Building Toward the End

So there I am sitting in my book-lined office, my bare butt kissing the leather seat of my chair, the taste of cognac on my tongue, my cigar sending out aromatic clouds of scent while the waves of the ocean beat against the shore outside the open French windows. See what I did in that statement? That sentence contains all the senses. Your sex scenes should include all the five senses (unless you’re writing science fiction, then you can throw in a few more) plus that little extra connection your character has with the other character they’re having sex with called a spark, flash, glow or smoldering ember. Just remember, this is fantasy, a sexual fantasy. I didn’t describe reality which is me in clothes I just cleaned house in, sitting cross-legged in the floor in front of the laptop, all the fans running cause I’m trying to save on the electric bill by not turning on the air-conditioner, television running some program I’ve already seen but on to provide background noise, really old coffee in the cup and stale cigarette smoke being pushed around by the fans. See? Fantasy is better than reality.

In the last chapter (Tom, Dick and Hairy) I established place, nudity and named all the strategic people parts. Now, I’m ready to set them into motion. Positions are pretty standard and haven’t been improved upon in several years (unless it’s a group then you have to keep track of all those limbs) but be careful not to come out sounding like an instructional manual. Insert tab A into slot B is a turnoff. Slowly slipping his hard manhood into the wet, dark tunnel between her legs is hotter. But you still have to consider the laws of gravity and reach. I once had a lady straddling his thighs then penetration occurred. Unless he was really long, I got that one wrong. On the other hand, I had a scene where anal then vaginal sex took place and the editor was worried about a yeast infection. Come on, sexual fantasy taking place here.

Suck, lick, nibble, bite, flick, stroke, tease, tickle, rub, massage, kiss and in any other words you can think of … touch happening between bodies which can lead to rocking, tumbling (only if they’re young), easing, moving, rhythmic exertion, quaking, upheaval, trembling and the knocking over of furniture. Those actions produce moans, groans, screaming, cries, wails, yowls and sometimes applause. Don’t include instructions. They shouldn’t have to tell each other “a little lower” (unless it adds a comedy element) because in fantasies, they are the perfect lovers. If this is a romantic relationship instead of an erotic romp, about once a book, add a serious, needs support, turns to partner to connect sex scene. Also, interruptions (“I just figured out who the murder is.”) can help build up sexual tension (“Could we please finish what we’re doing before going out and apprehending the bad guy?”) but should be used sparingly.

And everything in the above paragraph results in orgasm, climax, peak, spasm, crest, contractions bringing on cum, flooding, sperm showers and ejaculation and the end. (Until you start writing the next chapter that is.)

Tom, Dick and Hairy

Speaking of body parts, what you call something matters and in erotic writing that can get very interesting. After my characters become acquainted (or not), they have sex. There is a sex scene happening in just about every chapter. Having published eight books (and still going), that’s a lot of sex, more than I … umm … never mind. That much sex will give you an excuse to go surfing the porn sites to see if anyone has come up with anything original since people starting having sex. Note: See the chapter ‘Procrastination Problems’ in this book. But even after seeing it or experiencing it (hopefully), you still have to describe it with words on the page (or computer screen), keep it exciting and try not to be repetitive.

First, decide on your location. Any ole place will do. (Here? Now?) Place your characters (as many as you want) into your scene. I won’t go into positions in this chapter. You’ll have to choose your own positions. Just make sure it’s something that personally turns you on. I can’t write foot fetishes because I just don’t get it but I’m really great at … oh, wait, I wasn’t going to cover positions yet. Just remember in fiction your characters can do things real authors of a certain age should not try to replicate. Aches and pains, heating pads and muscle rub are not sexy unless you’re in a nursing home which … wow … new location I’ve never thought of.

Now you have place, people, nudity and motion but you have to describe body parts. Sexual organs should be over-sized as in large penis and huge breasts (but not on the same character unless that’s something you’ve experienced and are qualified to write about). No reader wants to go through pages of build up to find something small when the zipper finally falls.

I prefer calling a dick a penis but that gets repetitive so you have to resort to manhood, organ (that you can play with), member (of the club), cock (crowing), joystick (oh yeah), knob (too confusing with hers), package (special delivery) or skin flute (musical tones). You’ll have to go searching on the Internet. There are lists of names for the penis but several of them are derogatory like prick and dork which don’t belong in a friendly sexual encounter. And no matter how hard I try, I cannot come up with a good noun for bag … sack … pouch … that contain the balls … the twins … marbles. Just so you know, the Internet list for testicle synonyms is longer than the one for penis synonyms. Who knew? My favorite is ‘boys in the basement’. Male nipples for some strange reason are hardly ever mentioned in erotica when I have it on good authority they’re just as sensitive as ours.

Female parts are harder to name. The lists are much shorter. I don’t understand why because the male and female model came out the same year. Maybe it’s because men have been talking about theirs longer than we have. ‘Boy in the boat’ and ‘hooded monk’ are just too male. I like knob, happy button (damn straight), jewel (which I deserve more of), clit (just an abbreviation but a faster type), pearl (that should be mounted in the jewel) or my all time favorite ‘sugar plum’. Breast are bosoms, busts and assets (no shit). I don’t like jugs, boobs, knockers and (this is really on the list) chesticles (who the hell came up with that one?). Tits will do in a squeeze.

Now that you have all the parts in play, next week I’ll talk about what actions you can take with them to evoke sounds.