Faery Tale ~ A Visual Novel

 Faery Tale
A Romantic Fantasy Visual Novel
Story & Graphics by Morgan Hawke

The faery tale the fair maiden ends up in depends entirely on your choices!

Creative Narrative - A Description EXERCISE

Creative Narrative
A Description Exercise.

DESCRIPTION is the key to fleshing out ANY scene if you want the Reader to see in their minds the scene you envisioned when you wrote it.

Especially Sex Scenes.

Don't just call it 'juice'...

Describe HOW the moisture Looks while sliding in slender rivulets down the inside of her thigh, THEN describe how it feels physically, THEN how the character feels emotionally about the fact that they're dripping from excitement.

1. What it Looks & Feels like physically.
2. How they Feel about it emotionally.

You have FIVE senses -- USE THEM:
Texture, Flavor, Appearance, Sound, Aroma

The glistening moisture slid in slender rivulets down the inside of her thigh. The coolness of the moisture tickled in contrast to the warmth of her skin. Because her skirt was so short, her excitement was clearly visible to anyone who happened to be looking. Her cheeks filled with embarrassed warmth and she lowered her gaze, not wanting to know who might be staring at her, aware that she was aroused. 

"So how do you DO that sort of writing?"

The same way you do anything; you PRACTICE. 


Exercise in Writing DESCRIPTION

Stage 1:

Watch a Movie

 

 For this exercise, you will need the movie Sin City. If you don't have it, The Matrix or Equilibrium will do.

• WATCH the movie undisturbed from beginning to end.
• NO INTERRUPTIONS.

Watch where the Camera looks. ​

Sin City in particular is a brilliant example of how to describe using pictures. The movie is filmed in black and white with splashes of color only where the viewer's eye needs to be.

When a character is first introduced, LOOK at how the camera starts in Close Focus then pulls back to reveal the character's body; lovingly showing the viewer exactly what the character looks like, AND their distinguishing characteristics from top to bottom.

THEN the view expands wider, or pans around the character to disclose where that character is and what they are doing at that moment.

After those first few moments of sheer View, you get a narrative from the Point of View character, which may Not be the character the camera is showing you. You get the narrator's opinions, their feelings, and their delusions. THAT is how the viewer (the reader) learns about the character.

Once the movie is over, put on some music that fits the movie. (I actually have the soundtracks, to these.)

Next! Break out your remote control and Watch The Same Movie AGAIN -- but this time, with the volume OFF.

Sit on your couch and Out-Loud, Narrate what you are looking at. Do NOT Write anything.

Just talk to the TV screen Out Loud and Describe --in detail-- what you are looking at as though it was a book you were reading.

• Describe the Characters.
• Describe the Actions.
• Describe the Fight Scenes.
• Describe the Kisses.
• Describe the Backgrounds and Setting -- including the rooms and weather conditions!

Use your remote control and STOP the scene where you have difficulty describing what you are seeing. Work at it until the words come to you. They don't have to be perfect. CLOSE IS good enough for this exercise.

In a Nutshell:

• Describe Out-Loud what you SEE
• Do NOT Write anything down.
• Keep Going until the movie is Over.

This should help loosen up a few things in your writing mind -- and give you some strong visuals to write from later.

Next!

Stage 2:

Write a 1000 word Scene that introduces a character of YOURS.

 

Make sure you picture the scene in your mind with the same dramatic camera angles and close-ups the movie and Describe it so that anyone Reading it can clearly see it.

Compare that scene with any introductory scene in a story you've already written and SEE the difference.

Just so you know, this is an exercise I created to make my own writing more Visual back when I first started writing. The movie I used was "The Lost Boys", the original 1984 version. It really helped my ability to describe in my stories.

Enjoy!

Morgan Hawke

Modern Fiction Story Structures

Office by Jenova Art

Modern Fiction Story Structures

PLOT ARC - The events that happen while the characters make other plans.
CHARACTER ARC - The emotional roller-coaster that the character suffers in dealing with the Plot. 

The PLOT ARC
If it does not forward the plot
it does not belong in the story.

When I set out to write a tale, I begin by blocking out the plot, listing what I want to happen:

Inciting Incident
Crisis
Reversal
Ordeal
Climax
Resolution

For a 100k novel that's 20 chapters at 5000 words each. I note what I want to happen in each chapter and that's the frame I work from. If I find a better way to twist the plot great! But a detailed outline or block keeps me from wandering all over the place and going over my word count.

