(Part 3)
So we’ve
been talking about sex in YA this week, and specifically about how it applies
to the Grab Your Pole series thus far. In this post I want to discuss the
actual writing of sex in a Mature YA book, or rather, how and why I’ve written
it the way I have.
For anyone
who’s read my work, it’s most likely apparent that the Grab Your Pole series is
hugely character driven. With that in mind, let’s look quickly at Shark Bait, the first book in the GYP
series. Aside from some expositional conversation implicating that certain
characters were doing it, there really wasn’t a whole lot of sexual situations
written about. Why? Well, mostly it’s because of the POV the book was being
told from. The narrator if you will of that story was just getting her feet wet
in that she was new to...well, pretty much everything, as was the reader. She
and the reader were just getting to know each other and everyone else, which
takes some time to do. So while the topic of sex may have been a driving force
in terms of conflict between characters, it was in no way the over arcing theme
or plot of the story. It was just simply one of many elements used in setting
the scene and developing the characters. Relationships were observed, conversations
were had, situations were presented and subsequently handled, all going towards
establishing the learning curve for one character and the growth and
development of the others through which the reader was hopefully able to
establish a connection with each one; to begin to know them personally as they
know themselves and each other.
In The Other Fish in the Sea, book 2 of the
series, that foundation is still being built and character development is
considerably furthered, but in addition to that, the reader gets to know a few of
the other characters more intimately through POV shifts. True, there were only
a few shifts, but they each gave insight into another character’s mind as well
as the opportunity for seeing the other characters from a different point of
view; helping the reader to connect a bit more and on a different level to a
somewhat large ensemble cast. So because the bulk of that book was still being told
by the original new girl with not a lot of sexual experience, there were few
opportunities to bring in the actual act of sex, as the written depiction of
the characters who were having sex in
that book didn’t go to furthering their character development, meaning that
there was no need to describe in detail those specific characters getting their
jollies; just knowing they’re doing it, who they’re doing it with, and/or why
they’re doing it was enough and to add in the details of their experience
would’ve been somewhat superfluous and wouldn’t have advanced the story being
told at the time.
However,
when it came down to the innocent making progress on the sexual learning scale,
I got a little more descriptive simply because it was necessary. To gloss over
those first experiences of the lead voice and the events and decisions that led
up to them would have taken away from not only the connection between her and
the reader, but it would’ve also hindered the growth and development of both
her and the characters she was interacting with. But here again, depicting a
sexual act in detail—graphic or otherwise—from the point of view of an innocent
was unnecessary and quite frankly, I believe to do so would’ve been unrealistic
and could’ve even compromised the integrity of the character’s voice, because
that’s not who the reader had come to know her as. Sure, there were a couple of
instances where it could possibly be said that I got a little graphic, but it
wasn’t the innocent doing the detailing our outlining in any of those moments;
she was more or less a conduit and through her the voices of other characters
was heard.
When it
comes to the third book in the Grab Your Pole series however, all bets are off.
Why is that? Again, it’s simply due to POV. Shark
Out of Water is told entirely from the points of view belonging to the GYP
guys. And even if you haven’t read a single book in the series yet, I’m sure
you’ve guessed that some of these guys are far from innocent. Now although it’s
true what Autumn mentioned in a comment on Part 1 of this blog series—an author
has more freedom in a Mature YA or NA novel than in a true YA book—I still feel
the need to be careful. I understand that readers (adult readers especially)
understand and see the need for sex to be incorporated into these books and many
also want to read it happen; to experience it vicariously as the characters do,
but again, I’m not writing a How-To book, so it’s my belief that I need to walk
a fine line when writing from a sexually experienced character’s point of view.
And with regard to a specific character in the GYP series, that line is
sometimes razor thin...
There was
one small-ish section in Shark Out of
Water that when I originally wrote it, I didn’t just put a toe over that
line; I did a fuckin’ triple lindy over it. Although I didn’t personally object
to it per se, I rewrote it and cleaned it up a smidge. Then, after more than a year
later, while thinking about it and feeling more comfortable with letting the
character be free to be himself, I rewrote it again, but this time I ramped it
up. I also, however, left out some of what was there originally, as I honestly
did and still do feel the original details weren’t called for and had they been
re-added, they wouldn’t have done a single thing for his character development
or the reader’s connection with him. What was published though absolutely did,
and it also is now probably one of my favorite “scenes” in the third book.
Now
although I had the freedom and ability when writing the specific act of sex in
the third book to be more detailed in the physical sense and to make it hot and
steamy, I still veered away from really and truly doing so. And not because I
don’t have the skill or because I’m uncomfortable writing a steamy scene,
because trust me, I do and I have, and anyone who cares to keep reading this
series will probably raise an eyebrow, shift in their seat, and maybe even feel
like pulling at their collar a few times before all is said and done. However,
in Shark Out of Water I simply chose
to go the other route and put the focus during sex where it was appropriate for
the specific characters and where they were specifically in the story at that
time. In other words, I put the focus on the emotion.
I mean
let’s be honest here, you don’t have to be reading pumping, pounding, and
probing or even a moderately graphic sex scene to get worked up; when done
well, even a simple kiss can be written to leave a reader panting, and although
that might indeed be the outcome of some scenes I’ve written both already read
and as of yet unread, getting the reader all hot and bothered wasn’t my aim in
this particular book. My goal was to get across to the reader the depth of
emotion experienced between two characters during an act of sexual intimacy,
because that was what was right for them and the story at that moment. Not
because they aren’t turned on and hot for each other in every way, but rather
their journey and development thus far has been more on the emotional
waterfront with the physical aspect of sex simply providing a platform if you
will for them to accrue emotional growth because without it, they either
regress or worse, become stagnant.
So in a
nutshell, I feel as though sex is mandated by these characters to be there and
it’s hugely important overall even though sex isn’t necessarily a plot point of
the series. Could I have written the Grab Your Pole series without sex and all
it encompasses being so prevalent? Sure. However, I sincerely doubt that it
would be even remotely realistic. Could I have written certain scenes to be
more graphic and hot? Of course, although to do so, while probably fun for me
and the reader alike, it would’ve just been writing gratuitous sex for the sake
of gratuitous sex. That said, I personally feel as though I hit a happy medium,
and it’s my belief that the addition of sexual situations, innuendos,
interludes, and the actual act of sex itself being written in the different
ways I’ve chosen to depict it in this series thus far furthers the growth and
development of the characters, it helps to more firmly establish the reader’s
connection with the individual characters as they read and learn about the GYP
gang on a more personal level; the whys and wherefores of a character’s
motivation for being who they are, and most importantly, it’s my belief that
sex advances the story as a whole.
So now you
know why I wrote some of the things I wrote into the Grab Your Pole series and
why I wrote them the way I did, but now I’m curious so I have a few
questions...
1) Do you
prefer your YA books to be safely lukewarm or on the hotter side of the page?
2) When
reading a GYP book did you ever feel as though you were left wanting due to
lack of detail and/or was there a time when you thought, “Wait...what the fuck
is she thinking writing that? Kids are gonna be reading this shit for Christ’s
sake!”?
3) How
many of you zeroed in on the implication that might’ve left you not caring
about the rest of this blogpost, but instead has you either scared to death or foaming
at the mouth to see how I might possibly turn up the GYP heat?
(Sex in YA Parts 1 and 2)
