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There is darkness inside all of us, though mine is more dangerous than most. Still, we all have it—that part of our soul that is irreparably damaged by the very trials and tribulations of life. We are what we are because of it, or perhaps in spite of it. Some use it as a shield to hide behind, others as an excuse to do unconscionable things. But, truly, the darkness is simply a piece of the whole, neither good nor evil unless you make it so. It took a witch, a war, and a voodoo queen to teach me that.

Jenna Maclaine, Bound By Sin (via books-n-quotes)

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What are some good tips for getting started with writing a book? I have a concept but i can't put it into place.

Getting Started with Your Story

There’s no one way to start writing a book. For some people, it’s enough to just jump in and start writing to see where the story takes them. If you’re not too keen on that idea, then here is one process (as in, not the only process) that might help you move beyond your concept. 

Concept ≠ Plot

Many writers mistake concept for plot, but they’re actually two very different things. A world where everyone grows up with superpowers is a concept; the plot is what you decide to write about within that concept - the specific characters and what happens to those characters; who your antagonist is and what conflict arises when that antagonist goes after what they want. All of these things contribute to your plot. 

So first, define what it is you actually have at this particular point. Do you just have a concept? If so, you’ll need to take the necessary steps to develop that concept into a plot. 

Concept >>> Plot

If you’ve decided that all you really have is a concept, then how do you take it and turn it into a plot? You brainstorm. All brainstorming really amounts to is expanding your ideas. All you’re doing is asking questions about the concept and delving deep into the answers. 

The most simplistic way to start this process, especially if you’re struggling, is to ask one of two questions (or both, if applicable). These two questions: What could go wrong? What could go right?

Going back to my example about a world where everyone grows up with superpowers. If I were to ask the question “what could go wrong,” I’d end up with a whole list of possibilities. 

The powers suddenly disappear

People start abusing their powers

Someone figures out how to steal powers

A hierarchy of strong vs. weak powers develops, creating superiority/inferiority dynamics

Someone is born without a superpower

There are many more possibilities I didn’t even think of here, but any one (or more) of these could become a plot. Choose one that sounds interesting, and then ask yourself “and then what?” 

Say I choose: Someone figures out how to steal powers. Then what does that person do? Do they recruit people to do the dirty work for them? Do they work alone? Do they hoard these powers and barter them for other goods? Do they attempt to enslave people? Do they attempt to take control of institutions? What do they do?

Your goal is to take your ideas and turn them into actions taken by characters. People doing things. And each piece you add will usually lead into another. If you went with the idea that this character is stealing powers and essentially selling them for other goods, you’d have to ask yourself follow-up questions. First, who are they selling to? Why would anyone buy a new superpower if they already have one? What uses would they have for additional ones? What is the key demographic that this person is trying to reach? Secondly, what are they selling them in exchange for? Money? Favors? Souls? What is this character getting in return?

Now that you’ve examined potential actions that the character takes, you’ve also exposed potential new characters. 

People they’re stealing from

People they’re bargaining with

People that try to police these crimes

People that try to copy this character’s process

At the beginning of this section, I talked about using “what could go right” as another optional jumping off point. This is a good path to follow if your concept is already really negative. For a concept where someone is killing people for some pointed reason, you might ask “what could go right” and explore ideas where the killer is caught and brought to justice. 

The point of all this is to think about change as a means of taking your idea from concept to plot. A concept is static - it doesn’t move, evolve, or change. By developing a plot, you’re forcing the concept to be challenged in some way. If you think about it that way, you’ll be able to formulate conflicts, and the people that orchestrate and fight against those conflicts. 

On that note, I think we’re ready to move onto the third piece of my graphic above. 

Plot = Character Actions and Consequences

At this point, you have sketches for characters. You’ve got this nameless, faceless person that is stealing the powers, and all these other nameless, faceless people that I listed above. In essence, we have character concepts. And just like we turned our initial concept into a plot, we have to turn these character concepts into actual characters. 

