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 Page B
Authors: Susan May Warren
Tags: Fiction, Romance, General Fiction, Reference, Writing, Writing; Research & Publishing Guides, Writing Skills
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3,000wordchaptersandhaveonlytwoscenesbetween1000-1500words.
IdothissothatthepercentagesofthetimespentinActs1through3stayaboutthesame.Act1is generallyChapters1-3,Act3isgenerallychapters17-20,whichmeansthatAct2istheremainder, usuallychapters4-16.Thiskeepsthetimespentineachactinthecorrectrhythm.
Inordertoaccuratelyrevealcharacter,it’shelpfultousewhatIcall,EssentialScenes.
Layer One: His Attire :(whichrevealshisIdentity)mannerisms,clothing,publicgoals (Hint:CommonlythisisChapters1-2)
In Meet the Hero or Heroine, you have a scene thatshows: TheirStoryworld
TheirIdentity(thatessentialelementthatmakesthemwhotheyare) TheirGoals(whattheywant)
TheGlimpseoftheGreatestDream–Wewanttoseewhathe’safter,whatmattersto him.Youdothisbyhavinghimseewhathewants—justaglimpseofit.
TheirCompetence(ifyouneedtosavewordcount)
Layer Two: His Behavior (which reveals Character/Values/Competence): Remember, this layer reveals how he treats people, his habits (which also reveal values), his reactions to stress (which reveal past hurts and his essential character).
I am good, so very good (the scene that reveals their values and their habits)
Justgivememyblankie(hisreactionstostress)
Layer Three: His Choices (which reveal Purpose/Noble Cause): This layer reveals his external struggles regarding plot, his greatest dreams, and why he thinks he’ll never find them, and finally his obstacles to love.
Thereareafewscenesthataccomplishthislayer:
IfIcouldonly–whatstandsinhiswaytostormingthecastleandrescuingtheprincess. (Money, skills, opportunity).
All I want is to be Happy – the story about his fondest memory and why, and what his greatest dream is.
This may lead to The One that Got away story – the revelation of his pastromances
Layer Four: His In- security: Hisinternalstruggles,greatestdreamsandfears,howhefeelsabout love,hisspiritualvacancies.(Thismightoccuranywherefromchapters12-18.)
Out of Character scene – have the hero do something that goes contrary to his goals . . .
...whichthenleadstothe What if I lose everything scene : Have a hint of his greatest fears happen, a sort of foreshadowingofthe BlackMoment,andhave himconsidergivingup.
The Sacrificial Act makeshimheroic,butalsochangeshimintothepersonheneedstobe.
Layer Five: His Spiritual Lie and the discovery of the Truth.
(Oftenthisoccursneartheclimaticending,anywherefromchapters16-20.)
Breakup Scene (when the wound is reopened)…which can be combined with the…
Black Moment Event scene (when the Greatest Fear and Lie comes true) which leads to the…
Epiphany Scene (When the Truth sets the hero/heroine free and this causes the hero/heroine to change.)
Note:AlthoughIamwritingthisfromthehero’sperspective,thesescenesapplytoyourheroine also.
Once you know your character’s Backstory, how do you insertit?
InsertingBackstory
Shouldn’tthereaderknowmorethanthecharacters?
Yes. Which is the Second Key to Deeper Characterization: Backstory Breadcrumbs
Creating Backstory Breadcrumbs
Asyoubuildyourcharacterandrevealhislayers,youalsoneedtokeepinmindthebalancebetween layeringanddroppingbackstoryelementsthatareessentialtobuildingthemotivationofthe character.Yourreaderneedstoknowwhyyourcharacterisdoingsomething.Notanentirediary entry,butjustone sentence ofinformation—andeventhatshouldonly be thebarestcrumbof information.
ThekeytoBackstoryisdroppingjustenoughcrumbstostiryourreader’shungerformore.You don’twanttogivethemtoomuchatthebeginning,orthey’llgetfilledup,satisfied,andtheywon’t haveanappetitetofinishthejourney.
So, how much Backstory should you put into a scene? Just enough to give the reader the information he or she needs to understand and accept the current action and decisions.
Theyjustneedtoembracethecharacter’smotivationsforcontinuingoninthejourney.
