While I'm still in this Hunger Games line of thought, let us move over to another topic.
If you hate Prez. Snow and you know it clap your hands.
If you really just can't stand him and want to kick out of Panem,
If you hate Prez. Snow and you know it clap your hands. *clap clap*
There is this unspoken universal agreement to absolutely despise this guy. And I get it, he's horrible. But (and brave yourselves for this) he actually gave some good writing advice.
IN THE WORDS OF FORMER PRESIDENT SNOW:::::::::::::::::: Convince me.
In books, romance isn't just convincing anymore. Being in love has been reduced to think a person is hot and making out on the not-so-rare occasion. But it's more than that. Love is selfless.
Now, don't get me wrong. I like the cutesy stuff just as much as the next romance reader (I'm a normal teenage girl, I promise) but for all the butterflies in my stomach while reading it, if I'm not convinced their in love I most likely walk away from the story with a shake of the head and a roll of the eye.
When Person A says to Person B "I love you." I find myself in the unfortunate position of saying alongside Prez. Snow... "Convince me."
My all time favorite example of a convincing romance has to be from The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. If you haven't read this book (of seen the movie) STOP RIGHT HERE. MAJOR SPOILER ALERT. So go to your friendly local bookstore and buy the book, read it and report back here.
Ready? Okay!
The Book Thief's main characters consist of a mainly child cast, and the two character who's romance the book tells us of (as a subplot mind you) is that of two children. Rudy and Liesel. Rudy is the first to fall in love, and we as readers are in no doubt whatsoever that it is love. Why?
Not because Rudy repeatedly asks for a kiss. Not because we're told he dreams of her. Not even because Death TELLS us outright that Rudy loves her.
We know because of Rudy's actions.
He walks her to school everyday.
He walks around with her while she dies chores.
When she gets hurt during soccer he's the only one to come and check if she's "all good."
"Saumench"
When her book gets thrown in the river, Rudy doesn't say "Tough luck" or "Awfully sorry" or "I'll replace it" instead he freaking jumps in the river (in winter if i remember correctly) and gets her freaking book.
When Liesel spots Max in the line of Jews being marched to the concentration camp, Rudy most likely saves her life by pulling her out of the crowd (and gets whipped once or twice for it too) but also lets her take all of her grief and anger out on him.
When he finds out Liesel was hiding a Jew in her basement, he doesn't turn her in, or even get mad at her for keeping a secret. He only asks (in a surprised manner) "You told him about me?"
These are just a few of the reasons the reader knows beyond all reasonable doubt that Rudy loved Liesel with all of his heart, and the reason why the words Liesel utters on that fateful morning are so heart breaking.
"I love you."
Because we KNOW Rudy loved her back and had been waiting for YEARS to hear those words. Because we can't help but imagine the triumphant smile on his face when he hears her say them, or him saying victoriously, "So how about a kiss now, Saumench?"
So you want to write a romance? Go ahead, be my guest. Convince me.
>>Adry Grace
YOU ARE READING
The Art of Romance
Romance>>You know, there was a time when I thought that I loved you<<