The basics are the easiest way to start. You figure out their name, their gender identity, their age, their appearance, some brief backstory and personality traits. I personally prefer the simplest questionnaire that I put together back in the early days because it hits on the poignant pieces of a character without overwhelming you with 100s of questions. 

Now that you’ve given your character concepts names and faces and potential behaviors, you start to consider how one character’s view of the world inspires them to take certain actions, and you then think about how those actions affect your entire story. 

We already kind of talked about the motives of the power thief in our example, but definitely delve deep here. On the surface, this character seems bad - stealing from people and then selling what they steal. But depending on what it is they’re getting in return, could we not argue that this character is a supernatural Robin Hood? Maybe instead of selling, they’re giving, and maybe the characters they’re stealing powers from are people that abuse and misuse their powers. Character motives can take a plot and turn it on its head, forcing you to reconceptualize everything. And that’s okay! That’s part of the process.

But separate from that idea, if we have a character concept of someone whose powers were stolen, and after developing their basic backstory, we discover that person’s name is Rose, and she has an especially close relationship with her brother. So when her powers are stolen, how does this affect her life? Was she using her powers to keep her brother alive and protected? What she using them to keep a roof over their heads? Was she using them as part of her job, as a means of providing? What happens to her life when her powers are stolen? And what will Rose do about it? Whatever Rose does will impact the story. If she does nothing to get her powers back, how does she solve her problems and does that make for a good story? If she does decide to act, then you’ve moved onto a new plot point to dive deeper into.

My point is, character concepts come from plots, but characters themselves often create plot, as their decisions and mistakes and successes create new outcomes. So if I could modify my original flow chart:

Before you develop something, you conceptualize it. You have a concept, then you make it a plot. You have concepts for characters, then you make them characters. And those characters end up driving your plot, to the point that this happens:

Plot inspires character. Character inspires plot. And it just keeps going around and around and around. Breaking it down into these pieces helps organize the process, but developing a story is rarely this neat and tidy. You’ll get ideas that don’t make sense, ideas that aren’t cohesive, characters you don’t need, characters that piss you off, problems you can’t solve, or plot points you’ve committed to that you no longer like…it will be messy. But it’s your mess, and the more you work on developing your own process, the more it’ll make sense to you. And it’ll become easier to know how to go about fixing it when something’s not right. 

Have fun with this process! It’s supposed to be fun. When the pieces start to become clearer, you’re able to put them together in a rough outline. And once you have a rough outline, you can start writing, and really see it take shape. 

-Rebekah

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I used to think I was tough, but then I realized I wasn’t. I was fragile and I wore thick f***ing armor. And I hurt people so they couldn’t hurt me. And I thought that was what being tough was, but it isn’t.

James Frey (via thequotejournals)

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Some words to use when writing things:

winking

clenching

pulsing

fluttering

contracting

twitching

sucking

quivering

pulsating

throbbing

beating

thumping

thudding

pounding

humming

palpitate

vibrate

grinding

crushing

hammering

lashing

knocking

driving

thrusting

pushing

force

injecting

filling

dilate

stretching

lingering

expanding

bouncing

reaming

elongate

enlarge

unfolding

yielding

sternly

firmly

tightly 

harshly

thoroughly

consistently

precision

accuracy

carefully

demanding

strictly

restriction

meticulously

scrupulously

rigorously

rim

edge

lip

circle

band

encircling

enclosing

surrounding

piercing

curl

lock

twist

coil

spiral

whorl

dip

wet

soak

madly

wildly

noisily

rowdily

rambunctiously

decadent

degenerate

immoral

indulgent

accept

take

invite

nook

indentation

niche

depression

indent

depress

delay

tossing

writhing

flailing

squirming

rolling

wriggling

wiggling

thrashing

struggling

grappling

striving

straining

[tandgstories-blog]

Is it better to out-monster the monster or to be quietly devoured?