Blocking or outlining is not the only way to build a story. It's just the easiest way.

Steven King does not Block. (Keep in mind - he is a master at his art.) He writes his opening chapter, then his closing chapter then writes almost pure stream of consciousness to get from one to the other.

What he does is write a bunch of character-based stories surrounding one event. What makes his books so huge is the size of his cast of characters. This is also why he ALWAYS goes way-way-way over his word count. *grin* But then, his publishers are not about to make him conform, there are too many other publishers dying for his work. 

Plot & Character Integration

To make a cohesive whole, every single event must happen for a reason. Every single character must have a reason to be there and EVERYTHING must tie in together. Every scene in a story should either illustrate Character (Character Arc) or be an Event (Plot Arc). 

The CHARACTER ARC
The Stages of Grief:
Denial - Anger- Bargaining - Despair -Acceptance

Why Grief?
Because STORY needs ANGST to BE Story.

Stories are all about CHANGE; about Adapting and Overcoming circumstancing that should take them down. The hero and the villain change and develop as the story progresses to allow the hero a toehold chance - and no more - to win. This is where dramatic tension is generated.

The difference between the Hero and the Villain is the Villain's failure to change. The Villain fails to face his fears, which allows the hero to take him down. The rest of the cast may or may not have personal growth, but the hero and the villain must.

Changing takes suffering. Both the hero and the villain should suffer emotionally and physically to allow for their personal changes.

Think about how hard it is for YOU to change your mind about liking or disliking anyone. What would it take to change your mind? That's the level of suffering - of Angst - you need.

Plot Arc is all about WHAT HAPPENS to the characters.
Character Arc is all about how the characters FEEL about what's happening.

The Stage of Grief that character happens to be going through dictates how that character will React the event. If you plan it just right, every event will work Against the character's Stage of Grief.

The whole Idea being:

"That which does not kill me, makes me stronger." - Nietzsche

The plot movements combine both the Plot Arc (Events/Actions) and the Character Arc (Emotions/Reactions). 

Flash Fiction / The Vignette Under 1000 words ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The climactic moment of a single event 1 Movement: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Ordeal - Sacrifice ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   2 characters 2 main characters: Protagonist / Antagonist 1 POV character ~ 1st Person or 3rd Person Limited POV ~~~

The Short Story 5000 to 19,000 words ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ One Small Event in the Hero's life. 3 major movements: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1- Crisis - Anger 2- Ordeal - Sacrifice 3- Climax - Acceptance ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1 chapter per movement. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2 main characters: Protagonist / Antagonist 1 POV character ~ 1st Person or 3rd Person Limited POV ~~~

The Novelette 20,000 to 59,000 words ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A single event that changes the Hero's life 5 major movements: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Act One 1-Inciting event - Denial ~~~ Act Two 2-Crisis - Anger 3-Reversal - Despair 4-Ordeal - Sacrifice ~~~ Act Three 5-Climax - Acceptance ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2 chapters per movement. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3 Main characters: Protagonist / Obstacle Character */ Antagonist 1 or 2 POV characters ~ 1st Person or 3rd Person Limited ~~~

*Note: The Obstacle Character is the Nay-sayer that possesses the opposing opinion. In a 3-character plot, the Emotionally-driven character tends to play opposition for both the Antagonist (Motive-driven character) and the Protagonist (Action-driven character).

The Novella ~ Category Novel 60,000 to 89,000 words (Many publishers consider anything over 60k a novel. However, most ePubs will not print a book under 80k.) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A single that changes all the Main Character's lives 7 major movements: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Act One: Set up - Something Bad has Happened 2- Inciting Incident -Denial 3-Crisis - Anger ~~~ Act Two: 4-Reversal - Despair 5-Ordeal - Sacrifice ~~~ Act Three: 6-Climax - Acceptance 7-Resolution - Acknowledgment ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2-4 chapters per movement. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3 Main characters: Protagonist / Main Viewpoint Character */ Antagonist 2 Support characters: Hero's Obstacle Character / Villain's Obstacle Character 1 to 3 POV characters - 1st Person or 3rd Person Limited ~~~

*Note: The Main Viewpoint Character is rarely the Protagonist or the Antagonist. In most stories, the Viewpoint Character is the one caught in the middle, if not completely lost, in the battle between the Protagonist and the Antagonist. (Neo, in The Matrix was the Viewpoint Character caught between Morpheus and the Agents of the Matrix.) 

