Edit: Warning, this is a serious post.

Too many middle aged white women with rape fetishes are writing romance fiction.

Even stuff that isn't as "hardcore" as 50 Shades of Grey can be absolutely disgusting.

I read books for a living. Sometimes I have to read books I don't like. Today I'm working on one that's particularly horrible.

There's a few scenes where the male protagonist is lusting after the female protagonist (who he apparently hates), and daydreams of "fucking her senseless" or "dragging her into his bed or against the wall." There's a scene where he forcibly kisses her, refusing to stop until well after she "becomes pliant beneath him." There's another scene where the male is driving the female somewhere in the snowstorm

But y'know, it's fine, because he's a brooding billionaire, and she's just a small town schoolteacher. The author tries to justify it with long, drawn-out scenes where the female character moons over the male character's hot bod, and wishes she could quote "jump his bones."

I fucking hate it. I hate situations like this being romanticized.

I could take my own experiences, or take absolutely ANY rape story, write it in the style of a romance novel, and BAM, people would probably call it "romantic."

It's rape culture. It's not ok. It's disgusting. The authors are bad for doing it. The readers abandon any shred of self-respect for desiring men like this, whether or not they're fictional.

*sigh*

ok i'm done ranting for now.

ok

Society should have come with a "Reset to factory settings" button.

And furthermore, they are usually badly written.

Any of the rest of you guys, pick up a cheap romance novel next time you are at a grocery store or wal-mart. One of those ones with an attractive couple, the guy wearing no shirt, and both of them dressed up in some stereotypical costume. Flip through it. If you doubt your own writing ability, that is all it will take to make you feel better.

Though seriously, I had took a writing class years ago where the teacher explained to us how those chain-produced romance novels work. They send you a packet that tells you what to write and how to write it. It's color-by-numbers literature. She said that a lot of semi-famous authors write those under assumed names as a way to collect some extra cash.

And furthermore, they are usually badly written.

Any of the rest of you guys, pick up a cheap romance novel next time you are at a grocery store or wal-mart. One of those ones with an attractive couple, the guy wearing no shirt, and both of them dressed up in some stereotypical costume. Flip through it. If you doubt your own writing ability, that is all it will take to make you feel better.

Though seriously, I had took a writing class years ago where the teacher explained to us how those chain-produced romance novels work. They send you a packet that tells you what to write and how to write it. It's color-by-numbers literature. She said that a lot of semi-famous authors write those under assumed names as a way to collect some extra cash.

Yeah I don't doubt this. This one is pretty damn bad.

"His eyes were even stormier than the weather outside."

I really want to know what kind of person buys, reads, and enjoys these books. And I feel like if I did, I'd feel a lot better about my social life.

I honestly thing the audience is the same as the authors who typically write them: middle aged women who are bored with their husbands/sex lives.

example: this is the author of the book i'm currently suffering through



No amount of airbrushing can save you.

I honestly thing the audience is the same as the authors who typically write them: middle aged women who are bored with their husbands/sex lives.

And they read the righteous fuck out of them. Book-porn for little old ladies and angsty supernatural books for teenagers seem to dominate the industry.

I don't see what's wrong with people of that generation carrying over their power-play fetishes for the reading pleasure of other members of their generation. It's just like you said, most young people know that these stories are bad and weird, but they're not the target audience.

Just let them have their cheap sex books until they die, and then the next generation can make fun of how our romance books have "couples" and "love" involved.

I don't see what's wrong with people of that generation carrying over their power-play fetishes for the reading pleasure of other members of their generation. It's just like you said, most young people know that these stories are bad and weird, but they're not the target audience.

Just let them have their cheap sex books until they die, and then the next generation can make fun of how our romance books have "couples" and "love" involved.

except this type of book has always existed.

i hate it because it presents abusive sexual assault as romance.

It has always existed because it isn't really until now that people are starting to get pissed off about it. Well, at least not for the same reasons.

Edit: In other words, keep doing what you're doing, with other like-minded people, and hopefully you can kill it slowly.

