Tips for Kiss Scenes

Are you a writer who thinks kiss scenes are terrifying? Or simply want some tips on how to make your kiss scene better? For some of us, the big kiss is the majority of the reason we pick up a book. For others, it’s simply just a nice touch but writing the scene itself can be a bit scary. Today, we’re talking about the right way to write a kiss scene. 

First, establish the mood. If the vibes aren’t romantic, that kiss may come off as anti-climatic or dull. Even if you’re going for a spontaneous kiss, there are ways of setting the scene up for a romantic moment like a kiss. Think about movies. When a kiss scene is about to happen, usually the music is soft and slow. The lighting may be dimmed and the focal point is the two romantic partners. These are all blatant cues that the scene is taking a romantic turn. As writers we can do the same by our use of description, pacing, and dialogue. Usually, you want a slower pace during a romantic/kiss scene and you may spend time describing how your character views the other, maybe the pair are stepping closer to the other, making gentle movements, etc. a more spontaneous kiss would be a bit of a faster pace, but there should be budding tension. The characters are expecting something but they don’t know what it is. They may be confused or angry even. Whatever the mood is, should reflect both the plot and the character’s personalities. 

Second, think about your target audience when deciding how intense the kiss is. A Middle Grade novel is likely going to be just a peck on the lips, if that. You can mention more explicit types of kissing or more but you’ll likely just tell that it happened, not show. Young Adult seems to be more of a gray area for kissing/romantic scenes but in general, the age range is 12-18. I’ve seen more detailed kissing/making out but it still shouldn’t be as graphic as an adult novel. Adult is no bounds and typically if your genre is romance or has a romantic subplot in an adult novel, the readers are expecting far more graphic and intense kissing. That’s not to say that there has to be sexual content, there doesn’t. But just keep in mind what your target audience is expecting. 

Third, choose your words carefully. I’ve seen a lot of kiss scenes talking about teeth clanking or they’re breath smelling like ash and cigarettes. And I don’t know about you, but teeth clanking is painful (you may chip a tooth) and cigarettes and ash aren’t very tasty and smell really bad. If the goal is to be romantic and loving, think of words that elicit the feeling. For me, this is usually a soft press of the lips and the characters gazing into their eyes. A heavier scene would focus on their breaths, the smack of their lips. They would focus on their eyes which would likely be described as either a pretty version of the color or simply the familiarity that those eyes bring. You want to use words that elicit the emotional response you want. If you need song inspiration, Hozier does an excellent job of careful words to describe a mood. 

Finally, don’t hold back. Whether you’ve kissed a person or not, you can write a good kiss scene. Don't think about who will read your writing or get nervous because you may be writing something for a character that is bolder than what you yourself would do, just go for what fits for  the plot and characters and go for it. It doesn’t need to be heavy to be romantic or tense. 

That’s all for this week! See you next week for the Reading Wrap-Up!