Taboo / controversy story suggestions from readers

Hi there! I'm sort of new to the writing world (English is also my second language so pardon my mistakes).

I already published two stories 100% real-life based. The next one is a sort of "evolution" from the last, where I explored my sexual development and how it was very much affected by my Catholic upbringing. I'm Italian and whether we want it or not it's a daily bombarding (sometimes very subtle, sometimes not) of "sex equals sin" except if you do it for procreation purposes and inside the institution of marriage.

This is what I PERSONALLY lived in my life, creating a massive shame for years, especially due to a specific priest and going to kindergarten created by nuns. The story will start with my last real-life confession to then go into complete fiction where I sort of make the priest admit that he also sinned and by "punishing him" I make him realize that sex is a healthy part of being a human being and there is no shame in it.

This is the idea.

I am aware that religious topics can be controversial or offensive for some. I asked myself how I could deal with it and I decided to add something in the author's note saying that this is my personal journey and I don't intend to offend any religion or believer.

Is that anything else I should consider? I need to write this story as a catharsis for the anger I have inside against the institution and what it did to my sexuality, so it's a story for myself not to tell anyone they are wrong in believing.

Thanks for any advice or reflection points you can give me.

Laura

I just wrote a trilogy about a young couple from a conservative Protestant church, one the pastor's child, exploring a sexual relationship against the teaching of their church. Not a peep of controversy. As long as you stay within Lush rules on age and consent, you should be fine.

So I say go for it.

Thanks for your feedback... glad you didn't have issues with that. My story is slightly different because I sort of "force" the priest to confess to what he truly liked and then to perform sexual acts, but the "forcing" is almost a farce, so to speak as he had already confessed, he's only very torn between his faith and what he is doing.

Can this be considered non-consensual sex? Or forced sex? Given the background, I don't see it that way...

What do you think? Should I maybe ask the editors first? For me is extremely important that the scenes and dialogues are a certain way, otherwise is not a catharsis for me but just another erotic story. So either I can write it that way or I would rather not write it at all.

Thanks again!

Quote by LauraLovesYou
Can this be considered non-consensual sex? Or forced sex? Given the background, I don't see it that way...

You might have to write the scene and get a mod opinion (i was a mod but that was going on a decade ago and standards seem to have shifted a bit). A lot can be in the nuance of the writing and how you frame it. The general rule, just going on memory, is that consent needs to be pretty clear and not obtained under duress. Your story does sound interesting, just might need some finesse to stay within the rules.

Quote by Seeker4

You might have to write the scene and get a mod opinion (i was a mod but that was going on a decade ago and standards seem to have shifted a bit). A lot can be in the nuance of the writing and how you frame it. The general rule, just going on memory, is that consent needs to be pretty clear and not obtained under duress. Your story does sound interesting, just might need some finesse to stay within the rules.

Thanks, yes it's a fine line indeed, but as I said... either like I Imagined or I write it for some private use That is why I think asking the editors what are the exact boundaries is important. I am only at the title and the author's note, the story is already carved in fire in my brain but I'm not going to spend time writing it here only to know later on that it can not be published :)

Quote by LauraLovesYou

Hi there! I'm sort of new to the writing world (English is also my second language so pardon my mistakes).

I already published two stories 100% real-life based. The next one is a sort of "evolution" from the last, where I explored my sexual development and how it was very much affected by my Catholic upbringing. I'm Italian and whether we want it or not it's a daily bombarding (sometimes very subtle, sometimes not) of "sex equals sin" except if you do it for procreation purposes and inside the institution of marriage.

This is what I PERSONALLY lived in my life, creating a massive shame for years, especially due to a specific priest and going to kindergarten created by nuns. The story will start with my last real-life confession to then go into complete fiction where I sort of make the priest admit that he also sinned and by "punishing him" I make him realize that sex is a healthy part of being a human being and there is no shame in it.

This is the idea.

I am aware that religious topics can be controversial or offensive for some. I asked myself how I could deal with it and I decided to add something in the author's note saying that this is my personal journey and I don't intend to offend any religion or believer.

