Writing A Series

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  • #93241
    ella
    @nova21
      • Rank: Knight in Shining Armor
      • Total Posts: 604

      @e-k-seaver, @abigail-m, @gracie-j, @godlyfantasy12, @devastate-lasting, @scripter-of-kingdoms, @writerlexi1216, @issawriter7, @joy-caroline, @anyone-else

      Ok, so @abigail-m mentioned earlier that the love interest doesn’t confess anything in the first book/s.  What do y’all think about someone confessing love in the first one?  When I read, it’ll kinda build…and then there’s that first something! …and then it’s boring again.  And then the author keeps up the relationship FOREVER, to where there’s this in-between place of not being married/not old enough to be married and being in a relationship.

      All that to say, what are your thoughts?  In which book in the series should it all unfold? 😉

      • This reply was modified 3 years, 8 months ago by ella. Reason: tag didn't work

      what we do in life echoes in eternity
      -gladiator, 2000

      #93243
      E. K. Seaver
      @e-k-seaver
        • Rank: Knight in Shining Armor
        • Total Posts: 344

        @nova21, honestly, it really depends on how old you think it’s okay to be in a relationship. I’m not going to have 14-year-old characters declare their love for each other (Because, honestly, how many fourteen-year-olds do you know that really love anyone more than themselves? No hating on the fourteen-year-olds– it’s just a little young to be dating imo) But I’m totally fine with 16/17 y/o characters saying they love each other. (Though personally I’d prefer them to be upper 17/18.)

        And as long as you’re not draaaaaaaaaagggggggiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnngggggg it out, I don’t think it matters where in the series they declare their love.

        The pen is mightier than the sword, but in a duel, I'm taking the sword.
        ekseaver.wordpress.com

        #93244
        ella
        @nova21
          • Rank: Knight in Shining Armor
          • Total Posts: 604

          @e-k-seaver

          I totally agree with you about 14 yr. olds, haha!  Sounds good, thanks for the advice!

          what we do in life echoes in eternity
          -gladiator, 2000

          #93245
          Linyang Zhang
          @devastate-lasting
            • Rank: Eccentric Mentor
            • Total Posts: 1700

            @nova21 Idk man I never have my characters confess love to each other…it depends on how much chemistry you’re building, I think. In this last book of the current trilogy I’ve been pantsing I think that I’ve created enough chemistry for them to kiss…? Like once…? At the end…? But I really pantsed this one I wasn’t planning on shipping them and I didn’t even think that my guy would be in this book I thought he’d be dead…

            It’s up to you, really. Whenever feels right. If you make them confess love in the first book then you’re lacking a certain subplot for the rest of the series…though you could, however, make way for a break up or something in the future books. Maybe like the middle book, then?

            Lately, it's been on my brain
            Would you mind letting me know
            If hours don't turn into days

            #93246
            GodlyFantasy12
            @godlyfantasy12
              • Rank: Chosen One
              • Total Posts: 6645

              Disclaimer: These title are WORKING titles XD and these aren’t blurbs, just kinda an overview of the plot ideas I’ve got. And forgive me if these are long lol.

              The Destined Series

              Word Count Goal: At least 80,000 words.

              Book 1: Destiny’s Murder

              Arabella Fable’s destiny has never been one she wanted. Prophesied over as a babe to be the Bringer of Peace and The All’s Chosen Handmaiden, her destiny will take her far from her family, and her home. For years she’s dreaded the day the time would come to embark, and that day has now arrived.

              Luckily, she won’t be going totally alone. Although her family cannot join her, she can choose one person to go along with her as her protector.

              November, swallowed by the disappointment of his father and a lapse in courage that he believes led to Arabella being injured, he’s always struggled. But he’s never let it affect his personality, and has always known he would be the one Arabella would choose to go with her. At least, that’s what he’d always been told, and he hopes it’s true, because if not he’ll have to find a way to tell her how much he adores her.

              After choosing November, the two are plunged into an unknown land with a dark past and even darker present. Pushed into a murder plot involving a young girl named Jocelyn, the two have to prove her innocence before it’s too late.

