Definition of Underage Sexual Activity

[lovecraft68]

While I accept that it is interesting that a mainstream novel released by a mainstream publisher would be able to sell a line about a young girl having a sexual reaction at Barnes and Noble to a minor but here in the land of age restricted erotica it's taboo

(whew, quite an introductory clause...compound intro clause...is that legal? probably not... maybe I'll throw in a semi-colon. that usually makes people doubt themselves)

;

it is precisely that context which causes the inappropriateness. Imagine witnessing a 12 year old's first kiss, cute and harmless. Now imagine seeing it on Pornhub. It becomes vile and likely criminal. There is nothing inherently wrong with the sexuality of minors, but it doesn't belong in adult playgrounds. The line has to be drawn somewhere, and that legalese they sent you is Literotica's line. I understand that there are other places that draw their line elsewhere, but I don't know anything about them

King wrote an under age train in the novel it.
The GOT novels-and shows-are full of under age

Funny how the moral majority doesn't mind that, but erotica is held in a different light

There's a school of thought its because in mainstream stuff that's only one part of a big picture and not meant for titillation whereas in erotica it would be the entire purpose of the scene to arouse.

The fault in that logic is...of course it can be for titillation in a movie or book...of course people get off to the concepts and in book form,. some of King and other novelists have sex scenes detailed enough to crank one out to...especially in the day before the net and porn being everywhere...I know young me(oh no under age!) got off to a few sex scenes in some trashy horror novels.

As for this site...search the term budding breasts and come back and tell me how much they care about under age.

Don't use a number and all is well, that's what it comes down to.

Your character is 19...say "Four years ago...and go into a scene..***** does not do math."

This isn't me encouraging that, its me telling people what I see all over this site.

"15" might attract unwanted attention from searches....no age given is not going to be easily found.

 

[AlphaLyon]

Have any of you had any experience with publishing at Amazon with respect to their no under 18 rule? I'm thinking about publishing this story there and was contemplating restoring some of these lines.

I've done a lot of research into their policy, and it comes down to context.
If you're writing an erotic fiction novel and it includes sexual activity by a minor: absolutely not.
If you're writing a narrative (factual or fictional) where the sexual activity is not described in graphic and glorified detail: it'll pass.

 

[AngstIgnored]

Also, just an entirely unsolicited note. It seems weird to imply that it took until Beth's senior year for Mary to be the youngest mother. She have been the youngest mother the whole time.

Fair point. I came up with that contrived example on the fly without really thinking it through fully.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

I was going to go back and count the threads started by those who feel the lit rule about children having sex was ridiculous, but I'm not that ambitious this morning.

Rule of thumb: If any sex happened before the characters 18th birthday, don't even try to describe it in anyway. You can say they lost their virginity at a young age, but that's all.

Anything more will get your story kicked. Even mentioning an age less that 18 might get it kicked back to you.

Underage references are a no-no. So, don't do it. Even if it get by Laurel, there will be someone out there that will report it, even if it's 3 years down the road.

 

[PriestOfIshtar]

Underage references are a no-no. So, don't do it. Even if it get by Laurel, there will be someone out there that will report it, even if it's 3 years down the road.

In an earlier incarnation of myself, I posted a series which was all about the leadup to a woman's 18th birthday. She was not involved in any activity prior to the day in question, but it was enough for someone to report it and the series get pulled down.

So, yeah, that.

I was disappointed, because I thought it was a pretty good story that will not see the light of day at literotica, and I didn't think it crossed any ethical or moral lines in any way... but I do agree that lines must be drawn, and now that I am clearer on what that line is, I will not go near it.

I don't agree with where this particular line is, I would personally do it differently, but I respect that it exists, and appreciate that it is a clear boundary.

 

[TadOverdon]

Everything I describe or reference explicitly takes place no earlier than five minutes after a character turns eighteen. I don't think I even allow the MILFS to become pregnant before their eighteenth birthdays. Is that realistic? Nah, I don't know if I have a friend who was still a virgin when they turned eighteen. But it makes life a lot simpler.

In Legally Cautious Pornotopia, the modern world abounds with popular young high school students, aggressive jocks and gorgeous babes who like to party hard, engage in rebellious and risky behavior and so on while all naively protecting their virtue until at least their senior year. Whereupon they become sluts within days.

"Tad" wasn't always so cautious. I've gone through everything reposted in the last four years, some of it originally written decades ago, looking for references to sixteen-year-olds, etc. and changing them. I don't think there were ever characters younger than that. I'm sure there's old versions out there on the Wide World of Web with the original references, but I'm doing my best to make them obsolete.

BTW, in terms of automatic filters, I posted for a while on a site with software set to automatically **** the word "boys" but leave the word "girls" unchallenged. Guess the general use of the term to refer to women of all ages is still so pervasive that it's not considered practical to auto-nanny it.

