#romance novels

[emilyzipps]

how do you build up the tension between two characters without dragging it out or jumping the gun by rushing it?

This is a great question! I mostly write romance/romcoms so I'm going to answer this about building romantic tension, but I'm guessing it works for other kinds as well.

As always, please feel free to reblog or comment with your thoughts, suggestions, disagreements!

The first thing that comes to mind for me is to think about all of the ways they're going to show their progression into the romance--their relationship milestones--and make sure they're spread out in a way that feels balanced and good.

In a romance, the things you're aiming for as relationship milestones will vary depending on what type of book you're writing. If it's a steamy enemies to lovers story, the sex will start pretty early into the book, so the will-they-or-won't-they isn't about sex, it's about feelings. The big milestones in that case might be things like

admitting attraction

hooking up

sex

first feelings of romance (you shove them under a rug)

first feelings of romance (you admit to yourself you have them)

first time testing out if they like you as more than an sex partner

first time admitting you liiiiike them

first time them admitting they liiiiike you

love confession/happily ever after

On the flip side, a slow burn friends to lovers (no steam), it may be things like

noticing she's pretty

touching hands by accident on the bus

touching hands ON PURPOSE on the bus

lingering stares

staying up all night talking

picking her up from a date with someone else and being so sad

trying to date someone else

spending the night together AS FRIENDS

erotic hair braiding

happily ever after

Once you think through what some of those milestones will be for your story and your characters, then you can figure out how you want to spread those out throughout your story. Tension comes in the spaces between those milestones and in yearning for the next one, so you need to give space for each milestone to (a) be exciting! (b) be celebrated (or feared or repressed or whatever) and (c) get old enough that we're pining for the next one. That's why you go from touching hands by accident to being brave and terrified and anxious when you decide to do it on purpose.

With the right build up--the pining for the feel of her smooth skin against yours, the noticing how her hands look, day dreaming about her fingers, picturing yourself touching her hand a million times, barely breathing--finally touching her hand on the bus can be as emotionally resonant as sex or a love confession.

consider each milestone as a small emotional climax (sex jokes are welcome and frankly appropriate), and treat it in the way you'd treat the big story climax.

The other thing I'm thinking about is the disconnect between what they say/show and what they think. In my debut novel, the first time Alice sees Van, her inner monologue is immediately like OMG GIRL HOT!!!! THIS BUTCH IS STUNNING AND SMELLS SO GOOD I WANT HER TO TOUCH MEEEEEEEEE. What she actually says out loud is more along the lines of "hi, nice to meet you, i'm your brother's formerly secret girlfriend."

That creates tension because the reader then (hopefully!) thinks, oh wow, how long can Alice keep it together when she's such a bisexual disaster? How long can she go without revealing how badly she wants Van to jump her?

Here's a little map of our milestones and interior/exterior:

first meeting. Alice thinks: GIRL HOT. Alice says: hi i am dating your brother??

first flirt. Alice thinks: if she touches me i'm going to fucking lose it (complementary). Alice says: thanks for the ride home, your dog is cute.

first admit you like each other. Alice thinks: i want to never leave her house or her presence. Alice says: you should be really proud of the life you've built here.

first cuddle. Alice thinks: i'm going to die. i'm actually, physically going to die under this snuggie. this girl is so hot and kind and i'm obsessed with her oh my GOD. Alice says: your mom seems nice.

Those are kind of silly examples, but I hope it helps to be able to see that we're waiting for her inner monologue to match her actions, and the stakes for both get higher and higher as they move through the milestones until the moment when she (a) says what she's thinking, and (b) gets what she wants. Aka, HAPPILY EVER AFTER, BABY.

thoughts, feedback, other suggestions, questions? bring them!

#writing advice #writing fiction #writing romance #writers on tumblr #writing #writers #fiction #romance #romance novels #romcom novels #writing romcoms

[yourlovelyspace]

There are too many similarities 💝

#main character #romance novels #like us #couple #romantic #in love #lovers #love quotes #i love you #beautiful quote #couple goals #love #quotes #life quotes #quoteoftheday #quotesdaily #book quotes #novel #novels #books #romance #romance quotes #romantic quotes #couple quotes #sweet words #sweet quotes #my thoughts #thoughts #spilled ink #love thoughts

[manincaffeine]

when the teasing goes from cute and innocent to ‘oh that turned you on, didn’t it?’

