Gratuity & Sex Scenes

Word Sculpting

Adult Themes involved.

Sex is a bad area for writers. Unless you are a romance or erotica author, it is mostly unneeded in the way it is often used.

There are millions of fiction novels with the exact same scenes. It’s difficult for many to accept, but the sad truth is: sex scenes have been done and over-done. They have been tender, they have been brutal, and everything in between. In almost every adult fiction novel you read, there will be sex scenes. After a while, it seems these stories have the same sex scenes (and often descriptions) with different characters. The same actions occur in the exact same order, and most use the exact same descriptive clichés. Exactly how many books, can you recall, with the lines:

"He cupped her breast."

"He trailed kisses down her neck/chest, etc."

"She arched her back to meet him."

"He mounted..."

Why are they clichéd?

They are hackneyed due to their overuse. Because it is so often described in mere physical form. These scenes usually start as an author wants to explore or reveal characters relationships. While interaction is often needed for character depth, it is usually taken to a level far beyond. Instead of a brief romantic interlude, the scene starts to seem like an instruction book. The focus wanders from how the two character’s care for one another, to exactly how they make love.

We are fortunate that there are successful, contemporary fiction novels that find originality with the old methods of showing love. Romance and affection are not just about sex, otherwise they aren’t loving or affectionate. It’s about relationships and concern.

For an example, we’ll use a fake love scene. It’s five pages long and the author doesn’t know where to start cutting. Here are some simple methods:

Before:

"...he cupped her breast..."

After:

"...he whispered, ‘I love you,'..."

Before:

"...he caressed her thigh..."

After:

"...he slowly kissed her lips..."

You can remove all needless graphic description and insert loving, romantic actions. By utilizing the romance and not physical sex, an author can easily trim their five-page scene into a two paragraph session of romantic adoration. This will not only glide the reader through the scene, it will show the reader just how loving and caring the characters are. Most importantly, it will have them on their way to the main story.

Not only does this preserve a great performance of love and warmth, it eliminates any areas which are overdone. With a little discretion and common sense, your characters can have a magnificent love life, without revealing the raunchy details. How many mystery readers will be concerned with how the sleuth performs in bed, action by action? When someone is running from the government, and all the world is seeking them, will they still find time for an extended session of love-making? Why should the reader really care how the couple approaches the act? Readers don't usually purchase mysteries, suspense novels, or horror novels for sex. There's already a genre for novels with long-winded sex scenes.

By seriously considering what is affectionate and what is merely "physical," you can easily polish your love scenes. They will be mature, realistic, unforgettable, and give you much more room for originality. Most importantly, they will not bring your plot's momentum to a stand-still.

See Also:

Language - Violence/Gore