 

[WinsomeWeb]

This thread has given me some concern about something I wrote but haven't yet shared. It's a short story (about 8K words) that follows the lives of two characters at their adjacent summer cottages, but the first seven-hundred-ish words are vignettes of when they were younger, describing briefly how they first met and their innocent friendship, which leads up to when they're in their twenties and realize their attraction for one another. The story is basically a PG-rated Romance with exactly a single (one paragraph long) sex scene, which doesn't happen until they're both in their twenties, but I'm now not so sure that Literotica is the best place to put it.

I was going to submit it for the Summer Lovin' contest, but I don't want to make anyone feel icky because of those early vignettes.

 

[KeithD]

This thread has given me some concern about something I wrote but haven't yet shared. It's a short story (about 8K words) that follows the lives of two characters at their adjacent summer cottages, but the first seven-hundred-ish words are vignettes of when they were younger, describing briefly how they first met and their innocent friendship, which leads up to when they're in their twenties and realize their attraction for one another. The story is basically a PG-rated Romance with exactly a single (one paragraph long) sex scene, which doesn't happen until they're both in their twenties, but I'm now not so sure that Literotica is the best place to put it.

I was going to submit it for the Summer Lovin' contest, but I don't want to make anyone feel icky because of those early vignettes.

It sounds like it will be just fine at Literotica.

 

[jaF0]

I think the only story I made references to age in was 'April' and it was only casual. Something along the lines of children were sent away to live elsewhere and be taught what to expect and how to act upon their return.

 

[AlexBailey]

(Edit: thanks for the helpful response, Reject Reality.)

 

[SimonDoom]

This thread has given me some concern about something I wrote but haven't yet shared. It's a short story (about 8K words) that follows the lives of two characters at their adjacent summer cottages, but the first seven-hundred-ish words are vignettes of when they were younger, describing briefly how they first met and their innocent friendship, which leads up to when they're in their twenties and realize their attraction for one another. The story is basically a PG-rated Romance with exactly a single (one paragraph long) sex scene, which doesn't happen until they're both in their twenties, but I'm now not so sure that Literotica is the best place to put it.

I was going to submit it for the Summer Lovin' contest, but I don't want to make anyone feel icky because of those early vignettes.

Doesn't sound like a problem. If there's no sexual content -- broadly defined -- to the early vignettes, then they don't violate the rule.

 

[PriestOfIshtar]

I've done a lot of research into their policy, and it comes down to context.
If you're writing an erotic fiction novel and it includes sexual activity by a minor: absolutely not.
If you're writing a narrative (factual or fictional) where the sexual activity is not described in graphic and glorified detail: it'll pass.

** Unless someone reports it, and then it will get taken down.

 

[ElectricBlue]

This thread has given me some concern about something I wrote but haven't yet shared. It's a short story (about 8K words) that follows the lives of two characters at their adjacent summer cottages, but the first seven-hundred-ish words are vignettes of when they were younger, describing briefly how they first met and their innocent friendship, which leads up to when they're in their twenties and realize their attraction for one another. The story is basically a PG-rated Romance with exactly a single (one paragraph long) sex scene, which doesn't happen until they're both in their twenties, but I'm now not so sure that Literotica is the best place to put it.

I was going to submit it for the Summer Lovin' contest, but I don't want to make anyone feel icky because of those early vignettes.

Should be okay - scrub through the text to make sure you haven't inadvertently written content or context which might imply the characters are under eighteen when the sexual activity is described. If it is clear they are adults having sex, not a problem. It's when they might be read as teens or children, and the sex is described, that the line gets crossed.

 

[AlphaLyon]

** Unless someone reports it, and then it will get taken down.

True, however a book like "The Kite Runner" has an incredibly horrific rape scene in it, but given the context and the way it is written, it is okay to still sell on there.
Granted, it's not published by Amazon, but I believe the logic to be the same.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

The sentences in the OP's story are pretty clunky. It should be fairly easy to recast into some phrasing which doesn't imply 'sexual fantasy' nearly as much - "I had a wild, emotional response to this music, as if it were taking me over. Years later, when I understood being swept away by my sexuality, I appreciated it even more" would likely be fine - assuming the rest of the story isn't also sounding like a sexual fantasy.

 

[Bramblethorn]

This thread has given me some concern about something I wrote but haven't yet shared. It's a short story (about 8K words) that follows the lives of two characters at their adjacent summer cottages, but the first seven-hundred-ish words are vignettes of when they were younger, describing briefly how they first met and their innocent friendship, which leads up to when they're in their twenties and realize their attraction for one another. The story is basically a PG-rated Romance with exactly a single (one paragraph long) sex scene, which doesn't happen until they're both in their twenties, but I'm now not so sure that Literotica is the best place to put it.

I was going to submit it for the Summer Lovin' contest, but I don't want to make anyone feel icky because of those early vignettes.

That should be okay, but I would use the notes field to tell Laurel "This story starts when the characters are children but nothing sexual happens until they're grown up" just to avoid a skim-rejection.

My most recent story introduces one of the lovers-to-be at age fifteen or sixteen, because that past history is important when they finally do become lovers about seven years on. I included a note along those lines and had no trouble.

