<p>I’m taking a creative writing class, and a few days ago, a partner and I had to write a dialogue together. To make a long, unclear story short, we didn’t communicate well and had different visions for the dialogue. I thought it should involve a drunken woman embarrassing her boyfriend at a rodeo, and he seemed to be onboard, but he mentioned he thought it would be funny if there was a sexual element to the story. I was a little uncomfortable with this, but I figured it would be more flirtatious than actually sexual, but after he finished his part and I read it over at the end of the period (we had to write it all in 35-40 minutes) I discovered that make no mistake, it was sexual. He basically ended the dialogue with a sex scene. The bell had already rung though, and I really didn’t know what to do, I was not really anticipating something like this. We had to hand it in, and there was no time to rewrite the ending, so I just handed it in. </p>
<p>Literally thirty seconds after I left I realized what a horrible mistake I had made, but it was already too late. He hasn’t entered the grade yet, but I’ve been agonizing over this all weekend. I know the grade will be bad, the kid was not that great of a writer, and I didn’t have my hands in it as much as I would have liked to, but I really like and respect this teacher and don’t want him to think less of me. I’m thinking I might write an email to him explaining that my partner and I really didn’t work that well together, that writing in all of the explicit material was not really my idea, and that if possible I would like an opportunity to redo the dialogue, either by myself or with a different partner. But am I backstabbing this kid? He’s nice enough, and to make things even more complicated, he’s dating an old friend of mine, but apparently he doesn’t understand what’s appropriate and what’s inappropriate to submit to a teacher. </p>
<p>Email (or talk to in-person first thing in the morning) the teacher and nicely explain to him/her the miscommunication between your partner and you. Don’t blame him, but emphasize miscommunication. If you go to your teacher about this, you’ll come across as mature to him/her. </p>
<p>On the plus side, English teachers are usually the most lax about this stuff (in my experience), so maybe you wouldn’t get in trouble anyways. I mean, there are probably books that he assigns that have sexual elements in them. </p>
<p>Yeah, I agree with @ThatOneWeirdGuy , most of my English teachers (especially the male ones) are fine with uncensored stories but then again, this one could be different. I know I would try to avoid turning in sexually explicit scenes in my Creative Writing class next semester, but at the same time I feel like Creative Writing is one of the classes where you can write informally and and have to pay the least amount of attention to what is considered ‘appropriate.’ It all depends on the dialogue and the teacher. If you feel you must, do what @ThatOneWeirdGuy said and make sure not to blame your partner.</p>
<p>I’m not sure he’s ok with it, because in one of our first classes, a few kids asked about including alcohol and drugs in our stories, and he said that mentions were fine, but to “remember that we were still writing to a teacher.” </p>
<p>The worst part is probably how awkward and non-sequitur it was. It beats the crap out of me why this kid thought it was necessary to include. </p>
<p>I’m thinking I’ll probably email, I’m much more coherent in writing than in person, would you anyone be willing to read the email and let me know if it sounds ok?</p>
<p>Any other opinions? Or anyone willing to look over my email?</p>
<p>I think an email is fine, just let him know you guys miscommunicated and if he has a problem that you promise to do better next time. I wouldn’t worry about redoing the dialogue though, just move on. No need to keep stressing.</p>