Wednesday, December 07, 2011

It's that time again

Caught Cheating

It's time for the Bad Sex Awards again; you can read passages from the winning author over at The Guardian.

I'm wondering whose point of view the episodes are written from and thinking that they might be entirely appropriate in context. Guterson was lambasted for his use of coy phrases even though within the book he explains that
(those were the quaint, prudish terms of her girlhood)
It's such a matter of individual judgement and taste. I wonder if the awards put authors off from writing about sex because it's difficult enough anyway, without someone looking in judgement over your shoulder as you type.

There's always the worry that readers will think that what you're describing is your own experience. I'm reminded of Rachel in Friends who suggests toes as an erogenous zone and then backtracks with, "For some people" and fools no one.

So I can't decide if the Bad Sex Awards are just a bit of fun, or harmful to writing. What do you think?

10 COMMENTS:

Old Kitty said...

OH please let it be a bit of fun! LOL!

It's like the Turnip awards! Very tongue in cheek but with a lot more exposure. Ahem.

Take care
x

Simon Kewin said...

It's fun, definitely. Some of those are just hilarious. But then, I guess sex is pretty hialrious too, looked at coldly.

Lexi said...

Dear oh dear. Words fail me.

They also failed the nominees, but unfortunately they went right ahead and committed them to paper anyway :o)

fairyhedgehog said...

Kitty, I hadn't heard of the Turnip awards!

Simon, it's damned hard to write about, I know that.

Lexi, I suppose the mark of a good writer is to be able to find words for the unspeakable. It's a tough challenge!

D..J. Kirkby said...

I say the Bad Sex Awards are just a bit of fun :)

fairyhedgehog said...

DJK, well it's always good to have a laugh!

Sylvia said...

Well, it certainly is off-putting to think that one's attempt at a sex scene could end up ridiculed in the national press.

But that stops me from trying to write detailed descriptions of sex, which can only be a good thing. ;)

fairyhedgehog said...

Sylvia, I'm not sure I agree that putting you off writing detailed sex scenes is a good idea!

Stacy said...

I'm with Sylvia on this.

fairyhedgehog said...

stacy, being with Sylvia has to be a good place to be!

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