But now I have to write "mushy stuff." I NEVER write mushy stuff--I am THE anti-mushy stuff. I'm not sure I CAN write romantic scenes. I have been procrastinating writing this for days.

Annepin, I'm glad I'm not the only woman who feels that way. People are always going on about how much women like romances and I just look blank.

The ensemble thing, this novel has several main characters, not just one. An ensemble is the description I've seen put to that and seems to be as good as any. There are three main characters who will probably end up more or less equal PoV characters. That's the plan anyway as much as I plan my novels--which isn't much. The characters are rarely in the same place at the same time.

quote:

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Have you ever met someone and you have this immediate chemistry thing?

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There are fantasy romances and science fiction romances. What you have to decide is whether your story is more romance or more action adventure.

Badly written love scenes are not pretty. It is hard to write them right and not read like porn, and still not look silly.

In your scene, they don't have to disrobe to be hot. Just the reactions to each other, how they touch, look into each other's eyes. how they picture the world around them at that moment.
One of the hottest videos I have ever seen was a country duet filmed in Paris. They movements had them close, almost touching, then pulling away. The way they looked, the expressions, the promise of the kiss made it really effective.
Doing a scene with the promise of something is so much more difficult than manhood and heaven scenes.

Also consider your audience. What do they normally expect to see in their stories? Some will expect ship explosions and full tilt running from hungry beasts. Others will want fully developed characters who show emotion.

Sorry, that was my poor woring of the title.

As far as whether fantasy readers expect full characterizations, I suggest reading A Song of Ice and Fire if you can't answer that question.

If you say, "my characters will never be attracted to each other or have a non-platonic relationship" you've limited yourself more than I care to. But that's your choice. In my NON-ROMANCE novel, two of the characters are going to fall in love--and pay a lot for doing so.

Bad Yeressa! Bad Ricart! No mushy stuff. *gives them squinty-eyed looks* You got to kiss. Now you get to SUFFER! Mwahahahaha

That's the fun part. (God, in spite of the days, weeks or even months when it's hard, I love writing. Now who kills the prince. And what happens then?)

A lot of the plot revolves around the repercussions of what they do. This novel is just not coming easy. I'm sure I'll spend a time here whining about how hard it is. Fortunately I'm writing another easier novel and editing a third one at the same time. Gives me an excuse to only slog out a thousand words or so a day on this one.

But not coming easy is good, I think. It means I'm using writing muscles I haven't used before and trying something larger and more complex than I've ever dared. It scares me to tell the truth.

I'm imagining a romantic impulse or overture on one side, the recipient's probable reaction in the center, and a long-term consequence on the far right. Then you could do the reverse, but from the love interest's point of view.

I think you might start with cliches, but then as you add more and more little interactions and feelings, I'm guessing that you'll start creating actions that really come from your characters and not from one of the stereotyped melodramas that make us go "eeew" when we think of romance. You probably won't actually use any of these ideas, but it'll get you past that desperate, trapped feeling to get it all out. Then you can decide that "she would never say that," or "he wouldn't be trying that just after the castle burned down."

This might just be silliness, but it sounded good at the time

p.s. edited to fix redundant "and" and a run-on sentence

One of the most poignant love stories that i've read recently is William Barton's When We Were Real. Not a lick of mush in there, and yet its complete believable.

My WIP hinges on two love stories, actually. One is all thumbs and elbows, so that's easier to write (so close to my own experiences, lol!). The other is a bit more intense... and I'm struggling with it too, esp since one character is quite the romantic. The first round I just wrote stuff as mushy as could be, if only to get it out of my system. Then I went through and edited out stuff. I think I ended up cutting more than 3/4 of it. The rest I rewrote, deciding to put only what's salient and interesting. It helped that I'd read a friend's piece that was just full of gushing "I love you" this and "I love you" that. It helped solidify for me how I didn't want mine to read. Because I could see how when he was writing it it seemed so important, but as a reader it's boring. We don't necessarily need to hear every confession of love. In fact, a look, a touch might be all we need.

Just some more thoughts to throw out there. The Macallan's sounding real good now to me, too!

I wonder if you could use this idea in the love scenes, telling us something about their characters through the way they treat each other. For example, you could show a man who's normally aggressive to be capable of consideration and tenderness. Or maybe the woman could be less submissive than he expects.

Perhaps we've seen them as self-controlled characters and a love scene could establish that they can be passionate and uncontrolled too; maybe the scene could foreshadow a powerful unleashing of violent passion later when they finally get the bad guy.

Just a thought, and enjoy the Macallan,
Pat

Like someone said, when the dizzying lust/infatuation comes along, it's kind of like being insane. Decisions that might normally be measured, considered, thought about, dithered, go out the window along with articles of clothing. Hearts race. Being near the other quickens pulse, clouds thinking. You're dimly aware that you're not in your right head but you sort of don't care. Your friends and those around you notice and complain that you're insane, but again you don't quite care. You make REALLY REALLY REALLY bad decisions. Life-alteringly bad ones. And some just stupid dumb idiotic ones.

If it's mutual, that removes some of the idiotic decisions that come from a numb tongue and clumsy feet. But then you have the two together making dumb decisions that may negatively impact those around them.

One way if you haven't already considered is to have them drawn to each other, a perilous situation perhaps, but build up - because that's what is enticing for the reader is the tension and the build up. Hold off on the consummation (even if it's just a kiss) for as long as you can. Afterwards, have her reveal some damage, some internal conflict he had no idea about (a child by a previous relationship, a horror from her past, a secret pact with the devil, whatever), and destroy him with her turning away. He (your MC) should bear the brunt of the devastation, but if they were truly in love, she's hurting too.

You described the emotions quite well. To give a rough background she is betrothed to a member of the royal family--a betrothal that she agreed to and considers important--but not only does she not care for him, she has realized he is not at all nice. Then along comes my PoV character. He is smitten with her--beyond insane and he's handsome as well as nicer than her fiance. There are many complications such as that the realm has been invaded by a strong enemy (more than one but they don't know that yet).

And then there is a supposed friend who will betray them. I don't think that it will have gone beyond a kiss--but I'm still dithering on that. Either way, they all consider it a betrayal of important oaths--especially when he...

Well, I don't want to tell the whole thing which takes away the fun of writing it. *grins*

Thanks for all the suggestions. I write a bit on it then go write other scenes and edit another novel. But I am slowly (very slowly) making progress.

[This message has been edited by JeanneT (edited March 31, 2008).]