Is that anything else I should consider? I need to write this story as a catharsis for the anger I have inside against the institution and what it did to my sexuality, so it's a story for myself not to tell anyone they are wrong in believing.

Thanks for any advice or reflection points you can give me.

Laura

Laura

If you curb your imagination/creativity by letting the thought of offending people influence you it will forever corrupt your creativity. Every author has been rejected at one time or another. So what? Simply one person’s opinion. I get slammed for having no discipline with grammar or punctuation.

What I have seen of your writing certainly suggests that you truly have a talent. I, for one, look forward to your next effort whatever it might be. This is a site that allows one to explore the depths of whatever interests you whether its source be first-hand experience or something imagined…or in most cases a combination. Doesn’t life influence everything we do?

Quote by Icarus4

Laura

If you curb your imagination/creativity by letting the thought of offending people influence you it will forever corrupt your creativity. Every author has been rejected at one time or another. So what? Simply one person’s opinion. I get slammed for having no discipline with grammar or punctuation.

What I have seen of your writing certainly suggests that you truly have a talent. I, for one, look forward to your next effort whatever it might be. This is a site that allows one to explore the depths of whatever interests you whether its source be first-hand experience or something imagined…or in most cases a combination. Doesn’t life influence everything we do?

Thanks, yes I get what you are saying, completely. It's that I'm sensitive to not hurting people. I don't care if they don't LIKE it. But hurting people's feelings or offending their beliefs is ... difficult for me. As for the rest, I wish that given the platform I'm in, the story will be taken for what it is. MY personal journey, nothing more. MY opinion because of how much damage I have suffered. It doesn't mean I'm bashing people of the same religion for their convictions, not at all. All I care about is that the message is clear, and is between ME and the Church.

Quote by Icarus4

Laura

If you curb your imagination/creativity by letting the thought of offending people influence you it will forever corrupt your creativity. Every author has been rejected at one time or another. So what? Simply one person’s opinion. I get slammed for having no discipline with grammar or punctuation.

What I have seen of your writing certainly suggests that you truly have a talent. I, for one, look forward to your next effort whatever it might be. This is a site that allows one to explore the depths of whatever interests you whether its source be first-hand experience or something imagined…or in most cases a combination. Doesn’t life influence everything we do?

What Icarus says, no one tells me what to write, also. I would say, Laura, let your morality guide you, however, I find that the most creative writing of all is when YOU deliberately make yourself feel uncomfortable. Part of writing a good story is to shock, like kill off the protagonist in the eighth paragraph kind of thing.

Have some fun with it, but this is a place of eroticism, art, poetry and porn, the question is - one, the other, two, three or a mix of them all. You have the power at your fingertips.

All the very best. 😘

Quote by AmuseBouche

What Icarus says, no one tells me what to write, also. I would say, Laura, let your morality guide you, however, I find that the most creative writing of all is when YOU deliberately make yourself feel uncomfortable. Part of writing a good story is to shock, like kill off the protagonist in the eighth paragraph kind of thing.

Have some fun with it, but this is a place of eroticism, art, poetry and porn, the question is - one, the other, two, three or a mix of them all. You have the power at your fingertips.

All the very best. 😘

I'm thinking that after all, one way or the other... the Church still has some residual power over me. That's the reason why I ask myself these questions. Food for thought, my aim here is writing for myself and it angers me that I'm thinking to be my very own censor, but this is who I am now. I'm here also to discover these things and more, and to maybe overcome them. Let's see...

My thinking (and whichever reviewer gets assigned your story may or may not agree) is that while unconsented physical force is absolutely not going to be allowed here, one way you might be able to frame this is having the priest ultimately consent just an instant before any actual physical sexual contact occurs - finally admitting his secret desires and or transgressions, and acquiescing to your punishment. I suspect that might work. Would that still give you the catharsis you're seeking?

Quote by joe71

My thinking (and whichever reviewer gets assigned your story may or may not agree) is that while unconsented physical force is absolutely not going to be allowed here, one way you might be able to frame this is having the priest ultimately consent just an instant before any actual physical sexual contact occurs - finally admitting his secret desires and or transgressions, and acquiescing to your punishment. I suspect that might work. Would that still give you the catharsis you're seeking?

