言：讲，说。例如：言说、言道、言欢。
情：指男女相爱的心理状态及有关的事物或事情。例如：爱情、情人、情窦初开。
言情：讲述男女之间的爱情。
言情小说：以讲述男女之间相爱为中心，通过完整的故事情节和具体的环境描写来反映爱情的心理、状态、事物等社会生活的一种文学体裁。
言情小说简单地说，一段男女主人公之间的爱情故事。爱情是个永恒的话题，谁都有，谁都现在或过去经历，它看得见摸得着，而且还存在是很大的变幻莫测的空间。爱情前的诱惑；爱情中的恐惧；爱情后的失落……。这期间，分辩不清方向，分辩不清滋味，分辩不清自己。所以说，言情小说创作说容易也容易，说难也难。古人云：无用之用为大用。最容易创作的小说，其实也是最难创作的小说。让读者在言情小说里，流着自己的眼泪，这才是言情小说创作的成功标准。还有人这么经典地写道：“言情小说对于未恋爱的人来说是向往；对于恋爱中的人来说是经书；对于失恋的人来说是痛苦的回忆；对于幸福的人来说是消遣；对于作者来说它只是为了赚人眼泪。”
言情小说，第一它先应该满足小说的要求，那么小说就有最基本的三个要素：人物、故事情节、环境（自然环境和社会环境）。
言情小说中的人物，我们称为典型人物；这个人物是作者根据现实生活创作出来的，他不同于真人真事，"杂取种种，合成一个"，通过这样典型的人物形象反映爱情生活，更集中、更有普遍的代表性。小说塑造人物的手段可以是概括介绍，可以是具体的描写，可以写人物的外貌，也可以刻画人物的心理活动；既可以人物的行动对话，也可以适当插入作者的议论；既可以正面起笔，也可以侧面烘托。
言情小说主要是通过情海生波、风云突变的爱情故事框架，发展令人迷惑的情节，展现痴男怨女的人物性格，表现理智与情感、精神与肉欲不断挣扎的中心思想。
言情小说的环境描写和人物的塑造与中心思想有极其重要的关系。在环境描写中，社会环境是重点，它揭示了种种复杂的社会关系，如人物的身份、地位、成长的历史背景等等。自然环境包括人物活动的地点、时间、季节、气候以及景物等等，如俊男美女风月无边的旖旎风光、哭哭啼啼催人泪下的秋叶飘零等等。
言情小说除以上与其他小说的共同特点外，还有它自己的不同的地方。
言情小说是一种最接近生活的文学体裁，它具有通俗性，小说的语言风格应该生活化、大众化、并不需要太多华丽词藻的修饰，但根据情节的需要感情上的读白或诗词歌赋也起到重要作用。例如：《大话西游》中“曾经有一分爱情摆在我的面前，但我不知道珍惜，现在想起追悔莫及，如果上天给我再来一次的机会，我会对那个女孩说:我!爱!你!如果非要在这爱上加一个期限我希望是—一万年。”
言情小说描写中难免有男女暧昧之事的描写，粗俗露骨、铺陈丑态淫声就不要写，显出鄙秽。主张在描摹男女情性时，其字面上不露一个淫字，令人目想神游，而意为之移，所谓大盗不操干矛也。把性爱的描写极度地升华，就象一篇散文诗，形散而神不散，要“入乎其中”而又“出乎其外”，读者看了触动心灵。也反对用“……”代替，其实每个人都有情，每个人又都好色。由情转入色，由色转入性，情、色、性也就构成了我们这个社会的根基。失去了这个根基的创作，让小说离开这个真实的社会远了一点，让小说失去它本来应该有的色彩。
言情小说的文学渊源和发展
言情小说有着深厚的中国文学渊源。浪漫爱情的源头可以追溯到《诗经》的十五国风，吟诵至今的“关关雎鸠，在河之洲”美丽诗句营造出爱情的原始画面，而后的《楚辞》将其浪漫主义的氛围杂糅其中。这些文字不登大雅，多以风花雪月和市井生活为故事背景，是随心之所欲的青年生活与梦想，因此浪漫言情小说带着这个 “风”的深刻烙印,它来自于民间，是凡夫大众的思想、愿望和对生活的憧憬。
小说体裁起源于古代的神话传说和先秦两汉的史传文学，如《左传》、《史记》，学者大多认为小说形成于魏晋南北朝时期，以志怪小说《搜神记》和志人小说《世说新语》为代表；直到唐代传奇继承六朝笔记小说的传统，开始有完整的故事结构和人物关系，并开始反映社会现实，才成为真正意义上的小说，如《李娃传》、《霍小玉传》等；以《大唐三藏取经诗话》、《清平山堂话本》、《红楼梦》四大名著等为代表的宋元话本、明清小说勾勒了小说清晰的发展脉络。
言情小说作为小说的分支，形成独立流派的发展较迟。以言情为主题小说为载体产生影响力的创作应是清末民初的新鸳鸯蝴蝶派，多以“相悦相恋，分拆不开，柳阴花下，像一对蝴蝶，一双鸳鸯一样”的才子佳人恋爱小说为主，以徐枕亚的《玉梨魂》、张恨水的《啼笑因缘》为其代表，第一次向社会大众展现了言情一派的受欢迎程度,并被继承进入下一个读者群广泛扩大的光芒时期。
二十世纪八九十年代，言情小说以席卷之姿风靡了几代读者，其重要原因在于女性的地位的提高，女性受教育程度和人数随着民主和科学的进步有了很大的发展，涌现出了一大批的女性作者和女性读者，因此真正意义上言情小说的形成和广为人知也是在这一时期，这也就是传统意义上的言情小说。随港台等亚洲四小龙的崛起,在西漫影响下言情小说得到了极大的发展,以八十年代琼瑶、亦舒、岑凯伦、姬小苔等作家为代表,并在大陆和华人地区迅速窜红，九十年代又以席绢、于晴为代表的众多台湾作者带来了言情小说的新高潮。花雨在这一黄金时期精选引进言情出版，扩展了市场的同时开始大力培育大陆原创。
