People either love it or hate it. Some people curl their nose up at the very thought of it and will refuse to read a book if it involves that storyline So why do I still write it sometimes?
Well, I'll tell you, my friends. Because it happens.
We all know or have heard of those couples that say when they met their true love, they "just knew." Hell, when my mom met my dad at a friend's house, the second he walked out the door she looked at her friend and said, "That's the man I'm going to marry." They were married after 12 dates and just celebrated their 61st wedding anniversary.
Now, I'll admit, I don't believe in love at first sight. Like a lot of people, I believe you can't truly love someone until you get to know them - their strengths, their weaknesses, their quirks, their flaws, the annoying way they leave their socks everywhere after you just cleaned the house. How they handle a crisis. The way they support you or let you support them when it is most needed.
But I do believe you can have a connection with someone almost immediately. I believe it because I can attest to it firsthand. Most of the people I've dated, I've had that connection. But some people haven't. They've never been blindsided like that. Their love affairs developed over months or years. Sometimes from friendship. Other times from working together and growing close. Everyone's story is unique. That's what makes them great. How boring would it be if every love story you read or movie you watched was the same? It might be fine the first few times, but then my guess is, it'd get pretty boring.
When I write, I listen to my characters and let them tell me their story. If my main male character hasn't had a great family life, he may be more eager to find or create a family of his own and therefore, be more apt to fall in love quicker than the average person. The same can be said if my female MC was dating someone, thinking marriage was on the table, and then had a sudden break-up. While some women need time to get over the last love or may vow to never date again, others are in that "relationship place." They may realize the person they were with wasn't right, but may still fear not finding someone so they may jump into the next relationship with both feet. It all depends on the person.
Often times, what may seem like insta-love, even while you're reading it, is really a visceral attraction, coupled with a strong connection between two people. We all have those people we met and have just gelled with - maybe it's a lover, maybe it's a co-worker, or maybe it's your best friend. And while the character may mistake those feelings for true love, most of the time they are basing it on intense emotions, believing that person will somehow become important to them. The love they feel so quickly isn't actual love, but more the acknowledgment that one day they could see themselves falling in love with someone.
At least that's usually the case with my characters, even if they don't know it.
With every character I write, I take every last detail of their life into account and develop their story accordingly. How they grew up, who their friends are, what types of relationships they were surrounded by, the kind of upbringing they had, their job, any other outside factors, and of course, their own hang-ups and insecurities determine their relationships. This may lead to insta-love or it may have my character erecting a ton of walls, terrified of love.
I think it is a writer's job to tell a story in the most realistic way possible. Which leads me to why I won't guarantee a happily-ever-after. Yes, I love them. Yes, I want them. But, in life, we don't always get them. If every story I penned was written with the goal of delivering a happy ending, my stories would be skewed. To write the best stories for my reader, I have to ask myself, what feels the most realistic and let the characters and story dictate where they go.
It also keeps people on their toes, which is something I love doing. It stops the story from becoming too predictable. If you know how something is going to end, you start envisioning how the writer will take you there. If you have no clue, it forces you to sit back and enjoy the ride and the world the author has created.
The two greatest compliments I have received as an author are 1) Being told my characters are so realistic, it feels like they are in the room with you or you're watching the scene play out in front of you. The other is being told my books transcend genres. And the reason I'm convinced I achieved that, at least according to this person, is because I listen to my characters and make no guarantees.
Well, that's not true. I'll make one guarantee. I promise if you give any of my books a try, you're in for one hell of a ride.
Please be sure to check out my books The Rise to Fame and The Cost of Fame, available on Amazon and other online retailers.
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