Showing posts with label Writing Warriors. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Writing Warriors. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 24, 2019

Writing Warrior Wednesday! ~ The Almighty Crush (Character Analysis)

One of my favorite things in the editing phase is character analysis. Most people do this before they start writing and then forget about it once complete. I started it before, add to it during and review it in the editing stages to ensure the character I see in my mind is that character coming out on the page. One of those items that is so important for reader connecting and general depth are the silly inane things that make us unique as individuals. One of these is, of course, the crush.

Crushes are something teenage girls have on movie stars, the local football jock, or the boy she sits next to in history with the dreamy smile.  The almighty crush is something of legend and by the time we age and become adults the crush shouldn’t be a word in our vocab right? When we think of a crush, it is defined as unrequited feelings for another.   In the world of adults it takes on a different tone, I believe Ross Geller from Friends called it his top five. It is perfectly normal for all of us, single or committed to be attracted in one form or another to other people. We are in fact human. It is also healthy to share these ‘crushes’ with your partner as they probably have them as well.
So here is my question, who does my character have a crush on? Who makes her giggle or him smile wide and bright. It's not necessarily a sexual crush, there are all kinds of crushes. Personally I have several.

Physical – Their body makes your body…uh huh… you are happy to have the movie on mute is just to see the rippling abs.
Romantic -  Not necessarily hot bodies but definitely dreamy, these crushes are more romantic fantasy than physical hotness.
Intellectual – Their brains get you riled up and you are just in love with their brilliance!
Same Sex – Someone of the same gender that we just drool over because they are so amazing.

As we all have these types of admiration for people so should our characters. I
discovered that my heroine has an intellectual crush on Anderson Cooper. I have an intellectual crush on Seth McFarlane, Physical crush on Bruce Willis and Romantic crushes on Daniel Craig, and George Clooney. My Female crush is on Ellen DeGeneres, I am just so enamored by her spirit. If you look at my choices and think about them you can probably discover a lot about me.

So who are your crushes? Too many to name? Spread them around a bit, share with your characters and weave it into what makes them unique! This is also another way to make your characters relatable, grounded and more real. You think this might be a wasted detail but you never know how something so buried could pop up in the end.


*And yes, I did this topic just so I could look up fabulous pictures of hot guys!! LOL!
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Wednesday, March 13, 2019

Writing Warriors Wednesday! ~ The Kiss - A Pivotal Scene in Any Romance

Little girl’s dreams are built around it. Boys brag about it, and it's the force driving every book I write. Romance all about the kiss, not just any kiss, ‘the kiss’.  Sounds like a pretty weak way to drive anything, but that is my focal point. The first kiss and then the renewal kiss. 

In any romance the basic bare bones plot is usually the same.  Boy meets girl, boy gets girl, boy loses girl, boy wins girl back.  Obviously there are a million variations of this but the core is the same. So for a writer to truly translate their vision we must have a focus.

In my latest erotic novella, the entire novel started out as a single moment. A passionate, unexpected, but wanted moment between two professional people. I focused on the single image rolling all of the possibilities in my head, why wouldn’t they be able to fulfill their desires? What was holding them back and what would make them so desperate to act? Where did the need to be in the others embrace stem from? What were the consequences if they acted on their desires? The answers to each of these are of course endless, but in the end You Never Could Be was born. The two people became Sara and Will.

