How to Write a Brilliant Romance: The Easy, Step-By-Step Method of Crafting a Powerful Romance (Go! Write Something Brilliant) by Susan May Warren
Authors: Susan May Warren
Tags: Fiction, Romance, General Fiction, Reference, Writing, Writing; Research & Publishing Guides, Writing Skills
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Whatarethecomponentsofourcharacter’slayers?
Identity:Everyonehasanidentitytheyusetointroducethemselvestoothers.Thefirstlayer reflectshowtheyseethemselvesorhowtheworldseesthem.
Whenyoumeetsomeoneforthefirsttime,youarebasingyourimpressionsonwhotheyareby howtheydress,whattheyaredoingatthetime,perhapsthespeechtheyuse,andthewaythey introducethemselves.Thisgivesusthefirstglimpseastowhotheyare.So,whoisyourcharacter? Whatidentitydoeshegivehimself?Whatexternaltrappingsgoalong with that identity?
What impression do they give to the world because of thatidentity?
Forexample,frommybook Happily Ever After, myhero,Joe,considershimselfadrifter. Whenhemeetstheheroine,Mona,forthefirsttime,helookslikeadrifter—hehasawreckofa truck,adufflebag,amangydog,fadedjeans,workboots,aflannelshirt,ascruffybeard,ahintof unkempthair.Heevenwearshismuddybootsintoherhouse,indicatingthathereallydoesn’tthink aboutthingslikedecorum.He’sshowingthathe’smuchmoreconcernedabouthardworkand hidinghimselfthanheisaboutpresentingacleanimage.
Ask: Who is your character? What sort of attire, behaviors, mannerisms, and trappings go along with theiridentity?
Don’tpanicandthink that’s so stereotypical! Idon’twantyoutowritecardboardcharacters.We’re justsettingupthecomponentsofthelayersand,asyougo,you’lldiscoverevenmorefacetstoyour character’sidentity.
Noble cause/Purpose: Behind every hero, there’s a reason why he does the things he does. In Braveheart , the death of his bride compels William Wallace to fight for a free Scotland. In The Bourne Identity , it’s Jason Bourne’s quest to discover who he is.
Indeterminingyourcharacter,youneedtoknowwhathappenedinhispastthatmadehimthe person he is today. What was his darkest moment? Usually, it is this moment that contributes to hisNobleCause.Usuallyapersonwilldoanythingtomakesurethisdarkmomentisnotrepeated. OftentheNobleCauseisdirectlyrelatedtoeitheratoningforthatdarkmoment,orprotecting himselforothersfromit.
As we touched on earlier, the Dark Moment is best if it is one specific moment, something that you might even journal in order to pull every nuance from it. The darkest moment also creates a superb foundation for letting the hero/heroine see through his/her cracks to the vulnerable heart of the man/woman inside.
From the Dark Moment, you will also pull the Greatest Fear (which assists you in creating the Black Moment), the Wound (as we touched on earlier. The Wound is also used to create the Breakup), and even the Lie that they believe, that set of beliefs about life and/or God that determine their choices and their emotional/spiritual journey.) Take your time in developing this Dark Moment of the past. It’s key to every significant element of your story, so you want it well-thought out.
You’ll also use this information in developing a Layer of Revelation. Ask: What happened in your past that molded your goals and purposestoday?
Competence: We like heroes who can take care of themselves, who know what they’re doing. It builds our confidence in them and causes them to be heroic. What is that one thing that your hero does well?
The Bourne Identity isawonderfulmoviethatshowcasesBourne’sskills.Weknowthathis girlfriend is safe with him, even though many assassins are on their tail.
Even computer geeks can be heroic when we see them using their skills.
Ask: Whatisyourcharactergoodat?Howisthatshownonthepage?Inaromance,youcango furtherandask:Whatskillsdoesyourheropossessthatheusestosavetheheroine?
Security: When I’m plotting, I use the element of Security to locate that point of no return, when a character chooses between returning to his security blanket, or changes and pushes ahead. But when I’m working on layers, I use a character’s IN-security to discover what his worst nightmare is. What are his deepest fears? What is he going to avoid at all cost?
