Writing Sex Scenes: Some Words Are Sexier than Others
As a steamy, contemporary romance author, I enjoy reading and writing sex scenes. So, I’m all always on the hunt for new ways to describe body parts and the things done to them.
Recently I realized I do not find the word lave sexy. It sounds like a woodworking term. I’m not sure I want my nipple, or any other part of me, laved (Ouch!).
I’ve tried using it in my stories, and it just doesn’t work for me. It’s not quite throw-up-a-little- in-the-back-of-my-mouth icky, but it is a turn off.
When I posted my thoughts on lave on Twitter, other writer Tweeps chimed in with:
- Folds
- Slit
- Pump
- Member
- Also, turgid. Particularly when combined with member.
I don’t mind the first three, but member is definitely on my “no can do” list, turgid or otherwise. And I’m on the fence about boobs. To each his/her own, of course.
Are there words that bother you in sex scenes? Ones that are your favorites? Please do leave your comments below.
(This post started as a simple Twitter comment, and took on a—very funny, if somewhat juvenile—life of its own.) Read the original Twitter thread here. And be sure to follow me once you’re there.
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So excited to be presenting at this awesome local conference!Award-winning outdoor romance author Stacy Gold would rather be in the middle of nowhere than almost anywhere else. She’s run more than 50 rivers in three countries, been heli-dropped into remote ski huts, worked as a ranger for the U.S.D.A. Forest Service, and spent years as a commercial river guide and whitewater kayak instructor. A reformed copywriter and marketing strategist, her last “real job” was Communications Director for a state-wide mountain biking non-profit. When she’s not busy playing in the mountains with her husband and happy dogs, Ms. Gold writes about independent, badass women finding love and adventure in the great outdoors. Her latest release, Wild at Heart, was a 2022 Publishers Weekly Booklife Prize finalist.![]()
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#IamRMFW #COGold #writersconference #writingcommunity Stacy Gold
Jennifer M
21st April 2017
Bud /rose bud ? and button! God, I’m gagging just writing it! ? I know there are others but they are avoiding me for the moment!
stacyg6
4th May 2017
Ha! I’ve used button, but not bud/rose bud. Some days it’s hard to come up with a better word/description for sure.