Discussion: Necessary Naughty

Posted by on February 28, 2012 in Discussion Questions | 8 comments

There are certain genres which sex scenes are a given. And there are certain ones when it’s not okay. But for all the rest, deciding how far to delve into the character’s intimate relations can be difficult to decide.

So, how do you deem if an explicit sex scene is necessary or appropriate in a story? Have you ever been disappointed that one was not included?

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  • http://www.jocarroll.co.uk Jo Carroll

    I think a little titillation is often far more effective than all the plumbing details. So suggestions of hanky-panky work far better than heaving bosoms and tumescent details.

    Though I suppose if your genre is erotica then you see it differently. If that’s what your story needs, and what you believe your readers need – but it’s not for me.
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    • Rainy Kaye

      Good points! Sometimes, imagination is greater than having it all written out. Unless, that’s what the reader is reading for (ie, erotica).
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  • Natasha Larry

    This topic is always taboo in YA author land. I personally think, if you’re going to write about teenagers, you have to deal with the issue of sex. Otherwise, you aren’t being realistic. However, in the genre I write in, I don’t see the point in going into too much detail, because of the whole superhero thing.
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    • Rainy Kaye

      LOL @ superhero thing. That made my day. “Of course it was great!”
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  • http://supernatural-suspense.com/ Rob Adams

    I can’t say I’ve ever been disappointed by the lack of explicit sex in a book–bu then, I don’t read erotica, which is probably the only genre that implies that it will be present.

    When I write, everything has to have a purpose. I’ll never just throw something in, whatever it is, if it isn’t constructively supporting the overall story.
    Rob Adams recently posted…It’s… Alive!My Profile
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    • Rainy Kaye

      Thanks for the comment, Rob! I agree! If it doesn’t serve a real purpose, then it shouldn’t be included.
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  • http://bruceobee.com Bruce Obee

    “Explicit” is in the beholder’s eye, based on tastes and experience. The degree of explicitness needed for a sex scene depends on how badly it’s required to advance the plot or reveal idiosyncrasies of the characters. American TV’s Sex in the City and Britain’s Mistresses are entirely about sex, yet there are no explicit sex scenes. The sexually-charged plots completely reveal their dubious morality, their shaky loyalties to their partners . Vivacious, professional women come across as selfish sluts, putting the viewer in a love-hate relationship. The important point, for a writer, is that all this sex creates conflict for the characters, and conflict is the foundation of every good story.
    Bruce Obee recently posted…The PartnershipMy Profile
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    • Rainy Kaye

      Very great observations, Bruce. There are many ways to convey a message, probably even more so in writing than on TV.
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