ROMANTIC TENSION by Roberta C.M. DeCaprio

A writer starts out by looking at a blank page, hoping one day that blank page will eventually be the first page of three to four hundred other pages, and when all is finished, the beginning of a page-turning novel. I’ve discovered a helpful book, one written by Jean Kent and Candace Sheldon that helps a romance writer to write a moving romance novel. THE ROMANCE WRITER’S PHRASE BOOK is a collection of tags that enhances romantic tension.

What are tags?

Jean Kent and Candace Sheldon explain that tags are those little descriptive phrases which spell the difference between success and failure. They are short one-liners so skillfully tucked into the dialogue, and laced through the narrative that the reader isn’t even aware of them. Tags are the life breath of the romance novel.
Kent and Sheldon gives an example:

Without a tag – He reached out and touched her arm.
With a tag – A tingling of excitement raced through her as his fingers trailed sensuously down her arm.

The book is broken down into different sections for both the hero and the heroine:

Physical Characteristics – Body, Face, and Hair
Body Movements – Fingers, Hands, and Arms, Head Motions and Nods, Sitting, Standing, Turning, Shrugging, and Leaning.
Facial Expressions – Brows, Mouth, and Jaw, Smiles and Negative Expressions.
Humor – Amusement and Laughter.
Eyes – Color and Movement.
Voices – Types, Characteristics of Speech and Negative Responses.
Emotions – Happiness, Joy, Confidence, Determination, Defiance, Surprise, Annoyance, Irritation, Confusion, Fear, Anxiety, Tension, Caution, Insecurity, Uneasiness, Anger, Rage, Humiliation, Embarrassment, Despair, Anguish, Defeat, Tears, Unhappiness, and Disappointment.
Sex – Desire, Attraction, Touching, Embracing, Kissing, and Lovemaking.
Miscellaneous – Fatigue, Memories, Questions, Intrigue, Curiosity, Thoughts, Realizations, and Understanding.
Colors – Black, Purple, Green, White/Off White, Red/Pink, Brown/Beige, and Yellow/Gold.

I call this little book MY WRITER’S BIBLE. Used religiously it can help a romance writer to enhance their creative juices, fine tune and hone descriptive skills, and turn out a page-turning, sexually tension-filled, romantic novel.


HAPPY WRITING!

Roberta C.M. DeCaprio