I Hate the Stuff in Between

Learning to write is a journey. Even after being published the evolution continues but every writer has their likes and dislikes when it comes to creating stories.

One of my favorite kinds of scenes to write is THE BLACK MOMENT.  The main character has struggled through every conflict I’ve thrown at them. Battled for love and life to obtain their happily ever after, then it happens, they hit rock bottom where “The only way to go is up.” I never start a story without mapping the black moment. Delving into a deep point of view so I can do my best to draw the reader on this path.

Example:

My feet were running for the mansion before my brain registered what was going on. The door slammed open as I hurled myself against it then ran toward the stairs. Taking the steps two at a time, I raced to our bedroom. Tears burned behind my eyelids and a hard lump constricted my throat, which made it hard to breathe.

Please, please, please...

I turned the doorknob and entered. The empty, unmade bed greeted my arrival. No...please. No. A sob heaved my chest and the tears streamed down my cheeks. They took him too. My lover, my friend, my heart--and Tane’s biggest weakness. I crossed the room and moved the blankets as if he hid under them.

Just when I thought I hit rock bottom, someone handed me a shovel.

from Catch

But with the good comes the bad. I struggle so much with THE STUFF BETWEEN or the transitional scene as some call it. The easy going parts between intense moments where the reader gets to know the character and gets a breather.  It’s a struggle to write about them having lunch and passing the sugar as they talk about significant things yet there are no ninjas falling from the sky.

The hardest scene I’ve written was just as above, having dinner. My two female character needed to have a ‘chat’. One of those read-between-the-lines kind of conversations that women can do so well with veiled animosity. This chapter took me F.O.R.E.V.E.R. to get it right because I wanted you to love Gwen as well as Connie.

Small snippet:

“Master Tane is very generous.” Gwen eyed me from across the table. “You need to get use to addressing him by that title.”

I snorted then bit into my supper.

She set her half-eaten pastry on the plate. “I don’t understand. You are aware of the bond you share with him?”

“Vividly.” I sipped the coffee and closed my eyes to savor the flavor. “I don’t see a collar and tag around my neck, so I’m nobody’s bitch.”

“You don’t like him.”

“No shit.” I hated him. He wrecked everything. I opened my eyes and finished off my defenseless meal.

“Why did you agree to the bond?”

I choked on a mouthful of salad. My cheeks burned with embarrassment as little bits flew from my mouth and landed between us on the table. “I-I...” Grabbing the cup of coffee, I washed down the rest of my bite. “I never agreed to anything. He forced it on me.” The cup rattled as I slammed it down.

She sipped her drink and watched me. “I find that hard to believe. Some of Dragos’ cronies maybe, but not my Master. He allowed Rurik to keep you since he is so fond of him. It’s a mark of favor.”

My meal sunk like a lead anchor. Tane had that effect on me. He twisted the truth and made himself look a martyr. “I don’t see much of a difference between Dragos and Tane. One crazy Nosferatu took the place of another.”

from Catch as well

What types of scenes do like reading?

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