Writing PG From a G Perspective
by Holly Jacobs
I sold my first Harlequin Duet in March of 2000. I was so thrilled to have met my goal…I’d sold to Harlequin. I’d been targeting the company for quite some time, sending back-to-back manuscripts to both Duets and then to Silhouette Romance. They’d reject one, and I’d immediately send the next. I figured I’d eventually wear them down , and that day in ‘00 I did. Three months later, I sold to Silhouette Romance. A sale–it’s the goal every writer works towards. But after…well, after a day or so to bask, it’s back to work. And there’s a whole host of things most new writers don’t think about–or at least I didn’t think about. Revisions being one. So, as I worked on the revisions for that first Duet, I Waxed My Legs For This?, my editor said, “You need to rework the love scene.” Oh, gee, what was wrong? “She didn’t have a good time.” LOL Welcome to my first battle with the dreaded love scene.
Now, I have four kids, so it’s not that I don’t “know” how it works. But by natural inclination, I write very G books. When I wrote for Silhouette Romance, they were totally G rated. And I write for Avalon Books as well as Harlequin…a G rating there, too. The editor at Avalon once told me I wrote a kiss too hot and to please tone it down. I walked around all day feeling rather smug in my hotness…me and my hot kiss! LOL But most of the books I write require a love scene. It’s not a line requirement, or even readers’ expectation, but it’s more of a story demand. The characters in that particular book need that love scene…it’s important to the book. Now, even when I write a love scene, they’re very PG. So, how does a writer with a G inclination write a love scene?
For me, it really was my editor’s comment on that first love scene for Duets. “She didn’t have a good time.” You see, that heroine didn’t “feel” the moment. And that word…feel…is what has saved me when writing a love scene. No, I’m not talking about orgasms, I’m talking about feelings. In my current release for Harlequin American Romance, Once Upon a Valentine’s, the heroine feels as if she lost herself in her marriage that centered around her husband and his needs…never hers.
In the book, Carly says, “…Then it was joining the right club, volunteering with the right organizations, befriending the right people, decorating in the right way… And the problem was, the right way was never my way. I love color. Big, bright, bold color. Our house was in tasteful neutrals, and if I was really wild, a pastel or two. That’s the problem I guess. That’s the anger. I let myself fade from a vivid color to a washed out imitation.”
In Once Upon a Valentine’s, since her divorce, Carly can’t find her own color. When she makes love to Chuck, she starts feeling empowered. She takes charge. It’s an important part in her emotional journey. The love scene is still definitely PG. No body parts are mentioned. But for me (and for Carly ), it was a necessary scene. When she makes love to Chuck, Carly begins to reclaim her color, she begins to discover just who she is and what she wants. And for me, that makes emotional sense of the love scene, and makes it very sense-ual. LOL
So, that’s how I do it. When I write a love scene, it’s all about moving the story forward, about meeting the characters’ emotional needs (and yes, she always has a “good time” ). Once I figured that out, writing the love scenes became easier. And in some way, writing a totally G-rated book is a little harder. You have to help your characters forge an intimate, believable relationship without letting them have more than a very chaste kiss. And since I write contemporary, you have to manage that in a way that the reader will buy.
So, those are some of my thoughts on writing a sex scene. I know, my love scenes are not erotic, but I think they are sensual in a sense sort of way. To be honest, hitting the right emotions is totally as important to me as having the heroine “have a good time.” Actually, it’s more important.
Holly
on February 12th, 2009
Great blog, Holly!
on February 12th, 2009
Thanks, Liz. Love scenes are the hardest ones for me to write.
G-rated Holly
on February 12th, 2009
Great blog!
I love the humor you put in books!
What I find difficult is writing humor, while making the love scenes really intense and a little more explicit–oh, wait, maybe THAT’S why people say my books are funny??? Hmmm…..
on February 12th, 2009
Karen, LOL Yes, you…er, your books…are a little funny!
Holly
on February 12th, 2009
LOL – When I saw what you were blogging about listed on your Facebook page, Holl, I thought, “Holly’s blogging about LOVE SCENES? Has someone alerted her editor?” LOL!
on February 12th, 2009
Susan,
LOL Yes, I know. Still, there are a lot of us G writers (and G readers), so I thought the topic had merit!
Holly
on February 12th, 2009
Okay, why isn’t it saying that the comment above was from me? (Susan Gable) Although…I’m willing to bet that even without any ID showing, Holly would have been able to ID who sent that last message.
on February 12th, 2009
Nevermind. I guess I should have been more patient. LOL. Not my strong suit.
on February 12th, 2009
Susan, Yes, I would have known it was you! LOL
on February 12th, 2009
Hi, Holly! This post is so funny to someone who’s read Did I Shave My Legs For This? It was hilarious to me (who happened to have just listened to the song of the same name about 10x on a road trip right before I started it).
