crazyjane: (Default)
Maz Weaver ([personal profile] crazyjane) wrote2009-09-04 11:40 am
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me and my big ... pen

So, erm, I kinda outed myself as a slash writer in class last week.

We were having a discussion about writing romance and erotica, and watched an old episode of 'The First Tuesday Book Club'. In that show, there was a general agreement that erotica had become far more conservative in recent years. Try getting Lolita published these days, and see how far it gets you, for example.

Now, I do agree with this to an extent, but I piped up in the discussion afterwards with a few caveats. Firstly, you still find the taboo-breaking, boundary-pushing stuff on the shelves at the bookshop - but it's usually in the Crime, Science Fiction or Fantasy area (and I include that cringingly awful genre, 'Supernatural Romance' here, argh). Secondly, the world of self-publishing - especially fanfic - pays no attention whatsoever to the conservative leanings of the big houses or any perceived market aversion to such literature.

That, of course, led to 'FanFic 101 - a nOOb's Guide'. Slash, Wincest, non-con, the lot. And that led to me explaining that I knew about this stuff because I both write and read it.

At which point the teacher gave me a sunny smile and told me that it would be just peachy if I could bring in an example of my writing in that genre for next week's class. Specifically, I should bring in some taboo-breaking stuff, like that 'incest fiction' I mentioned. The whole class can then have a look at it.

Oh. My. God.

So here I am ... an hour until class, several pages of Wincest in my bag beside me, getting ready to die of embarrassment. I may well leave the room while they read it. (It's different when it's online - no one can see me blushing.)


Still ... once more unto the breach, as they say ... or perhaps not. My time in [profile] 17catherine's Shakespeare group has left me acutely sensitive to double entendre and innuendo.

Argh.

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