Transitioning to sex scenes in longer stories

[mildlyaroused]

I'm currently writing my longest piece of erotica. It's 11k words and counting (I'd guess it'll wind up around 20k). It's not actually that much longer than the first Lit story I wrote (12k words), but that first story was just a single very extended sex scene. For this latest piece I've decided to actually write a story the accompany the horniness, which means character + narrative development - and scene changes.

For those versed in longer works, how do you tackle the constant transition into and out of sex scenes? What are some strategies you use to make the characters' slip into foreplay unique and interesting each time? Any other relevant advice or expertise?

At the moment I'm treating each progression of my coupling's sex life as another rung on their emotional ladder. As their emotional connection grows, so do the lengths they go in bed (or couch or car or kitchen table). This is working well, as is varying the setting and the activity they were occupied with before getting it on. It helps that they are a new couple so I can continually escalate their sexual acts with each scene.

But it's still sometimes awkward when I start writing another scene and I'm like, "Okay, they're emotionally ready in the context of the narrative for another sex scene... now I just have to transition from the wholesome to the naughty..."

When sex features in my non-Lit writing it is unique in its own right, since it only features scarcely (in a dedicated, explicit state). I probably write one sex scene per 300 pages outside of Lit, so I don't have to care about varying the transition into sex.

 

[orangecurious]

Not sure I am any real help as someone commented on my really long story that the sex got repetitive at the end (slightly odd as the sex scenes were much shorter as I had concentrated on the initial frenzy and then the characters settled into a long term relationship, but people who comment are always right, especially when they have no stories of their own.)

Anyway, i tried to slide into a new scene by changing the location (characters on a special holiday) or trying something different - to highlight how they had evolved their sex from the first couplings. I tended to keep those scenes shorter too - alluding to things they had already done, in length, to show (or at least try) they were still active in their 'normal' habits.

I think the scene in Don't Look Now is good... the characters' actions are shown as they go about a normal scene, showing how sex is natural for them. Well, that's how I look at it.

 

[STrent]

I'm currently writing my longest piece of erotica. It's 11k words and counting (I'd guess it'll wind up around 20k). It's not actually that much longer than the first Lit story I wrote (12k words), but that first story was just a single very extended sex scene. For this latest piece I've decided to actually write a story the accompany the horniness, which means character + narrative development - and scene changes.

For those versed in longer works, how do you tackle the constant transition into and out of sex scenes? What are some strategies you use to make the characters' slip into foreplay unique and interesting each time? Any other relevant advice or expertise?

At the moment I'm treating each progression of my coupling's sex life as another rung on their emotional ladder. As their emotional connection grows, so do the lengths they go in bed (or couch or car or kitchen table). This is working well, as is varying the setting and the activity they were occupied with before getting it on. It helps that they are a new couple so I can continually escalate their sexual acts with each scene.

But it's still sometimes awkward when I start writing another scene and I'm like, "Okay, they're emotionally ready in the context of the narrative for another sex scene... now I just have to transition from the wholesome to the naughty..."

When sex features in my non-Lit writing it is unique in its own right, since it only features scarcely (in a dedicated, explicit state). I probably write one sex scene per 300 pages outside of Lit, so I don't have to care about varying the transition into sex.

This is a great question and topic and one I have been struggling with in my own work.

Each chapter in my novel in progress has a sex scene or something sexual it centres around, but there is a bigger plot and my current rules include making sure that the sex is not incidental to the plot, it has to advance the plot in some meaningful way.

So it has to feel like a natural transition into something that actually would happen.

E.g. - in my first published story, there’s a business reason that turns into sex later. The decisions in this story inform the plot later in the novel.

I guess really part of this ends with “it depends” on what your endgame is.

 

[StillStunned]

Each chapter in my novel in progress has a sex scene or something sexual it centres around, but there is a bigger plot and my current rules include making sure that the sex is not incidental to the plot, it has to advance the plot in some meaningful way.

So it has to feel like a natural transition into something that actually would happen.

I agree with this. The sex has to be intrinsic, not cosmetic. If you get that right, it's easy to transition in.

As for transitioning out, as a middle-aged man I find that a short nap afterwards is the most realistic way of portraying it.

 

[AlinaX]

Make it a seduction. Always, make it a seduction.

"I love a man who does the dishes," Amy murmurs, her breath warm against my neck.

"If your hand stays where it is, and keeps doing what it's doing, I won't be doing the dishes much longer," I warn.

Amy giggles. "That would be a shame. Maybe I should let you finish..."

