The Mighty Pen Writing Club discussion

This is kind of similar to genre writing, but are there any topics/genres that you will not write about? On the reading side, are there any types of books that you will not read?

I won't read anything with what I call "gratuitous suffering"--if it seems like the author is just throwing terrible things at the characters (like rape, abuse, etc.) just to make the plot interesting, or to make a point, or to prove that a character is "strong" or "damaged" I just can't read it. I put the book down.

I can't think of anything I won't write in particular, though there are things I'm really bad at and so avoid, like short stories or poems. Or stories without a fantasy element (call me crazy, but I just can't think of enough plot to fill one!)

Hahaha that first part sounds like The Kite Runner...*cringes*

I don't write about death and the afterlife, and I don't read about it either. I try to stay away from angels, too, but of course I read Hush Hush haha :)

I won't write anything explicit either. I like my stories to be clean.

And I don't go for supernatural (vampires, werewolves, etc..), just because it's not the type of stuff I read. I lean more towards realism. ;)

'Atta girls!

Yeah, you've got a point, Jillian. It seems that in fantasy, most of the emphasis is placed on whatever fantasy situation is going on (supernatural characters who live among us, magic, etc.) that a real-world focus wouldn't really fit.

I read this book a few weeks ago - THE HOURGLASS DOOR - and while it was a really good, 5-star read, it did seem like the focus was "off." Majority of the near-400 page book simply chronicled the MC's final year of high school, and so I was like "where's the fantasy stuff?" and it didn't really get to that particular focus until the last 100 pages or so.

Actually, I don't think it would. This isn't a spoiler, because I think the author mentions this herself, but it deals with time-travel. So it is magical, but it's more like the magical sides of the story were put on the backburner in favor of a typical high-school scenario drama. It's a great book, and I hope you read it (I just like books that are CLEAN, so Lisa Mangum has my high regards) but that was something kind of "off" that I noticed about it.

Jillian -always aspiring- wrote: "@Hope: Well, you know me well enough to know that I won't be writing anything BAD when it comes to vampires and werewolves. XD The themes surpass whatever violence there may be.

I have SOME re..."

Oh yes, I know. :) I just don't write it, I have nothing particularly against it. xD (though the blood-sucking stuff does totally gross me out!) haha

I will never write a high school drama.
I have read one, Right Where it Hurts which as actually pretty good.
But I would never write one involving teens and crushes and bullies and affairs...eww.

Some other people have said they would never write about rape or abuse.
This is where I blush slightly and say "I have written a chapter or two about that."

Apparently its very, very dark-yet very, very good.

I'll never write realistic fiction either. I don't read it, either :P

I kinda read a little of every genre. xD

Actually, I'm the same way, Amber! *fives* :)

I won't write sex (I hate reading it!) and I try to stay away from religion.
I'm totally with you, though, Amber. If it's all happy-go-lucky I find it boring!!!!!

I don't like "over-the-top drama" though. You know, where pretty much teen characters turn into stereotypes. I think it is possible to go in the other direction and make things over-dramatic and just bummer-depressing :P

Amelia (Imagination in Focus) wrote: "I don't like "over-the-top drama" though. You know, where pretty much teen characters turn into stereotypes. I think it is possible to go in the other direction and make things over-dramatic and ju..."

That's true. I guess what I mean is that without a real conflict it's pretty boring. That's probably why I like cross-genre stories. (Fantasy, school and romance are my favorite!!!)

:D
Here's a question for all you girl authors out there:

How do you feel about having a boy MC? Do you think that since we're not boys, we won't be able to accurately do the point-of-view? Or does it not matter?

The main story im writing now, that id like to be published (the detective one) has a male as the main character.
Infact, from the four or five main character-only one is female.

I dunno why? Maybe its more interesting that way... But most of my main character (in most stories) are male.

Im not sure if ive got their POV correct, but then again, every one has a different POV, dont they?
Ive never really thought about it.

I like having a boy MC, but I just don't have a story that it would work.
There's a writing excuses podcast on this. www.writingexcuses.com
It's really good.

Booklover23 wrote: "The main story im writing now, that id like to be published (the detective one) has a male as the main character.
Infact, from the four or five main character-only one is female.

I dunno why? M..."

I remember reading a few reviews where readers said "boys wouldn't say that! boys wouldn't do that!" but it's like, how do you know? I have two brothers and they function pretty much the same way I do...they just speak in smaller syllables :P

Thanks, girl!

I have trouble writing guys. To me they seem more feminine and I'm not sure how to fix it. hahaa, I hate having that problem, so most of my characters in stories are girls.

You know, from the point of view of a reader, I can say that even though I'm a girl, I really identified a lot with Percy Jackson :P even though he's a dude. So if you read about a character and can find things that are the same, similarities in beliefs and attitudes, what's to stop you from writing a male MC, too?

