I usually don't share posts from third parties, but this one I absolutely must share! Jody Hedlund is fast becoming one of my favorite romance writers, but apart from her fiction, her blog is absolutely brimming with useful tips for folks like me who write, but aren't yet published. I agree wholeheartedly with 4 out of the 5 components that she lists.
And because she inquires after opinions regarding whether fiction is becoming too formulaic, I figured that I might as well disagree with 1 point. I don't always like the hero of the romantic triangle. I read Lori Benton's Burning Sky last year, and absolutely LOVED it! But, a huge part of me liked the secondary male character better. I liked Joseph Tames-his-Horse a lot, at least as much as Neil and possibly more. I have to wonder, then, if it's possible for a romance to end with the heroine ending with the unlikely choice.
What do you think about love triangles? Should the heroine ever choose the "other" man?
Please check out Jody's blog post, it's quite brilliant!
5 Elements Sigh-Worthy Romance Novels Must Have
I wish more heroines would choose the other man. I would make the rational choice, the choice about what would be best for both our lives, and I'd like a heroine to do the same every now and again. Contrary to popular opinion, love will not conquer all.
ReplyDeleteSometimes the other man does feel like the more logical choice. What I like best is when both men would make a good choice. It's hard when one man has a hidden agenda of evilness lurking, and very unrealistic. Of course she's going to pick the nice guy who doesn't tear down housing complexes to build a parking lot, etc.! If there's going to be a love triangle, I at least want there to be two gentlemen, not a gentleman and a jerk.
DeleteAwesome! I always need more advice about writing novels (especially the romance part. I'm still trying to work at that. Honestly, I kinda feel awkward if I even make my characters kiss, lol.) Thanks for the link!
ReplyDeleteYeah! I'm so glad the link was helpful! Jody's entire blog is helpful, actually, with lots of good tips and questions to make you ponder. :)
DeleteI like romance most of the time. But it can be puzzling to figure out how to make it realistic without being graphic. Jody has a really good balance, I think. She always finds to draw the hero and heroine closer in a physical way without it being immodest, but she also focuses on them connecting in a spiritual manner too. That's the one of the things I really like about her work. :)
The question is, maybe, what is the unlikely choice? I think in a novel the author works towards two characters getting together throughout the entire story. So one of the guys becomes the most likely choice as the story progresses. Ofcourse she could have chosen the other guy, but then he would most likely already have been the most likely from the beginning?
ReplyDelete(I'm not saying it's always like this though)
I think I'm curious as to whether writer's ever change their male lead. I found that happening in a book I wrote about half of 10 years ago. My hero wasn't enough of a hero, and instead, the local law enforcement who came charging to the rescue ended up as the lead in my head. I love him, still, and if I ever rewrote that book, he would be the hero instead of poor Laurence who would probably get written out of the book entirely. I wonder if that happens to other writers, where the romantic lead switches in different drafts of the novel.
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