Working on the third draft of a novel is the most nail-biting stage of the writing process. This is where I cut out scenes that aren’t necessary to the story arc and start working on better prose. It’s a total immersion by getting into the skin of the characters and fine-tuning the dialogue and pace. I see what’s missing and what is superfluous and add gestures and facial expressions. It’s the most important draft, and I expect to do a read-through out loud in the next draft with no major changes.
Tag: writers
A Writer’s Corner – Writing Love Scenes
The love scenes are the most difficult scenes to write. In my books, I thought I handled the emotional part of desire very well but did not handle the Instalove and obsession well at all. This is so much a part of the romance genre, and it has always felt very unconvincing to me. It is very juvenile, yet it is so popular.
My characters are more ‘mature’ in that they don’t fall in love immediately. They are attracted, intrigued, and often baffled by this. There is a lot of wariness and uncertainty until the very end.
It’s hard to identify the moment when real love happens. We don’t even see when that happens in real life, so how can we capture that moment in a novel?
There’s a scene in my most recent novel, Marry Me, Duke, where the female main character all but begs her new husband to make love to her. That was such an enjoyable scene to write. For one, you don’t often see this in historical romance novels. Her lust and curiosity seem very real to me—as is his rejection. When they finally do make love, she takes the lead at first. And after that point, he gradually falls in love with her. That, to me, felt more realistic than Instalove/lust would have.
A Writer’s Corner – The Publishing Industry
The publishing industry has been missing the mark in different ways for a very long time. This was more understandable in the past. Given the printing costs involved and the warehousing of unsold books, taking a chance on a new author or genre was risky. Now, with print-on-demand and e-books, there’s little reason to be so cautious.
There is no reason not to watch Indie authors and ‘try before you buy’.
Many writers feel that there is a stigma attached to being an Indie author. Sadly, many readers still believe that if you aren’t published by one of the big publishing houses, you aren’t a legitimate writer.
I seek out Indie authors on Amazon as long as they’re enrolled in KU. I hope others do the same. That said, with the ease of self-publishing, readers have a lot of matter to sift through and it may be difficult to choose a new author.
This culture of social media, branding, and putting oneself on display does not help matters. That an author is lauded on social media does not mean, that the writing is good or compelling. I have picked up books that have few to no ratings and found them wonderful to be wonderful hidden jewels that have no way to shine.
A Writer’s Corner – Should a person who is not a romantic write a romance novel?
An editor in the R/writing sub Reddit asks the intriguing question, “Who are you writing for?”
They went on to say that they’re not writing for themselves because their goal is for other people to read their work. I totally get that. And OP goes on to say that they’re not writing for others either because they don’t want other people and those opinions to affect their work. I get that, too.
“However, without a clear picture of for whom I’m writing, I am still writing.”
That’s the thing, isn’t it? Sometimes, we just don’t know what motivates us to write. But this post got me thinking.
Initially, I started writing purely for myself. I needed to get all of these characters and scenarios out of my head, so I thought, why not publish them? It’s an exorcism of sorts.
Then I discovered that the process was a lot of fun—more fun than doing my other hobbies. It became the most enjoyable use of my spare time.
I love developing the characters, getting into their minds, and building their world.
Then, I published my first book and discovered the world of self-publishing. I was immediately resistant to marketing and branding. I hated the idea of using social media to promote my book. I told myself that, though sales would be nice, the lack of sales wouldn’t stop me from writing. But I found myself checking every day to see if the book had any traction at all.
I found that as much as I like writing, I absolutely loved the idea that someone else might enjoy my book as much as I enjoyed writing it. I found that I wanted the reader’s opinions as much as I feared those opinions.
It became a balancing act. I have to confess that I altered my writing somewhat to fit my reader demographic. Historical romances traditionally have a happy ever after—I know that. I’m too much of a realist to want or to even buy into the happily ever after. For the most part, they also have alpha males as the hero. This makes me think that maybe someone who is cynical by nature shouldn’t be writing romances. I’m not enamored of the alpha male trope. Nuanced male characters are much more intriguing. I love the flawed heroes who show their vulnerability: the ones overcoming family baggage, the ones who are scarred by war and other trauma. I deep dive into the feelings.
So, while common tropes frame the narrative, my characters don’t quite fit into the trope. My female characters are bolder and somehow more self-assured—even those who are shy have confidence in some areas of their lives.
The OP in the sub-Reddit ends his post by asking again who I should be writing for. My answer would be to write for yourself, and hopefully, you will find your audience.
A Writer’s Corner – Prologue
Do readers like prologues or skip them? This question was asked in a writer’s forum I belong to, so the answers were from writers rather than readers.
Some think that readers skip over prologues, mistaking them for a book’s forward, rather than understanding that the prologue is a necessary part of the story.
Of course, it’s not always necessary. Sometimes, a prologue, if badly written, is nothing more than an info dump. I was surprised to see that many writers feel that prologues are unnecessary or misused. There was a lot of mention of fantasy novels, in particular, which seem to be overweighted in character and environment history.
I like prologues, and I always read them. I feel that if a novel has a prologue, then it is really for a reason. I wrote a prologue for my second novel and have one in my work in progress.
In my last novel, Marry Me, Duke, the prologue could have been chapter one. It gave the reason why an event happened later. I did not want this reason to have to be explained. I wanted readers to see it and register it so that they would not later be surprised or have questions about the actions of a certain character.