Will finished his conversation, and hung up his phone, having booked himself on the next available flight. Highway assistance had solved their lug nut challenge, and they were back on the road to the airport. Sara saw the exit and glanced at him with a grin, her stomach churning. His phone beeped and he glanced at the screen with an audible sigh.
“Is everything okay?”
“Uh, yeah, it’s fine.”
“You don’t sound so convinced.”
“I’m not.” His focus went toward the window a deafening quiet lying between them once again.
“Are you going out of the same terminal?”
“Yeah, I think so, American.”
She grabbed her drive-through pass and headed to the terminal. The curb side thorough-way was closed. She pulled into the garage and found a space. Sara was unwilling to break the boundary of silence he’d put up, and wordlessly popped the hatch.
“Make sure you get a new tire. You shouldn’t be driving on the donut for longer than a day.” He came around the side, pulling his luggage from the back.
“I will.” She pulled her fingers against her hair. The tension was killing her, and she’d had enough. “Will…”
“They’re replacing me.” Her blood turned to ice.
“What?”
“The phone call, it was Regan. They decided to split the departments, and my position has been absorbed into the transition.” Unable to deal with the news without emotion, she turned away from him. “There are a couple of positions available in Phoenix. They are setting up interviews for me.”
“When?”
“I’ll announce it Monday. They want me to work through the transition so probably a few weeks.”
“I can’t believe this is happening. Will, you’ve been—“
“It’s okay Sara. It’s not personal. We knew with all the changes' stuff like this was going to happen.”
“Yeah, but not to us.”
She saw him take a deep breath before he closed the hatch. Her emotions rose to her chest and she wasn’t sure what to do. She did her best to gulp it back.
“Well at least, you’ll be around for the next few weeks, so I can still harass you when needed.” She meant for the statement to be light, but it came out like a final farewell. “You’ll have to come up with an excuse to come visit. I’m sure the group of us can come up with a plausible justification.”
“I’ll be around.”
“I know you will. You're always around when I…we need you.” His eyes bore through her, and her body involuntarily tightened. “You’d…uh…you’d better get moving or you’re going to miss your plane again.”
“Yeah, I think I would have a hard time using the flat tire excuse twice.”
“Have a safe trip.” She stepped into him, wrapping her arm loosely over his shoulder in a hug. Her heart raced at the solid heat of his body against hers. “Let me know if you need anything. Seriously, if you need anything just call.”
“You too.”
She nodded and went to step back, his hand lingering on her hip. She hesitated. He moved, and she took another step. He threw his laptop case over his shoulder and unfolded his luggage before waving good-bye.
Heaviness settled on her chest, forcing a deep sigh. Her mind felt thick, and she pulled herself away, getting in her truck. She lifted the handle when the smacking of hurried footsteps against concrete got her attention.
“Sara!”
She spun on her heel following his voice around the truck.
“Did you forget something?” He didn’t respond just kept walking, a startling determination in his eyes. She waited in open confusion. He kept coming and before she could react, his hand curled on the back of her neck. His mouth crushed hers with a heated demand and she had no choice but to give in. She opened beneath him, and his tongue diving into her mouth. He shifted his arm, wrapping it around her waist, resting on the small of her back. His mouth still dominating her attention, his overpowering torso pressed her against the truck. She was trapped, unable to escape his possessed siege of her mouth.
The kiss broke, and they both gasped for air. His eyes searched her face, his fingers kneading her neck. He wordlessly pulled at her lips, and her hands balled against his chest. She took another gasp of air, looking up into his heavy-lidded eyes. "Don't go.”

In my first romantic suspense series, ‘Trust Me’, we have two people, breathless and desperate to kiss each other but unable to act on their feelings. The two people became Rebecca and Eric, the scene wound up in a very different place than I imagined it and the consequences were shattering to both of them.

