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@koshka @elishavet-pidyon @mineralizedwritings @esther-c @whalekeeper @gracie-j @felicity @anybody-else XD
Soo this topic has been made due to some keeper that seems to be needing some help, and also this topic would probably be useful for a lot of us, since I’m sure quite a few of us have some sort of romantic subplot in our stories, wether big or small.
Now 2 people have asked me for some advice…and I’m not sure if I can give much, but I’ll sure try!
I…definitely have some…ah, romantic subplots in my series in case you didn’t notice XD and one is actually extremely PIVOTAL to the series and actually isn’t really a subplot (actually I guess u could say 2 of them are)
But I’m not sure how much I can help since I’m not exactly a “romance” connoisseur, although I do love love 😂
But I can offer a bit of advice.
First, it might help to know exactly what your personal struggles are with your specific subplots or plots in general when it comes to this topic.
Secondly, here’s a few general tips I find helpful.
1. Love Is Built
This is very important. We, as Christian’s, try to build foundational truths, and we want people to understand that in a relationship, and in life love is not something that just happens in a single moment. While even in fantasy, true love is something we want to “portray”, just as me with November and Arabella, we still want to show their love being builded Upon as time goes on.
Relationships are full of ups and downs, and love has to grow. If a boy and girl meet for the first time, they can’t just get married in the next week. That’s not realistic (unless that’s the plot and then u obviously have to take an approach in having the love grow within the marriage lol)
So that’s tip number one, the love needs to grow, and if they’ve known each other for a while obviously you e already got a good starting point.
2: Love does not fix all problems.
This one is very important. In many stories, it’s showing that once a person finds true love, all their problems go away. Trauma, anxiety, depression, etc. it just…disappears.
This is NOT realistic! True love does not get rid of problems. There are things that people will carry for the rest of their lives unless the Lord takes it from them.
Love will help get them through, and it walk them through hardships, but it will not fully rid them of their troubles.
3: Makes sure your relationship has a clear line between comedic and abusive.
Sometimes in a world full of laughter and jokes, and also just the way our world in, we tend to glorify abuse. I’m not gonna get into this one, but let’s just make sure we do not glorify abuse (and I’m not just meaning large abuse, even just constantly putting each other down. We have to be careful. I realized this recently that I’ll need to evaluate this with Arthur and make sure it’s understood the reason she treats him the way she does and pushes him away)
Don’t glorify it. If there’s a reason someone pushes someone else away, make sure it’s realized eventually, and gets fixed, and if it doesn’t then the relationship probably needs to end.
#IfMarcelDiesIRiot
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#ProtectSebAgain, plz share ur specific issues with ur subplots, etc so we can help u out as best we can!
#IfMarcelDiesIRiot
#ProtectMarcel
#ProtectSebThose points are really good!
In one of my WIP’s I have romance between a non-Christian girl and a Christian guy that ends up shattering because the girl doesn’t understand why he is so passionate about Jesus. She asks, “Can’t you just keep your religion in the background?” And he has to tell her, “No, that’s not how it works.”
He must increase, but I must decrease.
@felicity ah yes. You cannot flirt to convert, something my father and grandfather (also the pastor and bishop of our church) preaches.
#IfMarcelDiesIRiot
#ProtectMarcel
#ProtectSeb@godlyfantasy12 @anyone else who wants to help!
Oh, great advice!
So here’s my problem:
Kaine, Everly’s younger brother has been caring for here pretty intensely since she got injured about 6 months prior. Exuasting himself so that she can be comfortable has basically become a way of life for him. He feels it’s the least he can do, because she practically raised him. She starts to feel better and makes friends with there new neighbors, Tauren, Lesli, and Layson. Kaine feels uneasy about it, because although her getting injured was an accident, the people who caused it were strangers. He ran them off the property with his bow, and they never came back, but strangers really scare him now. So his issue is realizing people can be kind, and also trying to figure out who he is. As Everly starts to get better, she and Layson seem to be falling in love. Kaine doesn’t have a problem with it, he thinks Layson is nice, but he doesn’t know how to feel about the potential of Everly not needing him. So because the plot here revolves around Kaine, I need a way to show that Everly and Layson’s relationship does develop in a healthy way, and they are not just rushing to getting married. Maybe I need to develop Everly’s backstory some more, so they have something to relate about. I’m just not sure how to do it because they don’t get much screentime as of now.