Friedrich Nietzsche (via thequotejournals)

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I don’t ask you to love me always like this, but I ask you to remember. Somewhere inside me there’ll always be the person I am to-night.

F. Scott Fitzgerald, Tender is the Night (via thequotejournals)

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Greek Goddesses (Part Two) /// (click to enlarge)

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“Sometimes, you have to find a way to let it out, or it will eat you alive while you scream,”

Slade, The Death Curse

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Nix: “Hey Slade, are you constipated?” Slade: “What!? No! Why are you asking that?!” Nix: “Because you’re full of shit.” Slade: “…” Nix: “…” Slade: “…” Nix: *runs away* Everyone hears leopard growling and snarling, things breaking, and Nix’ laughter turning into screams. Mags: “Should we-” Durj: “No.” Asher: *laughing hysterically in the background* Durj: “Don’t laugh too much Asher. He gets ripped apart too much and you won’t get a bite of that,” Asher: *deadpans* SLADE! YOU BETTER NOT DAMAGE HIM! Nix: *half dead on the floor* Nix: *twitching* Asher: *stalking across the room, grumbling as sparks start to dance* Not cool, man. Not cool. *starts chanting* Mags: *looks between Durj, Nix, Asher & Slade* Uh. Guys? Slade: *growls* Durj: *looks at Maggie* A $100 that Asher wins. Mags: *socks D in the arm* Slade: *suddenly human & naked* I heard that. Asher: Shut up! All of you. Shut. Up. *starts chanting faster* Nix: That’s a sucker bet D. You don’t have human money. Nix: I thought Slade curved to the left. Ha! You owe me Durjan! Durj: I’m going to drown you all in the waters of Acheron Asher: *snickers* He can drown in my river any day. Mags: *smacks forehead* Slade: Nix, how would you know anything about which way I curve? Hmm? Nix: I’m a Leventis…? It’s a family curse to just know random shit from past family members…? Durjan: go sit in the corner Asher. Asher: *pouts* I will do no such thing. Mags: You’re all terrible. Just terrible. Slade: *magically produces pants* Durj: CORNER. ALL. OF. YOU. Nix: Asher, how much of a dick is the ferryman? Is he pretty cool or no? Nix: ‘cause I might not survive this. Killian: Damn, got here to late. Missed out on pantslessness. Asher: *points at D* I will not stand in the corner. No sir, I will not. *looks at Nix and shrugs* Eh. He hates everything almost as much as I do. I’d say he’s pretty alright. Slade: *glowers at Killian* What are you doing here? Durj: It gets in the corner or it doesn’t get the Nix. Nix: *looks between D and Ash* What!? And you totally butchered that quote! Durj: What quote? Killian: Attracted by the loud noises. Meow. Asher: *facepalms before wrapping Nix in a bear hug* I’ll zap your ass back to Hades. *growls protectively* Mags: Boys! Boys behave yourselves before I put you ALL in time out! Slade: *snickers at Mags then looks to Killian* You are not a cat. Don’t you meow at me. Jackass. Killian: *sings the Meow Mix song* Nix: I bet Hades is nice this time of year. Durj: I’m sure Asher could tell you ALL about it. *smirks at Asher smugly* Nix: Save me Maggie! They’re doing the territorial thing! Slade: *scowls deeply, grumbling in a flat tone* Killian. I’m going to kill you. With my teeth and then, then I’m going to eat you. And you’re not going to taste very good. But damn it! I’ll fuckin’ eat you. Asher: Shut. up. *shoves Nix behind him* Keep it up and he’s gonna find out just how nice it is! Mags: Nope. Nope. Nope. *throws hands up* That’s it! I’m out. *looks at new guy with big eyes* Who the French toast are you? Killian: *flips off Slade* I’d be the tastiest thing you’ve ever had the pleasure of eating! *grins at Maggie* Killian Lupei, residential Romanian twin vampire with a knack for trouble and pissing Slade off. Who are you? Nix: This is how I die. Durj: Not really Nix. I could tell you, it’s by- Nix: Nope! Don’t wanna know! Durj: You’re right, I’m sure that will be more fun to figure out on your own. Nix: DICK Killian: *glances at Slade with a shit eating grin* I’m also the hottest redhead around. Mags: *raises eyebrows* I don’t think I like you. Slade: *falls over as he laughs hysterically* THAT WAS GOLDEN! Asher: You’re not gonna die Nix. You’re just gonna get to go on that vacation you keep talking about. *glares at D* And you’re mean. Killian: *shrugs* Eh, no skin off my back. I’m fuckable, not likable. Killian: *glares at Slade* Nix: I’m pretty confident that I’m gonna die. And if I wanted to go on a vacation that badly, I’d go home to Athens. Durj: *smirks* Me being mean has never stopped you before, now has it? Nix: …And Killian isn’t wrong… Slade: *sighs heavily* Bitter and stringy. *shudders* But totally worth it. Mags: *looks blankly at Killian* I’m not sure you’re fuckable. In fact, I’m pretty sure you’re like that one spider that eats its mate after they…mate. Asher: You’re not helping this situation any. *smacks a hand over Nix’s mouth* Do NOT feed that fuckers ego. Mags is right, he’ll eat you. Killian: Fuck all of you guys. Come over for some fun and I’m being compared to a Black Widow! Nix: *licks Asher’s hand* Killian: I need a drink. Nix: Me too Killian: *grins evilly* I know a place. Nix: *ducks and runs after the guy* Bye! Durj: *sighs* Have any of you heard of reverse psychology? You tell him man is bad so he is going to go straight to said man. Hope he doesn’t come back changed. *looks between the three*

