Writing tension in romance.
When I was asked to do this blog for a writer friend's site, the first thing to hit me was panic. I can write sexual awareness between hero and heroine well enough without thinking about it, but put a label on it and the well dries up…
When I was asked to do this blog for a writer friend's site, the first thing to hit me was panic. I can write sexual awareness between hero and heroine well enough without thinking about it, but put a label on it and the well dries up…
In the world of romance, so many little things must take place and be
set in motion for any tension to be built up between H/h. From the
moment that first meeting happens, the reader must be drawn to the
couple, feel the instant connection. You must know, feel
that these two were meant to be together. Every single look, every
single touch, and every sense, is played upon. The way they move, react
to each other draws the reader in.
♥
To give a little example, I’m pulling a snippet from the top of my head.
The early tension between H/h.
“At least when you shudder this time, it will be for all the
right reasons.” At the low murmur of his voice, she almost dropped the
tray.
Swinging around, her chest brushing his, she stared into warm
hazel eyes. The same lazy smile lingered on his incredible mouth. One
she dreamed about from the moment she realized he was more than just her
brother’s friend.
He leaned in, and she waited in breathless anticipation. But he
merely reached past her, his tanned hand snagging a cookie. Leaning
against the counter, he took a bite of his biscuit and studied her.
“What have you been up to, princess?”
Now, lets dissect this paragraph. Below is a walk through of how I
created the early developing awareness between H/h using the five
senses.
“I’m still shuddering from that little display,” she (heroine)
said to her friend, pulling her face in distaste as she set a tray of
baked cookies on the counter.
“At least when you shudder this time, it will be for all the
right reasons.” At the low murmur of his voice, she almost dropped the
tray.
Hearing. Already you experience the tension the moment she hears his
voice. Her reaction? The fact she nearly drops her tray, shows you her
hands are shaking, the shock. And you can bet her hearts pounding like a
drumroll.
Swinging around, her chest brushing his, she stared into warm hazel eyes.
Notice,
she swings to him, not turns. Her reaction’s instantaneous. When she
faces him, he stares at her with warmth. He could have stood anywhere
and announced himself, but he chooses to stand not just behind her, but
so close that when she turns, her chest brushes his. His voice lowered,
he makes his announcement. And in this way you see he’s definitely
interested, even though his words to her are playful, teasing.
The same lazy smile lingered on his incredible mouth. One she
dreamed about from the moment she realized he was more than just her
brother’s friend. He leaned in, and she waited in breathless
anticipation.
Another use of senses. Sight. Heroine zooms onto a feature of his
that draws her in. Then stretching the moment, adding to the tension as
she waits.
But he merely reached past her, his tanned hand snagging a
cookie. Leaning against the counter, he took a bite of his biscuit and
studied her. “What have you been up to, princess?”
This has not just verbal interaction of awareness, but the usage of
eye contact and body language. And when he leans in she thinks finally,
only he filched a cookie. But his action shows he’s reacting to her on a
deeper level, by watching her, a level filled with awareness.
Always
remember as the plot progresses, you have to up the stakes. Dig deeper,
heat things up between H/h.
Now, the scene leading to the moment everyone waits for.
Sister, that’s what he saw her as. She edged away, deciding to leave, when his arms snuck around her waist, startling her.
“Where are you off to?” He brought her back to him.
Trapped by the intensity of his stare, she became aware of her
own thudding heartbeat. Not a hint of a smile on his tempting mouth now.
“Home. I’m leaving.”
His gaze dropped to her lips, lingered. “I’ll drive you.”
“Why?”
Slowly, he looked back at her. “Because I’m done waiting.”
Now the stakes are upped, and tension’s wired you hard and fast, you need more.
Sister, that’s what he saw her as. She edged away, deciding to leave, when his arms snuck around her waist, startling her.
“Where are you off to?” He brought her back to him.
Trapped by the intensity of his stare, she became aware of her
own thudding heartbeat. Not a hint of a smile on his tempting mouth now.
With a look alone, instinctively as the reader you feel the change in
their relationship. It’s why with romance novels all emotions are
exaggerated. It’s to grip the reader and draw them into this sensual
experience, making you a part of it.
“Home. I’m leaving.”
His gaze dropped to her lips, lingered. “I’ll drive you.”
“Why?”
Slowly, he looked back at her. “Because I’m done waiting.”
Dialogue heightens the sexual tension. When the hero and the heroine
are together you must see sparks fly, whether by eye contact, or by a
casual touch of their hands. And when he looks at her, a profound
feeling must steal over both heroine and reader, their emotional impact
felt. This puts all the key elements in place and you feel the sexual,
and emotional tension between them. You wait eagerly for that first
kiss, first touch, because you know when it happens, it’s sure to be
explosive.
So there you have it. Remember it’s all a matter of making sure to
raise the stakes after each encounter, to build up on sexual tension
leading to that first moment of intimacy. Better yet, and so much easier
when as a writer you just let your characters guide you along. They’ll
often show you what they want.
Happy writing ♥
