by Ruth Harris
Into (almost) every book about grown-ups some sex must fall.
How or even whether the details are described is up to the author, but for now let’s get beyond the nitty-gritty details of who-does-what-to-whom and what-goes-where. Instead, let’s consider some likely circumstances, consequences and complications offered by literary sex.
1) Or, as Erica Jong called it in Fear Of Flying, The Zipless F*ck.
The curtains draw, angels sing and bliss ensues. The HEA works for fiction and especially in romance where it is obligatory.
But in other genres and at other times?
Well, it’s complicated.
For example—
2) Down And Dirty Sex.
Your MC (maybe) had a few too many drinks and Did It standing up in the corridor to the rest room.
Or in the back seat of a snappy red convertible on prom night.
With Mr/Ms Right.
Or Mr/Ms Oh-so-wrong.
Whatever the location or the circumstances, a strategically placed sex scene however inappropriate or embarrassing can inspire the author and send his/her book into a nuclear-fueled trajectory.
3) Revenge Sex
Your MC caught his/her beloved (?) cheating on him/her with his/her ex/best friend/boss.
Your MC is not about to stand still for this, sets about getting even, and since your MC knows the ex-beloved’s stress points and vulnerabilities, fantasies of tit-for-tat ensue.
Whereupon, considerations of Who/What/Where/When open the door to clever/creative plot twists.
4) Mercy Sex
S/he has been super helpful in some crucial way, but your MC also knows s/he is attracted to him/her and is dying to Do The Deed.
However, the attraction is not reciprocal. So what’s an honorable citizen (namely, your MC) to do? How does the writer manage the Graceful Exit?
Or, is this the unexpected start to a Grand Romance?
Writer’s choice. Make it a good one.
5) Ye Olde One Night Stand
It seemed like a good idea at the time, but on the Morning After other considerations ensue, followed by: Regret/Embarrassment/
Followed by the anguished “now what?”
If a stranger/someone your MC picked up in a bar, with any luck, this is someone might never see again. But we’re talking fiction and, of course, the couple must encounter each other again. At the Worst Possible Moment Under The World Possible Circumstances.
But what if it’s a colleague, a competitor or your MC had thought of as a pal or even The Boss? Your MC must face him/her in the office or at your favorite coffee shop the next day.
The plot potentials and inevitable twists are a writer’s banquet.
6) Replays and Highlight Reels
Your MC wants a replay but The One acts like s/he doesn’t know s/he’s alive.
What did your MC do wrong? Experience dreaded deodorant failure? Blab the play-by-play to his/her best friend who broadcast the details far and wide?
Or: Your MC fell into (and maybe out of) bed with his/her best friend’s wife/husband/dearly beloved.
Could anyone be *that* dumb?
Well, yes. Now s/he has to live with it — and there’s your story.
7) The HEA
The happy couple fall into each other’s arms, bliss ensues and the inevitability of an HEA shimmers on the horizon as (maybe) wedding bells ring.
Yup. Just like Real Life.
Sometimes. 😉
by Ruth Harris (@RuthHarrisBooks) January 28, 2024
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What about you, scriveners? What kind of sex do you write about most? Readers of some genres want only closed-door sex. Do you write for an audience who might write angry reviews if you have sex scenes, or do your readers ask for more? Do you have any advice for new writers who want to write a sex scene?
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Interesting question: In my particular case, I think I’ve come full circle. I started out graphic-ish, then as the years went by, I started writing not so graphic but expanded into using sex as weapon of control (mostly F to M) and coupled it with more touchy-feely with with words/phrases/gestures. The ability is still there, but I always apply the basic guideline that the scene shouldn’t go into the “adult entertainment” arena unless it’s actually germane to the story.
Makes my life easier as a writer.
Sorry, I had to basically go for the last one. Not into writing a sex scene. Implied is best for me.
Alex—Ditto. I assume my readers are grownups who know what happens in bedrooms.
Gosh, I read Fear of Flying ages ago and had forgotten all about the zipless f**k. Yep, that is a trope too, just two people doing it for no other reason than to get off.
