Comments on: Condoms In Contemporaries

By: Shelley Munro

Shelley Munro — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 07:25:00 +0000

If a condom isn’t used in a contemporary, I need a good reason to explain away the lack. Evidently my husband does, too, because when he proofed a story for me the other day he said, “They didn’t use condoms, and then you explained it so that was okay.”

As a reader, the use of condoms doesn’t pull me out of the story. If there’s no condom I’m thinking TSTL.

By: Rene Lyons

Rene Lyons — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 11:27:00 +0000

I believe that yes, the subject of condoms needs to be addressed in a contemp. It’s an expliantion of the ‘rules’ of the world you’ve created in your book. In a contemp., that world is based in the reality of today’s world. You wouldn’t write a paranormal and leave out an important issure relevent in that world, and I don’t believe yuou can with a contemp. either.

Yes, it does dimminish the fantasy, but in a world of AIDS (as well as other STDs), I believe it’s an unfortunate plot piont that needs be addressed.

By: Mechele Armstrong

Mechele Armstrong — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 03:36:00 +0000

It doesn’t pull me out of the scene to have condom usage. In this day and age in a contemporary, well I think it’s needed.

I’ve just written a couple of sex scenes in the contemporary I’m working on. It gets talked about because I felt it had to.

By: Tempest Knight

Tempest Knight — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 02:44:00 +0000

The way I see it is we write fiction so I’d like to think that in a “perfect world” condoms wouldn’t be necessary. *lol*

Personally as a reader, the fact that condoms are brought up in a scene is quite jarring. I was just recently critiquing a story for one of CPs, and during the sex scene the heroine opens the condom and puts it on the hero. The whole thing is about a line or two. But it completely janked me out of the scene, and I was no longer in the mood to read the sex scene. I totally skipped it.

By: aries75

aries75 — Tue, 18 Jul 2006 23:39:00 +0000

I think the people who say it “takes away from the fantasy” may be thinking in terms of condom use = lack of trust (as in, ewwww, you could give me an icky disease, how unromantic is that?)So, using that logic, condom use takes away from the fantasy of perfect sex and the perfect partner.

The thing is, though, if you’re writing fiction you want to come across as realistic, you have to conform to the realities of the present day:

“You should also be aware of the sexual concerns of the time you are writing in. Today we have AIDS and there are many campaigns on safe sex, so 20th century characters are going to be aware of that and it WILL influence their behavior. Even if the character doesn’t practice safe sex, the knowledge is there and it will influence the character.”

Got the above from a post on http://community.livejournal.com/seriouswriters/100425.html

By: Lauren Dane

Lauren Dane — Tue, 18 Jul 2006 22:42:00 +0000

I’m not really sure I buy that it takes away from the fantasy. I mean, characters having to eat food and breathe don’t take away from the fantasy, why would any other thing necessary for health do that?

In the end, a romance is about two made up (or more) people, the story is made up, it’s all made up - I don’t buy that it’s less a fantasy to write in a line or two about a condom.

By: Charlene Teglia

Charlene Teglia — Tue, 18 Jul 2006 21:57:00 +0000

I think it does take away from the fantasy, but we’re kind of stuck with it. So the only thing to do is make it part of the story and not something that sounds like a public health announcement.

In the contemporary I just finished, I actually had a lot of fun with condoms. *g*

By: Nonny

Nonny — Tue, 18 Jul 2006 20:49:00 +0000

I don’t write contemporaries myself, but I do write paranormals / urban fantasies where there’s no easy “out” for the hero. Psychic vampirism doesn’t come with the same benefits that sanguines have. ;)

In this particular case, the hero’s going to use a condom, because I think it would be unrealistic for the characters not to.

As a reader, though, I can’t say it really affects me much either way.

By: Melany

Melany — Tue, 18 Jul 2006 20:13:00 +0000

Condoms In Contemporaries?

I think if you’re writing in a contemporary world a condom should be used. Because my thought is- as an author we DO have responsibilities. I have a seventeen year old daughter who reads romances.

And if a character isn’t smart enough to think of the “what ifs” of taking a chance, well then they’re running the risk for being TSTL.

Oh, don’t get me wrong. Comdons have been known to break. And if the man goes soft before he pulls out, he can spill. I can see even a heat of the moment thing happening between lovers…but it better be explained afterwards. Like geez where was my brain? There better be panic.

However a author decides to approach the situation should be handled with care. Don’t leave reality at the bed.

In our world we don’t just have to worry about pregnancies, but STDs and AIDS–that very much kills. ;(

Mel

By: Kathy

Kathy — Tue, 18 Jul 2006 19:55:00 +0000

Carried away, doesn’t have to mean unprepared. It does not bother me at all, to be reading a hot story and have the couple slow down, or even stop, if they don’t have protection. For me, as reader, it shows the couple have a chance, literally, of making it, because no matter how hot the sex gets, they care about each other enough to protect
themselves.
Lauren, I do like the way you have hadled this subject in your stories!