Monday, December 9, 2013

I'm a romance writer and writing love scenes is hard for me.

I'm a romance writer and writing love scenes is hard for me. There, I've said it. Cue the doom music of my writing career.

*Shuffles feet, turns in romance writer card and walks out of the club and looks forlornly behind her.*


Ok, let me clarify this.

I love writing love scenes..ahem...I love how they reveal the characters, how it could move the story forward or set it back to square one or even, just plain screw things up...

What I find hard, and I am realizing it gets harder each time, is that I have to really find the dynamic that works for that particular couple in that particular situation. Are they desperate, angry with each other, is it forbidden, do they hate themselves for giving in...so on, so on..

So every time I come to that first love scene in each wip, I come to a shuddering halt. I write just the logistics first, where they are, where is the slot, is the tab covered....things like that...

At this point, it feels like I'm writing notes for a biology class and it scares the hell out of me. I can't stop thinking about that scene and being an annoyingly linear writer, I can't move forward.

So I wonder how I'll find the emotion, the dynamic, the sizzle between them and so far in each of the books I have written, I think I have found it.

How about you? Writing love scenes - is it hard or easy for you?

3 comments:

Romy Sommer said...

I had to laugh, Tara. I don't often have trouble writing love scenes but with my work in progress I have written everything else but the love scene! I've got a bookmark in my document that says "insert love scene here".

I'm currently editing and I hope when I get to that point in the manuscript I'll be able to find the words for what I just know is going to be an intense scene to write!

Sri Pammi said...

LOL...Romy! we seem to have different facets of the same problem...
I know what you mean about the intense part! I love writing HPs, you know that, but I think the intensity part definitely drains me...

Have been thinking of doing some light, fun love scenes maybe, just to flex the muscle...the brain, I mean, in a different way.

Sally Clements said...

I find them difficult sometimes too -especially the ones at the beginning of the relationship, trying to capture the newness, the emotions can be exhausting.
Ah, the suffering we have to do for love!