For Writers Archive

Below are some items previously posted on the For Writers page.

Cara’s Tips:

• Don’t ever give up. If your dream is to become a published novelist, persevere. I believe that it’s perseverance – sometimes even more than talent – that makes that first sale. Think of those rejected manuscripts as “practice” – and write the next novel.
• Write everyday starting today. Don’t put off writing until you “have the time.” Borrow from the Nike slogan and “Just do it!” Start now and make the time to write everyday – even if it’s for just and hour – or just until you complete a page. This way writing will become a habit.
• Join a writer’s group or take a class. I joined the Romance Writers of America only after I’d mailed my first manuscript off. I thought that putting that book in the mail legitimized me as a writer, and that I needed to do that before I joined a group. My advice to you is don’t wait. Join an organization of writers right now. I also belong to a local group of writers – the Central New York Romance Writers. Belonging to this group allows me to network with other writers and this is invaluable. The CNYRW played a crucial role in my becoming a published writer. If you don’t have a local group, try taking a class. This is another way that you can network with other writers.
• Attend conferences and go to the workshops. Take notes and buy the tapes. Learn about the craft from other writers. To this day, I attend workshops. I buy tapes from other writers I admire. As a writer, I am a lifelong learner. I will just never know enough about the craft.
• Read a lot. Stephen King says, “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot. There’s no way around these two things that I’m aware of, no shortcut.” (On Writing)

Last but not least, believe in yourself. After Never give up, this is the best tip I can give you.

Writing Better (and sexier) Love Scenes ;)

As a Blaze writer, creating better (sexier and sometimes funnier) love scenes is the challenge that presents itself each time I begin a new book.  Not the easiest job in the world, but I chose it over teaching junior high school English.  And to borrow the McDonald’s slogan – I’m lovin’ it!

Before I started writing for Blaze, readers used to ask me – Where do you get your ideas?  Now, they shy away from that question…and wonder.  Sometimes, I wonder myself.   My sister’s a nun, for heaven’s sake!  We went to an all girl Catholic high school where we wore uniforms, and for the Senior Prom, I had to model my dress before a panel of nuns to get it “approved.”  On top of that, we were told that when we danced with a boy we had to leave room for our guardian angels in between us!  No lie.  I’ve definitely come a long way, baby!

So—do I have any secrets to pass along?  Maybe.  But I can’t tell you how to write love scenes.  We all have to discover and develop our own methods.   And we all have to find our own comfort level.  I personally like to have a block of uninterrupted time to devote to them.   You may need chocolate and a certain kind of music.  Whatever works.   

Are there any rules?  I think there are only two.  Number one is something that my editor Brenda Chin at Harlequin has helped me to discover.  Love scenes have to grow out of character.  The hero and heroine should reveal the qualities that define them as characters while they are making love – or we should see that quality begin to change.  The love scenes should be part of your character arc.  (Yes, I have occasionally been guilty of writing a generic love scene – but they don’t get past Brenda.  She always sends me back to the drawing board.  Love her for that!)

Rule number two is that more than just sex has to happen in a love scene.  In addition to revealing character, good love scenes move the story forward because the hero and the heroine should discover something about the other person and/or about themselves.  They should change as a result of making love.  You should not be able to write your book and then go back to fill in the love scenes.  You should not be able to write the next scene until you write that love scene.

Those are the only two rules that I’ve been able to figure out.  And I try to follow them (probably a hangover from my Catholic schooldays!)  What else do I do?  Writing this article has made me start thinking about that and I’ve some up with a little list.  Feel free to try any of the following out – whatever works.

1. I buy Cosmopolitan Magazine every month, clip out interesting stuff (especially if it makes me laugh), and file it.  (I’m a grandmother of two – I have to keep current.)
2. I remind myself to spend time in my characters’ heads.  (My reader knows how the body parts work.  What she wants to know is how the physical is affecting the emotions of the hero or heroine).
3.  I also remind myself that love scenes should have a progression.  My hero and heroine are learning more about each other each time they make love, and they should build on that knowledge.  Plus, each love scene should leave them more vulnerable to the other person – and further down on that slippery slope they’re sliding into love.
4. I use dialog.   People do talk to each other when they’re making love.  And this is a great technique for keeping the reader hooked and making sure that the scene doesn’t become generic.
5. I switch POV.  I think the reader wants both POV’s.  If a scene break seems too disruptive – I cheat.  (One way to do this is to begin a paragraph with an action by the other character and then slip into his/her POV.)
6. I try to give my readers variety.  I brainstorm ways in which I can vary the following:
   • The circumstances; will it be a planned seduction or impromptu?
   • The setting; will the love scene occur in a private space or public; on the baby grand piano or beneath it; outdoors or indoors; in the shower or the bathtub?  The list could go on and on (and it has.)
   • The mood/tone.  (Desperation is good.  And humor is my favorite.  Sharing laughter always deepens intimacy.)
   • The pacing of the love making – fast or slow?  Or a combination?
   • The techniques the characters might use – and who takes the lead.  (use of toys, games?)
   • The timing – When will they make love for the first time?  In the first chapter or the fifth?  Or later? 
7. Finally, I always try to give my readers a little surprise.  (Here’s where my file of clippings from Cosmo comes in!)  And it sure doesn’t hurt if the characters are surprised too.

