I need help. Help!

Becky Writes · Dec 9, 2008

In my WIP, the MC (female) is in a relationship with someone when the story starts. That relationship fails, and later, through the course of events that her life takes, she meets her hero. He doesn't show up until several chapters into the book. I have a niggling suspicion that this is too long to wait to intro him.

I've toyed with different senerios, like not starting the story until they meet, but there is a lot that happens in her life that leads up to meeting him, so it would be tricky to get all that backstory in there without an info dump. I've also considered introducing him near the beginning, like in his own chapter through his POV. But not much interesting happens to him until he meets her -- so I don't like that idea.

Is there a rule?

Thanks.

Cathy C · Dec 9, 2008

Are you writing in first person? If so, then there's a quick and easy fix. Have her be musing about her ass of a boyfriend when she (quite literally) slams into him coming out of an elevator or maybe he gives up his cab when she has her hands full. It can be added in quickly (2-3 lines) and then she's back off and running . . . until she runs into him again!

Or, if you're in third person with both POVs, simply write a chapter with him living HIS life. Just normal, everyday stuff, BUT have him notice her---even if from across the street. But then the reader knows that "he's the one" who will be the focus later on.

Does that help?

smoothseas · Dec 9, 2008

Are there rules? Sorta, kinda - they’re called guidelines. Especially if you’re targeting a specific publisher/series. If so, try reading the most current titles on the shelf and see how their authors handle it.

Now, let me preface this by saying, that in romance, I like contemporary the best. In them, the hero and heroine meet as soon as possible - almost always in chapter one, sometimes even in the first scene.

We all have a life before that ‘initial meeting.’ What we, as authors, have to do is take all that bio and skillfully weave that into our unfolding story. Try turning your mc’s history into story questions. Dialogue’s a good vehicle for encapsulating past events, as is interior monologue.

I’m sure others will be adding to this, too. Good luck with your story.

HeronW · Dec 9, 2008

Or weave their meetings in among the daily stuff as your MC is getting through and over the soon to be ex.

Yeshanu · Dec 9, 2008

Becky Writes said:
But not much interesting happens to him until he meets her -- so I don't like that idea.

Are you a fiction writer, or a biographer? If the former, you can MAKE something interesting happen to him! It's your novel, after all.

I'd second the opinion, though, that the story should start as close as possible to their first meeting. This story isn't about her and the ex, it's about her and the new guy. Pick what's essential for the reader to know about her and the ex, and weave it in as she and the new guy are forming their relationship.

Gillhoughly · Dec 9, 2008

It is an unspoken rule between the writer and the reader that the romantic protags should meet as quickly as possible.

Perhaps the male lead has been admiring her from afar (not in a creepy way), then sees an opportunity to interact, like giving up the cab--only she invites him to share it. Even if he's going in another direction he rides along; he can't turn down the opportunity!

They can patronize the same coffee shop and thus have seen each other but until now had no reason to talk.

Give them one.

During the conversation she finds herself relaxing and enjoying male company free of the negative stuff she gets from her current relationship. She comes to see very clearly that the BF is seriously flawed. Nice guys really ARE out there!

Becky Writes · Dec 9, 2008

Thanks for all the advice. I have a lot of thinking (and rewriting) to do.

AllieB · Dec 9, 2008

Yes, conventional wisdom (and publisher guidelines, sometimes) dictate that the H/H should meet as soon as possible. But if that's not what your story calls for, then I say go ahead and play with convention. I've written both: books where they meet in the first chap, and books where they meet later on. In the latter, though, the reader still meets the hero early in the story, so they know he's the one who will eventually fall into the heroine's life.

You say that nothing interesting happens until he meets her, but why not? His life should be interesting to the reader on its own - at least you can show his conflict(s) to get us ready for the meet.

Brindle Chase · Dec 9, 2008

As long as your story holds the readers attention between love interests, it shouldnt matter at all how late in the book the hero is introduced. IMHO.

shameless · Dec 9, 2008

Brindle Chase said:
As long as your story holds the readers attention between love interests, it shouldnt matter at all how late in the book the hero is introduced. IMHO.