              Will they be able to find the murderer? Or are they the next victims?

               

              Book 2: Fate’s Rebellion

              Word count goal: At least 90,000

              Having left Cirque and the dark memories that follow, the three adventurers are brought to a frozen forest wasteland. Still unsure of her purpose, Arabella is once again left confused as to why she’s here, and what they’re supposed to do next.

              That is, until they’re captured by a band of warriors, who they soon discover are wolf shapeshifters. Locked away for no apparent reason, the three are at the bottom, again, until they’re brought out to meet the King and Queen of the wolves, otherwise known as the Alphas.

              Something is off about them, but neither of the three heroes can put their finger on what. Everything seems fine as they’re invited to dine with the royals, but when a young man by the name of Grimm appears to Arabella, she discovers nothing is as it seems. He quickly whisks the three away before the Queen has them killed.

              Grimm brings them to a hidden forest, where he and others in his pack have formed a rebellion against the royals. Struggling with grief and guilt, Grimm is silent and consumed by past memories, but he still leads the rebellion with a firm hand.

              With the wicked Alpha Queen Kainda after them, the three have no choice but to help Grimm and his ragtag group of rebels take down the ruthless warrior dictators and save what’s left of their pack.

               

              Book 3: Traditions War OR Eternity’s War (I haven’t decided. I know I want war, but can’t find another word that fits)

              Word count goal: 100,000 or more (definitely the longest book, or the second longest)

              Now a foursome (Arabella, November, Jocelyn and Grimm), our heroes have left yet another land behind, and have finally found some peace and quiet. This new, tranquil kingdom seems completely untouched by any evil or danger, or so they think.

              Come to find out, the three Fae Elementals that live their have split into different groups. It all began when the Water Faeries decided to trade their wings for tails and become the Mer, which seemed an abomination to the other Fae. When arguments over how to deal with the Mer broke out, the Fae split once again. The mountain Fae kept their name, while the Earth/Forest Fae became the Pixies.

              All three living in one land that is divided by immensely different terrains (Sea, Forests, Mountains), the three have been at odds for years. By this time, however, it has boiled down into nothing more then bitter arguments, especially between the three royal leaders, who are all related to each other (Distant cousins).

              The Mer seem to want peace, being a fun, kind people, but the other two refuse.

              Long story short (Because again, this is a big book and not everything is figured out), The Destroyer, using his servant Corvina (Who is the main antagonist that is mentioned/hinted at in the first two books, but never fully seen in human form by Arabella), has been setting things in place for years to begin a war that would kill thousands, if not the world (Because if all of one of the Elemental groups dies, their element is completely removed from the world!).

              The biggest pawn in this war is one little Fae boy by the name of Paxton, who, as a baby, was wounded by The Destroyer (with the permission of his mother…How rude) which gave him a “defect.” Lied to about it, Paxton believes he was born like that, and has been treated horribly his whole life.

              In truth, he plays a much bigger role then he knows, and when his life is threatened for the sake of war, Arabella and the other three heroes must save him and stop the inevitable battle between the groups.

               

              Book 4: Wisdom’s Gift

              Word count goal: Umm….not totally sure.

              So….this is the one book I have probably the least plot ideas for…So, in it’s essence, what I’ve got rn is our heroes (now five) leave the Fae land by traveling through a cavern that, with magic, brings them to the home of the Dark Elves, who, despite their names, are actually the kindest of all the elves. Worshippers of The All, Dark Elves are very in tune with everything around them, especially Moon Elves.

              Sadly, when our heroes arrive, they discover that all but one of the Moon elves were wiped out by dragons (led by SnowBlaze Elves, which are half-breeds. Half Elf, Half Fire Faery). The last remaining Moon Elf is Dolunay, or Luna, a young girl who is treated like a porcelain doll yet also revered. A Giftling (having a special gift or power), Luna can sense/dream the future and other things.

              Loving The All with all of her heart, I know I’m gonna have Luna help Arabella understand why The All chose her, and show all of the heroes the true love of The All. Other then that….I’m at a bit of a loss as for the plot.

