The Size Question

Hey Readers,

So, how big do I need to make it in my sexy stories?

I’ve studied the genre pretty extensively and it seems clear that the answer is BIG. Every guy in every romance I’ve encountered is BIG. Really, the only question is whether to make it BIG or HUGE.

In a humorous exchange with an editor questioning whether I needed to make it THAT big, I responded that I was just thinking of my audience and the genre. To make a long story short, pardon the pun, I accepted her challenge to write a sexy story about an underendowed man.

Well, that sent me into research where I stumbled upon a website set up by a team of psychologists specializing in men’s sexual issues. The website invited men to share experiences about being short-changed, and I read dozens of their accounts. I assume the psychologists thought this sharing would be helpful. I finished my research and wrote Jimmy.

In fact, Jimmy is a composite of these real-life accounts. I was shocked at the extent to which being underendowed destroyed the ability of many men to date, form relationships, and function in life. Who wants to be underendowed in a world where size is glorified at every turn? I discovered that many men would never date a woman for fear of the inevitable humiliation. Thus, Jimmy.

After writing Jimmy, I later revisited the website only to discover the psychologists had shut that discussion down, posting a note that the submissions by underendowed men were so numerous and disturbing that the professionals were concerned that posting these true-life accounts would be more damaging than helpful for that community. A profoundly sad result.

I’m not able to write a story without a happy ending and a positive message of hope, and I did that in Jimmy. But, I received a number of responses from men complimentary about the story and the accurate portrayal of the frustration, but critical of the happy ending. In their view, there is no happy ending for men in this situation.

I’ve debated taking Jimmy down, but decided it’s a story that needs to be told. If you have a view on the subject, I’d love to hear from you.

Cheers,

Kris