I agree. I specifically thought of Julie Garwood's Ransom. One of my favorite romance novels, and h/h don't meet until a hundred or so pages in. I wouldn't recommend it with everything you write, but the story is most important. Always be true to the story. IMHO, I wouldn't force him in earlier than your heroine is ready for him.

Gillhoughly · Dec 9, 2008

Good points AllieB; I'm a great supporter for breaking the rules, but not everyone has them mastered yet. Heck, I'm still a beginner for way too much of this!

If the writer is Nora Roberts she can break the formula and no one minds at all.

It the writer is a frickin' word genius with hypnotic prose flowing effortlessly from the page, no one minds that either.

But when a writer is still feeling her way around learning the craft it's good to master the basics first. If nothing else it shows her editor she has that angle figured out!

Becky Writes, I sometimes have trouble filling in the blanks on characters, even when they're vitally important to the story. A hero without an interesting life can kill your book pretty quick.

A short cut I use is to cast a favorite actor in the part and imagine how he'd play my hero in the movie. Make sure to cast wisely. Russel Crowe is going to play a part way differently from Johnny Depp!

Give him a hobby that doesn't involve shooting things, but not so strange that he could be gay.

Now suppose your hero dresses up in skin tight spandex every weekend...

...for a 50-mile biking jaunt around the city. He will have muscles on his muscles, a butt you can bounce quarters on, and not an ounce of body fat.

And there's other--A-HEM--advantages for a lady when her man is in that spandex--

--instant appraisal of his wedding tackle.

Becky Writes · Dec 9, 2008

Again, thanks.

This writing stuff is HARD! Can't I just take some meds and make these voices go away?

shameless · Dec 10, 2008

Becky Writes said:
Again, thanks.

This writing stuff is HARD! Can't I just take some meds and make these voices go away?

You are truly a writer. All of us have a touch of schizophrenia. Embrace the voices!! I did, and I've never been happier.

Deb Kinnard · Dec 10, 2008

Sing, voices! Sing!

Becky, the voices are your friends. Make 'em part of the family. We all have relatives with whom we don't always get along.

Becky Writes · Dec 11, 2008

So can I introduce him as a character early in the story so the reader knows he's going to be the one, but not have them meet until later?

Cathy C · Dec 11, 2008

Absolutely! That's a very common happening in romances. Go forth and insert!

Becky Writes · Dec 11, 2008

Gillhoughly · Dec 11, 2008

ROMANCE 101

Go to library.

Go to romance section.

Check out as many different titles as you can carry. Bring a tote bag.

Read them. Seriously. Read them all. Even if you don't like some of them, read them, because you can learn a lot about what not to do from a badly written book.

Go back to library. Repeat until you've read everything they have. Branch out into other genres so you don't suffer from genre incest.

The 808 section will have books on how to write romances.

It is not cheating to read them. They keep you from reinventing the wheel.

Good luck!

Deb Kinnard · Dec 11, 2008

Gil, I wanna be you when I grow up.

:Hail:

Gillhoughly · Dec 11, 2008

B-b-b-but who am I gonna be when *I* grow up???

job · Dec 11, 2008

Becky Writes said:
He doesn't show up until several chapters into the book. I have a niggling suspicion that this is too long to

What are you thinking of in terms of words and percentage of the total work?

If this is 7000 words out of a 70,000-word novel, that's a huge chunk out of the book. It's going to handicap you in telling your love story in a tight word limit.

If it's 5000 words out of 120,000, it's going to have less effect on your total story.

I need help. Help!

Becky Writes

Go Tarheels!

Cathy C

Ooo! Shiny new cover!

smoothseas

Life sucks... Then ya die...

HeronW

Down Under Fan

Yeshanu

Elf Queen

Gillhoughly

Grumpy writer and editor

Becky Writes

Go Tarheels!

AllieB

Brindle Chase

Dancing on the edge

shameless

Superlative Type A

Gillhoughly

Grumpy writer and editor

Becky Writes

Go Tarheels!

shameless

Superlative Type A

Deb Kinnard

Becky Writes

Go Tarheels!

Cathy C

Ooo! Shiny new cover!

Becky Writes

Go Tarheels!

Gillhoughly

Grumpy writer and editor

Deb Kinnard

Gillhoughly

Grumpy writer and editor

job

In the end, it's just you and the manuscript