10
Jun
I have a few books on my shelf which I bought because I liked the premise.
They are still on my shelf, but mainly to remind me never to buy a batch of books again without having read at least one by the author.
So why did I get as far as three pages in, and then threw them at the wall?
The hero (and each of his friends for that matter) has a name that makes me want to ram a name book down the author's throat.
I won't tell you who the author is, or which series this is. I don't want to slam anyone, and people like her stuff.
This is simply to highlight that a reader can reject an entire series because of something as simple as a name. Until I picked up the first book, I thought I'd never do something like dismiss a whole series, just because of a name. I did. If it had been just one name, I could live with it. But they all had mutilated names. Adding an H, or a Y instead of an I isn't going to disguise a dumb name choice. Do it for each one… ugh.
I'm talking about names like (I'm making this one up) "Paagan" for a pagan hero. Wholf for a werewolf. You know, stuff like that. Or hey, how about just adding an apostrophe in the middle to make it look different? P'Agan the Druid. Whyld the Warrior. Why not R'Evenge? I've seen that kind of stuff a lot and it's a total turnoff for me.
The thing is, I don't mind off the wall weird names. I don't. I use them myself, all the time. Lots of them. But I don't disguise a common word with an H here and a Y there, just to spell it differently. When I use a weird name, I'll either make it up, or find a source. Actually, I wouldn't necessarily call the names I use weird. Just… unique. And most of all, if I can't say it out loud without breaking into a sweat, then I don't use it.
So next time you're tempted… please don't. 
It's annoying.
8
Jun
A friend of mine asked me what genre I write.
He's male, so when I said "Paranormal Romance", he shrugged, smiled and lost interest.
I asked him if he's heard of Urban Fantasy. He said yes, it's cool.
I then pointed out to him that what I write is borderline Urban Fantasy, and he gave me an odd look and said "Are you saying it's the same thing?"
Actually yes it is, and no it isn't. I know many people are confused about the difference between Paranormal Romance (PnR), and Urban Fantasy (UF).
The lines between the two can become very blurred, and often, they are.
However, the essential difference is that in Paranormal Romance, the love story is at the center of the action, while in Urban Fantasy, a love story may be there, but it isn't an integral part of the story.
There are books that blur the lines between the two genres so much, they are practically indistinguishable. They could be either.
That's not to say these books have failed their target market – because as far as I'm concerned, they simply bridge a gap. They often appeal to readers of both genres.
I got sick of Urban Fantasy. There are only so many "gutsy" heroines I could handle at any given time. The reason I put gutsy in quotes is twofold: One — many authors seem to think a beer-swilling, completely promiscuous, foul-mouthed heroine is gutsy. Two — a lot of those heroines are completely unbelievable, have no character and leave me wanting something more.
Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of very well written female heroines out there in UF. But the last batch I've read failed on character development on an epic scale.
You will find strong heroines in both genres. They aren't exclusive to UF. However, the inherent nature of Romance means you have to develop the characters more deeply, as the stories tend to be character, rather than plot driven.
So that's the major difference between the two.
It helps if the hero is hot, though. 
27
Apr
What's the difference between a hero, and a villain?
Easy, right?
The hero is the good guy, the villain is the bad guy.
No.
Not easy at all.
We often write our heroes as guys with many faults, bad habits, a temper.
Thing is, we write our villains exactly the same way. They have flaws, lots of them, but most are inherently redeemable.
Our villains often kill — but so do our heroes. What makes one more acceptable than the other? Nothing. Or rather, perception. If we perceive the hero as having no other choice, then we deem his actions acceptable. We're less forgiving where the villain is concerned, but often only because we don't know his reasons for doing what he does.
I have read books where at the end, I wondered what went through the author's mind when she wrote her "hero". Because, believe it or not – the real hero of the story wasn't the man the author built up as the hero.
The real hero was… the villain.
He was the one who had the most to lose, he was the one thwarted at every turn, he was the one who suffered the most and had the most to gain.
He lost, in the end, bested by the guy he battled the entire length of the book, had to watch that man ride into the sunset with the girl — and I sat there feeling for him. My heart broke for him, because he was more real than the goody goody "hero" who was really the villain of the entire piece.
You need to know where to draw the line. And like genius and madness, this line is so fine, it's difficult not to overstep it.
