Writing Dirty
by Marina McCarron
Writing erotica is like writing for any genre: you have to do your research. Okay, there are other things involved as well. Yes, there's a lot of sex, but at the heart of every good erotic story are the nuts and bolts of all great books: action, reaction, motivation and emotion. And with erotica you get to throw in graphic, steamy, descriptive sex scenes. What's not to love?
Before you get started, here are some things to keep in mind:
1. Erotica should be erotic, not porn. I've explained to authors that the difference between erotica and porn is the difference between simply doing it (boring) and doing it on a baby grand piano in an empty ballroom with crystal chandeliers overhead (fabulous). Think about what most women want to read about and you're off to a great start.
2. Another important point to consider is consent. Women being physically abused or threatened in a sex scene does not work. Neither does sex with minors, or incest. Snuff sex (where someone mates and then kills) seldom works and has limited appeal. Rape scenes don't work, period. Just the word is off-putting, isn't it? Long ago when heroines were supposed to be too proper and pure to enjoy sex, rape scenes were a convenient way to get around this issue. Our heroine may have enjoyed sex, but she certainly never admitted to it. Enough! The whole point of erotica is exploring our sexual freedom and liberty. So ditch the rape scene.
3. Variety is the "spice" of life: Let go of your inhibitions, let your imagination wander and allow your characters to experiment. Mix it up—sex in an elevator with the thrill of being caught, three-ways, first times, older women/younger men, even some light bondage. As long as the sex is consensual and does not violate a person, anything's fair game.
4. You have to believe in what you're writing. If you would rather have a bad case of poison ivy in the middle of a heat wave than partake in the activity you're trying to write about, chances are your readers feel the same way. Would you want to do it? Can you see yourself talking to your girlfriends about it over a few Margaritas? I've read stories where the heroine was forced to perform fellatio on a vibrator that had just been used for anal sex. Obviously, that scene didn't work. As editors we call this the cringe factor—a reader might call it disgusting.
5. Traditional can be good if used the right way. Long kisses, bubble baths, candles and cold champagne are all appealing. It's a great starting point and there's lots of stuff to build on from there. Maybe try dripping some candle wax and branding a lover, or lapping champagne from various body parts. If you're going to have champagne why not add some strawberries and melted chocolate…get the idea?
6. Not everyone falls into bed right away. Seduction is a powerful and steamy tool, like nibbling the still-warm chocolate coating off a soft serve ice cream cone knowing there's cold ice cream that will melt on your tongue underneath. Foreplay is a must—the sexual tension can often be as important as the sex itself.
7. Men do more than thrust. Mix up the language a little bit. Be creative. But don't be too creative, as people need to know what you're talking about. I know a great romance novelist who constantly has men "fisting" their lover's hair. To me it's jarring. Is he punching her hair? Ripping it out by the roots?
8. Tell a compelling story. Erotica is not just sex. We need to care about the characters so we can be bothered reading about them having sex. We need them to have an interesting story; we want to worry about what's going to happen to them and to be dying to turn the page to see what happens next. Page after page of sex between bland characters is dull. And sooner or later a reader will stop turning the pages.
9. Avoid archetypes and stereotypes. Not every woman has huge breasts, not every man is a millionaire with a huge penis and not everyone drinks champagne every day. Women don't have to look like a supermodel to be attractive; men can be ranchers or professors (but maybe steer clear of used car salesmen!). It's more interesting to read about real people than impossible ideals. Also, watch your dialogue and your female lead. Powerful women do not drop the f-bomb constantly. They do not tear apart their co-workers or slap their nannies. Powerful does not necessarily mean aggressive or obnoxious.
10. Be careful with anatomy. Is it physically possible for the couple to do what they are doing? Not everyone is a candidate for Cirque du Soleil. I've had characters engage in sex that two snakes would find hard to accomplish. Be descriptive. A man with chiseled abs or a chiseled chin makes me think of a sculpture. What does his skin feel like as the heroine runs her hand over his chest or along his thigh? Can she feel the muscles? Razor stubble on his chin? Does he smell like mint and Irish Spring soap? Be a visual writer.
11. Finally, beyond describing body parts, don't forget to tell us where the characters are. If it's in a hotel room are the sheets fresh and clean and the air conditioner on so high it's making her nipples harden? Giving her goose bumps? Or is it a cheap spot with limp sheets and the window open as sirens wail by and the sweat makes it hard for him to remove his shirt? Both scenes can work. I personally (and no one needs to let my mother know I wrote this) love stories set in the South where we hear about the heat and the languid movements of the lover's touches and the sex takes place under magnolia trees as the recent rain steams from the street. And don't get me started on vampires. They make me want to move to Transylvania or New Orleans where a large number seem to congregate. The point is to create a world the reader can see, feel, touch and smell. The fantasy has to work for a wide number of people and not many want to do it with a Saint Bernard.
In the end it's all about respect: for your characters, your reader and the magic force that lets you write. Have fun!
|
Header Promotion
