LemonAide from Spooks
Wow. I'm flattered that you included me in this little email. I've not actually written a lemon (yet...hehe...soon!) but here are my thoughts (kinda in an article rambling sort of format):
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Well, first of all, I need to say right up front that I've never written a full-blown lemon scene. I'm a big believer that the sex scene fit with the story, and I've only just started a fic in which a lemon would work. But as for reading...I do know what I like.
Do research. There are things that just jar me out a story when they're mentioned, and not because of bad writing. It's because people don't have their facts correct. As in the physical, logical things. If you're going to do something kinky with the characters, then pay attention to making sure that your scenario is actually *physically possible*. I know these characters are fictional, but nothing bothers me more than losing the believability factor. If you're going to attempt to write a lemon, put some effort into it.
For instance, if a character is handcuffed, make sure to mention that the cuffs are lined with silk or something like that or make a comment about the cold steel against the character's wrists (or ankles, whatever). Maybe say something about the pain of the cutting metal being erased by the passion flooding his mind. Little details make a huge difference in painting a scene.
Also, sex scenes are nice, but it's great if you can fit some sort of plot into the story, especially if it's a multi-parter. If you want sex, write sex. Don't just throw in an obligatory lemon scene just for the hell of it. That's getting far too clichéd, and it's not always realistic to the tone of the story.
I much prefer to read a creative, nice little hot lemon that isn't the same thing that's been done a million times. For instance, role-play scenarios, sweet love scenes, S & M (hehe), or angsty flashbacks of the lemony action make for some interesting reading. Just don't overdo it. Whatever you choose to write is your decision, of course. The important thing is to make sure that you don't just half-haphazardly slap together a random little sex scene that has plot holes you could fly a Gundam through. Emotion should be evoked some way or another, even if it's just enough to make the reader blush.
And remember, sometimes less is more. If you're writing a multi-parter and it isn't logical for two characters to just fall into bed, then for crying out loud, DON'T force a lemon into the story. If a sweet sappy kissing scene fits, then leave it at that. In real life, people just don't say, "You love me! I love you! We just found this out five minutes ago! Let's have some hot bondage fun!" At least, no one *I* know is like that. And if you *are* going to have your characters spontaneously screw, have some sort of motivation behind the sudden action, a reason for their behavior to be believable.
As with any story, proofread! If I ever read another lemon that has the word "dick" misspelled (not kidding), I think I'm going to scream. Style matters, too. Long paragraphs are great for descriptions, but sometimes wading through excessive details gets annoying, even if those details are spectacular. Breaking long paragraphs into smaller groups of sensory images adds to the readability factor.
Spelling matters. Grammar matters. Style matters. Don't overdo things. If something is outrageous and completely out there, then it better have some sort of anchor to reality otherwise I'm going to laugh. A story should be mildly believable; the same goes for lemon scenes.
Writing is an art, and it should be treated as such. If you're going to do something, do it right.
Spooks
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