No person is inherently evil. Everyone has reasons for doing what they do. Even the villain. You need to know your hero, but you also need to know what drives your villain. There has to be a reason, a plausible reason, for his behavior and actions. Just like you need those very same reasons for the hero.
So how do you get your readers to know the difference?
Well, that's the hard part. You need to make sure the line isn't blurred, define their values so the reader can recognize them. Our heroes often start out as villains. A lot of them are bad guys, whose journey takes them from villainy to heroism.
On the other side of the scale, instead of redeeming himself, the villain remains a villain to the bitter end.
That's really the only difference.
Redemption.
Think about it, next time you draft your story.
21
Feb
When we write, we all know our protagonists really, really well. We know what makes them tick, we know why they do what they do, we know how to redeem them and what will hurt them the most.
We know their black moments. We know why they are the way they are.
And that's great. It makes the character three dimensional, makes the reader love them, be involved in the story.
Many of us aren't as involved with our antagonists.
Often we don't know a lot about them. They are an afterthought, an element of crisis, but it makes them appear flat. One dimensional creatures with no other purpose than throwing a spanner in the works for our protagonist.
To pull off a great antagonist, you are going to have to invest as much — if not more — time to develop their character.
Just saying they are evil won't count.
Why are they evil? Is this evil just perceived, or real? Is the antagonist beyond redemption, or can he/she/it be saved? What made them do what they do? What happened to them to make them so nasty? Why are they working against the protagonist? A person doesn't just get up one morning and think "Ohhh… I'm really going to mess up so-and-so's life now." (Well, okay, some might.)
No.
They need a reason.
They need a good reason. One that makes sense. Maybe not to you and me, but it does to them.
They need flaws, they need strengths. They need a purpose, not just for their actions against our heroes, but a purpose for being. Everyone needs this, not just good people.
What triggered the events about to unfold? What did the hero/heroine do to make them so angry, they need to take revenge? (And that's what it's mostly about.)
I do interviews with my characters to get to know them.
I ask questions. I corner them. I ask uncomfortable, embarrassing questions. I make them tell me their deepest darkest secrets — and occasionally the only way I get at them is to tighten the thumbscrews. They don't want to talk about it, so you need to find the catalyst that will make them tell you.
(I did mention I'm nuts, right?)
Okay, maybe I'm not. That's just the way it works for me.
But the fact is… I don't just ask the hero or heroine these questions.
If there is a villain, he will get grilled as much as my protagonists.
Believe it or not… I can often emphasize with the villain, and why they do what they are about to unleash.
It doesn't mean I agree with it, but I can understand why.
That is what you need to get across to your reader. It makes it so much better when they are torn between the hero and the villain. When they can understand the reasons behind it all, when they can emphasize with your villain… when they are almost torn between who they want to win.
And when you have them caring about what happens to the villain… you can play your trump card. That's when you nail the reader right between the eyes with something they absolutely wouldn't agree with.
Their allegiance will no longer be torn — but you made the villain come alive enough for them that there is a little seed of hope that the character will be redeemed at the end — but the hero still gets to win.
(And don't forget… sometimes the hero is the villain. That's when you really need to dig deep.)
So the point of all this is really simple.
Make your reader care as much about the villain as they do about the hero, and you will up the readers involvement in the story.
Make your reader sit there and wonder.
How does it feel, when the whole world is against you, when you're cold and alone? When you have no one to turn to, when everyone hates you?
How does it feel to be the bad guy?
Don't forget, no one is truly evil, through and through, without a reason.
We are all born innocent, and what we become is a result of our surroundings.
Sometimes people can't be saved, sometimes they truly are evil to the bone.
But if you have a villain who rescues kittens, because when he was a little boy, he had a cat who provided the only comfort he ever knew… Or a villain who doesn't think twice about murdering and torturing… but who is the best dad in the world to his little daughter.
Show their facets to the reader.
Show them his face — all of it. Show it to them when it's twisted in rage. But don't forget to show it laughing with joy, crying with grief, or torn with indecision, too. If your antagonist has doubts, then show them!
Make your reader feel for all the characters in your story — not just the protagonists.
