4. The tab A & slot B cliché—Routine is a mood killer!
One of the most frequent complaints about sex scenes is that they feel ‘too clinical’ or ‘too mechanical’.
One of the problems that cause this impression is routine.
I’m not talking about the famous cliché of how it’s all about inserting Tab A into Slot B. Because once you get to the point of writing actual intercourse, you will always end up inserting a tab into a slot. Nope, the fact that basic human anatomy stays basic human anatomy for roughly 99% of all sex scenes (yes, I know I’m discriminating against hot alien sex scenes and tentacle porn here) is not the problem.
When all authors write their sex scenes as if they are following the same instruction manual for the complete standard repertoire of realistic sex acts, and when they implement the complete standard repertoire of realistic sex acts in each and every sex scene they write, no matter what the situation the characters are in right now, that’s when sex scenes feel too clinical, too mechanical, and clichéd.
- Compare the clichéd heterosexual example 0.815 b)
- Step 1. Perform ritualised feeding gestures.
- Step 2. Manually and orally stimulate mammary glands.
- Step 3. Employ manual and oral stimulation of erect penis and wet vagina.
- Step 4. Insert tab A into slot B.
- Step 5. Engage in rhythmic movements.
- Step 6. Experience simultaneous orgasms.
Routine is boring.
Doing everything every time is boring.
Therefore:
Pay attention to the external circumstances of your sex scene and use them to make your scene unique!
Where are your characters? What have they done before the sex scene? What will they do after the sex scene? Do they have all the time in the world or are they in a hurry? If you are writing slash—where’s the lube? If you’re writing a modern story, where are the condoms? Are they all alone, or are there others nearby? Why are they having sex here and now? What is the ‘other’ story of your sex scene?
Pay attention to the internal circumstances of your characters and use those to make your scene come alive!
Who are your characters? What do your characters look like? Does that affect the way they have sex? How are your characters right now? Why? How much experience do they have?
Examples:
- If one partner is still inexperienced, do they really have to go ‘all the way’?
- After a long, hard day at work, will a couple really do everything they can do?
- With the sick grandmother in the next room, what will sex look like?
TIP!
- Write realistic sex acts. Keep in mind the limitations of a human body and the laws of physics affecting it.
- It takes some time to make a woman come. It usually won’t happen at the same time the man comes.
- Avoid routine. Pay attention to the external and internal circumstances influencing your characters and your scene.