I dislike when the reason for an action has to be explained in a book. I would rather put all the pieces of the puzzle together myself and come to a conclusion, particularly for pivotal moments. The worst thing for me as a reader is having to scratch my head and wonder at a character’s motivations when we should have already seen some foreshadowing.
For this reason, I always read prologues and write them when they’re part of the story that will inform future action or an action in the past that the reader must know about.
In my work in progress, the prologue covers an event fifteen years prior to the main story. It defines the main character. If I didn’t have the prologue, a pivotal event in chapter one would not have the same impact. The reader response would be curiosity rather than ‘uh-oh there’s trouble coming.’ Without the prologue, the explanation would have to be told much later instead of seen, and I think it would not have been as impactful.
In general, I use prologues to show why something happened rather than awkwardly explaining it.
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Does Social Media Kill Creativity?
A Redditor recently railed against mobile phone usage by writers-more specifically, that it fosters addiction to social media. They claimed that over usage of mobile phones kills creativity and productivity. They went on to talk about the effect on the brain of overstimulation, which will make us want nothing more than constant mindless content. The OP claimed that mindless stimulation does not allow our minds to wander and be creative.
I was happy to see that most of the commenters disagreed. It seems that most writers, like me, use their phones as a tool rather than an escape. While there is some truth to the benefits of allowing the mind to wander, a lot of creativity can come from many things in social media that stimulate our brains.
Our phones can be, and are, used for research, world-building, YouTube videos on writing, finding out what other writers are doing, and marketing. One commenter stated that he wrote most of his book on his mobile phone while commuting. I do a lot of writing on public transport or when I am stuck in a waiting room. I use the dictaphone if I wake up in the middle of the night with an idea.
My phone is one of my best tools because I can use it anytime, anywhere.
How did you come up with your idea for a novel?
A reader asked me this and it made me realize that most of my ideas come from something that resonates with me on a personal level.
I love writing historical romances, and the inspiration for my most recent novel, Marry Me, Duke, came from experience. No, sadly, I did not marry a duke. I was a caregiver for a few years and decided that one of my main characters should be a caregiver.
It turned into a semi-mystery with a bold debutant caring for a handsome duke. She was bossy and controlling but well-meaning and falling in love.
Most of my ideas come to me while thinking of hobbies or situations a Victorian heroine can find herself in, and it is easier to craft a character I can personally relate to.
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Wit and Banter
Regency romance is known for its sharp wit and clever banter. The dialogue between characters is often a highlight, filled with humor, charm, and intellectual sparring. The verbal exchanges between the protagonists add a layer of entertainment that keeps the storytelling engaging and delightful.
I love good dialogue, particularly centered around conflict, but writers who master the art of comedy in their writing deserve all the accolades. I think comedic scenes are difficult to write because there is no universal standard for humor. When I laugh out loud at a scene, I wonder if others are discovering the same humor in it.
In Marry Me, Duke, I wrote scenes that made me laugh while writing them but did that humor translate well.
Why don’t you find out?
Check out ‘Marry Me, Duke’ where a bossy woman fights for the man and the life she wants. https://a.co/d/9lsK0vX
Image generated using AI – Midjourney.
Escapism at its Finest
In this world filled with unmentionable and unacceptable activities, historical romance serves as a true escape. Sigh. That has always been so. During the Great Depression, didn’t the world have Shirley Temple and Charlie Chaplin to take people’s minds off of the tragedy of life?
Historical romance books and films full of idyllic countryside estates, grand ballrooms, and intricate period costumes transport us to a bygone era. It’s a welcome retreat from the complexities of the present, allowing us to lose ourselves in the romance and elegance of another time. As a teenager,
I was an avid reader of Harlequins—needing this other world escape. My mind has been trained to build romantic characters and worlds and now, I am happy to share these stories with those who, like me, just yearn for a love story.
Check out ‘A Misalliance with Love’ and ‘Marry Me, Duke’ where love is just within reach. https://amzn.to/3RVBJLD
Image generated using AI – Midjourney.
Strong, Independent Heroines
Regency and particularly Victorian romance shows us strong-willed heroines who defy societal norms. These women navigate a world that expects them to conform, and their resilience is both empowering and inspiring.
My favorite recent ‘girl power’ heroine is the main character in the Miss Scarlet and the Duke masterpiece series. She’s running her own business and coming up against people who believe she should conform to society’s views of what a gently raised woman should be, and ladies certainly do not view corpses and fight villains. Witnessing these characters’ trials and journeys of self-discovery resonates with modern sensibilities.
I have always loved a strong heroine. The fearless women who buck the trends and stomp through life, taking no prisoners, are the best female main characters written. They are fun and exciting.
These are the characters I try to write because these are the ones I love to read. But sometimes, I do stray from this trope. I love a shy character who becomes the person she is meant to be. I love proud accomplishments by the underdog.
My work in progress, ‘An Unexpected Lady’, is about a shy woman who experienced an early childhood trauma that is barely remembered but instrumental in forming her personality. Love makes her bold, strong and determined to pursue her passions-one of which being a certain gentleman. The male main character will draw her out of her shell while having reason to be suspicious of her. Oh, what a tangled web I’m weaving.
Check out ‘A Misalliance with Love’ and ‘Marry Me, Duke’, where the women are strong and fight for what they want. https://amzn.to/3RVBJLD
Image generated using AI – Midjourney.
DEE HARPER LEWIS 