You’re writing your characters doing *what*???? (or thoughts on why I write sexy scenes)

Hi all,

Reading erotica is a little like eating ice cream. There’s so many flavors and the box..um book usually just says ‘erotica’. So, it can be hit or miss sometimes on whether you will enjoy the book or won’t. And as a writer, one does have to keep their audience (and their characters) in mind when writing sexy scenes. What does their audience like to read? How erotic is too erotic to ‘put off’ your reader from either not buying the book or, just as bad, not buying your next book in the series? If this, as a writer, doesn’t give you a headache, you also have to consider your characters as you write. Though they only exist between the pages of your novel, while they take up white space, they are ‘human’ for that time. What types of things would they themselves (not you, you are not your characters but that’s a different entry) enjoy doing in bed? What do the characters consider sexy?

OK, so after you’ve thought about things and decided what your readers like and what your characters like, then, it’s off to write the sexy scene. And erotica is sort of comparable to action sequences in a way. Because one has to know where all the arms/legs/etc. are at all times. And things move around. Sometimes quickly. So, you have to take all this into account when you are writing your scenes. I’m a visual person and have to ‘see’ the scenes in my mind when I write. For example, when her hand is touching his chest, where his hands will be. And so on and so forth.

But then, some writers stop here and ask (and rightly so) why even write an erotic scene at all? Can’t one just do a ‘fade to black’ and then, the reader can put in their mind whatever sexy scene they want? Is that ‘good enough’ as a writer? I think it’s a personal decision and one that you, yourself need to answer. Because nothing is more personal than writing scenes of sex. And death. Yeah, they are linked and I’ll get to that in a moment. However, now, I’d like to share with you my thoughts on why I write erotic scenes.

I admit, mainstream fiction, much like clothes, is becoming sexier and sexier these days. Erotica is one of the best selling genres and it has become a big component in romantic fiction these days. I started writing as an amateur in my twenties and back then, erotica wasn’t as prevalent as it is today in the mainstream novels. So, much like the other writers that I was reading, I included very few, if any, sexy scenes in my work. But then, there was a gap in my work (I attended grad school) and came back to writing about seven years ago. Wow, what a difference! Writers were writing very erotic things and four letter words were the normal instead of the exception. The more I read, the more I thought about things and then, finally, decided to include the sexy scenes in my work.

As I’ve said before, sex is like death in fiction. You should never write a needless death scene. And, you should never write a ‘throw away’ sexy scene as well. In other words, both the sexy scenes and the death scenes need to be integral to both the story and its characters. It has to ‘feel’ right for the characters either to die or to be making love. Yeah, I know writing the word ‘feel’ is sort of a mushy area but the more you write and the more you write your characters/universe, you will get an intuitive notion as to what is ‘right’ for the fictional world that you’ve created.

As all of you probably know by now, I write an original Dracula-Phantom of the Opera universe. And, I write about two couples, Erik/Christine and Dracula/Mina. The vampirism notwithstanding (I dunno but it seems like vampires and sexy stuff just naturally go together), I think that understanding the couples’ relationships sometimes needs to be explored deeper and in more detail. And since the couples are lovers (soul mates), exploring how they interact with each other on the printed page (also, how they solve their issues) seems to work through the writing of sexy scenes.

Now, as a writer, sometimes, I’ve cut out the sexy scenes so friends or family could read the piece. But you know what? I’ve gone back days later and read both pieces, the one with the sexy scenes and the one without. IMO, most of the time, the one with the sexy scenes does help the reader to get a better sense of who these characters are, what drives them (motivates them) and why they are doing certain things. In other words, the sexy scenes help to flesh out the character for the reader, ie, the reader gets a deeper sense of who exactly these characters are. And really, then, if you look at things that way, you as a writer want the reader to know these characters intimately. Therefore, you can be doing your readership a disservice in a way if you take out the sexy scenes since you are not providing the entire ‘picture’ to the reader of what is going on between these characters. Therefore, the reader will get only a partial (or ¾ ) view of these characters and while the readers’ imaginations can indeed fill in the scene after it has gone to black on the page, the readers’ imaginations of what happens may not be close to the writer’s idea of what the characters experiences are. And that’s the important thing. Because it is the writer’s job to show as much of the actions of his/her characters so that the reader will want to know more about them and will want to follow their lives. And buy your next novel. Which is an important thing too.

