Just Say NO

[mickeym]

I really need an icon that says that.

People. Please, for the love of God, STOP USING "smex" (or any variation of it). It's not a real word, it makes no sense, and if you have to resort to cutesy terms when doing your notes/headers on a story? You probably shouldn't be playing in the adult sandbox. (As seen on a recent header: "Pure SMEX and nothing but SMEX" - and just. No.)

Just. Say. No.

This rant brought to you courtesy of too much stress, not enough writing, and hugely swollen feet. Sorry to the innocent bystanders caught up in it.

Comments

[nu-breed.livejournal.com]

I was JUST having a rant to some friends about this yesterday. It's cutesy and also a little bit creepy, because it sounds like something a child would say.

NO MORE SMEX, FOR THE LOVE OF MIKE.

[softbluebuddy.livejournal.com]

Isn't that why you would use the Genre or Warning PWP?

Right?

Oh, and you must be stressed because last time you ranted about this you also bitched and rightly so about drabbles having 100 words exactly. Anything else is not a drabble.

Hope the swelling goes down in your feet and that some of your stress goes away.

[mecurtin.livejournal.com]

I thought "smex" was another word for "toe cheese".

[rainbow.livejournal.com]

<--- is confused. New name for smegma? Acronym for sex related texting?

[cormallen.livejournal.com]

Ugh, "smex" makes me think of all sorts of nasty things. Which I would imagine is totally not where the author of the story with "smex" in it wants my mind to go. Surly!Alec says NO. NO TO SMEX.

[zelda-zee.livejournal.com]

I recently ranted about this as well. It sounds idiotic. I certainly won't be reading fic where 'smex' or 'smexing' appears in the header.

[turps33.livejournal.com]

Ranting about smex is an excellent way to let off a little steam.

I'm so sorry you're so stressed right now.

[benitle.livejournal.com]

How am I supposed to believe that an author can write hot, steamy sex if they can't even SAY it?! Use smex and you make yourself sound like a thirteen year old that giggles into their palm!

I saw another one this morning that warned for smex and had ***s in their preview/link text. Either SAY fucking or use a different extract from your fic. Stupid morons.

[copracat]

Sometimes I think Urban Dictionary is some bitter grammarian's cruel joke on the rest of us.

And yes, smex is grossly reminiscent of smegma. Ew.

[ninhursag.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah, the word 'smex' in the header is one of those major ways to make me just say no to a story. I don't mind jokey headers, but that one... no.

[wendy.livejournal.com]

Haha, I love the word smex! It's funny! (Also a holdover from HP fandom, I think.)

[coolwhipdiva.livejournal.com]

WORD!

[withdiamonds.livejournal.com]

I just saw that header and I boggled at so many things in it, but smegma smex was certainly one of them

I just started a post in which I rant that "Unbeta'd" should not be listed under warnings. This must be a morning for bad headers.

I'm sorry about your stress levels.

[apetslife.livejournal.com]

Omg, I hate that word too, but not NEARLY as much as you do. However, every time I see it now, I think of you and your deep and passionate detestation! Seriously, I do!

(I tend to reserve that level of hatred for portmanteu names, which for some reason just set me off.)

[azephirin.livejournal.com]

Honestly, SMEX looks to me like a stock exchange abbreviation: "AAPL up 10 points, SMEX down 5..."