I need help from ladies

[gauchecritic]

Spam yay. Pick ups yay. Looking for cyber yay. Not really.

The thread title plea should be 'I need help from readers of romantic fiction.'

As my 'prize' (does this make me an award winning author?) for my contribution to the latest 'Coming Together' anthology 'For the Cure' I chose a commission. I asked the Ed and another contributor what the publisher was looking for in the way of story.
They both said lots of plot with lots of sex.

My problem at the moment is two fold. I have a plot and I have a fair idea of how to write sex scenes.

But how much is 'lots'? And, is 'romantic' sex the same as 'Lit' sex?

The plot isn't convoluted just girl meets girl, they fall in love, first girl continues with rock'n'roll sex life and without consummation but deep love second girl dies. Obviously set against a background of modern, burgeoning female freedom of sexuality versus parental/societal repression/hypocrisy.

More picaresque than plot but I like the way I have it plotted. Well, vaguely plotted. OK just a completely unthought out idea. But I do have characters. Several of them. Unfortunately all looking for major roles.

Secondly. How much is too much sex in modern romantic fiction? Is too much every other page or is the depth and description of sex where too much lies?

I have a story here on Lit that has been described as having too much sex. Across the Street (and several others with virtually no sex at all ["it very bad, no sex vith ze people"])

So how much sex is 'lots'? Is it the depth or frequency?
How much plot is 'lots'? Is it the complexity or involvement (depth of theme etc)?

 

[john-the-author]

"Lots" is certainly subjective but I think that it could be defined as having, say, 50% or more of the book being actively involved in sex somehow, where "actively" means that you've got the characters fucking and sucking, on the way to that, or coming down from it.

As an example, I've been concerned as I try to peddle "Kim and Me" to publishers that there is, in fact, too much sex in it to really hit the best market niche. The book's certainly got its fans here on Lit and I am pleased with it, but is it too much? I'll find out eventually, I'm sure.

John

 

[Guest]

i just wanted to cyber

but while i'm here. i'm not really into frequency in terms of a LOT of sex - as in every single scene has to have sex in it. i think it messes with the build up if it's like that. depth is important for me. and its good to see depth in most of the scenes.

about lit sex and romantic sex. i think theres some thats into romance but i think in general people on lit (authors and readers) are much more open minded than your average reader of 'romance with a dab of sex in it' out there.

its real difficult to measure it all. its important for it to feel "right". not really sure how to measure that other than how it makes me feel when i read it

does that help?

 

[Jenny_Jackson]

Sex - Quality over Quantity. A long, intimate fuck is much preferable to a "Wam Bam, Thank you, Ma'am. I'm off with the boys" quickie. (Although those can be good at times.)

When they say "Lots" I don't really think they mean 20 times in 10 pages. It's more likely they mean Long, Well-written, explicit sex.

 

[christabelll]

Okay - I had written a lovely informative response and POOF gone -

You have to be careful with how explicit you are - you can be detailed - but not explicit - Great Examples are Christine Feehan - Sherrilyn Kenyon - Heather Graham... Phew Christine smokes hot with her stuff most of the time...
Lots of sexual tension, lots of build up, each time a little more intense...
Lots of little vignettes that get hot and steamy but one or the other breaks off - or they get interrupted - until such time as they finally cannot stay away from one another kind of thing.

Two main characters
A Villain or Three
two to four mini-crisis
One Sooper Dooper Crisis that proves undying devotions -and the best sex yet!
1 to 5 subplots
However many sub characters that are for or against that drives your story along.


I read a book recently - where the first chapter had them in the sack like epileptic wolverines - and they didn't do it again until the next to last chapter. All KInds of crap in between - which was great - and the TENSION OOOOOOO the TENSION was awful LOL....But I found myself - oh fer christs sake just fuck would you????

Mainly I read Paranormal ROmance Fantasy stuff - but there is a lot out there to look at....

 

[gauchecritic]

"Lots" is certainly subjective but I think that it could be defined as having, say, 50% or more of the book being actively involved in sex somehow, where "actively" means that you've got the characters fucking and sucking, on the way to that, or coming down from it.

John

I think that's what's confusing me. Is the story about having sex (like most of Lit) or is it that sex happens during the story?

i just wanted to cyber

I brush my fingers through your hair, catching lightly and sending a thrill down your spine as the pleasure/pain of a single hair being plucked shivers your skin... You smile into my eyes "I wish you'd cut your fingernails."
/Which is why I tend not to cyber.

<>build up<> and <>i think in general people on lit (authors and readers) are much more open minded than your average reader

Again, is the story just for build up or is build up just for the sex scenes?
Yes, fem it did help. (just having someone answer helps)

It's more likely they mean Long, Well-written, explicit sex.

Those I can do.
although maybe that brings another question. To do with Rumple's thread: Do I go for what I think is feminine sex scenes or write how I like sex scenes?

 

[gauchecritic]

However many sub characters that are for or against that drives your story along.

