What Do You Think of Sex in Stories?

I love sex and I love it more even stories. I'd rather read it then be out there having it. I'm not ashamed to say it, I think every story I've read and liked, would be a plus with a sex scene :P However, how it is written makes a huge difference. It helps me as a writer myself to open my mind up a bit more and learn from that kind of writing style. So when I write my own scenes out, I can apply those tips and actually make it look decent. If it's written very sloppy then congratulations you just ruined a chapter, I don't like it when it's rushed and two minutes later the scene is done. I think sex scenes need somewhat of detail besides kissing and dancing horizontally. The more passion, the more I adore it because obviously someone is putting some effort into the scene or know what he/she is talking about. However, one must be able to understand that a person like myself might not actually have had experience with the real thing. It's easy to write something when you've actually experienced it, versus trying to "imagine" how it would be. Sadly, the latter is the case for me. But looking into other resources like movies and even erotic literature have been a big help with me.

I don't know I once shied away from it but I embraced it and truth be told, I love writing sex scenes. It's just fun and interesting to do, and I feel I improve as a writer, because I'm dealing with emotions and even dialogue. I don't know, guess I can just appreciate a good sex scene when I see one :P

@ That Is Mohagony
I think the way the sex scene is written does depend on the story, too. Not every sex scene should be passionate and filled with detail because not all sex is about that.

@ dru's hammer.

Oh yeah for sure, I was typing too fast lol. But I mean if it's not super rushed and it actually sounds plausible, then I enjoy it more.

I think if it has a specific place in a story, then it's fine. There is nothing that irks me more than when it is completely obvious that the writer is just filling up space. Mindless sex in stories almost makes me feel like I'm intruding into the character's personal life a bit too much. If it pushes the story along (for example, it's the defining point in a lot of slash stuff that I used to read), then it honestly doesn't bother me.

Also, if it's really badly written/described, then I'm going to hate it. I remember seeing it described on a website once as 'Ikea sex', as in "he put his thing in my thing and we did it" (yes, is it that obvious I don't write sex into any of my stories?), and it's honestly awful. Perhaps even worse than just adding mindless sex into it.

@ everybody dies;
I think boring, mindless sex as you put it can actually a lot to the depth of a character or their relationship. I've been with my boyfriend for about a year and a half now and most of the sex we have is just basic, mindless, filler sex. I think it shows realness in a relationship.

I've written my fair share of sex scenes. I even have a couple of smut stories posted here *hint, hint* *nudge, nudge*
And although the whole purpose of me writing those stories was just for sex, there is also plot and character development and I like to think it's as tasteful as smut can get.
Sometimes, sex isn't necessary. You shouldn't just stick it in because you feel like it. If it isn't organic for your story, don't write it.
If you don't like to read about vulgar things, like others have said, that's what ratings are for. You can't be mad at the writer for putting sex in their story. They rate their works accordingly and it's your own fault you didn't heed their warning. For my smut, I even named the chapters "Sexual Content" or "Mature Content" as if the NC-17 rating wasn't enough. The cover picture for the story is a thong for fuck's sake. People who don't want to read sex are given clue after clue that the story they are about to read WILL HAVE SEX IN IT so *shrug* if they continue on, it's at their own risk.

@ Sabine St. James
Yeah, I love it how it's your fault if someone doesn't read warnings.

@ dru is screaming.
Right? It's amazing how much readers don't actually read sometimes...

Honestly, I won't read a romance story between adult characters if it doesn't involve sex because, unless the main character is celibate or a virgin or is abstaining for religious purposes, I don't feel like it's realistic. I also feel like there are a lot of the dynamics between a couple and the way two characters relate with one another that can only really be shown through sex.

It kind of annoys me when people make that assumption that just because something includes explicit sex, that's all there is to it and the story has no merit at all. There's that assumption that just because something has sex, it's porn, and that's not always the case. I love a good PWP, but I don't write them. At the same time, a good deal of my work includes explicit sex, but there's also plot, character development, dialogue, the works.

I don't think we need the level of sex that I tend to see in stories. Sex is fine, but I didn't come to a story to read a porno. I came for a plot and characters and feels. It depends on the story, I guess.

I write sci-fi. Ain't no one got time for sex in sci-fi.

I think that the way a person writes sex says a lot about them. If they are very descriptive in an anatomical way, or if they focus more on setting up the context and scenery; if it's narrowing in on one character's specific experience, or tries to grasp the relationship of the two of them. I know when I was 12 or sumthin', all my friends were writing sex and I was like "hey I dun wanna be left out" so I'd bridge the topic but it was just awkward. I see that sometimes, where the character of a pressured author reflect her own hesitancy, by explaining that he finds it unappealing or not interested, almost like she's trying to explain why she doesn't write smut in a highly smut-based community. I used to do that with Yugioh 5D's.

Now if I write sex, it either is highly contextualized, (not very gritty but also not under-detailed), or is also a huge mirror for something symbolic and relevant to the characters. Usually it means a lot if I'm writing it, because I like to reserve the topic only for highly intense moments in my life. Sex gets pretty repetitive in literature, because it can't physically be explained very differently, other than by changing context. And it must be complex and layered, or else I get bored.

I think it can add to a story when done right. Sometimes it's over the top though, especially when you can tell the author really doesn't know anything about sex.