Fade to Black or Explicit Sex? How do you know what to write in a novel?

I often get asked if sex scenes are necessary in a romance novel.

It's a valid question.

After all, if you look at some of the erotic fiction or romance books out there, it does seem that the sex scene can at times be a mite gratuitous. Why can't we have the sweetheart romance without knowing every intimate detail of what is occurring in our heroine's bedroom? Why does it matter that his member filled her with rapturous joy or that her bosom heaved with desire? Do we have to know what all of their "parts" are doing when the moment of climax arrives?

Hmm....

I think it depends on the reader and what they desire. Romance can be defined as many different things. To some, it's the thrill of the first date, the wind in his hair as he looks deeply into her eyes, the scent of lilacs surrounding them as she laughs at his jokes. For others, it's the desire to satisfy primal needs and enjoy the steamy passion of others if we can't create our own.

Sex scenes can also be tricky things to write. Some authors tease us with lots of build up and then leave it all to the imagination with a nice "fade to black" scene. Others go all the way--every steamy detail is out there to be examined.

As for myself, I've done both. I like a good tease where you get your reader riled up, but don't necessarily give them all the details. However, there are times when I think that technique can backfire. If your book is classified as a romance and the reader is expecting a hot read which doesn't "climax" in the bedroom, you can face some critical backlash. I've read plenty of books that were good, but would have been spicier if the sex had been a shade hotter or the sex is missing from the book. I would be wary of fading to black with every intimate scene in your manuscript. It gets boring after awhile.

If you aren't a fade to black writer and like to write juicy scenes where the sex is explicit, good for you! My advice to you is to write as if your mother is not looking over your shoulder. Mothers have a wonderful way of getting into our heads at all the wrong times. Nothing is worse than writing about masturbation and then hearing your mother's voice telling you that you are doing it wrong! Get rid of Momma and be brave, bold, and purposeful.

So how do you know if you've written a sex scene that is gratuitous?

If it the sex scene doesn't change something about the relationship of your couple or affect the plot in some way, it's gratuitous. Sex is a writing tool like anything else in a novel. It often changes the dynamic of the story. Sex in a book can be intimate,  causing some revelation of love or heartbreak from a character. It can also be unwanted which adds a new level of stress or unhappiness. Sex scenes can develop a character, taking them from shy, blushing flower to smoldering temptress. Again, the point is that whenever there is a sex scene, it should further the relationship or the plot. If it doesn't, it's an unnecessary scene.

Wow. I'm starting to feel a bit warm myself. I think I hear my latest character calling me. I left her deep in the throes of desire and have to decide what to do next. Fade to black? Detailed scene? Oh dear. I think I hear my mother calling, too....

Happy writing!

4 Ways to use Pinterest to Promote Your Books!

A year ago I vowed I wouldn't get sucked in.

I wouldn't lose more of my valuable writing time by hanging out on another social media site.

Guess what I did today? Yep. I got sucked in. Pinterest has now gained my interest.

Many of my writer friends have been singing the praises of this social media system all along and I've certainly been aware of it. As a teacher, I've perused it a time or two looking for new ideas for my classroom. From learning how to create fairies in a jar to discovering some great lesson planning sites for early theatre education, Pinterest has really helped me in my day job.

But what about in writing? How can a site like this be of use?


If you are not familiar with what Pinterest is, let me lay it out for you. It's kind of like your own bulletin board or scrap book. You can create multiple boards and on each board you can post things related to that board's topic. For instance, maybe you're really into comic books. Create a board titled Comic Books. You would then post pictures of comic book covers or characters there.

The key is to think visually!

And that's where Pinterest can be really useful for a writer.

Authors spend a great deal of time working on describing setting, locations, character physicality, etc. With Pinterest, you can find pictures of those things and post them on boards for your readers to come look at.

Trust me. It takes the reading experience to a whole new level! Here are four ways an author can use Pinterest to promote their work to a reader. By the way, you can view how I've used these techniques at http://pinterest.com/maryannloesch/boards/

1. General book info. With Pinterest you can create a board that is specifically for your book. On the board you can post things related to the novel, such as, pictures of locations or pictures of specific things in the book. For example, my YA series takes place on the Louisiana bayou. I pinned pictures of the bayou to my board. Bayou Myth has lots of objects in it that are important to the story line. With that in mind, I made sure to pin pictures that represented those items. Medea's necklace, an antique compact mirror, and an owl broach play a central part in the book. I found some great examples of what those things look like and was able to put them on my Pinterest page for the Bayou Myth series. I think this is a great way for readers to connect with your work in a way that is visual and which will allow them to get an even better view of what the world is like that your characters live in.

2. Character traits. Character development is so important in our novels. If the reader doesn't relate to our hero/heroine, we're in trouble. Hopefully, that's not the case in your story though! Sometimes when I've finished reading something, I want a little more. That's where having a character page comes in handy. You can create a board on Pinterest devoted entirely to the things that your character enjoys and likes. You could even include things that may not have been in the novel, but help develop the character even more. The nice thing about a character page is that it doesn't necessarily have to be a public page. You can create a "secret" page which means only you can view it. If you're a writer who likes to research and gather materials before the writing process, this is a tool that can help spark your imagination.