#desiblr #desi tumblr #text post #dark romanticism #desi academia #dark academia #intimacy #writers on tumblr #romance novels #romanticism #teasing #spilled writing #artists on tumblr #desire #desi shit posting #light academia #love language

[teahmugs01]

A job well done ~ ^^

By the Peach Tree is now available on Webtoon!

#artists on tumblr #illustration #drawing #digital art #romance #couple #romantic #cottagecore #romance webcomic #romance comic #romance novels #baking #illustrators on tumblr #christmas #holidays #character art #digital illustration #cute comic #original comic #december #winter #indie comic #soft art #clip studio paint #i'm excited to share more about their story with you all #lovers #love #tenderness #wholesome #heartwarming

[ekdarnellbooks]

Your alien lover is a virgin.

You’re the only human its ever met, so you have to teach it everything about your anatomy.

You take one of its tentacles and rub the appendage back and forth across your entrance as your alien lover writhes with pleasure.

Your pleasure is its pleasure and it lets out a groan as you penetrate yourself with a tentacle, using it like a sex toy.

Your alien lover gets overzealous, twisting its tentacle inside you until there’s no more room. You have to correct it, but its a quick learner.

Its tentacle pulses inside your dripping cunt as another stimulates your clit. Yet another slithers up your bare body, goosebumps prickling your skin, until it reaches your mouth and presses it way inside.

Your alien lover is probing you, exploring you from both ends as you both moan with pleasure.

When you climax, it climaxes, the orgasm undulating between you like a pendulum. It feels like it lasts an eternity, but when the waves subside to ripples your alien lover pulls you into its mass of tentacles. It holds you tight as sleep calls to you.

#writers on tumblr #monster fucker #monster lover #sci fi romance #romance #romance novels #alien fucker #alien lover #tentacles #tentacle smut #alien boyfriend #human x alien #alien x human

[orikiys]

Protective prompts:

“Get behind me.”

“Hold my hand, okay? It’s gonna be over soon.”

“Close your eyes for me love.”

“When I say run, I need you to do as I say without looking back and don’t wait for me.”

“It’s all going to okay, they would never hurt you again.”

“I swear to you, that as long as I’m alive I won’t let a single soul ever harm you.”

“Listen to me.  . . take deep breaths, yes follow my breathing just like that. There’s no need to panic, I’m right here now, aren’t I? You’re safe.”

“When you love something, you protect it with your entire life at stake, and right now, my guts tell me to do the same.”

“I’ll be back very soon, but don’t come out. Stay there hidden until I come back and try not to make a noise, hmm?” *forehead kisses being a must here*

“I’m so so sorry! I wish I would’ve never left you alone! If I knew this would happen, I would never leave you alone.”

#protective #protective prompts #prompts #promp #writing prompts #writing inspiration #dialogue prompts #creative block #romance novels #starter ideas #romance writing #writerblr #angst #fluff #angst prompts #fluff prompts #scenarios #writing #romance

[lily-s-world]

—I can’t match you for prose, but what I can do is write you a list.

#red white and royal blue #rwrb #alex claremont diaz #henry fox mountchristen windsor #rwrb movie #firstprince #rwrb book #rwrb film #henry fox #acd #an incomplete list #hrh prince henry #alex x henry #henry x alex #casey mcquiston #romance novels #lgbtq #matthew lopez #taylor zakhar perez #nicholas galitzine

[herkonular]

NOVELSEVENLER - GOLD

Novelsevenler.com: Türk Roman Meraklılarına Yönelik Bir Platform

Novelsevenler.com, Türk romanlarını okumanın güncel ve kaliteli bir yolunu arayan Türk roman meraklıları için tasarlanmış bir platformdur. Bu web sitesi okuyucuların çok çeşitli Türk romanlarına kolayca erişmelerini sağlayan kullanıcı dostu bir arayüz sunmaktadır. İster romantizm, drama, aksiyon veya gizem hayranı olun, Novelsevenler.com'da herkes için bir şeyler var. Novelsevenler.com, geniş Türk romanı koleksiyonuyla Türkiye'nin zengin edebiyat geleneğini keşfetmek isteyen okuyucuların uğrak noktası haline geldi.

