Love

Admit it.  Sometimes you're afraid to write about it.  When we write we tend to create characteristics that separate our main character from us.  Of course this seems sensible, correct?  However, our MC needs to have that spark in his/her eyes, they need to have that moment where them and the reader can connect.  Even if you're afraid of it, I'll wager that love is what can bind us to our characters.  It connects us as the writers to them and it draws our readers closer to them.
For those of you who are afraid of romance entering into your story, I'll tell you now that no, not every story needs love.  Even so, keep in mind that at some time in our life we have felt loved --whether it was in our family, among friends, or in a relationship.  While romance can add new dilemmas in your plot, what's there to lose?  You can write an entire novel and have your MC be alone --in a manner of speaking--but in the end you'll most likely find that no one can have hope for a person who has no one they care for, no one they trust, and no one they tell their darkest secrets to.
So if you've come to the decision that you want to try adding in a new element, or perhaps you're bold enough to write in the genre of romance, there are simple rules to remember:

• Love needs to feel and sound real --Of course there have been relationships that have (in some way or another) been "fake," but when it comes to love you'll only captivate your reader if you show them that what is between your two characters is real.  Love should not be forced.
•  The love triangles?  Be careful -- You and I both have seen the shows and read the books where love triangles either drive the fans crazy or completely drive away the fans.  If you want the love triangle to work in your book make sure it's unique and it stands out.  Give your readers a reason to care.
• Before love comes friendship --It's not to say that you'll fall in love with your best friend, but if your MC is in love there's no doubt that before that they were bonding closer to each other through friendship.  If nothing else, think about relationships of your own; chances are they started out as a friendship.
• Show us the special moments --What better way to pull in your readers?  We've all had those moments in our novels where (in a manner of speaking) we "struck gold."  That moment where everything clicks into place and you, the reader, and the characters connect to each other.  You don't necessarily need to make it special enough for your readers to be crying, but think about what has an affect.  Whether it's death, kissing, embracing, sorrow, marriage, a moment of untold secrets... You have control over that.

Skyhe Monchief, romance author of Swordsong, reminds writers of all genres to:

Keep submitting and writing. They say that those who never get published gave up… I didn’t give up. But I’m stubborn.

With that, I'll leave you to think about what you've been afraid to put in your book and why.  I know this is a change up from what I usually blog about.  I'm really trying to connect more with you guys, so if there's something you're dying for me to post about let me know.

Be there for the magic: www.themagiciansseries.blogspot.com