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Some of you know I'm a Kresley Cole fan. And a Gena Showalter fan. Well, Kresley's new book is out, Pleasure of a Dark Prince. I've preordered the book ages ago, so I'm hoping Amazon doesn't mess me around again, as usual. To commemorate the release, Gena Showalter has a fantastic contest on her blog, but even if there weren't any prizes… I had to spread the word a bit anyway. Kresley Cole does it for me, her heroes are scrumptious, the books dark, yet full of fun and off-the-wall moments (and characters!), so yeah… they are all in a neat line on my shelf here. You can read an excerpt on Kresley's Site, or if you trust me to steer you in the right direction — click here to order the paperback, or here to order the ebook. Go on, treat yourself! |
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I promise you won't regret it.
1
Feb
We all love a good hero. The more alpha he is, the more we love him, usually.
I'm partial to them, and most (probably all) my heroes are alpha males. That doesn't mean they are identified as such from the first page. Some of them are sneaky blighters and hide that alpha streak rather well. So much so, one of my critique partners (who always try to sneak off with my heroes) told me point blank she won't be fobbed off with "the gay one".
Oh she has NO idea. He may appear very beta in the book she saw him in, but in his own… oh my. There would be no mistaking him for a beta male. Nor would anyone think he might be gay. (Not that there is anything wrong with a gay alpha male, but I don't write gay romance.)
My heroes always come across as strong. I have to work hard at it so they don't overpower the other males in the story, because they like to dominate too.
Oddly, there is one of them who refuses to be cowed into taking a backseat when he crops up as a supporting character. All my girls want him, every reader so far wants him and falls in love with him.
I don't know why. I just know I have to keep knocking him back, because he likes to take over.
He's a toughy, but he has a sense of humor, too.
I've given him some not-so-endearing qualities — he's a womanizer, arrogant, presumptous, pigheaded, holds a grudge like you wouldn't believe — and STILL they are all after him.
He's no mouse, that's for sure. When he's around, you know about it, you sit back and take notice.
But is it so bad to have a hero who is a mouse?
Can't there be some beta heroes?
Do women not like a beta?
We do. In fact, if those alpha males in our stories were real, we would hate them. Truly and absolutely hate them. We'd loathe every aspect of their personality and character, while the beta gets the girl.
Odd, isn't it? We fantasize about the ultimate tough guy — but if he came our way and actually noticed us (he's likely too preoccupied with himself), we'd run screaming in the other direction. Or straight into the arms of that beta we don't want in our stories.
In real life, we'd have an affair with an alpha, but we'd likely be in love with a beta.
So there's hope for all the beta guys out there. Yeah, your girl might drool over that alpha hero in her novel… but she wouldn't swap him for the real thing.
Maybe for a day.
God help any alpha male who runs into an alpha female. Their egos will most definitely clash. It'll either end in tears (his, most likely), bloodshed (his, most likely) or there will be a dead body at the end of it. (Yeah. His.).
It works well in a story, where you need conflict.
Real life?
Take it from someone who didn't put up with crap from an alpha male: Not so much.
I think he learned the concept of "I am woman, hear me roar" rather quickly — and the hard way.
It didn't last. We were both too stubborn and too set in our ways to compromise with someone so much like us.
Gimme someone I can compromise with, any day.
(I have the greatest guy already, but damn… I do miss the arguments sometimes!)
My conclusion?
Alphas make for great conflict-driven writing – but I wouldn't want to live with one.
9
Sep
“Substitute "damn" every time you’re inclined to write "very"; your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be” — Mark Twain
But… but… I use "damn" quite a bit!
Should your characters swear?
Maybe.
It depends on the character. What’s more, it depends on their character. It wouldn’t do to have a mild mannered 18th Century schoolmarm go effing and blinding throughout the novel. It would be out of character. (Although the reaction of society would be interesting to observe, if she did.)
Your acerbic demonslaying male lead would most likely not be using flowery prose. (Could be interesting if he did, though.)
Still, where do you draw the line?
Which words are acceptable (and I use that in the loosest sense of the word), and which aren’t? I have an aversion to the C-Word. The female one. I don’t want to see it in books. It jerks me out of the story and makes me dislike the writer. Especially if that writer is a woman.
There is absolutely no need to use such a derogatory and degrading word in women’s fiction. If you’re thinking about it, then think hard. Most women find the C-word extremely offensive.
If you write Erotica, fine. I’d expect it there. Romance? No. Make that a Hell no.
Consider your market before you go down that route.
Other swearwords have become acceptable.
It’s nothing unusual anymore to find a mans penis described as a cock. Or a dick. Or to have the word Fuck in a novel. Shit is prevalent too, and damn… well. It’s everywhere.
