Friday, November 13, 2009

Let's Talk About Sex, Baby

Last week I told you about a little present I bought myself for completing my first week of NaNoWriMo. This week I deserve (but probably can't afford to indulge in) a much bigger present than an old CD. Several milestones were hit this week. I passed the halfway point, according to NaNoWriMo standards, and I passed it two days early. Oh, don't bother! I'll go ahead and pat myself on the back as soon as my hands are free from tooting my own horn. But that wasn't my biggest accomplishment. Oh no. My biggest accomplishment occurred yesterday. I wrote my very first ever completely fictional sex scene.

I've told a few of you in private notes that the coolest part of this whole project for me has been that after a couple days, the characters sort of started leading me rather than me leading them. They let me know what they needed to do and I wrote the words that made them do it. I'd certainly heard about this phenomenon before, but I never thought it would happen to me. (Should that last sentence have been prefaced by: Dear Penthouse? It sort of seems like it should have...) Well, this week two of my characters started leading me down a path that most definitely needed to result in a roll in the hay for them (roll, roll, roll in ze hay). I told Tom Wednesday, "I think my characters are going to do it tomorrow." I put it like that because I didn't want to waste all my valuable word-smithin' on a conversation with my husband, who would probably be just as happy if I didn't talk at all. As the day went by and I got closer to my writing time, I started trying to think of ways to get out of it (and for my gentlemen readers - isn't that just like a woman?) Maybe they could just start to make out and then one of them could get a very important phone call. Maybe they could just start to make out and then he would stop things to reveal a congenital disorder that made sex impossible but he sure would like to cuddle all night. Maybe they could just start to make out and that would trigger her hormones and make her period start. It could happen. But no. None of those things were what my characters wanted to do. What they wanted to do was 'it'. I'd made the bed and now I was going to have to lie in it - or - um - let them get laid in it.

So yesterday morning I did it. Well, I wrote it, they did it. And I'll tell you what, folks, if actually having sex took as long as writing about having sex did, we'd all feel like we were married to Sting, if you know what I mean, and I suspect that you do. I labored over it. It was torturous. I wanted it to be hot without crossing the line into pornographic. This is hard! (that's what she said) I didn't want it to be raunchy, but I didn't want it to be sappy. I wanted a potential reader to be a little warm after reading it - maybe even to have broken a little sweat - but I didn't want them to feel like they needed a shower. I have no idea if I accomplished this or not. As of this moment I'm pleased with what I came up with. I am also certain beyond the shadow of any doubt that some would find it too tame and some would find it too wild. You can't please everyone, so you've got to please yourself. So to speak.

You may or may not have noticed that I was missing from my usual blog rounds yesterday. Writing this short passage took all of my alotted computer time and a little more. Plus, my brain was zapped. My writing is usually very 'stream of consciousness'. That scene was work.

Am I going to let you read it? Not anytime soon! It's not ready for the light of day. Besides, what would a post about sex be without a little tease?

26 comments:

Rosa said...

I can't decide which part of your post most deserves comment. From Dear Penthouse to Young Frankenstein to "that's what she said", I was cracking up. So I'll just tell you that I enjoyed reading this, very much. You have always, and continue to, crack me up. Thanks for making me giggle this early in the morning--no small feat.

Badass Geek said...

I'm just now introducing a love interest for my character, but I don't think they'll get down and dirty in the story. It just wouldn't fit. (That's what she said)

Anonymous said...

That's a great post and certainly underlines a lot of what happens to writers.

I often start a whole book knowing nothing more than an opening line or sentence, or paragraph at the most - the very basics of the opening scene so to speak.

The characters seem to write themselves too, or to dictate their actions, although they do have a nasty habit of going into a sulk and refusing to communicate somewhere about halfway through unless "pushed"!

No, you're never going to please all of the people all of the time - especially about sex! So, my attitude is to write what seems correct for the characters (or, like they do you, they tell me what they want).

Tremendous fun, isn't it?

Tracie said...

I am glad to hear that things are going well with the book. And that your characters are getting some.

PS Am I the only one that thinks tantric sex is bs? Puh-leez. I have other things to do.

Allison said...

Woo Hoo! We're halfway done! I'm so excited! Glad to hear that your story is doing well and what's a great story without a good and steamy sex scene, that's what I say!