              So Dolunay’s main problem will be being treated like she’s so fragile. While she doesn’t want to be treated like this, she also feels the weight of being the last Moon Elf on her shoulders. She will have to carry the lineage on, somehow. So I def need some ideas for this one lol.

              Book 5: Legacy’s Betrayal (I know I want betrayal in the title, and I want it to fit the rest of the series, but I just don’t think Legacy makes sense! Any ideas are welcome)

              Word count goal: Honestly, from book 4 onward I’ve little to no idea XD

              Oh boy, this is the book….ahhhh….it just gets soooo good. SO MUCH CONFLICT AND JUST….AGH XD.

              So in this one, the group is brought to the SnowBlaze Elfae which is horrifying because they are the most wicked and cruel of all the elves and Fae. (So im taking inspiration from idol worshippers and things. They’re pretty much a selfish bunch, fueled with greed and hatred towards others outside of their group.)

              Followers of The Destroyer, this is going to be the hardest adventure yet for Arabella. I don’t have all of the ideas for this one, but I do know that there’s a lot of inner conflict between the group and with antagonist Corvina, until it finally ends in a huge “betryal” and deception, and it kinda ends with a cliffhanger of Arabella being sent away magically by Corvina into a prison tower, while Ara’s friends are trapped inside a shadow forest. So ya. Lol.

              Book 6: Revelation’s Death

              Yikes….that title will probably alert u. This book kinda represents the Dark low point of the series. (MAJOR SPOILER AHEAD, If u don’t want to see it PLEASE SKIP THIS BOOK AND THE BOOK AFTER IT!!!)

               

               

               

               

               

              Okie, I’ve warned u lol.

               

              Arabella, trapped in the tower, has plenty of time to think and dwell on all that’s happened, while trying to find a way out. She’s tormented by Corvina and The Destroyer.

              Meanwhile, her friends are trying their best to keep the group together, but it’s nearly impossible after what happened in the last book. When things get worse, Jocelyn finally takes charge, telling them all (in so many words) to shut up, get over it and find Arabella. The only one holding the team together right now, Jocelyn has her work cut out for her, but despite what has happened she still trusts all of her friends, especially November.

              She says that, if anyone can find Arabella, its him, and when the group can no longer go on together, she sends November to get her while they distract Corvina.

              November does just this, and gets stuck with Ara, but they are able to find a way out. Arabella still hasn’t completely forgiven him for his betrayal, despite his apologies. Back with her friends, the group is now a mess.

              Broken, confused, and distrustful, the heroes don’t make a very good team right now. Still, they decide they need to go fight Corvina and finish this once and for all. After that, they can go their separate ways.

              So they do.

               

              And they fail.

              Torn apart, the heroes can’t work together and have lost all of the mental ground they gained over their journey. The only ones who aren’t as affected are Dolunay and Jocelyn, but even they are feeling the impacts of everything.

              Finally, down to the last wire, all hope seems lost as the heroes are completely obliterated.

              And Arabella’s time seems to be up as The Destroyer finally shows his power and tries to kill her.

               

               

               

               

              …………but…….

              Jocelyn takes the hit for Arabella, sacrificing herself to save her friend. In the end, she tells them that they are her family, and that Arabella has to finish this. With the help of all of them.

              Heartbroken, Arabella has to literally be dragged away, as does some of the rest of the team. Finally able to get their bearings, each hero grieves in their own way, and this seems to be the last breaking point for them all.

              The glue that held them together is dead, so what will hold them now?

              But, in the end, the five heroes are able to reconcile with each other, including Arabella and November who confess their feelings for each other. The only one who can’t seem to come out of it, is Grimm, who leaves the group.

              The remaining four decide it’s time to truly finish this battle, together.

               

              I’m considering have two Novellas between here, or at least one. 

              One would explain when all six of our heroes were younger, and the things that brought them to where they were in the series.

              The other would explain Corvina’s past, and give you a glimpse at her.

               

              Book 7: Prophecy’s End (I LOVE THIS NAME. This one and Fate’s Rebellion are my faves lol)

              Pretty much one giant finale, this one shows them regaining their strength and becoming a team again. Then they go off to face Corvina and the shadows that help her.