 

[luv2custrip]

Hmmm. It’s been pointed out to me that one of my main MCs rarely gets to get off. Let everything happen naturally, unless you’re writing “The Forty Days of Sex Positions.”

 

[ElectricBlue]

For those versed in longer works, how do you tackle the constant transition into and out of sex scenes? What are some strategies you use to make the characters' slip into foreplay unique and interesting each time? Any other relevant advice or expertise?

Whenever I find it difficult to get into a sex scene, it's always because my characters aren't ready for it yet. So they circle around each other until they are ready. That's why my stories have so many cafés or road trips - my characters either need more coffee, or the symbolism of a journey. Those tropes never fail to work, just takes a while longer.

 

[samhasstories]

Honestly, for me, the transition should be the half the fun. Even if the focus is emotional rather than erotic connection, desire should be a part of it. That desire ramps up, characters tempted and maybe resist for one reason or another, until they can't help it anymore. By the time the sex happens, there is no transition - it's inevitable, unavoidable.

If that transition is feeling awkward, then it may be that that desire hasn't been developed enough. In which case you can either go back and ramp that up in revision, or you can take your time, keep their hands off each other a little while longer while that desire continues to build.

 

[AlinaX]

Whenever I find it difficult to get into a sex scene, it's always because my characters aren't ready for it yet. So they circle around each other until they are ready. That's why my stories have so many cafés or road trips - my characters either need more coffee, or the symbolism of a journey. Those tropes never fail to work, just takes a while longer.

Amy glowered at me. "That's three coffees so far and now we're fifty miles from the nearest cafe. I say you stop here so I can pee at the side of the road - I'll even let you watch - but after that I'm not waiting. Either fuck me, or take me home."

 

[ElectricBlue]

Amy glowered at me. "That's three coffees so far and now we're fifty miles from the nearest cafe. I say you stop here so I can pee at the side of the road - I'll even let you watch - but after that I'm not waiting. Either fuck me, or take me home."

Precise, and brilliant. Fifty word erotica. Who needs 750 words?

 

[pink_silk_glove]

For those versed in longer works, how do you tackle the constant transition into and out of sex scenes? What are some strategies you use to make the characters' slip into foreplay unique and interesting each time? Any other relevant advice or expertise?

Well there are two kinds of sex scenes. The first are the kind that are integral to the plot (or in a straight stroker they basically are the plot). These will occur naturally when they need to regardless of the length of the story. The other kind are service scenes. Service scenes really only happen in longer stories. There's a stretch of plot with no sex and well, it's erotica so you have to give some service now and then. So you stick a sexy bit in where it best fits to pace the story. It really is about pace with these scenes.

How to transition in and out of them? Not sure. I know that I'm always conscious of these things but I've always kinda gone by feel. When I actually start to write the scene I'll know if it feels right or not. Everything with me has to pass the motive test.

I've often used side characters to fool around in the background while the main characters carried plot or filled backstory etc. One of my fave scenes is my main character going to the salon to get her hair done and while in the chair she fills in some backstory (first person narrative). At the same time one of the henchmen whom the reader had been previously told was a notorious ladies' man fucked the hairdresser's assistant in the background, like real hot and steamy and everything. This gave some service during a lull in the plot but also showed the reader just how seductive that he was with women.

 

[intim8]

now I just have to transition from the wholesome to the naughty...

For one, sex can be wholesome, even on Lit. If you're trying to make it "naughty" and that doesn't fit the characters, yeah, the transition will be awkward.

That transition (to wholesome sex or naughty) starts long before the clothes start coming off. (Usually - an abrupt surprising transition can be interesting if not overdone and if it makes sense given who the characters are.) Tone of voice, body language, choice of words, mental state, quality of eye contact, all of those are parts of the transition to sex. Build those in as the scene progresses - along with what is going on in the head of the POV character - and the transition in the writing will seem as natural as the transition in real life.

Figure out what each character wants (or doesn't want) going in, what they discover that they want (or don't want) as it progresses, and what the obstacles to it are. Show the wants developing and the obstacles falling. Sometimes that process is all finshed before the sex starts, sometimes it carries well into the encounter.

And when you get the hang of that, you can subvert it. Show the buildup, then... for whatever reason, it doesn't happen. This tiime.

 

[SimonDoom]

Whenever I find it difficult to get into a sex scene, it's always because my characters aren't ready for it yet. So they circle around each other until they are ready. That's why my stories have so many cafés or road trips - my characters either need more coffee, or the symbolism of a journey. Those tropes never fail to work, just takes a while longer.

