The Journal: Thoughts on Writing Sex Scenes

In today’s Journal

* Thoughts on Writing Sex Scenes
* Of Interest

Thoughts on Writing Sex Scenes

In today’s Kill Zone blog (see “Of Interest”), PJ Parrish (actually two authors) presented a post on writing sex scenes. But don’t get too excited. The article isn’t so much a how-to as an ought-to. I linked to the post because it was well written, witty and entertaining.

That said, I disagree with the seeming basic premise of the post, that writing explicit sex scenes is necessary to a good story, at least anywhere other than in erotic or other genres where that sort of thing is expected by the reader. Or in porn, in which there is no story.

My take? The writer always should meet reader expectations in any genre.

BUT in most genres, if graphically illuminating the intimate details of a sex or love-making scene is necessary to advance the storyline, then sure, put it in (so to speak). In that case, I recommend writing what makes you uncomfortable. Usually that would be either the truth or your wildest, no-holds-barred fantasy.

On the other hand, much can be said for an emotionally heated warmup—usually via tense, breathe-through or even gasped-through dialogue—followed by a zoom-out on a closed door or drapery or other barrier that gives the characters their privacy.

At which point the reader’s mind will take over and s/he will experience his/her own best version of the scene.

Trust me. No writer can write a sex scene that is more exciting than the one that will occur in the reader’s mind once s/he’s led in the right direction.

Talk with you again later.

Of Interest

See “Dates of the Monthly Workshop Sales” at https://deanwesleysmith.com/dates-of-the-monthly-workshop-sales/.

See “Workshop Curriculum 8/1/2022” at https://deanwesleysmith.com/workshop-curriculum-8-1-2022/. A good guide if you’re considering taking some courses.

See “…Emerging Translator Mentorships” at https://www.thepassivevoice.com/englands-national-centre-for-writing-emerging-translator-mentorships/.

The Numbers

The Journal…………………………………… 310 words

Writing of Blackwell Ops 8 (tentative title, novel)

Day 19… 2117 words. Total words to date…… 41729

Total fiction words for July……… 0
Total fiction words for the year………… 45405
Total nonfiction words for July… 8710
Total nonfiction words for the year…… 102840
Total words for the year (fiction and this blog)…… 148245

Calendar Year 2022 Novels to Date…………………… 0
Calendar Year 2021 Novellas to Date……………… 0
Calendar Year 2021 Short Stories to Date… 0
Novels (since Oct 19, 2014)…………………………………… 66
Novellas (since Nov 1, 2015)………………………………… 8
Short stories (since Apr 15, 2014)………………… 217
Short story collections……………………………………………… 31

Disclaimer: I advocate a technique called Writing Into the Dark. I’ve never said WITD is “the only way” to write, nor will I ever. However, as I am the only writer who advocates WITD both publicly and regularly, I will continue to do so, among other topics.