Unknown said...

Are you planning on sharing the finished project? I've got so much on my mind of late I can't remember whether you said you would or not.

Savvy-Motherhood said...

cool bean Tammy! I have tried my hand at fiction and I just and not good at it. I go way off into to many paths and it just never ends up making sense.

Macey said...

Congratulations Mommakin!! :)
So, you're no longer a writer/virgin...? You got your cherry popped? Okay, I can't believe I just said that. Sick! Anyway, this is one of the reasons I think it would so hard to write a novel, because lets face it, most well rounded novels have sex in some form. And I don't think I could write it. 'Specially if I thought my dad was gonna read it.

I Wonder Wye said...

Sex scenes are difficult to write! Congrats for being pleased with what you wrote, b/c that is a mile stone! Being so engrossed in your characters that they manifest a 'life' of their own and lead you means you are creating living breathing characters, and that is also a huge mile stone. Most of the authors I have workshopped with have said they felt in the end they were taking transcription, and their characters ended t the story in ways the author hadn't anticipated....when I am lucky this works for me.

Anonymous said...

whoa baby!!

JennyMac said...

LOVE that this writing project is going so well for you! Cant wait to read your book someday.

Mike said...

My sex scenes usually end with someone dying! LMAO!!!!

Vivienne @ the V Spot said...

I think this is awesome that your characters are coming together so well and that you can draw a parallel between sex and the writing process.

Even if able, tantric sex would bug me because I am too impatient.

Liz Mays said...

This is fabulous that you're so far ahead in the goal and that you made it through that scene. I have no doubt your book will be completely fabulous. I can't wait for the day we can read it.

Congrats!

Carma Sez said...

Ah, a little tantric sexcapade. You are braver than me writing about such things. If I was to write it, nobody would be interested. Yeah, I'm that adventurous ;-)

BONNIE K said...

I think it's great that you're doing this. I would love to be able to do something like this, but getting started is the tough part.

Ginger said...

I tried writing little steamy vignettes once upon a time, but I always found them so difficult because fantasies that are AWESOME in one's brain are sometimes HILARIOUS out of it.

Oops. Instead of 'found' in my sentence I accidentally wrote "fond". Freud can be such a bitch!

Loved this post!

Pam said...

Congrats on crossing the threshold of this "write" of passage. LOL! I'm cracking myself up over here. And very funny post. Loved The Office reference. Keep up the good work and I sure do hope we get to read this someday.

Margo said...

Good going, Tammy! It sounds like you are doing great...
"I didn't want to waste all my valuable word-smithin' on a conversation with my husband, who would probably be just as happy if I didn't talk at all." - my husband's been out of town, but now that he's home this line pretty much sums up my experience - could be good for the old relationship :)

Claudya Martinez said...

"so you've got to please yourself"...does that mean there was masturbation involved in the scene.

Bridget Murray Law said...

First off, what a wonderful description of writing a scene. And I totally understand what you mean about striking that balance. Nobody gets how tough that is except somebody who's tried to write something like that!

Got a Q for you: When do you typically do your writing? Sounds like you're a wife and mom (like me), so you are surely busy. When do you carve out time? Is it a structured thing?

Mama-Face said...

I'm kind of turned on right now.

I've often wondered how difficult it would be to write a love scene. Or a murder scene. Or pretty much any scene.

Let's always end my comments to you with AWESOME post, k?

Sandy said...

Aw c'mon. Can we read it, can we read it!!? Please please please. I could use a little sweat.

M.E. Greene said...

You go girl! I wrote my first fictional sex scene about two years ago, and like you said... it took for-freaking-ever, and I'm pretty sure *I* needed a shower by the time it was over. Geesh. As usual, you crack me up. :)

MaryRC said...

wow that is so totally awesome! someday ill sit down and experience what you have, but i have to get over my "i suck at writing" issues.

young fronkensteen rocks.

Oh! Where you going? ...Oh, you men are all alike! Seven or eight quick ones and then you're out with the boys to boast and brag! YOU BETTER KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT! Oh... I think I love him!

Gibby said...

I wrote one and it was sort of tame, but I was still so embarrassed! When I got up from the computer I felt like I had been caught doing something naughty. Darn Catholic school...