Thursday, December 30, 2010

Dear Erotica: You Fight Like a Girl

Erotica and Romance Writers- I know you love tough guys. As a  reader- I love tough guys too! Rough and tumble, shoot-first-ask-questions-later Alpha males who take no prisoners are unquestionably HOT. I also know you also love kick ass chicks- ladies who stretch the term with their kick-ass-itude.






I just got one suggestion to you writers out there. Go shoot someone. Stab someone. PUNCH someone in the mouth. (Okay, my lawyer is telling me that I shouldn't say that sort of thing-- so replace all of the above someone s with something s or whatever leads you not to get put in jail).




My point is sometimes (read: a LOT of the time) it is painfully obvious that the writers of these bang-pow shoot-em-ups have never held a gun. Or, in the case of a lot of our UF or historical friends, a blade. And no body knows how to throw a punch. Dear friends-- if you are pulling fight choreography straight from a Buffy episode....oh. (BTW I love Buffy, but realistic fighting was not one of the high points)
I know that writers are supposed to live out of their imaginations, but for some things nothing can replace the reality of experience. Of course, I know not everyone has the stable of black-belts at their disposal. Or brothers who are Marine Vets. Or close friends who are ex- Special Forces. Maybe I should have a camp. What do you think? Do writers need experience?

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Due to a conversation I had with someone IRL I add this question... Should book violence be realistic? The other party to the conversation said that "Fantasy was better served if the violence was fantastical"

I have (and had) a response but I wonder what others think first.

Laurie-J said...

Honestly, I don't care that much whether it's truly realistic or not. I don't get carried away in the choreography because, for me, I'm always more concerned with the WHY of the fight and the relationships between the fighters. I just don't read fight scenes with much detailed thought.

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