First off, best wishes to all of you who are taking on NaNoWriMo! You are my heroes!<\/p>\n
I stay away from politics here, but I can\u2019t resist saying that if you\u2019re old enough to vote, I hope you will.<\/p>\n
And third. Last post I asked for words that make you cringe, and I relished reading your picks! How about words that you adore? I love palimpsest<\/em>, both sound and meaning, which I\u2019ve read is the favorite of many, possibly to the point of cliche. I\u2019m wild about grok<\/em>, which was invented by sci fi writer Robert Heinlein in his classic Stranger In A Strange Land<\/em> (high school and up). Grok<\/em> is a verb that means to understand fully, with all the nuance, complexity, and context that any situation can have.<\/p>\n On June 20, 2016, Martina wrote, I am kind of doing a retelling of the fairy tale \u201cManyfurs\u201d and am mashing it with \u201cSnow White.\u201d My MC is very stubborn-minded, because in the story, when her father wants her to marry a preselected prince, she refuses. (Well, she accepts on the conditions of three impossible items being given to her.) My problem is, later on in the story, she promptly falls in love with another man, and he is instrumental in helping to rid her of the other prince. How can I make her love with the second man not seem forced or abrupt?<\/em><\/p>\n Christie V Powell weighed in with, I think that one of the big things in building a romantic relationship is that you focus on things beside romance. Sure, they\u2019re attracted to each other, but just like any other relationship they also need friendship, trust, respect, fun (think sliding down banisters!), and especially selflessness. Pet peeve: romances where the guy is forceful and makes her do things. Sorry, that\u2019s not love, that\u2019s abuse.<\/em><\/p>\n One thing I\u2019ve been playing with is the 5 love languages. Everyone speaks and hears love through different ways. My romance in my WIP hasn\u2019t gone far yet (it was barely hinted at in the first book because I wanted the MC developed on her own first, then they\u2019re just learning to be friends in the second), but when I get to the romance stage I\u2019m planning on using all five of them, so it speaks to the reader no matter which the reader likes best. The five are: words of affection, giving gifts, quality time, service, and physical touch.<\/em><\/p>\n I agree! True love in fairy tales is usually inexplicable\u2013or unpleasantly explained by beauty and power. I\u2019d add to Christie V Powell\u2019s five the sixth element she mentions in her first paragraph: fun. And a seventh or maybe part of the sixth, a sense of humor.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s something else to consider in this particular fairy tale, if we want our MC to be sympathetic: the rejection of the first suitor. Our MC, and everyone in the real world, has or should have an absolute right to turn down a suitor. She doesn\u2019t need a reason\u2013but she will be more understandable and likable if she has\u00a0one and the reader gets it.<\/p>\n I\u2019m dealing with this in my WIP, Ogre Enchanted<\/em>. Fee (short for Phoebe) says no to Wormy (short for Master Warwick) in the first scene. As I kept writing, I realized that even I didn\u2019t like her, and part of the reason was that I identified with Wormy, who felt terrible, and she caused his unhappiness. So I worked on him and made him less appealing.<\/p>\n Now, because I\u2019m embracing complexity, I\u2019ve doubled back and made him more appealing again, although I\u2019m hoping her reasons will still be clear.<\/p>\n So, if we\u2019re dealing with two romantic prospects, we want the reader to understand our MC\u2019s choice.<\/p>\n I do believe in love that comes on pretty fast, if not quite at first sight. I met my husband when I was just eighteen, and he was the first boy I felt totally comfortable talking to. I didn\u2019t yet know I was a word person, but I think that clinched it\u2013along with his other sterling qualities, especially of kindness, sensitivity, and humor.<\/p>\n And I\u2019ve seen it happen with friends. Something in this one hooks into something in that one, like jigsaw pieces. There\u2019s a shared recognition.<\/p>\n So abruptness may work, but not forced-ness. The reader has to get the reason for the romance–and will be able to if we open up our MC\u2019s emotions and thoughts. I think the inner life of our MC is the key. Narrative distance can\u2019t bring love to life.<\/p>\n Not that it always happens fast. Many years ago\u2013I think we were in our thirties–a friend told me about his ambivalence regarding his girlfriend. I was mad at him and probably told him he should go all in or all out. He married her, and, near the end of his life, I reminded him of our conversation, which he didn\u2019t recall. He said that marrying her was the best decision he\u2019d ever made. But it came on slowly.<\/p>\n We know this MC is stubborn. We can use that characteristic to make a speedy connection believable. Maybe something in him can connect to that stubbornness. He may be compliant, and she may think, At last, here\u2019s someone who isn\u2019t always giving me an argument. Or, he can be stubborn, too, and they can enjoy bumping up against each other. We can think about the other traits that we can give each one that will help them fit together, some that are in opposition and some that are complementary.<\/p>\n I\u2019ve said this before, but I will again: We can look for romantic models among happy couples and even happy friendships we know. What makes the two people click? We can set two pairs side-by-side and consider the different ways they make their relationships work.<\/p>\n I read or heard on the radio a while back that relationships that last don\u2019t bury their irritations. That dish left in the sink or that unicorn left ungroomed will rankle if it\u2019s never discussed. Eventually, the dish will sail across the kitchen and the unicorn will be driven over a cliff and the love will corrode. Dire. So I\u2019d add one more element to Christie V Powell\u2019s list: arguing\u2013in a good way.<\/p>\n Anger is also lively. Just billing and cooing gets dull. A little squawking on the page will wake up a scene.<\/p>\n Here are four prompts:<\/p>\n \u2219 Your romantic duo meet in a prisoner-of-war camp run by the dread Sir Mank. They fall in love plotting their escape. By day, they help each other survive the awful conditions; by night, they plan. Each brings a set of skills to the mix, and they become a mutual admiration society. The escape goes flawlessly. They reach the safety of their own forces and now have to find a way to be together when they\u2019re not in danger. Write a scene from the time they\u2019re imprisoned together and one from the time after. Figure out a way for them to stay in love without outside opposition.<\/p>\n \u2219 Rewrite the second scene and have them split up.<\/p>\n \u2219 Write the happily ever after of a fairy tale. Snow White and her prince, for example, are married. The evil queen is dead or permanently imprisoned. Write a scene. You can keep them happy or make them miserable.<\/p>\n \u2219 She\u2019s a groom in the castle stables. He\u2019s the prince who rides his unicorn daily, leaves it in the stall on his return without even putting out a pail of water for the poor thing. She\u2019s furious. She thinks he\u2019s worthless. Make them fall in love.<\/p>\n Have fun, and save what you write!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" First off, best wishes to all of you who are taking on NaNoWriMo! You are my heroes! I stay away from politics here, but I can\u2019t resist saying that if you\u2019re old enough to vote, I hope you will. And third. 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