Setting the scene for readers

There are many techniques that are essential for writing a good novel. One of them is setting the scene at each new chapter and scene break. It’s easy to forget this when a writer is caught up in his or her story. As writers, we know our characters, where they are, and what they are doing in the story, but it’s our job to convey that to readers. Otherwise, they will be forced to figure out what’s going on. This will draw them out of the story.

In some of the books I have edited, a character will pop up out of nowhere in a scene and suddenly speak. This character’s presence needs to be established early on. Another common issue is dialogue without any tags to show what the character is doing or where he or she is.

The best way to prevent this is to start with the point-of-view character for that section if the story has more than one. If the section starts with a different character, it can be misleading to readers. Next it helps to add a description or a dialogue tag with a detail or two to let readers know where the characters are and what they are doing. This should be done in the first paragraph. Setting the scene for smoother transitions can be easy to forget because we are thinking of so many other aspects of the story, but it’s important not to confuse readers. Below is an example of a new chapter beginning from one of my books.

It was much too quiet even for the night. The trees stood silent in the forest, their leaves motionless. Lycaon lifted his face to the sky, listening for the familiar rustling of nocturnal creatures, the occasional sound of an owl. Nothing.

Anexus made eye contact with one of his warriors, his expression wary. He had sensed the strange quiet too.

“We are being hunted.” Lycaon moved his bound hands to his side. “Untie me.”

The king of Orchomenus cast him a doubtful frown.

Lycaon shrugged. “Then leave me bound. I will not be the one killed by whatever creature is watching us.”

A shrill scream shattered the quiet.

“What in the deepest reaches of Hades was that?” Anexus gripped his sword.

“Some hapless creature just met its end,” Lycaon whispered. “You and your men are next.”

“Untie him.” Anexus pointed to one warrior then motioned for his other men to form a circle.

The young man quickly untied Lycaon. He rubbed his freed hands to get the blood circulating then grabbed his sword from one of the warriors. “I sensed it earlier. Whatever it is, I doubt it is human, and it is probably what killed your people and livestock.”

Uneasiness filled the air around the warriors. All of them gripped weapons, bodies tense, eyes wide and vigilant.

A swift shadow moved between two trees.

Beauty may be the real beast.

Kindle Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B019HML564?ref_=pe_2427780_160035660

Trade Paperback Buy Link on amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Wolf-Queen-Book-Arcadia/dp/1519606249/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Kelley Heckart

Otherworldly tales steeped in myth & magic.

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604

http://www.goodreads.com/kheckart

Self-editing

Anyone that thinks writing is easy and fun doesn’t have a clue what it really takes to complete a novel. Sure, anyone can write a first draft and send it out without bothering to self-edit or hire an editor, but it’s not going to be very good or error free. Writing isn’t easy and doing self-edits isn’t fun.

I’m in the process of finishing 3 books, all part of the same series. It has been a long, tedious process, especially all the rounds of self-editing I’ve had to do. I am close to finished. Yay. I don’t know if there is an easier way to self-edit, but I do it in layers. This takes longer but gets the job done. The main things I am looking for when I go through one of my stories is overused words or phrases because that’s my bad habit. I’m also filling in details, characters and story details--what I call the “frosting” to my “book cake.” This is where I am looking for plot holes or any inconsistencies. I’m making sure the opening has a hook, that the story flows to that dark moment and final climax.

It’s a lot to look for so I have to do several rounds of self-edits. I’m done when I can read through the story and not have to fix anything or only have to fix a small amount. And once I’m finished with the self-edits, I’m going to have a professional proofreader look it over. Authors should never do final edits on their stories. Never. We are too close to our work to find all the typos. Final edits are the edits done before publishing. I can self-edit well enough to have a clean manuscript to submit to a publisher. Some authors might need to have their stories edited before submitting to a publisher. You have to know your weaknesses. I have been writing for a long time and know what I can and cannot get away with doing.

