Tugging at the Heart Strings
Sorry I’m late this morning everyone. Hopefully there’s still some rum left. *dirty look at the pirates already smiling goofily.*
I just wrote a big black moment a couple of days ago. I’ve been waiting for this part of my book for months now and I thought once I got there, it would be smooth sailing.
Of course, I was wrong.
I didn’t want it to be over-emotional because too much drama seems silly. But I wanted it to tug at my readers’ heartstrings too, in an honest way, a way that felt real to them.
Doing this was more difficult than I realized. It seems attempting to string out your reader can string out the writer in the process. *sigh*
I tried to write it from my heroine’s point of view, but she was the one who was really hurting in the scene (she already knew she was in love with the hero, she’s just waiting on his thick-headed self to get with the program). Writing her pain first hand was a little too overdone. So, I switched and wrote it in my hero’s point of view.
It worked for me (I hope) because my hero acted like a real jerk. He said some things that, as one of the pirates pointed out, would have been hard to forgive if we hadn’t seen his motivation from his perspective.
Then we watch my heroine’s pain from his POV, where it’s still apparent, but not so hit-you-over-the-head as to be overdramatic (I hope).
At the end, I cried, railing at him for being so stubborn and trying to tell her that it would be alright if she just didn’t give up on him.
Hopefully that’s how my reader feels about it after their read as well.
Have you ever written a black moment and if so, was it easy or difficult for you? How did you get through? Have you ever read a black moment in a book that really tugged at your heart? Or one that you just didn’t connect with for some reason? Why?
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42 comments:
Your scene worked great, Marn. Just the right amount of angst and emotion. And that's reading it out of context. When I read the entire book all together, I'm going to be a blubbering mess. *g*
I wrote one scene that is sort of the beginning of my black moment section. It came to me while driving one day and even though it's hundreds of pages furter into the book than were I am, I had to type it up. I cried so much I could barely see the screen. And that was only like 100 words. *sigh*
When I get around to writing the black moment I envision, I'm going to need medication.
In reading, I cry at black moments all the time. Heartbreak does that to me. The black moment in SEP's It Had To Be You made me cry for two hours. To be fair, I was already a mess about something else so that might have been the timing.
LOL! I don't always cry at black moments, but I get that butterfly thing in my belly, like I went down a steep hill on a roller coaster. :)
I haven't read SEP in a while, but with all the raving you've done recently about her, I should really get with the program. *running off to update my TBR*
And thanks for the compliment hon. As always, very much appreciated.
I've written plenty of black moments. Had no idea that was what they were called. My favorite black moment was in the first fiction piece I ever wrote and looking back on it, it was dark.
I live for writing the black moment. It's all about writing the rest of the novel so I can get there and really shine (for me at least).
Marn, you've got an EXCELLENT black moment! I'm super proud of you!
In this new series I'm reading, there are plenty of black moments. Hell, there's a whole book of them. I love it. I can't get enough of it.
Okay, I'm supposed to be running out the door. Off to Iowa. Have a great weekend!
Have I ever written a Black Moment?
Do you mean have I ever written something that made people cry? Yes… I suppose that I have. My life experiences have been a little different from most people. So the dark side of life is very easy for me to talk about… write about. I can rip your heart out or twist your guts without breaking a sweat But I truly dislike doing it. Making someone else uncomfortable and upset makes me rather uncomfortable. Personally I am more at ease with humor, which in my opinion, is a more difficult thing to achieve.
I think that when a writer composes a Black Moment they Really need to let their defenses down. Open yourself up.
Allow yourself to feel the pain… the loss… the anguish… the fear… that your characters are feeling. And then write down Honestly what you are feeling.
That is the best advice I can give you. Be open, be honest, and be prepared to be a little bruised and bloodied when you’re done writing your Black Moment.
I've already told Marnee this, but I wrote my black moment this week, too—and I loved it. (Sadist?)
I think part of the reason I enjoyed it so much was that this is actually the third incarnation of the black moment, and it's really the only one that makes sense—the only one dark enough to really keep them apart (ie something that couldn't be resolved by a conversation).
Oddly enough, I wrote mine from the hero's POV, too, and it's probably the point at which we're most INTO his thoughts and feelings.
Plus, I've been planning the rewrite of this scene, unsure of how exactly to execute, for weeks and weeks, so having it come relatively quickly was a pleasant surprise. I've already been through the anguish and the depression from writing the scene the first two times (especially the second).
I read an interesting article on portraying emotions the other day. Let me see if I can dig it up....
Oh, that was easy: http://www.sff.net/people/alicia/artphysical.htm
She has other articles on dealing with emotion in writing, but the basic premise of them is what you've noticed, Marn: if we write out (or overwrite) absolutely every aspect of the characters' emotions, there's nothing left for the reader to do/feel to participate in the scene. (Maybe that's why it can be easier to go with the "less emotional" character's POV!)
