EVE MONTELIBANO

WRITE LIKE A BLAZING PEN

Evieholic 1

I did not wake up one morning and started writing like I do now. Nothing comes that easy in this world. It took several years of intensive reading and studying until I finally had the guts to submit my first manuscript to the major publishing house in those days, which I will confess was REJECTED. But I have come a long way since then. Yet even today, after several published books, I continue to study, to hone my craft. I read tons of books on all subjects. I never stopped learning. Such is life anyway. We should never stop exploring and learning. Knowledge is the key to a higher understanding.

Wanna write like my blazing pen?

Here are some writing pills I can share to you. Take ‘em at your own risk.

ONE

KNOW YOURSELF

Think yoga. Meditate. Know yourself. What kinda person are you? What road are you travelling in this life? Where do you wanna go? Answer all that and you'll know who you are inside. If you’re one confused individual, your readers will be able to tell and they’d be confused too. If you are hesitant and not sure about your subject, they will know. See, you’re an open book. They are reading you. If you wanna write about a certain topic, make sure you have the guts and grit to take it all the way to the finish line. There's nothing more disappointing than teasing your readers at the beginning, promising them an explosive ending and then chickening out two chapters away from the climax. If you tease, make sure you can deliver. Otherwise, you’re not worth an encore.

TWO

WRITE FROM THE HEART

If you’re the type who edits his/her words every other sentence because you’re thinking that your readers might not like it (granted you know what they like), you’ll never survive the rat race of the publishing world. Writers are dime a dozen. You’re just one small dot in the over-all stats. How can you possibly stand out? It takes a certain uniqueness to be able to shine among the rest. And I believe that every person is unique unto himself. Just write your story as you want to write it. They are your own words, the most tangible manifestation of your freedom of expression, of your existence as an individual. It should be honest. You should believe in it. You should have faith in it. It should come from the deepest part of your heart. If you cannot even accept your own stories, how can you expect your readers to accept them? Love your work, and others will love it as well.

THREE

HEY, YOU’RE THE BOSS!

Blank sheets and blank screens can be really intimidating to most writers, specially the beginners. Putting the first words on my opening paragraph still makes me nervous as hell. It’s your selling line, the paragraph that would declare what you are as a writer. It’s really crucial, how to start a novel. If you’re starting to feel like this, put it in your head that you’re the boss, that you are the master of your story, that you can delete your entire manuscript and begin all over again if you want to. You are the lord of all your characters’ destinies, they are your creations, your puppets and they will all damn well do whatever you friggin’ want. You can kill them, resurrect them, make ‘em rich, poor, ugly, pretty, fat, skinny, sad,happy, anything! You are the boss. You are the God of your manuscript. So get on the friggin’ keyboard and type the first word that pops up in your mind. You’ll be fine afterwards.

FOUR

KNOW WHO YOU ARE WRITING FOR

Writing is an art form. There’s an artist and there’s an audience. What is a book for? It is created to be read, right? Writers write so that people will read their works, otherwise, what is the friggin’ point? If I wanted to write for my own pleasure alone, I won’t submit my works to a publisher. I’d just keep a diary. But if you intend to get published, you should know your target market. Know your readers. What do they want? In order for you to know your readers, be a reader yourself. If you wanna be a romance novelist, buy tons of romance books, burry yourself in them for months, study the genre, the ins and outs, everything. Find out what you want in a romance book. If you don’t like romance, find another genre that will better suit your taste. Passion in one’s work is the key. You gotta love what you are doing otherwise your output is always a half-baked pie. Less in everything. Getting there but not quite. Always approaching but never arriving. I’ll put it simply like this. Don’t make love to someone you're not genuinely attracted to. You’ll never come. Pardon my analogy. Nagpapatawa lang:)

FIVE

FREE YOUR MIND

Magpapatawa ako ulit. Kung ma-gets mo ang joke ha. Kung hindi naman, ok lang. Writing is like making love (if you’re a virgin, learn from this :-) In order for you to be able to enjoy lovemaking, you gotta lose all inhibitions, clear your system of all fears and doubts and insecurities. Fly. Just let go. Explore the horizons. It's a big world out there! Do it the way you love it. No holding back, no reservations, no second thoughts. If you make love like this, your lover will be smiling from sun-up to sundown, begging for more. If you write like this, you’ll be a certified best-seller with your first book. And your fans will be awaiting your next adventure on ink with great anticipation.