So, I guess, to sum up, then, I do think in certain books/universes, sexy scenes (just like death scenes) do play a very important role. I think that through reading of these sexy scenes, the reader is able to get a better sense of the characters and know them much more deeply and intimately than if the scene was not present. Also, many plot type things can occur during sexy scenes which are important to the movement of the story forward. I always leave the writers who are writing my blog with a piece of advice. I think then, I’ll just end with this. If you believe that sex and love are integral to your characters’ relationships, give those sexy scenes a try. You can always take them out if you feel that they do not ‘work’ as well as you would have liked them to. But before you go cutting out those scenes (or censor them in your mind all together by just fading to black and not writing them), think for a moment about how much more ‘real’ your universe/characters may seem to a reader if you wrote them. I’m certain once you get past your initial hesitation, your universe will seem more rich (and more complex) with all those sexy scenes in them.

Until next time, do take care,
Chris

Challenge your characters.......

Hi all,

You still all with me?

*looks out into the darkness of internet land*

Good. I’m glad:)

Well, I'm sorry but things have been rough this summer. I've had some personal problems and it's been difficult keeping up with things.

But I had an idea for a post. And so it goes....

OK. So you're writing. And you've got great characters. You've done a timeline so you know what happens during which century. And you even have an outline of how the book is going to go (what happens where). So things look good for you. At least on paper.

But I've read so many books where the characters were wonderful but not much happened to them. In other words, they had interesting characteristics (conceited, religious, loyal, etc.) but these characteristics couldn't shine because nothing was put in front of them to bring these to the forefront. There was not much conflict or if there was, it was predictable and one knew what would happen to the characters and the choices that they would make to deal with their problems. Or, if the characters were presented with a conflict, it might have been an interesting problem superficially but, the real issues were glossed over in the writing and perhaps, the characters did not experienced as deeply as they should have been, making for a boring or even for, an unfulfilling read.

I guess then, the ‘suggestion’ to all the writers reading this blog is to bring situations to the characters that allow them to explore the facets of their characterizations more deeply and with more rich, complex emotionality. Not only will this make the writing of your piece go quicker but the reader who also likes your character(s) will also be more interested in them and in the universe that you’ve created.

As you all know, I am a huge vampire fan and there is at least one television series slated for this Fall’s release (besides the excellent “Blood Ties” which is running on cable). When I see the announcement of these series I always get excited because, as a writer, I think up all the possibilities and scenarios that can occur with the interesting characters. But then, sometimes, there is no follow up and nothing is sadder than seeing good characters go to waste with bad scripts. I'm hoping this isn't the case this Fall. Nothing is better than a good vampire series:)

I’m starting my second book of my Dracula-Phantom of the Opera series. And while I have already had my characters deal with some very unique situations, my hope is to further extend and to create more, different obstacles, goals, etc. so that the characters can achieve their full potential. When you have created good characters, never be afraid as a writer to set the bar high. Your characters will achieve. And so will you.

Take care all,
Chris

This Old Manuscript (some thoughts on editing).........

Hi all,

As professional writers, we all go through the editing process. It can be easy at times. It can be grueling at others. But as I've been editing, I've been struck by how much it can be compared to remodeling one's home (hence the title of this blog entry).

For example, I think it's easier to remove words (reduce word count) than to add them. Again, this is easier to do this feat as well in construction (faster and less time consuming to tear down an existing building than to build a new one).

