L-O-V-E (Awkward Writing 3)

Welcome back for the 3rd installment of my Awkward Writing series, where we will be discussing love.

As a reminder, anyone who comments on the series posts (previous or future) will be entered into a giveaway. The giveaway will be announced on the last series post. If you make multiple comments, you receive multiple entries. Max 5 entries via comments. But...

1) If you shout out the series (FB, Twitter, Blog, etc.), you get 1 entry. Please only 1 mention for the entire series. Please also supply the shout out link in your comment.

2) If you create a post linking back to my page, or one of the posts in the series, you receive 2 entries. Please supply the post link in your comment.

That is a total of 7 entries total you can have put in the pot. Don't forget to supply those links to your blogs or social media shout outs. You must supply them to be granted the point(s).

What am I currently doing? Answer: blogging, laundry and debating my next Kindle download.

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Nat King Cole's song, L-O-V-E, remains one of my favorite songs. It's sweet and has soul to it. As he says: "Take my heart and please don't break it/Love was made for me and you."

So let's discuss love in writing. Yes, it's sweet love that makes readers cherish the art of writing. It is raw, emotional love that makes us turn the page and want to know more about character relationships. It is the thing that makes us a bit lightheaded when it all works out for the hero or heroine. Do they find love and have they made amends with what has prevented them finding it in the past?

I don't personally think love is the most awkward topic to write in to your manuscript, but I'm sure we have our moments. Most recently, I wanted to add a sex scene into my manuscript (see Awkward Writing 1), but my faithful beta honestly told me that she did not think my MC and the female character had reached that level. I hadn't invested enough time in the plot arc to show they were in love, and thus, sex would have become a thing of lust in the writing rather than a moment of love. So, I ran with that comment and put something light in to implied the sex. From this, it showed that the characters did have something for each other. Perhaps it wasn't Nat's L-O-V-E, but it was something to keep them together and wanting.

For some, writing love in the proper context of your manuscript or WIP can be difficult. But, if you take the time to build a true character relationship, you can produce an unforgettable moment for your readers.

Question to the Cohorts: Are your characters lustful lovers or an emotional pair? What barriers have you run into when you didn't entirely believe what kind of love you have created?

Peace and Writing Love!

JWP