Hi christa, have we met? Thanks for the answer.

Driving the story. That's the main thing isn't it? Making your reader need to find out what happens next. But in a modern romance do they need to get to the best sex or the denoument?

 

[reignophelia]

I think that's what's confusing me. Is the story about having sex (like most of Lit) or is it that sex happens during the story?...

[Edited/]
Do I go for what I think is feminine sex scenes or write how I like sex scenes?

Hi, I don't believe we've met previously.
I'm going to agree with Jenny on this one. "Quality over quantity" As a female, (and I'm going to assume that this is the audience that you're writing for) I prefer a story that happens to have sex in it. Life is a story that happens to have sex in it - for most people I think anyway!

Readers are looking to connect with characters - this elevates the intensity of a sex scene greatly.

If you're constantly inundated with "wham bam thank you maam", you become desensitized to it, and it loses all the spark and fun - every once in a while is ok.

That's just my two cents though.

Good luck to you whatever you choose.

-R

 

[English Lady]

We're talking about Phaze aren't we?


Right, you need a good balance between plot and sex. I think plot is probably the most important -you've got to have a reason for your folks to be shagging BUT if you read it and reckon mills &boons would publish it, you've not got enough sex in it.

Amount of sex varies. For example, Proving Santa Exists -my first Phaze title has just 2 sex scenes in it but Masquerading Hearts has oooh, at least 6 sex scenes if not more in about the same number of words.

It has to be integral to the plot though, it has to be sex that belongs there and doesn't seem like it's just dropped in.


Any help to ya at all?

 

[reignophelia]

Climax is as climax does.

 

[Recidiva]

The romantic ideal is win-win.

That's the main requirement of a romance. Everyone learns, everyone sacrifices, everyone hugs, all is well.

Of course, to make a sacrifice, something horrible has to happen, blah, blah, blah.

But it's a progression from cynicism to wonder typically.

I've read a TON of romances. Some of them are infinitely more explicit than anything I have or could read on Lit. Some of them leave me scratching my head "Wait...was that sex?"

 

[christabelll]

Its a combination of both - I want to know why its all going on - but I also want them drving each other crazy too... I love jibbing and jabbing with the best of them - but I need a bit more story threaded heavily through out...(now if i could take my own advice)


Does any one remember the days when to say nipple or breast or penis or cock was babababababbaaaaaaaaaaad......

her glorious creamy mounds peaked in his palms, as she gingerly laid her fingers against his turgid tumescence. Christ LOLOL I startred reading those books when I was 10 - it took me a couple of years to realize - oh they are talking about sex LOLOLOL... but I remember those little crotch zings I would get when I did understand the words but not what was happening with my body LOLOL....


I never want a story to end- expecially as its almost always a happily ever after... get real nothing is HEA - but tis okay - some are always happy - but they are fun!


I will not remind you where we have crossed paths before LOL - though you never did respond to my PM the one above you PM LOL

 

[Jenny_Jackson]

Try something like -

His enourmous member slid deep into my slick love tunnel and filled me to the brim. As he began to stroke the head of his cock pounded against my cervix as he hit bottom with each thrust, sending me into wild abandon.

I clutched as at his ass to drive him even deeper inside me. My fingernails left deep red marks as he pounded me. My legs wrapped around he waist and I dug my heels into his lower back. All I could think about was the coming explosion that would begin deep in my belly and spread through my entire body, ending with my pussy crushing his cock as wave after wave coursed throuh me.


HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHa...

 

[Stella_Omega]

Okay-- my 1.5 cents...

Everyone says that it's quality not quantity. From what I've read in the romance category, that means that every physical action is accompanied by a love/soul/heart action. In your lesbian's case, she doesn't just shove three fingers into her date's pussy, she shoves them into the most beautiful, most adored pussy ever, and it provokes an arch and sigh that is the sum of all things carnal and sensual. The first fuck is a taste of what she's never had or known before, she never knew her heart could break with one flash of those angel's eyes, and she knows she will want to be the one to make those eyes flash forever more....

That kind of sex.

A minimum of two explicit scenes, one when they first do it-- which might be somewhere in the middle-- and one near the end when all demons have been vanquished. You can make tesing allusions to other fucks, couched, again, in terms of how soul-filling they are...

 

[gauchecritic]

Hmm. I'm not sure I can write pure love sex. I think I may have to do a DHLawrence for that.

Girls eh? tcha.

(now I have to go check my PM archives)

Edited to add: checked and replied. (at last)

 

[Stella_Omega]

Hmm. I'm not sure I can write pure love sex. I think I may have to do a DHLawrence for that.

Girls eh? tcha.

(now I have to go check my PM archives)

It's the ROMANCE category, remember?

I actually got away with ringing bells once, so embarrassing.

 

[English Lady]

Phaze have an Umbra range now -no need for a HEA (Happily Ever After) or even a HFN (Happily for Now)