可以说，言情小说的发展进程反映了女性自主独立、展现自我的过程。现在，国内的读者不再满足于台式的梦境幻想，期望着更能符合国内情况和需求的原创言情小说的出现，在台湾影响的基础上，国内原创言情的崛起，借助网络平台的影响，风格取材更为多样化，掀起青春文学的热浪，给言情小说的发展带来了新的态势和契机。我们不难看到,在与网络时代和无线媒介提供的更人性的生活和消费方式下,言情将进入一个读者想像空间更大的灿烂新时期。
百花齐放的泛言情小说概念
文学的精神在于颠覆传统、在于摧枯拉朽、在于解放人性的创新、倡导新的生活方式，因此进入21世纪的言情，可谓是百花齐放。
极具“童话”色彩的琼瑶小说，给予了人们人性的回归与向往。即便是恩怨复仇，也能将爱情演绎得浪漫而唯美。俊男美女的男女主角，往往都是身世显赫的才子佳人，小说所反映的故事面较狭窄，较为脱离社会现实，这也让为生活所累的人们得以短暂的阅读幸福，可以说这也是言情小说得以长红不衰、红遍大江南北的原因，包括在在大陆的风靡有其一定的历史必然性，在文革刚结束，时值改革开放的内地，对于人们刚从禁锢中走出，开始重新认识“爱情”的甜蜜时，琼瑶满足了人们对另一个非现实世界的幻想。
与此相对应的是30年代在旧上海“出名要趁早”的张爱玲。张爱玲小说的魅力在于其传奇的身世和华丽文字营造的苍凉，比如其著名的《沉香屑》、《金锁记》、《倾城之恋》等。她小说有如梦魇般的氛围，深刻的人性透露出浓浓的现实悲哀，彰显出以爱情为世界的女性的思想与感悟，在当时的战乱背景下成为女性参与和思想的高峰体验。进入60年代的经济高速发展时期，血淋淋的人性被“童话”式琼瑶浪漫穿上的唯美的纱衣，征服了读者的心。
近十年的经济发展和社会网络化，给人们的生活方式带来了多元化的土壤，台湾言情网罗众多写手，随两岸三地间的联系加强，台湾言情已成为言情小说的特别存在，可以说独立形成了经典的派别，包括绿痕、席绢、于晴、左晴雯、古灵、典心、凌淑芬等作者；而国内原创则源于不同文化元素的渗透,可喜地呈现出一派火红景象，如深受武侠影响的藤萍、沧月，包含日本动漫元素的乔克天使、董珊，韩风刮起的郭妮、可爱淘、本土化青春成长的明晓溪、于佳，穿越和深宫的金子、匪我思存等，可谓异彩纷呈。作品的配图和装帧也都随着这些文化元素的影响，也由于印刷工艺的提升而越来越华丽活泼，象当代的音乐一样各得其乐。
优秀言情作品
现代言情小说：
《潘朵拉的眼泪》（胡红伟）
《珠玉在侧》 (席绢)
《就爱耍心机》 (席绢)
《罂粟的情人》 (席绢)
《爱我不必太痴心》 （席绢）
《金锁记》 （张爱玲）
《倾城之恋》（张爱玲）
《泡沫之夏》（明晓溪）
《明若晓溪》（明晓溪）
《一帘幽梦》（琼瑶）
《烟雨蒙蒙》（琼瑶）
《梅花三弄》（琼瑶）
《闲云公子》（于晴）
《众神梦记》（绿痕）
《情定金陵》（绿痕）
《刺客列传》（绿痕）
《亿万总裁与壹元新娘》（简璎）
《藏獒》 杨志军
《极品家丁》 禹岩
古代言情小说：
《抢来的新娘》 (席绢)
《皇上说的是》 (席绢)
《花龙戏凤 》 (席绢)
李烟水散人的《女开科传》、《合浦珠》、《鸳鸯配》、《明月台》；
鶡冠史者的《春柳莺》；
吴中佩蘅子的《吴江雪》；
惠水安阳酒民的《情梦柝》；
龙邱白云道人《玉楼春》；
渭滨笠夫的《孤山再梦》；
烟霞散人的《凤凰池》；
白云道人的《赛花铃》；
惜花散人的《宛如约》；
南岳道人的《蝴蝶媒》；
云阳嗤嗤道人的《五凤吟》；
烟霞逸士的《巧联珠》；
苏庵主人的《绣屏缘》；
古吴素庵主人的《锦香亭》
左晴雯的《还君明珠》；
顾漫的《何以笙箫默》；
典心的《画眉》、《幽兰》
古灵的《出嫁从夫系列（允禄、满儿）》
藤萍的“情锁”系列：《锁檀经》（人篇）、《锁琴卷》（神篇）、《锁心玉》（鬼篇）
藤萍的“九功舞”系列： 《太簇角舞》、《钧天舞》、《姑洗徵舞》、《南吕羽舞》、《祀风师乐舞》、《太和舞》、《送神舞》、《香初上舞》、《香初上舞·再上》、《香初上舞·终上》、《紫极舞》
藤萍的“十五司狐祭”系列： 《人偶》、《结发》、《无色血》
穿越题材类
《交错时光的爱恋》- 中国首本成名的穿越言情小说 (席绢)
《清梦奇缘》（水蝎佳人）2007-04
《时空错·锦凤成凰》（水蝎佳人）2008-06
《游历历史之古旅：穿越事件簿》（水蝎佳人）
《魔幻手机》（九年）2008-07
《梦回大清》 （金子) 2006-01
《步步惊心》 （桐华） 2006-04
《绾青丝》 （波波） 2006-12
《潇然梦》 （小佚） 2007-06
《独步天下》 （李歆） 2007-04
《有缘千里来相会》 （时光逆转） 未知
《寻找前世之旅》 （Vivibear） 2006-01
《木槿花西月锦绣》 （海飘雪） 2007-07