Some of the things I see in manuscripts as an editor are overused crutch words like when, as, once, that, with, etc. “When and “as” usually appear in passive sentences or sentences where the reaction comes before the action. One thing I’ve noticed is that every author, no matter how talented they are, always have at least one bad habit. That’s why it’s important to use at least a proofreader for typos and grammar. They will also catch most of the things like overused words and passive voice. An editor will look for the same things as a proofreader plus things like plot holes and flow problems.

 

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604

Two mortals are caught in the midst of the battle between the Titans and Olympian gods.

http://kelleyheckart.com/daughter_of_night.html

The hero and heroine—making that connection

There is that defining moment in a romance novel where the hero and heroine finally make a connection. In my new release, Daughter of Night, I used a thunderstorm to help bring the hero and heroine together. Weather can be a useful writing tool and in this story, it was a way to force two people that didn’t really care for each other together in an unexpected situation that brought them closer. It’s those unexpected moments that are the most magical.

Here is a snippet from that pivotal scene from Daughter of Night, my new Historical fantasy romance from Mundania Press.

Blurb:

Their destiny began in ancient Anatolia.

Becuille is a daughter of Night and a servant to the Great Goddess, created to wield Her vengeance. Callileon is a prince of the Hatti, who may be the one she was sent to punish.

When love finds them, they are cursed by the gods and surrounded by tragedy, which even the Fates are powerless to change.

Excerpt, Rated PG:

Another terrace lay below the Upper Courtyard. Curious, she walked down, inhaling the scents of straw and animal smells associated with stables. A sudden forceful wind almost knocked her down and large raindrops fell from low-bellied black clouds gathered above the palace. A loud crack of thunder caused her to jump and lightning danced from the sky, dangerously close.

With nowhere else to run for cover, she ducked into one of the stables just before another dangerous bolt landed nearby with a loud crack. Turning, she was surprised to find Callileon kneeling in the straw, stroking the head of a panting horse. Becuille jumped back, startled to be so close to one of the frightening beasts.

“Inaras, I need your help. She is having trouble giving birth.” His voice rang of desperation and Becuille thought she saw tears shining in his eyes.

That he would shed tears for a beast touched her in a strange way. “I...I will go for help.”

His hand shot out, gripping her forearm in a strong hold. “No, there is no time. Please, Inaras...” His pleading gaze bore into her.

“I do not have magic with the beasts. I cannot help you.” She was in fact terrified of horses, remembering how the northern invaders had ridden down from the mountains on the backs of the snorting beasts, their hooves stamping, their large teeth gnashing. She still had nightmares about them trampling people to death underneath their dangerous hooves. But this beast did not look so threatening now, writhing in pain on the ground.

The animal's soft nose touched Becuille's hand, her soft brown eyes pleading for help. She experienced a pang of compassion for the suffering beast. Callileon’s distressed expression revealed how much he needed her. The prince would never beg her for help unless he had no choice. By helping him, she could gain his trust. “Tell me what to do.”

“I will need you to keep her calm while I help the foal out,” he said. “Stroke her head and talk softly to her.”

She gazed down at the horse and tentatively reached out, stroking the animal’s head. “Does she have a name?”

He caressed the horse’s head. “Blaze, for the splash of white on her head that looks like flames.”

“Blaze, you will be healed soon. Callileon here will help you,” she whispered, stroking the splash of white on her head. The horse let out a strangled neigh and attempted to move.

“You need to keep her calm,” Callileon said, giving her a hard look.

“I told you I have no talent for the beasts and the storm is frightening her.” Another loud clap of thunder shook the stable and a fierce wind wailed through the row of stables.

“Sing to her, Inaras.” Shouting over the noise of the storm, his voice strained with frustration.

She felt like a fool for not thinking of singing as a way to calm the beast. Singing a lullaby in the Cretan language, she gently stroked Blaze's head as she would a small babe in a cradle. The horse relaxed under the spell of her voice, neighing softly.

