Taboo subject?

[Litbridge]

I need some guidance. Stories about incest and underage sex are taboo and will generally not be accepted for Lit publication. But, what if the main character is an adolescent on a journey of self-discovery. Is it unacceptable to have the character portrayed in dialogue with a classmate as they share confidences about what is going on with their bodies and in their minds at an age as early as 10 or 11 -- even if they don't actually have a sexual relationship? More explicitly, what if the reader is allowed to understand that this adolescent has sexual relations with a family member, but it turns out at the end it is all a fantasy and never really happened? Thoughts, anyone? Might as well get this straight before I invest more time in writing my current piece.

 

[CWatson]

I think it's the depiction that counts. Even if it's fictional in-universe--even if it's just your underage character daydreaming about having sex--the fact is that you're writing about it, and that kicks in the censors. But get confirmation from somebody else, I've never actually read the rules.

Were I you, I'd look into other websites. Particularly there's a site called StoriesOnline which doesn't have the same age limit (I assume they're hosted in places besides America); you could distribute there.

Good luck. =)

 

[PacoFear]

LB,

Not sure how you missed this, but Lit permits incest stories. In fact, they're the most trafficked category.

On the other hand, you are correct in that underage sex is a no-no of any sort here though. It's a pretty hard line that I'm inclined to agree with. If you have your heart set on such subject matter, there are other places to post that type of material.

-PF

 

[Litbridge]

Thanks CW and PF. May I keep the thread going just for another round? Here's my dilemma. To have the young boys verbalize their early explorations of sex would, I think, be an entirely natural phenomenon, especially with sex-ed in the schools and access to the internet. I do not want this to be a focus of the story (in fact the scene is hardly a couple of hundred words), but I need a segue of some kind to lead the young character to a place where his fantasies can incorporate the teachings of his deceased mother. As a reclusive child, he has not been able to let go of her memory. I guess given his age, any sexual relationship with his mother, albeit mystical and entirely positive in nature, would nevertheless be strictly verboten? If that's the case, I might have to pull the plug on this story... pity. Or try CW's suggestion.

 

[geronimo_appleby]

LB,

Not sure how you missed this, but Lit permits incest stories. In fact, they're the most trafficked category.

On the other hand, you are correct in that underage sex is a no-no of any sort here though. It's a pretty hard line that I'm inclined to agree with. If you have your heart set on such subject matter, there are other places to post that type of material.

-PF

Lit will still bounce a reference towards sexual congress below the age of 18. i inavertantly alluded to one of my characters having sex at 17 - non-incest piece, btw. it wasn't even a direct reference, but i'd aged her specifically 18 and then mentioned later that she'd been active with her b/f for some time...

 

[Litbridge]

And a big thank you to you, Ger. I'm getting the picture. So, is there ANY way a writer can address the topic of adolescent sex without running afoul of the censors? I had hoped that if it were tastefully done and in a sensitive manner with absolutely no indication of child abuse in any way -- and, furthermore, where the scenes take place only in the mind of the underage character -- that they would be more forgiving. After all, are there likely any circumstances in which a boy or a girl would not be thinking about sex, and sometimes acting upon these thoughts e.g. masturbation -- before the age of 18??? Given the obvious answer, how does a writer portray this journey of self-learning, an incredibly important part of the maturation process? Is this perhaps a question for the Lit editors/forum moderator?

 

[geronimo_appleby]

And a big thank you to you, Ger. I'm getting the picture. So, is there ANY way a writer can address the topic of adolescent sex without running afoul of the censors? I had hoped that if it were tastefully done and in a sensitive manner with absolutely no indication of child abuse in any way -- and, furthermore, where the scenes take place only in the mind of the underage character -- that they would be more forgiving. After all, are there likely any circumstances in which a boy or a girl would not be thinking about sex, and sometimes acting upon these thoughts e.g. masturbation -- before the age of 18??? Given the obvious answer, how does a writer portray this journey of self-learning, an incredibly important part of the maturation process? Is this perhaps a question for the Lit editors/forum moderator?

i personally don't; i just avoid that area. one thing to do is just try it. or find an outlet that's less strict on the age rule?

 

[nerk]

And a big thank you to you, Ger. I'm getting the picture. So, is there ANY way a writer can address the topic of adolescent sex without running afoul of the censors? I had hoped that if it were tastefully done and in a sensitive manner with absolutely no indication of child abuse in any way -- and, furthermore, where the scenes take place only in the mind of the underage character -- that they would be more forgiving. After all, are there likely any circumstances in which a boy or a girl would not be thinking about sex, and sometimes acting upon these thoughts e.g. masturbation -- before the age of 18??? Given the obvious answer, how does a writer portray this journey of self-learning, an incredibly important part of the maturation process? Is this perhaps a question for the Lit editors/forum moderator?

No.

I expect there are forums available in which to explore the sexual awakening of a person under 18. Those forums are not found on this website.

I had a story kicked back because the 40 year old characters MIGHT have been playing underage characters. Ultimately I was forced to write a disclaimer to the effect that this isn't about age, which of course, makes it seem very much about age.

It annoyed me no end, but the rules are clear, and in the end, this site gives us a free place to explore a lot of sexuality. It's their site, it's their rules, we can gripe about it all day long, but we can only vote with our mouses.

Stick around. Drink the hemlock.

 

[Litbridge]

Thanks, Nerk. That's clear enough. I'm thinking my story just died an untimely death.

