Knobby Knees, Adolescent Reminiscing, and Exaggerated Awareness
As I’ve been working up to writing my sex scene, I’ve been reading over my entire story.
*GM dodges behind a barrel on deck as the Captain makes for her with an empty rum bottle, screeching, “Write AS IF!!”*
*GM holds out her arms in a defensive motion.* I know! I am not supposed to reread until I’m done, but I assure you it was necessary.
*The Captain returns to her seat, muttering and still appearing suspicious though pacified for the moment.*
*GM sighs, visibly relieved, and continues.*
As I started writing my love scene, I realized that I wasn’t confident that I’d built the sexual tension between my characters as well as I could have. I started reading back through and found plenty of spots to shore up the tension.
Sandra Brown said somewhere that sexual tension is created by using “exaggerated awareness.” Basically, every time the hero and heroine meet every sense between them should be electrified.
I tried to recall any time in my life I’ve felt like that and the closest I can remember required me to do a time travel back to middle school and relive my first real crush.
*The Gunner begins moving her hands up and down a la Wayne and Garth in SNL* Dododo, dododo…..
To me, he was Adonis. He was very athletic and I remember he had the best body of all the boys in our grade (probably not difficult when compared to a bunch of eighth graders). I would spend extraordinary amounts of time lying on my bed listening to music in my angst-ridden adolescent glory, dreaming of his muscular body and girlishly wishing for kisses and touches from him.
This was all horribly unrequited, of course. He was “going with” the head of the cheerleaders and probably didn’t even notice me beyond the time he picked me to be in his science group. Then I hoped pathetically that it was a show of affection. Now I’m certain it was because I was a geekily good student. *cue Taylor Swift’s Teardrops On My Guitar*
Every time he came into the room it was as if I could sense him even before I saw him. His every movement set my little pre-pubescent heart thumping. When he was near, I could hardly breathe and talking, HA! I doubt I ever said more than one syllable to him at a time with the sum total of all of my syllables to him ever equaling one sentence, maybe. My body would feel paralyzed when he was around and if I even thought his gaze was on me, I would blush horribly and my movements would feel jerky.
Back then, those new experiences were equally awful and wonderful. Half of me wanted to be around him while the other hated to be in his presence.
I imagine exaggerated awareness being something like that, though hopefully without the more mortifying aspects of adolescent misery. I’ve been attempting to harness all that girly stuff for my characters’ benefits and trying not to dwell on my juvenile silliness.
Though, maybe that juvenile silliness is the very innocence and vulnerability my characters need.
How do you create sexual tension in your WIP? Any thoughts on Exaggerated Awareness? How about horrible unrequited love stories? *sigh*
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51 comments:
This is your lucky day Marnee!
I happen to be an expert on this. You got it partly right when you mentioned electricity.
Sexual tension is all about electricity and as with an electric circuit you have to make contact to complete the circuit. So brief accidental touches can send sparks and as the tension rises the subjects are surrounded by an electric field (aura), rather like an electric pylon. Then close proximity can send lightening flashes. All this builds up the electric charge until the final climactic release as the switch is fully closed.
Hope that helps a bit.....I am trying *g*
Gosh, you're making me think this morning. I think we read romances to recapture that initial "spark" we felt from the newness of love. After jobs and kids and cleaning, it can sputter out. My husband and I used to make out on NYC buses, for goodness sakes, shameless. I remember how wild I was for him. TMI, I know, and that's Tessa's forte. Marnee, I think you're on the money to go back to those adolescent feelings, where tiny things were magnified and overly-meaningful. In my current wip, I've split it between when my couple was young, and then a dozen years later. And I was thinking about bus kisses when I wrote the young part!
I have not had nearly enough coffee for this. Not for science 101 or the idea of Maggie making out on a public bus. Have you not scarred me enough this week, Maggie?
Lessee, awareness is a definite. But you can be acutely aware of the creepy guy three seats back (not on Maggie's bus) who is giving you that skeavy eye. The difference is what that awareness does to you. How it affects your emotions.
Does getting closer make her feel a bit warm? Did that brush of her hand send a bolt (to use Q's example) up his arm? It's the awareness but it's the physical and emotional response to the awareness that makes the tension sizzle.
I have no idea if this makes sense so I'm going for more coffee. And Marn, I love the giraff. *w*
Q - That is helpful! I particularly like the part about how little touches send sparks. I think that is key. :) See, you always worry your science gets lost in our touchy feely stuff. It is definitely relevant!
Maggie - Awwh... You and Mr. R getting it on on the bus. That's so cute. LOL!! I think the whole overly meaningful comment is spot on. I've been trying to recapture those feelings. It's been a while, ya know? And the initial spark was fun and exciting, but I'm glad I don't have to go through the emotional wringer all the time now.
Ter - I don't think Sandra Brown meant creepiness should be involved. LOL! Though I definitely get what you're saying. I feel like that feeling, the skeevy dude, is the same feeling rabbits get when they feel threatened: the instinct to run away as fast as we can.
I think it has to be physical and emotional though, too. Balanced, but it sure is harder to do than it is to say.
