It’s not just love that hurts. The truth can be far more painful.

So, I’ve read the beginning of a story that features SM-elements, the author said. She also asked for comments on it, saying she’d tried a new approach and wondered whether it was too radical.

I read it.

I commented on it in my charmingly frank way, wisely omitting points like insufficient lexis, irritating spelling mistakes, ghastly grammar errors, clichéd metaphors and monotonous sentence structure.
On the author’s quest for that oh so precious originality we all strive toward, she started out describing a rape scene (which was highly unbelievable, bless her heart), where the heroine finds out she is aroused by a sweating, stinking stranger ravaging her body.

Well, I was very gentle. Really.

I hinted at the possibility that a woman being raped may not be aroused by the situation (because, frankly, if she were, therapy wouldn’t be necessary—or am I wrong?). The author should get the psychology right.
I also pointed out that there are taboos in writing, rape being just one among incest and pedophilia, and that there’s a (damn good) reason for it.

Then I suggested that if she wanted to keep that beginning she might make it work some other way. Since it’s a story with supposedly SM-elements, she could turn it into a rape game. A game you can stop any time. A game is the safety net under your high wire performance.
A rape game is still controversial, because not many sane people/couples devoted to SM go anywhere near it. And those who do, prod very, very carefully around it (duh).

Guess what I got back.
She said she knows victims (*LOL* She knows victims!!! Isn’t that hilarious? She KNOWS victims. Bless her heart!!!!) and taboo or not, it’s a topic that should be written about.
Lastly, she also pointed out that my suggestion to improve the beginning of her story is not sufficiently original.

Well, first of all it’s not my job to make her story original. That’s her job.
Then, I guess, the gist of what she meant is that next time a woman gets raped anywhere on this planet, which is about now… and now… and now, this woman should bear in mind that it’s not just a life-altering experience, but also a highly erotic and arousing and great thing we all want to have.

Uh huh.
Can a wanna-be writer be more deluded and moronic? I think not.
Whatever. Bless her heart.

What did I get out of it?

Once again I’m baffled and amazed at the sheer size people’s stupidity can assume. I already knew it can be enormous, but until today I tried to fool myself that it might still have its limits. Well, that bubble burst. Finally. Was about time, too.

As a consequence I won’t ever offer my opinion and advice again that easily.
People don’t appreciate the truth. They want you to tell them what they want to hear.

Screw that. I’ll never ever tell people what they want to hear unless it’s something I feel from the bottom of my heart.

Honesty is such a lonely word...