Sex And The 21st Century Writer, Can Too Much Detail Be A Bad Thing?
Judy Ramsook
July 09, 2006
We are products of our environments. If some people among us were brought up in a much more conservative era in which there were no detailed or graphic sex scenes in certain works of fiction, that was considered the norm for those individuals.
If, on the other hand, people are being raised and exposed to explicit and sometimes thought provoking details pertaining to such matters in a much more advanced and relaxed era such as this one, that may be considered the norm for them. But is it doing something else as well? Do these explicit and detailed sex scenes we find in some works of fiction say something about the individuals who want such detail?
While conversing with a friend about the matter recently, such an issue was touched upon. Whatever happened to leaving a fictional sex scene to the reader’s imagination, he queried. Furthermore, whatever happened to a one line lead in to such a private matter, he continued.
Turning the issue over in my mind, I told my friend if a twenty first century writer wants his or her book to sell, some detail into certain kinds of action might be needed. For as we all know, publishers won’t accept or publish anything unless it is considered marketable.
What do most readers of fiction of today want? They want the action and yes, even a bit of detail in those bedroom scenes between the pages of some novel. Be it romance, mystery or thriller.
This is something for some one who say grew up in a time when such detail was severely frowned upon. Or on a more serious note, such works were banned, and or censored in an effort to keep such things away from the innocent minds of these individuals’ children.
Some people, such as my friend, thinks that it is such detail that is responsible for certain persons to have little or no respect for some members of the fairer sex.
Everything, ranging from the scanty clothes some women wear to way they are depicted in some works of fiction can have an impact on the minds of some men.
Such men who might be thinking if a certain scene of disrespect can be done between the pages of what they are reading, then they may want to try out such a thing on their real life mates or spouses. Something which can have catastrophic results.
Books and movies may come and go, but this writer believes if some one is being raised to respect others just like he or she would like to be respected, then nothing, not a thought provoking scene in a book or story will lure him or her to suddenly disrespect others.
I also told my friend one place where he might not find explicit love/sex scenes are in children’s books, to which he replied, if one looks closely enough you can find innuendos there as well.
It was then time to change the subject, for sometimes you will find that there are certain debates or arguments you just can’t win.
If, on the other hand, people are being raised and exposed to explicit and sometimes thought provoking details pertaining to such matters in a much more advanced and relaxed era such as this one, that may be considered the norm for them. But is it doing something else as well? Do these explicit and detailed sex scenes we find in some works of fiction say something about the individuals who want such detail?
While conversing with a friend about the matter recently, such an issue was touched upon. Whatever happened to leaving a fictional sex scene to the reader’s imagination, he queried. Furthermore, whatever happened to a one line lead in to such a private matter, he continued.
Turning the issue over in my mind, I told my friend if a twenty first century writer wants his or her book to sell, some detail into certain kinds of action might be needed. For as we all know, publishers won’t accept or publish anything unless it is considered marketable.
What do most readers of fiction of today want? They want the action and yes, even a bit of detail in those bedroom scenes between the pages of some novel. Be it romance, mystery or thriller.
This is something for some one who say grew up in a time when such detail was severely frowned upon. Or on a more serious note, such works were banned, and or censored in an effort to keep such things away from the innocent minds of these individuals’ children.
Some people, such as my friend, thinks that it is such detail that is responsible for certain persons to have little or no respect for some members of the fairer sex.
Everything, ranging from the scanty clothes some women wear to way they are depicted in some works of fiction can have an impact on the minds of some men.
Such men who might be thinking if a certain scene of disrespect can be done between the pages of what they are reading, then they may want to try out such a thing on their real life mates or spouses. Something which can have catastrophic results.
Books and movies may come and go, but this writer believes if some one is being raised to respect others just like he or she would like to be respected, then nothing, not a thought provoking scene in a book or story will lure him or her to suddenly disrespect others.
I also told my friend one place where he might not find explicit love/sex scenes are in children’s books, to which he replied, if one looks closely enough you can find innuendos there as well.
It was then time to change the subject, for sometimes you will find that there are certain debates or arguments you just can’t win.
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