MGA IMPLUWENSIYA AT INSPIRASYON KO SA PAGSUSULAT

I remember, ang una kong nabasang romance novel na pocketbook format noong highschool ako ay akda ni Hilda Olvidado, though the title eludes me now. Paborito kong rentahan ay mga libro nina Hilda, Helen Meriz, Ma. Elena Cruz, Edgar Reyes at Maia Jose. Noon pa man ay nag-ambisyon na akong magsulat at nagpasa pa ako sa VR. Tapos nagsulputan na ang bagong mga publishing houses at mga bagong breed ng TR writers. Ang mga paborito ko sa ngayon ay sina Martha Cecilia, Maureen Apilado, Digna de Dios, Rose Tan, Vanessa and Jasmine Esperanza.

Check out SOME of my fave FICTION/romance/suspense-thriller/PARANORMAL authors

SHERRILYN KENYON

SUZANNE FORSTER

LINDA HOWARD

SANDRA BROWN

BRENDA JOYCE

KAREN ROBARDS

JUDITH McNAUGHT

JACKIE COLLINS

SUSAN JOHNSON

ANNE RICE

SUSAN ELIZABETH PHILLIPS

Evieholic 2

Most people think that writing romance novels is peanuts. It's all about mushy-cheesy stuff anyways. Maybe the last romance novel they've read was  a 1980's Mills and Boone. Well, folks, welcome to the 2009 romance writing workshop here at my digs. I do not claim to know all, after all, just like everybody else, I am still learning. But I will impart to you what I have learned so far in the hope that it will help smoothen the road to your success as an aspiring romance writer. If you are interested, read on. Bookmark this damn page, too 'coz I'm gonna be updating every now and then.

Just because you have awesome ideas, a wild imagination and fantastic plots rioting in your mind, you can already write a novel? Get real, baby. Sure, you need your hyperactive mental juices when hatching a plot BUT make sure you know how to put them on paper, otherwise, you're just day-dreaming. Ever wonder why some authors get more following than the others and yet they write about the same stuff? The same Cinderella plot, same Romeo and Juliet drama, same rags to riches subject? It's because one writes with her eyes closed, groping blindly in the dark, relying solely on her limited writing knowledge (unless you are gifted like Anne Rice or JK Rowling, then you'll be fine:), and one writes with a full arsenal of writing manuals in her laptop.

For the writer, writing is a passion. But  for a publisher, it is a business. In order for a writer to get published, she has to treat her writing as a business WITH a lot of passion thrown into it. That is the only way to get published. So, how does one get published? First, you have to produce a good manuscript. A manuscript that is hard to resist. Like a merchandise, in itself, it has to have value. Expensive value, if you aim high. How do you do that? 

Take the advise of the legendary military tactician Sun Tzu. Know thy enemy and you will conquer it  without fighting. Apply the same strategy in your writing and it will save you a lot of writing blues most beginners experience. I gave you some writing pills above but I need to expound on them some more. Since I always give advise to aspiring writers anyway through private mails based on my research and experience, I might as well put 'em here for all to read, so that next time someone emails me about becoming a writer, I'll just direct her to this page. So here's your guide to becoming the next romance writer to be reckoned with.

Okay, first, let me discuss the psychological aspect of romance writing. Yup, you just don’t decide to write romance like you decide what to eat for dinner. Writing for this genre takes careful consideration, for you will find out that it is not as easy as you think. This is a world of complications and contradictions; of highs and lows, of joy and despair, of success and frustrations. If you do not have the stomach for that, I advise you to just pass. Find another career with less drama. While romance means love and happy ending for the readers, it also means heartbreak for some hapless writers. So, to avoid getting your poor heart broken by romantics, do the following.

DEFINE YOURSELF

Remember when you were a child, your parents would always ask you: What would you like to be when you grow up? And you’d answer something like , I wanna be a Lawyer, or a doctor, or a teacher. Ask yourself a similar question right now. When I write, what kind of writer would I   be? Ponder on that. Seek your inner self. Check your beliefs, your ideals and your sense of morality. When you have finally defined what you are as a person, then you will know what kind of a writer you would be. This is important, to be able to place your consciousness in an environment in which you feel secure in; to be able to write about things which will uplift your spirit, give you a sense of pride and accomplishment, thereby making you a better person.

