Comments on: Writing About Sex (and the older woman)

By: The Purpose of Writing a Book About a Woman Without a Purpose Or: How to Turn a Problem to Advantage : Women Writers, Women's Books

Sat, 28 Sep 2019 10:58:30 +0000

[…] The great thing about NaNoWriMo is that it keeps you moving forwards all the time, even if like me you have no idea where your novel is heading. All I had was a character, Prudence, best friend of the subject of another novel I had written, set in 1920s England, about a woman discovering the joys of sex in her fifties. (I wrote about Claudia for Books for Women back in 2016 – http://booksbywomen.org/writing-about-sex-and-the-older-woman/) […]

By: Patsy Trench

Patsy Trench — Sat, 26 Mar 2016 10:11:14 +0000

In reply to Barbara Lorna Hudson.

Barbara – I do sympathise, or should that be empathise. As I said it is very difficult to get the tone right when writing about sex. It’s alarming that your readers thought you were writing about rape when you weren’t. I hope you managed to get it sorted. Thanks for buying my book and I hope you enjoy it!

By: Barbara Lorna Hudson

Barbara Lorna Hudson — Fri, 25 Mar 2016 20:41:45 +0000

Thanks for this. You have just made a sale! I look forward to comparing notes.My novel Timed Out has some sex between 60-70 – year old people. And a sexual problem as well.
I had to struggle to get the writing right. One odd thing : members of my creative writing course said of a scene in Timed Out that it sounded like rape. I was quite upset, as it was not intended. much re- wording required.
And blow me if members of my writers group said the same of an episode in my second novel!
And during the edits of the first one my publisher got confused in another scene, and asked ‘ by “he” do you mean “it”?

By: Barbara Lorna Hudson

Barbara Lorna Hudson — Fri, 25 Mar 2016 20:20:55 +0000

Agree absolutely and will get your book to compare notes. There is some sex and also a sexual problem in my novel Timed Out which features people in their 60s and early 70s.
one odd problem I have met in the writing of sex scenes: in this my first, and also in my second novel I have had people say ‘But that’s rape’ when I read out the early drafts,in writing class and group.
And my publisher found one scene confusing: does ‘he ‘ refer to ‘it’? the editor asked.
Good luck with your book. You have made one more sale!

By: Patsy Trench

Patsy Trench — Tue, 08 Mar 2016 10:52:12 +0000

In reply to Elizabeth Torphy. Could not agree more Elizabeth. The cliche 50 is the new 30, or whatever it is this week, also means the over 50s are in much better shape than they were a generation ago, which makes a lot of difference. I also believe there's a growing audience out there. The best of luck with your book!

By: Elizabeth Torphy

Elizabeth Torphy — Mon, 07 Mar 2016 23:35:30 +0000

Contrary to the “younger” generation…mature women over fifty are VERY interested in sex! But just not sex for sex sake, but good sex! I, too, am in the midst of writing a women’s fiction novel with romance (Not erotica) about a mature woman who finds that life and sex are not just for her 20 year old self. Why is it that a fifty year old woman cannot be the image of sensuality when it is the these older years that gives her the freedom of enjoying what it means to embrace her body, needs, desires and sexual power? I feel it is a new revolution of what woman want to read. Move over 20 year old self….wisdom & maturity give you a whole new perspective to sex and I think we need to see more stories embracing this change! I say, write it and the audience will find you!