《How to Write Stories People Will Love》Question 43: Writing uncomfortable scenes
Advertisement
asks: I feel uncomfortable with writing inappropriate scenes but in my book I want to say that my leading character gets pregnant. And I want to let the readers know what happened without actually having to write a sex scene.
The great thing is, we don't have to write scenes that make us uncomfortable. They can merely be hinted at. Scenes that are necessary for the understanding of the story can sometimes be explicit, boring, or any number of other things that make it undesirable to include in a book. Those scenes can be glossed over in various ways.
In movies, there is often romance that leads to sex, but they find ways to not show it. They instead imply pretty heavily that it's happening. Here are some examples of how they do it:
- The couple is kissing, then they move into the bedroom and shut the door. All we see is the door being closed, and not what's behind it.
- We see a love interest exiting a house in the morning, waving goodbye to the other person at the doorway, maybe blowing a kiss.
- We see a woman wandering around the kitchen in an oversized man's shirt and no pants.
- People in the living room can hear sexy giggling coming from one of the bedrooms.
- An uncomfortable scene begins, like maybe a struggle or groping, and then it fades to black. This leaves it open to interpretation, and can be an effective tool to convey a bit of mystery as to what actually happened.
Uncomfortable scenes can be alluded to in dialogue. Someone can be chatting with their friend about what happened last night. They can go into as much or as little detail as you like, as long as it adheres to the character's personality. (For example, a shy person wouldn't go into any detail at all.)
Advertisement
A character can think about the uncomfortable event in his or her mind. They can re-experience the elation, fear, or whatever emotion they had again. They can give a narrative commentary about it, like how they can't believe it finally happened, or how they hope it never happens again.
makes a great suggestion: Have a different character stumble upon the uncomfortable scene. Whatever is going on will immediately stop, but the reader will see a freeze-frame of what's going on. For example, someone opens a room where two people are making out. Or someone turns into an alleyway and interrupts a gruesome beating. You just need to describe what the person sees, and no more than that. The reader will put the pieces together.
You don't have to detail out any scene you are uncomfortable with. These scenes can simply be referred to in various subtle or not-so-subtle ways. The reader will figure out what's happened without needing the specifics.
Advertisement
- In Serial58 Chapters
Memento Mori
After seven years of searching for her sister, Embla came up with nothing. Absolutely nothing. She thought that was it. However, one day, she encountered a request from a no-name party named Memento Mori. A request that would change her path forever. Now with wiki that is currently being updated! https://memento-mori.fandom.com/wiki/Memento_Mori_Wiki
8 98 - In Serial11 Chapters
The Last Inquisitor is The First Augmentor
187 years into the new age. The world of Gran Viride, a world of magicka, and the Holy Empire of Yggdrasil has recovered from the times of strife. An era of peace has been ushered with the help of the Church of Merciful Radiance. Erdem Fairsborough, a priest of the church, chose a path that prevents any more bloodshed, but a holy order have other plans for him. However, he will fight for his methods. But when he discovers a grim truth, he also unearths a dark past that will blur the lines of morality. This is his story.
8 148 - In Serial10 Chapters
Ave Akakios
Viktor Acacius Akakios, the last living heir to the Akakios namesake. A family line of pioneers who curiously sought out to unravel the mysteries surrounding the arcane from time immemorial. Weilding supreme power over the elements, controlling the dead, and opening gates to different realms, the titles of: insane, lunatic, madman, supervillain, and more, easily became theirs over time. Justice however—in all its blind vigor, came all but too swift in hand with death to reap their souls, time, and time again. Now, abandoned by all but mere fate and luck, Viktor must find his own in a world filled with super powered individuals, technological geniuses, and mutants alike. Can he rid his name of the past and become something different altogether? Or will history repeat itself again, sealing the fate for all those labeled Akakios once and for all? Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
8 148 - In Serial13 Chapters
The Guild of Black Sheep
A group of 9 members, in a fantasy world with litrpg elements, form together to become a guild. From meeting one another, to creating the guild ‘Black-sheep’ and the adventures from there on, will everyone achieve their own goals? (Thanks for Whisper for doing the cover.)
8 203 - In Serial16 Chapters
RE:tombdungeon
The main character gets reincarnated by a Godess, after getting killed by an drone.Now he has to survive as an tomb dungeon, in an empire that exploits it's own residents.
8 105 - In Serial36 Chapters
Something To Believe In [Dean Portman] ✓
♪𝖽𝗈 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗄𝗇𝗈𝗐 𝗐𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗂 𝖻𝖾𝗅𝗂𝖾𝗏𝖾 𝗂𝗇? 𝗅𝗈𝗈𝗄 𝗂𝗇𝗍𝗈 𝗆𝗒 𝖾𝗒𝖾𝗌 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗌𝖾𝖾♪𝗂𝗇 𝗐𝗁𝗂𝖼𝗁 𝗌𝗈𝗉𝗁𝗂𝖾 𝗋𝖾𝖾𝖽 𝗃𝗈𝗂𝗇𝗌 𝗍𝖾𝖺𝗆 𝗎𝗌𝖺 𝗍𝗈 𝗉𝗅𝖺𝗒 𝗂𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗃𝗎𝗇𝗂𝗈𝗋 𝗀𝗈𝗈𝖽𝗐𝗂𝗅𝗅 𝗀𝖺𝗆𝖾𝗌 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗆𝖾𝖾𝗍𝗌 𝖽𝖾𝖺𝗇 𝗉𝗈𝗋𝗍𝗆𝖺𝗇𝗈𝗋𝗂𝗇 𝗐𝗁𝗂𝖼𝗁 𝗍𝗐𝗈 𝗍𝖾𝖾𝗇𝗌 𝗇𝖾𝖾𝖽𝖾𝖽 𝗌𝗈𝗆𝖾𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗈𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗆𝗌𝖾𝗅𝗏𝖾𝗌 𝗍𝗈 𝖻𝖾𝗅𝗂𝖾𝗏𝖾 𝗂𝗇
8 85