Am I talking in riddles? Let’s simplify it.

There are 2 kinds of aspiring romance writer:

1.     1. The writer who chooses to write romance because she loves romance and is fascinated and interested in the genre as a whole. Yup, she lives for the passion and she writes to please the romantic in her.

2.      2.The writer who chooses the romance genre because she thinks it is an easy arena to conquer (why not, it’s only about mushy-cheesy stuff anyways), but in truth, she wants to write about something else, but she is not confident she can make it in that aspired genre, so she settles for “easy-does-it” romance (that’s what she thinks.)

Which one are you? Be honest.

No. 1 is clearly in the right place. She will most likely go places, her books selling like hot cakes. Nothing feels like home. If you are in the right place, your karma is playing to the tune of Vivaldi. Your work is smooth, organized, coherent and effective. And may I add, passionate, divine, awesome…and the list goes on. Nothing motivates better than inspiration.

 My advice for No. 2 is: make up your mind. Procrastinating about your real goal will get you nowhere. You are like a classical ballet dancer lost in the middle of hip-hop frenzy. Write about something you really feel passionate about and your writing will reach surprising heights. Write about something that doesn't interest you and that will only add to your frustrations, further battering your self-confidence. Romance readers are very sensitive and discerning. They will know if something is forced or phony. And they will frankly tell you about it, too. Compromise is good in some cases. But in this case, I won’t advise it. All you will get is a disappointed writer (you will be miserable) and readers (they are very mean when disappointed).

Writing is very personal. When a romance author is pouring her thoughts and emotions in a book, even if it is fiction, she is sharing a part of herself to her intended readers. This cannot be helped as romance writing is purely emotional, as well as cerebral. When an author is being honest with herself in her writing, her sincerity will transcend in every page, and she will be felt through the characters she creates. So it is therefore understandable that the kind of readers that an author attracts shares her ideals, as well. Birds of the same feather flock together? That’s very true in this case. What you are is what you write and what you write will define the readers that will gravitate towards your work.

There is no right or wrong in the world of the written, for it is boundless. What will define you as an author is the impact of the choices that you make along the way. Pretend to be something which you are not and your career will have no real foundation. You will have no inspiration and your output will suffer and readers will definitely lose interest in an author who is clearly not into what she’s doing.

So, choose a path, follow your heart. Stand by that choice firmly regardless of what others will say. Do not be afraid. You will never go wrong.

ASSESS YOUR CAPABILITIES

So, now that you have chosen to write under the romance genre because you love romance and everything connected to it, it is therefore correct to assume that you are determined to produce novels that will captivate and enthrall your readers, book after book. How the hell will you make that happen?

First, assess the level of your talent. Ouch. I know, but there's no getting around this one. The only way to know if you have a chance at succeeding in this field is to know your strengths and weaknesses. And be honest with yourself when doing this.

There are 2 kinds of romance writer. Which one are you?

1.               1.the one that has a natural talent in semantics; has a passionate, vivid, wild imagination and she can damn well put her exact thoughts and feelings into writing. This type breathes and lives romantic novels and it’s no work to her. In short, a natural.

2.          2. the one that has a passionate, wild, vivid imagination but lacking in the art of semantics, meaning, a mediocre writer. She can concoct the most awesome plots but cannot express them fully in her own words. She has a huge problem.

If you are No. 1, congratulations.  Share your talent. But don’t stop learning.  Challenge yourself constantly.

If you are No. 2, study harder. There are a thousand books to read, a million sources for research, a hundred writing classes you can attend. What you lack in writing skill, you should compensate with patience and determination, and eventually, you will be No. 1. Practice makes perfect.

     LEARN THE SECRET

Okay, now that you have honed your writing skill like a pro, how far will you go in exploring your horizons as an author? You have written novels that have appealed to the readers, but you notice at some point that you are still just one of those writers who get nice reviews but still lacking the factor that inspires a cult following. You know what I mean- those writers that readers dedicate forums and websites to; who inspire admiration and emulation from aspiring writers; whose works are avidly anticipated by fellow writers; whose books don’t last a week in the stands and get reprinted year after year; whose reach of readership is so extensive her novels are turned into movies or TV series. You are wondering if you will ever be that kind of author.

Yes, you can.

But what is the secret to their phenomenal success; the factor that makes them stand out from the rest; the element that makes their works unforgettable? Do you know what it is?