One final piece of advice (and I’m sure you’ve heard it before) – study how your favorite authors write love scenes and borrow their techniques.  What do they do to keep the reader engaged and fascinated?  How to they balance interior monologue and dialogue?  This is the best way I know to find your own comfort zone and to learn the craft.  Although I gave up my career as a junior high English teacher, I still teach writing on the college level.  Each semester I tell my students that they will learn more from studying other writers than they will ever learn from me.

Writing Romantic Comedy: Can I write humor even if I’m not a stand-up comic?

The answer is YES!

If you write romance, you can write romantic comedy. You are already a part of a long tradition of romantic comedy that traces its roots back to classic Greek and Roman comedies up through Shakespeare and Jane Austen right up to the present day. As romance writers we already wear the “Comic” mask of classic comedy, not the tragic one. We view life optimistically with lots of hope for the future. In our stories, true love triumphs, and in binding two people together builds the foundation for the survival of the human species.

But not all romances are romantic comedies. And what exactly are romantic comedies, you night well ask. How do they differ from other romances?

Basically, I am broadly defining a romantic comedy as a romance that is laced with and/or emphasizes humor. And what I want to share with you are some tips for adding humor to your books.

Tip #1: Be born with a true comic voice.

I wasn’t born with one. If you were born with one, you can stop reading right here. If you’re like me, you can read on because what I’m going to do is share with you some of the things I’ve done to build a comic voice and to try to make my romances funnier.

Tip #2: Examine what makes you laugh and write that.

Humor is subjective. Figure out what tickles your funny bone and write that. Do you like broad comedy – “Something About Mary?” Black comedy – “Fargo?” Sweet comedy – “While You Were Sleeping? Pretty Woman?”

Next, Read in the genre. (How many times have you heard that advice?) More specifically, if you are interested in writing romantic comedy – and you like to read them, read authors that you like who are doing it successfully – and figure out what they’re doing. I was given the same advice when I first started writing romance – especially when I was trying to write good sexual tension. Over and over again at conferences, I would hear published authors saying read love scenes by authors you like to read and analyze what they’re doing. And how they’re doing it. Then imitate them, incorporating your own uniqueness of course. Do the same with comedy. Study how your favorite authors do it and then imitate them.

Tip #3: Analyze the experts who write comedy.

My personal favorite comic writer is Neil Simon. When I look at his plays two in particular – I see certain patterns. In Barefoot in the Park – the humor arises primarily out of characters. The heroine – Corrie Bratter and her husband Paul are two total opposites. He’s an uptight lawyer; she’s a quirky, outgoing darling who sees a nine floor walkup apartment as a love nest. Her husband is horrified. So is her mother. Only an eccentric neighbor seems to sympathize with her.

The play throws strong characters who are total opposites into conflict and the humor rises out of that.

“The Odd Couple” is not a romantic comedy but when I saw the original movie with Jack Lemon and Walter Mathau, I couldn’t stop laughing. Once again, this is a play that throws strong characters who are total opposites into conflict.

After Neil Simon – I look to the writers of classic sitcoms.

Starting with “I Love Lucy” – which is still playing. The comedy is timeless. Two students in one of my writing classes when given the assignment to rhetorically analyze either a TV show or a store at the mall, chose to analyze “I Love Lucy.” They did a great job, but I had to ask them why they watch it. Their mothers did and it’s become a tradition in their family.

In their analysis – by the way – they said that the appeal of the show arises out of the two strong characters who are total opposites – Lucy and Dezi – who are constantly in conflict with one another. She always wants to break into show business, and he wants her home. My students also thought that the greatest appeal of the show is that Lucy is just darling.

This is a little aside — but I also think it’s useful to think about how much of the humor of the show lies in anticipation of what ‘s going to happen. Get Lucy in a situation where she’s crushing grapes, and you can almost predict what’s going to happen. You begin to laugh ahead of time, just waiting for that something to happen. Good writers will surprise you – but you already have an idea of what’s coming. It’s the same thing when she gets that job in the candy factory and the belt starts running fast and she can’t keep up.

I’m not sure I understand how this works fully – but in my books I try to create a strong character and set things up so that my readers can anticipate things too.

Another favorite sitcom of mine was “Family Ties.” It’s not a romantic comedy, but it’s certainly a show where the humor arises out of strong characters – well-defined – who come into conflict. So much of the humor of that show arose out of opposites. The parents vs. Alex. Flower children vs. a Reaganite. Alex vs. Mallory. The know it all vs. the air head.

