#it's not about nitty gritty details changed... it's about the substance and tone of the thing

[limerental]

actually it is kinda funny that BO's plot is essentially "gang of misfits come together on a quest and save the day" given that that's also the plot of the saga except they a) don't save the day and b) well

[extrajigs]

The MODERN MIRAN SCRIPT. Basically the continuation of the old school Chimeric that I covered in this post. That has most of the nitty gritty and this is more so about the branch of the language. The BIG info dump below the cut!

Chimeric is the original, a purely written language used by chimera when talking is unavailable. Written in a circle heading inwards with two defined lines of dialogue. The subject/action 'real' substance and the tonal, emotional intent of the writer and sometimes reader. Chimeric is still used by the remaining population to talk within their ranks, but nearly every chimera is at least bilingual depending on where they ended up. Back in Mirum the written language of Chimeric stayed behind but has been pretty heavily modified to better suit the reading style of the people that remained. Mainly Histin who cut out pretty much all the fluff and added a bit more structure.

So! As opposed to the radial style of Chimeric, Miran has double decker sentences. With the top row being the remnants of the Subject quarter and the bottom row being the Action quarter. Linkage of subjects and actions take place between the two lines. Plus there is a new form of linkage, the priority/influence links which show which subject is acting upon who, and define action sequences. While Chimeric is written inwards radially, Miran is written top to bottom, starting going from left to right then right to left and alternating down the page. Also circular paper is swapped for rectangular, think a standard 8x10. Still, you are expected to enclose sentences within two parentheses, lil hold over from the circular days. But to the outside perspective the largest difference between the two is their tones, or well overtonage of one and lack of tone in the other. Chimeric is the 3 paragraph overly detailed text, Miran is the single word response. Lest to say they do not mesh super well.

ANOTHER fun hold over I want to add but am still thinking over characters for is that for rare fancy words (poetry/music/heart speak) Miran can slide in a THIRD ROW in between the first and second. There the spoken tone quarter manages to eek out a meager Miran existence through a few dozen sets of characters to convey certain emotions and the like. Songs in Miran very often have multiple sets of lyrics overlaid in this fashion, the largest can have 5+ tonal rows.

Oh that reminds me! Miran DOES have a spoken equivalent. Or rather, the original shared Histin/Diagrevies language has been stretched over to fit better with the written word. That in itself has split the spoken word in Mirum in two once more, with spoken Miran and Draconic being the two main talkings. Histin typically only speak and read Miran, whilst Diagrevies will speak both; with their preference being draconic. A Diagrevies will typically have a Histin under their employ to read and write for them since ya know, they cannot see.

All this taken into consideration though, Miran and Chimeric are still basically two ways of writing the same basal language. Not that modern speakers like to admit that. But small character additions and style changes aside, if you can read one you can get the gist of the other. Miran is by far the most spoken in modern times tho. Its a little more accessible for different species than Chimeric.

Want to get more into the modern Mirum dealings. The chimera may be absent but their influence is still very plain to see if you know where to look.

[crystaljjohnson]

To Smut Or Not To Smut

Growing up my mother was a massive reader of romance novels. I was intrigued by the couples on the covers of her steamy love stories. The men with their billowing white shirts unbuttoned, and the women wearing flowing gowns that had one strap which fell from her shoulder. He would lovingly embrace her while they stood outside in a slight breeze as she looked longingly into his eyes. As I got older, I started taking a peek inside the books to see what these two lovers were up to. Let me just say; a sexy Playboy picture can’t compare to words perfectly placed to create a super-charged sexual encounter. Every sweep of a tongue and thrust of hips written out in great detail gives you an advanced lesson in the birds and the bees.

I’m going, to be honest about my journey into the world of romance novels. I was young and curious, and I solely read the books just so I could get to the sex scene. For the time being, I got what I wanted out of the story, and my raging hormones were satisfied. As I got older, I started to want more substance out of the relationship between the characters I read about. I wasn’t so eager for them to bump uglies, and I started to appreciate the buildup to the fornication. Following the characters behind closed doors morphed into an added bonus to a well thought out storyline.

Now I’m the author, and I’m left with the question – to smut, or not to smut?