…TO BE CONTINUED

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We are the Resistance

From the Desk of Raven Winters:

    Over one hundred years ago, it is said that human civilization nearly destroyed itself. War raged mercilessly, consuming everything it touched. It killed billions. When the war ended, strife still clung to the people, burdened them with such wrath that they risked burning alive because of it. Riots, attacks, assassinations, these things and more were used to further destroy mankind.

    Their only salvation was a truly terrible thing, something born of corruption and lust. It was hidden among their kind for thousands of years, eagerly biding its time. When all hope was thought to be lost, a demon wearing a savior’s skin appeared. These saviors and leaders turned out to be vampires, wolves in sheep's clothing.

    Unfortunately, man saw the truth for what it was far too late. They had new masters now. Retaliation brought more grief and in years, mankind finally caved in, if only to preserve itself as a race. Who said pain couldn’t unite and fix what was so terribly broken?

    Over a hundred years past, with its ups and downs. The vampire race nearly had complete control when there rose a group known as the Families. Runaways, resistance, rebels, human beings with extraordinary powers desperately fighting for a world they knew could exist. Such hope only brought their deaths and total demise in 2161.

    But, stars have a way of being their brightest in the darkness of space. They twinkle and shine, offering just fragments, pieces of the light that mankind had lost long ago. There are rumors that a girl exists. A girl with spectacular abilities. A girl, twenty-two years old, from the Families. She is a beacon of hope, but she is not alone. We will fight with her to attack and take on the vampire power that enslaves us.

    We will find freedom once more. For I may be the leader of the Human Resistance Movement, but this is her story. I’m just here for the ride.

We are the runaways, we are the resistance! And you will never put us down!

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“I can barely make it an hour without killing something, the fuck makes you think I’ve got relationship skills? Fuckin’ hell, I ain’t even got people skills,”

Asher, The Death Curse (via foreverlostinthesilence)

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“I am a worthless being, I am vile and I am disgusting. I am monster, a beast and no one did this to me but myself. I created this catastrophe that is me,”

Asher, The Death Curse (via foreverlostinthesilence)

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Writing Challenge #291

Write a one thousand word story by using the quote, below, as its main theme.

