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No Sex
There is no sex in Christian Fiction...
...Or is there? Let's continue our discussion from Love Scenes. If you have not read that particular writing rule yet, please click here now, to read
Love Scenes.
1. The Use of Body Parts
If you pick up a secular romance novel, your chances of finding No Sex is pretty slim. In the world of secular romances, the casual use of sex and body parts is rampant. Understand we said casual not crude. Even in secular romance novels they do not want to offend the woman's since of decency. Only in select branches of romance do you read such words as the "F" word and so on. Usually these type of novels are aimed at men rather than the lady. You also will not read the medical terms for private parts of the body as they call up visions of impropriety as well. At CRM, we do not believe it necessary to use either such language. We prefer alluding to a part...(taking a deep breath) not neutering the story as to make it so benign that we insult the reader with total fantasy of an unrealistic utopic world (sigh). Instead we support the use of gentle language that lends to understanding without smacking one in the face with the obvious. The following are some examples for your consideration.
Words to avoid and their substitutes:
MANHOOD, CROTCH etc.==========N/A
It is best to never draw attention to this area.
You may allude to such things in a flashback moment or in the past-tense by saying:
There had been a fire lit under John earlier when he had seen her at the dance.
BREAST=======Bosom, Chest, also okay to use breast when not speaking of it in sexual terms or sex scenes. Try substituting the word chest instead, if applicable.
Mary held the child to her breast (bosom).
Or...
Simona tried to assuage the fear pounding in her breast (chest) but it was useless.
SEX=============Loving, Lovemaking
Luke's gentle loving soothed the memory of her attackers rough handling (rape) from long ago.
RAPE===========You may use this word. However, please do not use it to "smack the reader in the face." See examples.
Before: Jared knew he could get her alone, raping her would be no problem.
The previous sentence just reeks of sensationalism to shock the reader. Try this instead:
After: Jared knew he could get her alone. He would have her and there was nothing she could do about it.
Before and After said the same things but After gave you the benefit of understanding without the "smack in the face."
CLIMAX=======N/A
We do not have Climaxes, in a sexual sense, in a Christian romance.
The characters may have felt Replete but we leave it to the common sense of the reader to know from what.
Gentle Language
Who ever says there is no sex in Christian romance novels, has probably never read one. Or they were reading a Jeanette Oke novel, who by the way has been writing sweet romances since I was in elementary school. The woman knows her stuff! Again...
Whoever said there is no sex in Christian romances has never read such authors as
Francine Rivers
and Liz Curtis Higgs. These women are masters at what they write and CRM heartily endorses both.
Click here for Christian book ratings and reviews.
However, neither of these great romance writers ever place sex in their books to draw the reader into their novels. We call that, writing Gratuitous Sex. These women are skilled ministers. They use the tools at hand to give a realistic platform by which the reader may connect with their own issues and pain.After all, if a reader refuses to allow these things to come to the surface, how shall they ever deal with them and thus be freed? This is the epitome of why we write!
Please check back to this page...there is more to come!
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