Kissing Scenes (How to Write)

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K is for Kissing Scenes (How to Write)

Sex scenes and kissing scenes tend to be the most difficult for writers to write. Or at least they are the scenes we always say we dread having to write. But we write them despite being uncomfortable, or not knowing what terms we should use for specific body parts. *coughs*

Last year, I wrote a blog post about writing intimate scenes. In that post I provided ten tips for soft-n-sweet love scenes and ten tips for hot-n-steamy love scenes. That post inspired this one, so now I am going to share tips for soft-n-sweet kisses and hot-n-steamy kisses.

Enjoy! ;)

Soft-N-Sweet: 

·         Soft Touch

For soft-n-sweet kisses it’s all about the soft touch—a brush of lips, a teasing nibble of teeth, a caress of tongues. Everything has to be gentle, but that doesn’t mean the heat can’t get kicked up several notches to hot-n-steamy.

·         Texture

The one thing you definitely feel while kissing is the texture of the other person’s lips, so don’t forget to describe the texture of the man’s or woman’s lips your MC is kissing. You can use words like velvety, plush, smooth, dewy (especially if the woman is wearing lip balm), or even chapped. The last option is perfect for humor.

·         Taste

Along with texture, taste is something else we can notice. If the woman is wearing lip balm, maybe it’s flavored—blueberry, strawberry-banana, or vanilla. Or if your characters just ate, perhaps the flavor of food/drink is still on their lips—beer, coffee, chocolate, or garlic . . . again for humor.

(Imagine kissing someone with chapped, garlicy lips. Now that would be funny. And unpleasant.) 

·         Movement

Kissing is always combined with the movement of hands, and the press of bodies. Let the man cup the woman’s face with his hands, put his arm around her waist. Or let the woman loop her arms around his neck, slither her fingers into his hair. Don’t neglect adding this into the scene. It makes the kiss so much better.

·         Gentle Sighs

When a kiss is done right, or at least when it’s enjoyable, there will be sighs and breathy words.

Hot-N-Steamy:

·         Urgency

Hot-n-steamy kisses are the opposite of soft-n-sweet kisses. They can be hard, demanding, harsh, and urgent. The more urgent your characters are the better. *wink*

·         Heat

You have to add heat for kisses to steam. Mention the heat from their bodies, the touch of hot skin, and the warmth of their mouths. Anything that has to do with body temperature will make your characters’ kiss HOT-HOT-HOT!

·         Taste

All the tastes your character’s can experience with soft-n-sweet kisses can be magnified here. Not only the taste of lips, but also the secret flavors deep in their mouths. Describe what flavors they draw out with their tongues. You can make it feminine or masculine.

·         Movement

If tastes can be magnified then movements can be too. No longer will your characters be careful or gentle, but eager. Let them grope and grab. Let the hero grab the heroine’s hair. Let her grasp his shoulders.

·         Throaty Moans

The more intense a make-out session is, the deeper the moans. Your heroine can gasp, and your hero can mutter between her lips.

TIP: Add teeth. A nip on the bottom lip is seductive and is a perfect addition for hot-n-steamy lip locks.

Along with the actual kissing, don’t neglect your character’s feelings and thoughts. These can definitely heighten the sweetness/hotness of the scene you’re writing.

And if their kiss leads to something else . . . check out my post Writing About: Intimacy.


QUESTION: Which type of kiss do you enjoy writing the most? Soft-n-sweet kisses or hot-n-steamy kisses?


SHARE: Your tips for writing a kiss.

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