Oct 4, 2021
Does ‘show don’t tell’ ever run up against your personal prohibitions?
The slogan for the group seems especially apt for this weeks discussion. “Writers Writing on Everything.” But do we?
I thought I had an easy answer to this, because if you’ve been following me for even a short time, you know I don’t write detailed sex scenes. There are several reasons for it, but it boils down to that I don’t think I’d be any good at it. I’m okay with an occasional sex scene in a story, but I find many of them boring and repetitive. It’s not because I have a personal prohibition against it.
So, I got to thinking. What don’t I write about? I’ve got behind-the-scenes sex, guns, violence, drugs, and rock-and-roll. (Well, maybe not so much on the rock-and-roll. You’re more likely to come across a reference to John Denver in my books.) What am I leaving out?
In a process of elimination, I figured it out. Horror. I don’t write horror. I don’t read it, I don’t like it, I don’t write it. I don’t watch horror movies or suspense movies that lean towards horror. There is enough horror in this world without adding to it in the name of entertainment. I can’t deal with the idea of hurting another person for the joy of it.
Would I ever ‘tell’ it in a story? If the story absolutely demanded it, maybe, but I’d do everything I could to avoid including even the telling of such a scene in one of my books. I’ve had arguments with my characters about the plots of books, and this is an instance where’d I’d put my foot down and write it the way I wanted it written. And that would mean no horror elements.
Does that go against the idea of writers writing everything? Well, I also wouldn’t write Christian romance. Or a treatise on how Martin Luther changed the role of women in European society. There’s also the old advice about writing what you know, and I know I’m not qualified in either of those subjects. Same with horror.
I will happily keep writing my sex scenes behind closed doors, leaving the details up to you, the reader. I think I’ve found the level of violence in my stories I’m comfortable with, and will continue that way as the story calls needs. As for rock-and-roll —I need to up my game. I wonder what kind of music my wolf shifters listen to?
While I ponder that question, I’m going to check out what the other authors on this hop will tell, not show. You can, too, by following the links below.
As always, until next time, please stay safe.
Oct 4, 2021
Does ‘show don’t tell’ ever run up against your personal prohibitions?
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