The Joy of Researching Dirty Stuff
The terribly fun bonus of this writing gig is the research. No one talks about it as one of their favorite things about writing but it totally can be. Take this little scenario: Incubus novel set in a sinister sexual disorders clinic? Lots of research into weird sexual problems.
I've got to have other patients, right?
Mind you, I've had tons of education on sexual dysfunction and sex therapy as one of my emphases in Graduate school. So I knew enough to figure out where to get the answers to my questions. Mostly people will go to a medical doctor nowadays for impotence, premature ejaculation or vaginismus (a tightening of the vaginal walls that prohibits penetration), so therapists get referrals that way. Most of the work was along the vein (so to speak) of arousal issues. But frankly reading about those is no fun at all. At. All.
So what am I looking for? The weirdest shit possible. The rare disorders that'll keep you up at night worrying about the state of your junk. But particularly the paraphilias. Did you know that there are people out there--probably on the street you live (maybe)--that can't get off unless they're cinching off a douche during intercourse?
Seriously.
Take a look at your neighbors tonight when you get home. Anyone look like a freak?
And I mean no disrespect in that term--some of my closest friends are freaks--I just mean bow-chicka-bow-bow! Maybe your boss is a frotteurist. We had one at the University of Washington back when I was an undergrad. He'd wait for classes to get out and then walk into particularly tight packs of people, rubbing against them. We also had the Library masturbators, but that's another story.
So yeah. Incubus character = tons of dirty research. And, of course, dirty = fun. Now I know what you're thinking and I've thought it to, just now as I'm writing this: Jackie writes about sex demons, too. In fact, she's written at least three books and a novella on the very subject, so she must be a complete pervo. What kind of research has she done?
Hell, most of you are writers...
What's the weirdest thing you've researched (I'm keeping mine to myself, but guys prepare to squirm when I get this book sold)?
I've got to have other patients, right?
Mind you, I've had tons of education on sexual dysfunction and sex therapy as one of my emphases in Graduate school. So I knew enough to figure out where to get the answers to my questions. Mostly people will go to a medical doctor nowadays for impotence, premature ejaculation or vaginismus (a tightening of the vaginal walls that prohibits penetration), so therapists get referrals that way. Most of the work was along the vein (so to speak) of arousal issues. But frankly reading about those is no fun at all. At. All.
So what am I looking for? The weirdest shit possible. The rare disorders that'll keep you up at night worrying about the state of your junk. But particularly the paraphilias. Did you know that there are people out there--probably on the street you live (maybe)--that can't get off unless they're cinching off a douche during intercourse?
Seriously.
Take a look at your neighbors tonight when you get home. Anyone look like a freak?
And I mean no disrespect in that term--some of my closest friends are freaks--I just mean bow-chicka-bow-bow! Maybe your boss is a frotteurist. We had one at the University of Washington back when I was an undergrad. He'd wait for classes to get out and then walk into particularly tight packs of people, rubbing against them. We also had the Library masturbators, but that's another story.
So yeah. Incubus character = tons of dirty research. And, of course, dirty = fun. Now I know what you're thinking and I've thought it to, just now as I'm writing this: Jackie writes about sex demons, too. In fact, she's written at least three books and a novella on the very subject, so she must be a complete pervo. What kind of research has she done?
Hell, most of you are writers...
What's the weirdest thing you've researched (I'm keeping mine to myself, but guys prepare to squirm when I get this book sold)?
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