Huh. I started writing this post earlier today, and now it's gone. THIS MAKE ANNIE ANGRY! ANNIE SMASH BLOGGER!!Can you feel the love? Well, I can't. After reading everyone's posts in this blog chain, I'm realizing just how much romance is missing from my reading and writing life.
Sandra started the chain with many questions about romance in fiction:
Do you write romantic relationships in your books? If so, what do you do to show the attraction between your characters? What problems do your characters encounter? What qualities do you think make a romantic relationship work in fiction? If you wish, feel free to include examples of your favorite couples.
Elana posted before me, in which she said I'll have something impressive to add to this discussion (not likely), and after me is ... hey, I'm last! Probably for the best, as it sounds like most everyone else is a romantic, but I don't think I am. What this says about my relationship, I don't know. Let's not discuss that. (Seriously, though, my 3rd anniversary is tomorrow, yay!)
On to the topic. Um, no, I don't really think I write romantic relationships in my stories. I shy away from romance in my stories. For some reason, I'm not letting my characters feel those feelings. Maybe it has something to do with the romeo/juliet relationship I had in high school, when I was a freshman in love with a senior guy, and of course my parents didn't approve. So of course this guy and I did everything we could to be together, which involved a lot of being grounded and secrecy and more of me being grounded. We wrote hundreds of letters to each other during the one year we were in school together and after he graduated and moved away. Later those letters, which I hid in a hollowed-out stuffed bear, were found by my mom (after she found, then destroyed (!) my journal), followed by more grounding. And me literally counting the days till I turned 18 and could run away with my true love. Then I did turn 18, asked my parents if I could see this boy again, and they let him come over (he had to stay in the yard), and we lasted maybe another month till I was over it. Maybe it was just me getting older and ready for college. Maybe I was exhausted from all that forbidden love. Maybe it was because I was finally allowed to be with him. Whatever it was, it worked out for the best, BUT I do often think that all my romantic energies were used up in that relationship, and now I just don't care. So no romance for my characters! Mwuhahaha!!! (although, maybe I can write a story based on my story.... hmmm....)
One of the biggest problems my characters encounter is that they don't have any romance in their lives, and I'm starting to see that those relationships are great for plotting and moving a story forward, which is maybe also why my characters get so stuck. Maybe we all need couples therapy together. And, because my characters aren't experiencing any love, it's really easy for them to skip town when things get difficult, because they have no ties to anyone, but running away from problems isn't good conflict. Another reason why I don't plot well.
There have been some couples I've read about in the past that I really loved. Clare and Henry in THE TIME TRAVELER'S WIFE. Richard and Kahlan in WIZARD'S FIRST RULE. And clearly I loved Romeo and Juliet. But later in life I've been more intrigued by the relationships that end in affairs or heartache. Or when half of the couple dies. My husband and I like to watch those Bachelor/Bachelorette reality shows. He said his favorite part is seeing when someone is rejected and their heart is broken on camera.
Yup. That's what I have to say about romance in fiction. Maybe you all can throw some earth-shattering romantic titles my way, and I can find my high school self, and we can curl up with a book together, and I can learn how to give my own characters some romance in their lives.
7 comments:
Hmm, I think your high school story would make a good book - maybe if you wrote it you would rediscover those feelings again (though you sound like you are doing just fine without them, happy early anniversary!)
Really, I don't think all stories have to have romance. I've read some great stories with no romance at all. I just like the ones with it ;-D
Perfect title and pic for this post!
I think that is really interesting that you avoid writing romantic relationships, and the whole psychological reason behind why would make an excellent story in and off itself.
Happy Anniversary too!
My personal opinion is that first relationships generally don't work out because they're learning experiences. You also change so much in your teens and early 20s. Although my first love was unrequited, it did leave lasting influences.
Many characters in fiction follow a character arc where they have to recover from a bad relationship before they can have a better one. Sorry, I can't think of a good example right now. Maybe you could find some inspiration there.
Happy Anniversary!
First off, happy anniversary!!!
AS for the whole romance thing, perhaps you can broaden your definitions a bit. Start with the larger definition of romantic, which is passionate or dominated by idealism. You can be romantic about so many things, and my feeling about you after reading your blog is that you are far more romantic than you realize.
Next, allow your characters to tell you THEIR story.I bet there is plenty of romance in them, you just need to unleash it.
Finally, be willing to delete! That would take away the "pressure" of having to write a good romantic scene, yanno.
All in all...NO WORRIES! You'll figure this out. And BTW, I think the HS romance story would make a great book as well!
Nice job!!!
1. Love the picture.
2. Love Romeo and Juliet. And you should be able to tap into your "love" relationship for a YA novel. That's totally how YA's act when in "love." Use it!
3. Happy Anniversary!
4. I don't necessarily think relationships have to be romantic to drive the plot forward. Your characters skipping town because they have no ties is a bit odd. Most people have friends and family with which to have strong bonds with. Those relationships can bind and matter just as much as romantic ones. So don't fear that you don't have romance. Just a RELATIONSHIP that is lasting and meaningful is needed to drive the plot, whether it's with a mother, a brother, a friend, whatever. You know? I'm sure you do. ;)
I loved this post.
It is perfectly OK not to have romance in your stories. (You have attracted my husband as a fan just by saying this.) There are many, many folks out there who could live without the hero and heroine falling for each other.
I do, however, think you should write about your own "tragic and forbidden" romance. I'd read it. :-)
Thanks for all the anniversary wishes, everyone. He brought home a pie for me (I love pie). Actually, he brought home three pies. We just found a pie place nearby. How many times can I write pie?
Michelle- I think partly it's been so long that I read a story with romance in it, that I can remember, that maybe I just forgot about that element in fiction.
Kate- Sometimes I think I avoid writing romantic relationships b/c I worry about the characters coming off cheesy or fake. And, like I said, I used up all my romantic emotions, ha ha.
Sandra- I like the idea of the arc where a character is recovering from a bad relationship. Maybe I can start there.
Christine- Ah, the delete key. How I forget it offers no pressure. I will also look to the broader definition of romance in my stories. Thanks!
Elana- Yeah, I need help with all fictional relationships in general. Even if my characters have close family, they still run away. I guess it's me running away from my manuscript.
Kat- Ha, that's funny about your husband. And I do like stories where characters are out for each other without winding up in bed after a fight.
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