Also, it is not too difficult to change phrases or a few short paragraphs in the novel. This is akin to someone walking into your house and saying "Ah, you know, I don't like the color of the living room. Can you change it?" And you smile and nod and say "Sure, of course," because yeah, it's rather easy.

However, someone could also walk into your home and say "Um, I just don't like the bathroom here. Can you move it over here?" And much like in home remodeling, you start and sigh and go "OK" but really you're thinking "Wow, this is going to be difficult. Because yes, it is hard moving large chunks of writing around on a page.

Or sometimes, even, if the foundation of a story is shaky, much like in remodeling a home, one has to tear down the house and pour a brand new foundation. While this latter is an analogy for totally rewriting something, I think you all are beginning to see the similarities between editing and remodeling.

So, the next time your editor asks "Can you spice up the language here?" you know he/she is really saying "The home needs more flowers in the garden/more pictures on the shelf." And much like in home redecorating, that's not too hard to do:)

Take care all,
Christine

Vampires in a guilded...um...silver barred cage......

Hi all,

Well, a couple of weeks ago, I was talking with my online buddy, Lucilla27 about vampires. And specifically, how much 'power' they have. And how much they can use (get away with) without being hunted down, staked, etc., etc. Because while one can fly around a city (like Paris) as a bat, one cannot change back into a human in the middle of a crowded street. Nothing says "Hey, I'm a vampire, stake me" like doing something like that. Oh, and one probably cannot take a victim every night and not be hunted down either by the pesky vampire hunters. Piling up corpses is problematic and all that.

So yeah, while you're a vampire and have all this awesome power, if you want to live longer, life can't be all that different (well, with the exception of your diet requirement) than a mere mortal's. Or can it? Hence, the title of this entry "Vampires in a silver barred cage". Because, much like humans, they have to show restraint/common sense. Well, most of the time anyway.

And what does that feel like to have all that power and only be able to use it at 'select' times (or not the best times and pay a price for it?)? Frustrating, Maddening, Sad. Yeah, I think I can come up with many, different situations where these feelings apply.

I guess the issue that came out of this conversation with my online buddy, then, is that I want to think about more while I'm writing my novel #2 in the Vampires at the Opera series is what exactly is and is not different about a vampire' s life (yes, I'm using that term loosely) once he/she is turned. And how their new found powers affect their everyday life/unlife.

I guess it all comes down to something I said in a conversation to my other online buddy, dwg. Becoming a vampire doesn't solve problems. It just creates an entire new set of problems. And 'dealing' with some of those problems is what I enjoy thinking and writing about.

Until next time, take care all,
Christine

Another small character detail that often gets overlooked by writers before they start writing…….

Hi all,

So, OK, you sit down to write your novel/short story/etc. and you think you know everything about your character. The physical appearance. How he/she looks, what their hair color is, their eye color, whether they’re old or young, whether they are heavy or thin. Heck, you even know the entire mental history of the character as well, including the fact that he/she really, really hated his 5th grade teacher. But they also liked the cute boy/girl that sat by the window in that class and that’s what kept them going all year. Why you even charted out the entire timeline for that character, including emotional and sexual history. But then, yeah, there’s still something missing.

Do you know the birthdate of you character? Oh, sure, you know how old he/she is but do you know when/where they were born? Most writers are good with the general age part but have not nailed it down to an exact date. And why is this necessary for your writing? Well, I can answer in one world. Astrology. After thinking about everything about your character (mental, physical, emotional), IMO, it is important to also consider the astrological sign of your character. Is your character a sexy Scorpio (like my Dracula and Erik characters are), a sensitive soul (a Pisces) or even, a powerful, ‘bullish’ type character (an Aries). Thinking about when your character was born (day and month) will allow one to fully integrate and emphasize more of the character’s traits. Also, vice verse, you can work backwards so that once you’ve developed a character, you can assign he/she a birthdate.