****

Kelley Heckart, Historical fantasy romance author

Captivating...Sensual...Otherworldly

http://www.kelleyheckart.com

http://kelleysrealm.blogspot.com/

http://twitter.com/CelticChick

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelley-Heckart/111838455604

Buy links for Daughter of Night:

Mundania Press (in ebook formats and trade paperback):

http://www.mundania.com/book.php?title=Daughter+of+Night

Amazon Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Daughter-Of-Night-ebook/dp/B008OCANEO/ref=sr_1_14?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1343182822&sr=1-14&keywords=kelley+heckart

Barnes & Noble Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/daughter-of-night-kelley-heckart/1112220212?ean=2940015001952

Buy links on author website: http://kelleyheckart.com/daughter_of_night.html

My (final) G.R.I.P.E. (Great Indie Pub Experiment)

Last year, I announced that I was going to take the plunge and, along with my husband, try out the new trend toward independent publishing--and that I'd post our results here for all to see.

As a reminder, here were the goals I'd set in my last post:

PREVIOUS PROJECTED GOALS (for Sep/Oct/Nov 2011)
Total available titles: 12
Total hours spent per week (writing not included): 5
Total sales projected: 500

A bold, but not crazy step up from my first-quarter goal of 6 titles available and a mere 30 copies sold for 40 hours work per week. Since my actual numbers wound up being better than this, happily, I adjusted the above projection accordingly.

So what happened? Did I make the goal?

Here are the results from September through November:

ACTUAL TOTALS
Total available titles: 28
Total hours spent (per week) on promotion/learning curve/production: 20
Total sales: 3,770

Well! Quite a lot more available titles than we'd planned. My husband and I buckled down and did more writing than anticipated the first two months of the quarter (and then took a break in November). However, this also meant a greater time requirement for production--four times as much. However, the return was seven times greater than projected, so overall we were still ahead.

Not too shabby for our little experiment, I'd say. I will mention that December saw our sales drop(ironically when holiday shopping is at its annual high), which we highly suspect was due to our November hiatus (no new content for a month). Still, we were quite pleased with the numbers overall, which have tallied close to 6k since we began.

With 2011 behind us, the official "Experiment" is over, and we have declared it a success. My husband is doing indie work exclusively and has largely stopped other business ventures in order to focus on it. I will still be writing for my publishers, but will keep doing indie stories as well.

I wouldn't have guessed this when I first started our experiment, but with the way our coming year's schedule has evolved, I've conceded that this must be my last post here at Nocturnal Nights. Sadly, some shuffling of time commitments was in order to keep the train rolling. I've truly enjoyed my time here and hope you all found some helpful (or, at least, entertaining!) info within my posts.

Happy 2012, and Happy Writing to all of you!

NaNoWriMo: Should You? Why and How

Welcome to my next 3-part series! The topic this time is NaNoWriMo. I’ll be blogging this month about getting ready beforehand, offering go-getter advice during the event in November, and I’ll wrap up with a post-NaNo blog in December.

**What the Blazin' Heck is NaNoWriMo?**

This mnemonic—and time of year—is familiar to many who have been around the writing community for a while. In short, NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month, an event that has been going on every November since 1999. The goal: write a novel (or 50k words of one) in 30 days during the month of November. Impossible, you say? Preposterous? Nay, says I. NaNoWriMo reported that close to twenty percent of its participants reached the 50k goal in 2009. (Data for last year was unavailable as of this writing.) This year will mark my sixth consecutive NaNoWriMo, and, I hope, my sixth consecutive “win”.

**What’s the Point? (Or, “I Write All Year.”)**

A lot of writers feel that the hype about NaNo is vastly overblown. After all, fiction writing takes place every day around the globe. Why make a special event out of it? Well, here are a half dozen advantages I have discovered about climbing aboard the NaNo bandwagon.


1. Many of Us Write Well to Goals.
Sure, you can set a word count goal anytime, but an official, national (really, global) challenge to make 1667 words per day for 30 days can really jump start your next project.