If I understood correctly... this is what the priest HAS to do to give me the catharsis and satisfaction I want. Admitting that he likes it and wants to do it, although being conflicted because of his beliefs. If you think about it, in some "branches" of the church, priests can marry and have a normal sexual life. That's what I want him to "understand" as he ruined my sexual life for a while. Did you mean this?

Quote by LauraLovesYou

If I understood correctly... this is what the priest HAS to do to give me the catharsis and satisfaction I want. Admitting that he likes it and wants to do it, although being conflicted because of his beliefs. If you think about it, in some "branches" of the church, priests can marry and have a normal sexual life. That's what I want him to "understand" as he ruined my sexual life for a while. Did you mean this?

Yes, I would think that having him admit he wants it - before you make contact - satisfies the consent requirement. And maybe the catharsis requirement too! Once he agrees to his punishment, you can punish him all you want.

Quote by AmuseBouche

Part of writing a good story is to shock

I'm going to disagree with this. While I think it's good advice to not worry too much about causing offense with your writing, it's another thing to deliberately set out to offend or shock readers. That sort of thing comes across as very juvenile, morally nihilistic, and desperate for attention - especially when it's an insincere provocation as opposed to an authentic expression of a unique-but-challenging personal viewpoint. One of the major differences is focus - what you believe vs what others believe. When you're so focused on challenging the sensibilities of others, you tend to lose sight of what you actually stand for - and very often, it becomes quickly clear that you don't stand for anything at all apart from being an irritating asshole. Have the courage to stand for something more than that.

Secondly, effectively shocking readers requires a deep understanding of what your readers are going to be shocked by. To give an example, I once attended a music festival where I happened to see a couple of young lesbian women aggressively making out with each other while pausing every now and then to look around to see if anyone dared to be offended. It seemed that was their real intent - not to express their love and affection for each other, but to get in a fight defending the rights no one was infringing on. It was clear that they were intending to be 'in your face' about it, but to their disappointment, the crowd (mostly liberal hipster types) couldn't give two shits about lesbian sexuality. As much as they wanted to play up to the narrative of 'pushing the boundaries' those boundaries were not held by that particular audience, and what was intended perhaps as a political statement became hollow sensationalistic theater that no one really had much time for. Here's the real truth: Edgelords are cheap and boring as fuck.

I haven't read Laura's work. It sounds like she's got a pretty good premise for an interesting story, though. I love that she's thinking more deeply about her writing than just being shocking for the sake of being shocking. It sounds like she actually has something interesting to say about sex and religion that might be a perspective worth considering, and that she'll handle it thoughtfully. I'll look forward to checking it out when it's published.

Quote by Just_A_Guy_You_Know

I'm going to disagree with this. While I think it's good advice to not worry too much about causing offense with your writing, it's another thing to deliberately set out to offend or shock readers. That sort of thing comes across as very juvenile, morally nihilistic, and desperate for attention - especially when it's an insincere provocation as opposed to an authentic expression of a unique-but-challenging personal viewpoint. One of the major differences is focus - what you believe vs what others believe. When you're so focused on challenging the sensibilities of others, you tend to lose sight of what you actually stand for - and very often, it becomes quickly clear that you don't stand for anything at all apart from being an irritating asshole. Have the courage to stand for something more than that.

Secondly, effectively shocking readers requires a deep understanding of what your readers are going to be shocked by. To give an example, I once attended a music festival where I happened to see a couple of young lesbian women aggressively making out with each other while pausing every now and then to look around to see if anyone dared to be offended. It seemed that was their real intent - not to express their love and affection for each other, but to get in a fight defending the rights no one was infringing on. It was clear that they were intending to be 'in your face' about it, but to their disappointment, the crowd (mostly liberal hipster types) couldn't give two shits about lesbian sexuality. As much as they wanted to play up to the narrative of 'pushing the boundaries' those boundaries were not held by that particular audience, and what was intended perhaps as a political statement became hollow sensationalistic theater that no one really had much time for. Here's the real truth: Edgelords are cheap and boring as fuck.

