Thursday, June 10, 2010

Up For the Task?

Since I am one of the newer members here, I don't have any entries with PR to pull from and display once again here. However. I've been a blogger for a long time. Longer than for most people knew even what the heck blogging was. Plus, I've kept journals since I was a pre-teen. So, here's an entry from one of those defunct journals - dated Aug 1, 2002.

~*~

I heard someone once say that writing sex is easy. Not writing about sex, that’s easy – describe the natural sexual act between two people - simple mechanics that everyone is familiar with. No, I mean writing sex. All the emotions, entanglements, blood, sweat and tears.
I’ve been writing for as long as I can remember.
I’ve been writing sex for close to 10 years.
But this one person asked "How hard can it be to write sex? It’s something that everyone does. Just slap a few paragraphs together and WHAM! BAM! THANK-YOU MA’AM!"
*snicker*
If it were that easy, everyone would do it perfectly out of the gate. If you really think it's that easy, that simple and you don't already writer it - try it.
I dare you.
Write a story that captures the reader’s imagination, makes them understand every emotion, every thrust – without going into such detail that you lose their interest. Without having to spell everything out so that it’s all on the line for them and they have no ‘interaction’ with the characters.
After all, half the fun of reading is getting to use your imagination.
Write a story that finds that perfect balance where your reader is so captivated that they get to the end and scream for more.
Better yet, write a story with a plot.
*gasp*
Sex stories have plots?
Say it ain't so!!
Writing sex was one of the harder storytelling I started. I used to just write fantasy, sci-fi, and just plain fiction. But I wasn’t growing as a writer, I wasn't learning anything. I was throwing away more than I was keeping. In order to grow as a writer, you have to expand.
Bottom line, I’m not the best writer in the world. Shit, I personally think I suck, but I write for myself. For my own creativity. Writing about something everyone does and making it interesting is one hell of a task.

~*~

So, if you made it through that, you deserve a little reward. I worked something different out with the winner's name I drew last week - so I'll toss up a download of my first published novel, Flash of Dark, to one lucky commenter again. Be sure to leave me a way to contact you and the contest is open until midnight EST.

Good luck!

12 comments:

Stacey Kennedy said...

HA!"WHAM! BAM! THANK-YOU MA’AM!" I laughed out loud when I read that!

I LOVE the sex scenes you write ;) And my husband appreciates the effect *giggles*

Sandra Sookoo said...

Yes, sex with a plot. I think that's something alot of erotic writers on the market right now have forgotten. :-)

Sara Brookes said...

@Stacey LOL, well thank you. There's a lot more that ends up in the trash than actually being out there.

@Sandra I think that's where the line is drawn between erotica and erotic romance. I've always looked at it as an erotic romance is just a romance book where the sex scenes are just more explicit. Erotica is a different category completely - at least to me.

Booksrforever123 said...

I get similar comments when I read my erotic romances-why are you just reading sex scenes-don't you get enough at home. They don't realize that the book contains a plot, other action and emotions that pull the reader in a let them live a different life from their own for a little while.

Anonymous said...

Sex scenes can be very important in a book and a pivotal part of the plot. It's where the hero and heroine really grow together.

I too have read too many 'erotic' romances where sex was thrown into to every chapter, and the sex act was five to ten pages long. Can you imagine I was skipping a lot to finally get back to the plot...what there was of it...hehe!!!

Give me a riviting plot....with lots of sexual tension and one explosive sex scene at the end and wow!!! That's the kind of story I like personally.

Valerie
in Germany
valb0302@yahoo.com

Annie Nicholas said...

I remember writing and posting my first sex scene to be critiqued on our critique group. I wanted to crawl under a bed and die of embarrassment. I think Sandra and Rebecca were the first one to crit it too. LOL
Things sure have changed. I don't cringe anymore and actually look forward to writing them now.

Sandra Sookoo said...

LOL Annie! I used to feel that way too. Now, a sex scene is just another piece of the book. Some can be fun, others can be a trial but I don't stress over them anymore :-)

Cathy M said...

Hi Sara,

It truly is an art to blend the sex scenes with an intriguing storyline, and when it works right makes for such an enjoyable and memorable story.

I just got thru reading the first chapter you have posted for Flash of Dark, and its fabulous. Love your humor and the storyline.


caity_mack at yahoo dot com

SiNn said...

I have to sau ur a new to me author in general and i agree I love your humor and storyline soudns awesome ty for posting was great!

mortalsinn@yahoo.com

Sherry said...

I love to read erotic romance books but I want a book with a great story too. I think that a book without a story behind it can get boring pretty fast and the sex scenes can get old pretty fast.

sstrode@scrtc.com

The Scarf Princess said...

When reading a sex scene I don't want it to be clinical or full of purple prose. I'm looking for it to be steamy and full of emotion. Something that makes my heart pound just like the characters.

joderjo402 AT gmail DOT com

Rebecca Royce said...

Great blog today Sara. Spit out my drink at one part!!

Rebecca