Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Writing Tip Wednesday--Choreography

Choreography sort of goes with last week's topic, Logic Lapses. While the term is most often associated with dancing, choreography also applies to a character's physical movements in a story. Whether she's walking, baking a cake, or making love to her hero, her movements have to make sense.

Some things to look for during the writing and editing process:

1) Did your character sit down when he was already sitting? Or stand up when he stood up three paragraphs earlier? Is he crossing the room to look out the back window when he's already there?

2) Did your character get eggs and milk out of the refrigerator without going to the kitchen? Do her arms seem loaded down with far more than she could possibly carry?

3) How many hands, arms, legs does each character have? This is especially important in (menage) love scenes. Caressing her cheek, threading his fingers through her hair, AND cupping her breast gives one hero three hands. Count body parts!

4) Is your heroine going in the front door from the backyard?

5) Is the woman standing to the hero's right suddenly on his left?

Draw maps, use dolls, act out the scene with your critique partners. I've done all three, and I have to say checking sex scene choreography with my critters was a hoot!!! Use whatever method helps you visualize the action. Noting every single movement isn't necessary, but be sure the actions you mention work the way you intend!

Let's look at another Logic Lapses related topic next week--Timelines.

Mellanie Szereto
Romance...With A Kick!

2 comments:

  1. Totally agree! And I found it particularly important when I was co-writing a book with another author. At the editing stage before submission I scrupulously (even more than usual) checked details and discovered on more than one occasion where one of us had a character wearing a different outfit in one chapter to that in another chapter written by the other person but still on the same day timewise!

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    1. I can't even imagine trying to write with a co-author, Jen! That could cause some serious gaffes. :)

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