I did a forum search (and may not know how to heck to do one, as I assumed there would already be a thread on this) but how to you handle sexual/romantic tension in a non-romance novel with a romantic subplot?
She undid her pants and submitted her womanhood to his turgid member.
"Uh."
"Yeah."
"Urgh."
"Uhhhh."
"Oooh."
"Bob."
"Marie."
"Ohhhhhh."
"Urghghgghghhhh."
"I'm close."
"Uh."
"Ah."
"Ohhhheuhuhhhhegh."
"Hrrrrrng."
"Bwwowwowaharrrhgh."
"Hrrnrnrnhrnrnrnhgnrnrrnrng."
"As you know Bob, you are currently penetrating me. We are in the missionary position and according to that clock, we have been fornicating for about five minutes. Your steely, blue-eyed gaze is making my innards rumble."
"We have sex three times a week."
"This is the second time we've done it this week."
"My penis is a bit over six inches long."
"My ex-bf's penis was almost seven."
"What?"
"Uh, uh, I bite your ear because you've told me that gets you off."
"Brwowwwwwwaaoaoaoaoaaoaoooohhh I'm ejaculating I'm ejaculating," he ejaculated.
"Phew."
"Wooh."
"Ah."
"Yes."
"Good intercourse. We will have a baby in nine months and name him Michael."
I did a forum search (and may not know how to heck to do one, as I assumed there would already be a thread on this) but how to you handle sexual/romantic tension in a non-romance novel with a romantic subplot?
The same way you would in any novel. Just don't let it take over the main plot. It should be a bright little underthread woven through the tapestry of the story.
The most practical advice I can give right now is to read a ton of recent non-romance novels. Most of them have romantic/sexual tension somewhere in them.
Starting from not knowing a thing about your writing, I'm afraid I can't be more specific
Gratuitous sex scenes, of course! [etc.]
lol. I guess what I mean then, is how do you write romantic and sexual tension? I have no clue.
what Jim said...also, sexual tension could be anything from the mild ("She looked at him, just a bit longer than she needed to--at least, he hoped that's what he saw...") to the very overt ("I couldn't help noticing a slip of lace on that hip when you reached the overhead compartment, and that thong looks lovely on your waist. But," he added, pausing and making full eye contact, holding her for a beat before continuing, "it would look far lovelier on those wrists of yours.")
Well...like anything else. You build it slowly. You include good conflict. You don't have them jump in bed right away.
I'd suggest you start reading lots of novels with romance with an eye toward studying how it's done.
At which point she takes her suitcase back down and accidentally lets it fall on the creep's head...
Sexual/Romantic tension in life, or in fiction implies that something's holding them back, they're being pulled towards and away from each other at the same time. So, it's forbidden, for one reason or another. Thus the tension. One or both of them is married. They have another relationship, business, teacher/student, employer/employee, (that could be jeopardized if they act upon their impulses) or there's another factor- racial, social, religious, age, or they're in a location or an environment that's not private or appropriate, etc. I can't, I can't, I know I can't...
That's the tension, that's the conflict.
srgalactica: I guess what I mean then, is how do you write romantic and sexual tension? I have no clue.
To each their own, but I have always been a fan of romantic tension that results in an atmosphere of great style, elegance and charm. Wouldn't we all like to be in one of those circumstances where it's warm and exciting and we say just the right things to flirt and play and savor the moment? Isn't it captivating to read it and say, "awww" or "oh, wow..." But it can't happen if the characters aren't human, sensitive to the opportunity, and say just the right things in just the right way.