Writing Without An Outline

Writing Sex

Okay, so I saw a post recently on writing sex, and it got me thinking about some things. What is the best way to incorporate sex scenes into fiction? 

I think it really depends on the mood and tone of the story/poem/novel. Unless you are writing specifically children or teen lit, I think anything sexual is fair game, although the words you use and the amount of detail you go into will shape the tone of your story. A lot of the time, the build-up to sex is much more important to focus on than the actual sex in writing fiction. Focusing on emotions between the two characters, physical sensations they encounter at the thought of sex, and the way the two people fall into bed together will help keep your otherwise serious mystery novel with a side of romance from turning into porn. Describing sex acts in detail and using specific words for genitalia, in my opinion, cheapens the work and can make it tawdry rather than titillating. 

Of course, you’re not always trying to say the same thing, and a lot of how sex scenes function is determined by the plot and characters. I find that when my characters are having a sexual encounter that is awkward, uncomfortable, frightening, traumatic, dangerous, etc., I will go into more specific detail about the actual sex acts, whereas in writing a scene between two people in love, I will be much more vague and focus more on emotions and what the scene means to them. Another instance where describing the sex more specifically can be necessary is if it’s a character’s first time; going through how the character is taking it all in, what he/she doesn’t know about what he/she is doing, what feels new, good, wrong, etc. can be helpful in moving the story along, if it is a virginal scene. 

Most importantly, I think it’s just good to remember to use sex scenes the way you would any other scene: if it’s essential to furthering the plot or the development of the characters, go for it. If it’s not, leave it out. 

What do you other writerly folks think? How/when/why do you write sex scenes? 

“You own everything that happened to you. Tell your stories … ” - Anne Lamott

This is a drug reference guide. It’s medically accurate, research and general knowledge based. None of it is from personal experience and I absolutely don’t encourage any drug use. This is simply made for a reference for your writing so that if you’re playing a certain character, taking a certain drug you’ll have a better understanding of how they might act, what they’ll experience internally and the after-effects and medical effects the drug has on their body and mind. I am in no way telling you how to play your character, this is just a few helpful pointers that might help you get to know your druggie a little better.

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Forging Friendships

Creating believable relationships between two characters is not just important for romance. If you want people to believe that your characters are best friends, you have to work just as hard at it. There must be good reasons why they’re so close and why they’re working together toward a common goal. In real life, there’s usually some sort of event that bonds two people together and makes them closer than they were before. I met my best friend when we were forced to play kick ball during middle school gym and we were both TERRIBLE AT IT. It might seem like a simple event, but considering our ages, it was the most pressing issue during that time. The point is, there should be some sort of bonding event or a reason why two people are friends. Make a point to explain some of it and not just say, “they’ve been friends forever”

Here are some more general tips when describing friendships:

-If your characters have been thrust into some terrible situation together, be sure to explain why they’ve bonded more than other characters. Maybe they both fight well together or understand each other in a way no one else does. There has to be that moment when they both realize they can benefit or enjoy each other company more than any one else.

-The two best friends share some common ground. Is there an event from their pasts that allows them to bond easier than others? Maybe they both share a traumatic childhood OR it could be just as simple as them both sucking at Math. This is something you can play with.

-When the friendship has already been established, make sure you explain what they normally do with their time together. Do they have rituals that only they do together? What are their favorite activities? How do they interact with their other friends? These actions dictate why they’re still friends and how they’ve been friends for so long, so they’re just as important.

Obviously, there’s a lot of depth to friendship and it shouldn’t be taken lightly. Building these relationships are important, not only for understanding the characters you’ve created, but exposing the personality and motivations of the protagonist. Make each character and relationship count.

-Kris Noel

My book: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15764908-lionhead

My page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6447379.Kris_Noel

actually

“Well I didn’t see that coming.”

— Me writing a story written by me. (via kalipeda)

A Father’s Wisdom

Knife Blade

◆ How to Make Ginger Black Tea At Home? ◆

Ingredients:

* 5g black tea * 4-6 thin slices ginger * 1-2 tsp Honey

Preparation:

1: Steep the ginger in boiling water for 10 minutes in a saucepan. For a stronger ginger flavor, please extend the boiling time, or use more slices of ginger.

2: Put black tea into the saucepan, lower the heat and let it simmer for 5 minutes.

3: Add 1-2tsp honey, or to taste.

PS: If you like, you can add some fresh lemon juice to spice the taste, and then you can enjoy a cup of delicious lemon ginger black tea at home!

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“Words - so innocent and powerless as they are, as standing in a dictionary, how potent for good and evil they become in the hands of one who knows how to combine them.”

— Nathaniel Hawthorne (via pennamebree-z)