And once again – how much of the humor was a result of the audience being able to anticipate a reaction or an action? Watch reruns and see how Michael J. Fox pauses before he gives the line. He lets the audience have that moment of anticipation.

The humor of “Family Ties” is very similar to the humor of “Dharma and Gregg.” They are total opposites as are their parents. Only Dharma and Gregg aren’t always in conflict with each other– but they are with their parents. And Dharma’s definitely a darling.

So I see two patterns developing here – strong characters who are total opposites in conflict – and Heroines who are quirky and totally loveable – in other words – darlings.

Tip #4: Create a strong, quirky heroine who is a darling. (Surprise! Surprise!)

In fact, make her really unique in her quirkiness. Which leads me to another little tip – a writing tip in general – always pull out all the stops when you’re writing. Don’t worry that you’ll run out of ideas or you better save this or that for a later chapter or a later book – just use it up – and more will come to you. It’s kind of like love – the more you give a way, the more seems to flow in to replace it,

Tip #5: Create a strong comic premise.

Steal an idea from Shakespeare – he used disguises and masquerades all the time. Girls dressing up as boys – twins mistaken for one another.

Steal from the tried and true Romance novel premises and give them a comic twist – fake engagement, marriage of convenience, fish out of water, matchmaker kids or grandparents, unexpected kids (baby on the doorstep – 3 men and a baby.)

Examine premises of romantic comedies: steal them but give them a twist.

“While You Were\ Sleeping” (a fake engagement)

“Pretty Woman” (a marriage of convenience)

“My Best Friend’s Wedding”

“Roman Holiday” “It Happened One Night”

Tip #6: Create wonderfully unique and eccentric secondary characters.

This is my true key to survival in writing humor. I have always felt that secondary characters should be unique and live on in the reader’s mind. I mean if you have to create them at all, why not have some fun?

• Create eccentric octogenarians. I absolutely love do this. I come from a family where a lot of people live to be over 90. And since my great grandmother had 14 children, I got to see a lot of them. My great aunt Ethel passed a few years ago. I think she was ninety-one. To the very end she looked like a Vogue model – she was a truly beautiful woman. She drank her martinis straight up and gambled at casinos. She has not yet appeared in any of my books, but I’m thinking...
• Shamelessly utilize kids – always a great source of humor.
• Shamelessly utilize pets. I’ve always done this. I love pets in my books. They are absolutely worth their weight in laughs. Put an animal in a book, and you have a built in running joke.

The best thing about secondary characters is that you can go over the top with them – just don’t let them steal the book.

Tip #7: Don’t ever forget that you’re writing a Romance.

Don’t get so carried away by writing humor that you forget what genre you are writing for. At the heart of any good Romantic Comedy is a strong compelling love story. Yes, Virginia, writing Romantic Comedy is just as hard as writing a romance. But it might be more fun!

Two people who on the surface seem totally wrong for each other but who fall in love with one another and who because of that love and because of what they have to do to achieve it are transformed into better human beings. That the story of romance – and it’s the story of all romantic comedies too.

One final word. There are many advantages to giving humor a try in your writing. For one thing, humor can help you to develop your characters and reveal character arc. It can also show the development of intimacy between your hero and your heroine. Shared humor and laughter is a strong connection. Last but not least, add humor to your books ca make those long days facing that black computer screen a lot more fun!

Time Management Secrets: How to Increase Your Productivity

(Without Losing Your Sanity or Giving Up the Other Important Things in Your Life)

1. Increase your motivation
   
   Give yourself permission to acknowledge your “dream.” (Eliminate fear and guilt.)
   
   Write down your goals: (five years from now, one year, a week, today -- the simple physical act will result in clarity and focus.)
   
2. Create the time to write.
   
   Map out what fills your time now.
   
   Decide which activities you can: shorten, eliminate, combine (or multi-layer)
   
   Identify places where you can beg, borrow, buy or steal time.
   
   Carve out at least one or two hours a day.
   
   Schedule the hour(s) into your day.
   
3. Make the “new found” time more productive.
   
   Set goals for each session (ie., write three pages in two hours).
   
   Stop ten minutes before session is over to set goal for next session. Stop in the middle or a scene or sentence (a “Hemingway” trick). Plan the GMC for the scene you will write the next session.
   
4. Make writing everyday into a habit.  Will power is created, not “born.”
   
   Make a commitment (Back to #1 – motivation)
   
   Do it for you!  (Back to #1 – acknowledge your dream!)
   
   Go through the motions.  (Even if it “feels” uncomfortable at first, sit down at your desk and write for one (or however many you have carved out) hours everyday.
   
   Do it everyday.  (Frequency and regularity are the keys to creating a habit.)
   
   Have a schedule and stick to it. (Back to #2 – carve out the time).
   
   Make writing a priority.  (Back to #1 – motivation).