Good sex in fiction

[SamScribble]

http://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/public/good-sex-fiction/

Just one person's opinion - but interesting.

 

[sr71plt]

Writing the sex act can easily make it sound laughable. I've found, though, that I come closer to laughing at the flowery language and euphemisms I see employed in what is called literary fiction than I do in straightforward erotica or porn. I did read a passage in a novel recently that I thought did this well--but it was just a preliminary scene (Lisa Klausmann's Villa America). I then put a full-blown smutty scene evoked by it in my coming novella "The Aviators." I thought it more honest to take it to orgasm.

 

[Handley_Page]

http://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/public/good-sex-fiction/

Just one person's opinion - but interesting.

Oh very.

 

[rawsilk]

http://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/public/good-sex-fiction/

Just one person's opinion - but interesting.

Over the years I have read some beautiful stories describing sex on Literotica and elsewhere. I believe it is the ability of the writer to touch the reader at an emotional level. Once my emotions are engaged in a story then the flow of sex is a natural thing if that is part of its component. I enjoy being seduced by a story not raped. I recently read a story on Lit written many years ago about two men who were prison inmates. There was sex all throughout the story and there was also an emotional level so tender and loving I felt deep emotion. That for me is where sex becomes beautiful and a good part of the story.

 

[SamScribble]

Over the years I have read some beautiful stories describing sex on Literotica and elsewhere. I believe it is the ability of the writer to touch the reader at an emotional level. Once my emotions are engaged in a story then the flow of sex is a natural thing if that is part of its component. I enjoy being seduced by a story not raped. I recently read a story on Lit written many years ago about two men who were prison inmates. There was sex all throughout the story and there was also an emotional level so tender and loving I felt deep emotion. That for me is where sex becomes beautiful and a good part of the story.

For me, one of the things that makes the sex 'work' is the characters. Can I imagine these people doing it? Because if I can't, the sex becomes detached from the story - and then it often becomes contrived, ridiculous, ludicrous, silly. (Choose your own term.)

 

[NotWise]

For me, one of the things that makes the sex 'work' is the characters. Can I imagine these people doing it? Because if I can't, the sex becomes detached from the story - and then it often becomes contrived, ridiculous, ludicrous, silly. (Choose your own term.)

Characters are the only thing that makes it work for me, but then good characters can do outlandish things .

 

[CyranoJ]

That article made me wonder... why isn't there a Good Sex in Fiction award? There really ought to be.

 

[sr71plt]

There are limits to the emotion of it that I haven't seen mainstream works achieve (and that's how I got into erotica--mainstream wasn't getting into it enough for me). You won't often see a description in the mainstream of the feeling/sensations/emotions of being inside someone and in motion or having someone inside you.

And I don't have to give characters in detail to give focus and emphasis to an actual sex scene. I think it's too easy to fall back on emphasis on complete characters here (like reading that several times in a how-to book)--a short story can legitimately emphasize another element altogether and be a successful work.

 

[NotWise]

Characters are the only thing that makes it work for me, but then good characters can do outlandish things .

To extend my own thought...

I read the excerpts in the article, but I don't think I've read any of the stories they were excerpted from. Without knowing the characters the excerpts were just pretty, mostly meaningless, and not very arousing.

I need to have some sense of the characters before what they do -- no matter how prettily described the acts might be -- is exciting to me.

 

[rawsilk]

I am interested in the psychology (if that is the right word) behind people as they write their stories. Is there a feeling of arousal when writing and at what point does that come in to play if at all? Right from the start of the story or at the point of the sexual encounter, throughout the story or not at all? Perhaps there is no arousal either. Is it all about the construction of story and characters? I ask because I am new to writing and would be interested to hear from experienced writers and how they write.

 

[sr71plt]

It's usually a sense of arousal at a story idea forming that sends me to the keyboard in the first place and I maintain a certain level of arousal through at least the last of the sex.