Can I do this...?
Question: OK, I don't know if you've read Interview with the Vampire, but in it is a character called Claudia, who is turned into a vampire at (I believe) age 6. Since vampires do not age, she matures into a woman in every way save in body. She also seems to develop some sort of romantic feelings (I read the book quite a while ago, I apologize) with a vampire named Louis, who was turned at age 24. Both vampires are already decades old by the time this quasi-romantic relationship starts, but it still appears to the eye as a 6 year old girl with a 24 year old man. My novel has something very similar, yet very different: A certain character appears in the form of a young boy when really he is a lot closer to a demon. He isn't evil or anything, but he is a supernatural entity whose origins nobody seems to know. Anyway, I wanted him to develop an "intimate relationship" with a character who appears significantly older, but is actually far younger. This entity is centuries old, but looks to be a child. I haven't decided yet just how young he appears (mostly because I don't know how young I can get away with), but this relationship would be noticeably more graphic than that of Claudia and Louis, especially because vampires in Anne Rice's work cannot have intercourse at all. My point is, do you think I could make that work in a dark fantasy? An being in the form of a child having such a relationship with an adult character? If so, how would you say that gender roles figure in it? I haven't yet decided what character this being should be with, and thus I don't know the gender. Any help or opinions or anything would help a lot. Thank you!
Answer: I think a lot depends on the audience you intend to write for. If this were aimed at a young adult audience, it might raise some red flags. It might be read as too analogous to a championing of pedophilic relationships, regardless of the characters' gender, and hence unsuitable for certain school libraries, etc. This is especially true if the relationship is graphically depicted.
On the other hand, you can get away with almost anything in adult literary fiction or underground comics
|
||
| site search by freefind |
Recent Postings
-
Fantasy
Dec 03, 19 05:23 PM
Question: I'm trying to write a book like Game of Thrones, but don't want to copy it, any advice? Answer: Yes. Don't copy it. Okay, let me be a little
-
Mystery Romance
Dec 01, 19 04:01 PM
Hello, I'm writing a novel in which the protagonist starts to become suspicious of her mother's involvement in a hospital scandal that has to do with
"I've read more than fifty books on writing, writing novels, etc., but your website has the most useful and practical guidance. Now that I understand how a novel is structured, I will rewrite mine, confident that it will be a more interesting novel." - Lloyd Edwards
"Thanks to your "Create a Plot Outline in 8 Easy Steps," I was able to take a story that I simply just fooled around with and went willy nilly all over, into a clearly defined, intriguing battle where two characters fight to keep their relationship intact, and try to find a balance in control of themselves and their lives. Thanks to you, I'm not ashamed of the poor organization of my writing." - Nommanic Ragus
"I am so glad I found your site. It has helped me in so many ways, and has given me more confidence about myself and my work. Thank you for making this valuable resource, for me and my fellow writers. Perhaps you'll hear about me someday...I'll owe it to you." - Ruth, Milton, U.S.A.
"I never knew what to do with all the characters in my head, but since discovering Dramatica I am writing again in my spare time. Thank you for making this available. Yes, it is a bit complex, and it does take time, but I love it because it works." - Colin Shoeman
"I came across your website by chance. It is a plethora of
knowledge, written in a simplistic way to help aspiring writers. I
truly appreciate all of the information you have provided to help me
successfully (relative term) write my novel. Thank you very much!" - Leo T. Rollins
"I
can honestly say that this is the first website that is really helpful.
You manage to answer complex questions in relatively short articles and
with really intelligent answers. Thank you for taking the time to write
these articles and sharing them so generously." - Chrystelle Nash
"...had no idea that a simple click would give me such a wealth of valuable information. The site not only offered extremely clear and helpful instructions but was a very enjoyable read as well. The education from your wonderful site has made me a better writer and your words have inspired me to get back to work on my novel. I wish to give you a heartfelt thanks for How to Write a Book Now, sir." -- Mike Chiero
