One of the things I am struggling with in my current WIP is creating sexual tension. Usually, I don’t feel like I have a problem with this. I mean, it’s not always my biggest strong suit, but I usually don’t feel like I’m failing to create any.
I’m only two chapters in, but I’m wondering why in this new version of this story this characters seem to have lost their chemistry. When I first thought them up, they oozed chemistry and sexual tension and all that other stuff… but now it seems to have faded. Just like my tough girl heroine faded on me (I’m slowly getting her back).
I began to realize the reason why it’s more of a challenge this go around is that my characters are friends and have been for quite some time. They genuinely like each other even though they have differences and have the ability to annoy each other. But when you get down to it, they love each other and would do anything for each other and would admit that to almost anyone. (Of course, they think their love is platonic, haha).
In almost every other story I have written my characters have started out disliking each other. Either very vocally or kind of a we just don’t really get along that well kind of way. So, banter is easy. The whole… do I really honestly like this person kind of flows from that. Besides, again, they don’t really know each other. These two characters REALLY know each other.
So, I’m trying to focus on what’s changed for them, focus on those moments of is this love or love and really delve into them, but it’s hard and it’s definitely slow going. I don’t think it’s ever taken me this long to write two chapters before, but I’m really hoping that means that it’s going to turn out to be something better than I’ve written yet.
Nicole Helm 
Good luck finding that tension, Nicole!