Eric sat for a moment, letting the advice settle in his gut before he rose from the table. He made is way down the hall and over to the kitchen. He popped a few quarters in the vending machine his mind heavy in thought.
Just promise me, if you find her you won't walk away…
Then the world literally stopped. I looked up and there she was smiling at me as she said hello.
I wish that were true…
He made his way back to the conference room, two sodas in hand. He rounded the corner and bumped into someone. He heard a gasp and he turned. Her blue eyes looked at him in terror.
"Beccs."
He'd scared her again.
Damn it what was she doing out here alone?
She was breathless and he watched her body begin to quake. Her eyes watering, she looked to him helpless. He grasped her hand and scanned his ID before he led her into an empty conference room. She propped herself against the wall and he shut the door. Her trembling worsened while tears slid down her cheeks.
He pulled her into his chest wrapping his arms around her protectively until the trembling passed. She clung to him and he pulled her tighter against him, kissing the top of her head.
After a few minutes she seemed to calm. He looked down at her, his hand grazing her hair. She met his gaze, her cheeks still wet with tears.
"Okay?" He gently wiped her tears away with his thumb.
A quiet desperation shone back at him and he drowned in her eyes. His heart refused to be ignored. The walls he'd so carefully built crumbled like ash. Eric leaned down pressing his lips against hers, his hands pushing into her hair. He covered her mouth and a rush of fire swept through him. Her lips were warm and sweet. She opened up to him and he pulled her closer to him devouring her mouth. They melted together into one enduring embrace.
She pull away, their lips parted, and his heart screamed in protest.
"We can't do this," she said in a breathless whisper. His forehead rested against hers, eyes closed, fighting the need to kiss her again. "Eric…"
"If it was anyone else…" his voice a deep growl talking his way back from her warmth, "Rebecca I--"
Her warm hand rested against his cheek and stabs of pain pushed at him like his heart was being ripped from his body. He tried to catch his breath. Her eyes were brimming with life, pain, and unquenchable warmth.
She rose up on her toes. His arms still wrapped around her, she kissed him once more. Full of emotion and regret, her lips fit within his. She broke away and lowered herself back to the ground. Unable to pull away from her eyes, he could see the strain and exhaustion she fought to hide. His hand grazed her hair and her eyes closed.
Like the screaming of an alarm, his cell phone rang. Her eyes opened looking at him with strength, hiding the pain and fear only he could see. Her shoulders squared, her back stiffened and her arms dropped from his chest.
Eric kept her resilient but anguished gaze. He dropped his arms from their protective position around her. She took a step back. His cell phone rang again. She took another step and turned toward the door. He struggled with not being able to touch her, or hold her. She glanced back but within seconds she disappeared. It was a torture beyond his imagination and it was killing him.
His phone rang again and he pulled it from his pocket.
"This is Detective Stiles."


So that was the beginning of the Trust Me series, or at least the kernel of inspiration.  Now that was not the first kiss, nor would it be the last, but it is a crucial part of the plot. First kisses as I stated are of monumental importance to me. They have to be perfect. They have to feel honest, real and natural. One of my pet peeves is to have a kiss feel rushed or awkward, or when as the reader I am saying – where the hell did that come from. There has to be a build up, tension and finally the explosion that lifts the characters story to the next level.

In Shockwave, the first kiss is the turning point in the novel. It is the place where the reader is finally satisfied by the flirt. Kate Weiss and Jack Tucker are from two different worlds, he is always in the spotlight and she is always behind it. In the beginning of the story Jack and Kate hate each other until Kate is attacked by a group of thugs.  From there, the flirt is on and in this scene the readers are given what they have been hoping for…

It took a little time, but they managed to make their way out and hail a cab back to the hotel. Stumbling into the hotel laughing, they managed to navigate their way to the elevators. They stepped in, and concurrently forgot the floor of their rooms.
“Twenty-three Three is sticking in my brain.” She leaned against the back of the elevator.
“Twenty-three Three it is,” Jack pushed the button and leaned against the wall next to her.
“You’d think they would put it on your key or something.”
“What’s your room number?” His brain flipped like a coin in mid-air.
“2509.” He looked at her with a smile. “Seriously?”
She reached forward, pushed the button for twenty-five. He laughed.
“What’s your room number, Tucker?”
“Ah…I…well…I have no fucking idea!”
“See!” She stepped back leaning next him. “So I don’t want to hear any sass out of you about my 23!”
“My sass will remain closed.” The heat of her body made his head spin more than it already was.
“That’s why!”
“Why what?”
“I finally understand why she calls you Sass. I didn’t see it before, but now I definitely agree that you are…”
Abruptly the doors opened and they turned to move out of the elevator. He realized they were on the wrong floor and pulled her back.
“What are you doing?”
“Twenty-five remember, not twenty-three.”
“Oh yeah,” She turned to him with a lopsided smile. It hit him like a hammer. He realized it was the first time he had ever really seen her smile.  It lit up her face, and he couldn’t help but smile back. “Do you know that saying?”
“What saying?”
“The whole, what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas thing.”
“Yes, I am familiar with it.” The doors of the elevator opened again, and he gently turned her around moving her forward into the hallway.
“Well you need to make sure you understand that saying because well…” She rummaged through her pockets for her key. “I am breaking so many rules right now you wouldn’t believe.”
“Rules?” She stopped at her door leaning against it, key card in hand.
Jack watched her struggle to maintain her mental and physical balance.
“Yes, rules. Many, many rules.”
“What kind of rules?” Warmth enveloped him. Her scent and deep eyes drew him in, and he was powerless to resist.
“Important rules.” His palms rested on the door trapping her between his arms, and a deep sigh escaped her lips. “Very important rules.”
“Kate,” He breathed her in, just inches away from her lips, her emerald eyes shining brightly up at him.
“Yes?”
“Forget the rules.” He caressed her cheek with his thumb, his heart pounding against his chest. Jack let go of his fear, and covered her mouth with a passionate kiss.
He expected the moment of surprise. Then she kissed him back, her arms wrapping around his neck pulling him closer. After a hesitant but passion filled exploration of the other's lips, their touch parted, and he bit back a groan. He didn’t want to stop. He wanted to keep kissing her forever.

