Brain Dump

I read books on writing. I want to improve my own writing. I already know I don't write typical romances or even typical Christian romances. I don't like the soap opera type storytelling. I don't write novels; I write stories. I'm a storyteller. Rather than start with characters who are horribly flawed and improve as the story goes along, I have good characters with flaws from beginning to end. They struggle with every day things. Abuse is a common thread in my stories.

As I read one of the craft books I downloaded onto my Kindle, I discovered why I hate many romance novels. This author's writing advice was to use anger as a fast way to inject romantic tension.

Anger as romantic tension? Romantic?

Wait... what?

No. Just no.

Anger is not romantic, at least not the nasty, belittling, you're-a-jerk, you're-a-witch, you're-stupid, you're-rude kind of angry.

Anger is a secondary emotion. It comes from three sources: Fear, Frustration, and Hurt.

What is romantic about any of those?

Learning this, I did recognize that many writers use anger as a way to grab the reader. This explains why I don't like many romance novels.

I keep thinking: You need counseling more than I do. Fast way onto my No List.

Anger has its place in a story. I do like when one character is angry on behalf of the other character, a protective, I-will-be-your-knight, I-will-fight-for-you kind of angry. I also understand a character being angry with him or herself for not meeting their own expectations.

Anger is like the color yellow on a stage. It needs to be used sparingly or it takes over and dominates everything to the point of being distracting.