Flatmate woes (continued) + writing

[luzula]

I have met the new flatmate properly (he came here and had dinner with us) and I think it'll work out well! *relieved*

...said I, prematurely. : (( I had literally just written these words when he called and said that he had changed his mind. He liked us a lot but felt that he could not live in a room with no window (he had only seen photos before, since we had the interview over Skype). Which, fine, I understand. He did say that he would pay for September if we wanted since he changed his mind so late. Sigh, back to square one. /o\ /o\

***

But, I continue to take much joy in writing! My alternate ending to my latest story is now 11,700 words, and I am in the middle of a long sex scene. OMG, I love writing sex scenes when I'm inspired to do them. It's so much fun to try to get the right balance between physical description and emotions, and such a joy when it feels like the characterization works, that is, that it's not generic but really these specific characters being with each other. And to find just the right word or phrase for a given situation, in a style that works for the canon and character. *happy sigh*

What are your thoughts/feelings on writing sex scenes (if you do it)?

Comments

[minoanmiss]

*surfing my Network page, surfs over*

I love writing sex scenes for two main reasons besides prurience: characterization and communication. Sex scenes are a great opportunity to investigate who characters are and how they relate to each other.

Also, wrt renting the windowless bedroom -- put up a poster of a window, such as a Tiffany window. When I had a windowless office my roommate gave me a Tiffany window poster for it and it truly helped a lot.

*surfs away*

[luzula]

Hello! : )

Yes, prurience is of course also a part of it. *g*

Huh, thanks for the tip--I will bring it up.

[desireearmfeldt]

Usually, "OMG why do I keep assigning myself sex scenes to write?" :)

[luzula]

If they're difficult--is it because you think the story needs them, and would be better served by explicit sex than fade to black?

[desireearmfeldt]

Yes, I mostly get to feeling that way when I've embarked on a story *about* sex.

Which did not use to be a genre I wrote in, except then I tripped and fell into reading porn one day...

[jesse_the_k]

Damn, sorry 'bout the affair of the flakey flat mate.

[luzula]

Ah well, it happens. Thanks!

[lyr]

Good luck finding a good new flatmate who stays!

I also feel strongly that sex scenes should be very specific to the characters involved in them. I have no interest in either reading or writing generic sex scenes. I also have a lot more interest in writing sex scenes that develop the characters and their relationship further. Even if the things they're doing or feeling are things I myself do not enjoy, I still enjoy writing what makes sense for the characters.

[desireearmfeldt]

Yes!

[isis]

...you have a room without a window? For people to LIVE IN? That seems terrible. I couldn't!

[luzula]

That's fair! The reasons we do it are 1) the housing market here is terrible, and many people are struggling to find a place, 2) to keep the rent lower for everyone (though the rent on the windowless room is much lower than on the rooms with windows), and 3) we like being four instead of three people. There's also lots of windows in the kitchen/living room where that person can hang out.

[nnozomi]

Sorry about the flatmate situation!
I can't write a decent sex scene to save my life, and mostly don't try, but the way you have described them is the way I think sex scenes should be--what makes them worth reading for me is, how are these particular characters reacting in this particular situation, what are the things I can understand and enjoy about them that I couldn't in any other context?

[luzula]

Thanks!

Yes. Good fanfic has spoiled me for sex scenes in most published books, actually. And in general I think what makes a sex scene good are pretty much the same things that make any scene good--language/style, characterization, how it fits structurally into the story.

[seascribble]

I cannot blame him, but curses!

[luzula]

Yeah, well, it happens! *sigh*

[hyarrowen]

Oh, damn. But I do understand his point of view.

Sex scenes? I can only write them successfully when I don't much like the characters. Otherwise I tend to feel I should leave the characters to their privacy. Which doesn't mean that I don't like reading them! /double standards.

[luzula]

The reasons we have someone living in a room without windows are: 1) the housing market here is terrible, and many people are struggling to find a place, 2) to keep the rent lower for everyone (though the rent on the windowless room is of course lower than on the rooms with windows), and 3) we like being four instead of three people. There's also lots of windows in the kitchen/living room where that person can hang out. But yeah, I completely understand if someone doesn't want to do it.

Sex scenes? I can only write them successfully when I don't much like the characters. Otherwise I tend to feel I should leave the characters to their privacy. Which doesn't mean that I don't like reading them! /double standards.

Huh, interesting. I don't think I could write a sex scene for characters that I didn't like on some level--actually, I don't think I write stories at all about characters I don't like!