****

A little steamy, right-- Well all of that flirting tends to build up a little tension…and POW!

The kiss is a powerful weapon in the romantic suspense, more so than in other genres. The kiss is a prize, a reward for hard work and a job well done. You have managed to stay alive, here is your treat…you get the girl / guy!
Every writer has something that propels them forward, the kernel of truth they search out.

I ask you, with the utmost sincerity, what is more honest than a kiss? You cannot fake a kiss, not a real one anyway. It has the power to sway opinions, cease and cause wars, make you faint, swoon and or gag. For me, the kiss is the first breath of love, it is an act of passion and most of all awareness.  There is no way to deny, retract or ignore a real kiss, not even if you want to.
The core of my writing is the kiss in all of its glorious forms, whether is it a first kiss or a kiss goodbye, it is always memorable. It is my job to make you remember why.

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Wednesday, March 6, 2019

Writing Warrior Wednesday! ~ Writers are Athletes

In high school and even in real life we categorize people as either athletic or not athletic. This categorization is usually the result of your physical form or your abilities to play a sport. Personally, the only sport I ever enjoyed playing was volleyball and I wasn’t that great at it. Must admit, I had a killer serve!
So that would leave the rest of us as the non-athletics and more into the brain sciences like writing, math, science, art etc. Obviously, I am using generalizations to illustrate a point here, I know of lots of very athletic people who are mentally brilliant.

Being put in either category athlete or non-athlete comes with some standards. Typically, athletes have problems sitting still for more than ten minutes at a time, while non-athletes can binge-watch five hours of Stranger Things without lifting a muscle (except for the occasional drink or snack). Athletes are constantly hungry and or eating – non-athletes will get so lost in whatever project they are working on and forget to eat until 1 am and then scarf down bowl of cereal just to say they have eaten something.

My point being, both scenarios are misconceptions and absolutely wrong. Writers are just as much athletes as actual athletes and here’s why. The word athlete means - a person who is trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina.

Professional athletes, while getting paid way too much to play a game – in my humble opinion—work hard to be in top physical form and thus perform at their peak at all times. This means a strict regiment of diet, exercise, vitamins, and sleep. Many will even tell you it is the worst part of the job. However, they realize they need to fuel their bodies to fuel their activity.

So do writers! You require mental strength – discipline, skin of steel, and focus. Mental agility – the ability to keep track of plots, sub plot, characters and flow. Mental stamina – the need to be able to juggle lots of ideas and put them in a cohesive form and / or write when the rest of the world is binge watching TV or sleeping. All of this, not to mention everyday life. Most of us are not full-time writers, we have jobs, families, PTA, volunteering, night school etc.