“I prefer a life in which we don’t take ourselves too seriously.” 

-Carter Burwell 

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TDC Short #4: Playing with Fire (literally) ft. Maggie

THE DEATH CURSE SHORT STORY #4 Playing with Fire (Literally) ft. Maggie A Teagan Ross Creation Word Count: 603 “Mags,” There was a brief pause, followed by, “Maggie…” Then an extremely stern, spine straightening, “MAGDALENA! FOCUS!” Maggie's hands fell to her sides as every candle on the small, wooden table sparked to life in the same moment that every single light bulb in the room shattered. She could feel her crystal blue eyes widen as she rolled them around in the candlelight before looking at Slade who stood parallel the the candles she just brought to life. “Mags, love, we have really got to work on your focus,” Slades beautiful feline eyes shined bright in all that firelight, the flames dancing in those bright irises, “Yes, you've made fire, but now I must replace the light bulbs that you've exploded,” That last bit was said with a light, easy laugh, “Don't look so panicked love, you'll get it,” Mags crossed her arms over her chest as she shifted her balance from one foot to the other. She had spent the last month learning to heal both physically and mentally from the attack that had left her newly vampire, and how to control her extra set of interesting gifts that Slade seemed to have passed on when he'd made sure that she was able to complete the change. Mags had also had plenty of time to just sit back and watch the male handle his business. He owned and operated the club that she'd stumbled upon that fateful night, and she hadn't left the building since. Mags wasn't resentful though, in fact, the last month of her life had possibly been the best one to date. As morbid as it may have sounded, the attack that had lead her to Slade may have been the best thing to have ever happened to her. She was viewing life from a new prospect and she knew that soon enough she would be allowed to social again, interact. “I got distracted,” Mags laughed, having lost herself in thought again. Slade smiled, stepping around the table, “It's going to take some time to master, but you'll get there,” He wrapped his arms around her smaller form, thankful that she was doing so well, “Besides, the power you hold is something you must tap into, it should never happen spontaneously. Just because your body can kindle the magic, doesn't mean you were meant to possess it,” Mags mulled his words over as she sank into his embrace. Her mind began to travel again, wondering off into various places before she stepped back some and closed her eyes, focusing on Slade’s closeness. A split second later they were submerged into darkness. “Ta-dah!” Slade chuckled deeply, studying Maggie’s soft features through the darkness, “Just takes a little focus Mags,” The tiny vampire before him had the potential to be extremely powerful, and it was a bit scary to think about, not that he feared she'd ever abuse the power. No, he was more worried about what others would do upon discovering her. Slade had never created another vampire, for fear of exactly this happening; his abilities being passed through the blood. Which lead him to wonder what would have happened had his magic not have been able to twine with her being? Her body, her soul? She wouldn't have survived. Maggie smiled at Slade, trying to ignore the sadness she saw creep into those beautiful eyes, “Sorry about the light bulbs,” She gave a small shrug and Slade threw his head back and laughed, a full, deep sound that soothed her nerves.

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Bonus:

“I’ll be your villain instead,”

“Okay, that’s it, I’m done trying. You don’t want me go be your hero? Fine, I’m not”

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The Death Curse Short #3 - Welcome to the Family ft. Maggie

THE DEATH CURSE SHORT STORY #3 Welcome to the Family ft. Maggie

She had no idea where she was going, nor any recollection of the events that had lead up to her waking up in some mold infested, death drenched crypt surrounded by cold stones walls and the stench of old blood. She wasn’t even sure she remembered her name, all she did know was that she needed to get as far away from that god awful place as fast as she could, and then she needed to access the damage done and find something to eat because despite the chaos and the confusion, she was ravenously hungry.

She stumbled about through the darkness, tripping over a tree branch here and her own two ducking feet there. Jesus, she was a mess. Why couldn’t she remember anything? And why did her head feel like it was going to explode?

