No sex in Romance novels = No publishers?

MysteryLady · Jul 10, 2009

I have been wanting to write a romance novel or a mystery novel, but I think romance would be easier for me to write. My problem is I dont want to write sex scenes, but I dont want to write a Christian romance novel either. I have noticed on publishers websites that they want sex in their romance novels. A romance novel can be great without sex right? Would any publisher publish a romance novel without sex? Sorry Im new at writing novels.

seaaircarol · Jul 10, 2009

Well, there is such a thing as a "sweet romance," in which sex is "behind closed doors." It is more implied than described.

brainstorm77 · Jul 10, 2009

MysteryLady said:
I have been wanting to write a romance novel or a mystery novel, but I think romance would be easier for me to write. My problem is I dont want to write sex scenes, but I dont want to write a Christian romance novel either. I have noticed on publishers websites that they want sex in their romance novels. A romance novel can be great without sex right? Would any publisher publish a romance novel without sex? Sorry Im new at writing novels.

Try sweet romance then. The sex scenes are implied but often not shown. Check out some of the lines at Harlequin.

American Romance guidelines http://www.eharlequin.com/articlepage.html?articleId=542&chapter=0
Harlequin Romance guidelines http://www.eharlequin.com/articlepage.html?articleId=1102&chapter=0

I think there are e pubs too that take sweet romance but I have no clue who... Perhaps someone with e pub knowledge can help provide that info. Good luck

veinglory · Jul 10, 2009

There are easily as many romance books on the shelves with no sex scenes as there with sex scenes.

wannawrite · Jul 10, 2009

I hope to GOD that they will publish them w/o sex scenes, or there goes half of my personal archives, LOL! (the other half is nicely smutty)

AuburnAssassin · Jul 10, 2009

This thread is so timely, I almost started an identical one myself a few hours ago.

Personally, if the story is well-written, I don't miss the sex scene(s) or really even notice it's absence. However, if the story is not strong and the author is dancing around it, then the omission is glaringly awkward. If you can write a good romance that shows the tension and the build up without it, great. That's what I've tried to do. My MC's don't get together until the end of the story. I wrote a final sex scene but it really seemed denouement by then and rather distracting so I cut it at her pulling him into her bedroom with a comedic line. Better to let the reader imagine the scene than to limit them to my imagination if the story has already been told. I just hope that there are enough other readers who feel the same way.

brainstorm77 · Jul 10, 2009

There will always be fans who want sex scenes and ones that don't. I wouldn't worry about it. Personally I like sweet romance and read it often.

Saint Fool · Jul 10, 2009

Ditto on the dancing around. Strong, fade-to-black sex scenes can be just as erotic as the "full monty" (so to speak). One of the sexiest books I've read recently was The Grand Sophie by Georgette Heyer. Nothing more than a kiss, and the main couple aren't anywhere near their wedding night by the the close of the book, but their chemistry? Whew! (Fans self just thinking about it.)

Cassiopeia · Jul 10, 2009

I tried to write a sex scene for my mystery novel and laughed myself sick. LOL. I can't keep a straight face let alone write it.

Mr Flibble · Jul 11, 2009

OK, the book in my sig is most certainly NOT a Christian inspirational

It IS a romance

It has no sex scenes ( mainly cos that's just how the story went)

There are a couple of very brief ones in the follow ups ( if they get picked up obviously. *chews nails while waiting*)but there are no ahem body parts, if ya know what I mean - it's all about the emotion.

It's called sweet romance for a reason. I mean Gone with the Wind was a heck of a love story. But no sex ( iirc)

So go ahead and write that sucker!

Susan Gable · Jul 11, 2009

Avalon is another publisher that does ONLY sweet romances. In fact, they don't even want the kissing scenes to be too hot.

Check them out as a potential market.

Susan G.

sunandshadow · Jul 11, 2009

YA romance might be another market to consider for writers who want to avoid sex scenes.

Gillhoughly · Jul 11, 2009

You can leave out the sex, but not the sexual/romantic tension.

Your MCs have to get all tingly when they're together and really WANT each other!

Check out this bit of 2-minute magic from The Philadelphia Story.

It is smokin', but everyone has clothes on and feet on the ground!

wannawrite · Jul 11, 2009

*sigh* Thanks, Gil. That was lovely...

veinglory · Jul 11, 2009

Indeed, plenty of romance doesn't have sex occuring, so there could hardly be much in the way of sex scenes. But there needs to be attraction.

