How to Write Stories People Will Love

Question 44: Romantic scenes

Born_Black asks: How do I write a romantic scene, like a cute one without making it seem forced?

When things feel unnatural, that's when a scene seems forced. Beware of things that could contribute to this problem:

- Doing things out of character. For example, a guy who doesn't like to talk suddenly speaks in flowery terms, or gushes compliments.

- Over-dramatic actions. Even if a character is prone to drama, take care not to go over the top with the batting eyelashes or long love speeches.

- Going too fast. When things progress from meeting to flirting to kissing in a too-short period of time, it doesn't feel real. We all have different speeds at which we go through life, so the timing of your story will vary. But if a reader says it feels rushed, then it may be time to slow things down.

Romance can be sexy, or it can be cute. (Sometimes it can be both, but for this chapter, we'll talk about cute.) Cute scenes are all about gestures that are not sexual in nature. They make a reader go "Awww." Often these scenes arise when two characters are still trying to feel out the situation. They like the other person, but don't want to look like an idiot by admitting it and then discovering the other person doesn't feel the same. What makes it cute isn't just the gesture, but also the reaction received. I'll give some examples...

Jake draws a picture and gives it to Jane, who he likes. She blushes when she sees it's a drawing of her and stammers a thank you.

Now picture the same scene with a different reaction: Jane stares at the drawing and says, "What am I supposed to do with this?" NOT cute anymore.

Here's another one...

Jake sees Jane with her lunch tray and scoots over to make room for her on the bench, giving her a hopeful smile.

THIS, actually, is kind of cute on its own. He's trying so hard, and his hope is contagious. It almost doesn't matter what Jane's reaction is at this point. His gesture is romantic, and readers will think he's being cute, even if Jane is not.

Confidence vs. Awkwardness

Certain kinds of compliments can be cute as well. It's all in the delivery. When thinking about cute versus sexy and how compliments are given, confidence is sexy, and awkward is cute. Consider the same compliment, given two different ways.

A: "I like your hair." Jake's gaze held hers as he boldly lifted a lock of it. "Soft."

B: Jake's eyes darted to the top of my head, then he smiled at his shoes. "I like your hair. It looks soft."

Which one makes you go rrowr and which makes you go awww?

Both are romantic, but the delivery determines what sort of romantic vibe it is.