  Romance/Love
This week: Eye of the Beholder Edited by: Shannon  
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"No sooner met but they looked, no sooner looked than they loved than they sighed, no sooner sighed but they asked one another the reason, no sooner knew the reason but they sought the remedy." ~William Shakespeare
Welcome to the Romance/Love Newsletter. I am Shannon and I am your guest editor this week.
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Eye of the Beholder
People find love in all kinds of places, and sometimes opposites do attract. I have seen gorgeous women with unattractive men, very tall men with very short women, college-educated men with women who didn't graduate high school, older men with younger women, heavy women with skinny men ... the possibilities are endless.
Have you ever met someone for the first time and thought, He's okay. Nothing special, yet the more you get to know him the more attractive he becomes? Suddenly you don't notice his receding hairline or his less-than-stacked abs. Instead, you see a twinkle in his eye you hadn't noticed before, the sound of his laughter makes you smile and his deep voice sends tingles up your spine.
I have never been a shallow person, but I have met people over the years--men and women alike--who became more attractive to me as my affection for them grew. And something else I've noticed: when we first meet someone we focus on our differences, but as we become friends we notice our similarities. Consider these things when plotting your next story.
Every couple has a unique story all their own, which is why I love this song by the Plain White T's called 1,2,3,4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYp0GVzmLgY Throughout the video they show different couples and little blurbs about them--how they met, how long they've been together, where they were when they first kissed, how long it took some guys to ask their ladies out, etc. It's a beautiful song and a wonderful video. Enjoy! |
This time I want to celebrate all you guys out there. We love you, you know. We love your deep voices and strong bodies. We love your matter-of-fact ways and your whiskery faces. We love how you always want to fix things, from broken pipes to breaking relationships. We love to watch you fix things--when you get all dirty and sweaty. We love ... um, I forgot what I was saying. What were we talking about again? 
Let's hear it for the boys!
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Feedback
The feedback below is in respons to "Romance/Love Newsletter (March 25, 2009)"
Adriana Noir  says, "I second that! I love characters that are flawed or outside the usual box. Those are the ones that tend to stick with you." Exactly, Adriana! I agree with you. In order for your readers to sympathize with your characters they need to be real, and there ain't a "real" person out there who isn't flawed.
sarahreed says, "You're right - romance stories don't have to be the stereotypical man & woman finding each other & living happily ever after (after going through some rough spots). Love and attraction comes in all forms, otherwise we wouldn't have the diverse population we have today. I'm going to remember that next time I start writing a romance/love story - I'll see about using a sympathetic character like you described." Thank you! I know that people I meet become more attractive to me once I get to know and like them. Your characters will too.
scribbler says, "Those all sound like terribly wonderful people who are going to give your reader an inferiority complex. How about the man or woman who's just having a little trouble with love but isn't a relative or mother teresa?" Everyone has at least one interesting story to tell. The same can be said for your characters. Make them real and people will read.
esprit says, "Shannon, what an interesting letter. I'm so glad to hear a vote against the Clich' Romance. Now, if we could have one against the cover Clich'. I liked your "what abouts'. I would buy those. Good work!" Aw, thank you so much, esprit. And I agree with you about the cover thingy.
pooja_sr says, "Good one, Shannon. I've always been drawn to romance as a genre. Love stories are equally uplifting. Thanks for putting up the song. My first SW song, that is. Is he big in the United States?" Stevie was HUGE back in the day. He's still pretty popular with those of us who love and appreciate his talent. Superstition is another oldie but goodie. You can watch that one here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ul7X5js1vE
Acme says, "Fat chef vs Clive Owen... Nope, I'm just not getting it. Ace first Romance newsletter, Shannon, and all joking aside, I get your point. Clich' can really spoil things... but I ain't giving up Clive Owen.  " Acme, you always did know how to make me laugh. Ok, so I admit the Clive Owen thing was going just a tad too far ... but heck, all men should look like Clive, don't you think? Thanks so much for the supportive feedback, my friend.
Tornado Dodger  says, "I would like to thank you again for highlighting my story "Magnolias." It's not only flattering to know that you enjoyed it so much but highlighting it also brought me so many wonderful reviews. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of a great NL!" Aw, you are very welcome, Brooke. Thank you for all your wonderful writing.
electricmind says, "I love your idea for using everday people who do good for others instead of the overly used Clich's. I'm glad someone else sees that." Thank you, Aislin! I'm glad you enjoyed the NL, and I appreciate the feedback.
larryp says, "Shannon - I really like what you said about everyday heroes. Good newsletter." Thank you, Larry! Always wonderful to hear from you. I'm glad you liked it.
Incurable Romantic says, "Shannon, your idea about the unsung everyday heroes giving a different definition to the term 'love' is a great suggestion. Wonderful column. Keep up the great work!" Thank you so much! Love is a very strong, overwhelming emotion that isn't exclusive to heterosexual monogamous relationships. It is truly amazing what people are willing to do ... what generosity, compassion and sacrifice we are willing to endure for those we love. Thank you again.
JACE  says, "Hi Shannon. Great newsletter; you hit the nail on the head with this observation. One of my favorite pasttimes is sipping an iced mocha and watching 'normal' folk pass by. These observations often yield many potential characters for stories. For me, everyday folk mean readers will identify more readily with them. Keep up the great work." Thank you, my friend. Can you identify with someone who models for a living, flies from country to country in his own private jet, has servants and millions of dollars in the bank and never has to do any of his own laundry or shopping? Someone who has perfect hair, perfect skin, the perfect physique and no flaws? Chances are your readers won't either. Keep it simple, keep it real and you'll keep your readers. Thanks so much for your encouragement and support, Jace.
thunderspeech says, "This letter was beautifully done. I LOVE the idea of ordinary people in romance better than the stereotypical selfish stick figures." Me too! And thank you for your kind comments. I'm glad you liked the NL.
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Romance/Love: April 22, 2009 Issue [#2978]
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