Writing Sex Scenes Without Cringe: What Actually Works in Fiction
Sun Feb 08 2026
How do you write a sex scene that readers actually read and not just skim?
That’s what today’s episode is all about!
Author Accelerator certified book coaches Stacy Frazer and Jennifer Larkin team up for an honest conversation about writing sex in fiction—without cringe.
Stacy and Jen discuss when sex scenes belong in a story, how explicit they need to be, and how to write intimacy that deepens character and advances the plot.
You’ll learn how genre expectations (including YA vs. adult), consent, and emotional intent shape effective intimate scenes—and how to make intentional choices that serve your story.
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction
01:50 Guest: Jennifer Larkin
03:20 Do you need a sex scene in your novel?
10:04 Sex scenes in YA vs. adult
21:16 Purpose of sex scene and level of explicitness
26:20 Common mistakes
29:09 Consent on the page
35:05 When to include a sex scene
Jennifer Larkin helps romance writers turn good ideas into epic stories and jagged drafts into lovable novels.
Grab her free guide to writing better romance scenes at https://jenniferlarkin.kit.com/scenes.
Connect on Social Media:
Instagram: @jenniferlarkinbookcoach
Substack: @jenniferlarkinbookcoach
Have a comment or idea about the show? Send me a direct text! Love to hear from you.
Support the show
To become a supporter of the show, click here!
To get in touch with Stacy:
Email: Stacy@writeitscared.co
https://www.writeitscared.co/wis
https://www.instagram.com/writeitscared/
Take advantage of these Free Resources From Write It Scared:
Download Your Free Novel Planning and Drafting Quick Start Guide
Download Your Free Guide to Remove Creative Blocks and Work Through Fears
More
How do you write a sex scene that readers actually read and not just skim? That’s what today’s episode is all about! Author Accelerator certified book coaches Stacy Frazer and Jennifer Larkin team up for an honest conversation about writing sex in fiction—without cringe. Stacy and Jen discuss when sex scenes belong in a story, how explicit they need to be, and how to write intimacy that deepens character and advances the plot. You’ll learn how genre expectations (including YA vs. adult), consent, and emotional intent shape effective intimate scenes—and how to make intentional choices that serve your story. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction 01:50 Guest: Jennifer Larkin 03:20 Do you need a sex scene in your novel? 10:04 Sex scenes in YA vs. adult 21:16 Purpose of sex scene and level of explicitness 26:20 Common mistakes 29:09 Consent on the page 35:05 When to include a sex scene Jennifer Larkin helps romance writers turn good ideas into epic stories and jagged drafts into lovable novels. Grab her free guide to writing better romance scenes at https://jenniferlarkin.kit.com/scenes. Connect on Social Media: Instagram: @jenniferlarkinbookcoach Substack: @jenniferlarkinbookcoach Have a comment or idea about the show? Send me a direct text! Love to hear from you. Support the show To become a supporter of the show, click here! To get in touch with Stacy: Email: Stacy@writeitscared.co https://www.writeitscared.co/wis https://www.instagram.com/writeitscared/ Take advantage of these Free Resources From Write It Scared: Download Your Free Novel Planning and Drafting Quick Start Guide Download Your Free Guide to Remove Creative Blocks and Work Through Fears