So, I'm working on an MM romance (no magic historical fantasy with no queerphobia) and need advice for the part in which romantic feelings are growing and characters are falling more and more in love. For the ones of you have read Romancing the Beat, we're talking Midpoint of Love here.
This usually wouldn't be hard, right? The thing is, the plot and worldbuilding seriously limit what's available. Here are the limitations:
- it's a secret, forbidden relationship, so the MCs have to be careful expressing affection in public and can't tell anyone about it
- because of the set-up and circumstances, they have little privacy, and can only meet once every 10-15 days, for maybe a day or two
- correspondence is tricky for a number of reasons. In summary, they can use letters and notes to share deeper feelings and etc, but not to keep in touch while apart (in this world mail is pretty slow)
- neither MC is wealthy or powerful, both are just ordinary guys
I already have a few ideas: secretly holding hands under a table during meals, a couple of illicit sexy rendezvous, notes and gifts left behind for the other to find. But I don't feel these are creating enough romantic tension, or creating a clear enough vision of what their HEA will look like.
Any ideas?
Just have them think it? Notice the other person’s body or insights? Give each other ‘the eyes’? Find excuses to be close like sitting next to each other at dinner?
Imagine what they’d do if they were obsessed with each other, then take it back a few notches. Sometimes it’s easier to think in the extreme case.
That’s makes sense and it’s already part of the plan! The thing is I’m writing single POV (forgot to mention that) so I do need a few more concrete, show-not-tell stuff to communicate it’s mutual.
I just recently read this really good graphic novel about two guys falling in love and the way they did the tension was phenomenal. I know they had illustrations to help, but it’s the same concept.
When something happens, have them think deeply internally. Show that tension of wanting but not really knowing if the other person feels the same way. That awful place right before the jump. The one where we stay up all night, can’t eat, can’t think of anything but that one weirdly worded text you sent they haven’t been able to respond to/ or did they just ghost?
Show the humanity of it.
Here’s what I would do:
-love note that is very very simple but other character holds, kisses like it is their lover
-small meetings in the dark that feel inevitable, almost a touch, yearning for it, and then the tension of leaving without
-overhearing conversations about how others have noticed the chemistry, or from one of the characters secretly talking to a friend about feelings.
-“accidentally” texting or calling just to hear them
-nonchalant “this song made me think of you”, and the. The words are just explosive
-self entertainment and then blushing when you run into him the next day—they react the same way because they were doing the same thing
I think mostly in tension, it’s about almost…..and then not being met except in a tiny, teasing way.
A finger slowly kissed in the dark, and then no further… Close enough to smell each other, and all of the bodily functions that excites…
Either way, I know you’ll do it and it’ll be amazing 🩷🩷