Cassiopeia · Jul 11, 2009

wannawrite said:
*sigh* Thanks, Gil. That was lovely...

I know! It's so incredible. Of course it doesn't hurt that it's a young Jimmy Stewart and Katherine Hepburn.

dgiharris · Jul 11, 2009

So I guess my sex scene picture book idea is out huh?

Personally, I like the implied stuff instead of the blow by blow account (no pun intended).

granted, I'm extremely limited in my romance writing. So far, I write two versions, one with and one without.

Mel...

Aileen Harkwood · Jul 12, 2009

This topic thread brings up something I was wondering about the heat level in romance eFiction as it relates to earnings. I've heard that if you want to make money in romance eBooks, you really need to writing novellas/books with a high heat level, that the sweet ones, or those at the warm level don't make as much.

Does anyone have information on this?

SarahMacManus · Jul 12, 2009

I can live without sex scenes as long as there's plenty of tension and desire. I don't need to see it satisfied.

I can't write sex either. I think most sex in romance fiction is pretty laughable, and it ruins the tension for me. I'm too busy thinking, "ick. doesn't that hurt? is that even possible in 1.0 gravity. he didn't just say that, did he?" I'd rather use my own imagination and comfort boundaries.

I prefer to read (and write) somewhere a little beyond sweet (ie foreplay), but I don't want to read about the money shot.

Nightmelody · Jul 12, 2009

Aileen, the top selling e publishers are mostly erotic romance publishers though Samhain may take other heat levels(???). I'd have to check their guidelines and site.

The authors from epub who have crossed over to NY print are erotic romance writers as far as I know--Mary Janice Davidson, Jaci Burton, others I can't think of right now though I know there are more.

san_remo_ave · Jul 12, 2009

Sure! I just read a novel pubbed by Juno books. It was recommended to me as a great example of Steampunk, but it's very much a romance. And very sweet. A simple kiss, that's it. Clockwork Heart.

Aileen Harkwood · Jul 12, 2009

Nightmelody said:
The authors from epub who have crossed over to NY print are erotic romance writers as far as I know...

Hmn, not great news, considering that I don't write sex at the HQN Blaze level. You're pretty much confirming what I read on the ESPAN website, that eroticism is the only way to go if you hope to make a part-time or full-time living at ePub.

Unfortunately, I'm more into the character interaction as a source of the romance, as well as the paranormal/fantasy/suspense elements, which together with the romance, drive the story. My favorite writers are Nora Roberts, Kay Hooper, Heather Graham, etc.

I do include sex scenes, but I really prefer for the relationship to build to that point over the course of the novel, rather than have the eroticism being the point of the novel.

Oh, well, there's always a first time. Maybe someone out there already working in warm-heat-level eFiction will make it, and I can follow in their footsteps!

Nightmelody said:
Samhain may take other heat levels...

Actually, already checked out Samhain. They do take all heat levels, just don't know what the sales are like are for those that aren't ultra spicy.

veinglory · Jul 12, 2009

Well, epublishing specialises in erotic romance and at the time most people "crossed over" the mainstream presses didn't. I don't think that particular phenomena has broader implications.

Just go to the romance section at Borders and keep an eye out of pastels and/or cursive script. Sweet romance abounds. I am amazed anyone who reads the romance regularly would think otherwise, or that a person aiming to write the genre wouldn't be reading it.

AuburnAssassin · Jul 12, 2009

veinglory said:
Just go to the romance section at Borders and keep an eye out of pastels and/or cursive script. Sweet romance abounds. I am amazed anyone who reads the romance regularly would think otherwise, or that a person aiming to write the genre wouldn't be reading it.

I'm not so sure it's that easy even if you do a quick visual scan and literally judge a book by its cover. I like chick-lit but I keep reading that it's dead. I don't read vampire romances but they are quickly filling up the nooks and crannies of my local B&N. Are my tastes mainstream or not? Without seeing statistics, it's hard to tell if the trends are the same thing as the majority tastes.

Regardless, I'd rather make and wear something that fits me like a glove than opt for chic but uncomfortable which is probably why I wear Born shoes and not Choo's. Just my 2 cents. YRMV.

Nightmelody · Jul 13, 2009

Clockwork Heart was awesome!

I've read alot of Harlequin American that are sweet. I don't read Super romance too often, but it seems like the ones I read were sweet. I think the Nascar line is sweet also, I'll have to ask my sister who reads all those.

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