Hee, I do the privacy invasion so you can enjoy it. : P

[china_shop]

But, I continue to take much joy in writing!

Yay! That's awesome! \o/!

[luzula]

It is. *happy sigh*

[regshoe]

Argh, sorry to hear about the flatmate troubles. Although I can certainly understand that someone wouldn't want to live in a room without a window...!

I don't write much in the way of sex scenes, but I agree that it's the details of characterisation that make for a really good one. And hey, that alternate ending sounds like it's going very well :D

[luzula]

The reasons we have someone living in a room without windows are: 1) the housing market here is terrible, and many people are struggling to find a place, 2) to keep the rent lower for everyone (though the rent on the windowless room is of course lower than on the rooms with windows), and 3) we like being four instead of three people. There's also lots of windows in the kitchen/living room where that person can hang out. But yeah, I completely understand if someone doesn't want to do it.

I've also written many stories which are fade-to-black or don't have sex at all in them--I'm not going to force a sex scene if I'm not inspired to do write one. But it's fun if I'm inspired. And yes, the alternate ending is going well! : D

[chestnut_pod]

Sorry about the roommate :/

Glad about writing, though! Sex scenes really can be fun; they’re like a brain puzzle. Lots of things to keep track of and many directions in which you can go, all within a relatively bounded container. They’re like set pieces, almost.

On the other hand, I don’t much care for recording sex scenes in podfic. While usually I don’t care that there’s an element of stylization to any performance reading, it bothers me when it comes to reading sex noises/dialogue that ought to be rougher/more genuine/at a lower pitch than I can manage. Also, authors do insist on the “‘___,’ X gasped,” formation, and I don’t know if you know this, but gasping is an inhalation and most words are exhalations! And I’m breathy enough already :)

[luzula]

Thanks!

They’re like set pieces, almost.

Yes, I guess that's part of it! You get to be creative within a relatively fixed frame.

I actually love recording sex scenes in podfic! But then, I have no problem getting a lower pitch/rougher voice. Although, um, I see that I am somewhat guilty of the 'X gasped' formation in my fic. *facepalm* I think I imagine it as someone gasping/drawing in a breath in conjunction with what they're saying, but you're right, if I interpret it literally, that's not what it says. Well, I will possibly rethink it. : )

[garonne]

Actually I cut and threw away two sex scenes yesterday! (I am rereading two old, almost-finished WIPs from years ago that I would like to finish and post.) Rereading made me realise that one of them (an Aubrey/Maturin one) should be Queer Gen and not slash at all. And for a Holmes/Watson one, they have been happily having fade-to-black sex throughout the entire fic, but Not Talking about Feelings, so the climax should be Talking about Feelings, rather than the details of a sex scene...

I think the worst thing is realising that the plot/structure/emotional development of the story requires a sex scene, but not feeling inspired to write it. Much worse than feeling inspired to write it and then realising the plot does not require it and having to throw it away :D

I'm glad your alternative ending scene is going so well!

And good luck with the flatmate search.

[luzula]

Yes, of course not all stories need sex scenes; I've written plenty that had fade to black, or no sex at all. But I think perhaps I've often put sex scenes into stories that didn't structurally need them, just because I felt inspired to.

Rereading made me realise that one of them (an Aubrey/Maturin one) should be Queer Gen and not slash at all.

Actually I am glad to hear that, and look forward to reading it! I mostly tend to view Jack and Stephen's relationship as a deep friendship. I mean, I will gladly also read slash for them in the hands of a good author, but it's not how I primarily view them when left to my own devices.

I think the worst thing is realising that the plot/structure/emotional development of the story requires a sex scene, but not feeling inspired to write it.

Heh, I don't think that's ever happened to me! I tend to daydream the sex scenes in stories (as I also do many other scenes, not just the sex) before I write them, so when I actually get to them they are usually easy to write.

[cherchebi]

Oh, that's a shame for the flatmate dropping out but I do give him bonus points for being a decent person about it. Good luck finding another new one!

I always feel super awkward with sex scenes and prefer a fade to black (not that I've read or written fic in a few years although I'm dipping my toes back into fandom again so who knows)

[luzula]

Hi! : ) Thanks for your good wishes--we have in fact found someone else now.

And I'd been sort of out of fandom for a couple of years, but my coming back was more like a headlong dive than a careful dipping of toes! Sometimes that happens. Anyway, good luck with it.