I haven't read Laura's work. It sounds like she's got a pretty good premise for an interesting story, though. I love that she's thinking more deeply about her writing than just being shocking for the sake of being shocking. It sounds like she actually has something interesting to say about sex and religion that might be a perspective worth considering, and that she'll handle it thoughtfully. I'll look forward to checking it out when it's published.

What a rollercoaster of a reading that was. At first, I didn't realize you were not quoting me and thought you were attacking my idea of the story. I don't know exactly what AmuseBouche meant by "shocking" in this scenario, so I didn't give it much importance as this is not my intention for this story at all. Whether it would make for a good story or not it doesn't matter.

Given that it's not even fully fictional but a massive part of my relationship with the Church, I don't want to shock anyone, only get some closure if anything. I'm sorry that because of my post maybe there might be some kind of misunderstanding between you and the other commenter (again, there might be many interpretations of shocking and I can't speak for what she meant here).

You got one thing right, given that it's my story and I know exactly what I want to write and why. From the moment I decided to do this, my first concern was for the readers who might get offended, and I truly care about them. I have a background that brought me not only to know but respect every religion. I have very good friends all over the world who are Catholic, Islamic, Hindu, Buddhist, and every other religion. I loved listening to why they believed and what they got out of it.

So offending someone here would be offending my friends and their beliefs. My issues with religion are MINE ALONE, also rooted in the knowledge of some heavy episodes that I won't mention in the story, as they pertain to people I know, not me.

I am trying to find the best way for me and for the readers to write an erotic story, although explicit and maybe fuelled by my anger that is still respectful of both my feelings and what I want/need to achieve and those of the people reading.

I hope you guys can talk about the "shock part" and see if there was any misunderstanding. As for my stories, being rooted in real life, I do not need to shock people as I am 100% true to what was said and happened, even if boring or not interesting. I write mainly for myself and something that started as only as fun, is becoming more and more a process of my sexual development, so the reader's approval or liking is a minor part of my story-making process. At least until I get out everything there is to discover.

Quote by Just_A_Guy_You_Know

I'm going to disagree with this. While I think it's good advice to not worry too much about causing offense with your writing, it's another thing to deliberately set out to offend or shock readers. That sort of thing comes across as very juvenile, morally nihilistic, and desperate for attention - especially when it's an insincere provocation as opposed to an authentic expression of a unique-but-challenging personal viewpoint. One of the major differences is focus - what you believe vs what others believe. When you're so focused on challenging the sensibilities of others, you tend to lose sight of what you actually stand for - and very often, it becomes quickly clear that you don't stand for anything at all apart from being an irritating asshole. Have the courage to stand for something more than that.

Secondly, effectively shocking readers requires a deep understanding of what your readers are going to be shocked by. To give an example, I once attended a music festival where I happened to see a couple of young lesbian women aggressively making out with each other while pausing every now and then to look around to see if anyone dared to be offended. It seemed that was their real intent - not to express their love and affection for each other, but to get in a fight defending the rights no one was infringing on. It was clear that they were intending to be 'in your face' about it, but to their disappointment, the crowd (mostly liberal hipster types) couldn't give two shits about lesbian sexuality. As much as they wanted to play up to the narrative of 'pushing the boundaries' those boundaries were not held by that particular audience, and what was intended perhaps as a political statement became hollow sensationalistic theater that no one really had much time for. Here's the real truth: Edgelords are cheap and boring as fuck.

I haven't read Laura's work. It sounds like she's got a pretty good premise for an interesting story, though. I love that she's thinking more deeply about her writing than just being shocking for the sake of being shocking. It sounds like she actually has something interesting to say about sex and religion that might be a perspective worth considering, and that she'll handle it thoughtfully. I'll look forward to checking it out when it's published.

I think this is a long misunderstanding of my intention, and you do not know me. You should read Laura's work, too. It is wonderful. If you read it, you would have the premise of her story. There are two parts already, I suggest you make a start.