2. The Speed Challenge Can Improve Your Productivity
Having the incentive to pump out a daily word count can teach you a great deal about streamlining your first draft process. That skill won't end with NaNo--it will stay with you into future projects. The faster you write, the faster you will hopefully get another title available for the market.

Some “Nay-NoWriMo” critics argue that writing a fast novel results in a crap novel. That might be true for a few who pump out whatever just to drive up their word count, but for the rest of us, that extra push does nothing more than get a first draft out of our brains and onto (virtual?) paper. Who cares if it isn’t perfect—it’s a rough draft! That’s what editing is for. If your first drafts consistently take longer than 1-2 months to write, NaNo can transform your life. Every year that I participate, that push brushes up my drafting skills for the coming year’s projects—and I get an extra book done in the process. What’s not to love?

3. Write-ins and Community Can Offer Friendships and Networking
Not only does the NaNo site feature regional and worldwide forums in order to socialize with others bold enough to undertake this ambitious task, but there are live write-ins, kick-off parties, “we survived” after-parties, and the like that can allow you to meet other like-mindeds in your area. Also, Twitter has a #NaNoWriMo hashtag that goes like gangbusters as people share their questions, ups and downs, and tips throughout the challenge. You might well meet folks who could wind up as crit partners, friends, or networking associates long after November has passed.

4. The “Official” Atmosphere Can Boost Your Writing
It’s hard to explain the feeling of being immersed in an event taking place simultaneously, yet while you’re alone at your desk (when not at the write-ins). It’s a fun time not entirely unlike the atmosphere of a writing convention, where everyone involved is focused on a single purpose for the month. There’s nothing quite like it all the rest of a writer’s year, and that camaraderie can help push you through that challenge and help you get that novel finished by November 30.

5. NaNo Participation Makes for Interesting Marketing Buzz
Granted, tons of writers post the “I’m doing NaNo” stuff on their blogs, sites, and social nets. Generate pre-buzz about your latest book by posting word counters and progress updates. Or get more creative and host write-ins or put our local press releases about the event.

I do something a bit different...I host a “Best NaNoWriMo Line Written” contest each year. People submit their favorite sentences, and I pick winners weekly and at the end. If you’re interested in this, NaNoMail me (see my info below in the how to section) at the NaNo site with Contest News in the message, and I’ll send you the official thread link when it goes up.

6. Even if you lose, you win!
Say you sign up for the challenge, write for a week or two, then something happens. Thanksgiving rolls around, you catch a nasty cold, or Aunt Bessie decides to come for an unexpected two-week visit. You stop writing, and November 30 comes and goes with your novel “only” 10, 20, or 30k complete. That’s word count toward that book that doesn’t end when November does. You’ll be that much more ahead when you do get around to finishing. November is going to pass whether or not you sign up, but why not give NaNo a shot and invest that scheduled time into your writing career?
In a nutshell, I highly recommend NaNoWriMo for anyone who wants to try their hand at writing a novel or improve their drafting productivity.

**Okay, I’m In! How Do I Do It?**

Get thee hence to the official NaNo site: http://nanowrimo.org and read the official rules, then sign up. It’s free! From there, you can establish a profile, add friends, and post in the forums. My NaNo user name is lisalogan (an old pen name I still use occasionally) for anyone who wants to add me or ask about the contest. Then come November 1 (some say midnight on Halloween night), jump in and start writing! Have fun with it and I’ll check back in on November 15th with my next blog to see how it’s going.

Any NaNo success or other stories? I’d love to hear your comments.

My Gr.I.P.E. (Great Indie Pub Experiment)

Yes, good things still come in threes, and I’m starting an all-new series that will appear on this blog in three parts during 2011. They just won’t appear back to back.

After a variety of publishing experiences ranging from awful to awesome, the joy of saying “I told you so” to folks who told me that e-pub would never amount to anything, and years of “don’t go there” conditioning, I’ve decided to take my career in a direction I never dreamed I would.

I’m going indie. And I’m going to post the results right here for all to see.

