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How to Write Sex Scenes: Why It’s Hard and How to Do It

September 26, 2022

Yes, there are many puns to be made about sex, so I couldn’t resist one with the title – a low-hanging fruit, really. However, the truth is that sex scenes in fiction are a very serious thing. For reasons we’ll speculate about in this post, even experienced writers can make a total cock-up of sex scenes (uh-oh, another pun). More importantly, I’ll offer you some ideas on how to write sex scenes for your novel in a way that does justice to the narrative.

Here’s an early disclaimer: Sex in fiction is as diverse as sex in real life, with the added complexity genre brings into the picture. In other words, you would write sex scenes in romance fiction in an entirely different way compared to literary fiction. I’m certainly not an authority in the former; I can’t stand it.

Ultimately, as with every other writing-tips post I’ve written, this is a set of ideas. Some of them might be something you find useful, others less so. You are the authority on your work, so approach what you find here with the proper skepticism and use it to your benefit.

How to Write Sex Scenes
Sometimes, less is more. Just as this stock photo exemplifies, to write a sex scene that serves your narrative, you don’t have to always be explicit
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How to Write Vivid Descriptions for Your Novel

August 7, 2019

When I was a young(er) and stupid(er) author, I thought I needed to write long, elaborate descriptions of my settings. I read books where writers spent three pages on describing a wall, and I thought that’s how you write vivid descriptions.

Only much later, as I became more experienced, did I realize the truth: To write vivid descriptions that actually offer added value to your novel, you shouldn’t focus on wordy details. Indeed, more often than not, I’d advise against it.

But that’s not the end of the story, either. And so, with today’s post, I want to share some of my experience and offer you a tip or two about how to describe the setting of your novel in a way that does your story justice.

How to Write Vivid Descriptions
If you want to write vivid descriptions, focus neither on lengthy, detailed depictions, nor on fancy words
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