R is for Romance

This could be a good topic for me as I decide whether and if I am to be a romance writer because a whole genre is dedicated to it with rules and regulations that require a romance author to follow, if they wish their work to be accepted under this heading. But how easy is it to write romance? Some people excel and become hugely respected authors whilst others avoid this genre perhaps preferring more graphic scenarios.

Good romance should suck you, the reader in to the plot like any other great story. It must be believable otherwise the reader might switch off.

When I write short stories I regard myself as a romance writer but for me the difference between romance and sex is huge. For one, a romantic moment to work it need not necessarily have the lovers in the same room together, or even on the same time zone. However to make this work for a romantic sex scene work would involve a lot of imagination which I’m sure you, my readers can come up with ideas all by yourselves and not need me to elaborate, teezy weezy.

But here’s a personal idiosyncrasy for me, a leading man, needs to be charismatic and attractive, but he has to be flawed. He needs to fail at something.

However, I’m not sure I want to be a romance novelist, because currently I prefer to write about the drama and friction that can surround family life and the entangled relationships but that doesn’t mean I want my stories to be devoid of romance or sex.

However I am still puzzled by the lack of good sex in modern novels. I was reading a great book the other day and when I got to the really exciting part between the lead characters, it cut off just like a 1930’s movie, the door was firmly shut and I felt cheated.

Is this because we have still not aspired to include a very everyday part of life in our writing or is the publishing industry shy and prefers to skirt round the issue because readers don’t want the graphic detail? Whilst I don’t want a full on account, I would like to a see more realistic fun approach to how an author handles sex scenes without only being able to write these an erotica author. But maybe I haven't read all that's out there yet...