Novelsevenler.com, onu Türk roman meraklıları için ideal bir platform haline getiren bir dizi özellik ve avantaj sunuyor. Web sitesi, yer imlerine ekleme, vurgulama ve not alma gibi özelliklerle kusursuz bir okuma deneyimi sunmak üzere tasarlanmıştır. Ayrıca Novelsevenler.com, okuyucunun tercihlerine ve okuma geçmişine dayalı önerilerle kişiselleştirilmiş bir novel oku deneyimi sunuyor. Web sitesi aynı zamanda mobil cihazlar için de optimize edilmiş olup okuyucuların en sevdikleri romanlara hareket halindeyken erişmelerine olanak tanır.

Novelsevenler.com, Türk edebiyatının en sevilen eserlerinden bazıları da dahil olmak üzere popüler Türk romanlarından oluşan geniş bir koleksiyon sunmaktadır. Web sitesinde bulunan popüler Türk romanlarından bazıları şunlardır:

- Halit Ziya Uşaklıgil'in "Aşk-ı Memnu"su

- Reşat Nuri Güntekin'in "Çalıkuşu"

- Halide Edip Adıvar'ın "Sinekli Bakkal" adlı eseri

- Sabahattin Ali'nin "Kürk Mantolu Madonna"sı

Bu romanlar, diğer birçok romanla birlikte, okuyuculara Türk edebiyatının kapsamlı bir koleksiyonunu sunan Novelsevenler.com'da yer alıyor. İster deneyimli bir Türkçe novel okuyucusu olun ister bu zengin edebiyat geleneğini keşfetmeye yeni başlayın, Novelsevenler.com Türk edebiyatının en iyilerini keşfetmek ve tadını çıkarmak için mükemmel bir platformdur.

#Novel #Novel oku #romance novels #Roman oku #Book

[a-kind-of-merry-war]

‘I will be your champion. Your Knight of Stars. I am not valorous or virtuous, and I am not a . . . a lord, or a nobleman. I am not even a knight. But I will be your champion, Johanna. My Lady. If you will have me. If you will keep me.’

All The Painted Stars, Emma Denny

Art in the middle by @felrija 💖

#all the painted stars #art #collage #digital collage #digital art #sapphic #lesbian #lgbt #wlw #queer books #romance novels #sapphic books

[thesleepyblueocean]

Some days I'm the ocean. Some days I'm the ship. Tonight I'm the lighthouse: at the edge, alone, and burning.

- Vasiliki

#literature #dark academia #writing #writers #moodboard #aesthetics #bookblr #book quotes #light academia #love #vasiliki #deep quotes #love quotes #dark acadamia quotes #romance quotes #romanticism #romance #romantic academia #romance novels

[thewriteadviceforwriters]

The Ultimate (short) Guide to Crafting Captivating Book Titles: A Writer's Journey into Naming Novels

Embracing the Power of a Book Title

Greetings, fellow writers and wordsmiths! As we embark on the magical journey of storytelling, there exists a crucial milestone—bestowing our creations with a name, a title that encapsulates the essence of our narrative. The quest for the perfect title can be as thrilling as drafting the story itself. In this guide, we will unravel the art and significance of titling a novel, exploring strategies, tips, and the creative process behind crafting an engaging and magnetic book title.

Understanding the Importance of a Book Title

The Gateway to Reader Connection

A book title is the beacon that beckons readers to explore the universe you've crafted. It's the first impression, a snapshot that encapsulates the soul of your narrative. A compelling title can captivate an audience, generating curiosity and inviting them to step into the world you've woven within your pages.

Reflecting the Essence of Your Story

A well-crafted title encapsulates the core theme, mood, or central conflict of your novel. It should resonate with the narrative, teasing elements without revealing too much, leaving a trail of intrigue that entices readers to delve deeper.

The Art of Title Creation

Embrace the Journey: Start with a Working Title

Begin with a placeholder, a working title that captures the essence of your story in its rawest form. Let it evolve and grow as your narrative does. This title might serve as a guiding light until you uncover the perfect one.

