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potentially awkward discussion - how much 'S' in your sci fi?


kais

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I'm particularly interested in hearing from the 'standard' (if that can be said) sci fi reader: how much sex, implied or detailed, do you want/expect in the books you read? If there is a romance involved, do you prefer a fade to blackout or closed door approach, or do you want the author to detail? Even if you don't care for such scenes, would you tolerate, say, one per book?

This is for adult books, mind, intended for standard adult audiences. Would love to hear everyone's thoughts!

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You know a bit of my history with the subject so it shouldn't be too surprising when I say that pretty much no level of explicit detail bothers me. That said, my concern is far more with how it fits contextually. Some stories work best with a fade to black, and I think a lot of authors do best with a fade to black. I'm sure we've all come across scenes that seemed like they were written, shall we say, for the author's personal gratification. And outside of erotica that can feel weird.

That said, absent that feeling, you know, whatever feels best for the story.

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On 9/15/2016 at 5:55 AM, Ernei said:

So I'm not a s-f reader, but I prefer the "fade and blackout" version for pretty much any book I read. One of the reasons I'm a Sanderfan, I guess.

Yeah, I'm basically the same.

I will say that having one explicit scene per book does not bother me.  I usually just start skimming at that point and pick up once it's over.  I did have an awkward situation when listening to the audiobook of Mercedes Lackey's Gwenhwyfar when I was a lab tech... I hit the sex scene while working in a sterile hood.  I'm sure I turned beet red before managing to extract myself and pause the audio!

If the explicit scene is too early, though, I can get thrown out of the story.  It leads me to assume that the book will be full of them, and I'll have to skim a lot.  And if it's coerced sex or consent is in question, it's upsetting enough that I usually stop reading, though sometimes I can get past it if I'm already really invested in the story.  But I'm not anticipating any of that from the story you're writing.

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8 hours ago, Hobbit said:

But I'm not anticipating any of that from the story you're writing.

I spend a book and a half building to about 3/4 of a sex scene. I figured that was probably well within most people's tolerance levels, but wanted to check anyway. Personally I get pretty miffed if romance is an element to a story and there isn't at least some action. It doesn't have to be Anne Rice levels of action, but something in the Lynn Flewellig area at least.

And yeah, I would assume that anyone who has read even a snippet of one of my posts would not be too concerned about issues of consent in my books. I hope.

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45 minutes ago, kaisa said:

And yeah, I would assume that anyone who has read even a snippet of one of my posts would not be too concerned about issues of consent in my books. I hope.

Yep, zero concern.  It's just on my mind because I recently started reading a book that had an almost-rape scene in the first chapter (a woman coercing a man, so... different).  It was disappointing.

3/4 of a sex scene sounds good to me! :) 

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36 minutes ago, Hobbit said:

recently started reading a book that had an almost-rape scene in the first chapter

That early on in a book is usually a deal breaker for me. Since there is no investment in the characters it is usually there to build a character, which I do not approve of. Fridging in all its forms is just bad writing. 

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I think answer is, as much as is necessary for the purposes of story and character. The corollary is that if your story requires an explicit sex scene, you might wish to reconsider how that is serving your story/chr. There is the issue of promise to the reader as well. A tricky one, as that is something that the reader themselves generates, to some extent.

Take ASD for example. The tension between Em and Ne has been palpable for some chapters. You have absoltely guaranteed the reader some kind of pay-off. The longer the tension goes on, the more intense the pay-off (probably?), however what does that say about the level of explicitness? Well, I don't think it says anything about explictiness, but it does promise a longer, more intense payoff, i.e. more than a fade-to-black. That however does not need to be explicit, but might have more foreplay before the fade. Touching can be erotic without being explicit. The power of suggestion is your friend here.

Personally, as an SF fan, I'm fine with eplicit. What you have to be careful of is the reader thinking of the characters differently afterwards. Go too far, and the explicitness takes over the story and dominates the characters going forward. The reader starts to wonder if there will be another such scene, when will it arrive? Go too far and the sex will sublimate all the carefully crafted detailed of plot, chr, setting, etc.

Hope this is helpful.

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