Anyways, that was longwinded lol. Anything helps! And thanks for making this topic!
"And so I left this world just as I had entered it. Confused."
hmm…
Are Layson and Everly pov characters?
#IfMarcelDiesIRiot
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#ProtectSebAlso, how old is Layson and Everly?
do they get married in this book? If not, then u can play with time and leave the readers with their own thoughts on what happens after the story “ends.”
In truth, showing their relationship developing isn’t all that hard. It’s mainly a point of not rushing them into things, just as we wouldn’t want to have our characters rushing into or blurting out random things about other stuff, we wouldn’t want to do that with their relationships, make sense?
Because they don’t have much screen time, you can make use of small character dialogue here and there, maybe not a lot, but small comments on the two.
Maybe Everly is with her brother and Layson walks by, catching her eye.
Maybe Layson is distracted while someone is trying to talk to him, a goofy smile on his face.
Maybe a few days later their chatting with each other, or laughing. Just don’t have them rush into anything, like all of a sudden their holding hands when they’ve only just met or something.
As for Kaine, perhaps have some scenes showing Layson as a kind person, and Kaine sees him as such.
And as Layson’s relationship with Everly grows maybe have a scene or two where he connects with Kaine, perhaps Kaine talks to him about how hard it was caring for his sister for so long, or how fearful he was of those who hurt her coming back.
Maybe it’s in these scenes Layson even admits how much he cares for Everly himself.
These are just things to think of, to add in and build upon. I hope this helps some and feel free to ask if you have anymore questions or need some more advice!!
#IfMarcelDiesIRiot
#ProtectMarcel
#ProtectSebNot exactly sure what you mean by pov characters…
It’s eventually going to be comic style, so there isn’t much of a pov. Anybody’s thoughts can be shown too.
Layson is 19, I think Everly is 22. Layson is really mature for his age.
Oh I’m not sure if I want them to get married in the book, I think it might be a ending thing that’s narrated, Like a couple pictures from there wedding that tell the story, and some narration that says what happened to each character after the series.
Maybe Layson is distracted while someone is trying to talk to him, a goofy smile on his face.
Lol that is such a Layson thing to do 😂
Not sure how this fits in, it’s similar though. He braids his hair sometimes… and it just happens to coincide with when Everly is comes over to have dinner with the 3 of them. Lesli thoroughly enjoys making fun of him for this.
Oh and I do have a scene where Kaine see’s him being kind. He see’s him holding Maylee and being super sweet, and he’s thinks that he’s never seen another person be that gentle like Everly.
Maybe it’s in these scenes Layson even admits how much he cares for Everly himself.
Oh… great idea! I need to find a way to put that in somehow. I might use that! 😁
I like what you said about it really not being that hard, I was concerned about how they’re character arcs where going to weave together 🤣 a lot of my character arcs coincide, with character’s filling in missing places for others, but it’s not necessary.
What makes this super hard, is that Kaine and Everly are separate character’s for awhile, and things are revealed in a particular order (which I have not come up with yet 😅)
I have a scene I’m not sure what to do about… it’s supposed to be extremely awkward, just curious what you would think, because it’s reaaaally uncomfortable imo
Ok so Layson has never met Everly before, as of rn she is just Lesli’s friend next door.
Layson is exausted, he just came back from about 7 months of traveling, adopting Maylee on the way back. They ran out of food close to home, so he’s kinda unhealthy. So yeah, he basically lays around most of the time and Lesli and Tauren make him food sometimes. So he’s a bit out of it when he meets her. He feels the need to make it obvious that although he has a daughter, he isn’t married, because some people would think that. He actually believes it was a subtle hint until later when Lesli thoroughly roasts him for it. Everly doesn’t like him at this point, because he isn’t his usual self.
And as Layson’s relationship with Everly grows maybe have a scene or two where he connects with Kaine, perhaps Kaine talks to him about how hard it was caring for his sister for so long, or how fearful he was of those who hurt her coming back.
Oh yeah… I do need to have Kaine get to know Layson. It’s going to be a little hard, because Kaine is pretty timid, and Layon is pretty loud. Actually, this has made me get an idea! Maybe Layson is too loud, but when somebody tells him Kaine doesn’t like that he actually stops. Hmm idk.
