Manuscript Monday
Time for a love scene!
You’d think that would be a romance author’s favorite part of the book, wouldn’t you? Well, you’d be fifty shades of wrong. :tongue
I don’t know how other romance authors feel about them, but for me, love scenes are complicated, & they tend to take about twice as long to write as any other part of the book. :dislike
I think because—most times, especially the first time—it’s such a big step for the hero & heroine. There’s so much involved, both physically & emotionally.
I also tend to get very self-conscious about them. Not the sex part. I mean, please…this is Mistress Heidi you’re talking to. :flutter No, the self-conscious thing comes from being worried about repeating too many of the same words too often & wanting to be sure that everything happens in the proper order. There’s nothing worse than being in the middle of a hot & sweaty love scene only to realize you forgot to have your hero take off his pants. (Hey, it happens. :moonyou )
Another thing about loves scenes is—[cough cough] excuse the choice of phrase, but… —how many balls there are to juggle.
The word repetition thing… Mouth, kiss, lips, arms, moan, groan, etc. There are so many that tend to get used so often; but I don’t want it to be too often.
Point-of-view… Whose should the scene be in—the heroine’s or the hero’s? Or should it maybe be in both? And if so, when do you make that switch & for how long? :luvsmenot
Conflict, motivation, & introspection… Whatever’s going on in the story, whatever the characters’ thoughts & emotions, they all have to be kept in mind, woven in, &/or addressed while still keeping things hot & steamy. :beatingheart
The five senses… Important to remember all the way through the book, but when it comes to love scenes, it’s easy to get tunnel vision & forget about them. Or maybe more accurately, focus on just the more heightened-during-sex ones & forget about the others.
You get the picture, right? Love scenes are a lot of work. Which is why they tend to go slowly for me. I usually end up loving them & thinking, “Well, okay, that wasn’t so hard.” But while I’m writing, it often feels like I’m slogging through quicksand. :starwars
So what do you think—will I get through this first love scene between Reid & Juliet unscathed? Or will they still be doing the mattress mambo when the next “Manuscript Monday” rolls around? :splat:
Comments
11 Comments • Comments Feed
Donna A says:
I’m just glad that you give it consideration. I read a lot of romance and there are books where I feel like the author has copy and pasted the love scene from another book or worse from another place in the same book. :waaa
On February 25, 2013 at 6:43 am
Heidi says:
Hey, now there’s an idea! :cheers Kidding. No, I agonize over every word. :starwars And thank you for noticing!
Speaking of love scenes from past books, tho, I worry about that, too! Is this too similar to the last story? Have a lot of my characters been doing it “this way” & in “this order” lately?
Gggggggrrrrrrrgggggg. Kill me now. :splat:
On February 25, 2013 at 11:31 am
Teri Anne Stanley says:
Egads, it’s excrutiating!
I finished my second MS and edited it, then went back to look at my first, and realize that the hero and heroine’s first, uh, interaction without all of their clothes on, is pretty similar in both stories (and I didn’t cut and paste).
Sheesh, for the next one, I’m going to just have to skip third base all together.
On February 25, 2013 at 2:16 pm
Teri Anne Stanley says:
Excruciating.
On February 25, 2013 at 2:17 pm
Heidi says:
Yes, this –> :splat:
On February 25, 2013 at 4:40 pm
Laura J says:
If someone will drop Bradley off at my house, I’m sure we can see what ideas we come up with for future books for you. Don’t expect video though. You will just have to our word for what works and what doesn’t. K. :like
I have heard several authors say that’s the “love” scenes are the hardest to write. Trying to balance “too long” “too quick”, “too serious” “too corny”, etc.
Then there are those readers who complain if its not up to “their” standards. :moonyou Lol!!!
(PS: guess who is going to be putting your books on shelves now!?!?!?!?)
On February 25, 2013 at 5:13 pm
Heidi says:
Ha ha! Trust me, real life research doesn’t help you come up with the *words* to fill an entire scene about imaginary people.
And you’re going to be working at a bookstore?! Awesomesauce!!! :peekaboo You’d better be putting my books face-out & pushing them on readers 24/7. Even those who say they don’t read romance. :charmer
:beatingheart
On February 25, 2013 at 8:41 pm
Jessica Lemmon says:
Laura, did you see Bradley on Inside the Actor’s Studio? I couldn’t believe what a crier he is! :waaa At first it was strange, then endearing, then I was crying alongside him. :waaa He’s so grateful to do what he loves. So humbled. It was really amazing to see! :love
On February 26, 2013 at 9:01 am
Kathleen O says:
I have ever confidence you will do what you always do, a great love scene… Keep up the good work :cheers
On February 25, 2013 at 5:13 pm
Heidi says:
Thanks, Kathleen! I’m trying. I just hope you appreciate how hard I work—especially on the kissing parts. :kissmeirish
On February 25, 2013 at 8:39 pm
Holly says:
I find writing love scenes are tough. My sister (my biggest critic in life in general) read one of my stories once and said I wrote too raw. I didn’t write for a long time after that. Am starting to write again now.
When I am reading a story and it gets to a love scene, I don’t start reading it unless I am sure I have time to finish it and not be disturbed because if I get disturbed in the middle of a good love scene I get really mad. LOL
Holly
On February 25, 2013 at 10:59 pm