I want to read an EB cafe-hopping story that parallels the Odyssey, with its sirens, giants, smashing rocks, and suitors, and a finish with an irresistible, lissome young hot wife named Penelope. It would be right up your alley.

 

[alohadave]

For those versed in longer works, how do you tackle the constant transition into and out of sex scenes?

For my longer stories, I tried to make sure that I had story to stitch the sex scenes together. So the sex ends and the plot/story moves along.

Also, you can do a scene transition when needed and just move on to the next scene. You don't need to show everything that happens.

 

[ElectricBlue]

I want to read an EB cafe-hopping story that parallels the Odyssey, with its sirens, giants, smashing rocks, and suitors, and a finish with an irresistible, lissome young hot wife named Penelope. It would be right up your alley.

Hmmm. I've reworked the Arthurian myth, making it more to my taste; chutzpahed an updated version of the HAL 9000 computer into a story; and lost my virginity with Penelope, so....

I could name the hero Simon. Although, if Penelope is a young hot wife, you'd be about twelve, so there's a problem right there. Do houses in Athens have attics? We could lock you in up there, while Suzie Penelope frolics down below.

The Cretan Kitchen. That might work.

#69

 

[Euphony]

What are some strategies you use to make the characters' slip into foreplay unique and interesting each time?

It's about the relationship and the best examples are characters who are whole within themselves (the anti-thesis being the ever common "woman, to a far more infrequent degree a man, who's defined by this relationship or sex working out. Working towards connection can be a priority but many characters end up relationshipy all consumed b/c the author leaves out other life considerations, priorities, relationships, hobbyies, etc.)

Just like those lovely "we just clicked" dates where you lose track of time. Give them stuff to lose track of time over.

Any other relevant advice or expertise?

I'm big on mindset and allowing yourself plenty of room to express your own concept of how these two people connect b/c you know them intimately and why this pairing works for the both of them (and do be sure you show it works for the both of them.)

I am intrigued by unique "bids for attention/connection." A lot of authors burn out of the same ol' same ol' and end up going down the path to more outlandish physical sex acts. Ok but it's a shallow sandbox compared to what else is possible.

Try not to focus too much on writing character actions that model the usual sex scripts most of us default to. What unique thing might rev their engine and what might have inspired that? Maybe she's really into the art of making tea and somebody not looking at her like an alien when she goes through the ritualistic process she's refined for herself but instead they show curiosity/ask questions to show they are interested in what she's interested in b/c she's interested in it.

The why can be she's lactose intolerant and industrial tea bags was all she could drink in the house growing up. (parents bought into the "milk does a body good" campaigns)

Don't focus to much on this particular idea but moreso the concept of somebody trying to click over something they are digging on is into.

Guards get let down. Little touches and escalating contact continues. When you are really clicking, you find it becomes fairly plain it's time for these people to connect connect.

 

[M_K_Babalon]

It's not as difficult as you're making it out to be, and you're probably over thinking it.

I don't typically write my characters fucking for fucks sake, aka fan service. They need to be in the mood for it, even if they are a little dirty, and the situation allows it, because for all intents and purpose, they're real people.

In my latest incest story one scene the guy is having a wet dream and humping his mom, who doesn't like morning sex, or waking up to it, so sex didn't happen, although it happened again after his cousin spent the night, and she guided him to her, where she had no problem with it. The three of them took a shower together once, and no sex happened. Once his mom was upset, so he ran a bath for her and joined her in the tub, there was no sex, but the comforting did turn into some mutual masterbation. He did not take an older family members offer of sex, once. The three of them have not had a threesome.

I have a mature story where the woman does a little comedic flirting with the guy as she gets him out of his clothes to wash, because her daughter puked on him, they don't have sex, but she does give him head for his trouble. An earlier scene, she shows him her new tits before having him rub sun screen on her back, he ends up in a daze and massages her as he zoned out, but nothing came from it. He was also in the bathroom with her while she was taking a shower and no sex came from it.

Another incest story, the mom just started roleplaying while she was cooking, when her son came home from work. She was a british maid with a cockney accent.

It's up to you to decide based on your characters personalities when they should have sex. Is all the characters need is for her to bend down and pick something up for him to mount her, or pulling clothes out the dryer, or does there hafta be a right mood and situation, like flirting around and making out on the couch?

 

[EmilyMiller]

Transitioning to sex scenes in longer stories​

For my longest work, Heaven & Hole, I made it easy for myself. Yes it’s my most intricate plot, yes it juggles a large cast, yes it could probably be re-written as a non-erotic thriller, but I made it easy for myself.