 

The Novel 90,000 to 125, 000 words (Publishers rarely take manuscripts higher than 125k.) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A collection of events that lead to a single Major Event that brings change in all the (main) character's lives. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 9 major movements: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Act One: 1-Set up - Something Bad has Happened 2- Introduction - Innocence 3- Inciting Incident -Denial ~~~ Act Two: 4-Challenge - Anger 5-Crisis - Betrayal 6-Reversal - Despair 7-Ordeal - Sacrifice ~~~ Act Three: 8-Climax - Acceptance 9-Resolution - Acknowledgment ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2-5 chapters per movement. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 3 Main characters*: Protagonist / Main Viewpoint Character / Antagonist 3 Major Support characters: Protagonist's Obstacle Character Antagonist's Obstacle Character Viewpoint Character's Obstacle Character 1 to 3 POV characters** 1st Person or 3rd Person Limited, or Omniscient ~~~

*Note: With casts of Characters - Less is more - ALL major character arcs must conclude to fulfill resolution. The larger the cast, the longer the story.

**Note: With Viewpoint Characters - LESS is definitely more. Hopping from Viewpoint to Viewpoint can get very frustrating to the reader who has to keep track of each of those different story threads. And then there's the Fatal Flaw of: Head Hopping.  

Keep in Mind: Each POV character chosen, automatically becomes a Main Character. Woe betide the author that does not conclude all the issues raised with EACH Viewpoint Character - in addition to the Main Characters. Any more than 4 POVs and you're looking at a Massive undertaking to conclude them all, or make plot-holes you can drive trucks through.

Tragedy vs. Happily Ever After

The difference between a Tragedy and a Happily Ever After seems to be that in a Tragedy, the Protagonist FAILS at their Crisis Point in Act Two. Act Three is merely the death scene that fullfils their failure to change.

To make a Happily Ever After, the Protagonist still Fails their Crisis Point in Act Two, but then replays their Crises Point in Act Three and finally Wins at the end of the Act. The story then goes on to a whole new FOURTH act. 

Additional Reading:

The Internal Journey - Premise Building

Developing the Dark Moment

Who Cares? Character Values and Conflict

Being, Doing, Becoming:
The Heroic Strength, the Heroic Flaw, the Heroic Journey

Starting Small and Building Plot

External Conflict Worksheet 

Enjoy!

Periodic Table of Storytelling

Created by ComputeSherpa at DeviantArt.com

If you are any kind of fan of fiction writing, whether it books, TV scripting, movie scripting, or even fan-fiction, THIS is the ultimate cheat sheet for story crafting -- especially if you are a fan of TV Tropes!

Enjoy!

Interview with RomanceNovelTips.com

Interview with Morgan Hawke

RomanceNovelTips.com

1. What made you decide to write Erotica?

Well, I like sex, I had several years experience in the Adult Industry so I had plenty of experience to write from, and I love writing. 

S+Exp+W = Author

However, the main push toward writing Erotica, and Erotic Romance in particular, was that there was so little respect or care for any book labeled 'Erotic.' Back when I first started posting stories; years before Erotic Romance had been invented, Erotica was known for having the absolute worst writing out there. Poor plots, poor characterization, poor description, poor everything – and this stuff was Published!

I wanted to fix that. I wanted to prove that Erotica could be written with as much care, research, and respect as a sci-fi or a mystery novel. Truthfully, this very motive is what propelled me into writing Erotic Romance.

2. Would you ever write for Harlequin/Mills & Boon?

Hell No! They have the absolute worse reputation for screwing their authors in the publishing industry.

Would I write that type of novel?

 If the publishing house was NOT Harlequin/Mills & Boon, or Dorchester, and they offered me the right kind of money to do it?

Absolutely. I'm a mercenary author; I write what pays the bills. At the moment, Erotic Romance is the most lucrative and fastest paying genre out there.

3. What is the one piece of advice you would give aspiring Erotica / Romantica Erotic Romance writers?

Before you consider plot, character, or setting, learn to write in Chronological Order, the order in which things actually happen --> Action THEN Reaction.

The fastest way to do this is by dropping the word "as" from your vocabulary. If you see the word "As" in your sentence, nine times out of ten, you've written the line Backwards. The events are written in the Reverse of what actually happened.

Example:

The vampire drank his fill AS he crouched over his victim. < -- WRONG!