Boldness.

These authors go the extra mile. They push their envelopes. They step away from the safe zone and dare to walk on the edge and embrace the wild side. They have the guts to try new things. They have the courage to expand their horizons. They are leaders and conquerors. They take risks. They break rules. They don’t fear failure. Failure to them is just a situation they learn from and can definitely reverse. They thrive on discovery of the unchartered. And so they get ahead. Way, way ahead.

Fortune favors the bold, Virgil said.

I couldn’t agree more. That is the only secret of those best-selling authors.

ASK YOURSELF: WHAT IS MY MOTIVE FOR WRITING?

There is a dilemma most writers encounter in their careers. There comes a point where their reason for writing becomes ambiguous. Why do you write? What moves you to write? Do you write because you love to? Or do you write because you need to? The first one is fueled by inspiration and passion. The second one is motivated by economic need.

There is this saying that when you love your job, it feels like no job at all. That is very true in romance writing. A writer who writes for the love of her craft usually produces great novels. Why not? She usually puts extra time and effort in polishing her manuscript, making sure that her latest work is better than her last. She doesn’t mind spending some money for extra education, anything that will improve her skills. She makes it a point that every manuscript is well-presented to her publisher and that it isn’t a wishy-washy product, for she carefully studies every detail of her story. She doesn’t think primarily on compensation, of the amount of time and sweat she has poured on her manuscript. She is more concerned if her latest work will meet the expectations of her readers. She values quality over quantity. That is an author who truly loves her work. No wonder you buy any book with her name on the cover. No wonder she is famous. No wonder she is happily writing.

The author who writes for money is the opposite. She usually exemplifies any of the following habits. She measures her time and effort vis a vis the payment she gets for her manuscript. She doesn’t give extra effort to be a better writer. She thrives on quantity, not quality. She writes on a hectic deadline because she needs to get paid at the end of the month for whatever reason. Since she is pressed to finish a novel ASAP, she usually copies works by English authors, translate them in Tagalog, manipulate some scenes and viola, she has a brand new novel. She doesn’t care much about integrity and credibility. She rushes, doesn’t take time to study and improve her work and she doesn’t care if her readers will get disappointed. This type of author doesn’t have a following. Her books are not anticipated, but rather rented or picked up randomly for lack of anything else to read. She is not known for her great novels. No wonder she is still a mediocre and an unrecognized writer with no bargaining power even after 100 books to her credit. No wonder she feels so tired and used. No wonder she is not happy writing. No wonder she is ashamed to talk about her career.

You see, success comes after the blood and sweat. They are the inevitable fruits of one's hard work, dedication and love for her craft. Well, God forbid that they come post-humus LOL, but they do come. But you cannot do something mediocre and expect to be compensated extraordinarily. Why not do something extraordinary first and someone is bound to appreciate it extraordinarily. Rewards always follow after the hard work. It is either in the form of recognition or financial gain, or both.  Even if you do not want it, recognition will come your way if your readers will feel how sincere and dedicated you are to your writing.

Do not get me wrong here. I am a writer. Writing for a living is great. It is a good and decent way to make money. But breathe what you write, love it and you will be much more valuable than what they pay you and it will open opportunities for you when you least expect it. Write in exchange for money and chances are, you are only as good and will always be as cheap as what they pay you.

But the bottom line is, whatever your motive for writing is your choice. There are so many reasons that make us do things that compromise our integrity. Good or bad, everything we do in life is a decision. Our legacy will be based on those decisions.

Lastly, take this from my fellow writer, Kat Madrid (whom I admire tremendously):  "We writers need to remember time and time again: Writing is a PASSION. It's the love for the craft that should motivate us, not money, not glory, not anything else."

Amen!

 

Coming Articles from Evieholic:

The Readers of Romance (How loving and mean they can get)

Creative Direction/Choosing Your Publisher

How to Get Rejected In One Minute!

POV (Point Of View)

Defining Your Voice

BE THE ROMANCE WRITER ROMANCE WRITERS READ

The following are some romance writing articles that I have gathered from the internet. They may be able to help you jazz up that novel of yours which you are so afraid to submit to a publisher. Sometimes, if you lack the confidence, you should heed our instinct. Chances are, your manuscript is lacking in something. That is why you are not convinced it is good enough for submission in the first place. Either that or you have a really low self esteem, which I cannot help you with. Go to a shrink instead:) Kidding aside, here goes.

