Comments on: 3 Secrets for Writing a Good Sex Scene

By: Bill Henderson

Bill Henderson — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 03:32:54 +0000

Let’s see, I thought my post was about how (and how not) to write a sex scene the classy way, so that readers will long remember how authentically turned on they were by it. Where do we disagree?

By: Henry Harris

Henry Harris — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 17:12:53 +0000

Oh come on. Let’s do a reality check. Authors put sex in a novel because people like to be turned on and it sells novels. The trick is to do it with class. It’s no different than describing a rose on a summer’s eve. You want your reader to remember the smell of a rose because it reminds him or her what it feels like to be human. Sex is no different. The only difference is the Puritans didn’t tell us that smelling roses is sinful.

By: Bill Henderson

Bill Henderson — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 04:25:20 +0000

And thanks for the comment! Glad to be of help.

By: Chiyosen

Chiyosen — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 03:49:40 +0000

I’m trying to be a writer and so I knew that in order to enhance my writing skills I’d at some point along the line have to write a sex scene. Thank you for these amazing tips! At first I thought I should just wait to have sex but then realized (it will never happen? ;A; ) that I shouldn’t put a limit on what I write and when.
I have to say that what you said here “Make sure the description of what the lovers do isn’t a collection of generic, off-the-shelf “moves,” rendered in cliche phrases we’ve all read a million times. ” was the best advice I’ve ever received on writing love scenes! It was true! “Do what the character would do!” Not “what the reader expects you to do!” Thank you for the advice!

By: Bill Henderson

Bill Henderson — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 08:13:55 +0000

CC, I’d ask who told you it was vulgar. Terms like “vulgar” are value judgments that say more about the user than about the writing. I think it’s helpful to ask, without moral judgement, if the sex scene, as written, reveals a level of character we haven’t seen, adds or deepens a plot element. Are its terms or images explicit for a reason–and can you say what that is? If you can’t find answers to these questions,THEN you might have a problem. Otherwise, I’d look for more helpful critics.

By: CC

CC — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 12:51:34 +0000

I recently wrote a sex scene and was told that it was vulgar yet I didn’t use a single euphemism/clinical name or fall into the trap of words like “moist” or “heave.” How do you write the truth about sex in a sex scene without being a little vulgar. Shouldn’t make you blush? DH Lawrence was definitely more than vulgar, made you blush, and is considered a great. I know bad when I see it, but what the hack is good?

By: Greta James

Greta James — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 12:50:03 +0000

Thanks for the tips! I plan to keep this blog.

I’ve only written one sex scene…with humor! However, it does meet your criterion of revealing something new about one of the characters.