Will Sex Make You Want Me More?

I pulled out my manuscript to finally get the last 4 chapters worked out.  Since I wrote this story over ten years ago, my point of view and perspective has changed in a lot of ways.  One of those ways is the approach to sex in my writing.  Writing in my twenties, the sex was in your face and, to some extent, used to help move the story.  Sex was the issue, the solution and very raw.  All I had to do was look around my college’s campus and pick a situation.  Even within the group I hung out with, there was always drama.  The young writer in me view of sex came with no strings attached.

I read through the first three chapters I sent to an agent over the summer to reacquaint myself with my characters.  The original story starts with a sex scene.  It’s not raunchy or distasteful, but it is vivid and…well, hot.  It sets the stage for what’s to come.  I rewrote the opening and let a friend, who’s an avid reader, read both.  His vote, then and now, is for the original opening.  I’m not trying to be the next Zane, but I want to write a story that’s believable and moves.

Now, older and wiser, the view is different.  When looking at something I wrote a decade ago with mature eyes, I’m confronted with the task of honoring the original story’s voice versus honoring my voice today.  During 2008 I was able to attend 2 writers’ conferences and spoke with various published authors at book signings.  The knowledge and advice about writing was overwhelming.  If I wasn’t confused before, I was now. 

One author at the conference said that your opening scene should always have your main character in it and it needs to grab the read.    Mine doesn’t have the main character in it, but it will grab you.  Speaking with another romance author, she said that some publishers of romance novels want the sex to happen sooner rather than later.  The publisher’s reason is that it will sell more books.  This didn’t sit well with her.  She’s a great author and likes the tension to build between her characters before the sex comes a knockin’.

Wading through all of this information, the one piece of advice that sticks out in my head came from Leslie Banks .  She said to give myself permission to write from where I am now in my life.  I can’t write from the perspective of 10 years ago.  The perspective has changed.  I need to give myself permission to change as well.

So, will the sex make the reader come back for more or is the story enough?  I know when it comes to romance novels, sex is expected by page 100 or so.  There has to be sex.  My question now is will moving the sex to page 20 leave the reader feeling like they were just apart of a booty call?

Tagged as: manuscript, Pen to Paper