So like athletes we need to keep our brains and bodies is top form to enable us to do the impossible – write 100,000 words, edit, rewrite, publish, &market.
As I said above, like athletes we need to make sure we are treating our bodies and fueling our minds as much as a physical athlete would. Which means, eating right, taking our vitamins, getting some regular exercise and scheduling time to sleep. We also need to make time for some much-needed fun! Relaxation and appreciate for where we are, what we have accomplished, and all the blessings our lives have to offer.

Being a writer, published or not is hard freaking work! Ignore people who think it is easy, a hobby or even a pastime. “Oh, you are a writer, that is a cake job.” BULLSHIT! It is mentally and physically difficult and you need to acknowledge – I HAVE a DIFFICULT job!

So, take care of yourself. Your brain and your body. Like it or not -- one is directly linked to the other and being conscious of this fact will put you ahead of the game! You are Writing Warriors and deserve to always be at your best to produce fight the good fight! This will also help with warding off negativity, stress and anxiety. A balanced life is a good life.

Could I have put more cliché’s in the post --- probably, but you get the point!

So how do you do it all? We will talk about that soon. For now, go take a walk and eat some vegetables for goodness sake!!

I love to hear your feedback! Leave a comment and let me know what you think and if the post was helpful! If you want more information, or assistance shoot me an email at writesromine@gmail.com or ping me on Twitter @AmyJRomine.



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Wednesday, February 27, 2019

Writing Warriors Wednesday ~Your Kernel Idea!

I lead a local Writing Group called the Writing Warriors. This is a wonderfully collaborative group of amazing people looking to connect with outer writers and hone their creative process.
In our first meeting, we discussed the foundation for any story, poem, a piece of art, music, blog post, new business, new invention – just about anything. The Kernel Idea!

This is the moment your creative brain latches on and the hamster wheel starts spinning. There is a rush of excitement and even giddiness at the endless possibilities. Many people take the idea and run with it rushing to find a piece of paper and start writing.

Here’s the challenge – 25,000 words later many people forget what it was that got them excited in the first place. They can no longer see the forest through the trees and the excitement fades away.  They have lost their kernel idea.
The word idea can mean lots of things to lots of people. For a writer, the idea is what the story is about. This is different than the Kernel Idea. The Kernel Idea can be anything, a quote, a smile, an interaction, a piece of dialog, a scene in a movie, the melody of a piece of music, a memory – you get the point.

When you look at your current WIP, ask yourself – What was my kernel idea? What was it that sparked my adrenaline-fueled decision that I could write 100,000 words about this?

For me, the kernel idea for my current WIP Finders came from the movie The Conjuring. Specifically, the real-life love story of Ed and Lorraine Warren, the first publicized ghost hunters. That developed into the flurry of questions and thoughts about how would two people like this meet and go on to be the first well-known paranormal experts? This is where I started developing the story, based on my kernel idea.

This is the anchor for not my story but my inspiration. My jolt of magic that made me sit up and say – oh yeah that is good!

Once you have identified your Kernel Idea the next step is to take the story and filter it down to two sentences. Your logline. These two are directly connected as they keep you focused. Every scene, theme, action, and climax should reflect your logline and your original inspiration.

I am not saying this is going to be easy because it’s not. It is a challenge for any creative person, experienced or novice) to take all that story and swill it down, but well worth it! The development of the logline is essential to keeping your creative mind focused and centered.

A great resource for examples of amazing, and sometimes, not so amazing, loglines are movies! Except in movies, they are called taglines. You usually see them on the movie poster. During our group, we played a little game where I would read the logline of a well-known movie and the group would guess the movie. It was a great laugh and a great way to demonstrate the impact two or three sentences can have when summing up your work.

As an exercise, I challenge you to identify the kernel idea for your current project or recent publication and also attempted to write out the logline. Tweet me what you come up with @AmyJRomine or post it to the #WritersCommunity hashtag on Twitter.

Here is a couple a resource to get your brain working on your logline.

Also, MUST recommend The Novel Writers Toolkit by the Astounding Bob Mayer who first introduced me to the Kernel Idea in his book 


I love to hear your feedback! Leave a comment and let me know what you think and if the post was helpful! If you want more information, or assistance shoot me an email at writesromine@gmail.com or ping me on Twitter @AmyJRomine.


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