Wednesday's Classroom

Adding Steam to Your Love Scenes - Lesson #3

© 2010 Lynn Crain

Here we are, back again with the third lesson in my Adding Steam to Your Love Scenes class. I do hope you are enjoying this as I haven’t gotten much feedback so far. But what I’m seeing is allowing me to make this class better!

Please enjoy this lesson!

Lesson 3

Add love scenes when the characters want to make love, not when you want them to make love.

This is one of the hardest things that an author has to do and that’s called pacing. Again, I relate it back to your own experiences. What happened when you rushed something? Did it work out well? Chances are it didn’t. It’s like rushing a cake; if you take it out too soon, it’s not done, too late and it can be burnt to a crisp.

Everything has a pace, be it fast or slow. When you truly listen to your characters, they will tell you when they need to make love and when they need to argue. Part of adding steam is to know when things are right for the characters, not when a ‘formula’ tells you a love or sex scene needs to be added.

I’m a pantser and all of my stories are character driven.

Some of you may have heard of this term and some of you may not. When I started my writing career, I was anal about planning. I had charts on characters, charts on plots, I played the ‘what if’ game and twenty questions for each of my chapters. I would plan every detail to the nth degree because I wanted things as perfect as I could make them.

Now days, I write by the seat of my pants most of the time because I work things out in my head and follow that plan but not so stringently because I’ve learned to listen to my characters. I know more about them sometimes than I do my own kids. I write what the characters want me to write, which is their story. Nothing more, nothing less.

It is true, however, that there are some stories I still plan to the nth degree and those would be my heavy fantasy or futuristic stories. Those are just as much about the world building as they are about the characters or the plot for that matter. If you don’t plan those, you can get caught in your own plot pitfalls because you haven’t done your planning.

What is right for the characters needs to be right for you as the writer.

There are times when your characters might ask you to write something controversial or not right for you to write. I know it sounds strange but if your characters need to do something that you find objectionable, then maybe their story needs to be written by some one else.

Now this isn’t the same as you being embarrassed over a love scene or something of that nature. When first learning to write love scenes, they can be very disconcerting if you’ve never done that before. I know that the very first time I wrote a BDSM scene, I would get up, walk away from the computer and mutter, ‘I can’t believe I just wrote that’ and mean it. It wasn’t until I had been writing the story for a month that I felt comfortable with it.

Part of the reason that I could continue to write their story was that I didn’t feel bad about writing something done in an adult consensual situation. Adults can and do make their own decisions. My characters were adults. They had adult minds and adult thoughts. They could handle what was going to happen to them. True, you say they were just characters but to me they weren’t and it’s all about perspective.

Listen to your characters as they will tell you what they need.

This is just as important as any other issue talked about here. Characters will tell you what is important to them. In the story I mentioned above, the heroine needed to have a deep, dark fantasy fulfilled to fall in love with the one man she could. I gave her that situation and what happened in it was fulfilling for her.

Your characters need to be as satisfied with the outcome of your story as you are. Sometimes it won’t be a happily ever after but it will always be satisfying.

Exercise

1. Give me a scenario where a love scene would be appropriate for your characters.

2. Give me a scenario where a love scene would be inappropriate for your characters.

3. What type of writer do you want to be and why? (Pantser or planner)

4. Why do you think it’s appropriate to listen to your characters?

5. When wouldn’t it be appropriate to listen to your characters?

See you all next week for Lesson #4 in Wednesday’s Classroom!

Lynn

My Tidbits

I thought long and hard about what I wanted to write today. Normally, I have the column up before midnight but last night I went to bed early. I had spent the day at a RWA meeting then went over a friend’s home to float in her pool. Even though I was only out for two hours in the hot sun and in water, I came home completely wiped. I did a few things, had dinner then promptly fell into bed before nine last night. A first for me in many, many months.

So, sitting here thinking this morning about what I want to write about got me worried. See I was so tired I woke up with a fuzzy brain and no thought patterns. Yeah, I know I haven’t had my coffee this morning but I really need to write something...LOL!

In light of this fact, I decided I wanted to give you ten things about me you may or may not know. This can give you time to speculate then ask me questions about my life. Have fun!