Hm... also gives me some things to think about in revising those scenes.
Looking forward to your black moment (what chapter is it in?)!
Yay, Marnee!!! I think Sin and I would get along famously in real life. I absolutely love writing my black moments. My last black moment is definitely a clincher imo. Writing the black moment is also good because it just means you're that much closer to finishing the book! LOL.
Sin - I love the dark stuff you write. As someone who doesn't really write dark well, I'm envious. LOL!! Have fun away and be careful!!
Julie - Personally I have an easier time with the light stuff too. I don't like to make people sad or uncomfortable. I think I only get around writing the angsty stuff because I know I get to fix it all later. I have no idea how author's write stories that have no HEA. I'd be an emotional mess!!
Your black moment was great. (I don't know if I agree with the statement that if it had only been in her POV, it would be harder to forgive him. After all, by this time, we know why he is pursuing this...and having him yell at her like he did, even if she didn't mean to, I would have forgiven him. Even without his torn POV before hand to remind me he's a good guy. Just saying: I think it was a great scene, even if his POV wasn't the first one we read.)
As for my black moments. Let's see, by the time I got to my black moment in GOGU, it was rather anti-climatic. *LOL* After all, I *started* with the black moment as the beginning and wrote to that scene.
When I wrote my first draft of Lucy's story, I had a black moment in mind when I started the book. (Isn't that weird? I think I think up the black moment first, before I think of much else? Hmm.) And I was like, "What's the worst?"--and it was, here Lucy has let himself be vulnerable and love this person totally--and she is taken from him forever. So I killed her. I *loved* that scene! It's horribly soap-opera dramatic, but I love it! *LOL* He's holding her broken body; and she's talking to him (as a spirit) saying everything will be okay--and he says, No, it won't. And it's just horrible. Then a chapter later, she's watching him at her funeral...and it gets even blacker! It was AWESOME! I had so much fun with that black moment. I cried all over my keyboard!
Hellion - thanks for the input! I have no idea which way would work better, but I'm not messing with it now. LOL!! If I stop to fiddle with the story right now I'll probably get drug down in the murky muck and NEVER finish. LOL!!
I love your Lucy idea. I wanna read that one. :)
I love Ely's view of it. Writing that black moments means you're that much closer to being finished. That's motivation to keep going right there. LOL!
And maybe I liked it from the hero POV while he's being an ass because I have similar words thrown at me. Perhaps if I were in his head, I would have been able to forgive him the words. I don't forgive easily so in a story, I need those thoughts to deal with forgiving him later.
God, no, don't go back and fiddle with. Continue vomiting!
You know, maybe that should be the rule on the ship:
1. Drink rum and vomit.
2. Continue vomiting until you get to The End.
I realize I just rambled and went in a complete circle there. Nevermind me, I'm half asleep.
YOU don't forgive easily? I hope no one thinks *I* forgive easily...or EVER....
I can be empathetic to a point. But I hold grudges for a looooooooooooong time. LOL! I've still never forgiven my own grandmother for the crap she did and said when I was a kid. Evil, evil woman....
Ely - I agree about it being that much closer to the end. I think that made it go much faster!! :)
Ter - I'm glad my hero's emotional turmoil struck a cord. I worried he was too emotional... hmmm...
Hellion - I shall continue vomiting up the story, never fear.
I have not (yet) written a black moment-I have just recently sat down to write. I seem to read to many how-to things and then I am too scared to put words on paper, because I am sure to do it wrong. *sigh*
As for black moments what doesn't work for me, is if it is a problem that could be solved with a simple conversation, then I am not interested. It has to be a situation where one or both of them need to give up something, or at least be willing to give it up. How much is this person, or
relationship worth to you?
Hellion-
love the new ship rules!! :)
Di
Gah! I swear, the first time around I missed seeing Ely's post and then I just realized I'd missed Jordan's post too! I'm in some serious need of some vitamin supplements today. *taps Terrio on the shoulder and she passes over a medley of horse pills* thank you.
Jordan - Great site!! :) Thank you! And I can't wait to read what happens in the moment. I love Charlie. *swoons* what chapter is that, now? LOL! mine is chapter 20, FYI. I swear I'll start resending stuff to you soon, as soon as I finish vomiting up this story.
Di - I agree with you. If it's just that they can't spit words out, I get annoyed. Those conflicts don't ever seem to hit home, I think. You're right, someone has to bend in their thinking for me to feel invested.
That's hard though.
And if how-to books are intimidating you, definitely stop! I don't think that's their original intent! LOL!!
Di - you need to follow this new vomit philosophy. (Thanks again, Kimberly!) It's really working. And if you get stuck, you tell yourself to keep vomiting and you keep going. Miracle stuff I tell you.
