Taboo Topic?

Gynn · May 19, 2008

In my WIP, my MC, a nineteen-year-old boy from Earth is trapped in another world. The story seems to be aimed at YAs (I've already made a thread about profanity in the book. Thanks for the advice so far), so I'm wondering how far I can go with a scene that came to mind.

The boy has a steamy dream about a girl he's met, and I'm contemplating making an offhand remark about how he's frustrated that there's not enough privacy in the home that he's stuck in for him to...uhh...relieve the tension (read: masturbate) that the dream brought on.

I don't plan on him actually doing the deed, but I wonder if an editor would frown on the reference, being that people seem to be embarassed to speak to their kids about it.

Ruv Draba · May 19, 2008

Gynn said:
I don't plan on him actually doing the deed, but I wonder if an editor would frown on the reference, being that people seem to be embarassed to speak to their kids about it.

I have no idea what individual editors might think (and it might vary) - but it seems to be a legitimate YA issue; YA readers are hardly ignorant, and it's not like they don't discuss it themselves. There are plenty of ways of handling this tastefully.

I suggest that you write it. If it's the biggest objection to the book, then you obviously have a good book - and it's an easy fix if it must be changed.

Good luck!

SPMiller · May 19, 2008

It amuses me how often this question comes up on AW. Apparently a lot of people still don't know that YA isn't censored anymore. Yes, masturbation is fine. In fact, masturbation is probably a good thing to put into the story, because your audience is or will soon be dealing with it.

Unlike adults, for whom masturbation is old hat

mscelina · May 19, 2008

*shrug*

YA is, after all, for young adults. I don't know about you guys, but I think there could hardly be a better time for a masturbatory reference. Just write it; if an editor thinks it's objectionable later, you can always pull it back.

Gynn · May 19, 2008

You guys rock. I don't know what I'd have done if I'd never stumbled onto this site. Thanks again!

JimmyB27 · May 20, 2008

One day I'll click on a thread with 'taboo' in the subject line and find something really steamy.

Disappointing - try harder, Gynn.

Maryn · May 20, 2008

SPMiller said:
Unlike adults, for whom masturbation is old hat

All hat fetish fiction belongs on the Erotica board, of course...

Maryn, who knew a guy who--well, you can guess the rest

C.M. Daniels · May 21, 2008

Read some modern YA and get a feel for what's going on these days. I've read several titles in the last couple of years where characters have had sex.

One of the best YA librarians in the business is Linette Ivanovich at the Missoula County Public Library. Look her up. She's got some great reading lists posted on the library's website that can give you a place to start.

Shadow_Ferret · May 21, 2008

What grade level is considered Young Adult these days? Because to me, a young adult is someone who is 18, 19, or 20.

Zoombie · May 21, 2008

Yeah, seriously, I actually have masturbation in my story. And sex!

REAL SEX!

And it's not even about sex and stuff, not like one of those "my daddy touched me and now I'm cut myself," books that I keep seeing clogging the YA sections of my library.

Can't we ever write anything NICE!?

Well, I can. But I don't know if you guys can...

Hollan · May 21, 2008

He can think about masturbation. He can masturbate. He can get sucked off and jerked off. He can even have sex. All of that is totally fine in YA nowadays. And Shadow Ferret (the best kind of ferret, I've heard) the YA age range is between 13-18, usually.

Shadow_Ferret · May 22, 2008

I was just curious, because to me those are teens, NOT young adults, and I wouldn't let my kid read about that ...um... thing you guys are talking about.

Heck, I can't even type it.

Taboo Topic?

Gynn

Wandering worlds

Ruv Draba

SPMiller

Prodigiously Hanged

mscelina

Teh doommobile, drivin' rite by you

Gynn

Wandering worlds

JimmyB27

Hoopy frood

Maryn

I Tried

C.M. Daniels

Cinnamon, sit. Bad fish!

Shadow_Ferret

Court Jester

Zoombie

Dragon of the Multiverse

Hollan

Stage name = Chainsaw Sally

Shadow_Ferret

Court Jester