              In the end, Corvina is redeemed by Arabella, and decides to help the team.

              The final battle with The Destroyer arrives, and an ally returns, having come to grips with all of his grief. Grimm was the last piece of the puzzle the heroes needed, and, in the end, they bring an end to The Destroyer’s tyranny.

              Though, not destroying him entirely, they do stop his spreading darkness and wound him immensely. Their destiny’s completed, the group celebrates and (I’ve gotta decide if they all go back with Arabella and November. I’m thinking they do, and Luna becomes like a Duchess/prophetess and kinda adopts Paxton as her family.)

              It all ends happily.

              So yup, that’s the plots!

              Pssst……I’m also considering a book after the series, just for Grimm. I’m thinking he goes on an adventure after these. My ideas for it are this: 1, he finds peace, OR………he discovers Jocelyn isn’t truly dead.

               

              BOOM! (What do y’all think? I’m just not sure because I know sometimes readers feel cheated or the ending was wrong because sometimes you need to leave a dead character dead. But I also love Jocelyn and im just like…..ugh….. lol)

               

               

              #IfMarcelDiesIRiot
              #ProtectMarcel
              #ProtectSeb

              #93247
              ella
              @nova21
                • Rank: Knight in Shining Armor
                • Total Posts: 604

                @devastate-lasting

                Good advice!  You don’t seem like the most romance-y type, lol!!! 😂  Good point about subplots 👍

                what we do in life echoes in eternity
                -gladiator, 2000

                #93249
                Linyang Zhang
                @devastate-lasting
                  • Rank: Eccentric Mentor
                  • Total Posts: 1700

                  @nova21 Haha no I cringe really hard when I think about it…I let my characters take the wheel, tbh.

                  Lately, it's been on my brain
                  Would you mind letting me know
                  If hours don't turn into days

                  #93258
                  Alexa Autorski
                  @writerlexi1216
                    • Rank: Eccentric Mentor
                    • Total Posts: 1011

                    Ugh, I have this same problem with writing romance. One of my subplots is a hate-to-love romance between my main character and one of her former enemies. But does anybody have any tips on pacing a hate-to-love romance? I know that having them somehow fall in love in the first book would be way too forced and cringy, but what about the second book? Is that still too fast?

                    #93260
                    Anonymous
                      • Rank: Eccentric Mentor
                      • Total Posts: 1789

                      @writerlexi1216 Well, I’m a proud supporter of the Turn Your Novel Into An Extremely Long Series movement! XD So I would totally say GO FOR IT!

                      However, I know from firsthand experience that you don’t ever want to milk your characters or story and come up with something boring and bland. Therefore, I do suggest you make an outline to see if you have enough character arcs, developmental stuff, and action to keep the story going for another book or two. For my series, I have one character’s POV remain for four of the six books, while I introduce a million several new ones, which keeps her arc developing, but also leaves room for new stories and characters.

                      At least toy with it and see if it feels right to you!


                      @nova21
                      Ooh…good question! I’m with you and @e-k-seaver on the fourteen-year-olds thing (although my ten-year-old self was not XD).

                      However, I must disagree on one thing. It does indeed matter where/when they declare their love. @devastate-lasting said things pretty well, I think. But I do have several points. (Warning: This will most like turn into a rant, so be prepared. No, I won’t yell at anyone this time. I think. *backs away sheepishly*)

                      #1 The timing. The timing actually matters in a series as much as it matters in a standalone novel–trust me. Declare too soon, and then you just drag the book out. Too late, and it’s lost it’s punch. The declaration should be heartfelt, emotional, and maybe even take the reader (or one of the characters) by surprise.

                      #2 The genre. When you’re writing a romance plot (as in, not a subplot on the side or anything), the timing can’t be adjusted much. Usually, you’ll want to shoot for closer to the middle or end, because, well, it’s the whole point of the story. If you go too early, you’ll risk losing the chemistry and the storyline. Don’t rush it or else you’ve got nothing left. However, when you’re writing a romantic subplot, anything works! Since you’ve got another plot or theme going on–maybe a mystery or an action/adventure–you can declare in the first few books. In a three+ series that focuses on the exact same characters throughout, I don’t recommend love-declaring in the first book AT ALL, simply because that’s some drama you’ll want to carry over at least until the second or third book. Again, that all depends on what else is going on.

