sex scenes--explain this to me

BrandonfromOhio · Sep 9, 2007

hhhhh

willietheshakes · Sep 9, 2007

I'm curious as to what you're reading to make this sort of generalization.

ZannaPerry · Sep 9, 2007

I have yet to read a book about a virgin throwing off all her clothes and giving herself to the man. That's the kind of sex scene that would completely turn me off.

It's about building, and chemistry, and the ROMANCE!

Not how fast I can get my clothes off. To that, there's no romance at all. Just how quickly the characters can get off because it's "okay" to feel this way, but are they truly in love?

Excuse my french but that's how sluts were discovered.

victoria33 · Sep 9, 2007

By the way, I have now registered. I'm not Brandon, I'm his mother. You asked what books I'm reading, and one was Fortune's Rocks by Anita Shreve--the 15-year-old virgin. And maybe I'm oversimplifying--they kissed before making love, but I think that's about it. I do like Anita Shreve a lot. I know this has happened in other books, but I can't name them off the top of my head.
I appreciate your input. I'm glad my son mentioned this site to me. I have gotten essays and short stories published, and have started my first novel, but I am struggling with how to organize it. Have you written novels?

Azraelsbane · Sep 9, 2007

SuzyB said:
I have yet to read a book about a virgin throwing off all her clothes and giving herself to the man. That's the kind of sex scene that would completely turn me off.

It's about building, and chemistry, and the ROMANCE!

Not how fast I can get my clothes off. To that, there's no romance at all. Just how quickly the characters can get off because it's "okay" to feel this way, but are they truly in love?

Excuse my french but that's how sluts were discovered.

Sadly, I have read a lot of romance books that do the whole "I hate him so much!" Two page later *grunt, slurp, smackity smack*

Yeah, I hate that stuff... But there are good ones out there that stay away from this sort of idiocy. I've just wasted so much money on the others that I'm about to hang up my "romance reading" eyes.

Ava Jarvis · Sep 9, 2007

SuzyB said:
I have yet to read a book about a virgin throwing off all her clothes and giving herself to the man. That's the kind of sex scene that would completely turn me off.

Yeah, it's the kind of scene that makes me wonder....

- Was the author's experience really like that?
- Maybe the author thinks this is the ideal experience?
- Maybe the author thinks, "If only I did this as a real rebel teen"?
- Maybe the author is getting impatient and wants to write the hot scene *right now*?
- Maybe the author thinks most of their readers think the same way?
- Maybe the author... is a virgin?

It's about building, and chemistry, and the ROMANCE!

Here, here....

jodiodi · Sep 9, 2007

Not all books do it that way. In my submitted novel, my characters have months of buildup before they finally succumb, and neither is a virgin. I have a WiP where sex is more common in the civilizations of the MCs and love isn't a requirement; getting an heir, gaining some sort of mystical power, political negotiations, business transactions--sex can be a part of any of them.

I don't remember if I've ever written about virgins. I'll have to go back and look now.

But unrealistic sex within the rules of the society in the book is quite annoying.

ETA: It's not always about Romance. If the book isn't a romance, then there's no imperative to be romantic.

Gillhoughly · Sep 9, 2007

You guys might appreciate this humorous look at putting warning advisories on novels...

http://www.smartbitchestrashybooks.com/index.php/weblog/advisories_on_romance_novels/

Read, the open the "more more more" bit to read the advisory stickers.

PS--Naughty language alert! The Smart Bitches blog can get salty, but it is VERY funny, too.

Welcome victoria33! Enjoy your time here!

Some of us are published (I am and prefer to remain anonymous) some are not, and most of us are helpful.

This is a very positive site, no flame wars allowed, and you can get feedback for your work on the Share Your Work forums. Be sure to read the Welcome Newbie post. This is a huge board and it's easy to get lost amid all the goodies on display!

Williebee · Sep 9, 2007

Welcome Miss Victoria!

Gil -- thanks for the link. I think the "delayed gratifaction" sticker should be a requirement for the fantasy section.

The_Grand_Duchess · Sep 9, 2007

OMG! That was so funny!

Maybe the girl in the book was just really anxious to have her cherry popped? Sex is a funny thing. . .

amber_grosjean · Sep 9, 2007

None of my characters have been virgins, at least to my knowledge (my YA may have been but there's no sex in that one anyway).

As far as the scene goes, the characters take it slowly, taking the clothes off each other. I like building the scene, giving it an atmosphere, arousing the readers. You need a little of the foreplay of course lol. The whole experience is new for me since I've never written this type of books before but it can be rather fun as I sit there at my computer giving a play-by-play of what my characters are doing.

Why would I want to skip all the juicy parts and just have them throwing their clothes off and jumping into bed? I do realize some authors do that but where's the arousement in that? I want the steamy scenes lol.

And welcome to the group too!
Amber

scarletpeaches · Sep 9, 2007

I've read that book and loved it. Virgins can get horny too, you know.

On a sidenote, I've heard reviewers call Olympia a tart or a slut, as if her lover had nothing to do with it. You know, the older, married man who should have known better and had the responsibility in that liasion...

Wolvel · Sep 9, 2007

In my wip the mc starts out as a virgin, there is a scene when they change realms as they do there clothes transform from modern design to roman lion cloths and loose robes in which the female with him is fully bare chested and it affects him. She is several years his senior and just blows him off like its nothing.

