Saturday 19 August 2017

CAN THERE BE TOO MUCH SEX IN A STORY?

A friend and I were talking tonight and I know there are going to be very differing opinions, but I'm going to ask the question anyway....

Can there be too much sex in a story?

For me? I have to say yes.

When I first started reading MM fan fiction, the sex was different and titillating, I am more than willing to admit that. However, when I began to tiptoe around the genre and seek out different authors, I found that these writers were so talented and wove such stories with great plot lines, I wasn't that bothered by the sex scenes. Sometimes I even skimmed through them to get back to the story. That's not to say they aren't written well, or that I found them boring in any way; I was just so engrossed in the story I wanted to know what happened next!

There are, however, books I've read where the MCs seem to spend all their time in bed, doing naughty things to each other. And while the scenes are designed to titillate, I find myself wondering why no one has needed to pee, eat, or go to work. Then, of course, there is the sticky situation of not showering in between rounds of rampant sex (they must crackle when they get out of bed with all the dried bodily fluids floating around - not to mention the fact that they must have to chase the sheets round the room with a chair and a whip by the time they've finished). Then... there's the chaffing! By the time they're on their fifth or sixth sex scene in 48 hours, all I'm doing is wincing and wondering if there's enough lube in the world to soothe the bottom's poor little... well... bottom - and whether the top can walk!

So, what do you think?

13 comments:

  1. Finally! Someone who agrees with me. Actually, for veterans like you and me, Lisa, these thoughts are becoming more and more common. One of the reasons I stopped writing BDSM and focused on writing more and more mystery, was because of the sheer number of sex scenes needed to move the story forward to achieve a finished book.

    I've always written plot and lots of it but my early books are chocked full of sex. The last series of six books are each mysteries with over 100k words per book with no more than 6-7k words of sex (3-4 scenes) in each book.

    My readers love that formula and have eaten the books up. Now I get reviews that praise the story and rarely mention the sex except to say how much story there is to balance out the sex scenes. They say that they still love the sex but that it's secondary to the story/mystery which is the reason they buy my books. I appreciate that more than they know.

    I can't tell you how great that feels when I look at reviews these days. I'm just happy someone else agrees with me. I've read some books that I literally have to search for story amongst the sex. That should never happen.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Amen! I had someone review Looking for Jesse and say that it was a great story but because it was MM she was expecting more sex. Which made me quite sad actually. I don't pick up an MM book because I think there's going to be lots of sex. I pick them up because there's going to be a great story. I think 3 sex scenes is more than enough.

      Delete
  2. I listen to audible more than read these days. I recently listened to one 7.5 hour book (+/- 65k words). It had 17 sex scenes. I started counting when I realized that in the first hour and a half, there were 4! By the end, and the only reason I listened trough to the end, it was because I just HAD to see how many there actually were. UGH

    ReplyDelete
  3. Omg I agree 100%! I mean I love sex scenes as much as the next person but for Pete's sake..shower, eat, change the sheets and brush your teeth,!!! A nap wouldn't be amiss either. Maybe a glass of water to replace all those fluids they are.... expelling?..Lol I have actually had to scim past a few sex scenes because they became boring or repetitive. Too many of them in one book just makes me want the story to end already
    I say to those authors...give me a plot, give me characters I can love and a relationship I can root for. Don't make me need to hose them down.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Totally agree. If the sex isn't moving the story forward or showing character development, I totally skim. I want plot, a gripping story, characters that feel real. Sex is a part of most romantic relationships, I get that, but they don't need to be going at it for half the book. And don't even get me started on the random sex scenes at the weirdest times. Oh, we are in an abandoned warehouse, minutes from a battle with the baddies, let's get down right this minute...like OMG why?! Who does that. Having a few scenes that show how the MCs are connecting with each other, and their love and passion, totally fine. Page after page after page of sex, just for the sake of it...not a fan.

    ReplyDelete
  5. As I have told you before, I skim through the sex scenes now. Not that you aren't a good sex scene writer. There is just only so many times I can read the same variation of sex.
    I love the story, am a sucker for romance!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I know. And the thing is, sex scenes are the hardest thing to write. You need to keep them different enough to keep the reader interested - but real sex isn't doing acrobats and weird and wonderful things every time.

      Delete
  6. I tend to skim when they start to get repetitive. I prefer plots and tension, but unfortunately a huge number of readers still seem to want lots more sex in the stories. My last release got a "too much plot" complaint from one reviewer. You just can't win.

    In MF romances there is a huge market for "sweet" romances and I do sometimes wish that there was a similar category for MM.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I understand if they're reading erotica or BDSM. But it's quite disheartening that just because it has an MM label on it the MCs are supposed to go at it like rabbits:(

      Delete