Am I so dissatisfied with my writing career that I feel forced into self pub? Not in the least! In fact, my earnings have grown exponentially each quarter for the past year. So why take the plunge into the dark, scary world of indie?

I have a lengthy list of reasons for giving it a shot, but to wrap it up in one word, I’m interested in the POTENTIAL. The potential for books I’d back-burnered to see the light of day. The potential to control cover art and sales prices of my work completely—and to change them when I want to drive sales. The potential to pocket a much larger percentage of profits than even my generous publisher offers. The potential to get in on what is being likened to the California Gold Rush while the gettin’s still good.

So, I’ve decided to experiment with this idea and see where it takes me. Am I giving up on other publishing? Nope. In fact, I just started a 7-book series for my current pub, and have another book under consideration elsewhere. I’m merely seeking ways to expand my prospects.

Every quarter, in between each new three-part series, I will post the latest stats and info on how things are working with this experiment. My expectation is that things will start off very slowly, then build over time. My hope is to start seeing a modest, yet steady income from this enterprise within a year or so, and that posting about my journey will help some of you who might be considering this road.

Okay! Here are my starting point stats and goals for the next quarter:

Currently distributing on: Kindle, B&N, Smashwords

Titles currently out: 1. (An erotic short-short story written by my husband, who agreed to be my first guinea pig!)

Days available: 3

Total sales: 1 (A copy sold on Smashwords the first day, which surprised me. I heard that it takes time to get sales, and that they are far more likely to happen on Amazon than other distribs.)

Goals:
Total available by next quarter: 6
Total hours spent (per week) on promotion, learning curve, production: 40
Total sales projected: 30


Whoa! Hold the phone. Why on earth would I want to dive in with paltry projections like these? Patience, grasshopper. Patience. For one thing, at least two of the projected titles will be short stories, which don’t tend to sell as well as novels. However, they DO sell, and can later be bundled into a collection or offered free to entice readers. I’m also projecting low because of the expectation that it takes time to get things rolling, especially since these titles will be released under a number of different pen names (since I write different genres and will also continue putting out my husband’s work). Once I’ve got a substantial catalog of full-length work and bundled shorts, things should get far more interesting. Sales projections will rise each quarter, while hours spent on promotion/learning curve will fall. This is based on what I’ve heard from authors like JA Konrath and Selena Kitt who are making a good run at indie pub.

So wish me luck! And yes of course, you knew this was coming...I just have to give that first experimental indie title a plug here!

PRIVATE PARKING by Michael Jade
An erotic short story

As Annette heads for her car after a late night’s work, the last thing on her mind is the first thing she’s going to get.

When Annette’s longtime friend, Teddy, texts her about an unsatisfying date, mild “sext” flirting quickly gives way to a hot photo session right in the front seat of her parked car. But is she alone in the private parking garage?

Kindle version
Smashwords
B&N/Nook

(Don't!) Start at the Beginning-Part 3

On the 15th of each month I’ll be chatting about writing craft.

Welcome to part 3 of my first 3-part series here on NN, where we have been exploring the beginning of a novel—and why you might not want to start your story there.

In the last two parts of this series, we talked about ways to hook readers by cutting out back story and launching into Chapter One in media res. Today let’s explore why introducing characters can undo all that hard work spent firing up that hook-tacular chapter.

Part 3: Never Introduce a Character

I can practically see your wide-eyed—or possibly narrowed—expression at this notion. How can there be a book without characters? There can’t be, of course. I’m not suggesting that you don’t have characters, just that you don’t “introduce” them. Introductions are where the story stops completely to give a head-to-foot overview of the character that just stepped onstage, complete with a fashion review and a psychological profile. Introductions can last a couple of paragraphs or a couple of pages, but in either case it can pop the reader out of their immersion in the scene unless it’s done properly.

So how do new characters join a scene already-in-progress if they can’t be introduced? The answer depends on the type of scene, the book genre, and the viewpoint character.