                      #3 It takes two to tango. Love-declaring isn’t a one-sided thing. Two people have to declare it, and both may not do so at the same time. The most dramatic and romantic way to do things (in my opinion, of course), is to have one person declare early on, while the other one stills sees them as a friend or enemy (or what have you). Then the entire dynamic of their relationship has changed. Granted, I wouldn’t leave them hanging for long. Your characters are just like people, except they’ve got time constraints. Having them dance around their relationship and the words of love hanging between them gets to be either boring or frustrating. Don’t dawdle, or else you’ll lose your readers’ attention.

                      #3 1/2 Effectiveness. Just how effective is the declaration anyway? It could fall on deaf ears, be disregarded, or revoked at any time. For instance, sometimes the hero or heroine will “declare” their love whilst the other is sleeping. We know it, they know it, but the loved one in question doesn’t. It makes us wonder what their reaction would have been, what they’ll think when they finally find out, and when they’ll come to feel the same. Of course, enemies-to-lovers (my favorite trope ever) makes for a lot of drama in the declaration department. The hero could still be angry at the heroine when she begins to love him, or the heroine could hate the hero when he tells her (after seemingly hating her for years) that he’s been in love with her all this time. See what I mean?

                      #4 What comes next? So, this doesn’t necessarily go in the subplot department, but there are some similarities. What does come next? After the declaration, are the characters separated? Do they get married? Does someone or something disrupt their relationship? The declaration does always mean the ending. Sometimes the hero goes missing and is presumed dead. Sometimes the heroine is seen with someone else and the hero begins to doubt her love. Sometimes they get married and begin to have a whole new series of problems. I can only think of one really long series that dealt with romance, love-declarations, marriage, and multiple romances–but I wouldn’t give it as an example. Being that I can only think of one, however, goes to show that few series/books these days focus on the next stage–especially marriage. With your older characters (even your 17+ ones; fantasy worlds can operate like ancient/medieval ones–take that into consideration), marriage can come next. From that, children. TV shows are probably the best examples of how life goes on–from Heartland to Little House on the Prairie to When Calls the Heart.

                      When it comes to pretty much everything I just mentioned–effectiveness, timing, and the next stage–one of the best series I can think of is Sara Ella’s The Reflection Chronicles. (Highly recommend it. Fantastic series. Turned me into a YA fantasy fangirl. #teamky) There was an enemies-to-lovers vibe, other subplots, separation, and a whole host of other things that played into the characters’ relationships. (Come to think of it, I don’t even know if they ever actually said they loved each other. It was more of an “actions speak louder than words” situation.)

                      Anyway, there’s my opinion on the subject! Maybe someone was wondering! XD Feel free to add comments or contradict me, by the way!

                      #93261
                      Abigail.M.
                      @abigail-m
                        • Rank: Eccentric Mentor
                        • Total Posts: 1242

                        @nova21

                        Ah, so true, so true. It is extremely excruciating when an author drags out the something/nothingness forever and untactfully. Especially under the “just friends” excuse.

                        A good romance is so hard to balance and it’s just as hard to drag out as it is to not drag out.
                        My favorite romances are usually in stand-alone books because the pacing is always the best. But then again, my favorite show is serial. How the producers managed it was to have the love interest show up sparingly yet impactfully (he only showed up in five out of over fifty episodes). Yet he is still as good, likable, and in memory as if he were in every episode.

                        The best example of a more prolonged romance that I know of is in the trilogy, “Peter and the Starcatchers”. The adventure and mystery help distract from the romance as Peter and Molly is put through the following:

                        1#Like each other at first glance. 2#dislike each other. 3# rivals (my personal favorite). 4# {book 1} ends, both begrudgingly admire each other.

                        Book 2:

                        1#Reunite. 2#often sarcastic to each other. 3#work more like a team. 4#very aware of each other. 5# hate having to say goodbye. 6# small but sweet moment.

