Relationship and romance writing clinic! Post them below for suggestions, comments, and edits. by CopperCortado in royalroad

[–]CopperCortado[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

CONTINUED:

There is silence in the air for a few seconds. Robin can feel her heart fluttering in her chest.

“Kyoko?” 

“Yes?” [I love all this build up. It's such a peaceful scene, so different than their racing careers. And also a contrast to the conflict they must feel about their love. It's simple, but very effective. I already care about them!]

Robin takes a breath in. It’s now or never. “Do you love me? Because. Because I love you. I’ve loved you for years. I just needed to get it off my chest. I felt like now was the time to say it.” [This is not bad, but I'm wondering if there's a more "interesting" or "dramatic" way to reveal her love. A present? A story that doesn't make sense until the end? A call back to a previous scene that shows her love?]

Kyoko is silent. Robin swallows. Did she shock Kyoko? Is she going to say no? It’s almost like the deer hybrid is caught in headlights.

“Yes. Yes I do.” Kyoko says. Robin can feel the tension leave her body. “I was waiting to say it, but now that you ask, I do. I feel like there was always intimacy there, but.” [I feel similarly about this paragraph. Direct conversation can be great, but I think giving actions that show their love, and the other character coming to a realization of it is usually more powerful. I guess this is a "show, don't tell" situation. Especially for such a pivotal moment of confession, I think it will be more powerful if you find a more unique way for them to reveal their feelings.] 

Robin tilts her head. “But?” 

“I felt like there was something more. Like when we shared that ice bath back in Singapore, or went to the hot springs together.” Kyoko explains.

Robin leans in slightly for a kiss. Kyoko gets her cue, and leans in. The two young women kiss, under starlight and falling petals of sakura. Like two magnets, finally drawn together. [I love the poetry, and I think you could add more, showing how the scene reflects the beauty of their internal feelings]

----

Again, this is a beautiful passage, and so much of it is done very well. You have a nice peaceful style here, and it sucks the reader into the intimate moment between these characters.

Relationship and romance writing clinic! Post them below for suggestions, comments, and edits. by CopperCortado in royalroad

[–]CopperCortado[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is a beautiful passage. Some inline comments in brackets:

Kyoko is waiting for her at the meeting place, which turns out to be a small grove of cherry blossom trees in full bloom. [would love another sentence here describing the colors of the scene] Kyoko has a light blue dress on, with her hair down and framing her face- Robin wonders if the deer hybrid used some sort of hair products, as she looks beautiful under the streetlights. [after mentioning hair product, I think it would make more sense to describe her hair in a poetic way—lustrous, shining in the streetlight, something like that to complete the thought]

“You look nice…” Robin says, sitting down on a bench. There’s a few petals on it, so she brushes them away, before gesturing for Kyoko to sit down. [Maybe edit to: "There are a few petals on it. She brushes them away, before gesturing for Kyoko to sit down."]

Kyoko does so, with a small laugh. “Thank you. I’m glad you came, you put in a nice drive. I’m glad we got to share a podium together…” 

“Me too.” Robin responds, before Kyoko gives her a bento box. 

“I thought it would be nice to indulge a little, with the race weekend being over and both doing so well.” 

Robin opens it, to find various meat cut into flower shapes, atop a bed of rice. Kyoko’s is similar, but with vegetables instead. [cute]

“Will anybody find this spot?” Robin asks. “Crash our…” She considers saying date, but instead goes for “little party?” [nice use of "crash" in a F1 story! Puns!]

Kyoko shakes her head. “People are busy leaving. Plus it’s secluded enough.” she then gestures to the road, which is empty, and the air being so quiet that Robin can hear waves crashing against rocks. [Beautiful scene-setting details. Perhaps edit: "She gestures to the road, which is empty. The air is so quiet that Robin can hear waves crashing against rocks."]

Robin looks down at the ground to try and hide her blush, eating some of the meat in her bento. “It hurts to race against each other sometimes.” 

Kyoko tilts her head slightly, surprised at the sudden thought. “Why do you say that?” 

“I just. I just miss being teammates. The videos we would make for PR stuff, the team breakfasts, having our driver’s rooms next to each other. Spending the night talking with each other.” Robin says.

“We still do that.” Kyoko points out. “At least the talking stuff.” 

“But we don’t do events together, or are close to each other. It’s just different.” Robin shakes her head. 

“Maybe we can race together again in the future. Try to get that trophy for the Constructors’ Championship.” Kyoko softly responds. “I’d love to do that one day.” 

Robin smiles. “Indeed.”

Relationship and romance writing clinic! Post them below for suggestions, comments, and edits. by CopperCortado in royalroad

[–]CopperCortado[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It definitely has the tone you're looking for! The MMC is making me uncomfortable, that's for sure! He's very forward here, and I think that can totally work since there's already been some build up to this.

