Wednesday, February 1, 2012

CELEBRATE ROMANCE: HOW TO WRITE A LOVE SCENE BY SYLVIA HALLIDAY

 
It’s February – the month of love. RWANYC is celebrating with a month-long promotion on How to Write a Love Scene – writing tips from our authors of contemporaries, historicals, sci-fi, erotica, YA, confessions and everything in between. And on Fridays, we’ll post list of our members’ Favorite Declarations of Love, Love Songs, Lovers and Kisses. Join us in our Celebration of Romance.



HOW TO WRITE A LOVE SCENE
By Sylvia Halliday


Frankly, I find that writing these scenes can be boring, after the "will-they, won't they" lead-up in previous chapters. So I try not to be preoccupied with "body parts". Instead, I concentrate on their brains, so that the sex scene has a larger purpose than just getting their bodies together. I find that the mechanics become secondary, their emotions paramount.

An innocent girl new to sex? She makes a funny, awkward comment that makes the hero laugh and love her even more.

She's in love with him? Then she has joy or even tears at the culmination of her deepest desires.

She's hot for his body? Then she feels relief and gratitude, and does or says something special to show him how pleased she is.

Insecure? She withdraws emotionally after the act, afraid he's not satisfied. If he loves her, he reassures her.

Angry? Upset? Then the sex becomes fierce, violent, resulting in a defiant affirmation of her love.

Sometimes (and often in the same scene) it's the hero who feels these emotions, adding another dimension to the story.

When you approach the sex scene, don't think about what they will DO, think about how they are FEELING at the moment. There are just so many ways to describe the physical act, but there are dozens of different emotions at play that will make the scene memorable.♥



Sylvia Halliday has also published under the names of Ena Halliday, Louisa Rawlings and Sylvia Baumgarten. As Ena Halliday, she launched the now defunct Tapestry Line. She has written for Pocket, Kensington and Harlequin. Sylvia is working on a new Historical series and a Chick Lit with her daughter, Julia. Friend Sylvia at http://www.facebook.com/SylviaHallidayAuthor


COME BACK FRIDAY, February 3, for RWANYC's Favorite Love Songs.

2 comments:

  1. Thank you for reminding me.... Yes - it's all in the brain - plus dialogue.

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  2. Great post, Sylvia! I agree it's all about the FEELING and not really the DOING. I think for romanmce, the former is a must-have and the latter is a nice-to-have :)

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