AsItouchedindevelopingtheNobleCause,youcandiscoverthesefearsbygoingbacktothat
Identity:Everyonehasanidentitytheyusetointroducethemselvestoothers.Thefirstlayer reflectshowtheyseethemselvesorhowtheworldseesthem.
Whenyoumeetsomeoneforthefirsttime,youarebasingyourimpressionsonwhotheyareby howtheydress,whattheyaredoingatthetime,perhapsthespeechtheyuse,andthewaythey introducethemselves.Thisgivesusthefirstglimpseastowhotheyare.So,whoisyourcharacter? Whatidentitydoeshegivehimself?Whatexternaltrappingsgoalong with that identity?
What impression do they give to the world because of thatidentity?
Forexample,frommybook Happily Ever After, myhero,Joe,considershimselfadrifter. Whenhemeetstheheroine,Mona,forthefirsttime,helookslikeadrifter—hehasawreckofa truck,adufflebag,amangydog,fadedjeans,workboots,aflannelshirt,ascruffybeard,ahintof unkempthair.Heevenwearshismuddybootsintoherhouse,indicatingthathereallydoesn’tthink aboutthingslikedecorum.He’sshowingthathe’smuchmoreconcernedabouthardworkand hidinghimselfthanheisaboutpresentingacleanimage.
Ask: Who is your character? What sort of attire, behaviors, mannerisms, and trappings go along with theiridentity?
Don’tpanicandthink that’s so stereotypical! Idon’twantyoutowritecardboardcharacters.We’re justsettingupthecomponentsofthelayersand,asyougo,you’lldiscoverevenmorefacetstoyour character’sidentity.
Noble cause/Purpose: Behind every hero, there’s a reason why he does the things he does. In Braveheart , the death of his bride compels William Wallace to fight for a free Scotland. In The Bourne Identity , it’s Jason Bourne’s quest to discover who he is.
Indeterminingyourcharacter,youneedtoknowwhathappenedinhispastthatmadehimthe person he is today. What was his darkest moment? Usually, it is this moment that contributes to hisNobleCause.Usuallyapersonwilldoanythingtomakesurethisdarkmomentisnotrepeated. OftentheNobleCauseisdirectlyrelatedtoeitheratoningforthatdarkmoment,orprotecting himselforothersfromit.
As we touched on earlier, the Dark Moment is best if it is one specific moment, something that you might even journal in order to pull every nuance from it. The darkest moment also creates a superb foundation for letting the hero/heroine see through his/her cracks to the vulnerable heart of the man/woman inside.
From the Dark Moment, you will also pull the Greatest Fear (which assists you in creating the Black Moment), the Wound (as we touched on earlier. The Wound is also used to create the Breakup), and even the Lie that they believe, that set of beliefs about life and/or God that determine their choices and their emotional/spiritual journey.) Take your time in developing this Dark Moment of the past. It’s key to every significant element of your story, so you want it well-thought out.
You’ll also use this information in developing a Layer of Revelation. Ask: What happened in your past that molded your goals and purposestoday?
Competence: We like heroes who can take care of themselves, who know what they’re doing. It builds our confidence in them and causes them to be heroic. What is that one thing that your hero does well?
The Bourne Identity isawonderfulmoviethatshowcasesBourne’sskills.Weknowthathis girlfriend is safe with him, even though many assassins are on their tail.
Even computer geeks can be heroic when we see them using their skills.
Ask: Whatisyourcharactergoodat?Howisthatshownonthepage?Inaromance,youcango furtherandask:Whatskillsdoesyourheropossessthatheusestosavetheheroine?
Security: When I’m plotting, I use the element of Security to locate that point of no return, when a character chooses between returning to his security blanket, or changes and pushes ahead. But when I’m working on layers, I use a character’s IN-security to discover what his worst nightmare is. What are his deepest fears? What is he going to avoid at all cost?
AsItouchedindevelopingtheNobleCause,youcandiscoverthesefearsbygoingbacktothat
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