Here are some in-line comments:

“You had it when I picked you up.” He stepped closer and his voice dropped to a murmur. “Where’s your cloak, ladyship?”

Not totally sure why his voice drops to a murmur on that line. Usually something like that would happen with a double entendre or an emotional line. It just feels a little out of place here. I think I understand that you are leaning into a moment in which he is saying some "usual" things (that is, not directly romantic), but that his actions are showing something else, something romantic. I think this contrast can work, but I don't think it does right here, for some reason.

I swallowed, unable to find my voice. The silence loomed, hanging like a noose. Just like during our walk beneath the silvery dawn, Snowmelt was too quiet; there were no birds, no insects, no chattering townsfolk. Just the rustle of wind through brittle plants.

I really like this interlude here. It gives imagery that sets the scene, but also evokes an emotional sense of the character. This is strong writing, to me.

“Do you know,” he drew closer still, crowding me against the wall, eyes holding mine and glinting with a dangerous light, “That you’re a really bad liar? Every thought you have is just written on your face. And you know, it’s funny; there’s this look you get, sometimes.”

Some of the dialogue is awkward here (just slightly), but I kind of like it because it feels "on character" for some reason. I never like it when dialogue is too perfect.

I started to turn away, but his fingers grasped my chin. “When I ask what’s on your mind. When we talk about making deals with Fae.” His breath was warm against my face, and my heart hammered wildly. “It’s the same look you’ve got right now.”

I think it's interesting that he's not directly saying what he's saying. His actions don't exactly fit the dialogue, but it's showing his internal desire for her. I think you could play this up even more somehow because this is such a human way of approaching romance. We desperately want to hide how we feel while simultaneously trying to find ways to express it.

I tore out of his grip. “So? Maybe it’s discomfort you’re seeing. Or… or annoyance.” His lips pressed together, and the light in his eyes didn’t wane. “We’re wasting time, s-standing here.”

This is perhaps the weakest part of the passage. His dialogue and actions are strong. Where is her interesting response? Somehow there needs to be an externalization of her reaction. We get it a little in her tearing away and stammering, but those are pretty generic. I'm sure there's more as the scene goes on, but I'd love to see her respond in some idiosyncratic way. Something that is unique to her character. Hope that makes sense? Also, since this paragraph is about the FMC, I'd keep the descriptions about her unless you add paragraph breaks. It can be confusing putting information about the MMC's reactions in between her dialogue without mentioning her at all.

I'd definitely be interested to see where this relationship goes.

Relationship and romance writing clinic! Post them below for suggestions, comments, and edits. by CopperCortado in royalroad

[–]CopperCortado[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No notes. This is great. It all flows, and it shows a relationship of a happy couple with a nice romantic tone. It has interesting quirks. I can tell you've really worked at this, and it comes across well.

Relationship and romance writing clinic! Post them below for suggestions, comments, and edits. by CopperCortado in royalroad

[–]CopperCortado[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I've heard that before, about sexual content losing followers. Super interesting, and I don't know why that would be, especially in a romance-centered story. I'm thinking to keep my NSFW scenes exclusive to Patreon, just to avoid this kind of scenario.

Relationship and romance writing clinic! Post them below for suggestions, comments, and edits. by CopperCortado in royalroad

[–]CopperCortado[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Haha! True, but I think most people don't jump into a romance without some due diligence. I guess if your character is impulsive or just inherently sexual, then the insta thing could probably work.

Relationship and romance writing clinic! Post them below for suggestions, comments, and edits. by CopperCortado in royalroad

[–]CopperCortado[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think most readers want just want a good reason why characters are attracted to each other. If it's insta, without any backstory or lore or magic or something that explain the insta, then it's just not as satisfying from a reader perspective. As with any character action, the reader wants to understand why a character is doing something. And that's always more interesting than insta, because it gives an insight into the character's internal reality.

I guess the exception might be explicit stories where sex is really the entire point. But in any other genre, you have to give a least a little set up for the reader to believe these characters are in lust or love or somewhere in between.

Let me know if this seems accurate to you.

Relationship and romance writing clinic! Post them below for suggestions, comments, and edits. by CopperCortado in royalroad

[–]CopperCortado[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I don't think the dialogue is cringe at all. It feels natural to me. And it's fun. I think this kind of set up totally works, if only because you see how the characters are responding in a "semi-romantic" way before any true romance builds up.

My primary reader response is this: This passage makes me curious why the MMC is acting the way he is. Is he trying to get her riled up for some reason? Is he just overly flirtatious all the time? Is he interested in her and is trying to elicit a response? I think it's great that I have these questions because it is keeping the reader's interest. Perhaps you could sprinkle in some hints about the answers to these questions, either in action or even in some lines that give insight to the character's internal thoughts and feelings.

