 
I'm inclined to agree with Chloe, but I think it depends on what the overall erotic focus of the story is. If it has some other focus, and during the story it comes to light that bad guy has this porn on his computer but you don't describe it or focus on it, I think you'll be OK. But if this is the focus of the story I think you will have problems.

You always have to ask yourself, what is the point of this content, and how are readers likely to take it? If some readers are going to be turned on by this part of the story then you have a problem.

Is there some need for the porn to be underage? If so, then it probably won't fly. If there isn't a need, then it might be better to just refer to it as "real filth" or some such.
 
I don't think that this requires much thought. I think Melissa nailed it in the very use of a term deadending the story.
 
It needs to be something illegal. the good guy needs a viable threat to keep the bad guy at bay. Saying he has Al Bundy's collection of "Big 'Uns" won't do .
 
It needs to be something illegal. the good guy needs a viable threat to keep the bad guy at bay. Saying he has Al Bundy's collection of "Big 'Uns" won't do .

Understood, but it doesn't have to be explicit. What was in the suitcase in Pulp Fiction?
 
It needs to be something illegal. the good guy needs a viable threat to keep the bad guy at bay. Saying he has Al Bundy's collection of "Big 'Uns" won't do .
Whatever depraved sexual content you invoke (paedophilia, rape, snuff, extreme non-con) you're going to come against a site line very quickly. Hitchcock got by with plenty of macguffins, maybe you can too.
 
This is 50 words in a 10,00 word story. it is not a main focus of the story. I can't imagine anyone thinking it was salacious or a turn on. the context was the good guy is tracing an email, gets into a computer, and finds files. He makes a comment about kiddie porn being on the computer. He takes the computer when he goes to the bad guy's house and goes off to do something else.

Later, he tells the bad guy 'I know about the underage pics. If anything happens to my family. Your computer will be sent to the police." That doesn't happen. the threat works.



I
 
Should be easy enough to imply, surely. One of those, “you shoulda seen what the guy had on his computer” moments. Just leave it there. All but the thickest readers will know what you mean, and even those can figure out from context that the guy’s done SOMETHING troublesome.

If, as you say, it’s not a major plot point? Just alter it. Have him look at granny porn instead.
 
This is 50 words in a 10,00 word story.

Only Laurel can give a ruling and you're being resistant to what the discussion board provides. She can be reached only by private message (PM)--the message system at the top right of this screen if/when you have private messages turned on ("User CP") at the top left of the screen.
 
This is 50 words in a 10,00 word story. it is not a main focus of the story. I can't imagine anyone thinking it was salacious or a turn on. the context was the good guy is tracing an email, gets into a computer, and finds files. He makes a comment about kiddie porn being on the computer. He takes the computer when he goes to the bad guy's house and goes off to do something else.

Later, he tells the bad guy 'I know about the underage pics. If anything happens to my family. Your computer will be sent to the police." That doesn't happen. the threat works.



I

That isn't the point. Search engines finding the words "kiddie porn" in Lit stories is the point.
 
If this were the NFL the ruling on the field would stand.

15 yard penalty

automatic 1st down
 
"This guy has some sick stuff on his computer."

"Like what?"

"Serious jail time stuff. Trust me, you don't want to know."

...

"So are you going to play ball, or do I let the cops know about your 'gardening photos' folder?"
 
"This guy has some sick stuff on his computer."

"Like what?"

"Serious jail time stuff. Trust me, you don't want to know."

...

"So are you going to play ball, or do I let the cops know about your 'gardening photos' folder?"

This.

Seriously, it's not rocket science. Just writing. Your readers will get it.
 
Quick question regarding the story itself: why not just have the good guy turn the computer over to the cops and let them deal with the bad guy. If the bad guy is that bad, and the threat is that much of a threat to the bad guy, turning him over to the cops would effectively take care of the threat, too, one would think. If the cops are crooked or the evidence is anything less than damning, then it’s not much of a threat.

As far as the reference to underage material? I’ve seen one or two stories where it was referenced, either in terms of the anatagonist having it or the protagonist being framed for it. So it MAY be possible? As something in passing? But definitely contact Laurel about it (and be patient.)
 
Hello, I'm not trying to pull a fast one and include under-age sex in a story. All characters in the story are over 18. I need to be able to blackmail the bad guy.

Here's what i have - A computer expert finds kiddie porn on a criminal's computer.

^^^

He said, “This guy has some sick stuff on his computer. He’s got tons of naked photos of prepubescent girls.”

“The bastard likes little girls?” Luna asked.

“Not little little girls. More like ten to twelve-year-olds.”

^^^
Later in the story, the good guy takes the bad guy's computer and threatens to give it to the police if anything happens to his family.

Do you think this is over the line? Thanks, r

I suggest you allude to it, not describe it.
 
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