Friday, May 9, 2008

Pivotal moments

In writing, as in life, there are pivotal moments, times where the action, emotion or tone of a story changes. Sometimes the moment is subtle but more often it's a big one, an action or revelation that every reader sees and feels.

When I write mysteries one of the pivotal moments I try and concentrate on is the discovery of the corpse. I mean, the body is a necessary part of the story so when, how and why it turns up is pretty important, I think. And the person, or people, who find it? They matter--a lot.

Currently I'm eyeball deep in a romance. Writing one, that is. And last night I, well, I reached a pivotal moment. A big one. Hmm? The moment? Oh, sorry. It's *cue music and dim lights* The First Kiss.

Yeah, it's a biggie as far as writing romance goes. It's got to be just right. Not like in real life, where sometimes first kisses are too fast, awkward or even nose-battering or head-butting. In real life, there's a chance to giggle, blush, try the first kiss again. And again. And again. But in a novel? Uh uh. How could I have my heroine smack her heard on the hunky man's forehead? I can't. So I'm agonizing over the pivotal moment in romance known as The First Kiss.

My first kiss? Ah...I remember it well. Yes, I'm blushing. What about you? Do you recall The First Kiss in your own life? Was it storybook perfect or did you have to try again? And again?

Hopefully by the end of the day I'll have figured a way to have lips meet and hearts warm. I've got to say, I'm loving thinking about it!

Have a great weekend!

3 comments:

margaret blake said...

Ha, first kiss, delightful.Yes, you do have to get it right.

My first kiss? John Sankey - I was almost fifteen and we had been on a school holiday in Wales. John was the son of the owner's of the house and we had spent the week together, no kisses. Then as I was sitting on the coach, he leapt on, ran up the aisle, leaned over the kissed me! Wow, you should have heard the other girls, I was in paradise. My first love, my first kiss, I wonder if that innocence is gone forever? And it was GLORIOUS. I wonder whatever happened to John....

Margaret

Tory Richards said...

I blogged about my first kiss not too long ago. Forget about it? How can anyone forget their first special moment? I was 13, he was 11and we went together for about 11 months before he found out I was the older woman and dumped me. LOL

Kathleen said...

How fun to be writing a romance! I'm working on one too.