Exploring the Heart of Your Story

Consider the central themes, characters, or pivotal moments within your book. Delve into the emotional core of your narrative and unearth words or phrases that resonate with its essence.

Utilizing Literary Devices and Techniques

Explore metaphors, alliteration, symbolism, or even poetic verses. Experiment with wordplay, juxtapositions, and contrasts. These literary devices can infuse depth and intrigue into your title.

Testing and Refining Your Title

The Power of Feedback

Share your title ideas with trusted friends, writing groups, or beta readers. Gather feedback on their impressions and the emotions evoked by the titles. Use this input to refine and narrow down your choices.

Alignment with Your Target Audience

Consider your intended readership. Does your title resonate with the genre and expectations of your audience? Ensure it's not only enticing but also aligns with the preferences of your potential readers.

Finalizing the Perfect Title

Distillation of Essence: Keep it Succinct and Evocative

Aim for brevity and impact. A concise yet evocative title can linger in the minds of readers. Often, the most powerful titles are those that say much with few words.

Research and Avoiding Clichés

Investigate existing titles in your genre to ensure your title stands out. Steer clear of clichés and overused phrases, aiming for originality and uniqueness.

Embrace the Artistry of Title Crafting

Crafting the ideal book title is an art in itself. It's the literary cloak that shrouds your creation, inviting readers into the tapestry of your imagination. Embrace the journey of titling your novel with the same passion and creativity you pour into your storytelling. Let the title be a herald, whispering the promise of a remarkable journey that awaits within the pages of your book.

As you venture forth, remember, the perfect title awaits—a key to unlock the hearts and minds of your future readers.

Happy writing and titling!

This comprehensive guide aims to take writers through the journey of creating an impactful and engaging book title, emphasizing the importance of a title and offering practical strategies to craft one that truly resonates with a novel's essence. If you need further insights, examples, or specific advice on any aspect of titling a novel, feel free to delve deeper into each section. Happy titling!

#writing #on writing #writing tips #writers block #creative writing #writers and poets #writeblr #thewriteadviceforwriters #how to write #title suggestions #title ideas #title list #romance novels #novel writing #novel #fiction #readers #author #authors of tumblr

[thebluestockingfirefly]

Phryne, how is this remotely comfortable?

#caturday #cats #cat #cats of tumblr #kitties #kitty #kitties of tumblr #pets #pets of tumblr #animals #animals of tumblr #cute cats #cute #cute pets #cute animals #cute kitty #books #romance books #romance novels #maine coons #cats of hufflepuff #hufflepuff #hufflefluff #flufflepuff #phryne #floof #fluffy cat #toe beans #silly #baby

[smartbitches]

If you are looking for a creepy ghost story based ON a ghost story that mixes the afterlife, folklore from many different cultures, and a very funny, sardonic, and brave heroine, you will like Sparrow Hill Road.

Have you heard the ghost story about a young girl hitchhiking on a lonely road, and when she's picked up, the driver loans her a coat or a jacket? And then she disappears, and he finds the jacket on her headstone or somewhere weird? That's the story that Rose is based on.

This was the book I discovered in the May 2014 Romantic Times Rewind that I most wanted to read, and it was excellent.

#romantic times rewind #romantic times #romance novels #smartbitches #rt rewind #romance podcast #seanan mcguire

[manincaffeine]

To bury my head in the crook of your neck. to lock my fingers with yours. to run my hands through your hair. to pull you closer by your waist. to lay my hand on your jaw and look into your eyes. to love you. with everything i’ve got.

#desiblr #desi tumblr #txt post #desi academia #txt #dark romanticism #intimacy #dark academia #writers on tumblr #romanticism #artists on tumblr #love quotes #light academia #litrature #romance novels

[fancy-nancy-all-grown-up]

girls want boys to act how they do in jane austen novels and they do—but it’s mr wickham

#pride and prejudice #jane austen #jane austen novels #romance #romance novels #mr darcy #elizabeth bennet #mr wickham #sense and sensibility #persuasion

[triviareads]

The good, bad, beautiful, and problematic: romance novel cover art painted by John Ennis. He spent decades painting cover art for various publishing houses and recently retired, and I had a lot of fun attending this exhibition!

#romance novels #historical romance