I don't know, that may be an "out there" thought process, but it got me thinking :DD

boys wouldn't say that! boys wouldn't do that!" but it's like, how do you know? I have two brothers and they function pretty much the same way I do...they just speak in smaller syllables :P "


bahahahaha

I won't write gory stuff. like bloody and fights i can do but way too gory i can't do that. first of all it doesn't sound real second of all it just creeps my out. But i do like write about drama/adventure. I like to read about that too.

I don't like writing and reading the gory romances where there are too much detail. What I mean is the dirty romances.

I also don't like books that give you too much information instead of leaving me in safe ignorance. I don't like anything traumatizing that would make me stay up all night.

I refuse to read anything vampire and I'm really not into the young adult 'chick lit' genre, thats why with stuff I write I usually try to make it more...not adult cuz i dont like the 'dirty romances' as u put it either Fhalin, but more deep. Something that I would want to read.

I'd never write about abuse if I thought the character was generally too weak to be able to get over it (a character who's weak then all of a sudden is I-am-tough doesn't seem normal to me). Also, soap-opery stuff's not my style (though I may end up using just a little bit without meaning to). I also hate the sex-just-to-have-sex-and-fill-the-pages things too. Don't like that either.

This isn't really an "Off-limit" topic, but it's an "Off-limit writing time"


Sometimes my writing pace takes a hit, because I try not to write when I'm mad or stressed or preoccupied with something, because it always shows in the tone of the narrative. So I only write when I'm in a "zen" mode :P Which lately has been next to never


But when I write when I'm in a bad mood, it screws up the tone of the story. And I tend to make careless writing errors

I don't like horror, or things like that.

Really? I like it as long as it's smart. I don't like unnecessary horror.

I don't think I've read anything horror

My current favorite horror book is I Am Not A Serial Killer. Soooo good, but not really "hard core".

does Dracula count as horror? because ive read that, but it wasnt super scary...

oh, ive also read Carrie, Rose Madder and The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon all by Stephen King

So those are the four horror books ive read.

that's a good point. And on the other side of that, I try not to read books that (deliberately) have rape/domestic abuse, for exactly the same reasons.
:)

I don’t like reading books that are too clean/Black & White...
I think a character is more realistic when they have a bit of both sides of the equilibrium....
Most ppl who read my writings & don’t know me well are shocked that I write such "disturbing" things...
I can’t write when I’m ok...
but if I’m going through something I won’t tell anyone I just write... releasing the darkness from my mind out into the world like the black ink soiling the crisp white paper...

Well, i will never, ever write a sex scene.

Booklover23 wrote: "Well, i will never, ever write a sex scene."

me either. You and me both!
:D

snap :)

*fingers snap*
*smacks butt*
FO SHO!

ahahahahahahaha :D

Booklover23 wrote: "Well, i will never, ever write a sex scene."

Really? Why? (I'm just jumping in on this discussion so if you answered this question already I apologize.) I guess it all depends on what type of sex scene you're talking about. Graphic stuff is not for me, but there is something to say about a sensual scene done right.

Just sayin'

I guess it all depends on what you think and believe in, but I wouldn't write sex because I believe that that's a private thing. I don't want my writing to be read simply because it gets someone all bothered, but for fun.

I agree with both Jess's.
On a private, personal level, I don't really agree think sex scenes are appropriate, but on a broader level, I don't really want to do anything purposefully that will alienate readers or offend someone. Now, if I write something about a theme or message and it offends someone, then tough! But content stuff, I'd rather just play it safe.

I will have love scenes in my stories and I will have scenes where the hero and heroine make love in my stories and the scenes will not have sex in them.

I completely agree with Arch's perspective!
& think love scenes are important in novels that have romance...

I also have to say that I enjoy sexually charged scenarios & hate it when the main characters have sex & then the sexual tension dissipates!

Hmm...
Your right Jo no one should write anything their not comfortable righting,
Personally I’m comfortable with love/death scenes but not POLITICS!
I tend to get so worked up...

I try not to read/watch the news I feel like watching all that blood & chaos numbs your conscience...

It starts to become normal to watch ppl suffer & I won’t let myself think it’s normal!

i really do not like when characters get knocked up. i mean if theyre married and its a family story its wonderful but if theyre a teenager or something like a lot of stories these days it annoys me because it screws everything up

Eh, I think sometimes its interesting for the story. I don't know. I haven't really seen it much in books, I don't think.

i guess there's a snarky, mwahaha part of me that kind of likes stories like that because you know, if characters do that sort of thing, that's a likely consequence. So in a mean little way, I like books that show the consequences of actions like that. That's reality.

haha that was me in the last twilight book i hated her.
ok i have sort of a problem, in my story the mother of the mc commits suicide but a boy i knew just recently did so now its become sort of an off-limit topic for me because i just feel so terrible about it, but it was kind of crucial to the story--any ideas??

If you feel like the suicide is crucial to the story, then keep it. I get that you don't want to write it now, so wait a bit and write it when you can.