Conflict in romantic fiction
I'm in the middle of chapter 4 of my NaNoWriMo project; got stuck a little partially because of This Thing Called Life getting in the way, and partially becuase I've started having doubts.
Are my characters really three-dimentional or a little flat?
Is the plot believable and not contrive?
Is the conflict strong enough to keep them apart for 200 pages?
The plot of a romantic novel can be described in three steps:
1. Boy meets Girl
2. Boy looses Girl
3. Boy gets Girl back.
They have to meet on the first page (or at most the first chapter; I've got them together on the first page), feel that instant chemistry, but usually don't realise they've fell for each other until half way through, so something MUST make it impossible for them to be togheter for the rest of the book, otherwise my novel will be finished on page three.
I admit, the biggest problem I have is with the conflict, which is one of the most important ingredient of a romance, and actually the one which incorporates all the other. Believable, fully fleshed-out characters can only get involved into a conflict, which derives logically from their personalities and will resolve it in a believable way.
The events of the plot need to reflect the progression of the tension between the hero and the heroine.
The emotional tension (a.k.a. conflict) is what keeps them apart and makes the reader turn the pages, biting their nails and worrying how they are going to get together. The obstacles to intimacy and happily-every-after need to be strong enough to prevent them from getting together and they should be of internal (values, character traits, ambitions) rather than external (circumstances) nature. If miscommunication is the reason they are still not together in Chapter 8 (out of 10) I'd better make sure it's yet another effect of their personality clash.
In the two medical romances I've finished reading so far and one of the unfinished the conflict is really well thought-out. Looking at the personalities and their values of the main characters I wondered if they were going to ever be together. External conflict (related to work) was only an addition to the internal one.
Of course they made it at the end. It wouldn't have been a romance if they didn't.
For a change, the conflict in one of the unfinished ones felt so forced and artificially 'blown up' that I put the book down. In the other unfinished the external obstacles to being together (they discover they've fallen for each other in chapter 4/5 and then had a major medical and family crisis to get over before they can walk off into the sunset), although very exciting (a cyclone and a lost child) were not interesting enough for me to read on.
I have a difficult task.
So Anne hates when men assume that because she's so attractive she's silly and earned her professional position only because she's slept with her boss. In the first scene Geoff thinks that Anne is just one of those pretty, silly girls, who he doesn't have time for. And then he learns she's his mate's little sister, and then that she's his... new neuropsychologist, whose help he needs badly to rescue the reputation of the unit he cares so much about.
As for her. well... Falling for her boss is a/ unprofessional (and she is desperate to come across as professional), b/ would be a perfect evidence that she is one of those pretty silly girls who...
Anyway, I haven't written a single word in my NaNo novel for 2 days, I'd better get back to it and see if they are going to make it to the end and happily-ever-after.
10 November 2010
04 November 2010
Living in 3 times zones
or NaNoWriMo and SYTYCW and my week long holidays day 4.
I've just finished Chapter 2 of my NaNo novel targeted at Mills&Boon Medical Romance, but in the meantime I decided to write a scene from the penultimate chapter for SoYouThinkYouCanWrite Challenge 3.
I must admit I'm knackered tonight - it's all that timing. Because of the time difference I really cut it fine with Challenge 2 (I only had 1 hour to patch a query letter together), so I decided to wait until well after midnight to at least read what the next challenge was going to be before I went to bed. But it didn't work - they didn't post it until must later. I must have got it all wrong again.
This is what happens when your body resides in IDLE (International Date Line East), your mind still in GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) and trying to meet deadlines set in EST (Eastern Standard).
Luckily I had enough time this morning for Challenge 3. It was meant to be about drama, tension, and that x factor, 'which keeps a reader turning the pages until three in the morning', so I decided to go for one of the scenes of 'TheDark Night of the Soul', when Hero and Heroine think that everything is doomed and there won't be any Happily-Ever-After. I kept jumping between the scenes I'd had 'drafted' in my head only on Monday, and 10 minutes before the deadline had a moment of 'enlightement' that it was all wrong, because it wasn't emotional enough. But I just stuck with what I'd written and sent it off.
Now, fingers crossed that I get picked up for critique.
I've just finished Chapter 2 of my NaNo novel targeted at Mills&Boon Medical Romance, but in the meantime I decided to write a scene from the penultimate chapter for SoYouThinkYouCanWrite Challenge 3.
I must admit I'm knackered tonight - it's all that timing. Because of the time difference I really cut it fine with Challenge 2 (I only had 1 hour to patch a query letter together), so I decided to wait until well after midnight to at least read what the next challenge was going to be before I went to bed. But it didn't work - they didn't post it until must later. I must have got it all wrong again.
