Cleverly embedded in a metaphorical journey/map, author Christy Ridgeway explores three conflict basics: external conflict, internal conflict, and what she refers to as the “between conflict—that added dynamic between the hero and heroine that infuse every situation they encounter in the story.

 

Utilizing references to Deb Dixon’s Goal, Motivation and Conflict and Jack Bickham’s Scene and Structure, Christy discusses each type of conflict and how to select ones that work together organically for the most impact in a story. Recommended Level: (B)

 

GEM: The “between characters” concept—not necessarily why the hero and heroine can’t be together, but that added something to get the conflict going until they fall in love and must conquer the deeper romantic conflict. (Example: the heroine is by-the book, the hero makes his own rules.)

 

 

MAKE IT LAST OR COME TOO SOON:

    HOW TO WRITE SEXUAL TENSION

      by Linda Conrad

 

RWA Workshop: RW11-078

 

Linda Conrad uses a combination of several theories and tools familiar to the romance writer to provide a good review of the basics. After briefly touching on the way to create character conflict through dialogue and character’s actions and reactions, she discusses deep point-of-view as it relates to sexual tension.

 

In addition, Linda reviews Desmond Morse’s Twelve Stages of Intimacy as applied to romance via Linda Howard. Feedback from a university study involving college students and courtship rituals plucked from the animal kingdom finishes off the workshop. Recommended Level: (B)

 

GEM: One scene, read three ways by Linda, illuminates the different degrees of sexual tension. Despite the clichés, they’re great examples if you’re receiving comments from editors and contest judges to raise the sexual tension in your work.

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L.A. Mitchell (aka Laura Martello) writes romantic suspense within the dark folds of time-travel. An excerpt from her current novel, CHASING MIDNIGHT, can be found on her website. Visit Laura's blog.
 

 

RESOURCE LIBRARY
 

NTRWA's Resource Library has approximately 200 titles. Subjects range from POV, writing Regency romances, characterization, the business of writing, and many more. If you are struggling with some aspect of writing, there is probably a workshop for you. Peruse our library list (also available on NT's YahooGroups loop), and see what's there. If you see workshops you'd like to check out, just contact Nikki Duncan. The tapes or CDs will be waiting for you at the next meeting.

To check workshops out, a $10 deposit is required. Just drop of a check with Nikki Duncan - made payable to NTRWA - at the next meeting and you'll be good to go. In order to make our library more accessible to everyone, we will be transferring some of our more popular titles to CD.

If you have a question, please contact Nikki Duncan. The complete list of workshops is available in two formats for your downloading convenience.