why sex?

Maybe a good tie-in question to the last post is what someone else asked: Why sex?


I wasn't sure if she meant the name of the blog or what I sometimes write. But for this post we'll go with the writing.

A couple of years ago I was offered a contract to write on an erotica franchise, so I did. I thought it would be a creative challenge. Since then, I've written hundreds of sex scenes. And you know what? It hasn't lost its allure, but it isn't so...excrutiating to write. Just today I texted a writer friend: [character] sure would be easier to write if I could write the sex scenes. I've played with this character a lot and one of the ways she definitely expresses herself is through sex. I feel a little handicapped by the lack of it, like I need a flathead screwdriver when I only have a Phillips. (see what I did there? SCREWdriver...heh...sigh)

I've found that sex can make for wonderful opportunities to illustrate character.  And sex is impossible to write without imbuing emotion, thereby letting your reader in on your character. They're challenging in all ways for me--choreography, writing just the right amount, but really in the ultimate way: showing love and desire through almost pure action, not narrative or much dialogue. I think that's why I like to write sex scenes. They are the ultimate action scene, the best showing type of scene-- for me, anyway. (Not a fan of a lot of internal narrative, which is why Kaelin can be so tough for me to write. He is all thought and carefully controlled action, not much dialogue. I like my chatty Cathys better.)

I  write sex scenes with no real planning (in plots it just says "Sex" or "Fucking"). Katriel and Aric often have visceral, rough sex. I didn't know why, or even notice, until I started the second book of their series. (And you'll just have to read the books and work it out for yourselves.) And that's typical. I learn a lot about my characters through their sex scenes. And yes, I have written out-take sex scenes with my characters and their love interests for my books that don't include detailed sequences.

And, really, to answer the question, I'll paraphrase Siebendach from yesterday: Why not?