TOPIC 1

The Wonder of Romance

(author unkown)

Imagine yourself in a place of mystery; a place unlike any you have ever experienced in your life-foreign and beckoning. It calls to you with the discrete scents and the elusive sounds of adventure waiting to happen. You close your eyes and inhale the heady taste of possibilities...

Now imagine that you look up and there standing before you is a special man: a hero. He may be a prince, a pirate, a renegade or a working man. He's holding out his hand as if to say...take the journey with me. Walk in this illusory life with me and experience the hopes, dreams, trials and rewards of this story. Maybe find your highest ideal.

The story can be a window into situations far removed from our own. Or it can serve as a mirror reflecting our own tragedies and triumphs. Often, through adversity, the heroine recognizes that there is always something of value, something to persevere and fight for,regardless of how bleak the situation might appear.

This empowerment, this victory from within, is a great part of the appeal of today's romance and may well be the genre's greatest gift to future generations of women. Crossing economic lines, color lines and geographical boundaries, romantic fiction serves as a link, a spiritual connection between women, a sisterhood that is immediately shared and recognized.

It is what we all strive for in our lives: love, happiness, and the belief that there is a sense of purpose to it all, even if that purpose is as simple as two people finding each other in a harsh and complex world. Unlike the romances of past days, wherein the heroine was compliant (usually non-aggressive and fairly biddable), the new heroine stands next to the hero-his equalin every way. Today's readers seek heroines who are models of strength, compassion and inspiration. Such heroines reside in the hearts and minds of every woman; a facet of her own inner best self.

Present-day romance allows the woman to triumph in all ways. These re-tooled heroines are not only stronger in their own self, but are also women who love freely without apology; they are connected in mind, spirit and body with their male counterparts.

This is the wonder of romance. The excitement of fresh adventures; the innermost dream of possibilities in conjunction with heartfelt compassion to the human condition and hope eternal in its purest, highest form.

And yet, there is a blending of the old and new romance; a seamless pathway connecting the generations.

A reader of today can still pick up a Barbara Cartland novel and experience the same sense of delight in the reading as her mother and grandmother had in times past. This bridge which spans the generations is tied together with the components of love-a universal language all women, young or old, can relate to.

Stories that arouse strong emotions can often mirror the hidden side of our own natures. Tales that make us shiver with anticipation, inspire us with awe, fill us with joyous laughter, bind us to our true selves.

The consistent message of romance is that love endures. It will not be swept away, eroded by time, or swayed by false promise. This message shines from the racks of corner bookstores, from airport newsstands, from local supermarkets. Across the world,the same message resides in the hands of millions of women who read it, understand it and reinforce its significance with each and every book they purchase and continue to read, much to the bafflement of this male-dominated planet, which still shakes its collective head only to dismiss the phenomenon as "women's stuff." I am proud to say to them: Gentlemen, romance is the stuffof legends.

Indeed, it was Shakespeare who asked "how can love possibly last the wreckful siege of time?". His own answer, so perfectly realized, was that "in black ink his love will forever shine bright."

We, the readers and lovers of the genre, couldn't agree more.

TOPIC 2

 HOW TO CREATE A TO-DIE-FOR HERO

(author unknown)

He's more than tall, dark and handsome- although that doesn't hurt. He's funny, smart and, beneath his tough facade, remarkably tender and romantic. He's a contemporary category romance hero, and he's got quite a bit of competition. With all those new series romances out each month from different publications, he must be special to stand out. Here's how I create such a man.

Make his backstory intricate and multi-dimensional. Ask all those typical character developing questions, and then go one step deeper. Ask what beliefs and values (both good and bad) he's learned throughout his life.

Your hero must have specific beliefs that control how he lives his life. Does he believe that "love conquers all," or "love hurts?" Does he believe there's no such word as impossible? His beliefs may make him patriotic, stubborn, adventurous or seemingly cold. His beliefs make him a complex individual. Values are less specific than beliefs. They include love, success, freedom, security, power, adventure. Values are things he wants, in varying amounts, with varying priorities. There are some negative values, too, such as rejection, frustration, failure. These he tries to avoid.