Using this I built up the tension between them so when they were ready it was a go.

He is 21

she is 700

Their werewolves.

She_wulf · Sep 9, 2007

amber_grosjean said:
...

Why would I want to skip all the juicy parts and just have them throwing their clothes off and jumping into bed? I do realize some authors do that but where's the arousement in that? I want the steamy scenes lol...

Depends on what type of personality the 'narrator' has. I couldn't see Robert Jordan going through a lot of foreplay before taking Maria. It was the middle of the afternoon in a war zone for cryin out loud.

OTOH, there's approximately twenty pages of description in the latest Merry Gentry novel for one scene.

The characters above(or should I say authors listed above) have different styles. The writing reflects that.

job · Sep 9, 2007

victoria33 said:
You asked what books I'm reading, and one was Fortune's Rocks by Anita Shreve--the 15-year-old virgin. ... I know this has happened in other books, but I can't name them off the top of my head.

For the writer, the consideration is not so much ...

-- Should she have been more chary in spending her virginity?
-- This isn't my own experience.
-- Why doesn't she have better morals?
-- What are young people coming to these days?
-- I find this really offensive.

It's more ...

-- Why did the writer chose this particular kind of sex?
-- What does this say about the character?
-- How does it work in the story?
-- What are the plot consequences of this act?
-- Does the writer make it believable?

'

victoria33 said:
. In most novels, when the two lovers make love for the first time, they throw off all their clothes and go for it-?

I have to shake my head and ask ... what have you been reading?

'

victoria33 said:
. I have gotten essays and short stories published, and have started my first novel, but I am struggling with how to organize it. Have you written novels?

Some folks write outlines and summaries and flash cards and storyboards.
Some folks just start writing and see where it takes them.
Some folks write chronologically.
Some skip all over the story, working on scenes as they come to them and stringing them together at the end.

It's all very individual. Whatever works for you is right.

Felicia Beasley · Sep 9, 2007

One of the characters in my novel is considered a slut by some of the other more conservative characters but even she likes lots and lots of foreplay!!

Pila · Sep 9, 2007

I like the build up far more then I like the result. Books where the characters are so ready to lose their virginity to their 'one true love' is just stupid. I read one recently where the female MC wanted her vampire boyfriend to 'take her.' but he refused because he didn't want to hurt her. It was just really odd and I didn't like it at all. It seemed really out of place.

I like the sexual tension more then the sex.

OTOH, there's approximately twenty pages of description in the latest Merry Gentry novel for one scene

Hahahaha. The more recent Laurell K. Hamilton books are pretty much one big sex scene. It's not very, erm, "romantic" or anything lately, though >.>

scarletpeaches · Sep 9, 2007

LKH needs a damn good hack 'n' slash editor if you ask me. And some talent that would enable her to think of, you know...a story, rather than "Stick another sex scene in!"

Pila · Sep 9, 2007

LKH needs a damn good hack 'n' slash editor if you ask me. And some talent that would enable her to think of, you know...a story, rather than "Stick another sex scene in!"

I know, and I was SO excited when I discovered her series. I was in love. But then I got farther in and it just became one big sex fest, in which case the sex isn't even that good anymore. It's gross. If I hear the words 'wet' and 'tight' used in the same sentence one more time, I'm going to vomit.

I've talked to somebody that works with her publisher he says Laurell's editor says that the books come in even WORSE. That's just messed up.

But at long as people keep buying the books, they'll keep getting published *shrugs* Whatever floats peoples boats.

scarletpeaches · Sep 9, 2007

I've only read the first two Anita Blake books. A friend said the later ones are great. But she's into BDSM anyway, whereas I'm a bit more...shall we say, vanilla? TMI. Anyway. To her, these scenes are realistic. I daren't ask what her and her boyfriend get up to. But she's reading them as a pervert, whereas I'd be reading them as a writer. There's no story there from what I can see from flicking through the books. It's just porn, and not even arousing porn at that. It's not even erotica, just very bad writing.

willietheshakes · Sep 9, 2007

Felicia Beasley said:
One of the characters in my novel is considered a slut by some of the other more conservative characters but even she likes lots and lots of foreplay!!

Well, in all fairness, I've found the sluts do like lots and lots of...

In books! I've found IN BOOKS...

scarletpeaches · Sep 9, 2007

Definition of a slut = a woman who has the sexual morals of a man.

willietheshakes · Sep 9, 2007

Can't argue with that.

CaroGirl · Sep 9, 2007

I neither write nor read romance so I don't have the same reading experience as you. Typically, sex scenes need to be believable and take into account character traits. It destroys a novel for me if the virginal young lady suddenly feels free enough to throw off every stitch and prance around a stripper pole, later revealing herself to be inexplicably knowlegeable in the act of fellatio.

Like all scenes, the sex scene should have a reason for being there and should move the story forward.

willietheshakes · Sep 9, 2007

CaroGirl said:
It destroys a novel for me if the virginal young lady suddenly feels free enough to throw off every stitch and prance around a stripper pole, later revealing herself to be inexplicably knowlegeable in the act of fellatio.

Well, the aptitude for fellatio often has an explanation, though, particularly in the "saving it for marriage" crowd...

(God I'm in a punchy mood this afternoon. Too much reviewing, too little human contact.)

sex scenes--explain this to me

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