 

[Bramblethorn]

True, however a book like "The Kite Runner" has an incredibly horrific rape scene in it, but given the context and the way it is written, it is okay to still sell on there.
Granted, it's not published by Amazon, but I believe the logic to be the same.

The "not published by Amazon" makes a big difference. They will happily sell books that are far more problematic than TKR or It - I'm talking detailed descriptions of pedophilia followed by an author-insert explaining why pedo is good, actually, with contributions from a convicted child rapist - as long as it has a publisher who can wear the blame if it generates outrage.

 

[WinsomeWeb]

It sounds like it will be just fine at Literotica.

Doesn't sound like a problem. If there's no sexual content -- broadly defined -- to the early vignettes, then they don't violate the rule.

Thank you both for so quickly allaying my fears.

Should be okay - scrub through the text to make sure you haven't inadvertently written content or context which might imply the characters are under eighteen when the sexual activity is described. If it is clear they are adults having sex, not a problem. It's when they might be read as teens or children, and the sex is described, that the line gets crossed.

That's great to know, too. The narrative structure of the story repeats a phrase that explicitly states their ages (and indicates the passage of time), so I don't think anyone reading sincerely could misunderstand how old they are when the sex happens.

That should be okay, but I would use the notes field to tell Laurel "This story starts when the characters are children but nothing sexual happens until they're grown up" just to avoid a skim-rejection.

My most recent story introduces one of the lovers-to-be at age fifteen or sixteen, because that past history is important when they finally do become lovers about seven years on. I included a note along those lines and had no trouble.

Thank you, that's great advice, too. I will put a note in when I eventually submit it.

 

[ElectricBlue]

That should be okay, but I would use the notes field to tell Laurel "This story starts when the characters are children but nothing sexual happens until they're grown up" just to avoid a skim-rejection.

My most recent story introduces one of the lovers-to-be at age fifteen or sixteen, because that past history is important when they finally do become lovers about seven years on. I included a note along those lines and had no trouble.

That's the key - to be honest with yourself and how you write the characters, and be honest with Laurel when submitting it.

My Arthurian myth telling has a fourteen year old girl experiencing her first period - the prologue in which it happens describes a traumatic (non sexual) experience which is key to the plot, but she is explicitly stated as nineteen ("Nymue lived in the House of Women for five years") at the beginning of the next chapter, 1500 words away. I included a note to Laurel, and it was passed with out fuss.

 

[Voboy]

The sentences in the OP's story are pretty clunky.

Absolutely 100% true.

Honestly, OP? Apart from what others have said about "Lit's site, Lit's rules," I'd recommend working on your flow. "All she could discern was that she found this music was compelling..." That might be the stodgiest sentence I've ever read, with questionable word choices throughout. It would probably get me to quit reading the story, frankly.

Your story should be a joy to read, not a chore.

As for the over-eighteen? Yes; I agree that it's a pretty senseless rule overall, but then nothing's stopping any of us from going off and starting our own porn story site with whatever age strikes our fancy. It's very simple. Just move everything to over-18, accept it, and drive on. Or post elsewhere; it's entirely up to you.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

While absolutely clear about and ok with the no-underage rule, I ran into a brick wall today.

I pasted a draft story, intended as the first of a series, when and if. As tags, I included ‘sugar daddy” and ‘sugar baby’, the latter being a common reference to a young woman who enters into what is essentially a contractual sexual relationship with an older man. ‘Sugar daddy’ flew through with no fuss, but ‘sugar baby’ was rejected, apparently because ‘baby’ is a no-no. That one has me scratching my head, frankly. Oh, well.

 

[NotWise]

While absolutely clear about and ok with the no-underage rule, I ran into a brick wall today.

I pasted a draft story, intended as the first of a series, when and if. As tags, I included ‘sugar daddy” and ‘sugar baby’, the latter being a common reference to a young woman who enters into what is essentially a contractual sexual relationship with an older man. ‘Sugar daddy’ flew through with no fuss, but ‘sugar baby’ was rejected, apparently because ‘baby’ is a no-no. That one has me scratching my head, frankly. Oh, well.

She might see "sugar baby" as an underage reference. It might have worked better to call her his "doll."

Laurel didn't reject the story, right? She deleted the tag?

 

[TarnishedPenny]

She might see "sugar baby" as an underage reference. It might have worked better to call her his "doll."

Laurel didn't reject the story, right? She deleted the tag?

It was an automatic fail. The system rejected it instantly, wouldn’t let me save it as a draft. I have not submitted the story yet. FWIW, there’s no hint of under-18 in it.

 

[RejectReality]

It was an automatic fail. The system rejected it, wouldn’t let me save it as a draft. I have not submitted the story yet.

No word that contains "baby" in any form will pass as a keyword. Babysitter, baby-maker, babydoll... nuffin'.

 

[oggbashan]

No word that contains "baby" in any form will pass as a keyword. Babysitter, baby-maker, babydoll... nuffin'.

I have put some of my stories on Xhamster. Any word with child or children in it is asterisked out.