《缚石》 (君芷锍) 不详
《寻龙记》（Vivibear）未知
《带着皇子回现代》未知
《凤于九天》（风弄）
《凤霸天下》
《相思觉》
《皇后重生》
《穿越与反穿越》（妖舟）
《我的后半生》
《庆余年》(猫腻)
《回到明朝当王爷》
言情小说钻石级总裁类
《爱情泛滥》男主角林帅宇
《危机老婆》男主角骆夜辰
《银翼天使》男主角宿语昂
《宠坏小恶女》欧中凯
《我的饭店情人》
《绝代好男人》
《嫁给总裁要小心》
《新婚灾难日》
《总裁的娇妻》
《亲爱的，你被捕了》
《妻奴》于杰
《另类童养媳》江寒涛
《总裁闹别扭》傅奕凡
《亲亲吾妻》林洛霆
《牡丹恋》卫风
《猎爱监护人》
《温暖你的心》
《每天跟着你》
《空姐不要王子》
《坏蛋是怎样炼成的II》
《神偷公主》
《女儿=老婆》
《重生之娱乐至尊》
《风倾城之莫西北的江湖》
《蛇蝎》
《月宫春》
《我是一只狐狸精》
《貌似纯洁》
《珠光宝气之绝蜜指令》
《娇妻养成日记》
《公主驾到》
《蛊惑之巫女》
《我的身上有美女》
《龙欲都市》
《QQ一夜情》
《富贵公子穷生活》
《俊龙百美缘》
《超级系统》
《转角撞到神》
《大魔法师都市游》
《妖艳花丛》
《全新人生》
《辉煌中国》
《孙悟空之七日假期》
《另类杀手艳福星》
《我的完美女友何雨晴》
《成为悟空师弟的日子》
《黑道学生iii天门龙凤》
《我的老婆是重生的》
《美女凶猛》
《梦想人生》
《老婆爱上我》
《蛊色生香》
《战地医生在都市》
《公子哥》
《泡个情敌做老婆》
《无良天师》
《官路迢迢》
《八元钱泡了个极品空姐 》
《俊龙百美缘》
《转角撞到神》
《无良天师》
《美女凶猛》
Introduction: speaking, said. For example: words that made Road, made to join.
Love: that love between men and women and the psychological state of things, or things. For example: love, lover, First love.
Romance: about love between men and women.
Love Story: The love between men and women about the center, through the complete story and detailed description of environment to reflect the psychology of love, status, social life, things such as a literary genre.
Romantic novels, the first novel that it first must meet the requirements, then the novel, there are three basic elements: characters, plot and environment (natural and social environment).
Love Story in the figure, we called the typical characters; this character is created out of real life under, he is different from the true story, "taking all kinds of complex synthesis of a" typical characters through this reflects the love life, more concentrated, more widely representative. Novel means of shaping the character can be outlined, can be a specific description, you can write characters appearance, can also be psychological characterization activities; both dialogue and action figures, could also be inserted on the arguments; both positive started to write, can also be indirect foil.
