At one of the first writing conferences I attended I heard Lynn Kurland speak about Romance in Fiction. To this day, it was the very best conference address I've heard on the subject. And believe me, I've been to quite a few writing conferences and heard more than I ever wanted on the subject. Lynn knew what she was talking about...after all, she is the queen bee when it comes to writing epically amazing love stories. Basically she said that a romance isn't a romance unless the boy and the girl end up together. If they don't then it's a tragedy.
Simple as that.
Frankly, I agree. If I pick a book up off the library shelf and it's labeled a romance, I expect that by the end of the novel the little lady will end up with her big strapping man. (ha ha...oh wait, I meant if I pick up the harlequin. Snort. That's really not my type of book, but you get my point.)
The story should play out as such: girl meets boy, girl and boy have issues that keep them apart, and then at the end girl and boy get together.
Yes, there should be some kissing.
And yes, their romance should be something that makes my heart jump in my chest.
If the story follows the same pattern but at the end has some dramatic event like girl gets hit by a truck and dies, then the story is a TRAGEDY!
Which means, I don't want to see it, or read about it.
Which means, last night when my good friend Tracey dragged me to see One Day, I expected a romance.
But what I got was TRAGEDY!
And that, sums up why today I'm so stinking angry I could spit.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
if they don't get together it ain't a romance.
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14 SPLURTS:
I saw that movie last week and I am totally pissed too! Seriously...she gets hit by a bus! Lamp! Sorry bout the spoiler!
I meant lamo not lamp!
umm, you left out some important details... such as I was ready for bed and you started texting my husband pleading him to let me go to the movies with you since I was away from my phone and missed your texts. Then my repeated warnings (on two different occasions) that I had read the book and have never cried so hard over a book before. I tried to tell you more but you put a hand in my face saying, "don't tell me!" SO QUIT BLAMING ME!!!! There are incredible movies out there that do not have incredible storybook endings, that movie definitely was not one of them but that had nothing to do with someone dying!
Oh tracey (shaking my head). You DID NOT tell me she died! And thus, a tragedy.
I am NEVER GOING TO SEE THAT MOVIE. Seriously, thanks for the head's up.
And I'll agree-- Lynn Kurland's romance presentation was incredible. It's too bad it isn't in book or YouTube form so that every writer that writes romance could experience it.
And let's not kid ourselves. You already did spit after seeing the movie, didn't you? :D
I HATED that movie. I never choose a movie that I think will make me cry. And that one was a sucker punch! At the end I just thought it was a huge waste of time, and what was the point? He was supposed to stop being a loser and just try to be worthy of her even though she was dead? I mean, c'mon! That's all the comfort we can take away from it? Lame! Lame! Lame!
SPOILER ALERT:-)!!!! Guess I don't have to pay to see this movie. Thanks for putting a little extra cash in my pocket.
I love Julie's comments! I completely concur.
Erin, when I say that I have never cried sooo hard over a book - how can you gleam a happy ending from that?? I'm surprised that it was a new york times bestseller. I guess a lot of people love tragedies! I read it not knowing anything about it. I should of protested more when trying to warn you! Believe me LESSON LEARNED! so quit rolling my name in the MUD.
ha ha ; )
I love tragedies. (am currently writing one in fact.) But now I don't have to see this movie cuz y'all just ruined it for me!
I hate it when the romance I think I'm getting doesn't turn out to be a romance. I read a book recently that I enjoyed-- until the end, when I wanted to chuck it across the room because the dang people spent the whole book trying to get together and then they DIDN'T GET TOGETHER.
So. Irritating.
New follower, by the way, for over at Jessie Humphries. I'm enjoying your blog already!
OMG- I was FURIOUS with One Day. I was like, "What the hell happened to my fun British romance movie!" I still loved it and will want to see it again because it cracked me up - but I will probably fast forward through the tragic part. I did love the very ending though (*spoiler alert*) when his daughter said, "you know what's wrong with you" and the scene at the cafe with Emma's ex, when Dex suggested they see each other again, and her ex was like, "No, I don't think that's necessary." Ha - it would have made a great romantic comedy. :)
I remember when my friend gave me this book to read. I asked what it was about, then asked, "Does it have a happy ending?"
"Well, I don't want to spoil the ending for you, but it's literary fiction," she said.
"Ah. Ok. I guess that means no."
Thus I wasn't too enthusiastic about the book and never managed to make it all the way through. I don't think I'll be watching the movie...
Captain America, I'm looking at you.
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