I love my giraffe too. Soooo cute. I love lurpy animals. LOL!
Maggie, I can totally see you making out on the bus, in the park--okay I don't really WANT to see it, but you get my drift. And Terr, I think you're in for a lot more scarring once you read her books (I don't think sexual tension begins to describe what this woman can do on paper)
You know, I'm not even sure I could describe how I build sexual tension in my WIP. But I think that everyone else who has commented this morning has it right. You have to keep in mind those feelings from that first look, first touch and channel them into your characters. You have to actually be on that journey with them as they meet and experience that excitement and spark. The heated looks of interest and desire, the first brush of an arm, the drag of a thumb across the other's mouth, then that first kiss and feeling as if you're going to stop breathing.
JK- I agree about getting into their head. Or whatever part of their body having the newness of love. I especially like it if the character has given up on love. Then it makes it feel new and helps wash away the bitter. *sigh*
Does this said giraffe wearing a ninja mask and cape? Blinking deadly poisoned eyelashes at people?
Just curious.
I hike up sexual tension through fighting. I love to fight. And argue. That gets your blood flowing. Your emotions go wild. You do and say things you shouldn't when you're emotionally out of control. You want to walk away but you can't. You get up in someone's face and you invade their space, asking for something to happen. And usually these sort of fights happen between my h/h so sometimes one of them will be pissed off enough to walk away and sometimes Ruiz just grabs her and kisses her.
I loved this boy in junior high. I mean, I couldn't go near him from lighting up like a Christmas tree. But he aggravated the hell out of me. He was two years older. Drop dead gorgeous and had this ass that you could bounce a quarter off of. Every Sunday they played football at his place just up the road from my best friend. And every weekend I'd beg to stay with my best friend just to see him all muddy. There's that feeling you get of anticipation- the way your heart thumps nine hundred miles a minute, the perma-grin, dreamy eyes. *sigh*
Hey, when you're as old as I am, those inhibitions might as well go out the window. But I don't want to get the rep of being a dirty old lady, LOL. I'll chip in for your therapy, Terri.
I was thinking about the cape and poisoned eyelashes, Sin, but I think this giraffe is less like you and more like me a la 1990: shy, gangly, all pointy angles, and no curves. It leaves out the bad hair, braces, and glasses, but it was the best representation I could manage.
Fighting. I think that's great advice too. When my h/h feel vulnerable, they lash out and bicker. It's fun to write. Good thoughts! Thanks hon!
And you boy sounds like mine. Good memories.
Thanks, Maggie, I'm going to need it. Especially now that I know Marnee was in the 8th grade in '90. I need to go lie down...
Awh.... Mags, you're the sweetest dirty old lady I know. :) LOL! And Ter hangs out with us, I'm sure if she decides on therapy, we'll need to take up a collection here on the boat as we'd all be responsible.
LOL!
And sorry Ter for the flashback there. *passing her cucumbers for her eyes*
*whispers*
Marn, I was headed to college in '90. Could you not have LIED?
Forget the cucumbers, pass me more rum for my coffee.
Actually, FOUR years. Math. Not my strong suit.
So what? You're FIVE years older? It's not like she was going to kindergarten in '90.
*not taking the bait on that one*
Is it easier to show the tension through one character more than the other? Since we know a bit more about the female side of things, is it easier to show her reactions than his? I hate when authors try to show the hero's reaction and always go straight for the crotch.
I can usually do the sexual tension part. I've got angsty awareness down, being I'm still very much in touch with my twitchy, neurotic, crush-loving 15-year-old self.
The problem I have with the sex scene is that's clearly the point where you strop being twitchy and neurotic and surrender your trust to this person that this is the right thing to do. That if you do this, this will all end well. (Though anyone who's read even one romance knows this is a fallacy--it's a wonder anyone has sex if they have this expectation from it. Sex complicates everything.)
My problem is how do I get my heroines to stop thinking and just let go. That's like my little quest in life, apparently. How do I stop thinking and just let go?
No idea.
I always go straight to the crotch.
Uh, me too.
Sin, hon, we're talking writing, not real life.
There Terri goes again, thinking men do think with more than their crotch. Until there is scientific research that SAYS they think differently, I'm going to go with the crotch theory. Especially since I've actually heard men CONFESS they were thinking with their crotch.
You can't convince me that every man gets a hard on within seconds of any woman smiling at them across a room. If she's naked, maybe. Or even almost naked. But come on, he sees a woman in a tee and sweats across the grocery store and gets sprung? I'm not buying it.
Buy it
Hey! Do I go around crashing your illusions?! Ok, so you probably don't have any illusions. Well, leave mine alone!
Seriously, they're all I've got here....
Hellion - I think it is hard to show them letting go. I don't know if I'm ready to do it yet either, though I'm hoping I will be soon or my story is going to linger in unfinished limbo for some time.
Isn't it that men think about sex some extraordinary amount of time during the day? It's a wonder any of them get anything done.
And a guy friend of mine told me once that he thinks men only befriend women they would consider having sex with. I was like, "you want to have sex with me?" And he just wiggled his eyebrows. Then I laughed but now I wonder....