Love Story mainly through the Qinghai health wave, despite drastic changes in the framework of the love story, the development of confusing plot, showing crazy man Maid of the personality, the performance of Sense and Sensibility, the spirit of the central idea of struggling with lust.
Environment Description of romantic novels and characters portrayed and the central idea has a very important relationship. In the description of environment, social environment is the key, it reveals all sorts of complex social relations, such as the identity of characters, status, growth and so the historical background. Activities of the natural environment including the location of people, time, season, climate and scenery, etc., such as the Eternal's enchanting scenery beautiful people, the eloquent tears fall Ye Piaoling so.
Love Story In addition to these common characteristics with other novels, there are different parts of its own.
Love Story is a literary genre closest to life, it has the popularity, the novel's language style should be life, popular, does not require much modification of the flowery language, but according to the seriousness of the need to read the feelings of white or poetry Fu also plays an important role. For example: "Westward Journey" in the "Love has a sub-placed in front of me, but I do not know the treasure, now think of repentant, if God give me the chance again, I would have said to the girl: I! Love! You! If you have to add a time limit on this love I hope - a million years. "
Origin and Development of Literary Love Stories
Romantic novels of Chinese literature has a deep origin. Romantic love can be traced back, "Book of Songs" 15 MAK, recited so far, "customs cock sing, Island in the river," a beautiful love poem to create the original picture, then the "Songs of the South" to the romantic Mixture in which the atmosphere of Marxism. These words do not board the Taiga, mostly romantic and Civic Life is the story background is the noble blossoms and dreams of young life, so romantic romantic novels with the "wind" profound mark on it from the people, the unholy and the general public ideas, aspirations and vision of life.
