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How to add romantic tension to your book / writing advice

ByNika

I am a lover of romantic things – but more the Pride and Prejudice type of romantic than Hollywood romantic. I do think there’s a difference! What is it about Pride and Prejudice, A Room With a View, and Far From the Madding Crowd that draws us in and has us savoring every tiny exchange between the main character and love interest? I think romantic tension is in the small things, and in the wholesome things.

Perhaps when we talk about romantic tension it makes us think of sexual tension, the sparks. But I don’t think how much someone is lusting after someone else makes us hang on every word. I think it’s the little sweet gestures and the almost hidden clues to something more.

So, how can we add this romantic tension to our books? How can we, as writers of faith, write romance so it’s both wholesome and intriguing?

Here are some ways you can add romantic tension to your book today.

Little gestures

By little gestures, I don’t just mean a handpicked bouquet of flowers, or a smile and wink (although these could be used also). I mean the things that may not be generically perceived as romantic, but because we know what we know about these two characters, we presume that it is.

Here are some examples to draw inspiration from:

  • Carrying a trunk, plates, a parasol for them.
  • Opening carriage doors, house doors, and garden gates.
  • Saving them from situations only they could save them from. (Ok this one needs explaining. By this I mean something such as, helping them avoid having to eat a food they hate, or maybe they’re terrified of water and the love interest saves them from having to go boating or something).
  • Acts of service. (They clear the drain, fetch the carriage, buy the loaf of bread).
  • In general, being cordial and considerate. (Offering a better seat at the opera, letting them have the last piece of cake – I don’t know, come up with some others).
  • Helping arrange their hair, adjust their tie, smooth their sleeve.

Secrets

Secrets (especially when they are stuck in a secret just the two of them) could add plenty of romantic tension. Having to work together to resolve this secret, and having to keep it could draw them closer together, or push them further away. Also those private moments where they talk about this thing only they know about is bound to be intimate in a non sexual way.

Quarrels

A good quarreling session could certainly amp up the tension in their relationship. This is very common in the enemies to lovers trope, but I don’t think it has to be saved just for that type of relationship. Every relationship has its ups and downs, and depending on how much time the characters are spending together, there is bound to be something that irks one or the other about the other person. A good way to make the argument have more meaning is if it’s about something one (or both) of the characters are afraid of, and them arguing is just a tactic of defense.

For example, if one of the characters has a fear of people leaving and betraying them. If the love interest shows a small sign of this, (could be a false sign that isn’t actually valid) then that could set the first character off because they are trying to protect themselves from being betrayed. T

The journey of them trying to resolve these issues will either strengthen or weaken their trust and love for each other, adding plenty of tension along the way.

Jealousy

I used this tactic in my book Swimming With Lupins. Just when the characters are starting to like each other, and get used to the idea of perhaps loving each other, bam jealousy hits them and drives that intimacy they’d crafted away.

Not only is jealousy something that might hold your characters apart. It might be just what one of them needs to finally make the brave move towards being with the other. If you have a more laid back or passive character, this might show them what their passivity is doing, and how they need to become more proactive if they want their dreams to come true.

Eye contact and more

Although this is certainly used more in movies than books, as the music really helps with effect. Eye contact, and other similar physical movements, can add romantic tension to your book. The eye contact is pretty obvious, as it’s a large part of how we, as humans, communicate. But we can’t rely on just eye contact the entire book. The readers might get bored of swooning gazes after awhile.

Here are some other physical details that can add so much romantic tension while being wholesome and light.

  • The brush of a finger on finger
  • Whispering near their ear
  • A good old hug
  • A hand up or down from somewhere (my brain screams Mr Darcy helping Lizzy into the carriage!)
  • The way they dance with one another. Are they comfortable, tense, distracted, or focused?
  • Wiping something off their face
  • Tying a shoe lace
  • Braiding her hair
  • Tying an apron string
  • Carrying something together

There are so many more ways to show pure, innocent, beautiful love in physical form. Get creative with how your characters can interact with one another. Remember that romantic tension is so much more than kissing and making out. It can be so much more subtle and gentle. I think it is actually more tense and interesting this way anyhow.

If you would like to learn more about writing, feel free to browse more blog posts, or contact me if you have any questions. You can also find me on YouTube at The Windy Wildflower, or the podcast at The Windy Wildflower Podcast. We talk about writing, songwriting, and being a Christian creative in all these places. Join me on the journey of learning to glorify God with our creativity and making dreams a reality.