I am a sick bastard

[danalwyn]

For those of you who dabble in the art of writing, have you ever had one of those moments while you were researching something for a story where you think "You know, if I weren't doing this for the purposes of fiction, I would be a pretty sick bastard"? In my case, this is usually followed by the thought "Nope, any way I look at it, I'm still a pretty sick bastard".

I had this feeling today when I was trying to figure out how many lashes with a judicial whip it would take to kill a fourteen year old undernourished girl. It disturbed me enough that I put down the story and haven't been able to pick back up where I was.

I absolutely hate it when moral qualms get in the way of writing something.


You can all de-friend me now and run away in horror if you choose and I won't take it personally

Comments

[lookingforwater.livejournal.com]

Hey, accuracy in writing is important.

Unless you're me, and go for shock value. Like having your protagonist string a victim up by their own intestines.

[danalwyn.livejournal.com]

That would somehow be less disturbing. Everyone knows how that works. It's the fact that I'm cold-bloodedly searching the internet for exact information that bothers me. I like learning things, but it feels weird to feel that same sensation while I'm discovering particulars about the effects of judicial corporal punishment on minors.

I think I'll go back to simply having people impaled. It's easier and I don't have to worry about the execution thereof.

[nightdog-barks.livejournal.com]

... have you ever had one of those moments while you were researching something for a story where you think "You know, if I weren't doing this for the purposes of fiction, I would be a pretty sick bastard"?

Yes, absolutely.

It was mildly disturbing using the Glock website to determine which model would be most easily concealed by an armed robber (I think it was the G-19, as it turned out).

It was even more disturbing to find a website that listed exactly how much of what you'd need to take if you wanted to commit suicide. And then you can go to another site and find nice photos of the pills in question (hundred-grain Seconals) so you can get them the right color in your story.

It does get weird sometimes. Very weird.

[danalwyn.livejournal.com]

There are times when I realize "You know, if someone was spying on me and looking at the internet sites that I visit, they would probably call the police right now."

And you can conceal most handguns fairly easily. I knew a number of students who used to do that on a regular basis. Just FYI and all.

[silverjackal.livejournal.com]

Add me into the "sick bastard" category, because I immediately wondered what the number would be, too. Not because I enjoy the thought of such punishment being inflicted, but in the interests of accuracy. That's somewhat chilling, too -- that I would consider it important to know that (for example, the numbers are random), 10 would be acceptable, but more than 15 might be fatal. Intellectual curiosity can make one's ethics highly uncomfortable at times.

[danalwyn.livejournal.com]

As long as we don't try experimenting, I suspect we're okay.

It gives one insight into the "mad scientist" category though.

[bonita-chaotica.livejournal.com]

I had one of those moments. Except it came after the whipping, after the prolonged death via infected wounds and at the point where I was describing the state of the corpse. I wasn't quite sure what a week old mutilated corpse would look like, especially from the p.o.v of the parents. Troubling, that.

[danalwyn.livejournal.com]

Not something that most people would want to know, I'm sure.

[lacontessamala.livejournal.com]

Eh, make up whatever number you want--that way you shamelessly pass on the moral quandary to your readers. They'll have to look it up themselves if they want to find out whether you're telling the truth or not.