Friday, April 5, 2013

Phallic Friday - BDSM

BDSM is my topic for the day. I know I've talked about this before but it's on my mind again.

Rachel Kramer Bussel was putting together a Short Short BDSM Submission Erotica Anthology (closed April 1) and I wanted to submit. I was in an earlier publication of hers and I liked the experience. She was easy to work with, kept you informed, and I liked the huge mix of stories she selected for her anthology. So I wrote a piece. Now I wait to hear.

So many BDSM books and stories are written from the submissive's point of view - and that's the view I've taken. But what if I wrote it from the Dominant's point of view? I wonder if that would have given me a better chance at selection (being that there were less of those, not that my writing would improve!).

Being a Dominant is a whole other mindset to being a sub. From the voice of the sub, you can explore their fear of failing, their loss of control, their struggle to bend to the will of another. As a Dominant, it's a whole different mindset to explore. It's questioning how far to push, how much can someone take, reading another person, working out what turns them on, all without showing your fear/concern to the sub. Thinking about it, that sounds a lot more interesting and challenging to write.

If I'm not living a BDSM lifestyle, can I legitimately write about it? I've dabbled in it, so I know a little but from the sub POV. What scares me is that I've read some stories that really jar me because of the "incorrectness" of their interpretation of BDSM. What if I balls it up terribly?

I guess I'll never know until I give it a try. Which is why I started with a short short piece. It may let me know if I can legitimately write in this world. But damn, why didn't I write as the Dom?

Do you have views on writers writing beyond their knowledge/experience? Or any views on BDSM?

2 comments:

  1. I think, like everything, if you know nothing about BDSM and then you attempt to write it, you'll pretty much fail miserably, unless you can come up with a slant where it doesn't matter if it isn't textbook BDSM... you know - like it's a fantasy world. Or the BDSM is happening in some kind of commune where you could rewrite all the rules to suit yourself.
    I agree it would be a nice twist to write in the dominant POV.
    I haven't read much of either. I haven't read 50SOG which has I guess, become the bible on this type of thing (I think - I don't know for sure).
    Anyway, good luck with the anthology Cate.
    Lily M

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    1. I'm so sure I replied to you yesterday, Lily, but it isn't here. Sometimes I think my blog hates me.

      That's a good idea about building a fantasy world. I'm not good at world building but that could be a good place to start.

      I wouldn't worry that you missed 50SOG. I'm not sure the author was sympathetic to the BDSM lifestyle at all.

      Thanks for your wishes. You'll hear if I make it in.

      Cate xo

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