1. I was born in Ohio. I do keep this to myself mainly because there are so many of us transplanted elsewhere.
2. The most scary place I went to growing up was called Serpent Mound. There was something odd about it and while I don’t get creeped out like I used to the place does set my mind to whirl. And the stories which are going to come from that experience makes me want to write them all now.
3. My two children are sixteen years apart. What was I thinking? LOL!
4. I love romantic comedies and try to get people to go with me to the movies every time I notice one I might like. It’s then I remember I live in a house filled with all men. Sigh.
5. I love sci-fi space thrillers like Alien and Predators. Gotta love those kick ass women! Matter of fact, they are my favorite movies. Probably the reason I write so many of them.
6. I’ve been in RWA off and on since 1985. There was a period where my mother was ill and I didn’t belong but I’ve seen the organization grow from about 300 people to where it is today.
7. I’ve run the contests for two international writing groups – RWA and EPIC. Those were very thrilling to do but hard work. My husband told me when I was doing the RWA one that he had never seen me work as hard even when I got paid. Leave it to a man!
8. I used to write screenplays for the Star Trek franchises. This was a hoot and something that made me know those people in Hollywood can be scary if you don’t have your head on straight. While it was the experience of a lifetime, once truly has been enough.
9. I’m a pantser by nature but plan all my books longer than 50K for almost a month before I start writing them. By planning, I mean write down what I want to happen chapter by chapter. Sometimes I go deeper than that but I have to have every step in my mind of where the story is going before I put more than a few words on paper. Weird, I know.
10. I have six completed books in my virtual file cabinet which haven’t seen the light of day since the mid-90s. The whys are complicated but suffice it to say, some of them are coming out of that closet very, very soon. These are long stories that need work and at the time they were completed, didn’t have a market. Things like fantasy romance, stories about women off-road racers and lingerie shop owners. I think I can find them homes now.

So there you have it. Ten things to know about me. I’ll give you more of course in time but I think these are enough to get you to think about all the questions you might have. So don’t hesitate to ask me those questions...I look forward to them!

See you all tomorrow!

Lynn

An Interview with Lena Austin

Today I have the honor of having multi-published, award winning author Lena Austin with me. Help me in welcoming her to XtraOrdinary Romance...welcome, Lena!

At what age did you realize you wanted to be a writer?

I never did want to be a writer, oddly enough. After much nagging on the part of friends and family, I fell into this and learned to like it.

What has been your biggest influence on becoming a writer?

Nagging family and friends who insisted I become a professional liar. (grin)

How did you feel when you got your first publishing contract?

Terrified. “What? The publisher accepted? They weren’t supposed to accept!! I sent the submission in just to prove the nags wrong and get them to shut up. Now what do I do? What do you mean, edits? Umm…what’s this thing called passive voice and why do I have to get rid of it?”

How many novellas/novels have you published to date? When did you have your first sale?

My first sale was in 2004, and I’ve published over thirty titles since then. I lost track of how many about a year ago. Some are now out of date and hidden in a file out of sight.

Tell me about your latest release. Please include if it is part of a series or a standalone book.

At the time of this writing, I have three upcoming releases I can definitely say are done, in the can, and ready.

The first is for the Ashes Anthology benefitting the Save the Quiet Kitty Fund charity at Changeling Press, called “Fallen Angel.” If I’m not mistaken, that will come out in November 2009. Exotic dancer Angie has a secret that could ruin her whole family, but a fanatic with a gun will force Angie to run to a mysterious biker named Tree, but Tree isn’t everything he seems, either.

Then in December 2009, I’ll release Holiday Howlz: Haulin’ Hawg. When I finished Dawgtown: Bad Dawg this past summer, my readers told me they wanted the guys to say those three important words and commit. Well, it’s taken six months, but Loren is on his way back to Barkus, KS and BD’s arms. When he gets there for Christmas, silent BD has a way of showing Loren how much he cares that involves a custom Harley and some bungee cords.

Finally, coming in January 2010, I’m happy to announce the release of something new: an erotic paranormal mystery. I’ve wanted to write these characters for years, and finally the harpy sleuth Madge Majesty and her telekinetic ex-thief chauffeur Hayden will be available to the public in a special full-length novel from Changeling Press called: Majesty Mysteries: Silver Spider. Can you figure out who killed the Duke of Aberystwyth before Madge does?

What was your inspiration for this book?

As with so many of my books, the Majesty Mysteries came out of my reading other stories or watching a movie and getting my own ideas. Madge and Hayden first came from another sleuth pairing that just didn’t work for me. I kept waiting for the romance that never happened, and I longed for paranormal elements to appear. Finally, I jotted down notes of my own until I had a whole plot.

How do you categorize yourself: pantser or plotter?

I’m a plotter. I’m an anal-retentive plotter. I’m one of those scary people who have character sheets, maps on the wall, and whole ring binders devoted to the research and plot long before I put fingers to keyboard.

How do you handle the editing/revision process?

