When is enough... enough?

[[deleted user]]

The thing is asking who your audience is - the sexual content in YA novels these days has been vamped up a lot, and adult books dulled down (yes, I know!!)

In my novel encore, I feel like I need a raunchy scene because of the very dark material and themes around equality, slavery, torture etc. although I am not sure whether to make this a simple love affair or a perverted rape.

I am in the same boat as you - I need one scene, but should it move the story forward or give a relaxing break into niceties for the reader? After graphic torture I almost think rape is too much, but it may not be considering the fact that if the reader got through that they should be able to get through a shortish scene.

I ended up choosing the rape because I know that my readers are capable of reading something of that sort.

If it was something like 50 shades etc. it would be completely fine to have too much, because that is what it is known for - with your series I would say just go with whatever feels best to you, and if you need more tension then add it.

However it is your creative decision, so I leave it up to you.

[[deleted user]]

Oh I see... Well you have my general opinion. Enough is when you have 200 scenes in one book... Just whatever to be honest. It depends on what the author feels