You are assuming the word shock is to include the extreme, I do not mean it that way. It is not political, sexual, or anything you describe. Two lesbians kissing at a music festival is not my meaning of the word shock, and we can agree on that. Here's the real truth, I find something like that incredibly passe, and well before 'liberal hipster edge lords' learnt to walk, or grew up to consider they invented sex, just like every young generation before them. If these people think being a 'liberal hipster' is an act of rebellion, that's very, very dull, and genuinely amusing, are you 'shocked'? 😘

To shock in my use of the word is to jolt the reader from their expectations of how they think the story will turn out. Laura has used this already if you read the second chapter.

Do that skillfully, leave a hint or clue, a foreshadowing (I think this is the right word) not abruptly, not with some Deus Ex Machina that insults their intelligence. It is to shock them from that familiarity of their preconceptions - ironically, you have demonstrated that perfectly, writing a lot about how you think I write, and like to shock.

I do not write like that.

Thank you. As I understand it, to shock in my definition is where originality lies.

Quote by LauraLovesYou

I'm thinking that after all, one way or the other... the Church still has some residual power over me. That's the reason why I ask myself these questions. Food for thought, my aim here is writing for myself and it angers me that I'm thinking to be my very own censor, but this is who I am now. I'm here also to discover these things and more, and to maybe overcome them. Let's see...

I do not mean to be misunderstood, and my example is... blunt and it was hastily written.

I will be honest. If you offend someone here, that is on them, not you. A morality tale as a story is absolutely fine. Invoking morality as a critic of that story? That is not something I have seen here, and I would like to think it is very much frowned upon.

I can sense the struggle in your writing, and this tension has great qualities. I understand you see that as a limitation, I was raised Catholic, also. I had this tension when I was younger, too. I had to rebel a little - okay, I did a lot, and I yo-yo'ed between the two worlds until I knew better. That is my life - not yours but, my point is, that this is not an uncommon feeling, and you can still build an affinity with your readers in this way by being yourself.

There will be those who never experienced a religious upbringing (or had a little), and wonders what happens to someone who did, and what they experienced.

There will be plenty of people who have had that upbringing, never broke free from it, and are here to live through others' experiences as a comfort, or excitement.

There will be those who have broken free, and reading your stories with wisdom and empathy and hoping you find your purpose.

That is a lot of people.

So, this tension, now, for you, there can be wisdom, mistakes, and experiences that guide. This is where I mean the word 'shock', someone you consider fallen turns out to be a heroine, a saviour, a teacher. Someone pure is not, and seduces, beguiles, tempts, or hurts your feelings, they could have a hidden evil. This is what I meant by shock. It is good to have beliefs, they can be tested, and you alone can decide where you go. Whatever you decide, try it out, treat this place as a somewhere to have fun and experiment. There are many people here who will not judge you, those who do, should not be here in the first place - ignore them.

Oh, and do what you like to the priest, very much my definition of the word 'shock'.

All the best 😘

Quote by AmuseBouche

I do not mean to be misunderstood, and my example is... blunt and it was hastily written.

I will be honest. If you offend someone here, that is on them, not you. A mortality tale as a story is absolutely fine. Invoking morality as a critic of that story? That is not something I have seen here, and I would like to think it is very much frowned upon.

I can sense the struggle in your writing, and this tension has great qualities. I understand you see that as a limitation, I was raised Catholic, also. I had this tension when I was younger, too. I had to rebel a little - okay, I did a lot, and I yo-yo'ed between the two worlds until I knew better. That is my life - not yours but, my point is, that this is not an uncommon feeling, and you can still build an affinity with your readers in this way by being yourself.

There will be those who never experienced a religious upbringing (or had a little), and wonders what happens to someone who did, and what they experienced.

There will be plenty of people who have had that upbringing, never broke free from it, and are here to live through others' experiences as a comfort, or excitement.

There will be those who have broken free, and reading your stories with wisdom and empathy and hoping you find your purpose.

That is a lot of people.

So, this tension, now, for you, there can be wisdom, mistakes, and experiences that guide. This is where I mean the word 'shock', someone you consider fallen turns out to be a heroine, a saviour, a teacher. Someone pure is not, and seduces, beguiles, tempts, or hurts your feelings, they could have a hidden evil. This is what I meant by shock. It is good to have beliefs, they can be tested, and you alone can decide where you go. Whatever you decide, try it out, treat this place as a somewhere to have fun and experiment. There are many people here who will not judge you, those who do, should not be here in the first place - ignore them.