This is what happens when your body resides in IDLE (International Date Line East), your mind still in GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) and trying to meet deadlines set in EST (Eastern Standard).
Luckily I had enough time this morning for Challenge 3. It was meant to be about drama, tension, and that x factor, 'which keeps a reader turning the pages until three in the morning', so I decided to go for one of the scenes of 'TheDark Night of the Soul', when Hero and Heroine think that everything is doomed and there won't be any Happily-Ever-After. I kept jumping between the scenes I'd had 'drafted' in my head only on Monday, and 10 minutes before the deadline had a moment of 'enlightement' that it was all wrong, because it wasn't emotional enough. But I just stuck with what I'd written and sent it off.
Now, fingers crossed that I get picked up for critique.
02 November 2010
NaNoWriMo and SYTYCW - day 1
Oh, the joy of waking up on the first day of a week long holiday!
More: the week which will be spent on your two favourite activities: writing and walking (to get those creative juices going).
What a shame that I had to waste so much time finishing a few little jobs that have been waiting for me for days.
But I have written 2226 words of my NaNo novel, so I'm ahead of the 1667 words daily limit and I have enjoyed it. I've even managed to edit the first page (awaiting clarification what word count it actually means) and I'm going to email it to eHarlequin editors for So You Think You Can Write first Editorial Challenge. I may get a free critique!
I like my characters and I'm looking forward to meeting them again tomorrow.
Strange?
I know...
;-)
More: the week which will be spent on your two favourite activities: writing and walking (to get those creative juices going).
What a shame that I had to waste so much time finishing a few little jobs that have been waiting for me for days.
But I have written 2226 words of my NaNo novel, so I'm ahead of the 1667 words daily limit and I have enjoyed it. I've even managed to edit the first page (awaiting clarification what word count it actually means) and I'm going to email it to eHarlequin editors for So You Think You Can Write first Editorial Challenge. I may get a free critique!
I like my characters and I'm looking forward to meeting them again tomorrow.
Strange?
I know...
;-)
30 October 2010
More on plotting your novel
NaNoWriMo starts in 2 days and the Web is teeming with advice on all aspects of writing a novel in a month, plotting included.
Dani Greer at The Blood-Red Pencil shows how to use a mind map to plot a novel.
In preparation for NaNo Paulo Campos at Yingle Yangle talks about outlining a novel worth reading, why outlining your novel is essential, and how to prepare for the moment when your outline will fail.
More on novel writing strategies at Burrowers, books and balderdash.
At Girlfriends Book Club Novelists Saralee Rosenberg and Ellen Meister discuss the neverending issue of what it takes to write a novel: Inspiration or perspiration?
My writing tends to be plot-driven, but classic romance is usually character-driven (more about it at editorrent), so I'd better read a little about plotting from character (Theresa at editorrent).
Ah, and then I need to think a little about my conflict.
Dani Greer at The Blood-Red Pencil shows how to use a mind map to plot a novel.
In preparation for NaNo Paulo Campos at Yingle Yangle talks about outlining a novel worth reading, why outlining your novel is essential, and how to prepare for the moment when your outline will fail.
More on novel writing strategies at Burrowers, books and balderdash.
At Girlfriends Book Club Novelists Saralee Rosenberg and Ellen Meister discuss the neverending issue of what it takes to write a novel: Inspiration or perspiration?
My writing tends to be plot-driven, but classic romance is usually character-driven (more about it at editorrent), so I'd better read a little about plotting from character (Theresa at editorrent).
Ah, and then I need to think a little about my conflict.
25 October 2010
Planning/plotting a novel
NaNoWriMo starts in a week. Time to start planning and plotting my novel.
There are several ways of planning/plotting a novel (e.g. The Snowflake Method, a four-steps one, and many, many others) and there is probably a book for every kind of writing and planning..Generally speaking, you should do whatever works for you.
For me it's James V. Smith's framework from his "You can write a novel" book (I own a You Can Write a Novel Kit - complete with Chapter Log, Major/Master and Minor Character charts, Scene Development and revision Tracker)
I am writing a category romance, so I have 50,000 words and 10 chapters to make a good use of.
I have used Daphne Clair and Robyn Donald's (Writing Romantic Fiction) tips to 'translate' James V. Smith's advice into the world of romance.
1. Opening scene, where my Reader is to be thrilled.
Well, apparently I have now only 300 words to get my Reader's attention, so I'd better get the opening scene right.
In romance this is Their First Meeting, that First Sparkle between Her (beautiful, smart AND caring) and Him (Alfa male, no doubts!). Best is to have it happen on the first page, and ever since none of them is allowed to leave the page (= if one of them is not physically present on the page, he/she must be present in the other's character's mind).
