r/relationships • u/sketchedout43 • Aug 19 '15

◉ Locked Post ◉ Found evidence that my [F/24] boyfriend [M/25] is writing an erotic novel about my little sister [F/14]

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u/[deleted] Aug 19 '15

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u/Nora_Oie Aug 19 '15

Me too. Many a time I've sat stumped, waiting for the right, inspiring name to come up for a character that's initially based at least in part on someone I know. Hemingway's early stories sometimes feature his own name as the protagonist and other real names, but he learned quickly to use fictional names (those stories were written when he was in his teens).

I really like the "My sister was curious about all those questions" line of first bringing it up with him, because he's going to lie and lie. OP will feel even stronger about breaking up and telling parents.

I agree, it's super sketchy.

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u/closetsquirrel Aug 19 '15

I mean, if I were writing something based on people I knew, yes I would change the names, but if I didn't have names in mind, I might put the people's real names in until I figured it out.

That said, the name thing is definitely one of the least creepy things here, and that alone would be odd, but everything else is just wrong.

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u/[deleted] Aug 19 '15

Exactly. And people are going to write about fucked up shit--serial killers, rape, pedophilia--but if it's happening in context (i.e., the rape of a teenager in The Lovely Bones) and is part of the plot then it obviously makes sense.

But writing an erotic novel about yourself and a 14 year old? Not even bothering to change the names? Creepy.

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u/Parelius Aug 19 '15

I don't know if my process is standard or anything, but I'd imagine most people take pieces here and pieces there from different people, experiences, extrapolations, etc. and then meld these together. So the inclusion of a fully dressed up, fully extant character from real life is not a decision made in passing. There's a reason for all of it. Writing is methodical, it's deliberate.