All That Sex!
There was a time when few novels, even romance novels, had much sex in them. There
were many embraces and lots of panting and kissing and even some petting, but in a
large percent of the books, when it went beyond that, the bedroom door closed and the
scene broke off right there to leave the rest of the encounter to our own vivid
imaginations.
By the time the new millennium rolled around, those bedroom doors were often being
left wide open--if the impassioned couple even waited long enough to find a bedroom.
Some authors began to feel pressured to write out those encounters in more and more
detail when it became clear that a lot of the women who were buying romance novels
were no longer satisfied with a closed-door policy.
I began to get messages from new authors who were working themselves into a tizzy of
it all. “I can’t write sex scenes no matter how hard I try.” “What if my mother or one of
the ladies from the church got the chance to read what I wrote?” “When I write sex
scenes they read flat, with no sizzle at all. Kind of like directions on how to install a
dishwasher.” “I write those hot scenes, but it’s like pulling teeth because I’m so
uncomfortable about it.” ect…. All of them ended with a cry for help, a “What should I
do?” or a “How do you write them?” or something along those lines.
The truth is, anytime you try to write something that you don’t want to write, that you
don’t like, that you are uncomfortable with, it’s not going to work out as well as it
should. It’s never going to be your strongest writing, the writing that will show off your
real talent for story telling at its best. Just because there is a trend for publishers to buy
paranormal romances or erotic romance or humorous romance, doesn’t mean you
should try to pen one. You will do your best writing when you spend your time writing
what you enjoy, or at least writing within your own comfort zone.
If you are comfortable writing it but fear what others will think of you, well, that can
hold you back just as tightly. Maybe it would help to write under a pen name so you can
put that worry away and write freely. Sadly, many people will read a book where six
women are kidnapped, tortured and then hacked to pieces, with it all described in great
gory detail, and not find any offence in it, but those same people will almost
hyperventilate over an adult couple making love with it being described with any real
details at all.
When you figure out what you are comfortable writing, then you’ll know just how much
sex should be in your stories. Don’t forget there are romance publishers out there that
still buy books with no sex in them at all and others with mild sex, or limited sex. Even
in a pretty hot romance, sex is a very small part of the story. The romance is the sexual
tension between two people who are falling in love, the tingle when his hand brushes
hers, the way her heart races when he stares into her eyes, the way the scent of her
perfume distracts him beyond reason, or the way his palms itch because he wants to
touch her so badly. A story can vibrate with sexual tension without one sex scene.
Charlotte Dillon ~ www.charlottedillon.com
Copyrighted 2007 by Charlotte Dillon
were many embraces and lots of panting and kissing and even some petting, but in a
large percent of the books, when it went beyond that, the bedroom door closed and the
scene broke off right there to leave the rest of the encounter to our own vivid
imaginations.
By the time the new millennium rolled around, those bedroom doors were often being
left wide open--if the impassioned couple even waited long enough to find a bedroom.
Some authors began to feel pressured to write out those encounters in more and more
detail when it became clear that a lot of the women who were buying romance novels
were no longer satisfied with a closed-door policy.
I began to get messages from new authors who were working themselves into a tizzy of
it all. “I can’t write sex scenes no matter how hard I try.” “What if my mother or one of
the ladies from the church got the chance to read what I wrote?” “When I write sex
scenes they read flat, with no sizzle at all. Kind of like directions on how to install a
dishwasher.” “I write those hot scenes, but it’s like pulling teeth because I’m so
uncomfortable about it.” ect…. All of them ended with a cry for help, a “What should I
do?” or a “How do you write them?” or something along those lines.
The truth is, anytime you try to write something that you don’t want to write, that you
don’t like, that you are uncomfortable with, it’s not going to work out as well as it
should. It’s never going to be your strongest writing, the writing that will show off your
real talent for story telling at its best. Just because there is a trend for publishers to buy
paranormal romances or erotic romance or humorous romance, doesn’t mean you
should try to pen one. You will do your best writing when you spend your time writing
what you enjoy, or at least writing within your own comfort zone.
If you are comfortable writing it but fear what others will think of you, well, that can
hold you back just as tightly. Maybe it would help to write under a pen name so you can
put that worry away and write freely. Sadly, many people will read a book where six
women are kidnapped, tortured and then hacked to pieces, with it all described in great
gory detail, and not find any offence in it, but those same people will almost
hyperventilate over an adult couple making love with it being described with any real
details at all.
When you figure out what you are comfortable writing, then you’ll know just how much
sex should be in your stories. Don’t forget there are romance publishers out there that
still buy books with no sex in them at all and others with mild sex, or limited sex. Even
in a pretty hot romance, sex is a very small part of the story. The romance is the sexual
tension between two people who are falling in love, the tingle when his hand brushes
hers, the way her heart races when he stares into her eyes, the way the scent of her
perfume distracts him beyond reason, or the way his palms itch because he wants to
touch her so badly. A story can vibrate with sexual tension without one sex scene.
Charlotte Dillon ~ www.charlottedillon.com
Copyrighted 2007 by Charlotte Dillon
 |  |  |
This article, and all of my articles, may be used for free in a free
newsletter or on a free website as long as 'my name and a link to my
homepage' is given. You may not include my articles in an e-book
without asking unless it's a free e-book and my name and link are
included. You may not charge in any way for others to read or reach
these articles. They may not be used in any way for profit, like in a
workshop, class, site where people have to pay for a membership, ect...
If you find my articles being used in any way that isn't free and open
and including my name and link, please report the situation to me so it
can be handled. If you are unsure if your use will fall under what is
allowed, please contact me and ask. Thanks!
newsletter or on a free website as long as 'my name and a link to my
homepage' is given. You may not include my articles in an e-book
without asking unless it's a free e-book and my name and link are
included. You may not charge in any way for others to read or reach
these articles. They may not be used in any way for profit, like in a
workshop, class, site where people have to pay for a membership, ect...
If you find my articles being used in any way that isn't free and open
and including my name and link, please report the situation to me so it
can be handled. If you are unsure if your use will fall under what is
allowed, please contact me and ask. Thanks!