How to Write a Best Selling Fantasy Novel - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Araréiel · 06-29-2004, 12:12 PM

I try to keep the romance stuff in mine fantasy. Bridget Jones and crud like that is just so dumb. I like the good stuff where they respect each other. Tolkien had Arwen and Aragorn stay faithful to each other, despite long seperations and possible temptations. Modern "romance" stories have cheating and are overly sexual to the point of trash and mental porn. What ever happened to the sweetest thing being a tender kiss instead of x-rated content?

Yes, I hear a lot of bashing on Tolkien's romances, like how Eowyn and Aragon should have ended up together. They way he did pair them is beautiful. Arwen brings out the softer side of Aragorn, and Eowyn and Faramir both stike me as the types to be more, um, playful, for lack of better word. Eowyn breaks the rules, Faramir abided by them, hoping for affection. Each pairing is done in such a way that they compliment each other, rather than match the strong Eowyn with the kingly Aragorn. Opposites attract.

That's where the romance in my current fic is going wrong-the main two chacters in love are too similar. There are others though, like a set of half-Elven siblings, she in love with an Elf, he in love with a mortal. btw, someone else started out writing with me and got way more into romance, but it works.

That should be another fantasy-writing rule: Always keep relationships free from sex and anything you'd expect to see in a grocery store novel.

06-29-2004, 12:12 PM	#14
Araréiel Registered User Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 92	I try to keep the romance stuff in mine fantasy. Bridget Jones and crud like that is just so dumb. I like the good stuff where they respect each other. Tolkien had Arwen and Aragorn stay faithful to each other, despite long seperations and possible temptations. Modern "romance" stories have cheating and are overly sexual to the point of trash and mental porn. What ever happened to the sweetest thing being a tender kiss instead of x-rated content? Yes, I hear a lot of bashing on Tolkien's romances, like how Eowyn and Aragon should have ended up together. They way he did pair them is beautiful. Arwen brings out the softer side of Aragorn, and Eowyn and Faramir both stike me as the types to be more, um, playful, for lack of better word. Eowyn breaks the rules, Faramir abided by them, hoping for affection. Each pairing is done in such a way that they compliment each other, rather than match the strong Eowyn with the kingly Aragorn. Opposites attract. That's where the romance in my current fic is going wrong-the main two chacters in love are too similar. There are others though, like a set of half-Elven siblings, she in love with an Elf, he in love with a mortal. btw, someone else started out writing with me and got way more into romance, but it works. That should be another fantasy-writing rule: Always keep relationships free from sex and anything you'd expect to see in a grocery store novel.