So, I've come to a crossroad with my characters yet again! Caro2 will be coming back and now that Caro3 has hurt Cara1 by having sex with another woman Cara1 doesn't want anything to do with him. I don't want her to just settle for Caro2, because that is just too clique or obvious. I know, that the whole best friends falling in love with the same girl probably is too, but that is how I want the romance part of my novel to play out. Caro3's character is arrogant, cocky, egotistical, and sarcastic, to say the least. Caro2's character is sweet, kind, gentle, considerate and an all around good guy. How do I get her to fall in love with him? How do I build their relationship based on the intensity of their attraction? I've read a lot of other novels based on that type of intensity, but I'm worried that I'll get off track and end up making this into an adult novel instead. I've already been told about the "fine lines" I'm walking regarding the YA and adult genre. I'm doing good so far in that area and I want to keep it that way. Any suggestions?
Maybe I wasn't very clear on what I'm looking for. Has anyone read any novels on BDSM? I know the most common one right now is "Fifty Shades of Gray." What I want is that type of intensity. Not exactly the instant attraction either, it's hard to explain. For example, When you met someone who isn't that attractive, but they have this type of charisma or look about them that just draws you. You can't explain it, you feel it. Hell, I'm already having a hard time explaining it myself. The only word I can come up with is that he/she is intense. I'm trying to find a way to pull that apart from my collection of BDSM novels, but it's hard without me wanting to set up a scene for them in the same way. Help!
An enchanting voice. Bewitching eyes. A level gaze that seemed to see all of her secrets and yet showed no contempt, only intrigue. A quirky smile that made her palms sweaty. There are loads of ways to describe that kind of thing. Just think about how you feel when it happens to you.
My advice is don't fall into the noobtrap of thinking that an intense character has to speak with the cod-wagnerian pomposity of Tolkien's characters. People do that. People always have a reason behind their intensity. Figuring out what lies behind the reason why your character is intense will get you some way to making him or her intense by default. Perhaps he's borderline autistic, for example? Sociopathic? Recluse? Career-focused? Any number of things.
I'm rereading my novels and trying to imagine my own characters in them. Different settings, times, and slightly different thoughts, but it's hard. @AlannaHart I like those, but it'll be hard since it's based off a first-person POV woman who is a bit naive about the opposite sex. Things like that don't happen to me anymore. That's why I read them instead. @James Random I see what you mean, based on my novel it will be a sense of duty. That's where I'll start and build more from there. Thanks for the suggestions you two, I didn't mean to be so insistent about the topic. I did do my research first and looked up some things on the internet. When I came up with nothing, I asked my question here. Thanks again!
I think your confusing something. This isn't how to buil an intense character, but how to show an intense scene. See you want your to people to be in love and you want to show this in a beliable way and you don't want to get to mature. Well, I don't know the context of the story, but what you need is an building the tension. See, if he hurt her and you want her to be with him, you need to show something grand that outdoes that. Example; if my friend was mad at me and punched me in the face. I still going to remember the time he saved my life. Granted cheating in a romantic novel is more dramatic than a punch to the face but the core response being you still need something that counter balances it. Something hat says "I love you so much, that I don't care about that." For it to work what ever "that" is, needs to be good. Hope it that helps.
@GuardianWynn It's actually the second character I'm trying to get her to fall in love with, Caro2. Caro3 is his best friend who has a strong attraction to her and is the one that has hurt her. Caro2 has known her since she was young and has watched her grow to become this beautiful woman. When she met Caro2 she had an instant attraction to him the same as Caro3, but because the circumstances and situation were different she didn't immediately recognize it at first. Just when she was starting to fall in love with Caro2 I had him leave and brought in Caro3 to watch over her for a while. Now I'm bringing Caro2 back and I've built up Caro3's character so well that the two women who have been reading work so far are now so smitten by him. Even I'm in love with Caro3 more than Caro2, but I need Caro2. He is her true mate and I figured, if I make him into an intense character, then I can get them to fall in love him too. At least that's what I hope to do, myself included.
Ok, them being named Caro2 and Caro3 is really distracting. Still think it the same thing though. I don't think your making him an intense character. I mean what exactly is an intense character? In this case you just need to have him do something big, something that pushes back into the position.
@GuadianWynn Sorry about the character replacement names. I'm careful about giving out my characters real names because I don't want anyone to take them. I understand what you're trying to say and I've been thinking of ways to do just that. But if I've already introduced him to my readers in the beginning, I feel like I've backed myself into a corner. Let's just call him the fun guy then. Fun guys character brings life and excitement to my story and the other is well too serious, at least to me he is. The serious one has already been through so much with her and has proven to be the one who would never hurt her. The problem is what do I do now? In the beginning of my novel I've already overwhelmed my readers with so much battles and I don't want to put too much more. This is my down time moment where I want to bring them back together. But with the fun guy there it will be hard now, so I might have to back track and take some things out. I'll have to look into it again and see, maybe I'm missing something. Thank you.
I still don't think you need to go back, espically if the one your trying to make intense is serious. All you have to do is add a serious moment. Lets put this as an example(since I don't know context.) She loves the fun one, but something happens, like her school tries to expell her, her dream might be ruined, she needs help, and the fun one doesn't help because it isn't fun. The serious one does help. She realizes that even if the fun one is usually better to be with, he isn't there when she really needs it and while the serious may be a pain in the ass sometimes, he will move heaven and earth when it counts. does that make sense/help?
@GuardianWynn Yes, it does! Thank you If you need help with your writing ideas let me know and don't hesitate to ask. Thank you again. Good luck!
So use Bob and Frank. Unless your character names have been designed from scratch, your concern is of no concern.