Thanks! It helps to bounce ideas around with somebody else.
"And so I left this world just as I had entered it. Confused."
Okay, gotcha didn’t realize it was a comic but that’s super cool!
So with that awkward scene…I think if you make it a comedic scene since it’s a comic it would work out a bit better, and then perhaps later have Everly realize “Ah wait a minute this guys actually different then what I originally thought” meanwhile Layson’s on the other side of things like having this hilarious “not quite breakdown but breakdown” cuz he’s like “that was dumb…”
Now that Ik it’ll be a comic it changes the dynamic a bit.
Comics are allowed to have a bit more leeway some then books are occasionally. You can still make it impactful, but also able to give it some funny comedic moments because it’s art, and you can use that to your advantage.
You can even have a scene after that awkward moment and Lesli chews him out where Layson tells his three year old “Maylee…I really did it this time.” And she’s just staring wide-eyed like three old’s do 🤣
Now as for the loud Vs quiet…I would advice steering clear of Layson changing and becoming totally quiet to please Kaine or changing himself completely, but he can adjust a few things maybe to be just a bit calmer around the boy until he becomes more familiar with him, but Kaine will also need to grow too as the time goes on.
So, you say Layson is mature for his age, and as a nineteen year old caring for a daughter I’d say he is, but I feel he still probably has some growing up to do, and that’s probat a great thing to explore, and Everly, having cared for Kaine is actually a great role model for that, and Kaine can help him too, to grow and mature.
Meanwhile on the other spectrum, Kaine has to grow in his own character arc in accepting others besides just his sister and understanding he can trust people besides just her, and Layson can help with that.
It can really become a beautiful twofold thing.
Honestly it’s sorta like what happens with Nyx, Grimm and Jocelyn in my book series, except you have a bit of leeway due to it being in comic form 😊
#IfMarcelDiesIRiot
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#ProtectSebNow as for the loud Vs quiet…I would advice steering clear of Layson changing and becoming totally quiet to please Kaine or changing himself completely, but he can adjust a few things maybe to be just a bit calmer around the boy until he becomes more familiar with him, but Kaine will also need to grow too as the time goes on.
Good point! I’ll keep that in mind. Kain does need to develop out of that a bit. I might use a side character that’s a bit like a dad to them for that.
So, you say Layson is mature for his age, and as a nineteen year old caring for a daughter I’d say he is, but I feel he still probably has some growing up to do, and that’s probat a great thing to explore, and Everly, having cared for Kaine is actually a great role model for that, and Kaine can help him too, to grow and mature.
Oh, really good points. I did not think about how much Everly could be a bit of a role model, she does have more experience with raising kids after all. Yeah Layson does need to mature a bit more. I’d say it was probobly only in the month or so before this that he realized how his mistakes affect other people. Thankfully, he could take the sacrifice, so Maylee wasn’t affected, but in other situations she would have been.
You can even have a scene after that awkward moment and Lesli chews him out where Layson tells his three year old “Maylee…I really did it this time.” And she’s just staring wide-eyed like three old’s do 🤣
Yeah actually I had something really similar in mind, where Maylee instead yells “Practice makes perfect” after he whispers to her about how he messed up, and He is absolutely mortified ( mean like verge of tears 😂) Would that work? Lesli is pretty rough with her words on him at times, it’s a contrast to her relationship with Tauren. She honestly wishes both him and Everly the best, but you’d never know with how she treats him about it. I think she lays off after a little while (Everly probobly told her to stop bugging him so harshly at some point 🤣) Thanks again! This is a big help! 😁
"And so I left this world just as I had entered it. Confused."
Honestly it’s sorta like what happens with Nyx, Grimm and Jocelyn in my book series, except you have a bit of leeway due to it being in comic form 😊
Oh yeah! I know a little bit about them… Nyx is a fox… right? And I might be getting this wrong, Jocelyn is his sister? And she and Grimm are together, right? Mind if I ask how a fox became siblings with a human? I’m genuinely curious what happened lol
"And so I left this world just as I had entered it. Confused."
Of course! And yes I got it right, tho in the actual series (u may be thinking of the AUs) Grimm and Lyn’s relationship grows overtime.
