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©Radclyffe
I've received
hundreds of e-mails from readers telling me what they like (or
occasionally don't like) about my own work. These are things to think
about as you prepare your manuscript for submission or embark on the
editorial process.
1)
Characterization: It is critical that readers make a connection
with your characters early in the story and that your characters feel
"real" to them. That doesn't mean that the characters need to be a
reflection of "ordinary" people or the "girl next door", but they must
have an emotional foundation which is compelling. The reader must care
about what happens to your characters or they have no reason to
continue reading the book. Even a mystery, which is primarily plot
driven, will lose the reader's interest if the main character is not
personally complex and challenged by the events in the story.
Characters must have strengths and weaknesses, needs and desires,
uncertainties and passions. There are many ways to develop character:
what the characters do (action), what they say (dialogue), what others
say about them, how others react to them, and through internal dialogue
reflecting the character’s feelings about critical situations.
Characterization begins with the first appearance of the character in
the story and that setting will often contain many important clues or
"hooks" which will catch the reader's interest. It is never a good idea
to insert paragraphs of exposition describing the character or their
background at first meeting. Rather, drop your character into the
action of the story immediately. Then, through interactions with other
characters as the plot progresses, allow more and more information
about your hero to emerge.
2) Continuity/
Flow: when looking at the manuscript as a whole, be certain that
there are not "dead zones" which the reader will simply skip over.
These are scenes which do not progress the plot or develop
characterization. My rule of thumb is that every scene must move the
story forward in time, must reveal something about either one or both
of the main characters, or must add important information about the
plot. Also, especially in a romance, it is important that the two main
characters not be separated for long periods of time in the text
itself. In other words, if the two characters are not constantly
interacting, readers are likely to skip those sections unless some
critical action is occurring which will impact the relationship between
the two main characters. Again, my rule of thumb is that one or
preferably both of the main characters must be in every scene, and I
try to have an interaction between them in every chapter. This will
obviously vary for a sci-fi/fantasy or mystery in which plot elements
carry more weight in the text, but more than one chapter of "plot
detail" without meaningful character interaction may become
problematic. If possible, end each chapter with subtle foreshadowing of
events to come so as to keep the reader turning pages.
3) Dialogue:
this is a critical element not only in characterization, but in drawing
the reader into the story. It must sound natural and in keeping with
each specific character’s social background, personality, temperament,
and emotional state at the time they are speaking. Jarring dialogue or
incongruous use of colloquialisms or idioms etc. will "throw the
reader" out of the story. Most people speak in short sentences,
sometimes in sentence fragments, and often in shorthand. We often
interrupt each other. We frequently don't finish our sentences but
allow others to surmise our meaning. These are the kinds of things
which will make dialogue sound natural to your reader. Remember also
that in addition to defining and distinguishing one character from
another, dialogue is a potent means of developing plot, by allowing
characters to verbalize issues which are of central importance to the
story. Try to avoid "meaningless" filler conversations about issues
which have nothing to do with either plot or characterization.
4) Romance,
romance, romance: I firmly believe that lesbians read genre fiction for
the relationships above all else. Whether the book is a mystery, sci-fi
fantasy, or a "pure romance", the interactions between the characters
are critical components. A book without a romantic subtext may lose a
reader's interest. If you are contemplating a series (for the
action/intrigue/mystery genres), the romantic arc does not need to be
completed in the first book - in fact the characters may only begin to
recognize their attraction by the end of the first book. Introduce the
attraction, create conflict around that attraction (usually as a result
of one or both characters’ emotional reservations), and don't forget a
little sexual tension. An unresolved romantic situation is a very
effective way to capture your reader's interest for the next book.
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