We all know that sex sells. For Christ’s sake, I was watching T.V. the other night, and a commercial for cat food started off with two people rushing to a bedroom and ripping off clothes. I do not know what gross wet cat food has to do with banging, but okay. Does that mean you must have sex scenes to have a popular book? Can you write a romantic story without sex? How far is too far? I hate to break it to you, but this is a decision only you can make for your book, but thankfully, I’m here to help you reason through the options.

The Flow – If you are writing a book where the physical act of sex is the driving force (aka Erotica) then this really doesn’t pertain to you. Your character can hit the skins here or there, with him or her, at the beginning or at the end, it’s easy. For those of us who write stories in other genres, we have to take into consideration how those moments of getting frisky are going to affect the flow of our story. Is the sex casual or romantic? Does it strengthen the relationship between two characters? Where does the relationship go from here? I personally don’t rush to get to the first time my characters play hind the cannoli. I’m a helpless romantic, and in my stories, it is a special moment. I want the readers to anticipate it, and therefore, I milk every milestone in the relationship up to the big moment.

There is a time and place for the horizontal cha-cha. If the MC’s beloved father is in the next room dying, it’s not realistic for them to want to get all touchy feely. The MC losing their V-card out of desperation is normally frowned upon. Consider the situation and the MC’s frame of mind before they get naked. Also, remember there are exceptions to the rule if the scene is written correctly.

The Tension – Sexual tension in a book is a powerful thing. Some of my all-time favorite stories are driven by the desire for more. A simple touch or a kiss can become mind-blowing when the characters are building up to jumping each other’s bones. For good sexual tension, it is important to describe the feelings and physical effect that are evoked by the interaction. In Affliction Harry purposefully uses the sexual tension between him and Quinn to get her head on straight:

Harry takes a step towards me, and instinctively I take one back causing me to collide with the side of the building. With me trapped, he takes another step and closes the distance between us to mere inches. He drops his voice and asks, “Are you going to be alright to do this?”

I swallow a lump in my throat and lie, “I’m fine.”

He places his hand next to my shoulder on the wall behind me, and with a steady gaze into my eyes, he says, “Quinn, I know you’re disturbed by what you saw earlier, but for the sake of Louis and me I need you to get past it for now.”

“Okay, it’s done.” I’m overly accommodating to appease him and regain my much-needed personal space. Not many things on God’s green earth muddle up my mind the way he does when he is close. My insides become a war zone of physical attraction versus common sense, but rational thinking must always win. I won’t let myself fall victim simply because he has a handsome face.

He cocks an eyebrow in skepticism, “You’re sure?”

“Positive,” I say in a firmer tone.

“Then you don’t need me to kiss you to help you forget?”

It is important to know that slapping bellies is a game changer when it comes to sexual tension. I consider the example to be innocent sexual tension. Both parties know nothing is going to happen and just the nearness of Harry gets Quinn hot and bothered. Once the physical barrier is breached (no pun intended) the frame of mind would change. For example, if Harry and Quinn had already boinked she may have had thoughts of pressing him up against the wall or running her hands over his body.

 I suggest taking advantage of the innocent sexual tension for as long as you can, but make sure that your characters are moving so the physical relationship doesn’t get stagnant and the reader gets bored with it.

The Deed – Is the love scene a must? No, but if you choose to incorporate the lust and thrust into your book, there are many ways to do it.

The Scene Cut – This is where the writer takes the reader right up to the hanky panky stuff and cuts the scene. Usually, the story will pick up the next day or at the moment when it is all over. The reader understands what just went down but was spared the nitty gritty.

XXX – Every little detail is written out, and nothing is left to the imagination. This type of sex scene runs at least through one chapter. If written well the reader needs a cold shower afterward. XXX is essential for Erotica.

Soft Porn – It is descriptive but lets the readers fill in the blanks. His hand slid down her pants; their bodies became one, it is enough to picture it but doesn’t describe every thrust.

Writing the mattress mambo into your book is all about personal preferences. Stay true to your story and don’t conform just because you believe it is what readers want. If people are looking for sex, they are going to find an erotic novel. You are not going to attract more readers all because your characters get down and dirty. As much as sex sells the truth of writing is this – without a well-written book with a great plot. you are just playing with yourself.  

My works can be found on Wattpad at https://www.wattpad.com/user/crstlbtrfly