Let’s look at an example:

Joy is on the run from a wild tornado. As she zig-zags through a field to avoid rocks, debris, etc., she almost crashes into a man who is also intent on escaping the twister. They take off together in search of shelter.

Do we halt the escape and introduce this guy? Should they stop and shake hands in front of the tornado, hair whipping so wildly that they can’t even see one another while hollering names and cataloging vital statistics? Does the heroine segue into a slow motion mental recap of Mr. Hottie’s attributes?

Hardly! Joy barely has time to notice one or two quick things about the new guy. Later, when they are hunkered down in a rickety old barn, she'll pick up on strong arms and the intoxicating, male scent that is a legal requirement for all romance heroes. His reactions and clipped dialogue reveal something about his personality under fire, too. When it’s all over, they find out each other’s names, but it's not until they’ve gone separate ways that Joy finally has time to process just who was shielding her with that hot, powerful body.

Another example:

Joy and Blythe, the hot ski instructor she just met, are holed up in a tiny shack that is buried in snow after an unexpected avalanche thwarts her first skiing lesson. (Yes, Joy’s a vixen who’s always getting herself in a fix.) They are stranded for many hours while covered head to toe in ski gear. With all that spare time, do we do a full, expository reveal on Blythe?

Yes and no. Sure, romantic heroines have an uncanny knack to think with their libidos even when in dire peril, but just how attractive can two people be when their only exposed features are red, runny noses and chapped lips? How much can she fathom about his gorgeous bod when it’s encased in all that puffy, quilted nylon? And while I expect things might really heat up for the sake of shared body heat, she won’t take advantage of their quality time to query Blythe about his childhood or ab workout routine—their brains aren’t functioning on that level while they’re busy freezing to death.

On the other hand, let’s say Joy and Blythe are sitting around a mesmerizing campfire. It’s been a long, sweaty day of watching him flex and tease her during a cattle roundup on her western ranch holiday. We need a little break from the action and a gradual buildup of sexual tension to the crescendo that finds them shedding clothes and inhibitions in the dirt. Do we stop and “introduce” him? Not quite, because by now readers have picked up quite a few tidbits about Blythe. Still, it’s a good time to add personal details and history to boost the emotional connection that will ignite their established chemistry.

Romance writing practically demands full disclosure of characters--from the angle of their jaw to the length of their toenails. As such, the heroine cataloging attributes while she gawks at the hot guy who just walked into the bar definitely has its place! But just like spooning out back story instead of “introducing” it up front, readers don’t need to know all about a character up front to appreciate the story—in fact, it can take some of the fun out of discovery. Leave some mystery to keep pages turning. Knowing when and where to dole out tidbits is a clever tool you can use to intensify or lighten the tone of a scene. So the next time a character is gazing in a mirror or checking out the newcomer, ask yourself whether you're "introducing" them. Resist the urge to drown folks in the details all at once. Your readers will love you for it.

I hope you found this three-part series helpful. Next month, I’ll be starting a new series—on Feng Shui for writers. Until then, here’s my question for you: what do you prefer? Knowing everything about a character up front, or finding out juicy little tidbits along the way?

Showing vs. Telling

Tell Me a Story...

What the requester really wants is to be shown a story. No one likes to be told anything. People, particularly readers, don’t like being preached to, and they don’t like being told what to think...So, we, as writers, have to SHOW them what we want them to think. The amazing thing is that, when we show our stories, we are also tighten the writing and eliminate most passive writing. Besides, we establish and stay in the much preferred deep POV.

Today I’m going to give five easy pointers on how to tighten your writing with SHOWING vs TELLING.

1. Always get into the head of you character. “Act” out his/her actions in your mind as you write the scene. This does two things.

A. Gives you stage directions that lets the reader know the characters movements.

B. Allows you to think about facial expressions that go along with feelings. Describe (show) these expressions. Don’t tell the feelings.

