Wednesday 26 November 2008

Stop sniggering at the back


The annual bad sex award is up for grabs. That's bad sex in fiction actually started originally by Auberon Waugh to discourage "unconvincing, perfunctory, embarrassing or redundant passages of a sexual nature in otherwise sound literary novels".

The Gate of Air by James Buchan
Sashenka by Simon Montefiore
To Love, Honour and Betray by Kathy Lette
Triptych of a Young Wolf by Ann Allestree
and the winner Shire Hell by Rachel Johnson

Sex is really hard to write. But if the story really warrants following the protagonists through the bedroom door (or wherever your action takes place) you owe it to the reader not to shy from the task.

The only tip I can think of is to use a touch of humour and not too many gynecological details.

5 comments:

Unknown said...

I've got this great book called 'The Joy of Writing Sex.' Sounds corny, but actually is very, very useful for helping you over the hump... ye gads, did I really just say that...?

Emerging Writer said...

I have the same book (somewhere) I won it on Woman's Hour a few years ago writing an erotic piece.

Omaniblog said...

Wow - what wonderful photographs. I've not read a word yet but the photographs have me gasping. I'll be back.

Peter Goulding said...

Ah sure, I tend to stick with writing stuff that I know something about.

Emerging Writer said...

Ah Peter. I am a great believer in research!