The Art of Character Crafting - Post #3: "Why Is My Interaction So Flat?"

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Sometimes, I have problems writing interaction between two characters. I can't exactly pinpoint why I have the trouble... It just happens.

Often times, it just seems flat. Like there isn't life to it. Like, people wouldn't actually do this...

 

It might be a cliché, and it might not. One common cliché for writing interaction happens with a romantic sense to it. You know... Handsome guy in cape... Drop-dead gorgeous girl... Sunset... Maybe a few kisses. You get the idea.

 

Aside from the cliché category, sometimes I just can't get it to flow properly. The wording sounds awkward, and yet, I can't seem to reword it at all.

 

Here are a few tips to get you out of the cliché/it-won't-flow-no-matter-what-I-do phase:

 

1. If You're Writing A Romance Scene - Throw in some humor. Sarcasm. You know, a little icebreaker. I don't know about you all... But most of the successfully non-cliché romantic scenes that I read (and that amount is very small... So, what am I talking about.) there is some humor thrown in somewhere. It lightens up the awkward tension, and gives a unique twist to the situation.
2. If You Can't Get It Flowing - Take a break. Delete the stuff that you are having problems with, and walk away. A few hours/days break might help work the knots out in your head.
3. Look Up Synonyms To the Major Words - Words that have the same meaning and look totally different can really change a scene. Or you could go the other route, and cut out all the small words. That works too.
4. One Last Resort - Email it to your friend and ask her how she would word the scene/paragraph/sentence. A friend's input can really help. Trust me, I know from experience.

 

 

As I said at the beginning of the post, if you have any specific questions about a topic which we are covering in one of our series', please do not hesitate to use the contact form!

 

Keep writing!

 

<3

~Patricia Rane