[Forest]

Just out of interest, how do you go about writing smut? Not too graphic, but smutty enough to enforce a high R rating. I've read some stuff, but never tried my hand at writing it.

Any advice/tips?

~Forest

[sindohte]

Well you can always take a look at the Writing About Sex thread which turned into a 19 page monster of everything you wanted to know about sex.

http://www.openscrolls.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=614

But my main piece of advice is that unless you are writing a straight PWP, do not stick sex in your story simply to earn a R or NC17 rating. I can always tell when writers seem to plug in the obligatory sex scene because they want to gain some readers, rather than having sex occur as a natural consequence of an attraction between two characters.

[Viv]

Sind's suggestion of reviewing the Writing About Sex is good. I have no idea what I said there and am far too lazy to go figure it out. But as a reader lately I've noticed a strong tendency for writers to do a standard "device-A-into-slot-B = everyone has happy orgasm" scene. The better smut is the stuff that works into the plot, that has a metaphorical tie to other themes in the story, or that provokes an unexpected romantic plot twist (for instance, what if Fantastic Hero Buff Boy turns out to be a lousy lover, but Doe-Eyed Heroine loves him anyway?). As a reader, those are the kinds of things I'd like to read.

As a writer, I'm still trying to master the ins and outs, figuratively speaking.

[NancyBrooke]