Again, it’s probably not paramount to assign a birthdate (and astrological sign) to every, single character in your novel. If the character only has a walk on, walk off part, then no. But, if the character makes up a significant portion of your novel/short story, I’d say go for deciding on an astrological sign. Because by giving your character a definite birthday, not only can you write cool short stories (imagine the teasing Vlad endures when its his birthday) but you can also tip off a closer reader to what may be in store for the character or what the character may do. An astrological sign may even partially explain a character’s motivation in a work. So yes, astrological sign. Pick one for your character. It’s a small detail but one that can add up to be very significant in your written work.

Take care all,
Christine

PS----If you’re interested in astrological signs, check out this wikipedia link. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astrological_sign

The Devil's in the Details...........

Hi all,

Yeah, I’m over at this blog today:)

Anyway, I’m sitting in church yesterday and looking at the mass book. Yeah, yeah, I confess I should be more involved but I mostly attend church to drive my elderly mother (rest is a longer story). In any case, I look down at the book and the cover is one with Jesus and his disciples. So, I start doing what any really observant person does. I begin to count the disciples. Because in some paintings, artists get sloppy sometimes and leave one (or two) out. Now, for those of you who aren’t Christian, there’s suppose to be 12 disciples or followers of Jesus. My finger counts. One, two, three. And stops. At ten. So where’s the other two? Well, Judas was um..the bad one and he’s already gone in this picture (long dead). So yeah, that accounts for him. But then, there’s another disciple missing. Thomas. And then, I have a moment of “Ah, OK, that works” because in the scene that the artist is depicting on the mass book, Thomas is suppose to be out of the room. So, suddenly, I have a greater respect for the artist. Because now I know that he/she knows his ‘back-story’ (religion) and portrays it in the picture.

So what does this all have to do with writing? Well, I didn’t come here to blog about religion (though I may eventually touch upon this issue. As it relates to vampires, anyway). But, really the point that I am trying to get across in this post to the readers of this blog (some of whom I hope are also authors) is that a writer must never forget the small details. Because yes, the reader will pick up on them. And seeing that they remain consistent in your story (and logical), will have new respect for you as an author and hopefully, for your book, novel, short story, etc.

Some of the finer details a writer should worry about are the date. If you say that it’s a Monday and give the calendar date right down to the month/day/year, use a calendar and make certain that it truly was a Monday on that date. Yeah, the reader will check. That’s one of the first things I do. Also, keep eye, hair color, etc., consistent in your novel. Again, it seems logical but every once in awhile a character will have brown hair on page 25 and, on page 145, have blonde hair. Finally, be aware of left-handed, right-handedness. Because I write Dracula as a character and it is tradition to write him left-handed (My Phantom character is left-handed as well), I am always cognizant of the handedness of my characters and write them as such.

Therefore, then, I guess the point of this blog post is for us writers to be careful about the minor details. They seem insignificant but much like in the church painting that I saw on Sunday, will make a difference to your reader. Oh, and May 14, 1888 was also a Monday. In case you were wondering:)

Take care all,
Christine

Welcome to my blog!

Hi all,

Well, I finally figured out how this new blog site works so I decided to post an entry. I would like to welcome all of you who are reading this entry as well as to especially welcome my friends who have become fans of my work these past few years.

It’s been a long road but I’m happy and excited to say that my first novel, “Vampires at the Opera” is being published by L&L Dreamspell. A crossover of two Gothic novels, my novel interweaves and extends the original Stoker and Leroux tale. Slated to be released this Fall, I am now working with L&L Dreamspell on editing and developing my book cover. I feel privileged to be part of a great team that includes many other wonderful writers of different genres. I’ve always enjoyed writing so I think that this blog will be fun for me. Therefore, please check back regularly to read my updates. Though I am a writer and will write about writing topics on this blog site, I have a wide range of interests (vampires, horror fiction) and so, might post about these topics as well.

Until next time then, hope your days are filled with romance. And vampires. Much like peanut butter and jelly, they go together so well.

Take care all,
Christine