I write my characters with a lot of angst. I like to keep them apart, which is my main problem. That doesn't work for romance. I've really had to learn to mix it up and get my h/h to interact more. But I sure do love to give them excessive baggage to carry around. Huahuahuahua!!!
Kathy - that's very evil! :) lol! Though they do need to come together at some point, I hope. :)
Marnee and Terri-
I have a post-it with Hellion's new ship rules on my computer. It is very inspiring.
Thanks for the encouragement, it means alot.
Di
:) No problem Di!
I love black moments. But I have a love/hate in writing them. In Nick and Jocey's story, there are multiple black moments, and I did more than my fair share of crying for both the characters benefits when I was writing their story.
I'm fast approaching my black moment in Hidden Beauty (formerly Jinan)... shoot boss lady... I'll be back...
Marn, its fun to kill off family members and such, leaving the h/h with so much loss. But what comes out of this? Hope. Most of my books deal with hope as the central theme. "There is always hope." Hope for more rum, more treasure, more sex. Which I'm counting on as I try to bring my characters together so they can spar at will. Huahuahuahua!!!!
Tiff - I love the title Hidden Beauty. Sounds so sweet. :)
Isn't it funny that we cry for our characters? I mean, on some level I do realize they are fake people, but I can't seem to help it.
Wonder why that is?
Kathy - I love "there is always hope" such a good theme. And yay sparring characters!!
Mine is . . . oh crap. I'll check.
Oh, mine begins in 19 goes into 20 (I consider 20 the real black moment).
I'm totally with you there, though—push through to the end! I'm in the same mode write now, and it's almost a distraction to go back and polish up the beginning chapters for critters.
Oh, and I'm thrilled that you love Charlie! Naturally, I love him, too. In a "I will love him, and hug him, and I will call him George" kind of way. ;)
I love black moments. I love it when an author puts her/his hero(in) through the wringer, when I feel for them and end up crying. Then I feel they deserve their HEA. It comes as a reward to both the characters and the reader.
I read somewhere that if the scene draws tears out of the author, it will have the same effect on the reader. Somehow it makes me feel better everytime I feel like a fool for bawling over fictional characters...at least I know I am not the only one.
Jordan - 19 to 20, huh? We've got work to do! And very funny, Ps. :)
Stef - you're definiely not the only one. My characters are alive for me. I just want to make sure they come alive for my reader. It's that whole translation from inside me to inside someone else that gives me as a writer the most difficulty. Practice makes perfect I hope.
BTW - Tiff, I think I keep forgetting to tell you I love that title. So I'm telling you now. Love the new title. :)
Kathy - I live for angst! *high fives but misses*
On the characters are real front, I was writing yesterday and Bryan (my hero) came up with a plan that forces he and Celi (my heroine) to have to spend their evenings together either at his place or hers. It worked out great and I told my sister is was so cool because I never thought of it and Bryan came up with it all on his own.
My sister (who does not write) thinks I'm totally nuts and should seek therapy. LOL! She doesn't get it.
Ter - alright! You're apparently as swift as I am. *high fives but misses as well*
That's awesome about Bryan and Celi though!!
Forced evenings together... A good thing. :-)
Tell that to a hubby with their heart set on going to a sporting event. :) LOL!
Thanks Marn, and Ter! I'm rather partial to it too. It's the name on a lithograph I found on one of my internet searches. I thought it was perfect when I saw it, with the veiled lady. (That's the pic up on my blog today) I can't remember the name of the artist off hand but if you click on it, his name comes up with the image :) She is my Hidden Beauty Jinan :)
Black moments don't usually make me cry. You know it's coming and the actual event isn't all that much a surprise. I cry at things leading up to the black moment and especially at endings.
Having seen a sneak peek at your black moment, I can tell visiting pirates that you did a great job. Felt very real and the motivation for both characters was clear. Congrats!
Tiff- she's beautiful! She sounds awesome too!
Dee - thank you so much! That's sweet. And I think I'll probably cry at the end too. Does that make me sappy?
Of course, it makes you sappy, you pirate! Didn't you watch "Romancing the Stone"? You're totally Joan Wilder!
I figure I'll cry when I get to the end. By then I will most likely have lived with these characters in my head for well over two years. Maybe three! How do you leave them behind?!
Yo Ho Pirates!
Marnee, I read your black moment today. I loved it from Julian's POV.Great job! I stopped by and had to comment because black moment writing is the cream of the crop to me. It doesn't get any better than being up to my elbows in angst.
Hellion - Joan Wilder, huh? I could see it. :) LOL!!
Ter - I say we don't have to leave them behind. There are enough voices in my head that they can just live on into infinite.
Lis!! HIIII!!! Thank you, I appreciate it! You and Terri and your angst. The two of you aren't happy unless someone's pouring their soul out on the page. :)
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