As far as I've noticed category romance have POV switching between hero and heroine.
This will be Chapter 1 of my NaNo novel
2. Pivotal setup complication, where the action can fall a little, but never below the point of interesting
This part is simple - I just need to come up with enough conflict (source of tension), internal (emotional) and external (life circumstances), to keep them apart for something like 180 pages. Easy-peasy, isn't it?
well, we shall see ;-)
This will be Chapter 2 and 3
3. Point-of-no-return complication, where the action rises to reach the thrilling level again
In romance this is usually the moment when they fall for each other and despite all these things in point 2 realise they can't help the attraction
In Chapter 4
Points 4, 5, 6 - pivotal complications with the action rises and falls swinging my Reader between Interested, Excited and Thrilled
The consequences of the conflict as laid out in point 2, plus some minor additions, usually of external type; a jealous ex jumping out of a box maybe?
Chapters 5, 6,and 7
7. Worst complications possible, where my Reader should be more than Thrilled
It's all about that conflict, really.
Chapter 8
8. Worse than even the worst complications possible - the climactic scene, where I should have my Reader blown away by the titanic, epic, final struggle of my hero/heroine facing their worst adversary; heroic conflict is resolved in the characters' favour, important lessons are learnt and no coincidence or divine intervention is allowed
Simply speaking: they both realise they can't live without each other, this is The Love Of Their Lives, so they have to do something about all them things laid out in point 2, plus the minor additions and get together
Chapter 9 and beginning of Chapter 10 (as I'm planning A Dark Night of the soul moment, when they realise there is no happy ending for them)
9. The End, where they live happily ever after and my Reader can wipe his/her forehead and sigh with relief
They get together; may sail off into the sunset, clutching their wedding invitations but no actual wedding is necessary on the scene.
The end of Chapter 10
There are several ways of planning/plotting a novel (e.g. The Snowflake Method, a four-steps one, and many, many others) and there is probably a book for every kind of writing and planning..Generally speaking, you should do whatever works for you.
For me it's James V. Smith's framework from his "You can write a novel" book (I own a You Can Write a Novel Kit - complete with Chapter Log, Major/Master and Minor Character charts, Scene Development and revision Tracker)
I am writing a category romance, so I have 50,000 words and 10 chapters to make a good use of.
I have used Daphne Clair and Robyn Donald's (Writing Romantic Fiction) tips to 'translate' James V. Smith's advice into the world of romance.
1. Opening scene, where my Reader is to be thrilled.
Well, apparently I have now only 300 words to get my Reader's attention, so I'd better get the opening scene right.
In romance this is Their First Meeting, that First Sparkle between Her (beautiful, smart AND caring) and Him (Alfa male, no doubts!). Best is to have it happen on the first page, and ever since none of them is allowed to leave the page (= if one of them is not physically present on the page, he/she must be present in the other's character's mind).
As far as I've noticed category romance have POV switching between hero and heroine.
This will be Chapter 1 of my NaNo novel
2. Pivotal setup complication, where the action can fall a little, but never below the point of interesting
This part is simple - I just need to come up with enough conflict (source of tension), internal (emotional) and external (life circumstances), to keep them apart for something like 180 pages. Easy-peasy, isn't it?
well, we shall see ;-)
This will be Chapter 2 and 3
3. Point-of-no-return complication, where the action rises to reach the thrilling level again
In romance this is usually the moment when they fall for each other and despite all these things in point 2 realise they can't help the attraction
In Chapter 4
Points 4, 5, 6 - pivotal complications with the action rises and falls swinging my Reader between Interested, Excited and Thrilled
The consequences of the conflict as laid out in point 2, plus some minor additions, usually of external type; a jealous ex jumping out of a box maybe?
Chapters 5, 6,and 7
7. Worst complications possible, where my Reader should be more than Thrilled
It's all about that conflict, really.
Chapter 8
8. Worse than even the worst complications possible - the climactic scene, where I should have my Reader blown away by the titanic, epic, final struggle of my hero/heroine facing their worst adversary; heroic conflict is resolved in the characters' favour, important lessons are learnt and no coincidence or divine intervention is allowed
Simply speaking: they both realise they can't live without each other, this is The Love Of Their Lives, so they have to do something about all them things laid out in point 2, plus the minor additions and get together
Chapter 9 and beginning of Chapter 10 (as I'm planning A Dark Night of the soul moment, when they realise there is no happy ending for them)
9. The End, where they live happily ever after and my Reader can wipe his/her forehead and sigh with relief
They get together; may sail off into the sunset, clutching their wedding invitations but no actual wedding is necessary on the scene.
The end of Chapter 10
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)