Tips for writing romance and (non explicit)physical affection?

[SouthernMaiden]

Personally, I like cute awkward moments.

When people are close awkward moments can be laughed off, without feelings being hurt. I just find it so sweet

Do ya'll have any tips?

 

[A-Random-Writer]

Personally, I like cute awkward moments.

When people are close awkward moments can be laughed off, without feelings being hurt. I just find it so sweet

Do ya'll have any tips?

I gotta lock in and watch this thread. I could use some of these tips and tricks.

 

[Corty]

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Check the tutorials at the bottom of the first post. It may have some threads that can help out.

 

[Eldoria]

Do ya'll have any tips?

Well, I may not be good at writing romance narratives... my only romance (Josei) fiction is still on hiatus and I have no intention of continuing it yet.

However, personally, I prefer writing subtle romances, ones that rely on body language, atmosphere, and internal conflict. This way, readers can read the attraction between the characters and understand the dynamics of their relationship.

This chapter is the last time I wrote romance. Maybe my answer won't help you, because I'm still learning a lot.

 

[AstreiaNyx]

I find affectionate touch rather sweet in romance. If you’re in love, you wouldn’t want to sit with your lover without some sort of touching, be it hand-holding or simply pressing your arm against them. Romance doesn’t have to be explicit to be romantic. In fact, hand-holding or an affectionate hug can be sweet and intimate if you write it well.

 

[TinaMigarlo]

early in my writing hobby, I had trouble with dialogue and cardboard characters. A moire knowledgeable person told me about... character models. example. I want two cops on a murder scene, to do some everyday dialogue. I was told, imagine two middle aged guys I knew well, and how *they* would banter. Bang! could do it after that. Also, character models work for MC and the other chars as well. usiungf this as your guide, didn;t you grow up seeing two loving parents show affection without tongues down their throat? If not, you surely have a married couple you can use for a character models for that situations. Protip: you can have a physical model for looks, and a model for how they act and talk. if you are going for "real" then use real people to base it off of. When you know someone? You can just "hear" in your head what they would say and how they would react. Just never tell anyone who the char models are. You're welcome, this should fix that. But seriously I'm not that smug, just joking. Hope this helps.

 

[laccoff_mawning]

As a reader (not writer) of the fluffy SoL comedy genre, I have observed that everybody loves wingmen and wingwomen. They can push the ML and FML into awkward situations that would usually feel forced otherwise.

 

[GwynLordofTinder]

Admittedly, my characters are pretty unabashed in their affections so this isn't my forte, but I think the devil is in the details for what you're interested in.

Accidentally bumping into or brushing against people happens all the time in social spaces, but typically isn't worth remarking upon. Your fingers might brush against the barista's when she hands you your coffee, but usually you just go about your day. However, if that same situation happened with two characters who were interested in each other, it becomes much different. The person getting the coffee is going to notice.

Their eyes might go wide, or they freeze for a second. They'll look at the barista, and find her looking back. If it really was an accident, both of them will be wondering if the other did it on purpose, or if it wasn't the other might wink, or at least give a smile that's a little less innocent than the awkward glance you'd give a stranger you have no interest in.

Idk if you've seen Heated Rivalry, or Gay Hockey, as it should be named, but the scene in episode one that takes place in the gym is a really good example of a sexually charged, but non explicit, encounter between two people who are clearly very interested but hesitant to admit it.

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[RadicalMongoose13]

Cute awkward moments work. Very well. Also a look can say a lot. I have two protags that were kind of isolated together for years and one of them was non-verbal during that time. That gave me a lot to work with for non-verbal cues and communication. But if part of your characters whole attraction is that they understand each other? Then a meaningful look, even just a casual/mundane touch. Great way for characters to communicate without you having to dump like a paragraph of gushy dialogue. ? I had that problem A LOT when I first started trying to write romance between characters.

 

[CharlesEBrown]

It's hard. Practice is the only thing I can suggest (and I'm not sure I'm very good at it... tend to rush through the courtship part because the awkward part ... hits too close to home, STILL, after 25+ years of marriage...

 

[SouthernMaiden]

early in my writing hobby, I had trouble with dialogue and cardboard characters. A moire knowledgeable person told me about... character models. example. I want two cops on a murder scene, to do some everyday dialogue. I was told, imagine two middle aged guys I knew well, and how *they* would banter. Bang! could do it after that. Also, character models work for MC and the other chars as well. usiungf this as your guide, didn;t you grow up seeing two loving parents show affection without tongues down their throat? If not, you surely have a married couple you can use for a character models for that situations. Protip: you can have a physical model for looks, and a model for how they act and talk. if you are going for "real" then use real people to base it off of. When you know someone? You can just "hear" in your head what they would say and how they would react. Just never tell anyone who the char models are. You're welcome, this should fix that. But seriously I'm not that smug, just joking. Hope this helps.

Love the idea of character models, thats fantastic advice!

As a reader (not writer) of the fluffy SoL comedy genre, I have observed that everybody loves wingmen and wingwomen. They can push the ML and FML into awkward situations that would usually feel forced otherwise.

Agreed! Wingmen are great for engineering fun situations

Admittedly, my characters are pretty unabashed in their affections so this isn't my forte, but I think the devil is in the details for what you're interested in.

Accidentally bumping into or brushing against people happens all the time in social spaces, but typically isn't worth remarking upon. Your fingers might brush against the barista's when she hands you your coffee, but usually you just go about your day. However, if that same situation happened with two characters who were interested in each other, it becomes much different. The person getting the coffee is going to notice.

Their eyes might go wide, or they freeze for a second. They'll look at the barista, and find her looking back. If it really was an accident, both of them will be wondering if the other did it on purpose, or if it wasn't the other might wink, or at least give a smile that's a little less innocent than the awkward glance you'd give a stranger you have no interest in.

