I think the biggest adjustment I've had to make in writing romance is building in that first moment of physical desire. My romantic fantasy stories have generally set characters together without even a preliminary kiss. The relationship happened because it fit the story, not the other way around.
One guy I dated confessed that he asked me out because he caught sight of me brushing my hair. Something about seeing me in that pose that struck him. (He phrased it in a very gentlemanly manner, but I gather he found it erotic.)
I got involved with another guy after I'd had one too many Long Islands (okay, so just one of those may be one too much), tried to dance, and stumbled. An acquaintance caught me, my hands slid down his chest, and ever after I saw him as someone who was actively attractive to me, even when I was sober. Suddenly I was aware of him physically, although I'd seen him plenty of times before without any reaction. (It was a nice chest.)
These are the sorts of moments I need to try to bring into my romances. They do come out of the blue, but at the same time, they can't be completely jarring. In other words, the reader has to expect it, but not the character.
Leave a comment