The LL&L Rumpus Room

WOOHOO!!! Someone FINALLY posts a WRITING questions. Bloody hell, I thought I was the only one with anything interesting to say in here. Ha!

To answer your question... I usually try not to go shmalzy. Is that spelled right? I'm not keen on writing romantic relationships where the characters are head-over-heels. This, may I add, is a recent development in my taste, because of certain other books I've read.

I don't mind READING a romance novel where the characters are all over each other and sappy - as long as it's done well, and the sap tends to come from the intense sexual tension rather than just holding hands. But I don't trust myself to write sap well, so I don't do it. Plus, my personal experience of relationships is actually incredibly limited, so I go on what I observe and what others tell me. So, for instance, in the latest one I had which was posted in the reviewing forum, the initial idea was that Effalele and Mattim would be old lovers who'd rekindle something. Couldn't stomach it, so I thought, I'd make it a revisiting-a-destructive-relationship thing. Worked much better in my opinion.

Plus, there was a romance aspect with a third character who couldn't get her for obvious and not so obvious reasons. I like my characters to WORK for their love. Bloody hell, too many 'we're SO destined to be together' types in fantasy. Makes me sick sometimes. It doesn't reflect my experience, so I can't write it well.

What's the worst romance I've ever read? Fucking Terry Goodkind's 'Sword of Truth' series. Richard Rahl and whatshername Mother Confessor, destined to be together type romance, where he's the only guy she can EVER, EVER, EVER sleep with (without destroying his humanity) because whenever she comes, she'll lose control of her powers (the NEXT time I read the term 'thunder without sound', I'll go on a killing spree), and the unfortunate man will become her tool. Amazingly enough (SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER AHEAD!!!!) Richard survives because he LOVES HER! What the FUCK kind of a save is that? Sheesh.

But what really pisses me off is that she's all possessive and he's all 'I'm a man's man's man's man' and he got kidnapped so often by other crazy women who want to sleep with him and do S&M stuff to him that it got repetitive and boring. But don't worry! He remained faithful in his heart. He would always look to his Kahlan (FINALLY remembered her name). I just didn't believe the romance in the end. It got sickening.

I think I don't believe in romance where the only barriers are external ones. It's not real then. A relationship is two people ironing out their kinks together so they can become a smooth whole.

But I've read much worse in romance novels. A clue. Stay AWAY from Christine Feehan.



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