Wednesday, March 14, 2007

It's Official: Not Enough Sex in Fiction To Be Believable

Sex survey results are out and I have to wonder where they find these people. Going into a bar on a Saturday night when there’s a hockey game on and surveying the patrons isn’t exactly the best way to get a balanced sampling of the population.

I mean, the global average is to have sex 103 times per year. 103. I shared this tidbit with evilkev and he said, “Are you having sex 103 times per year? I am.”

Nice.

But even if you’re falling below the global average you can count yourself lucky that you aren’t living in Japan.

A record 39.7 per cent of Japanese citizens ages 16-49 have not had sex for more than a month - up five percentage points from two years ago - according to a survey published this week by the Japan Family Planning Association… Japan came last in a 29-country study of sexual satisfaction published by the University of Chicago last year, with a mere 25.7 per cent of lovers expressing satisfaction in bed. The country was also in last place among 41 countries in a 2005 poll by condom manufacturer Durex, with people having sex just 45 times a year compared to a global average of 103.”

Now, what’s really struck me here is the fact that, in order to be average, you need to have sex once every 3.5 days. This has enabled me to determine that the overwhelming majority of books are completely unrealistic.

I must conclude that, along with our push to have realistic settings, to get our forensic details correct, to use proper police procedures and to have believable dialogue with the one exception of removing male grunting, which is like a dialect of the language, we must now include a lot more sex in our books.

Although I will point out that Stuart MacBride’s new book probably balances out the equivalent of five books from me, so I’m safe for a while. I called it first.

29 comments:

Steve Allan said...

Now, to really mess up the sample: having sex, does that include solo or only in tandum?

Sandra Ruttan said...

Since they didn't say I decided to check the definition of sex:

sex n
1. either of the two reproductive categories, male or female, of animals and plants
2. sexual intercourse
3. sexual activity or behavior leading to it
4. the genitals (literary)
5. the set of characteristics that determine whether the reproductive role of an animal or plant is male or female

So, theoretically, they could just be having genitals 103 times a year. Hmmm.

I'm guessing, though, that since they included discussion about Japan's declining birth rate that they were inferring tandem. Although, then again, I suppose it wouldn't proclude threesomes from qualifying.

Christa Faust said...

Only 103 times per year?!?! Are they nuts? I get cranky whenever I miss a single day.

Also, as a perv, I wonder if the survey only inculded activities that involve direct genital contact. Do fringe activities such as spanking, foot worship, CBT or bondage count as sex?

angie said...

According to the Amer'can definition, oral sex counts as intercourse...just ask Bill Clinton!

Sandra Ruttan said...

Since I find it useless to ask my husband to explain such stuff, Christa, what is CBT?

I think we need Stuart to address the bulk of your question though, since his new book covers the bondage scene. I will bow to his superior knowledge!

Angie, I thought Clinton's line was, "I did not have sexual relations with that woman"?

Anonymous said...

"...Not Enough Sex in Fiction To Be Believable"

Once every 3.5 days, eh? Well, I've often said that my life is unbelievable. Now I have the statistics to prove it.

Sandra Ruttan said...

John, glad I could be of service this morning.

pattinase (abbott) said...

In terms of writing about sex, I find it hard to not be monotonous--even if I'm writing about a fairly promiscous person.
Maybe this is a problem in life too and why I am increasingly falling behind the national average.

Stephen Blackmoore said...

CBT: Cock and Ball Torture

Hey, you asked.

Sandra Ruttan said...

Patti, maybe you'll find Stuart's new book helpful. ;)

Stephen, this sounds like something for women.

Patrick Shawn Bagley said...

Have sex every 3.5 days? I can't afford that on my income.

Sandra Ruttan said...

Didn't say you couldn't use contraceptives Patrick.

Sandra Ruttan said...

Or wait, did you mean...

Never mind.

Patrick Shawn Bagley said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Actually Sandra, there are men who pay professional dommes a lot of money just to have CBT done to them. Believe it. norby

Sandra Ruttan said...

Norby, I'll take your word for it. And I won't ask how you know.

Patrick Shawn Bagley said...

The hookers in my town are fat and ugly, but it's a seller's market.

Sandra Ruttan said...

You need to encourage some competition to move in and lower the prices. At least be able to get the Wal-Mart version.

Patrick Shawn Bagley said...

They ARE the Wal-Mart version.

Well, enough of this. I don't want to be late for my twice-monthly appointment with Big Marge...

Sandra Ruttan said...

Well have fun! Now I have a very unladylike question in my brain but I'm not going to ask it here.

Stephen Blackmoore said...

"...but I'm not going to ask it here."

If you can't ask it here, where can you ask it?

Stephen Blackmoore said...

Knew a domme in San Francisco who did dungeon scenes to pay for college. No sex, mostly just yelling at guys to lick her boots and smacking them around with a riding crop. They paid a LOT of money for that. Got her through Pre-Med at SFU. She said her biggest challenge was not laughing. On the other hand she was happy to be able to experience a wide range of male genitalia without having to sleep with anybody.

Sandra Ruttan said...

Geez, nobody told me about that career option!

And I'm thinking I'll try a confessional. I don't have to look anyone in the eye then, if they'll let non Catholics in.

Guess Patrick really did go to his date.

Christa Faust said...

Looks like you already got your definition of CBT, but I would like to add that I have worked as a pro Domme for over a decade and also practice BDSM in my private life so I'm very curious about MacBride's BROKEN SKIN (the book I assume you were refering to.) I tend to dislike books that portray BDSM as sick, wrong and indistigushable from rape or abuse, so I hope that SKIN will present a more balanced view.

Sandra Ruttan said...

My understanding is that Stuart has a friend who's into the scene and that he did a lot of research on it. It's easy for any of us to make cheap jokes but it really is a sensitive subject. I'll be interested in hearing your take on it - and yes, I was referring to Broken Skin. The US title is Bloodshot.

I think a lot of people have generally unhealthy attitudes about sex. My new ms is all about that, actually.

Since so many nice, elderly ladies read Stuart's work, it will be interesting to see what kind of letters he gets after BS comes out.

Anonymous said...

Sandra-I read a lot of blogs. I can probably tell you about more things than you want to know. Or I want to know for that matter. norby

Patrick Shawn Bagley said...

"Guess Patrick really did go to his date."

Nah, I can't even afford Big Marge.

Stephen Blackmoore said...

I'm fascinated to see how Stuart handles the scottish BDSM scene. It's an important distinction that a lot of people don't understand is that the scene is consensual. It's all based on choice and trust and handing power willingly to another person. Done properly and healthily, of course. Though it may be counterintuitive, it's largely the sub who actually wields all the power. They're the ones who decide how far it goes.

Oh, and Patrick, if you were short you should have said something. I could spot you a fiver.

Sandra Ruttan said...

Norby, at least I have you as a resource!

Patrick, I guess you're going for the 'do it yourself' options. Wait, that's not quite the right phrasing.

Stephen, I'll be interested in your assessment of BS too.