Fiction genre originated in the ancient myths and legends and the Qin and Han's history literature, such as "Zuo Zhuan", "Historical Records", most scholars believe that fiction was formed in the Wei and Jin period, Ghost Stories, "Immortals" and the bloggers novel " Shi Shuo Xin Yu "to represent; until the Tang Dynasty legend inherited the tradition of the Six Sketches, began full story structure and character relationships, and begin to reflect the social reality can become the true sense of the novel, such as" Tale of Li Wa ", "The Story of Huo", etc.; to "learn big Zang Poetry," "ion of the," "Dream of Red Mansions" as the representative of the four famous words of the Song, Ming and Qing novels clearly outlines the development of novel context.
Romantic novels as a novel branch of the formation of independent schools in the development of late. To the theme of romance novels as a carrier created an impact force should be the new Butterfly Late Qing Dynasty, more use of "gracious in love with does not split open, Liuyin under flower, like a pair of butterflies, like a pair of mandarin ducks" The Romantic love stories mainly to Xu Zhenya's "Jade Pear", and Zhang "Lovers Destiny" as its representative, for the first time to show the sentimental school of public popularity, and was inherited into the next readers extensive expansion of the light period.
Can be said that romance novels reflect the development process of female self-independence, the process of expressing themselves. Now the reader no longer satisfied with desktop dream fantasy, look forward to better meet the needs of the original domestic situation and the emergence of romantic novels in Taiwan based on the impact of domestic original romance of the rise of the network platform with the impact of style drawn more diversified, the heat wave youth literature to the development of romantic novels brought new momentum and opportunity. Is not difficult to see with the Internet Age and wireless media to provide more humane living and consumption patterns, romance will enter the reader to imagine a more glorious new era of space.
The concept of flourishing pan-romantic novels
Literature is to subvert the spirit of tradition, is Cuikulaxiu is the liberation of human innovation, advocating new lifestyles, so the 21st century romance, can be said to blossom.
And this corresponds to 30 years old Shanghai, "known to be as early as possible," Zhang Ailing. Zhang Ailing's charm lies in its legendary life experience and gorgeous desolation created by the text, such as his famous "Chen Xiangxie", "Golden Lock", "Fallen" and so on. Her novels are like a nightmare-like atmosphere, profound reality of human nature reveals deep sorrow, love manifest to the world of women's thinking and perception, at the time of war as women's participation in the context of peak experience and ideas. Into the 60's period of rapid economic development, bloody human being "fairy tale" type of romantic wear Qiong Yao's aesthetic Sha Yi, conquered the hearts of readers.
Outstanding works of romance
Modern Love:
"Pandora's Tears" (Hu Hongwei)
"Treasure in the side" (Xi Juan)
"Want, playing jokes on love" (Xi Juan)
"Poppy's Lover" (Xi Juan)
"Love me not too fond" (Xi Juan)
"Narration" (Eileen Chang)
"Fallen" (Eileen Chang)
"Summer Bubble" (Ming Xiao Xi)
"If Ming Xiao River" (Ming Xiao Xi)
"Yilianyoumeng" (Chiung Yao)
"Amidst the Rain" (Chiung Yao)
"Plum Blossom" (Chiung Yao)
"Lonely son" (Yu Qing)
"Gods Dreams" (Lvhen)
"Love in Jinling" (Lvhen)
"Legends of Assassins" (Lvhen)
"One hundreds of millions of dollars, President and bride" (Jane Ying)
"Tibetan Mastiff" Yang Zhijun
"Need Jia Ding" Yu Yan
Ancient Love Story:
"Robbed the bride" (Xi Juan)
"The emperor said" (Xi Juan)
"Flower Dragon and Phoenix" (Xi Juan)
Li Yan Shui San Ren's "Female Open Division Biography", "Hepu Pearl," "Mandarin Duck with", "moon Taiwan";