2. Which brings me to the next point. Avoid naming emotions. Instead, describe the character's actions and expression. Use your acting skills to show the reader strong emotions like anger, passion and fear. Even love can be more believable if you show the reader evidence of the character’s love rather than long passages of introspection or long declarations. Have your hero pour coffee in the heroin’s cup after a long, grueling day at the office. Think about the simple things others do for you to show their love. Remember actions always speak louder than words. Hence, the next point...

3. Avoid using words like:

A. Seemed

B. Believed, knew, realized

C. Became

D. Felt

E. Saw, watched

F. And anything else that tells the reader what you want them to think. However, sometimes we do need to establish a character is watching or felt something strongly. This is okay. Not all telling is bad, sometimes it’s unavoidable, but once the scene is set, stop telling the reader what you want them to think and show them.

4. Which leads me to the next pointer. Avoid passive voice. Most sentences that have any form of the verb “to be” linked with a verb (ex: The game was worked into the schedule by John.) can be rewritten using stronger verbs or by better sentence structure. (John worked the game into the schedule.) Look for passive voice and get rid of it. You will begin to notice two things:

A. Your sentences will be stronger and say more with less words.

B. You show the action rather than tell what an action is. When you do this, the reader sees exactly what your character sees or does, which helps you...

5. Stay in deep POV. If you follow the four steps above, you’ll actually find that you are in a deeper POV. Let your characters do the talking, let them show your reader the story they want them to see.

Because, after all, isn’t it really the story of your characters’ lives unfolding before the readers' eyes?

Romance vs. Reality

Hi all, I am a new blogger here at Nocturnal Nights and will be posting on the 28th of each month about writing romances in the genres of fantasy, paranormal, historical, mythology, and whatever else comes to mind.

A little about me: I write Celtic romances for Awe-Struck, Freya's Bower and Noble Romance. My lifelong passion for Celtic mythology and storytelling inspired me to write novels with fierce warriors, bold women and otherworldly creatures. I also edit for a small press publisher. 

My current home is Arizona with my husband and two dogs. Three of my favorite things are men in kilts, sunrises and anything dipped in chocolate.

I look forward to getting to know the other authors and readers at NN. Now, on to my post for today:

Writing romance can be tricky, at least for me, when it comes to deciding how far to take the fantasy and where to draw the line at reality. Usually when I tell someone I write romances, I either get a snicker or a big smile. The big smile almost always comes from a man. And I understand why some people snicker at romance authors—some romances are trite and too ridiculous to be believable. But what makes a romance trite and ridiculous to some is appealing to romance readers. They yearn to escape from reality by reading about a hero and heroine that fall in love, and despite obstacles, have a happy ever after or happy for now ending.

The trick is to find that balance between romantic fantasy and gritty reality to write a compelling romance. How does a romance author write a romance that isn’t too realistic or too unbelievable?

I thought about this when I saw a commercial for the online dating site called Zoosk. With sexy music playing, two half-dressed lovers run to each other in the bedroom and smack heads, then the woman bumps her head on the bed frame and they fall over a chair. Not the ideal romance scene, but in real life romantic moments aren’t perfect. I try to bring some of that realism into my sex scenes. In one book my hero and heroine break the bed frame. This adds some humor and realism to the romance. Moments like that can also reveal something about the characters, how they act in an embarrassing situation. 

I also avoid using purple prose, especially in my sex scenes. (Purple prose is a term of literary criticism used to describe passages written in prose so overly extravagant, ornate, or flowery as to break the flow and draw attention to itself). Every author should avoid the purple prose lure.

Another way to prevent a romance from being ridiculous is to avoid writing situations that are too unbelievable and can cause readers to roll their eyes. The one that bugs me the most is the virgin heroine who feels no pain and climaxes with ease her very first time having intercourse. No way. And this comes from experience. 

By keeping a balance between fantasy and reality, a romance can be convincing without losing the romantic fantasy aspect for the reader. After all, imperfect characters are more interesting and they can still have their happy ending.

Kelley Heckart

'Timeless tales of romance, conflict & magic'

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