                        Book 3:

                        1# Reunite (again…). 2#one needs the other’s help for a mission. 3#love triangle. 4# trust each other more. 4# keep each other secret (mostly about Starstuff). 4# fights. 5# are later back in each other’s good graces. 6# brief but very well-timed kiss. 7# the final goodbye (they really don’t see each other after that… sigh).

                        -And somehow, the method the authors used wasn’t even irritating (maybe some other things were) but definitely not the romance part.

                         

                        As for me personally, I stay out of the “marriage territory” altogether, since I’m not just into writing romances above the age of 17 (absolutely no offense to anyone who does), I like the 15-16 category. But in my opinion, age doesn’t matter as much as whether or not they truly understand what love is. When I write, I like to keep in mind the difference between what the world (and many mediums of craft) think love is and what it really is.
                        I hate the sappy stuff (well most of the sappy stuff that is) because in modern media it’s often just a lot of generic staring into each other’s eyes.
                        Not that that is bad, but it’s often too rushed, too forced, and too much.

                        Writing romance in series can profit greatly from using moderation.
                        For me, the kiss is the ‘climax’ of the two characters’ romantic relationship. So I drag it out as far as possible and instead I fill their relationship with rivalry, sarcastic/heartfelt dialouge, comrade-in-arms type attitude, risking their lives for one another, and contrasting personalities. It’s always so much more fun watching them butt heads than use monologues.

                        One other thing (I know, I know, I’m ranting *sheepish grin* but I started this post and, well, I’m almost through XD ) is, in my writing. More specifically in my longer pieces (flash fiction, short stories, and poetry are all fair game for sad turnouts), I like writing romances that are to coin the cliche “meant for a forever”. Even if at the end of the book, series, or whatever; it doesn’t state that they are always going to be together, you have a general idea that they will or should be. And that they aren’t going to switch up love interests or be fickle (sorry, I’m in the middle of being annoyed with a particular show right now), because that is what labels that that age range as unable to understand love. Loyalty counts for a lot in the long run with these types of characters.

                        But everyone handles this subject differently in their own stories. I don’t think there’s an actual right or wrong way to time romances as long as they aren’t too rushed.

                         

                        But anyway, I want to thank (and apologize to XD ) anyone who just read all that. It turned out longer than I had anticipated, but those are just my thoughts on the matter:)

                        #93262
                        Anonymous
                          • Rank: Eccentric Mentor
                          • Total Posts: 1789

                          @writerlexi1216 Ooh, ooh! I can help! Pick me! Pick me! XD Well, some of the tips I just posted should help, but I just have to say that a hate-to-love needs to be dragged out. If you’re going for a trilogy, I’d have each book become a certain stage.

                          Book 1: They tolerate each other or begin to work together.

                          Book 2: They become friends and one of them (say, Newton) starts to development feelings for Caira.

                          Book 3: Newton declares his love, but Caira isn’t sure if she feels the same or can trust him with her heart (*insert your reason here*). By the end of the book, she’s come to the realization that she does indeed love Newton, and they live happily ever after.

                          *cringe* Hate to sound like a fairytale. XD

                          Or it could look more like this:

                          Book 1: They meet and Caira immediately feels drawn to Newton.

                          Book 2: Caira declares her love, but Newton refuses to see her that way. They undergo a period of separation.

                          Book 3: By the time they come back to each other, Newton has realize he’s in love with Caira and tells her so.

                          Something like that. Of course, it all depends on your characters, subplots, etc. Whatever feels right to you! And, of course, the stages could apply to a single book or a longer series. If you plan on going longer, I do suggest having another book (or a novella or an epilogue or anything, really) in which Caira and Newton are married or engaged or something. (How old are they again? They’re pretty young, right?) Epilogues work great in that respect, since all readers (myself included) love to see our favorite characters in the future, particularly living out their happy ending with a passel of young’uns!

                          Does that help?