Oh, and do what you like to the priest, very much my definition of the word 'shock'.

All the best 😘

Thanks for this super-accurate reply... If I had to go point by point I could write my own book But I digress.

There is a duality in me, yes, but I've gone VERY VERY FAR from the girl I once was. I just wrote the first two stories and it came spontaneously to me to start with those where a moral conflict was very much present (although not very clear in the first story.

I struggled a massive deal when I realized I was bisexual, and for months I rejected the idea. My whole life up until that point I was 100% convinced I was straight so on top of the Church-induced guilt that was still with me, I also had a personal shocking discovery I didn't want to accept.)

Gladly, as I said I went a long way from there. But even with my newfound sexual freedom, I still seem to retain some sort of "innocence" to it. Difficult to explain. Maybe because I now truly regard sex as healthy and great for me.

Given my upbringing is even remarkable that I told my mother about my being bisexual and now speak freely with her and my friends, no matter what they think. I'm not ashamed at all of who I am.

If anyone had to discover who I am in real life, I would be more sorry for the people around me, still ingrained in this perverse mechanism of judging than for myself. I would walk with my chin up and look people in the eyes and have no shame or guilt anymore.

My "liberation" started with my next story, where a part is completely real (what I told the priest during my last confession). After that confession, I felt liberated, and my new path, step by step, finally began.

As for the readers of the story for me is not worrying that they would judge me or tear my story apart or not liking it. Especially I do not care about the judging. What I do care about, but that's me always, is to avoid offending other religions or beliefs. As I tried to explain, this has not much to do with the story but with who I am. It would feel like betraying my friends who are believers. Nothing more.

Will this censor me a bit? Yes in a way I consciously decided to remove some parts that were not useful for the story and I wanted to add them only out of anger. Now I'm pretty clear (also thanks to the "food for thought" I got here) what I want exactly to convey with the story.

People can like it or not, judge me or not. As long as my INTENT of not hurting their sensitivity is clear. Then, their choice to believe my goodwill of doing so or not is out of my control. For that, I'm prepared and fine with it :)

I hope I explained the reason for my thread, I will only self-censor myself when I will think my writing is out of anger and unnecessary for the story. The rest of it, I will leave as it is in my mind now, because is essential for the story. And for me.

Thanks again for explaining and trying to help! Don't worry, one specific priest (and one nun too) will receive both a "punishment" and in the end a blessing, in their eyes as well. This is how I want my story to end, and this is how it will bring closure to what the Church did to me and some of my dearest friends.

Quote by LauraLovesYou
Thanks again for explaining and trying to help! Don't worry, one specific priest (and one nun too) will receive both a "punishment" and in the end a blessing, in their eyes as well. This is how I want my story to end, and this is how it will bring closure to what the Church did to me and some of my dearest friends.

😘 You have wonderful self-awareness, and for this, what you choose to write is always going to have that edge. You are most welcome, I help because I think you have the makings of a great writer because of it. There is always a little bit of us in what we write.

What you describe, why you are doing it, and hints of your personal story - I admit I am looking forward to your next chapter immensely. I think you understand what you are doing, and that vital sense of purpose that drives any story forward. For this, my very best wishes, and facing these challenges, I hope your writing can be a catharic act, too.

Quote by AmuseBouche

I think this is a long misunderstanding of my intention, and you do not know me... You are assuming the word shock is to include the extreme, I do not mean it that way. It is not political, sexual, or anything you describe.

Then yes, I misunderstood how you were using the word "shock." And no I don't know you, nor did I intend to personally attack you. I was talking about a particular trend in writing that I've seen too much of, and disagree with.

Quote by Just_A_Guy_You_Know

Then yes, I misunderstood how you were using the word "shock." And no I don't know you, nor did I intend to personally attack you. I was talking about a particular trend in writing that I've seen too much of, and disagree with.

No offence taken at all, and we agree on much. 😘