Forexample,let’ssayIhaveacharacterwhohasjustinheritedaranch.Imightopenthescene wheresheisdrivinguptotheabandonedranch,lookingatthelifeherunclelefther.Now,Imight
IdothissothatthepercentagesofthetimespentinActs1through3stayaboutthesame.Act1is generallyChapters1-3,Act3isgenerallychapters17-20,whichmeansthatAct2istheremainder, usuallychapters4-16.Thiskeepsthetimespentineachactinthecorrectrhythm.
Inordertoaccuratelyrevealcharacter,it’shelpfultousewhatIcall,EssentialScenes.
Layer One: His Attire :(whichrevealshisIdentity)mannerisms,clothing,publicgoals (Hint:CommonlythisisChapters1-2)
In Meet the Hero or Heroine, you have a scene thatshows: TheirStoryworld
TheirIdentity(thatessentialelementthatmakesthemwhotheyare) TheirGoals(whattheywant)
TheGlimpseoftheGreatestDream–Wewanttoseewhathe’safter,whatmattersto him.Youdothisbyhavinghimseewhathewants—justaglimpseofit.
TheirCompetence(ifyouneedtosavewordcount)
Layer Two: His Behavior (which reveals Character/Values/Competence): Remember, this layer reveals how he treats people, his habits (which also reveal values), his reactions to stress (which reveal past hurts and his essential character).
I am good, so very good (the scene that reveals their values and their habits)
Justgivememyblankie(hisreactionstostress)
Layer Three: His Choices (which reveal Purpose/Noble Cause): This layer reveals his external struggles regarding plot, his greatest dreams, and why he thinks he’ll never find them, and finally his obstacles to love.
Thereareafewscenesthataccomplishthislayer:
IfIcouldonly–whatstandsinhiswaytostormingthecastleandrescuingtheprincess. (Money, skills, opportunity).
All I want is to be Happy – the story about his fondest memory and why, and what his greatest dream is.
This may lead to The One that Got away story – the revelation of his pastromances
Layer Four: His In- security: Hisinternalstruggles,greatestdreamsandfears,howhefeelsabout love,hisspiritualvacancies.(Thismightoccuranywherefromchapters12-18.)
Out of Character scene – have the hero do something that goes contrary to his goals . . .
...whichthenleadstothe What if I lose everything scene : Have a hint of his greatest fears happen, a sort of foreshadowingofthe BlackMoment,andhave himconsidergivingup.
The Sacrificial Act makeshimheroic,butalsochangeshimintothepersonheneedstobe.
Layer Five: His Spiritual Lie and the discovery of the Truth.
(Oftenthisoccursneartheclimaticending,anywherefromchapters16-20.)
Breakup Scene (when the wound is reopened)…which can be combined with the…
Black Moment Event scene (when the Greatest Fear and Lie comes true) which leads to the…
Epiphany Scene (When the Truth sets the hero/heroine free and this causes the hero/heroine to change.)
Note:AlthoughIamwritingthisfromthehero’sperspective,thesescenesapplytoyourheroine also.
Once you know your character’s Backstory, how do you insertit?
InsertingBackstory
Shouldn’tthereaderknowmorethanthecharacters?
Yes. Which is the Second Key to Deeper Characterization: Backstory Breadcrumbs
Creating Backstory Breadcrumbs
Asyoubuildyourcharacterandrevealhislayers,youalsoneedtokeepinmindthebalancebetween layeringanddroppingbackstoryelementsthatareessentialtobuildingthemotivationofthe character.Yourreaderneedstoknowwhyyourcharacterisdoingsomething.Notanentirediary entry,butjustone sentence ofinformation—andeventhatshouldonly be thebarestcrumbof information.
ThekeytoBackstoryisdroppingjustenoughcrumbstostiryourreader’shungerformore.You don’twanttogivethemtoomuchatthebeginning,orthey’llgetfilledup,satisfied,andtheywon’t haveanappetitetofinishthejourney.
So, how much Backstory should you put into a scene? Just enough to give the reader the information he or she needs to understand and accept the current action and decisions.
Theyjustneedtoembracethecharacter’smotivationsforcontinuingoninthejourney.
Forexample,let’ssayIhaveacharacterwhohasjustinheritedaranch.Imightopenthescene wheresheisdrivinguptotheabandonedranch,lookingatthelifeherunclelefther.Now,Imight
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