How Hot Should You Write Your Romance?
May 15, 2023 | Daphne Strasert
When it comes to romance, you have a whole buffet of options to choose from. No matter what you’re looking for, I promise there is something out there that will suit your tastes. So where do you even begin?
There are several ways of splitting up this massive genre. Subgenres such as historical romance, fantasy romance, sci-fi romance, sports romance, Amish romance, and mafia romance are just a few of the many, many, many options. You can also categorize books using tropes. Just one bed, marriage of convenience, brother’s best friend, enemies to lovers, surprise pregnancy, and mistaken identity are beloved by romance readers.
But since we are discussing romance, let’s talk about sex!
How much sex should be in a romance novel? The short answer is that it depends. Readers and authors all have their own preferences. From longing glances and chaste hand holding to the most explicit, bed-breaking scenes and everything in between, how do you readers know what they’re getting into? And how do authors make sure that they don’t mislead their audience and shock readers with something spicier than what they wanted? As with all things sex-related, communication is key.
What are heat levels in romance?
Heat level is a way of letting readers know what amount of sexiness they can expect if they pick up a romance novel. That way, readers who like their romance without anything physical can stay in their comfort zone and those readers looking to get into bed with the raunchiest of books can feel satisfied.
Think of the types of romance novels that you like to read as you check out the heat levels below. What level are your favorite reads? What level do you want to write?
What are the heat levels?
Heat levels aren’t standardized across the romance universe, but there are some themes and terms that rise up again and again. I’ve used these to create levels that give the thrust of industry expectations.
Clean
‘Clean’ isn’t a moral judgment on the contents of a book, but designates that the book has no erotic scenes. The focus of the story exclusively on the emotional relationship. There may be hand-holding or a dramatic kiss, but absolutely no sex is described or implied. A peculiarity of clean romance is that it also features no foul language. Clean romance is often used for teen romance, inspirational romance, and Amish romance.
Sweet
One step above clean romance is the sweet romance. Here, sex is part of the story, but all intimacy happens behind closed doors. Scenes that lead toward sex will end with a fade-to-black or an actual closed door. Since there is still no explicit sex, this is a popular heat level for teen romance, inspirational romance, and Amish romance.
Sensual
Next up is sensual romance. The physical component of the characters’ relationships is more prevalent here than ever before. Passionate kissing is a must and there is at least one intimate scene, though it will be described euphemistically and be focused much more on characters’ emotions rather than the act itself.
Steamy
Now we’re getting somewhere! Steamy romance features multiple sex scenes, some of which are explicit. There may still be some closed door and euphemistic scenarios, but we are privy to the desires and fantasies of our characters.
Spicy
There is sex and, whoo boy, is it explicit! In spicy romance, you get to the smut quickly and frequently. The main difference between steamy and spicy is the number of sex scenes. All body parts are described and used in multiple fascinating ways. Scenarios may be taboo and for that reason, you’ll often find BDSM and Dark romance tied up in this level.
Erotica?
Is erotica a heat level or its own genre? Romance lovers are still coming to a conclusion on that question. In erotica, sex isn’t just part of the story, it’s central to the story. Erotica is often light on plot and emotional depth while character growth is typically achieved through sexual discovery. Since erotica occasionally casts off genre conventions like monogamy and a happily ever after, some readers and industry professionals consider it a different category.
Why does heat level matter?
Why should you care about heat level while you’re writing your novel?
Consistency
If your story starts with a bang (ha!), but never shows intimate scenes beyond that, you’ll be leaving your readers with blue balls. However, if you spend 90% of your story working up to a kiss, a drawn-out, explicit romp in the sheets in the final chapter will feel out of place (and may shock the sensibilities of more reserved readers). You want to set reasonable expectations for your readers from the start. No one wants to be surprised by an unexpected dick description in their sweet romance. That is not to say that you need to include a spicy sex scene right at the beginning just because you want to have one later. But the tone—how the characters think and talk about sex—should be consistent with what comes later.
Publishing standards
Some publishers are all about the spicy scenes. Harlequin (for example) made a whole business out of so-called ‘bodice rippers’, a style of romance in the 1970’s famous for the shirtless men and scantily clad women on the covers. Other publishers have carved out a niche with clean and sweet romance (looking at you Hallmark Publishing). When submitting to agents and publishers, be mindful of what heat levels they are open to accepting. You don’t want to waste your time (or theirs!) with a book that is too spicy (or not spicy enough).
Reader expectations
Readers use heat levels to find romance books that press all the right buttons for them. There’s not currently a database of romance novels by number of sex scenes or uses of ‘engorged member’ (maybe there should be?). Readers like to have some discretion when it comes to searching for romance reads. So, terms like ‘clean’, ‘sweet’, and ‘spicy’ are good to use when creating novel descriptions. You want readers to be satisfied when finishing your story, not feeling as if they got the bait and switch. Along those lines, editors, beta readers, and reviewers also have preferences. Check with anyone you have looking over your work to make sure you aren’t crossing past a level they aren’t comfortable with. Remember, no one likes unexpected dick depictions.
How hot do you like your romance? Are you all about those sweet, chaste kisses or are you looking for 5-alarm spice? Whatever your preference, if you want expert eyes to look over your manuscript, consider Tomeworks manuscript evaluation. Our editors love romance novels of all heat levels (for me, the hotter the better!) and we want nothing more than to make your fantasies a reality ;)