Comments on: So You Want to Write About Sex? http://www.hungermtn.org VCFA Journal of the Arts Tue, 07 Feb 2012 04:15:33 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: J T Dutton http://www.hungermtn.org/so-you-want-to-write-about-sex/comment-page-1/#comment-1815 J T Dutton Wed, 03 Feb 2010 19:29:31 +0000 http://www.hungermtn.org/?page_id=1686#comment-1815 As a YA writer in a similar position, I appreciate your thoughts. I would additionally argue that the term YA refers to a genre rather than a category of readership. We don't expect Science Fiction writers to write only for aliens or romance writers to write only for lovers. An ideal reader of YA is drawn to the struggles of adolescence and curious about how specific characters grow up. The less like a character a reader is, the more they can deepen the bond of empathy that makes for a more connected universe. I don't want people (grown ups or kids) to be like the characters I describe. Instead, I want them to know these people exist so that they might pay more attention to the world outside their own experience. The genre of multi-cultural lit erupted in the 90s because readers realized we had marginalized an entire set of human experience with our choices for what to describe as American literature. I would argue that YA lit has reached its current popularity for the same reason. Real teens with real problems don't get portrayed accurately in many other forms of media. Keep up the good work. As a YA writer in a similar position, I appreciate your thoughts. I would additionally argue that the term YA refers to a genre rather than a category of readership. We don’t expect Science Fiction writers to write only for aliens or romance writers to write only for lovers. An ideal reader of YA is drawn to the struggles of adolescence and curious about how specific characters grow up. The less like a character a reader is, the more they can deepen the bond of empathy that makes for a more connected universe. I don’t want people (grown ups or kids) to be like the characters I describe. Instead, I want them to know these people exist so that they might pay more attention to the world outside their own experience.
The genre of multi-cultural lit erupted in the 90s because readers realized we had marginalized an entire set of human experience with our choices for what to describe as American literature. I would argue that YA lit has reached its current popularity for the same reason. Real teens with real problems don’t get portrayed accurately in many other forms of media. Keep up the good work.

]]> By: Ellen Hopkins http://www.hungermtn.org/so-you-want-to-write-about-sex/comment-page-1/#comment-1814 Ellen Hopkins Wed, 03 Feb 2010 19:16:12 +0000 http://www.hungermtn.org/?page_id=1686#comment-1814 Hey Lisa, Reading books about kids who want sex doesn't make readers want sex. It makes them understand that they aren't the ONLY ones who want sex. Hello? Young adulthood is all about awakenings, whether or not parents want to believe their kids are awakening. It's what they're SUPPOSED to do. As for "fashion sense," look at TV. Magazines. Movies. Video games. You are not responsible for sheer shirts or belly shirts or shorts that show butt cheeks. This sorting out is natural. I hear from kids every day. Many of them aren't even allowed their awakening.... their innocence is taken from them as children or teens. I heard from one yesterday who was raped at 12 and now feels badly because she likes how sex feels. She thinks she deserved to be raped. Much better to give them knowledge and the understanding that they are not alone with their feelings and experiences. Be brave. Write for them. They'll read your books, one way or another. Parents should read with them, but if they won't, and if they refuse to communicate with their children, they will lose them more quickly than they should. Hey Lisa,

Reading books about kids who want sex doesn’t make readers want sex. It makes them understand that they aren’t the ONLY ones who want sex. Hello? Young adulthood is all about awakenings, whether or not parents want to believe their kids are awakening. It’s what they’re SUPPOSED to do. As for “fashion sense,” look at TV. Magazines. Movies. Video games. You are not responsible for sheer shirts or belly shirts or shorts that show butt cheeks. This sorting out is natural.

I hear from kids every day. Many of them aren’t even allowed their awakening…. their innocence is taken from them as children or teens. I heard from one yesterday who was raped at 12 and now feels badly because she likes how sex feels. She thinks she deserved to be raped. Much better to give them knowledge and the understanding that they are not alone with their feelings and experiences.

Be brave. Write for them. They’ll read your books, one way or another. Parents should read with them, but if they won’t, and if they refuse to communicate with their children, they will lose them more quickly than they should.

]]> By: Jason Kurtz http://www.hungermtn.org/so-you-want-to-write-about-sex/comment-page-1/#comment-1769 Jason Kurtz Sun, 31 Jan 2010 18:46:00 +0000 http://www.hungermtn.org/?page_id=1686#comment-1769 Lisa... We agree on this topic, and one that I think is the most important of all, "I want each girl [and boy] to make the best choice she can and be true to herself [or himself]." By writing realistic YA fiction, teens can explore those feelings and choices they have made, or are contemplating on making. Great article... Jason Lisa…
We agree on this topic, and one that I think is the most important of all, “I want each girl [and boy] to make the best choice she can and be true to herself [or himself].” By writing realistic YA fiction, teens can explore those feelings and choices they have made, or are contemplating on making. Great article…
Jason

]]> By: Erin Dionne http://www.hungermtn.org/so-you-want-to-write-about-sex/comment-page-1/#comment-1754 Erin Dionne Sat, 30 Jan 2010 20:08:30 +0000 http://www.hungermtn.org/?page_id=1686#comment-1754 A thoughtful article that touches on a lot of great points, Lisa. I think the highest compliment we can pay to our readers is giving them realistic characters in real situations, who deal with real issues. That shows that we are treating the reader with respect and maturity--something that book banners do not do. A thoughtful article that touches on a lot of great points, Lisa. I think the highest compliment we can pay to our readers is giving them realistic characters in real situations, who deal with real issues. That shows that we are treating the reader with respect and maturity–something that book banners do not do.

]]> By: Carmen Oliver http://www.hungermtn.org/so-you-want-to-write-about-sex/comment-page-1/#comment-1736 Carmen Oliver Fri, 29 Jan 2010 13:16:35 +0000 http://www.hungermtn.org/?page_id=1686#comment-1736 I think you illustrate some terrific points about how as a writer we don't always choose the scenes that place our character in controversial situations. The character makes the choice and drives the story and sometimes they take us to places we never imagined they would go. That being said, I think we need to be aware of the fact that we have the power to influence children with our writing and I don't think it's necessarily a bad thing that they see cause and effect and consequences from a character's action or storyline. Perhaps, the readers will use our books to open doors to talk with their parents and peers about things they've never understood before and make the right choices for themselves. As a parent myself of a teenager, I welcome the opportunity to discuss books with my teenager with topics that haven't come up in our daily conversations. My writing tends to veer for the younger audiences but I'm looking forward to writing a YA one day. There are a few plots and characters simmering in my pot. Thanks for your article. I think you illustrate some terrific points about how as a writer we don’t always choose the scenes that place our character in controversial situations. The character makes the choice and drives the story and sometimes they take us to places we never imagined they would go. That being said, I think we need to be aware of the fact that we have the power to influence children with our writing and I don’t think it’s necessarily a bad thing that they see cause and effect and consequences from a character’s action or storyline. Perhaps, the readers will use our books to open doors to talk with their parents and peers about things they’ve never understood before and make the right choices for themselves. As a parent myself of a teenager, I welcome the opportunity to discuss books with my teenager with topics that haven’t come up in our daily conversations. My writing tends to veer for the younger audiences but I’m looking forward to writing a YA one day. There are a few plots and characters simmering in my pot. Thanks for your article.

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