Create a set of beliefs and values for your hero, then delve into his motivation. What does he hope to gain throughout the course of the book? Which of his beliefs and values will he have to change as he battles both inner demons and outside conflicts, as he continues to grow toward a resolution that has him living happily ever after with the heroine?

Give him some inner torment. Have his beliefs and values conflict. Or have him act against his nature for the sake of the heroine. For example, if he's a man who would rather fight and die than run and hide, force him to run and hide in order to protect the heroine.

Make him vulnerable. Everyone has a weakness. Make him aware of it, and of the moment that he puts himself at risk. For example, if he's vowed never to experience the pain of rejection again, make him realize that he's falling in love with the heroine. He knows that he risks being hurt again, but he's helpless to stop what he feels.

Give him a solid sense of humor. Even if he isn't the kind of man to make jokes and drop one-liners, give him the ability to laugh at himself-or to roll his eyes. If he's not able to laugh out loud, at least allow him to be privately amused.

Give him a strong voice when writing from his point of view. Use words and phrases he would use. Describe things the way he would see them.

Be careful in your word choices when you describe how your hero feels. Don't inadvertently make him seem weak or powerless unless that is your intention. Avoid petty emotions-take special care not to let him pout or whine while he's being introspective. Have him be resigned toward things that a normal man might complain about.

Make the reader instantly sympathetic to him. The heroine doesn't have to feel the same-she'll come around in her own good time. But the reader must love him from the start.

Make your hero real. Make him a living, breathing man with whom you would fall in love with. But don't be blind to his faults, be gentle with him. Understand him completely, and he'll stand out above the rest. And then your readers will fall in love with him, too.

Topic 3

 Love scenes, are they porn?

by: Nicole Jordan

I promise you, it's not simply gyrating body parts! You can write a dynamite love scene where the hero and heroine scarcely touch. So what's the secret?

SEXUAL TENSION

A strong love scene contains several critical elements besides the physical act of sex. One of the most important is "sexual tension" or "sizzle." Tension is caused by forces acting in opposition. Picture a rope being pulled hard at both ends. What forces are acting on your characters, holding them together while pulling them apart at the same moment?

To ratchet up sexual tension, give your characters a strong awareness of each other, both physical and psychological. Then add more sizzle by including one or more of the following tension builders: uncertainty, danger, the forbidden, resistance, internal/external conflict opposing goals or agendas, heated emotions such as anger or frustration, a challenge, power shifts (who has the dominant role and does it change?), verbal swordplay, attraction, unfulfilled yearning;the list is extensive.

In large part, sexual tension is a mental thing. I believe the mind is the body's most erogenous zone, particularly for women. The mind plays a huge role in determining what turns us on. So when I craft a love scene, I try to tap into a mental fantasy that's romantically and sexually appealing, such as a woman making a man lose control of himself, or vice versa; a woman healing a wounded man (physically or spiritually) Choose a fantasy for your scene that excites you, and it will most likely excite your reader.

EMOTION

Several scenes in my LOTHARIO novels play on women's sexual fantasies and actually come close to erotica but don't cross the line. What's the difference? Erotica is usually centered on sex; romance is about love and emotional relationships, of which sex is often a part. A very natural part.

Your job as a romance writer is to elicit a sensual, emotional response in your reader. And the best way is to create vivid emotion in your characters. What are these people feeling? Slow down and let them feel for themselves and for each other? What do they want? What are their hopes and fears? Emotion fuels the power of your scene and thus, your readers' interest.

PURPOSE

Like every other scene in your book, your love scenes must have a reason for existing. They should be integral to your story and evolve out of your characters' developing relationship. I want my stories to be hot, so I purposely devise plots where sex and lovemaking are important to my hero and heroine's relationship and to the resolution of their conflict. But my love scenes always, always impact my characters in some definitive way. Each new level of intimacy must bring about an emotional change in your characters and affect their future relationship.

SENSUALITY

I think of sensuality as liberal development of the five senses, especially touch. The use of imagery and evocative words can magnify the power of your love scenes enormously. Good physical detail can help your readers vicariously live what your characters are experiencing. How explicit you become should depend on your story and characters, your personal taste, the line or house you're writing for, and your readers' expectations.

SEDUCTION

Figure out the purpose of your love scene and make it a major step in the progression of your characters' relationship. Then, instead of focusing on the mechanical act of sex, focus on the essence of romance: emotion, sensuality, sexual tension. I guarantee you'll be well on your way to creating a dynamite love scene that will seduce your readers as well. 