Which really happened first?

The vampire drank his fill.

OR?

The vampire crouched over his victim.

Obviously, the vampire had to crouch before he could drink his fill, therefore...

The vampire crouched over his victim AND drank his fill. < -- RIGHT!

If you want a full explanation, go here:

http://darkerotica.blogspot.com/2007/02/writing-dialogue.html

Read that.

4. Do you think that Sci-Fi elements in erotica enhances sales or would the books sell just as well if set in a present day earth?

I follow Azimov's rule of Science-Fiction:

"If you can remove the Science from the Fiction and still have a viable story in another genre, you did it WRONG."

However, doing it Wrong doesn’t mean it won’t get published. It just means you missed the point of the genre. Just for the record, I’m firmly of the opinion that if you’re going to do something, do it RIGHT. Why? Because if you do it Wrong, and someone else does it Right, guess who’s gonna grab all the readers?

5. What is your favorite book you have written and why?

Truthfully, I don't have a favorite, not yet anyway. Sooner or later, I'll write a world I want to keep coming back to, but that hasn't happened just yet.

6. Who is your favorite character you have created?

I don't have a favorite, not yet anyway. Each character; hero, heroine, villain, ally... was created to make that particular story happen. Unlike many writers, I come up with the plot first then craft my characters to make that story happen. 

7. What are the top three characteristics every Heroine should have?

First of all, when you're writing a Romance or an Erotic Romance, you should never forget that the Main Character is an Avatar for the Reader. Because of this, one should always make the Main Character someone the reader would like to be. With this in mind, I craft my characters to have these three characteristics:

• An Emotional Flaw
• A Physical Limitation
• A professional-level skill

The first two are the literal, "two strikes against them," and the last is the hidden key to their success in the story.

8. Do you believe in avoiding Mary-Sue's in writing romantica Erotic Romance?

Yes and No. I believe that the author should avoid creating OBVIOUS Mary-Sues; they look, act, and talk like the author only Better! Or worse, a character that is Too Good To Be True.

Give the character some major personality flaws and it won't matter if it is a Sue or not. American readers in particular adore underdog characters, the one who keeps trying in spite of the fact that they can't seem to win. Perfect people, on the other hand, are their favorite targets to bash out of sheer Envy.

9. Where do you find inspiration for your stories ?

EVERYWHERE. Everything I see, everything I do, everything I experience becomes food for thought in my stories.

10. If you could write one book in the mainstream fiction sector, what would it be about?

LOL! It depends on the publisher, literally. I never write a book without knowing exactly who I plan to send it to. I believe in reading a publisher's Submission Guidelines FIRST then crafting the story to be exactly what that publisher is looking for. It's the fastest -- and easiest -- way to guarantee that a publisher will take a manuscript.

Morgan Hawke

March 22, 2011

Online Erotic Plot Generators

Just for fun!

 Erotic Plot Generators
Temporarily down while my website is being updated! 

Looking for a quick and painless way to get ideas for Erotic stories or Yaoi stories? Have I got the toys for you! One click and there you go! 

 

Example of results:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As an apology, a socially inept yet sincere actress put on a strap-on and ass-fucked a submissive police detective in a narrow stall of a public toilet. This resulted in a business proposition.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After catching the peeper red-handed--literally and figuratively, a naive and unsuspecting actress made tender love to a vivacious, red-haired erotica author in a high class hotel overlooking the bay. This resulted in the discovery of a hidden fetish.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wearing only a towel, a dominant delivery girl called in some friends and had an orgy with a submissive college student in a seedy hotel in the bowels of the city. This resulted in a very sincere apology.

 

And for those interested in Boy on Boy erotic stories...?

 

 

 

Example of results:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Having fallen hopelessly in Love, a petite, fair and delicate teacher had anal sex with an eccentric martial artist in the VIP room of a night club. This resulted in the loss of his underwear.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wearing only a towel, a vivacious, red-haired private detective was fucked by an attractive mail man in a seedy hotel in the bowels of the city. This resulted in the annulment of a debt.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Caught masturbating, a submissive graffiti artist ass-fucked a friendly college professor in front of the fireplace of a Victorian mansion. This resulted in an invitation to live together.

The Java code is from Seventh Sanctum, but rest is all mine. Feel free to use any of the ideas generated for your own stories.

Enjoy!

Writing Erotic HORROR

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The CHARACTER Arc

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