Your thoughts please...

[monkeyboy]

I'm writing a book in which one of the (male) characters is a compulsive masturbator. Although it's essentially a comedy, I want to explore and challenge the hypocrisy and taboo that still exist about masturbation in a realistic and frank way. I would be interested in your comments on attitudes (both your own and society in general) to masturbation.

Do you think the subject is reflected accurately in mainstream literature + films or is it a source of jokes to avoid the issue? Have your attitudes changed as you've grown up? How does it fit into your sex life? Does it affect any other aspects of your life? Do you talk about it with friends/lovers? How does it change people's attitudes towards you?
Have you experienced shame, anxiety, embarrassment or guilt caused by masturbation? How did you deal with these feelings? Has it caused any religious or parental conflicts?

I'm interested in hearing from any gender/orientation/age, doesn't have to be to specific. Thank you.

(Please let me know if this forum is not a appropriate place to post this message.)

 

[funwdi]

So-called "taboo" subjects for writing always get the most readers interested. It sounds like you've got a good start for your story, especially if you're going in to the mind of this man. Most everyone experiences shame or guilt when they start masturbating...especially as a child. I grew up Catholic, so I was guilty of the guilt syndrome, of course. When I grew up, so did my attitude about very healthy practices like masturbation.

 

[Smilodon]

Hello Monkeyboy

isn't every male a compulsive masturbator?!

I think you are absolutely right, it is still taboo, particularly amongst women. There are more and more modern books (and I'm talking about light stuff, not great literature) aimed at women which are much more sexually open and present their main characters as confident and powerful sexually. However, even these books do not address masturbation. Male characters are far more likely to talk about masturbation in books than female, so you have picked the more acceptable of the two.

Now what would be really entertaining is if your male char. met a like minded female and they skirted round the issue before realising that they were similar in this way. Loads of comedy potential.

Good luck with the book, I have just had my first (non-fiction) piece of writing published! It feels great!

Let us know how you get on...

Smiley

 

[Smilodon]

hey, your question has got me thinking. This is a really interesting subject. Now, listen to this for a storming idea: a novel called six seconds (because apparently men think about sex every six seconds, i think it's six anyway) but with a female protagonist (sp). or a novel with a dual viewpoint....

hmmm, might have to get writing myself.....or do you need a female co-writer? (only joking!)

Smiley

 

[monkeyboy]

funwdi - I did actually think of making this guy a lapsed Catholic but rejected it because everything I know about the religon comes from films and I wanted to keep it more first hand (excuse the pun). It's interesting you describe loosing guilt as part of growning up, I wonder if thats true for everyone?

Smiley - There's to be no skirting in this novel!
I get really bored by the way sex is spliced in to best sellers to spice things up, and while erotica/porn has its own aims I want to do something a bit different, and have a laugh.
I'm hoping that by making sex the main subject (the main character is to be put through several sexual 'experiences' that will change him considerably) it will be so open as to be almost transparent so the heart of the thing will shine through. That and selling lots of copies too!

Also "isn't every male a compulsive masturbator?!"
You might have a point there.

Look forward to reading your storming novel idea, presumably called 'Cum in six seconds?'???

Cheers

Monkey B