I’ve written 35 books. Many of them have been on the best-seller list. A number have won awards. And at least half are….romance. When I get to that last sentence, whatever literary cred I’ve earned with the first three statements seems to vanish. “You write Romance?” someone will ask, (as if they haven’t heard me) and sometimes add an accompanying look of…disdain? Disappointment? As if writing romance is somehow less highbrow than general fiction. I hate the assumption that general fiction is better written. Hogwash. Words are words, and the truth is, writing fabulous genre fiction is harder than general fiction. You have to stand out in a category with your words while delivering a plot that follows the genre constructs. General fiction can be wonderful…or it can be a […]
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From the Inside…Out: discover, create and publish the novel in you! By Susan May Warren
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Read the RestThe Construction of Chapter 8 – Kenzie’s scene. Don’t Rush the Drama!
One of the struggles I see with many writers – and even myself – is the rush to the climatic parts of the story. They see the drama of the big pieces and want to get there immediately to wow the reader. However, the problem is when we don’t give the drama resonance – when we don’t show the progression of emotions leading up to it, and the significance of the drama, we miss out on the punch. I always advise clients to take their time, to feel the nuances of the scene and allow the reader to, also. However, sometimes it can feel like eating an elephant. You have so far to go, and today you’reworking on a toenail. (okay, yuck. Maybe I should find another analogy). What […]
Read the RestAct 2: Keeping the Middle from Muddling
Is your Act 2 slowing down? Do you find it muddling along? Are you running out of content and creating mundane, circular scenes? Here’s a way to fill Act 2 with powerful content. The last scene of Luke and Kenzie’s story was an example of a combo reaction scene to the Romance, and the ramping up of the suspense thread again. I also threw in a piece of the spiritual thread – that idea that relationships are what hold us together and make us better people – which is what Luke is supposed to learn on this journey. Just for a second, I’m going to dive into a discussion about the spiritual journey. Although this is a romantic suspense, every book has some sort of theme, and even deeper, […]
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