                          #93263
                          Abigail.M.
                          @abigail-m
                            • Rank: Eccentric Mentor
                            • Total Posts: 1242

                            I just read @gracie-j ‘s post and agree completely with point 1#

                            #93266
                            Anonymous
                              • Rank: Eccentric Mentor
                              • Total Posts: 1789

                              @abigail-m Interesting! I enjoyed reading your opinions!

                              On the kiss climax, though, I want to point out that a kiss has absolutely nothing to do with romance.

                              Now don’t give me that look. Hear me out!

                              Especially in hate-to-love romances, the kiss is contingent upon the characters’ love for each other. Some of the best, most emotional kisses are in the first few chapters (and, yes, the story turns out to be fantastic at the end). Kisses can be initiated out of (1) necessity, (2) anger, and (3) mistakes. Let me explain.

                              A necessary kiss would be like when you’re trying to hide from an enemy or something (I’m sure you can think of an example). To shield your face, you kiss your friend (or even some guy you barely tolerate), who just so happens to be with you. Or, to avoid confronting someone who’s interested in you that you don’t like in return, you kiss a guy you’re friends with. Necessity kisses are contingent upon the plot, not the characters or emotional climax, and they often kickstart a relationship by putting something unexpected between the hero and heroine. These work great in the context of friends-to-lovers romances.

                              An angry kiss comes from, you guessed it, anger. Your hero may not have realized they are more than slightly attracted to the heroine when they kiss her hard during an argument. (Disclaimer: I am not excusing violent behavior, but this is romance. Violence and romance are two totally different things. Trust me. I’m not the only one here.) Or maybe, to get the heroine to shut up, he jerks her close and kisses her mouth. Enemies-to-lovers are fueled by angry kisses. I am fueled by angry kisses. Writing/reading them, I mean. Not, like, actually kissing somebody. XD

                              And mistake kisses? Well, those work in every situation! Case of mistaken identity? Yep! Accidental brush? Oh, yeah! Mistake kisses can occur anytime, anywhere, and don’t need anger or urgency to jumpstart them! They just happen, taking everyone (readers and characters) by surprise.

                              Of course, the actual romantic, intentional kisses are still the best, but I recommend a mix of kisses to create a more dramatic, intense atmosphere.

                              If anyone wants more advice on kiss-writing, types of kisses, and kiss application, I suggest reading these excerpts by Kissing Queen Julie Lessman: https://julielessman.com/kisses-kisses-kisses/ (And, yeah, she’s a Christian romance author. Like, the best Christian romance author.)

                              Anyway, there’s my opinion! I hope that helps someone!

                              #93267
                              Anonymous
                                • Rank: Eccentric Mentor
                                • Total Posts: 1789

                                @abigail-m Thank you! I’m glad you agree! 🙂

                                #93268
                                Alexa Autorski
                                @writerlexi1216
                                  • Rank: Eccentric Mentor
                                  • Total Posts: 1011

                                  @Gracie-j

                                  Girl, thank you for this!!! I agree that hate-to-love needs to be dragged out (but not too long so that it’s boring) so that it isn’t cringeworthy, y’know? And I’m starting to think about turning my duology idea into a trilogy, because I think I’d have enough storyline and conflict. Which would be perfect for developing Caira and Newton’s relationship (because, wow, their relationship goes through some major development). This is a great outline to work with! It’s slow-paced (I say that in a good way!) so that it feels natural, which is exactly what I’m aiming for. Thank you!! I’ll use this as a reference for when I’m doing more outlining!

                                  Another thing is… Caira and Newton are pretty young, and sometimes I worry they might be a little too young to be falling in love. I mean, they’ve both gone through some heavy childhood traumas, so they’re very mature, but I think they’re around 14-15 years old. I think that, since they’re really mature for their age, it probably wouldn’t feel weird? I know it’s sort of young…

                                  And I love the idea of having another book/novella/epilogue! I’ve actually given that idea some thought already, because Newton and Caira need to get married in the future. And I thought I’d be neat to show what happens to them after the main story!

                                  Thanks for the tips! You really cleared some things up for me! This’ll be a great reference for my outline! 🙂 By the way, I love hearing other people talk about my charries! It makes them feel… even more special!

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