Karen Winter - Writing the First Kiss: How to write a first kiss scene that will leave your readers breathless

Table of Contents

Writing the First KissFirst Edition (2018)Copyright 2018 Karen WinterAll rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the publisher.ePub Edition ISBN: 978-0-473-40951-7Amazon Edition ISBN: 978-0-473-40952-4Web PDF Edition ISBN: 978-0-473-40953-1iBook Edition ISBN: 978-0-473-40954-8Print Edition ISBN: 978-0-473-43232-4Published by Fountain Pen Publishing LimitedKaren Winterwww.karen-winter.comEditing by Lesley Marshallwww.editline.co.nzCover Design by Steven Novakwww.novakillustration.comInterior Design by Jacob Hammer

Writing the First Kiss

How to write a first-kiss scene that will leave your readers breathless

With excerpts from 10 New York Times Bestselling Authors

Karen Winter

Dedication

For World Animal Protection

An international non-profit animal-welfare organisation

that has been in operation for over 30 years

Their vision:

A world where animal welfare matters, and animal cruelty has ended

Introduction

Im sure you will agree that the first kiss between the hero and heroine is a truly significant moment in any romance story. It is one of the major turning points where the two protagonists start to express their feelings towards each other.

This scene may happen early in the story and come as a complete surprise to one of the characters, or perhaps theyve both been supressing a desire that is finally ignited by this kiss.

But from this point onwards, things will never be the same between them...

Written as a guide for romance writers, this book will offer:

• an explanation regarding the importance of the first kiss in a romance story,
• an outline of the five steps required to cover the setup, execution and outcome for this scene, and
• some important points to consider, as well as suggestions to ensure this kiss is memorable for your characters and for your reader.

Ive included excerpts from the books of 10 New York Times Bestselling Authors covering the genres of contemporary, romantic suspense, historical romance, paranormal, fantasy and erotic romance. These extracts will show you how professional romance writers have written this important scene and help to guide you with your own writing.

After each excerptand using the concepts from the theory part of this bookI have written an analysis on how the author has created the scene.

There is also a summary at the end of the book highlighting what can be learnt from these extracts and any interesting points worth noting.

The Importance of the First Kiss in a Romance Story

Every romance novel works through a series of turning points:

• First meet or the inciting incident (if the characters already know each other, this could be the first time they see each other after a period of time apart, or this is the first time the reader sees them together to start the story)

• First kiss
• First love scene (there could be several love scenes in the story, or none, depending on the level of sensuality)
• Black moment
• Grand gesture
• Happy-ever-after scene

Each of these turning points is an essential element in the story because it ramps up the tension between the hero and heroine, reveals character and advances the plot.

The first kiss is a major turning point for most romance stories and may even be more significant to development of the romance than the first love scene. It is a declaration of the attraction felt by one character for the other, and often causes confusion and uncertainty but also a greater awareness of each other.

One kiss wont be enough!

If theyve been fighting their attraction for each other before, once theyve kissed the attraction will be unbearable. And so too will the desire thats brewing inside them.

The couple may be more determined now to overcome whatever is keeping them apart. Or their passion may scare one or both of the charactersthe grip of their attraction overwhelms them and no matter how they try to push it away it comes back to taunt them. For both characters the significance of this moment will cause major change in their lives.

Not only does this first kiss advance the plot, it also gives the characters a taste of how powerful their physical interaction promises to beall leading to the consummation of the relationship, whether this happens within the pages of your story or, in sweeter romances, after the characters are together at the end.

The first kiss will deepen conflict, revealing more about the characters and changing how they interact with one another. It is a deeply significant, emotional moment in your characters lives and therefore needs to reflect their emotional development as well as the growth of the romantic arc in your story. It will have a lasting effect on your hero and heroineand on your reader!

Depending on who the point-of-view character is for the scene, we will get some useful insight into their feelingsare they anxious or fearful, reluctant or eager, infatuated or annoyed, confused or conflicted, dominant or submissive, or perhaps bitter? How do they feel before the actual kiss? What about afterwards? They may start out with one emotion but end up feeling something quite different once it has ended. Whatever their feelings are, a major transformation should have occurred with this kiss.

Dont rush through the sceneyou need to show both the emotional and physical effects to your characters, so go deep into their thoughts and feelings. What pops into the mind of the point-of-view character while kissing the other? Do they compare this kiss to others theyve previously shared with another person? Do they wonder if the other has kissed before? Does this bother them? Would they worry about their technique and hope they dont appear too eager or inexperienced? Your reader has been anticipating this important moment so make sure you leave her as affected by the kiss as your characters are. Leave her wanting more by creating tension, anticipation and desire.

The kiss will have triggered a change in the characterswhat they thought they wanted may not be what they want now.

Care must be taken regarding the placement of the first kiss within your storywhen and where it takes place, and why it happens at that moment. What has brought these two characters to this point where either their mutual desire, or the desire of one character, has caused them to take this step, knowing that the outcome could make their lives better or worse? The tension and emotion should be heart-stopping.

Depending upon the era, the first kiss in a historical romance is more significant than in a contemporary romance. In a historical romance the stakes are higher due to a kiss crossing a huge societal line.

However in any romance, whether contemporary or historical, your first kiss needs to feel significant and be unique to this couple. Like real people, characters all have different reactions to a kiss based on their personality and their history. The kiss could be a lengthy affair where the characters cant get enough of each other, or it could be a spontaneous action by one character and last only a few short moments. But no matter how long the kiss lasts there will still be a lasting effect.

How to Write the First Kiss

Understanding the motivation behind the actions of your characters is important. The kiss will arise because one or both characters has an irrepressible desire to kiss the other. This must be communicated to your reader before the kiss takes placeand dont be too subtle about it. The desire coursing through the character, or characters, must be shown through their actions or described in their introspection. This way the reader will truly enjoy the kiss as much as your characters. They need to have felt the same build-up of desire or frustration as the characters in your scene.

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