Sexual tension. It’s a key ingredient in any great romance, regardless of heat level.
As a reader, sexual tension makes me turn the pages long after I should’ve turned out the light, unsettled and yearning for a coming together I know simply must happen. It’s what keeps me watching TV shows like Bones, dying to see the hero and heroine connect. It’s the force behind every great love story. Without sexual tension, a romance would be dry as a newspaper wedding announcement. (Think salsa minus all the hot stuff.)
As a romance writer, sexual tension drives my stories. It can cause characters to do all sorts of things: propel them toward a goal, motivate them to change, get in the way of life as they know it and cause all sorts of havoc—aka conflict.
As an editor, I’m always watching the sexual tension in the story. And let me tell you, if the characters consummate and tension flags, so will reader interest. That’s why it’s sometimes tougher in erotica to keep a story interesting. Once the love interests get it on, the tension will plummet unless carefully cultivated. External conflict can help here, but it’s still important to have sparks between the hero and heroine. A romance in which sexual tension bottoms out is like a suspense movie where the bad guy gets caught. More bad guys better arrive on the scene right away, Mr. Evil must escape, or nobody’s going to keep watching.
When you read erotica and it stays flaming hot past that first must-happen-to-prevent-spontaneous-combustion love scene, you’ve found an author who has mastered sexual tension. I love these stories.
If you’ve written a romance with great sexual tension, you can now submit directly to your favorite Lyrical Press editor such as me – at piperdenna@gmail.com (Or you can still sub to LPI at the general address. Please do still follow the submission guidelines on the LPI website. http://www.lyricalpress.com/submissions).
Happy reading and writing, and happy birthday, LPI.
Piper Denna
Romance is sexy!
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2 comments:
Stopped by to say Hi!
Do love that sexual tension! HAHA!~ Great blog post - something authors definitely need to be aware of when writing any type of works with this type of subject matter.
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