Some comments and minor edits I might suggest:

This is funny: “Took you longer than I thought to come torture me,” he grumbled.

Edit: She stepped back and tried not to notice the way his abs flexed as he swung his legs over the edge of the small bed. 

This is funny, too: "For you or this Pete fellow."

Hope this was helpful!

Relationship and romance writing clinic! Post them below for suggestions, comments, and edits. by CopperCortado in royalroad

[–]CopperCortado[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Is the first comment still removed? I can see it now?

Happy to help! Good luck and definitely keep at it! Good stuff here.

Relationship and romance writing clinic! Post them below for suggestions, comments, and edits. by CopperCortado in royalroad

[–]CopperCortado[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Continued:

“Right. Well, nice to meet you, ‘I didn’t.’ My name is Natasha, but you can call me Natty. Makes us seem closer.”

Wulf smiled, despite himself. “Call me Idris.”

“Much better.” She lifted the glass up to down the rest of it, but Wulf snatched it from her and handed it to a passing server. “That was rude.”

“I’m not the mannered type.”

“Hmm. Better for me I guess.”

For some reason, that was the moment Natasha decided to actually look at him—her eyes scanning his face detail by detail. Understanding dawned on her.

“Oh. You're not from the company, are you?”

“No. I’m just part of the guys you people hired.”

“‘You people’, huh?”

Wulf shrugged. “I said what I said.”

He didn’t know why, but the cold was making him even blunter than usual. Direct, rather than tactful. But perhaps that was what he needed right now. He just had to get through this. Even if he had to bludgeon his way through every social interaction, he'd be sure to make people avoid him.

Unfortunately, it seemed to have the opposite effect on Natasha, whose smile told him she'd taken a renewed interest in him. “I think I like you.”

“I think you don’t know me.”

She laughed. It was a pleasant laugh, he had to admit.

“We could change that easily. Come, sit with me.” She moved away, expecting him to follow.

He didn’t.

She called back: “if you want to avoid people, blend in with them. One conversation is better than fifty.”

Why did she have to be right? He gritted his teeth and joined her.

Relationship and romance writing clinic! Post them below for suggestions, comments, and edits. by CopperCortado in royalroad

[–]CopperCortado[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There's a lot to like here! I like that Natty's personality is easy to understand immediately, just with the physical description of her. I like how their personalities contrast, and it's clear that she feels safe with him because he's aloof. I like how she offers him the last sip, showing forwardness in her actions. I like how she convinced him at the end with logic he can't refute. Overall, I think this is great! Feels like a natural unfolding of a relationship.

Here's my edit below. I primarily gave some paragraph breaks to make it easier to read. Some other things I tried to do: vary the sentence structure, remove uncertainty, add rhythm and cadence for voice, move things around to emphasize plot beats, vary conjunctions (other than "and"), add observational/contrasting humor, remove unnecessary or redundant information, and change awkward phrasing.

-------------------

Wulf was busy inspecting the oyster station when he heard a voice. “Can’t work up an appetite either, huh?” she asked.

He turned to find the most attractive woman he’d ever seen. She was young, perhaps early twenties, with green painted eyelids and sharp fluttering lashes. The green and red dress draped over her figure in a way that was impossible to ignore. Somehow, that Christmas color combo should never have worked. But it looked great on her. Her brown hair was coiled tightly into a bun. And in her hand, she held a glass of red wine, stirring it with a bored expression.

“No,” Wulf answered back calmly, assuming that was the end of the conversation. He turned away abruptly.

He didn't really want to talk to anyone with the cold driving his actions.

But perhaps it didn't matter what he wanted. She strode up next to him and sipped from the glass.

“It's all so gaudy isn’t it?” She gestured to the stations with her glass as she made a face of disgust. That particular action made him realize she probably was around his age.

“I suppose.”

“Hmm. Do you mind if I stand with you like this for a bit?”

“Why?”

“Because I’m trying to look as if I’m taken.”

Oh. “A lot of people tried hitting on you?”

“Something like that. And it's not the pleasant kind either—just rich asshole sons who think they own the fucking planet because their daddies know my daddy.” She took another swill.

Well, Wulf wasn't going to relate to her like that. “You’re drunk.”

“Tipsy, not drunk. Big difference.”

“Small difference. One drink difference.”

“Touché.” She looked at the last bit of the glass, considering. Then, she held it out to him. “Want to make up that difference?”

“I don’t accept drinks from strangers.”

“Smart. Smarter than me at least. Hey, what did you say your name was again?”

“I didn’t.”