While I'm in the writing cave
finishing my WIP, some of my fellow Lucky 13s are stepping in to guest
blog for me. This week, I'm handing over to Mindy McGinnis.
"... and you know you want me to give it to you." Biff's words to Lorraine in Back to the Future had me totally flummoxed for a looong time. What was it? How could Biff give it to
her? And why was he trying to touch her panties in the front seat of
the car during the dance? Why was Lorriane talking about Marty's Calvin
Klein's in their meeting scene? What's the fixation with underwear?
I remained in the dark about these topics for awhile. I knew sex
existed, but I didn't have the whole Tab A, Slot B mechanics of the
dance figured out until er... well... later. Not so today's teens. Blame
it on the media, blame it on the culture, blame on parenting, blame it
on the rain (how many 80's references can I get in here?) Let's just set
blame aside and focus on the fact that it simply IS. My opinion - kids
aren't having more sex, or earlier than before - it's simply no longer a
taboo subject.
So, because it's not taboo, because they do know the mechanics - what do we write about it? Do we write about it?
It's
up to you. I've read some really graphic sex scenes in YA. I don't find
them offensive. I have a hard time believing there's anything in there
that the average teen hasn't already been exposed to. However, I do
monitor content in the books that I give out to junior high students -
not necessarily because I think they're about to have their minds
deflowered - but because their parents DO believe that, and they might
have my ass in a sling. And I need my ass. I use it everyday.
My own philosophy runs thus; I have always believed that less is more. Why does Jaws work?
'Cause you don't see the shark. I typically refrain from physically
describing my characters because I want my readers to fill in their hot guy, their hallway bitch, themselves as
the MC. So when it comes to those backseat moments, or when my MC
invites a guy over to "watch a movie," (yeah right, I have yet to see
the end of Ferris Bueller's Day Off), I want them to fill in slot
B on their own. Something happened. Unless it's imperative to the plot,
does it matter what? Do they need the description? Do they need to see
that shark?
Here's a great example from Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix: (I
know you're saying "What! An HP makeout scene?") Oh yeah... it's
there. A meeting of Dumbledore's Army has just ended. Everyone has filed
out except for Cho and Harry, who are kinda hanging out there in the
Room of Requirement... and who didn't guess that thing had multiple uses? pg. 456-457:
"I really like you Harry."
He could not think. A tingling sensation was spreading throughout him, paralyzing his arms, legs and brain.
She was much too close. He could see every tear clinging to her eyelashes...
*PAGE BREAK*
He returned to the common room half an hour later to find Hermione and Ron..."
Hey! Wait a second!! Half an hour later? Gee...
what were they doing? Now, obviously Rowling had a duty to her young
readers to keep it clean, and to her older readers to keep it
interesting. Not so for all writers, certainly. But I think it's a good
example of letting the reader take it to their own level - of comfort,
of familiarity, without being told what happened.
My own writing gives a little more detail than this highly gratuitous page break, but you get the idea.
One last thought - what do you want your readers to take away from your book? I haven't read Breaking Dawn,
but I know that Edward and Bella break the headboard, cause that's all
anyone wanted to talk about. Other than that - zero clue what the plot
is about.
I'd love some feedback! What are your thoughts? Show the shark, or keep him underwater? :)