I don't see what's wrong with people of that generation carrying over their power-play fetishes for the reading pleasure of other members of their generation. It's just like you said, most young people know that these stories are bad and weird, but they're not the target audience.

Just let them have their cheap sex books until they die, and then the next generation can make fun of how our romance books have "couples" and "love" involved.

Is it dying off though? Fifty Shades and Twilight get into some weird shit. It might be that the old book-factories like Harlequin will die off, but there doesn't seem to be a romance industry based on healthy relationships coming up to replace it.

I suppose it is human nature in some sense. Might be unavoidable because really, we're all awful people in some way. Do and say good things in the light of day, masturbate furiously to horrible shit when the sun goes down.

@Vilageidiotx Define terrible then, if everyone does it...

And I mean, there's no real way to keep writing a "healthy relationship" because it's inherently boring. Basing your own romantic life off of the things you read in books, which are designed to be filled with danger, tension, and drama, is just something dumb people do.

Since there will always be dumb people, and they are impossible to change, you can only really hope to point out the flaws in these things so loudly and convincingly that others stop trying to emulate them.

And I mean, there's no real way to keep writing a "healthy relationship" because it's inherently boring.

I feel sorry for you.

Edit: Now a great example of how to write a healthy relationship (and KEEP writing it) is J.D. Robb's "In Death" series. Romantic Suspense/Crime novels. The protagonist is married to a hot guy who didn't rape her. Shocking.

That was bad grammar on my part. I didn't mean that the healthy relationship was boring, but to only keep writing healthy relationships would be boring.

Edit: My point being. There's a lot of really great material that can come out of exploring the nature of dysfunctional relationships. Conflicting natures, opinions, morals. Not being "healthy" does not equate to being "rapey."

@Vilageidiotx Define terrible then, if everyone does it...

All I mean is that lust and conscious morality don't always see eye to eye. People might consciously recognize that rape-fantasies are awful, but they can't help but be turned on by them. I mean, you figure for thousands of years the very idea of lustful sexuality was considered amoral, but we all know people were still grinding genitals in back-alleys and hay-stacks across the world. Didn't mean they were all libertines - plenty would have agreed that extra-marital screwing was bad, but they did it anyway.

So fast forward to now, where we all agree rape is a traumatic thing that shouldn't be treated lightly. Doesn't mean there isn't people fantasizing about. And those people fantasizing will mostly agree rape is a horrible thing. They just diddle themselves, feel dirty, and move on.

That was bad grammar on my part. I didn't mean that the healthy relationship was boring, but to only keep writing healthy relationships would be boring.

Doesn't have to be. More ways to make shit interesting. A skydiving orgy would be pretty bad-ass.

I think a skydiving orgy is more of an "act" or "event" than a "relationship."

I think a skydiving orgy is more of an "act" or "event" than a "relationship."

not with that attitude

All I mean is that lust and conscious morality don't always see eye to eye. People might consciously recognize that rape-fantasies are awful, but they can't help but be turned on by them. I mean, you figure for thousands of years the very idea of lustful sexuality was considered amoral, but we all know people were still grinding genitals in back-alleys and hay-stacks across the world. Didn't mean they were all libertines - plenty would have agreed that extra-marital screwing was bad, but they did it anyway.

So fast forward to now, where we all agree rape is a traumatic thing that shouldn't be treated lightly. Doesn't mean there isn't people fantasizing about. And those people fantasizing will mostly agree rape is a horrible thing. They just diddle themselves, feel dirty, and move on.

This is basically what I was going to say.

I will add that I personally feel that fantasy and tools for fantasy (books, video games, pictures) should be completely excempt from real-world morality.

Let people fantasize freely.

I guess the big question is whether rape/murder/loli fantasies curb appetites or grow them.

Certainly it's not an easy question. I personally think it would lean towards satisfying them.

Look at the Japanese with their abundance and acceptance of sexual manga. Low birth rate.

Edit: That being said, it sucks that you are forced to read it, Taaj.