October 31, 2017 – Muse Inspired

Let’s assume that you already have an idea for a story. A really basic idea. You just have no idea how to expand on that idea. What you need then is a little bit of plot brainstorming. I like to call this plot bunny breeding! You’re taking your core concept and then breeding tons and tons of ideas that can work with the story.

In this brainstorming exercise, think up six options for each question that relates to your plot. Weave your favorites together to create your outline.

WHO …is in this plot!

In this case the WHO will be the stars of the story. They might be a single main character, many specific characters, or background characters. Your cast of characters can bring up many different plot ideas. In a zombie apocalypse, you’re going to have different sort of story ideas for a group of high school students compared to trained army soldiers.

WHAT …will happen in this plot!

All plots need conflicts and road blocks. Stuff that is going on in the world. Your WHAT should list off a bunch of things you want to throw at your main characters. Are they being attacked by aliens? Is the country at war? Will there be love triangles? Will there be sex scenes?

WHEN …is this all happening?

The WHEN could mean anything from history of the world, time of life for the character, or timeline of events. It can also include when you would like certain plot events to happen to your characters. When you have a lot of things you want to do in a plot, you can write down the sequence of events, and even create more plot ideas on how those events connect together.

WHERE …is this going to take place?

Locations can have a lot of impact on the story. Jotting down lots of places for WHERE you want scenes to take place will help with ideas. Different kinds of plot twists and storylines can come out of changing up locations. Like taking place at school versus at work or at home. In a country that is at war or walking in to a tavern in the middle of the night.

WHY …is all this happening?

You won’t have a story without having reasons. The WHYs are reasons that things are happening. Two countries at war; what happened to cause this? Why are characters involved and trying to fix or fight? Those damned zombies are here, but how? Why did the aliens choose Earth to invade?

HOW …does it all tie together?

When you’re putting together a bunch of elements they need to be related and make sense for your plot. If your plot is about fighting dragons in a fantasy land, but you want to feature a scientist as a main character, you need to figure out HOW that can be accomplished. In a modern setting about Japanese high school students, you couldn’t throw in this Russian mob kid without knowing how they got there.

A lot of people get hung up because they keep having ideas, but none of them seem to work for their plot. Don’t give up or be discouraged if the perfect idea doesn’t come to you right away. Sometimes you need to ramble out a bunch of random nonsense before you hit inspiration. With brainstorming, you are getting your brain in gear to help you find that perfect idea. Where one thing doesn’t work out, you may come up with something even better!

Smut! Erotica! Naked Butts! Sex scenes are a fun way to add life to a plot; to give it a nice punch of emotion, conflict, and spice to the story. The big problem is that sex has a stigma. In the Romance genre especially, sex scenes are much like the explosions in Michael Bay movies. Totally fun, but when gratuitously thrown in every other chapter without point or reason it falls lacking. Sure it’s hot to read your favorite characters gettin’ it on, but how great would it be if each sex scene actually developed your characters and progressed the story? Let me take you on a magical ride through the randy world of se-

Hold up, lady. All I see is a whole lot of description about where genitals are getting stuck. What is the difference between Sex as a Plot Device and Pointless Boning?

Well, dear reader, it all comes down to consequences. Good or Bad. Your sex scene should be adding something to the development of your characters and plot; a catalyst of change. It could be an expression of feelings or it could be creating conflict and problems. In your story, you have a problem, a goal, and a resolution. This moment between characters should either be helping or hindering them towards that final resolution.

Okay, I get it. Sex scenes can have purpose. But how do you use SEX as a story element?

Ask yourself this: What does this scene affect in my story? Your sex scene is adding to your plot. No matter the choice of theme or atmosphere, it changes something for these characters. It doesn’t just have to be an endless barrage of sex in a dozen different positions. The characters can learn something in these moments about themselves or each other.

CONSIDER THE PLOT:

Even when you are writing a romance novel, there needs to be more to the story than “the characters meet and fall in love and bone”. Are you writing a murder mystery or a fantasy? A medical drama or a contemporary comedy? The context of your setting can make a huge difference on your sex scene. Characters will be able to interact with the setting and in turn also be affected by what’s around them. Think about what could go wrong. What goes right? Could they be discovered or interrupted? Is it a private space where they feel comfortable doing things they normally might not? If you’re writing about two high school teachers having a secret affair, a sex scene set in a bathroom at the school would have wildly different potential consequences compared to a scene in the bedroom at the married character’s home. It’s the difference between getting caught at school and losing their job, or getting caught at home by a spouse.

CONSIDER CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT:

With every scene in your story your characters need to evolve. What does it convey about the characters? What did the moment mean to that character? How did it affect or change them, even if in the tiniest way? Because of the sex, something has altered someone’s life and every time it happens, it’s making the problem better/worse. Suppose our teachers wanted to bang one out during lunch period. One is hopelessly in love and the other is cheating on their spouse. How has giving in to temptation changed things for them? Are they thrilled about what happened or is there regret?

Examples of Sex as a Plot Device with Common Trope Pairings:

The Sex Slave and Master. A classic pairing that reeks of porn without plot, but a clever writer it can bring exciting life to this potential story. It can be an inspiring tale of exploring one’s sexuality through BDSM where during one sex scene the main character learns how to set boundaries and this new confidence spills over in to the rest of their life. You might write a tragedy about abuse in an unhealthy relationship; how the dynamic is being used to manipulate a character in to sex they don’t want.

The Vampire and Human. This pairing is so popular there’s thousands of novels dedicated to the hot vampire trope. You can go for a romance that borders on obsession; guy or girl being so infatuated with this dark and dangerous creature that they throw sense out the window. This could be a story about seduction and resistance, the vampire charming their way to what they want. A psychological thriller with erotic torment; a fantasy that goes horribly wrong. A Romeo-Juliet tale of love, going against rules and expectations in favor of love.

Remember: The scene should trigger consequences in the plot. Perhaps your vampire has seduced the wrong person and someone seeks revenge. Maybe your character exploring the world of BDSM has noticed their partner’s style lines up a little too well with the modus operandi of a serial killer on the news. Consequences make things interesting.

You CAN have character and plot development with your sex scenes. A wonderful and engaging story that gives all of that sex some real meaning. Whether it be two characters hooking up at a bar for a one night stand, or the love affair between a married man and his secretary. There is a story to tell beyond all the ways you can bang a person. Do it well and you’ve got a spicy element to add to your novels!