Wicked Wednesday- Off Limits
Off Limits.
I was going to write a short story with orgasm denial…but I’m not feeling it so much tonight. So I thought I’d talk a little about some trouble I’ve come up to with writing the fourth book in my Windy City Series.
The hero, Bradley, is extremely strict and the darkest Dom in the series. Meaning he plays rough. The road block I’ve hit is that he doesn’t call the heroine, Erin, by her name while they play. The reason is because during their play sessions, she’s more an object, more a fucktoy than his girlfriend/submissive. Calling her something other than her name adds to the humiliation. She loves all of this, by the way, but I am having the hardest time because it feels like he wants to call her ‘slut’ or his ‘whore’ during these scenes. Those words feel natural during a rough scene, at least to me, but I’m afraid that readers will jerk back in response.
I feel like those words, although completely acceptable when both parties enjoy their use- or even when one doesn’t, but consents to it’s use (even hotter), will make readers turn away. And as a writer that’s the last thing I want.
So in the meantime, I’ve decided to use, ‘pet’.
I’ll pose the question to you. Is having the Dom (who is otherwise loving and awesome-even when he’s being strict) call his girl a slut or whore during their scenes off limits in Erotic Romance? Is it too hard core? Or does it add another erotic level to the book?
Penny for your thoughts….then make sure you hop over to the other steamy reads this week.
Measha Stone
I love words. I love writing them down, I love reading them, and I love creating stories with them. Erotic Romance is my weapon of choice when deciding how best to spend my time. I read it, I write it and when at all possible I live it!
6 Comments
Devi Ansevi
Oh, golly, tough question. I’ll share my perspective as a reader. Erotic romance is “softer” than erotica. I think you’re right, some readers may turn away. Pet is a good compromise word, but if you wanted to walk further on the wild side, “my sweet slut” or “my little slut” or some similar phrase denoting a level of possession would buffer the harshness. I don’t like the word whore, I think because of the differing dictionary meanings – a whore does it for money and a slut for enjoyment. My $0.02…
Measha Stone
I love those suggestions!
Marie Rebelle
I am with Devi on this: my sweet slut or my little slut softens the word slut for erotic romance, but whore will be too hard. However, I think if your tough Dom comes across as the loving and caring man, then your readers might even forgive something like ‘my sweet whore’ too.
Rebel xox
PS: Curious to know how you got the linky list on your site?
Measha Stone
I copy and pasted the list from the prompt.
Great ideas btw! Hes a rough guy in scene so maybe it would work to soften it some
Molly
To be honest I like those words and I think if they fit with the character of the character then why not use them… you could even include a part where he talks to her about those names and what they mean to him… that she is precious to him in those roles etc
Mollyxxx
smutfarm
Depending on how the words feel in Bradley’s mouth you could try “harlot”, “strumpet”, “minx”, “tramp”.
He could objectify her explicitly with “trash” or synonyms (“scum”, “filth”, “rubbish” jump to mind)
He could reduce her to a beast, and call her an animal. “dog”, “puppy”, or worse, depending on mood or scene. Is she a “slinking rat”, a “mouse”?
Or simply a thing, “toy”, “doll”?