3. Tease your audience about an upcoming book. Your new book is almost ready to publish, but you're still tweaking those last minute details. However, you're aware that it's important to start spreading the word about this new project. Create a page for the new book that offers only visual clues as to what the book might be about. This is a great way to entice your readers curiosity and keep them guessing about the content of the new book. You could even offer a giveaway contest to the person who correctly guesses the theme or subject of the book.

4. All about you.  Create a board that represents all of your wonderful attributes and interests. Readers love to connect with authors in a personal way. Show your readers what's on your book shelf by pinning book covers of authors you love. Give them a glimpse of your dachshund obsession by letting them glimpse cute photos of your favorite dog breed. Maybe you're a fan of a particular brand of chocolate. Let the world know on Pinterest.  Little things like this help a reader relate to you and maybe even remember you when your new book comes out!

So....what are you doing still reading this blog? Want to go to Pinterest? Look up on the left hand side of the blog and find the Pin It button. Pin All Things Writing to your board and get started on creating your own!

Writing in Layers--Six Steps to Improve Your First Draft

I think the editing process is flat out a pain in the ass. I really hate doing it, and yet, I can't seem to get my prose perfect the first time. Over the years, I've been given lots of checklists and revision tips, but recently a ghostwriting client provided me with a writing layers tool that is excellent for when you finish the first draft of a novel. I'm going to share a few steps of this tool with you in the hopes that it will help make the second draft of your novel stronger.

1. If you are writing a romance, check to make sure that every scene makes the reader worry about whether or not the main couple will end up together. If we aren't worried, if things are too perfect, change that scene until we are worried or cut it altogether.

2. Is the main character doing something he/she wants or is he/she just sitting around waiting for something to happen? We want to root for our protagonist so make them proactive.

3. Step into your antagonist's shoes and think about things from their point of view. Make a list everything you'd do to stop the protagonist.

4. Are your characters doing what you'd want to do in their situation or scene?Keep in mind, I'm not talking about what we would do, but what we would want to do if we actually had the courage or guts to do it.

5. What is the worst thing that could happen to a character in each scene? It doesn't have to happen, but it should make us worry that it might.

6. Every scene should make us feel like we walked in on the middle of a conversation--not the beginning of one. Start as close to the conflict as you can.

I have many more tips to share with you regarding cleaning up that first draft, but the above should be enough to get you started. You can either do them one at a time or you can do them all as you go through the novel. It's up to you!

Managing Your Time as a Writer

Do you hear that? Yes. It's the sound of the children making their way back to school after a long, lazy summer. Many parents breathe a sigh of relief while us teachers prepare to batten down the hatches and start a brand new year.

I love what I do, but I'm always sad about the end of summer. My prime writing time happens during those two and a half months where I'm not thinking about my students or their creative development. Instead, I'm focused on mine.

Managing your writing time no matter what career you are in is tough. Most of us don't have the luxury of sitting at home all day and escaping to another place with our imagination. The bills aren't going to pay themselves. So what's a working writer to do? After all, we're supposed to be networking, Tweeting, Facebooking, maintaining our websites, Pinteresting, and making ourselves available to readers--and writing! How do you do that on top of a full time job?

It ain't easy!

Everybody has their own method, of course. For me, I schedule my daily writing time for early in the morning. I put in about an hour before I have to start thinking about breakfast and getting the kiddo up. At night, I usually spend another hour editing. Weekends are my big days to push hard. I close the door which signals to the rest of my family: Don't bother her or she'll freakin' kill you. I also use those days to schedule tweets or to schedule my blog posts.

Yes, there are times when I lapse from my schedule. Honestly, as much as I love blogging and connecting with readers, I really need my writing time even more. So sometimes my blog posts may suffer, but I think the writing, getting the words down, is the most important thing.

So to those of you in the same predicament as me, good luck to you! Hang in there!

You can follow Mary Ann Loesch at www.maryannloesch.com or find her on Twitter: @maryannloesch!

The Ashford Affair by Lauren Willig--a review

At RWA, I attended a fantastic workshop on the roots of historical romance. It was presented by two authors, one of which was Lauren Willig. After hearing her talk about the evolution of the historical romance, I was curious to check out her writing.

I'm so glad I did!

The Ashford Affair is a stunning romance that takes place in the 1920s and in the late '90s. It is a stirring look at the "titled" life and how the events of the past can change our lives in ways we never even imagined. With settings in Kenya, England, and New York, The Ashford Affair takes the reader on a whirlwind tour.

Clemmie is in her mid 30's and a successful lawyer. She comes from a unique family who have issues with the basics: sitting down and speaking the truth. Her grandmother, Addie, is celebrating her ninety-ninth birthday and the family has gathered together. However, Addie mistakes Clemmie for someone she knew in her youth: Bea. When Clemmie inquires who Bea is, no one wants to give her a straight answer. Confused by everyone's reticence to talk, Clemmie embarks on a journey of discovery that leads her to her grandmother's childhood in England where she grew up in the shadow of her cousin, the elegant and much sought after Bea.

There is so much to this story! Betrayal, love gone wrong, murder, a safari, and true romance---I couldn't put this one down. As many of you know, I like my romance to be steamy and full of heat. This tale actually does have sex, but it's what I would call elegant sex, behind closed doors, nothing to graphic, darling! Yet, what really pulled me in was the romance of it. Think Out of Africa with a dab of the modern world! The characters were so well built that I felt like I really was peeking into their private lives. Ms. Willig created a world of splendor tarnished by World War I.

If you like your romance with a dash of Downton Abbey, check out The Ashford Affair!