Don't you just hate it when you're reading a romance novel and, near the end of the story the characters have a fight or for some reason they just cannot be the happy couple they've been for the last hundred pages? They are meant for each other! Don't tear them apart! I hated it so much that when I started my current WIP, my first actual romance novel, I decided I just wouldn't put in "The Break Up" and they would live happily ever after without the stupid fight. I even threw in a suspenseful subplot in the hopes that its climax would add enough conflict in the end.
But then I realized they had to have The Break Up. It just simply isn't a romance novel without it, right? I wasn't sure how I was going to do it. I had a very general idea, meaning that I wanted them upset with each other during the suspenseful climax so that when the dust settled and the bullet's echo subsided, the could have a really cute Make Up scene. Sigh.... Sometimes it makes me sick that I'm such a helpless romantic.
Anyway, I didn't know for sure how I was going to drive a rift between them since, you know, I just love them both so much I couldn't possibly plot their demise out beforehand and have a clear conscience about it. Then, when I was writing last night, it just happened. All of a sudden, the romantic hero was stalking away from the party fuming, and the romantic heroine was left there, broken.
I've never felt so cruel in my entire life! And in my last novel I had killed off my favorite character's father! My poor, poor characters. How could I do this to them? But I have to admit, it was a pretty great scene. It did both the characters justice, even if it did break their little hearts.
I just really shouldn't have stopped writing last night after that. I'm in such a rotten mood, I think it would be safer for everyone I may come across today if I just didn't leave the house. But its Sunday and I have to go to church. Maybe I should have gone to my home ward...
Anyway! Moral of the story: a romance novel is nothing without its Break Up. Just don't leave your characters in the middle of it. They need you to hold their hands and reassure them that they'll get back together. I mean, it is a romance novel, right?
~Amy
(Coming soon: My thoughts on writing romance.)
4 comments:
Love it :) And I agree with Shakespeare, "The course of true love never did run smooth." I personally think you CANNOT really love someone with out obstacles. The bigger the obstacle the more potential for love! Great post Amy :)
Oh, I forgot to say...I LOVE the picture :)
aww, it'll get better as soon as you bring them that moment! thats the best =)
Amy...Too true. I love how close you are with your characters! How does that song go...Breaking up is hard to do. It's hard when you're in it...but doubly hard when you write it because, like you said, you have to feel and hurt for both parties. And you know that he didn't mean that, and that she was just acting brashly and that he walked into the room at the exact wrong moment and that it's not as bad as it looks and on and on and on. :) I agree... it's never good to go to bed with that on your mind. :) Thanks for the heads up! :)
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