There are so many scenarios, tropes, and subtropes to play with and adding a romantic/sexy subplot can add that special sauce to a story or even as part of character development.
Thanks for the entertaining and often amusing list, Ruth, and happy Sunday to you and Anne.
Hi Ruth & Anne,
Thanks for another entertaining read.
Keep up the good work.
CS—CS rest assured that Anne and I are beavering away to entertain and delight our readers!
G.B.—Excellent guideline! We’re authors. Not pornographers. 😉
Brenda—Isn’t your life richer now that you’ve been reminded of the joys (and literary possibilities) of the ZF? 😉
I testing post. I don’t write graphic sex scenes, although the nearest I came to it was in my historical novel, Jealousy of a Viking. The first time my protagonist had sex with her lover I felt I had to have a bit of it shown.
In my fantasy series, The Wolves of Vimar, two characters have sex, but it’s not seen. It’s at a celebration and they are both inebriated. They are attracted to each other. The male character, because of his backstory, does not think he’s good enough for her, so pretends it was just a one night stand. She is upset, but pretends she doesn’t really care.
This runs throughout the series, currently up to book 3, published with 4 in the rewrite stage.
V.M.—Thanks. Appreciate your sharing your thinking behind the placement/detail of your sex scenes. Helpful!
A happy Sunday afternoon to you two fine ladies. I’m not big on writing sex scenes. Not in my comfort zone. Sometimes I’ll vaguely hint at it and move on. But I have to ask if either of you know what hallway sex is. It’s where the relationship is so cold that one person passes the other in the hallway and says, “F-You!” The other replies, “Yeah, well F-You, too!”
Garry—Thanks. F and its variations are a significant part of life in NYC. Can stand for Hi, Thanks, Good Morning, Good Evening and, of course, F-You. 😉
A good sex scene is hard to write but when done right adds emotional depth to a story and engages the reader. There’s a beautifully written sex scene in Good Night Irene.
Yvonne—Agree! Thanks for the rec.
I’ve always agreed with that, Ruth, that a story about adults must have some sex, even if it’s only a reference. In my two published fantasy novels, the MCs couple with the other gender MCs, but details are either not mentioned or mostly implied. In my two New Adult novels, there’s more nitty-gritty, but it’s all affectionate or truly romantic.
However, mostly just for fun I occasionally write pure erotic short stories and publish them on the Literotica site under a pseudonym. I’ve found that the line between erotica and pornography (that site has both in abundance) is razor thin, yet blurred by personal subjectivity. I try to keep it all on the erotica side, but I have no doubt others might disagree.
One thing to recommend the stories on Literotica is that many of them are excellent examples of how not to write a story of any kind, and examples of bad writing are useful instruction, but hard to find.
I’m writing a love story and for me the sex scenes stop at the bedroom door. It’s a few kisses and hugs for my characters nand nothing more – it’s all very one flame. I would like to be able to write sex scenes, at least to have it in my writer’s toolkit, but it feels extremely difficult to get right. I stopped reading Outlander because I didn’t like the sex. I might be a bit squeamish about it all. One to work with in the future I think. Not for now for me.
Here’s one approach that worked: An author I knew had to have a few glasses of wine before he could write his quite successful sexy Southern Gothic epics.
Fred: Here’s a thought for an anthology: Rotten Raunchy Writing. 😉
Great post Ruth. I loved your breakdown on sex scenes. Personally I prefer to read – or write about a situation that may allude to sex, but not the actual act. After all, we have imaginations. Also, if hot sex is what a reader is after, there’s erotica for that. 🙂
Dg—thanks! We not only have imaginations. We also have experience. Writers are sexy, smart, and sensational!
Woohoo, yes we are! 🙂
Normally, I avoid sex scenes. But… several reviewers are hoping, praying, two of my characters “get together” so I am obliging. And blushing the entire time!
I’m just going to leave my writing in the implied arena. Some good points, but definitely not my wheelhouse.