Oh, and I think I usually go for the crotch too.
*sorry...*
Marnee - that guy's name wasn't Harry was it?
You're all off my Christmas card list.
Ter - LOL! Nope. So, there's more than one such guy out there, huh?
I don't know. I think about sex an extraordinary amount of time during hte day and I manage to get stuff done.
Probably not as much as Terri, who doesn't think with her crotch and can't imagine anyone who does. *wicked grin*
*thinks about men befriending women statement* That sounds a lot like the Men and Women can't be friends because the sex gets in the way...from When Harry Met Sally. *nods* Perhaps. Sure. I can believe that. Except that I think at one point, Jay-Love and I got to be relatively good friends (okay, not beer and pizza friends, but friends who talked) and I'm like 100% sure he did not think about having sex with me. Same would go for the preacher son who I crushed on who remembers me...100% sure he did not think of me that way. Other than those two exceptions, sure.
Leave *my* crotch out of this. She never did anything to you.
I've had tons of guy friends, been really close with them and could talk about anything. If they were thinking of me in a sexual way, they hid it very, very well.
Enjoy your tour on DENIAL. We'll welcome you back when you return.
OMG you gals are funny.
You all must know how I think. And yeah a man could get totally sprung looking across at you... don't forget, even if you are clothed, he's probably imagining you nude. I do it all the freaking time. I especially find my eyes wandering when I see a man with big hands and feet, and if he's got a nice defined nose.... I'm willing to flirt and see what kinda rise I get.
Wait what's this blog about? LOL
LOL! Tiff, you're funny. A well-defined nose, huh? I hadn't heard that one....
But the nose, feet and hands won't matter if he's short. Because you know, all short guys are....lacking. *rolls eyes*
LOL! Really, Tiff has done the research. Just ask her.
*sips her rum with the crew hotties she's taken with her to DENIAL land*
I'm 5'8". I've never had romantic leanings for a short guy. The shortest guy I've ever dated was 5'11" and that's hardly short, I suspect.
What were talking about this morning?
Before the Chubbies Discussion? I don't remember.
Exaggerated awareness. I think we are all aware that things have been exaggerated today.
Thank you Ter. I was afraid no one had paid attention. LOL!
People. *Marnee getting out her teacher's ruler and rapping it briskly in an attempt to regain control of the discussion* Exaggerated awareness and sexual tension. Though I should have expected we'd land in the gutter.
We're on topic. Terri is UNaware of the all the chubbies going on around her. And she's being very exaggerated about it.
LOL! I stand corrected then.
I create sexual tension with a look, a touch or a spark of anger. It is amazing what a look across the room can cause, or a brush of a fingertip. As Sin mentioned an argument or conflict can ramp up the heat as well. Another thing I use is description. I can quote written descriptions by Evanovich about Ranger. When the description comes from the heroine's POV, it can sound like mental foreplay.
Sorry so late today, I'm saving the world one kidney stone at a time:)
LOL! You are a superhero, Lis.
I like the argument argument. Arguing is so emotional, it definitely gets everything stirring up.
Lisa - where were you when I had my gall stones? Huh?
Captain - twitched lately? *droll look*
Marnee, thanks so much for your encouraging comment. :D
*desperately trying to raise the tone* :oops:
I think that scientists and writers are all looking for truth in their own ways. Many scientists dream of the Grand Unified Theory where the inanimate universe will be described by one theory, but my dreams belong to an even grander class. I would like to unify the scientific and the artistic perspectives of nature so that we fundamentally understand how we think and feel.
Terri, please hang on to those illusions. I have a little true story:
I vividly remember my first girl friend....what guy wouldnt. It wasn't love or anything, she was just good fun to be with. She could make me laugh, she admired my theories, she watched me play cricket, and I swear that I didn't spend all the time thinking about sex. Though Sin, Hellion, J K and Tiff are right in one sense. The arousal region did have a tendency to grow at the most inconvenient times. Sort of a life of its own so that I spent much time thinking how I might disguise it. My friend never embarrassed me by commenting but the wicked smile flitting across her lips told me that she knew all the time. Thats a tension that I haven't seen described in novels!
I'm a six footer by the way....and you needn't try to disguise that grin Tiff! :lol:
Between you and Maggie, I'm going to have to bleach my brain....
Piss them off. That's how you create sexual tension. It's a fine line between being pissed at each other, and rolling round on the floor.
However, as much as I like to read all that, nothing makes my "abscess" (Ha! Terri!) clam up tighter than being mad.
But in romance.....
Another story altogether.
Marnee, conflict makes tension. That and lots of hormones.
Oh Quantum ... that's a good one! Sounds like a prologue I'd love to read.
Q, babe...
There's no hope in disguising my grin. sex foot, smart scientist who reads romance... so, what's your shoe size ;)
LOL
JP - I think you're right with the conflict too. I think my conflicts set up plenty of places to include tension, I just need to make sure I put it there where it belongs! :)
Q - Thank you for the intellectual take on things. It's definitely nice when the rest of us are all "I go right for the crotch." LOL!
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