So they aren’t obviously blood siblings, but Nyx was given to Jocelyn as a kit, the only one discovered of his kind by a man named Lander (who secretly has a large impact on Lyn’s life but she doesn’t know it. Bit of a spoiler) and she was a little girl. He became her best friend, even more then her human friends, going everywhere with her, and she pretty much raised him even though being a child herself.
When we meet them he’s around 11-12 human wise and she’s like…14? (His age works a bit differently and you’ll understand why…)
See, Nyx can talk.
Not technically vocally, but more thru a mental standpoint, where u can hear him just like he’s speaking physically, but only those he trusts can hear him, so if he doesn’t trust you, or he doesn’t allow you to hear him, you won’t be able to.
Lyn was the first to ever hear him speak, and the first one he ever trusted, and their trust will never break. They’re pretty much like one of those duos where you almost can’t imagine one without the other, and Nyx becomes an almost literally physical representation of Jocelyn’s love, to the point she actually calls him that as a nickname.
She calls him love and darling.
Nyx is wholeheartedly loyal to Lyn, and loves her entirely. They really are brother and sister in every aspect heart-wise
But due to certain events, Nyx grows ver distrusting of others, even more so then his nature already made him, and this becomes something he has to overcome, especially when it comes to Grimm, so there is definitely tension between the two.
#IfMarcelDiesIRiot
#ProtectMarcel
#ProtectSeb@moneralizedwritings also the Practice makes perfect sounds hilarious 🤣 not sure why he’d be crying but maybe make it a comedic crying cuz imagining him mortified after that is hilarious 🤣
#IfMarcelDiesIRiot
#ProtectMarcel
#ProtectSebOh I love that plot for your characters! Sounds awesome!
That actually is so similar to what I’m doing, but different too.
I love Nyx only being heard by those he trusts… does he trust Grimm? and I can’t imagine the frustration of trying to tell people your fox brother talks (or are people familiar with the species?) when only you can hear him 😂
She calls him love and darling.
Nyx is wholeheartedly loyal to Lyn, and loves her entirely. They really are brother and sister in every aspect heart-wise
That’s s cute! I love it 😀
I’m getting curious about Lander now….interesting.
How do Grimm and Lyn meet?
And lol yes, crying out of pure humiliation. He’s embarrassed himself, now Lesli (Not sure how bad to make it, she went a bit overboard though🤣) has embarrassed him, and so has his daughter. Like not quite crying, but it’s so bad he almost could. 😂
Tauren’s probobly trying not to get involved, but slightly enjoying Layson’s pain. Layson has trolled him pretty bad in the past, so he deserves it after all. 🤣
"And so I left this world just as I had entered it. Confused."
@mineralizedwritings 🤣 sounds hilarious! Poor Layson but he sounds like the kinda funny guy I’d LOVE! Also he’s taking care of a little toddler? Yes please!!! Already love him! And Kaine!
Also, Grimm is the MC that is introduced in book 3, and they meet him while traveling after leaving Cirque (Lyn and Nyx’s home.)
He’s been through a lot and is leading a small rebellion when they meet him. He’s like 15 or so, but mature and pretty rough around the edges, more of a stoic nature but he’s really a sweetheart inside, just quiet and protective.
He’s also a shifter (meaning he can transform into an animal. His animal is a wolf, like the rest of his clan)
Corvina is also a shifter, her animal is a Raven.
Anywaaay, this is also a kinda tension cuz ya know…Predator Vs predator 🤣 fox vs wolf XD
as for Nyx speaking, most of the time people are confused by it but they don’t think too much of it after it’s explained due to it being a fantasy world (and if it isn’t explained, they just think Lyn might be a little eccentric or perhaps just enjoys talking to Him like some “pet parents do”
BUT DO NOT CALL HIM A PET! Nyx has a temper….and that’s one of his… pet peeves…pun intended XD.
As for if he trust Grimm, definitely not, at least not at first, and even at the end of the book while he does gain a bit of kit’s respect and alliance he doesn’t earn his full trust just yet because Nyx just has some fears deep inside due to things that happen in the book he and Lyn are introduced in (also he was already a bit untrusting just due to his nature)
But he ends up speaking to him fairly early on due to a need, which often happens. Sometimes Nyx just has to suck it up and allow others to hear him, and after leaving Cirque this happens more often then not, as he usually wants to insult someone or argue.
But his ability to shut off communication comes in handy when wanting to give information.
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