 

[CWatson]

Like I said: that's why you start branching out to sites other than Literotica. *shrugs*

 

[sr71plt]

Given the obvious answer, how does a writer portray this journey of self-learning, an incredibly important part of the maturation process?

Write it for publication--with an erotica e-book publisher if not print. Oddly enough, this is acceptable in literary works in the mainstream more so than in the erotica Internet world.

 

[SirLeo]

I read plenty of posts on Lit wherein the writer describes an event that occured when they were a teenager, perhaps that is the way to approach this.

 

[TXtaboosexgurl]

hmm such a shame i love taboo subjects......hmmm just change it up a bit i guess

 

[geronimo_appleby]

hmm such a shame i love taboo subjects......hmmm just change it up a bit i guess

there are plenty of taboo stories on lit. there's just the lit-rule about under-18 and sexual references.

it makes it difficult to write 'first time' stories! but the rule is there, so ...

 

[Litbridge]

You guys are all amazing! Thanks for the feedback. Know, what? Thinking about it, I'd like to follow the advice of other Lit authors who have counselled 'write for yourself first.' In my mind, this is too good a story to discard, so I am going to finish it as erotica and submit it elsewhere if/when rejected by Lit. I can always edit the piece and resubmit it to Lit as non-erotica with sufficiently oblique references to sex that it will require real imagination by the reader to see this as anything but non-erotica. I feel better already. How mercurial am I?

 

[elfin_odalisque]

Lit, I understand your frustration and agree with Paco. Lolita and Romeo & Juliet are freely available, so why not here?

The owners are obviously running a commercial project that is a very successful online site for erotica. In this it opens itself up to attack from all the neanderthals out there and, despite being a proud advocate for free speech, has decided (wisely I feel) to protect itself from attacks from the pointy-headed.

Being 'a bear with very little brain' and spending too much time reading stories whilst waiting for trains and planes (they think I'm reading mails), I can offer some suggestions.

How old was Beauty when she was shacked up with the Beast? It plays to 5-year olds in movie theaters. Literotica demands you don't write about physical liaisons with under-eighteens. Fine, but it doesn't preclude reference to how X has always had a thing about Y. If you ensure the characters in your story are 18+ there is quite a degree within the rules that allows development of carnal attraction - as long as there is no physical contact.

As far as I know, there is no restriction here on talking about feelings and sentiments - just the Tab A/Slot B scenario.

Sure, use other sites, but Literotica poses you an exquisite writer's challenge of creating stories that jump the hurdles but still get the youthful sexuality across. Quite a challenge.

Regards

 

[Litbridge]

Thanx Elfin... yes, quite a challenge but thank you for the thoughtful interpretations. I am determined to finish the piece and hope y'all will give me the benefit of your feedback if I can get it published here. I just knew Lit was the place to stretch my mind, with a little help from my friends. I'll post something when "Dead of Night" is accepted, likely in a couple of weeks or so.

Again, thanks all. I am back to writing after a few days of mourning. Lost my six-month old German Shepherd pup when I took her in the be spayed... she never came out of the anaesthetc. A 1 in 1500 chance... and this time I lost. Sorry, had to share. She was a very special friend. She gave me everything and asked nothing in return. Dog lovers will know what I'm talking about.

 

[Litbridge]

Hi All: Just to let you know that Dead of Night was rejected, as anticipated, so I axed all the sexual references and resubmitted as non-erotica. Story loses a ton, of course, but there you go. Will try to place it elsewhere in its original form. Will let you know when/if the "kinder" version is published on Lit and perhaps you will again reward me with some feedback.

 

[KillerMuffin]

The underage thing can be annoying at times, but they decided to draw a very firm line about the age thing. Lit came online during the Reno administration, but it went through its growth stages during the Ashcroft and COPA administrations. Moreover, Lit is an international site. In Australia, for example, it is against the law to depict people under the age of 18 in sexual situations.

Allowing underage work is a headache. Where do you draw the line? There are stories on the net about people having sex with babies and toddlers. It's fiction, so it's legal in several nations. Why is a 16 year old so much more mature than a 13 year old? Or an 11 year old? There are always people on the wrong side of a number with fiction about underage sex. It wouldn't really matter what number was chosen, someone would be unhappy with it.

Literotica isn't avoiding the reality of what humans do, underage sex happens all the time and we all know it. Lit is avoiding the problem of running an international sex business in a nation where pedophiles are the most reviled people in existence. At least that's my take on it. Maybe there's that 18 rule for some other reason, but the political climate makes the most sense.

 

[Litbridge]

I identify with and respect Lit's position. In my story, the prepubescent boy has lost his mom at an early age and his fantasies about her help him in his early life discovery of what it is to be a sexual human being. They never "get it on" and there is no implication that they wanted to, only in his imagination does she help him learn about masturbation. So I was hoping to avoid the noose by making it a truly loving and supportive story. As you say KM, where to draw the line? Frankly I don't want to read pedo stories, let alone write them. So, hat's off to Lit for their no-tolerance position.

 

[Litbridge]

One final comment. My "taboo" story has now been published as non-erotica. If you have time, please check it out and let me know if the plot suffered as a result of the edits I had to make to change it from an erotica submission. Your thoughts are always welcome and enlightening, so many thanks in advance... http://www.literotica.com/stories/showstory.php?id=498717