Gettin' Fighty
Sometimes it's hard to draw a line between writing healthy relationships, realistic relationships, and the sort of conflict-based relationships that are crucial for page-turning fiction.
Let me give you an example with some mild spoilers. In Bad Judgment, my two heroes get into an argument. They're both tired and pissed off and neither one is getting what he wants from the other and they're too emotionally involved at this point to walk away. Neither one has any good options. There's no obviou...
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Not to be obsequious but I think the difference b/t your characters yelling & making mistakes & maybe even crossing that line is you're fantastic at making them three-dimensional & showing WHY they are the way they are. Plus your characters don't stagnate; they evolve realistically. ALSO... *high-pitched fangirl squealing for Ghost* 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍
⚣❣☙ Michaelle ❧❣⚣ wrote: "Please, please never stop writing imperfect people...because perfection is so damned boring & I don't want to read about an unrealistic character with an unattainable personality.Also, I loved th..."
Luke and Laura is the very first thing that pops into my mind whenever I think of bad 80s gender politics in romances! Especially when you consider how popular it was--and how little push back there was with some of the story lines. It just wasn't questioned, and that's sort of terrifying when you think about it, right? I'm glad I'm not the only one bugged by that. Great minds think alike, clearly.
And I may have a secret yen for stories where characters negotiate how to be happy together, whether that's about fighting better or communicating in bed better or figuring out how to share TV time. It's hard to do that sort of thing without being preachy, but I seriously would read 100k words of relationship negotiation. I've come to accept this about myself. ;D
Thanks for commenting. I appreciate your nice words!
Optimist ♰King's Wench♰ & MANTIES Champion wrote: "Not to be obsequious but I think the difference b/t your characters yelling & making mistakes & maybe even crossing that line is you're fantastic at making them three-dimensional & showing WHY they..."First, I don't think there's an author alive who will turn down compliments, obsequious or not, so please do not concern yourself with that. :D And I'm very pleased you like my characterizations! I'd be lying if I said I didn't work really hard on those. My pre-writing notes are ridiculously long. It's embarrassing.
I'm also glad that hearing about all the Ghost drama has not affected your enthusiasm for his book. It hasn't killed mine either, fortunately. So far, it's been a fun challenge to see how far I can push the envelope. But then, I do enjoy a little angst in a story... ;D
Also, I loved the bit you wrote about people learning how to fight "better." I don't want to read about relationships without conflict, either...but I love character growth & development - as well as seeing how couples adjust to each other, work together in their goals. Or don't. Because it's also realistic that love isn't the be-all-end-all to making things work.
At any rate, Happily Ever Afters better take some effort, IMHO. Painting everything as puppies and rainbows is just as dangerous as those unhealthy 80's show plots. (I'm looking at you, Luke&Laura.)
Thanks for your post!