So You Want to Write Romance

Hi everyone! I'm Chrys Fey, the newest moderator of Unicorn Bell, and today is my first week as co-host. I am thrilled to be here and look forward to many more weeks. :)

Romance is a very popular genre. Don’t we all just love romance? I know I do, which is why I created a post with ten tips to help you write romantic scenes. I’m not talking about dinner dates though. Oh no, I’m talking about those steamy scenes.

1. Build suspense and intensity. Nothing draws a reader in and keeps them captivated more than romance that heats up slowly like a teapot on a stove. Start things out slow between your characters with contact that is just a brush of the lips and a touch of the hands then builds to breath-stealing kisses and full-bodied caresses.

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2.  Cover all the bases of the five senses: sight, taste, smell, touch, and sound. Get creative!

3. Use similes. Similes are a tiny piece of art in your writing. You don’t want to overpower the scene with similes, but creating a couple can make all the difference to your details.

4. Know your characters and genre. Don’t change your characters attitude just because they are being intimate. If the woman is shy, keep her shy during the whole love-making process. Also, keep your genre in mind. There are certain genres that require more steam and then there are others where it isn’t necessary to go that far into detail.

5. Use setting to your advantage. Describe your characters’ surroundings. A season can also make a difference. During the winter, a love scene could involve a roaring fire.

6. Don’t ignore dialogue. Have your characters voice how much they want each other and what they are feeling.

7. Get into your characters’ thoughts and emotions to make it more romantic. What are they thinking? Tell us! Are they nervous, scared, or anxious? Reveal it!

8. Listen to the great love songs that make your heart go pitter-patter.

9. Pretend you’re the one being romanced. How would you want to be treated? What would you want to happen? What are your desires?

10. Lastly, there are two ways to go about writing a romantic scene. The first route is soft and sweet. The second is hot and steamy. If you’re writing a sweet encounter, the kisses will be long, their hands will be caressing each other tenderly, and the love-making will be slow and gentle. On the other hand, if you’re writing a steamy encounter, the kisses will be bruising and breathless, their hands will be eager, and the love-making will be fast and furious.

TIP: You can blend these two options by starting out soft and sweet and then turning the heat up to hot and steamy.

* This is an updated version of an article previously posted on my blog, Write with Fey.