Characters' Ages

[Azure Dragon]

Quick question. I wasn't sure where to put this and I can't post in the Writers' forum for some reason. But anyway, there's a rule against adults and minors being together, but what if one character is 19 or 20 and the other is 17? Would that still be "taboo?" I wasn't a fan of the idea myself at first, but it works for the story.

[BeaStKid]

I'm not sure...even though it is illegal...I think it should work for a story....especially if the character aged 17 turns 18 midway through the story...

 

Oh, and btw...either you need 5 posts (which you have now) or have to be a member of the author group to post in the writer's section.

 

If you want an authors' tag/join the authors' group...PM Joe about it..

[shadowgod]

Actually, you just need to be a member of the authors group, the five posts are not neccecery though they do give you access to the pm system. other then that a quick email to Joe@gayauthors.org requesting author status will allow you to post in the forum.

 

Steve

[GaryK]

Actually, you just need to be a member of the authors group, the five posts are not neccecery though they do give you access to the pm system. other then that a quick email to Joe@gayauthors.org requesting author status will allow you to post in the forum.

 

Steve

Considering the various roles I play around here I wonder if Joe would replace my Member tag with a Versatile tag?

[shadowgod]

Quick question. I wasn't sure where to put this and I can't post in the Writers' forum for some reason. But anyway, there's a rule against adults and minors being together, but what if one character is 19 or 20 and the other is 17? Would that still be "taboo?" I wasn't a fan of the idea myself at first, but it works for the story.

 

Getting the topic back on track....

 

To give a short answer, NO. A relationship with in these age ranges doesn't seem taboo to me at all, in all actuality it probably occurs rather often in real life. Just think a Senior in HS meeting a incoming freshmen and the relationship developing, and sustaining, from there. 20 and 17 isn't cause for alarm.

 

40 and 15 however... What could the two possibly have in common? How could the 40 year old be seen as anything except a predator? Likewise, such a story is restricted from posting here.

 

Your ages, I think, are not taboo. In fact I may be broaching the same issue myself in a story.

[BeaStKid]

See? I told you there shouldn't be any problem...

[GaryK]

I met the man who would eventually become my partner when I was 16 and he was in his early 20s. We were good friends for several years before the friendship evolved into a relationship. So yes, such things do happen in real life and IMO there's nothing wrong with it. As with SG I agree about the 40/15 thing. Not that you can't have anything in common. It just violates my own sense of morals when one person is not yet at the age of consent.

[shadowgod]

I met the man who would eventually become my partner when I was 16 and he was in his early 20s. We were good friends for several years before the friendship evolved into a relationship. So yes, such things do happen in real life and IMO there's nothing wrong with it. As with SG I agree about the 40/15 thing. Not that you can't have anything in common. It just violates my own sense of morals when one person is not yet at the age of consent.

 

Good point Gary, if there is common interest, the 40yr old should be patient enough to wait the age issue out.

[Tiger]

I usually write about relationships in which the two are close in age. That is a personal preference. 17-25 is my general age group, but I may write something about a 20 something with a 40 something if the mood strikes me in the future. As for the 40/15 thing, I think that's sick.

[Azure Dragon]

Coolio, thanx for the input guys As for my own preferred age range, I don't like to go for guys younger than 2-3 years, because most guys in their late teens don't know what they want out of relationships and might be getting their first taste of gay life. I'm kinda past that stage and just want a steady boyfriend. I do know there are exceptions though, which is why I don't mind going against my personal instincts when writing this story.

Edited March 25, 2008 by Azure Dragon

[Demetz]

I think its also important to point out that age of consent laws are very... diverse.

 

While its true that the federal government has authority in any matter of interstate commerce and has in such situations declared the age of consent to be 18, the legal age of consent in all other situations is determined at the state level. Many states have age of consent laws set at 16. Others have a complex graduated system of age of consent dependent on the ages of both people involved. Florida, for example, has an overall age of consent set to 18... unless you happen to be under 25, in which case, the age of consent is 16.

 

I think the general rule to go by here, is no stories involving the boy-love conception, where someone who is clearly a mature adult engages in sexual relations with someone say... 15 or younger. It is particularly the dirty-old-man theme that makes many people want to puke. Depicting teenagers close in age should not be too much an issue, but when you start getting into prepubescent children doing things with each other, you can bet there's going to be a shit storm.

[Azure Dragon]

think the general rule to go by here, is no stories involving the boy-love conception, where someone who is clearly a mature adult engages in sexual relations with someone say... 15 or younger. It is particularly the dirty-old-man theme that makes many people want to puke. Depicting teenagers close in age should not be too much an issue, but when you start getting into prepubescent children doing things with each other, you can bet there's going to be a shit storm.

 

Trust me, I'm not touching that with a 30-foot pole. Some good news btw: I've decided to break my story into a series since it seems to flow better that way, and I'm finished with the rough draft of the first issue. I should hopefully have it posted by the weekend, but no promises (damn tests).

Edited March 26, 2008 by Azure Dragon

[BeaStKid]

That's great!

 

All the best for your tests, btw..

[GaryK]

Trust me, I'm not touching that with a 30-foot pole. Some good news btw: I've decided to break my story into a series since it seems to flow better that way, and I'm finished with the rough draft of the first issue. I should hopefully have it posted by the weekend, but no promises (damn tests).

Good luck with your tests. If you would like to work with a beta-reader and/or editor I'd be happy to assist. To make it official you really should contact Jan (TalonRider) and make a formal request. However that's only a suggestion, not a mandate. At least not yet.

[Azure Dragon]

I normally do my own editing but thanks for the offer The biggest problem now though is that I can't actually post the damn series. Arrrgh! I made a topic in the help forum though, so we'll see what happens.

Edited March 27, 2008 by Azure Dragon

[GaryK]

I normally do my own editing but thanks for the offer The biggest problem now though is that I can't actually post the bloody series. Arrrgh! I made a topic in the help forum though, so we'll see what happens.

Don't sweat it. I'm a software developer and can normally figure out any software with relative ease and yet it took me several attempts to actually post something in eFiction. You'll figure it out eventually. Keep in mind the software is free and we're lucky to have it otherwise there would be no place for you to post your stories.

[Lugh]

Quick question. I wasn't sure where to put this and I can't post in the Writers' forum for some reason. But anyway, there's a rule against adults and minors being together, but what if one character is 19 or 20 and the other is 17? Would that still be "taboo?" I wasn't a fan of the idea myself at first, but it works for the story.

 

 

If it helps, most states have a Romeo / Juliet law... where the age of consent is waived if the relative ages of the persons in question are within 24-36 months of each other. So seventeen and nineteen / twenty would be "acceptable", although one is a legal adult. I think it also depends on the story setting... say modern stories would have people 17ish and up, but historic fiction may have characters younger (say 15-16) while science fiction or fantasy can do most anything "age wise" so long as they characters are at least pubescent... I mean seriously... elves can be just entering puberty at nearly one hundred.... right?

 

Just use common sense and it should all be good.

[JamesSavik]

I have written a lot about 10-15 year olds but the material is autobiographical and the sex is very tame and age appropriate. The drugs and violence are not but F-it that's where I lived and is a major part of the story.

 

In other material that I write the protagonist are 16+. My most current project the protagonist is in his early twenties.