Characterization
by Sharon Sala

According to Webster’s Random House dictionary, the definition of the word is: to describe the character of. But as a writer, I don’t bring my characters to life just by description. Granted, I know my readers want to know what my hero/heroine look like, and I want them to see him or her as clearly as I see them myself. Finding the right way to define a character on paper is important to us all. But it isn’t just the physical aspect that makes them real to me.

You, as a writer, must remember that characters in a story must have strengths as well as weaknesses. There must be something in that character’s background that can bring him/her to their knees. There must also be something within their personalities that makes them strong enough to overcome, even to embrace adversity. I like characters who use adversity to become stronger.

I like tough men with tender hearts. I like a man who’s not afraid to dry. And when the tears finally come, they will always be from emotional relief or pain, rather than a physical one.

I like to remember that my characters see, taste, smell, feel, hear, appreciate and laugh. By the same token, remember that characters will have a breaking point. How they react in these instances is often what makes the reader connect with them the strongest. Use those strengths and weaknesses to build strong, believable, and memorable people within your stories.

Case in point: I recently had the good fortune to be invited to be part of an anthology on homecomings for one of my publishers. I created a wonderful, wild, reckless, rodeo cowboy with a loving heart called Walker Lee. Of course, Walker has all the prerequisites of a serious hunk. Big, strong, good-looking, right down to black hair and blue eyes and an off-center grin. But for me, Walker came alive when the woman he’d come back to claim started remembering the things about Walker Lee she’d tried ten years to forget.

She wanted to hate this man and all she could do was remember stupid little things, like the way he ate chocolate ice cream. Scooping up a giant spoonful, then slipping it into his mouth, one slow bite after another until there was nothing left on the spoon but a shine. And slow dances. Walker Lee could spin her heart into knots with little more than a shift of body to body. She shuddered. Eating ice cream and dancing weren’t the only things he liked to take his time about.

At this point, Walker Lee jumped off the page. I had created a three-dimensional character with something as ordinary as music and chocolate. Also, the subtle reference to the way he made love didn’t hurt.

So, if you want to create memorable characters, just remember what real people do. They laugh. They cry. They hurt. They die. Bring your characters to life by giving them a life in which to live.

---

Plot Diversity
by Connie Feddersen
a.k.a. Carol Finch, Gina Robins, Debra Falcon

Plot diversity and character diversity go hand in hand. If you create characters with special personality quirks, different goals in life, varied backgrounds, they will speak and behave in ways that add interesting twists to the basic plots authors have been working with for years. Heroes, heroines, villains and secondary characters influence plot direction. Because of the uniqueness in the way characters handle situations and basic motivations, such as fear, greed or revenge, they alter plots.

Another way to keep plots fresh is by researching various historical periods. If you constantly write westerns or Revolutionary War books--whatever--you may have a tendency to rely on standard plot devices. Give yourself some variety occasionally. Don’t become so entrenched in an era of history that you end up dropping a different set of characters into an overused setting or you will repeat and limit yourself.

The same technique of variety applies to writing contemporary romances. Select unusual settings and professions that offer a new list of possibilities for you to explore, an intriguing conflict between the hero and heroine, unique problems that inspire imaginative solutions. Those imaginative solutions will enhance your plot.

After writing 51 books, I have developed an internal alarm system that triggers a voice inside my head that says: Whoa, Nellie (and no, that is not one of my pen names, just a figure of speech) don’t you think this scene sounds like the one you wrote in book number six? How are you going to change this one?

Having been reminded of similarities, I take a mental step back to examine other possibilities, to take a closer look at my characters and reevaluate the purpose and motivation of the scene I’m working on. There are always ways of altering a scene so that it becomes unique unto itself.

The more books an author writes the more particular she becomes. Writers don’t want to write the same old thing any more than readers want to read it. A writer has to ask herself: How can I make this book better than the last one? How can I spice up a simple scene? How many ways are there to hold up a stage coach, hijack a plane? How many ways can I deal effectively with a dastardly villain? How many places can the hero and heroine fool around? Play the What-if game with characters and scenes, just as you do when plotting.

Awareness is the key. Know your characters and make each one special. Create unusual settings and circumstances that add spark to the plot rather than relying on typical devices. Keep searching for originality and the basic plots of fiction will sparkle like new!