rape

Sexual Violence in Speculative Fiction

Sexual Violence in Speculative Fiction

As an author, my mantra is to tell challenging stories and minimize harm. The major failing I see with sexual violence in many media forms is where the point of view and gaze fall. Particularly in western media, that gaze is often heterosexual masculine. That means sexual violence comes from that same perspective, and makes grotesque GoT Sansa scenes where her rape is all about the men (either perpetrator or witness). The violence is there to horrify and titillate the viewer. We should be horrified. We should never be titillated. Respect for the survivor is missing in these situations. I could break down where this failing is in a lot of media, but I don’t think that is the most important conversation to have. I think the more important questions are: 1) should sexual violence be included in stories for shock value, and 2) how can sexual violence be written.

Artistic Representation: The Fine Line Between Representation and Indulgence.

Artistic Representation: The Fine Line Between Representation and Indulgence.

If you follow my Instagram, you’ll have seen a story where I asked for help with PTSD representation in book 2. Thank you to everyone who responded and let me pick your brain. It was incredibly helpful in writing both the character and the scene involving a PTSD episode. Writing the scene and taking notes about PTSD brought me to the delicate subject of “When does the pursuit of realism devolve into indulgence?”

Critiquing Art: A Failure of Character

Normally, I try to avoid writing about Game of Thrones. There are numerous controversies around the show, but it’s a show I tend to sit back and learn something from as a writer. Sometimes (often), it’s something good. Sometimes, it’s an example of ‘How Not To Do The Thing’.

S8E4 was a stunning, sloppy example from start to finish of ‘How To Invalidate Your Characters Developmental Arcs’ (it’s firmly in the ‘How Not To Do The Thing’ category). After the credits rolled, my friend turned and asked me “Write a blog post about this. Help me understand why I’m so angry about this mess.”