Not unusual, but is it necessary?
No, I don’t want us to go back to using "Manhood" etc, but I can truly do without words like cunt, snatch and twat. I’ve seen those in some books already, and I’m sorry… if you’re writing romantic fiction, what on earth are you doing using demeaning words like that to describe a womans vagina?
It’s not easy to get around, but it’s possible. Other writers manage.
I am as guilty as the next person for using words like fuck, damn, crap and shit. My heroes aren’t the kind to think twice about using those words. They would all draw the line at telling a woman they want to fuck her, though. (Even when they do. ) They’d phrase it differently, use make love or have sex, even if in their mind they’d call it something else.
And absolutely NO way would they refer to any part of her by a derogatory name.
Being crude doesn’t make your heroine tough. It just makes her a foul mouthed heroine. I’d much rather see her be tough, take tough actions, make tough decisions – while keeping a civil tongue. This way, actions have that much more impact.
Maybe I’m turning into a prude.
Maybe I’m being too sensitive.
Maybe I’m drawing the line where no one else draws it.
I don’t know.
I do know that, if I pick up a romance, and I’ll read something like "He fucked her cunt.", then I’m going to give up on the entire genre, because it will be a sure sign for me that romance is dead.
What’s more, I’ll join the "Romance is Trash" brigade. Resorting to using demeaning (to women) words for any part of the anatomy is turning something that should be an escape, into something that isn’t.
I want to read a love story, not have my anatomy insulted by the man who is supposedly the hero.
And if you’re an editor or agent who lets stuff like that pass, then you’re as guilty as the author if it hits the shelves.
Aside from all that… I find stuff like that in a romance I read… I’ll be burning it.
26
Jun
So you’ve decided on your hero’s name, and it’s Edward.
Edward is a nice name. Just not for an alpha male.
While there are no hard and fast rules about names, and any name should be fine — you’ll soon find it’s not.
K, T and R names are the strongest sounds, hard sounds, making your hero sound tougher.
John vs Jack
Jack sounds stronger, John sounds softer.
Short can be better than long. (Not always!)
Donovan vs Don
Don sounds stronger.
Donovan sounds more reliable though.
Then there is meaning to consider.
You wouldn’t want your hero’s name to mean "Flowerpot" or something, right?
(Or maybe you would… It could be a giggle if he gets pulled up on it all the time.)
Anyway.
As I said, K sounds and the like sound "Strong"..
However, if you don’t want a hard sound at the beginning, try to pick a name with one in the middle.
And, for God’s sake, don’t name them all Jake, or Jack.
Please. I’m begging you.
Peruse baby name sites (there are plenty out there) and say the names out loud.
See which one sounds strong, and which comes off as soft, or even weak.
On those sites, you will also find the meanings. Check them out too.
Make the name pronounceable.
(I should talk. One of my heroes is called Raxsaixahael. His friends call him Bob – because they can’t pronounce it. He also answers to Rax, however. And I picked this for a reason. 
)
Last but not least — there is fashion to consider.
Some names are eternally popular. Some… well.
Before you name your hero Willard, consider when the story is set. Or have a good reason for choosing an old fashioned name. (Maybe he was named after his Grandfather?)
But if you have no reason for calling your hero Ulysses, or Erasmus, then think about it a little. (I personally like old fashioned names, so don’t let me deter you too much.)
There are a lot of things you can do to enhance your hero, but probably the most important is his name. We make a lot of mental assumptions when we hear a name.
If we are introduced to a Beau, we’d naturally assume he’s handsome, for instance. (After all, that’s what the name means.) His name may be Beauregard, and he could answer to any number of nicknames (Beau, Bo, Reg etc) but the name has to make an impression on us — and it better be a strong one, if he’s the alpha male hero.
I (personally) wouldn’t get a strong impression from a hero named Kenny, even though it’s a K name. The cutsiefying of the -ny takes away the strong sound. I’d have a better impression of Ken, or Kenneth.
Names are difficult, to be sure.
But they are what define your characters.
So choose well.
25
Jun
There is a great post on hero names on Samhain’s blog at the moment.
Beyond Jack and Jake – What to name your hero.
It got me to thinking.
I will dig out the dynamics of a name again and blog about it.
I might be a few days, but…
In the meantime — check out the link above.