Idk if you've seen Heated Rivalry, or Gay Hockey, as it should be named, but the scene in episode one that takes place in the gym is a really good example of a sexually charged, but non explicit, encounter between two people who are clearly very interested but hesitant to admit it.

I gotta check out heated rivalry, scenes like that sre really difficult to pull off

 

[GwynLordofTinder]

Love the idea of character models, thats fantastic advice!

Agreed! Wingmen are great for engineering fun situations

I gotta check out heated rivalry, scenes like that sre really difficult to pull off

Yaoi generally isn't my thing, but it's a good ass show! Its directed by Jared Keeso from Letterkenny, so part of its quality is that it really has a deep love for the sport as well that elevates it from regular smut.

 

[TinaMigarlo]

my character model thing was well received, I would like to add to it.

It brings more to the table than just an easy way to assign looks or how/what they say.
flaws! there's a tendency to make the hero MC a little bit (okay, a lot) too perfect.
what random flaws or limitations does your character model have? Built in realism, right there.
an otherwise beautiful woman? has those slightly fat ankles she's self conscious of.
maybe a slight phobia about something silly.
perhaps the otherwise very intelligent and educated guy? says "like..." every five seconds when talking informally.
"and than its, like, how we're going to do that."
"hey, like, how do you mean that?"
these little *flaws* make your character realistic
I like to try to get that *one* person I can just "see" them as my character somehow.
their strengths are there, and those couple of limitations and flaws, too.
I didn't *plan* on my big strong hero being almost terrified of housecats? But its a nice silly thing to humanize him.
when I heard this told to me, I thought of it as the best kept "open secret" about writing, ever.
overnight, my dialogue of side characters bantering came alive.
I could describe the secretary, and there were lots of little things to flesh her out.

enjoy!

 

[Jalvin]

Usually it's in the small moments. Take your characters, for example, on a walk by the pier in the evening where the sun is starting to set. They can talk a little about the plot events unique to your story, but the most important part is addressing the romantic tension between them like subtle confessions that can be a double meaning like:

"The sun is nice," said [the FMC]. "It's a beautiful view."

MC turned his head to FMC. "Agreed."

The way her hair billowed against the wind, or how the sun's golden glow enhanced the amber of her eyes. Why did this woman thought she wasn't worthy of love? What made her afraid? Whatever the reason, he uttered a silent promise in his heart. A promise of protection. A promise of love. All of his body, mind, and soul. All of it until the time came that she was ready to enter in a relationship.
--
So the double meaning there was the MC agreeing on both counts that the sunset was beautiful as well as the FMC (though she's unaware lest she becomes shy and awkward). Then follow it up with a bit of internalization as to why the character is slowly falling in love with their love interest.

Good luck! I'm not really the best romance writer out there, but I do have practice writing romantic scenes.

 

[L1aei]

Accidentally bumping into or brushing against people happens all the time in social spaces, but typically isn't worth remarking upon. Your fingers might brush against the barista's when she hands you your coffee, but usually you just go about your day. However, if that same situation happened with two characters who were interested in each other, it becomes much different. The person getting the coffee is going to notice.

Their eyes might go wide, or they freeze for a second. They'll look at the barista, and find her looking back. If it really was an accident, both of them will be wondering if the other did it on purpose, or if it wasn't the other might wink, or at least give a smile that's a little less innocent than the awkward glance you'd give a stranger you have no interest in.

And here I am, envisioning them lost in the moment over who engaged first and not yet withdrawing their digits from each other.

 

[TinaMigarlo]

there's a lot of little stuff that comes across well in writing about love. Honestly, who hasn't been in love asnd should already know all about it. But, one thing I noticed and enjoyed having a long term relatiopnship was always after you hit a certain point, you can finish each others sentences. That's a huge familiarity. You have your own in-jokes and references. You can insult someone gratuitously, while outwardly seeming to praise them respectfully... and only your close lover gets it because they know that reminding you of person X... isn't the wonderful thing you claim it is. Its a secret language, those two can "talk outside the conversation". Everyone else hears the surface of the words, and takes it to mean what they hear. Only you two "get it" and what's really meant. Then the final stage is you can have damn near conversations with just subtle eye contacts, tiny body languages, the way you stand can be an answer... its like WiFi and Bluetooth, lol.

I like my own little personal motifs with romance. My one recurring partner, doesn;t know why he has a thing for his girl's ankles. Its a recurring in joke with them "I know, I know... I'm just some girl, attached to my ankles" and he knows she's ina good mood for certain things, when she wears her ankle charm. You can pick any body part for your own couple's personal weird motif. Her ears, whatever.

all women have "the moment" they can talk about. the second "they knew". the man as well. Annoying and strange pet names. The weirder the names or noises they make and think its funny when people make faces? The better. My better half is privileged to know I have a "thing" for otherwise attractive girls with a cast or brace on a joint. I dated a girl for almost two years in college, and the first 9 months, she was in a knee brace from an injury. The velcro noise? Man, gentlemen start your engines. That thing came off for bathing, changing clothes, and making whooppee. all things that I enjoyed, go figure. Later in life, I heart the distinctive sound of the velcro on a brace? I can't lie, my heart skips a little beat. I was trained like poavlovs dog to slobber. My wife, will jokingly give me dagger eyes, when a girl is in an ankle cast, LMAO. Its our in joke.

All these little things? go a long way to a romantic long term couple. If one is "gone" (RIP) the goofiest thing might make them cry that no one else would ever suspect. and a-l-l this stuff is love, and all non-sexual. The goofier these things all are, the better they work.

my two cents.