Her body ached, every muscle sore as she tore through the graveyard, a hoarse scream of triumph escaping as her tired, battered feet met pavement. That could mean only one thing; she was close to some kind of civilization. Not stopping to do her victory dance just yet, she glanced each direction before taking off to her right, chasing the gravel road as she made her way to the street lights a ways ahead.

Before she knew it, she was fumbling through alley ways that crisscrossed throughout the city, connecting buildings and streets. Loud music drew her attention forward, which seemed like a good sign. She had no idea what time it was, or even what day of the week it was, but the sound was enough to keep her hopes alive.

When she finally reached the source of all that noise, the poor female found herself pounding her fist helplessly against a heavy metal door tucked at the back of the alley. To her complete and utter surprise, the door swung open and she was greeted by one of the most beautiful males she’d ever seen. Blood red hair fell in waves around his face, spilling over his shoulders and down his back and those eyes, she would never forget those cat-like eyes, their brilliant green and yellow something only seen in felines.

Before she could sputter any nonsense, that beautiful stranger wrapped strong fingers around her upper arms and quickly pulled her into the building. Panic gripped her as she was jerked inside, her heart pounding frantically in her chest as she prayed that this male didn’t kill her.

“What has happened to you?”

She blinked, shaking her head gently as she advertised her eyes anywhere but to the male before her.

“Do you remember anything? Can you give me a name?”

She thought about that for a moment, racking her scrambled brain for the answer to the one question she should have been able to answer without a doubt. It took her a few minutes, but as she released another sigh, her memory was jarred, “Maggie…” Wide blues eyes looked up at the stranger, “Can you help me? What the hell is happening to me? Why-why can’t I remember anything?”

“Maggie, take a few deep breaths,” That voice was soothing as those strange eyes met hers, “I need to you calm down before I can properly assess this situation,”

Maggie nodded slowly, forcing herself to draw in deep gulps of air, letting it out on harsh pants until her breathing evened out.

The male took a step forward, placing larges hands on her thin, frail shoulders, “My name is Slade, and honestly love, it’s a good thing you came knocking at my door,” His expression became grim as he slowly led Maggie down the hall, fighting the temptation to pull the small, broken female into his arms and carry her into his office.

Pushing open the door with a sigh, Slade lead Maggie into his small office, setting her gently on the small love seat before dropping to his knees before her. It pained him to see such a horrible fate befall such a young female, but she was in good hands if she accepted the help he was getting ready to offer, “Maggie, there’s absolutely no easy way to tell you this and I know that it’s going to sound absolutely unbelievable, but this is the reality that you are now facing and it’s best you tackle the acceptance before you fall into a spiral of denial,”

Maggie studied the male before her with wide, panicky eyes, unsure of where this conversation was headed but absolutely positive that she wasn’t going to like the end result. So she braced herself for the news that was about to be delivered.

Slade met those doe wide blue eyes and took a deep breath, “You are currently going through a phase known as the transition. It appears to me that you were attacked and your attacker felt it best to attempt to make you a vampire. Maybe it was a guilty conscious, perhaps it was out of spite. Whatever the case, you need to feed properly to complete the change. Without doing so, you’re body is going to grow weaker and weaker, until you fade away,”

Maggie’s mouth was gaping like a fish, she was sure of it. This was insanity! A vampire? Vampires didn’t exist! But wait a minute. How else did one explain what she was currently experiencing? Waking up in a crypt, bloodied and beaten with a insatiable hunger. Yep, that sure as fuck sounded like every vampire novel she’d ever read.

“Maggie, I am willing to help you through this, if you will allow it. I will feed you my blood to ensure that you are strong enough to complete the transition and I will make sure that you are properly fed,” Gods, Slade couldn’t stand this! Not all vampires were cruel, rage filled creatures, but punks like her attackers were the ones who gave the entire species a bad name, “I will teach you how to survive and I will make sure that you will be taken care of. I just so happen to have a spare suite above the bar and I have an open position for a bartender,”

The vampire gave Maggie a lopsided grin, “What say you Maggie? Why not make this a life worth living?”