He Guan Shi's "Spring Warblers";
Wuzhong Pei-heng, son of "Wujiang snow";
Huishui Anyang wine people, "Love Dream Hierarchical";
Long Qiu Baiyun Taoist "Yu Louchun";
Bin Li-fu's "dream again Gushan";
Haze scattered people, "Phoenix Pool";
Baiyun Taoist's "race Boll";
Flower lovers scattered people "like some";
Southern Mountain Taoist "butterfly media";
Yunyang Chi Chi Taoist's "Wufeng Yin";
Haze Recluse's "a clever joint beads";
Su An Zhu's "Sau Ping Yuan";
Old Wu Su An Zhu's "Jin Xiang Ting"
Zuoqing Wen "also monarch Pearl";
Gu Man's "How silent farewell music";
Code of mind "babbler", "Orchids"
DIE's "marriage from the husband's family (Yun Lu, full of children)"
Teng Ping's "Love Lock" series: "Lock Tan Jing" (people articles), "Qin lock volume" (God chapter), "lock heart jade" (ghost articles)
Teng Ping's "Nine Power Dance" series: "Too cluster Corner Dance", "Jun Tian Dance", "Gu Xi Zheng Dance", "South Luzon Yu Dance," "worship style music and dance teacher," "Wo Dance" "Send-off Dance", "Hong beginning of the Dance", "Hong beginning of the dance again," "In the beginning of the dance final at the Hong", "purple pole dance"
Teng Ping's "15 Division Fox Festival" series: "dolls", "The Statement", "colorless blood"
Through the subject category
"Staggered time of love" - the first crossing of the famous romantic novels (Xi Juan)
"Sleep Wonders" (water scorpion beautiful woman) 2007-04
"In the wrong Kam Fung Cheng Huang" (water scorpion beautiful woman) 2008-06
"Tour of ancient history tour: through the Chronicles" (water scorpion beautiful woman)
"Magic phone" (nine) 2008-07
"Dream Back the Qing" (gold) 2006-01
"Surprised step by step" (Tong Hua) 2006-04
"York black hair" (the ball) 2006-12
"Xiao Ran Dream" (Little Lost) 2007-06
"Eulogy world" (Li Xin) 2007-04
"Little place" (time-reversed) unknown
"In Search of Past Tour" (Vivibear) 2006-01
"Althea West on Fairview" (Sea snow) 2007-07
"Tie Stone" (Jun Chih-matte) unknown
"Xunlong Ji" (Vivibear) unknown
"With Prince back to the modern" Unknown
"Phoenix in nine days" (Wind Alley)
"Pa Phoenix world"
"Acacia feel"
"Queen's born again"
"Crossing and anti-crossing" (demon boat)
"My Later Life"
"Qingyu year" (transmission of the disease)
"Back to the Ming Dynasty, when the prince"
Love Story Diamond Class President
"Spread love," actor Lin Yu Shuai
"Crisis wife" actor Chen Luo Night
"Silver Wing Angel" actor language Aung Su
"Spoiled Little Evil" Kai Europe
"My hotel lover"
"Marie-man"
"Married president to be careful"
"Wedding Disaster Day"
"President's young wife"
"Honey, you arrested"
"Wife slave" Yu Jie
"Alternative child brides," Jiang Hantao
"President gets up," Fu Yi-Van
"Kiss my wife," MARC Display Ting
"Peony Love" Wei Feng
"Love Hunting guardian"
"Warm your heart"
"Every day with you"
"Do not Prince stewardess"
"How to Make the bad guys II"
"The Precious Princess"
"My daughter = wife"
"Rebirth of the Entertainment Extreme"
"Fallen City Mosey North Wind Swordsman"
"Snake"
"Spring Moon"
"I am a fox"
"Seemingly pure"
"Gem of the honey directive must"
His "young wife develop Diary"
"Princess drive to"
"Spell of the Witch"
"I have beautiful body"
"Long To City"
"QQ one-night stand"
"Rich and the poor son of life"
"Juno 100 US-edge"
"Super System"
"God hit the corner"
"Great magician City Tour"
"Glamorous flowers"
"New Life"
"Glory of China"
"Monkey King of the seven holidays"
"Alternative killer Yan Fu Star"
"I'm the perfect girlfriend He Yuqing"
"The Young's days as Wukong"
"Underworld students iii Heavenly Gate Dragon"
"My wife is the rebirth"
"Beauty fierce"
"Dream Life"
"My wife fell in love"
"Insanity color and aroma"
"Battlefield doctors in the city"
"Son of man"
"Bubble a rival for a wife"
"Unscrupulous Fearless"
"Journey to the official"
"Eight dollars bubble had a superb flight attendants"
"Juno 100 US-edge"
"God hit the corner"
"Unscrupulous Fearless"
"Beauty fierce"