From Reserved to Ravishing: Writing Spicy Scenes that Feel True to You, with guest HR Cole (EP196)

Main Topic:  From Reserved to Ravishing: Writing Spicy Scenes That Still Feel True to You (with guest HR Cole)

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Segment 1 (Announcements/Author Updates):

• (Valerie): no go on a workshop I pitched; working to get quotes for shipping companies (it's not as straight forward as I thought); thinking about content and documenting our trip and the prep of it (memoir)
• (Erick): 

• What are you reading?

• Valerie: Just finished: 
• Creative Act (Rick Rubin) and Anne Abel's new book High Hopes (out in September .. She'll be on the podcast again in October).  The Let Them Theory: A Life-Changing Tool That Millions of People Can't Stop Talking About (Mel Robbins)
• (Not ready to give up on them, but struggling to finish them:) Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman; The Year of the Puppy (Alexandra Horowitz) ;  The Teller of Small Fortunes Julie Leong 
• Erick:  Devil in a Blue Dress (Walter Mosely); Hap and Leonard (stories) (Joe Lansdale)
• Hope (H.R. Cole):  Into Thin Air (John Krakauer)
• Segment 2 (Resources/Tips/Tidbits):

• Tidbit #1: 
• Tidbit #2: 

 

Segment 3 (Main Topic):  

Notes:

H.R. Cole is a Pennsylvania native who completed her first (handwritten) fantasy novel at the age of twelve. She’s remained an avid writer and has one published middle grade novel and a successful health journalism career. Cole lives with her husband, dogs, and cats in mountainous Upstate New York.

 

www.hrcole.com

 

http://www.instagram.com/hidden.gems.books 

 

Plot where it goes, and the choreography of the scene, what are my non-negotiables? Use it showcase character traits that show up in intimate times. What do I want to portray in this scene?

 

1. Goal (character development) (ex: kindness? Make a list of how to showcase kindness.) 

2. True to self

3. True to character (make a list of words that are appropriate)(Are they seasoned lovers or innocent?)

 

Fight scenes and sex scenes have some similarities.

Common mistakes: Boring, gloss over, not relevant

 

What makes a good sex scene?

Humanize the character

Describe details without words that shock you or take you out of the story. Natural. Aligned with personal experience.

 

Don't feel the speed bump going into the scene.

 

Follow the Golden Rules of writing just as you would in any other scene. Use the same language in the spicy scenes as the rest of the book.

 

Shorter sentences in action scenes. Sure. But use the same type of language.

 

Go through the process of char dev for a reason. Know your character. It pays off when you get to the more complicated scenes (fight, action, sex). Inherent traits. Did I stay true to this character? Did I learn something about a character? Nice place to set up the psychology of a character. Vulnerable scenes are where we learn about the character. Character insight no where else.

 

What about flashbacks in the scene? (Sentence of thought, convey emotions/doubt)

 

Getting feedback on spicy scenes: assess the comfort levels of critique partners, warn ahead of time, what's the best way to send this to you. Make it part of your group culture. 

 

Romantasy (fantasy with a strong romantic plot); The Chalice and the Blade series (romantic fantasy)(instead of fantastical romance); tough marketing term because romantasy doesn't necessarily have an HEA.

 

Spice levels up front in marketing copy. Keywords: romantic fantasy 

 

Be proud of your sex scenes. It's okay to explore it.

 

And don't forget:

Go to valerieihsan.com to schedule a free consultation to see if Aligned Author is right for you.

 

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