Sunday, August 27, 2006

Where's the Sex?

You know why my life is so amusing? Because last night at midnight someone called our house, propositioned my husband, then when he handed the phone to me, asked if we would like to have a threesome.

I politely declined.

Is this what people are doing now? After I hung up we thought we should have said yes and told them to meet us at the convenience store across the street, then watched to see if anyone showed up.

My goodness.


It's especially ironic because I've been having a very strange form of writer's block the last week or so. I'm tired of writing sex scenes.

I know, I know. You gasp. You're shocked. How could I--sexy writer extraordinaire--ever get tired of writing steamy stuff?

I don't know how it happened, but it did. Somewhere in between the fifth and sixth sex scene of one of my WIPs I realized I was getting a little bored. Then when I was on the second scene of a different project I just couldn't get it going. My prose kept leaping into purple. I felt like it needed to heat up but I just couldn't seem to get it there.

Re-reading it, it was fine. But I didn't care. I could not bring myself to be excited about these two people and their outdoor lovin'. It was even worse because the hero is a kick-ass dark medieval man, my favorite kind, all tortured and misunderstood.

Maybe it's my fault. Maybe I'm just not feeling the short story format these days. Maybe I'm just experiencing a lull. I dunno. But I'm really getting tired of writing more and more and more sex scenes.

So I'm working on something else, something I'm really excited about--I mentioned it a few weeks ago when I first got the idea, remember? I wrote a query for it. I'll be sending that and the beginning to the Crapometer. It's about 7k words right now, but I'm setting aside several hours a day from now on to get going...because I love it, because I feel good about it, and, honestly, because the sex won't happen until the last half of the book (as I have it planned, anyway) and I'm kind of looking forward to that.

Anyone else ever have writer's block in a specific area like that?

Thanks for the stories of clumsiness. ("And now...Stories of Clumsiness...brought to you by Band-Aid.") They made me and my poor bruised finger feel much better.

Also, does anyone know any therapists (not physcial therapists, but head therapists) who would be willing to give me some info on their working routines? Their education and qualifications? General background stuff?

11 comments:

Bernita said...

Just a lull.
Wish I had something like that to query Miss Snark ~sighs~ what I have is likely to demand a format I know she hates.

Stacia said...

What format is that, Bernita?


Manoj, I think sex is beautiful and well-liked. I'm just tired of writing "clit". :-)

Erik Ivan James said...

When I first put up my blog, back in January, one of my first posts was a sex post. People butchered it via emails. So I thought to myself, ok asshole practice writing sex.

For the past several weeks, about all I've put on my blog have been sex related writings with just a couple of exceptions. And, in my WIP, I've been focused the most on the sex scenes. Guess what? I'm tired of writing sex.

My plan now, is to soon make the transition over to violence in some form for awhile. For me, that will be even more difficult than writing sex because my mind doesn't naturally "think" violence. Sex is a natural thought process for me even though quite difficult for me to write. We'll see how it goes.

P.S. My wife works with a group of "head therapists". You may send me an email of your interests if inclined: erikivanjames@gmail.com

ssas said...

I suck at writing sex scenes. Well, it feels as if I suck while I'm doing them, though I'm told they're steamy by readers. I get tired of it when I write them, but I don't write enough sex, to be sure.

s.w. vaughn said...

How many times have you written "clit", December? :-)

I think you're on to the right idea. Write something else, with no sex scenes. Clit-free. Ha! Then you can go back to it, and it will seem fresh.

Sorry -- the only head therapist I know is fictional, and you wouldn't want to talk to him... :-)

Anonymous said...

Try writing a short story based on sex scenes at starbucks' blogger name. Maybe that will give you some fresh ideas. I know it's got my mind workin'! -JTC

Anonymous said...

Ranting Dullard who comments on my blog is an English therapist. You could contact him and tell him you're a fellow smut writer.

He loves smut. ;))

Stacia said...

Oh, Erik, I love writing violence! Action and violence are so much fun to write...just like sex used to be, now that I think of it...My new project has plenty of the first two and some of the last, so I'm hoping it will stay fun throughout. :-)


I definitely think it gets tiring, SSAS. But as long as the readers are happy, I wouldn't worry about feeling like you suck. Are we ever really happy with what we've done--does it match up to what it could have been in our heads?



Right there with ya, Jenn. I can't skip. It comes out in order or it doesn't come at all.

Stacia said...

Too many times to count, SW! And that's what I'm hoping--a break to do something else will bring it all back. :-)

Hmmm, JTC...a big orgy at a coffeeshop...hmmm...;-)

I need an American therapist, Isabella, but thanks! A therapist who loves smut. Sounds like just the sort I'd go to if I went to a therapist.

Sam said...

I get writers block all the time, but I find if I just sit and write it usually goes away, lol.
My blog is a nice limbering up exercise in the morning. I know what you mean about writing sex scenes and getting a little bored - but then I sit down to work, and I start to get involved with the characters and the scenes just flow.

Stacia said...

LOL Sam, I know what you mean. If you force yourself it does start to flow--perhaps I'm just dreading doing it and need to get my butt in gear!