Warmth spread through Maggie’s body, a sense of complete acceptance enveloping her at Slade’s kind words and ample offers. How could she refuse what he so selflessly proposed? She wasn’t ready for her life to end. So her new lifestyle was going to take some getting used to, but she was willing to do what she needed to do.

“Alright,” She agreed with a nod, “I’ll stay so long as you’ll have me,”

Slade smiled, showing off a sharp set of canines, “We take care of our own Maggie, and now you’re part of the family. You are welcome here for as long as you need, and you will always have a job if you need one,” Slade stood in one graceful movement, taking both of Maggie’s hands into his as he slowly helped her to her feet, “Now why don’t we get you cleaned up?”

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Writing a Relationship Your Readers Will Ship

Relationships, especially in beginner writer’s works, have a tendency to feel forced. Even in some popular and famous works of fiction, the relationship doesn’t feel natural. It seems like a boring afterthought which the writer added in at the last minute. Far too often, I find myself completely indifferent to a character’s romantic life. A good romance in a story will give the reader a bit of second-hand infatuation. They’ll root for the relationship, beg for it. If the romance is well written, you can make a reader smile and blush just by reading a few sentences. When done properly, it can even compensate for a weak and cliché plot.

But first, decide whether the romance is needed. If you’re adding a character to the plot simply for the sake of being a love interest, it’s probably not a needed romance. You can still add it, of course, but it will be much harder to keep your story focused on the central plot.

Step One Make sure the characters have chemistry.

The characters should compliment each other’s personalities. If he’s loud, stubborn, and aggressively opinionated, a more tranquil and soft-spoken love interest would suit him well. Two headstrong people wouldn’t be likely to have a lasting relationship in real life, unless they (impossibly) agreed upon every subject. But, there should be some similarities. While opposites do attract, polar opposites will not and the whole relationship will feel forced. The characters should have something in common. It could be morals, a parallel backstory, the same motivations, whatever. As long as there’s a reason for them to be drawn to each other, there’s potential.

Step Two Slow burn ships are fantastic.

Don’t make your characters fall in love right off the bat. There can be attraction, of course, but genuine feelings of true love don’t happen instantly. Your characters should become closer as people, feel at ease around each other, and truly know the other before they fall head-over-heels. The readers will crave the relationship far more, like dangling a treat right in front of a dog’s nose, but keep pulling it away. Teasing is a beautiful thing.

Find ways of showing (NOT TELLING) the characters are falling for each other. Have them stand up for one another, be protective. Have them break their own normal routine for the other. For example, a callous, guarded character could lower their walls for a moment if their love interest needs emotional support. These scenes can be awkward for the character changing their typical behavior and that discomfort can demonstrate how much they care for the other, altering their own selves for the other’s benefit.

Howeve, make sure that you combine these cute emotional moments with distance. Make the characters deny their true feelings or even distance themselves from their love interest upon discovering their feelings. The more the characters long for each other, the more the reader will long for them to be together. Build barriers between them for your characters to have to work to knock down. Keep them close, but maintain that distance until the moment is right.

Step Three “_____” translates to “I love you”

The first example of I think of when I think of this is The Princess Bride, where the male protagonist tells his soulmate “as you wish” when he really means “I love you.”

This falls under the category of show, don’t tell. Hearing a character say “I love you” has become so boring. Unless it’s done in a surprising confession or unique way, it’s boring and stale.

Come up with a phrase that you can repeat in moments throughout the story until it has a meaning of love for the characters and both know exactly what the other means when it’s spoken.

Step Four Taking a break can help create tension.

You know you loved someone if you leave them and feel awful. Apply this into the writing. Your characters can break up, then get back together in a joyous reunion.

Step Five Not every couple has a happy ending.

Sometimes, things don’t always work out for different reasons. An ending that leaves readers craving more can be a good move.