Let's talk about screaming orgasms.

[osaraba]

Acadia was reading hilarious badfic one-liners to me last night and though I don't remember the line, it started a semi-serious conversation about screaming orgasms. I don't know about you, but screaming orgasms aren't a regular thing, in my experience. Shouting? Much more likely. Keening? Hell yeah. Screaming? Not so much.

Unless we're talking about edging. In which case, SO HOT OMFG. Also, makes sense, right? Thus appropriate.

Okay, so I don't want to dictate what words people can and can't use to describe fictional orgasms, but the use of "screaming" seems to have really lost its meaning.

Does the (over-)use of screaming to describe an orgasm throw you out of a story as much as it does me? Why do you think people use that particular word? Is it because of the unrealistic depiction of sex in the majority of porn? Any other thoughts? I'm curious now.

Comments

[inbredchocobo.livejournal.com]

Maybe those writers are getting so distacted by what they're describing that they don't stop to think about a more appropriate adjective? Could also be as simple as "too lazy to revise".

[osaraba]

True, but it's an epidemic. There are waaaaaay too many people who use that as a decriptive! =(((

[antheia.livejournal.com]

I know it's pretty common to describe someone as a "screamer" (*cough*it's been applied to me*cough*), so that may be where it comes from.

[osaraba]

Ahahaha, valid point!

I'm familiar with describing someone as "a screamer" but I tend to get a different impression when I read something like "screamed as he came" or similar.

[antheia.livejournal.com]

It's probably down to what you consider a scream, then. Which can be very subjective.

[osaraba]

Indeed! =D

[wldcatsprstr-14.livejournal.com]

Not really. I have screaming orgasms most of the time LOL.

'Keening,' on the other hand...all I can think of is puppies whenever anyone uses that word. Or wounded animals.

[osaraba]

Jeez, this has all become pretty fascinating. =D

[honeymull.livejournal.com]

I'm with you - screaming in orgasms throws me straight out of porn. I'm okay with "cried out" (although, even that I narrow my eyes at if it's m/m sex, since it implies a higher pitch, to me), but even words like "shouted" or "yelled" bug me, since I associate those as verbal noises. As in, a nonverbal shout is a super weird concept to my brain, so it seems out of place without accompanying dialogue in the scene.

I honestly almost always assume it's just lazy writing/lack of creativity. I tend to not come across it much anymore since the rest of the fic tends to be give away the game before I hit orgasm time, and I've back-tabbed out already. :D

[osaraba]

YES. For me, "scream" connotes a high-pitched, piercing or shrill sound. I was also going with the laziness/lack of creativity, but I was curious how it came across to others. There is also the point of what one considers a scream. I guess that's really at the root of why using the word bothers me.

I haven't read too much fic lately where someone screamed as they came, but I come across it every so often-- even in otherwise really well-written fic. =/

[sneaqui.livejournal.com]

To me, screaming implies fear. Shouting or yelling or keening (good choice!) or wailing all make sense to me as things that one would do during sex. But screaming makes me think of OH GOD THERE'S A SPIDER IN THE BED KILL IT KILL IT!!

But I'm mostly thinking of sex scenes in which someone is not portrayed as being particularly noisy and then all of a sudden they have an orgasm and start screaming. I think it would make sense however if there were some context for said orgasmic screaming. For example: "Eames would never have pegged Arthur for a screamer."... and then lots of loud sex happens. :3

[osaraba]

Right! Fear -- or pain, which is why I thought that it would make sense for edging. And YES, definitely-- context can make ALL the difference!

I'm relieved to know I'm not the only one for which "screaming" seems a bit out of place. But it's also really interesting to hear that it makes sense for others. ^^

[maschalismos.livejournal.com]

Unless we're talking about edging. In which case, SO HOT OMFG. Also, makes sense, right? Thus appropriate.

And this right here is exactly what I was going to comment with before I saw you'd already written it.

[osaraba]

Ahahaha glad I covered all the bases in this respect. =D