I think your brand of sensual humor is great. I love your personality that shines through no matter what type/style of book you write. Don’t stop! ;-)
on February 12th, 2009
Cool post! I’ve been a fan for a lot of years now (sorry if I’m showing age here), and I enjoy the almost magical moments that aren’t necessarily sensual. I think the steps leading to the fall is fabulous to read about when done right and you write very well. You cracked me up when I read that you were a HOT kiss writer too, by the way. You can’t get too hot in the Avalon printed books, right?
on February 12th, 2009
Interesting post. I’ve never really thought about how writers do that sort of thing, the breakdown of the relationship. I just enjoy reading it on paper!
Holly, do you ever plan to do any more royalty books? I enjoyed those a lot.
on February 12th, 2009
Do you ever plan to write single titles?
on February 12th, 2009
Hi, Holly! I’ve finally made it. I can only say that my last two days have been nuts! I’ve been working on a website redesign with the ever fabulous, and oh, so patient, Anne McAllister…and then my computer’s drive FRIED! Yep, you heard me right. It’s been a long and crazy two days. Fortunately, I have a backup laptop. Unfortunately, I lost EMAILS from a whole bunch of people that I thought would be backed up on my host server…well, think again. There’s more, but that’s enough whining about it. There’s nothing I can do now.
The good news is that Anne’s site is live now! She’s launching tomorrow with a beautiful new site (which will continue to have tons of new pages added for the next little bit as we do more individual pages and a few more portal pages). She’s also running a great contest for free books and other goodies. :-)
And Holly, I’ve just finished approving a few comments (which I see have already posted through above). Talk to you again soon!
on February 12th, 2009
Holly, it’s great to “see” you again! I read lots of erotic books, but I think the ones that really get it right are the books that get the emotion right. I love sex-less books just as much as I love sex-full books. It’s the emotion that does it every time. Real emotion is ultra-sexy–even if that emotion is dealt with in a lighthearted way. I get that feeling in pit of my stomach as I’m reading…and then I know I’ve read a sexy book!
on February 13th, 2009
Alyson, Thank you so much! That book is so special to me because it’s the one that helped me break into Harlequin. And yes, I love that song, too! Hope it was a fun roadtrip…we drove to and from Philly this weekend, seven hour each way. It was long, but fun. We saw Rent with two of the original cast members…so much fun!
Lizzie Beth, Yes, Avalons are totally G rated. Even the kisses are few and far between, which actually makes them interesting to write as far as developing a relationship. But I really have fun with them. The current series, Everything But a…(Groom, Bride, Wedding and next December a Christmas Eve) was especially fun. A Hungarian grandmother who accidentally curses her own family! LOL
Kara, I’m glad my post gave you something to think about. And thanks…I’m so glad you enjoyed the royalty books! I’m not planning anymore right now, though I do mention characters having coffee at Monarchs in one of the current books. And Pearly Gates from that Perry Square series still gets her own fan letters!
Tara, I’ve written on Single Title, Confessions of a Party Crasher, for Harlequin’s Signature line. The line died…the month COAPC was out was actually it’s last month. Yes, I killed it! LOL I don’t have another ST in the pipeline now, but I definitely think I’ll do another someday. And I’m writing for SuperRomance, too. Those are bigger, meatier books that are very close to ST. And my current trilogy, Once Upon a (Thanksgiving, Christmas and this month’s Valentine’s) is actually a big story broken down into three books.
Heather, So sorry about the computer problems!! Glad you made it!
Hi, Terescia! It’s nice to “see” you too. And yes, that was my point. I don’t know that the sensuality level matters as much as getting the emotions right!
Holly
on February 17th, 2009
Holly,
I’m a huge fan. I’ve followed you across lines and publishers. I just think your humor and unique way of putting together the perfect couple is spectacular!
I’m very much enjoying the Once Upon series. I’d love to see you write a huge series that involved royalty or a very rich family (lots of Princess sisters would be fun to read about!). :-)
on February 17th, 2009
Oh, Holly, how awful for the line to close when your book is out! I’ll have to find the book. =)
on February 25th, 2009
Soooo sorry! I checked in here and there was nothing, and I checked in today, and there were more.
Sasha, Thanks for following me through all the lines! I know it’s been tough, because there have been a number of them! LOL I’d love to do more royalty books. I had so much fun with that first trilogy. From princesses to PTA Moms! LOL I’m glad you’re enjoy this series, too, despite their lack of crowns!
Tara, Thanks for watching for Confessions of a Party Crasher! I loved the book.
Holly