Writing THOSE Scenes by Shana Galen

Writing THOSE Scenes:

Tips for Beginners or A Look Inside the Process for Curious Readers

Romance novels are synonymous with the intimate scenes. I’ve spent my fair share of time arguing against this because in most romance novels the sex scenes are another tool to develop characterization and plot. I like to argue that romance novels are about trust, devotion, commitment, fidelity—but that analysis probably won’t sell as many papers or get as many clicks.

Just because it’s not a flashy idea doesn’t make it any less true. Readers don’t buy romances for the sex, or at least not the sex alone. They want to see two people fall in love. They want to see the development of a relationship. So the question is, how can you use sex scenes to show the development of a relationship? I have three tips for writers looking to improve or get started.

1) Ask if the characters need to do it.

Like every other scene in your book, a sex scene should serve a purpose. I used to hear authors talk about editors wanting 3 sex scenes per book. No one ever told me that, and I’m glad because my books have only the number of sex scenes required to show the reader who these characters are and how they interact with each other. I’ve written books with no on-page sex scenes. I’ve written books with more sex scenes than I care to count. The characters in every book are different and will react to each other differently in every book.

2) Let the characters do it.

Readers often assume an author’s sex scenes are taken from real life. I can’t speak for all authors, but mine are definitely all imagination. They have to be because I am not my characters, and the way the characters interact in bed should be an extension of how they interact out of bed. If the hero is shy out of bed, it doesn’t make sense for him to suddenly become a confident lothario once the bedroom door closes. If the heroine is known for her wit, she should be witty in bed. These scenes are not copy and paste. They are unique to each couple and each circumstance. Even if I was writing a series featuring the same couple, I couldn’t copy and paste sex scenes from one book to another. The couple will behave differently depending on what is going on in the plot of the book.

3) Just do it.

Don’t worry about setting the mood in your writing space with candles and wine or the right music. You don’t need to feel sexy or romantic to write a sex scene any more than it needs to be cold and snowy for you to write a Christmas novella. A sex scene is like any other type of scene you write. Write it then revise it until it’s the best scene it can be. It’s not about you; it’s about the characters.

Which authors do you think write the best sex scenes? Let me know your favorites, and I’ll share a few of mine too.

Excerpt and buy links!