What’s to handle? You do it. If necessary, you read over what the editor said and walk away until you get your emotions under control. Then you put fingers to keyboard and do as you’re told. I rarely argue, and when I do, I’d better be able to back up my reasoning with ironclad proof of why I am bucking in the traces.

You’re received some fantastic reviews...how do you feel about them and why?

All reviews are important, and I love every word, even the critical ones. Why? Because they’re both vital information on how the readers feel, and –even more important—promotional materials. I have always tried to thank the reviewers for their time and trouble, ESPECIALLY if they hated it.

Did anything odd happen while you were researching this story?

I involved my whole family, accidentally. I rented a few highly recommended mystery DVDs so I could learn what was cliché, and what was considered an essential element. I thought the DH at minimum would snort and leave. Instead, he sat down with me and picked apart the movies like a real aficionado, and confided they were his guilty secret. He loves mysteries! OMG!

Did you do anything special after that first sale?

I bought a special pair of euro-wire earrings with CZ “diamonds” in them. They were all I could afford, but I love them for their symbolism even now. I still wear them almost every day.

What is your typical writing routine? Do you count words, pages or time?

I try to write in the mornings before the rest of the world is awake. Doesn’t always happen. In fact, it rarely happens that way, but I try. I count words, but I have what’s known as a “Power Hour.” I shut myself in my bedroom on the non-internet computer and promise myself I won’t come out for one hour. It works. With no internet to distract me, I get a lot done! Typically, about 1K per weekday.

Share a little bit of the ‘real’ you with our readers. What do you do besides writing? Any hobbies? Dark secrets?

No one ever believes me, but I’m a big crafter. I love to play in Sculpey, sew, quilt, paint faux stained glass, punch needle embroidery, and many other crafts. I’m even a member of the Friendship Quilter’s Guild here locally.

Who is your biggest fan?

The longest running fan is Terrie Wagner. She’s been a fan-friend since the early ‘90’s. She can and has pounded me into the dirt like a tent peg when I made a serious content error, then turned around and praised me for something else!

Did someone every give you a great piece of advice along the way? What was it?

Another author told me, “If you don’t ask, you don’t get.” Period, end of statement. What she meant was, if you don’t have the courage to ask for what you need or want, you’ll never get any of it. She was right. I’ve plucked up the courage to make requests. Sometimes they were granted. Sometimes they weren’t, or an alternate was proposed. The results were almost always that I ended up in a better position than if I’d kept my mouth shut. So, I ask.

Do comments or letters you receive from fans and other writers influence you in any way?

Oh Hell yes! Without the fans’ comments, how would I know what they want? One reader even suggested the idea behind Wild Thing.

How long does it take you to complete a project?

That depends on the project. Some take as little as three days. Some take three months. The longest I ever took was six months, and that was before I was published. I’ve worked on the self-discipline a little since then.

How do you recharge once a project is complete?

Quilting and crafting. I’m a member of a quilter’s guild, and I’m learning to quilt something beyond the boring patchwork I always believed was all there was to quilting. How wrong I was!

What is the biggest piece of your advice you can give a beginning writer?

Never give up. Finish the darn thing. Sure, those early works may end up in the back of a file drawer covered in dust. The point is to learn. Besides, you never know. It’s like playing the lottery. You can’t win if you don’t pay for the ticket. Finish the book and ask (submit.) You may just get the shock of your life, like I did. LOL!

Do your characters take over the story?

(Groan!!) All the time! I plot, I plan, and then my train of thought takes a dirt road because a character decides to tell me something insanely different that I just have to run with.

Lena’s Bio:

Lena Austin is a “fallen” society wench with a checkered past. She has been a licensed minister, hairdresser, and realtor, radio DJ, exotic dancer, telephone service tech, live-steel medievalist swordswoman, BDSM Mistress, and investment property manager. Not necessarily in that order. She never finished that degree in archaeology, but did learn to scuba. After a life like that, writing about it is pretty restful. Of herself, Lena writes, “I’m tall, and I look like an unholy mating between an Amazon and a librarian. Everything else is subject to change on a whim.” She presently has over thirty books written, and has no plans to stop until they pry her cold dead fingers from the keyboard.

Where can readers find out more about you and your work?

The very best place to start is my website: http://www.lenaaustin.com/

I also communicate regularly on my three blogs:

Writing blog: http://depravedduchess.blogspot.com/

Recipe and Pagan blog: http://third-infinity.blogspot.com/

Low Carb Diet blog: http://fatfrogdiary.blogspot.com/

Thanks for taking part in my 2 for Thursday promotion, Lena. It was wonderful to learn all about you and your writing!

Lynn