After some set-up, the central idea was for one or both of the two FMCs to fuck their way through a household. Now each fuck achieved something, got them closer to their goal. It was organic in that sense. I even subverted the structure by having one FMC get the artifact she needed without having sex. This makes sense as the FMCs were chosen for the mission in part because of their experience seducing humans (one is a demon, one an angel).

It’s 32k words, so a bit longer than yours, but not by much.

Emily

 

[lustychimera]

there is a bigger plot and my current rules include making sure that the sex is not incidental to the plot, it has to advance the plot in some meaningful way.

I'm totally with you on that. Scenes should do multiple things at once. I saw a screenwriting deal where a guy was comparing action scenes to musical numbers, saying that at their heart, they should try serve the same narrative function. They go into it with some kind of want or conflict that carries over directly from the story, then through the dance or shoot-em-up number, they work through it-- or at the very least, experience some kind of change.

In my mind, sex scenes are the same thing. Im not a huge fan of just having the sex scenes be the reward at the end, like the catharsis after the buildup. I don't think it's bad, but I don't think it's as good, either. I like for them fucking (or fighting or dancing) to show how the plot advances.

They want this clear thing going in, and either they get it or their goal changes at the end. They're just acting out those progressive changes as they go, and they shouldn't be the same at the end as they were at the beginning---or at least, that's the goal. If they are, then why am I even showing it?

 

[STrent]

I'm totally with you on that. Scenes should do multiple things at once. I saw a screenwriting deal where a guy was comparing action scenes to musical numbers, saying that at their heart, they should try serve the same narrative function. They go into it with some kind of want or conflict that carries over directly from the story, then through the dance or shoot-em-up number, they work through it-- or at the very least, experience some kind of change.

In my mind, sex scenes are the same thing. Im not a huge fan of just having the sex scenes be the reward at the end, like the catharsis after the buildup. I don't think it's bad, but I don't think it's as good, either. I like for them fucking (or fighting or dancing) to show how the plot advances.

They want this clear thing going in, and either they get it or their goal changes at the end. They're just acting out those progressive changes as they go, and they shouldn't be the same at the end as they were at the beginning---or at least, that's the goal. If they are, then why am I even showing it?

This paragraph. This. I’m saluting that. The characters should be changing in some way.

In the (bordering on ridiculous at times) novel I’m working on, the characters are slowly growing over three decades worth of intimacy and mistakes.

But even at the slow rate of growth, there should still be something that makes the narrative move forward.

I have only, I think, ended one of the chapters on having sex and the end of sex - and that actually was entirely about changing the narrative and advancing the plot (they were cheating! There was a long build up to the moment of sex. The point realising the attraction was still there to getting to sex was the narrative).

 

[AlexBailey]

In my reality, morning sex is usually the most spontaneous and natural. Morning wood and a dreamy state of mind are so inspiring! It just seems natural to do it in a story.

I'm having the kind of dreams that I don't want to wake from - sweet and sensual, sexual and exciting. I want to stay in my dreams, but something is pulling me over the line where I'm too awake - too aware of strange and pleasurable sensations in the real world. I desperately try to hold on but my dreamland fantasy is slipping away. Something is disturbing me - tugging at me. I try to brush it away but I can't... there's a head of hair in the way.

Oh my god! My eyes fly open. I'm still half asleep but I hear myself moaning. Jena is sucking on my cock! Her mouth has me - first thing in the morning.

 

[Whanmore]

For those versed in longer works, how do you tackle the constant transition into and out of sex scenes? What are some strategies you use to make the characters' slip into foreplay unique and interesting each time? Any other relevant advice or expertise?



But it's still sometimes awkward when I start writing another scene and I'm like, "Okay, they're emotionally ready in the context of the narrative for another sex scene... now I just have to transition from the wholesome to the naughty..."

So I'm by no means an expert but your questions intrigued me. If you look me y stories, Multiple characters with lots of sex scenes the lend to narrative is how i like to write. I actually find it harder writing stories with little back story.

I tackle sex scenes like any scene. Why s it needed. What purpose does it serve. There's much ore at stake then "how to I get these two naked?" DO the characters both want to have sex. Does only one but the other is open. Is one reluctant? Do Both characters want to but are unsure of the other's motives? It's alot of fun to have with the inner and outer dialogue.

Dialogue is also key. Rarely does sex happen in silence. Words are uttered. Think back to your own experiences. Think "What do YOU the author want to happen" and then "what actually would happen" and then meet that somewhere in the middle.

At least that's my own advice to myself. I got like >60 followers but I love them All!