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Thursday, October 3, 2013

Writing Spaces: Sexualities

I was recently told off for not keeping my blog up to date with my classes by a classmate who has another lecture on at the same time and usually goes to the other one. I'm a little proud that some classmates are looking at my blog in order to study. Unfortunately, the reason I haven't been keeping up with the lectures here is that they haven't seemed to relate to Writing Spaces. Instead of the lecture on digital media, we had an industry guest speaker, which I shared a couple of posts ago. Then we were supposed to cover poetry in terms of sexualities one week and in terms of rhythm and economy the next week. Instead the lectures were about sexualities without placing it in a writing space, and then the next lecture was about one of the readings. I'm actually really upset that we didn't cover poetry.

I thought I'd share the sexualities lecture regardless of the fact that they didn't end up teaching us about a writing space. Good writing comes from being truthful, open-minded, well-informed, daring, and inventive. One of the many beauties of our art form is that it can be used as a freedom practice; no one can tell us what to write and what not to write. The world is slowly starting to adopt a similar view on love and sexuality. I make the distinction between love and sexuality here because while heterosexuality was already widely accepted by society, there are still couplings within it - between different cultures, between different social classes - that have been frowned upon at least in the past if not today.

The fun that comes with writing about love, though not necessarily in the form of romance genre writing, is that it is something that is often unstable and unpredictable. For example, I'm slowly reading the book The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy. I wouldn't consider the book a romance by any means, but the portrayal of love, especially when it is forbidden, reoccurs throughout the text.

They all crossed into forbidden territory. They all tampered with the laws that lay down who should be loved, and how. And how much. 
Feminism also ties in with the literary discussion on sexualities. Not only is it an issue that can be incorporated into stories, but people like Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters became leaders of feminism through their writing when it was still considered a man's practice.

On a similar note, I've just gotten ready for a ressie block-party. The theme is gender bender. I'm feeling pretty manly at the moment. So I'll end the post here and join my housemates in partying now. Have a great night!

Have you explored love and sexualities in your writing? Can you think of any books you've read where this has happened? 

- Bonnee.

7 comments:

  1. I expect that's going to be an interesting party--have fun!

    I find myself writing quite frequently about love. Nothing creates emotional turmoil quite like love, particularly love unfulfilled. I haven't dealt with sexuality quite so much, though my current work has themes of chauvinism/feminism, and flexing of power for sexual gain.

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    1. Interesting is an understatement. Much fun was had, thank you :)

      Love is such a classic thing to write about: Romeo and Juliet, Wuthering Heights, Pride and Prejudice. As easy as it is to get it right, it's also easy to get it wrong or be unoriginal. I hope your current work is fun to write and that your themes work well for you.

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  2. Since I'm a romance author, I deal with love all the time. I think a romantic element in fiction raised the ante of what the characters have to lose.

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    1. I would definitely have to agree with you. It also gives the characters something a little more to be passionate about and fight for. Thanks Donna :)

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  3. Romance is a major theme in all my my novels. I put the heroine in a love triangle, creating a conflict for her which love to choose. The majority of readers are women and they expect some romance in every book. About sexuality, it depends on the age of the readers. In my women fiction's version I have some erotica and explicit sexuality, but in my YA fiction's version I don't go beyond kissing. In the two books I've read: TWILIGHT and FIFTY SHADES OF GREY, love is what made these books mega best sellers. Hopefully, you give KATHERINE some romantic moments, and because you are closer to her age you can draw from your experience making it more real for the readers.

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    1. I think it's good to at least have a little bit of romance in every story, even if the romance isn't the focus. Everyone loves a good love story, so it's no surprise that the most popular books contain an element if not revolve entirely around the subject of love. KATHERINE isn't focused on romance by any means, but there is definitely an element of love in there and a few adorable moments. I'm focusing a little closer on the idea of love in my newer W.I.P WALLS. Thanks for stopping by Giora :)

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  4. """Havertz no physical test>> Close to Chelsea"""

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