Give it Heart, New Life, New Breath

I'm not talking Frankenstein here, but the good doctor may have been onto something.

“Fairytales, huh? Do you ever write your own stories?” a well-meaning friend once asked. I was stunned for a moment and wanted to ask if they'd take the knife out of my back first. Seriously? Is that what people thought I'd been doing for years? Had I only been repeating something that had already been said (probably by someone more skilled and popular than me)? Was my writing life so meaningless in their eyes? If that was the case, what was the point? 

I held the words inside, but I instantly became defensive. Is anything truly original? I wondered. In a world with countless movies, books, and everything on instant download, who's to say where inspiration originates. You might say anything we come up with a Frankenstein's monster fashioned from bits and pieces of our experiences. Which begs the question: If we can't make anything original, why should we try? 

Those of us who are acquainted with the drive to write understand that we must try. There's little choice in the matter. (And yes, if you call it a hobby, like it's something that we put down and pick up at will, we will have something to say on the subject.) Take it from me, muses neither knock politely nor wait to be let in.

If you're like me and you choose to remake something old--say, a fairytale--into something new, there are a few things I discovered while working on Becoming Beauty that you should consider: 

Make it your own. Modern, classic--whatever is your forte--spice up the original with your own style. Delve into research, freshen up the details, main characters, supporting cast, and setting, and add in new plot twists. All of this makes a story people have heard before into something new.

In Becoming Beauty, I gave Bella (an updated and very flawed Beauty) an interesting role in the family dynamic as well as later in the Beast's household. Then, to spice it up, I pulled the Beast's manservant Jack into the picture. I didn't set out to create a love triangle, but having the story revolve around Bella, the Beast, and Jack naturally pushed it in that way. And it works.

Make it live. Breathe new life into a known story with a new, true message. Weaving a story around a nugget of truth or a soul touching question lends it new breath and life. Fairytales especially need the depth of great messages to reach new audiences.

The message I chose for Becoming Beauty is a expansion on the original fairytale's moral on true beauty. Bella's search for beauty in herself, in her family, and in the Beast and in his world drives her journey. 

Don't be afraid of something that's been done. As a girl who loves fairytales so much she began to write her own, I'll tell you that it can be done. There is always more to be said on any subject. A new perspective. A fresh character to shake up the cast. A new explanation for how things came to pass as they did. Just do it beautifully and in your own way.

I fought with the idea behind Becoming Beauty for a long time. The idea of creating a beastly Beauty first presented itself when I was in college. Until I put my fears behind me and really let the idea play out, I couldn't see how it would work out. But I had faith in an arrogant, ambitious, entitled heroine to carry the day. And she has.

That's it! Make it your own, make it live, and don't be afraid of something that's been done, just do it beautifully. Good luck and happy writing! May you never have the pleasure of someone asking you if YOU write original stories, my dears.

Need more writerly advice? 
Dead, Dead, Deaded: on dealing with deadlines
The Waiting Game: tips on surviving submissions
Breaking the Rules: nothing is sacrosanct, learn how to do it
World Building for the Literary Challenged: build worlds like a pro
Judge Not, That Ye Be Not Judged: the importance of coverart
Butt In Chair: the best writerly advice ever

Love Triangle, Shmove Triangle

I didn't plan to write a Love Triangle. Really.

In writing Becoming Beauty I struggled to reconcile my love for the classic Beast with my dislike for the Prince he transforms into. Somehow that struggle translated into the creation of two distinct male characters: the crabby Beast and his companion, Jack, who both fall in love with Bella.  That, of course, results in romance, humor, and a fair amount of jealousy. Yes, it's a Love Triangle. Since it came up in a review* (notice I'm not ranting here), I thought I'd give you my take on Love Triangles in literature by discussing a few prime examples:

The Twilight Conundrum:
Bella, Edward, and Jacob (blech)

Although my main character has the same name as Stephanie Meyer's, I hope my Bella deals with the entanglements of the heart in a more mature fashion. Bemoaning your sad, sad life while two men who would do anything to make you happy fight over you seems like a waste of time, waterworks, and hunky-hunky men. Also, the resolution of this Love Triangle was a little creepy, if you ask me. Especially if you're either one of the men. (Really, why should Bella have her cake and eat it too? No one else is offered that option. And in my mind, underdog Jacob--pun not intended--is a much more likable character. Sunny, daring, and fun rates higher than Ice Man in my opinion.)

Teen Angst and Tigers--The Tiger's Curse Series:
Kelsey, Ren, and Kishan (better)

This is another Young Adult series featuring two beefy brothers who fall for the same girl. Though certainly less well-known than the Twilight Series, The Tiger's Curse introduces the Love Triangle between Kelsey and the beautiful Indian brothers, Ren and Kishan. I think the key is that the audience knows which of the two Kelsey prefers, even if she hasn't figured it out completely. (She is a teenager after all. What do they know?) The only possible flaw is that Kelsey actually acts like a teen, which can be annoying at times. Unless teen angst is your thing.

Love & the Supernatural--The Mortal Instruments: 

Jace, Clary, Simon...& a few more thrown in for fun (fantastic!)

Recently finding its way to the big screen, this Love Triangle is much more on target. Not only does the audience know who Clary prefers, but so does she. Clary is a fabulous female lead with brains, skills of her own, and a certain level of maturity. The behind-the-scenes tension (beyond the engaging plot) that drives the story is the will-they-won't-they of her relationship with dynamic Jace. It's a stellar example of a Love Triangle done very well. (And let's be honest, there's probably more than one Love Triangle in this series...) My only beef is with Jace's character. I have a hard time loving and rooting for someone so erratic that I want to throw a shoe at him. (Though that's better than Twilight, where I wanted to throw the entire series of books at Bella Swan's head.)

Shadowhunters meet Old England--The Infernal Devices: 

Will, Tessa, and Jem (FABULOUS!)

The prequel series to The Mortal Instruments, The Infernal Devices follows the path of seemingly normal Tessa who stumbles onto the world of shadowhunters, werewolves, and vampires. Will and Jem--gentlemen, best friends, and comrades in arms--both claim her attention from the get-go. The reader quickly learns who Tessa prefers, but whether self-destructive Will is capable of letting her in is another matter entirely. Indeed it's Will's actions, paired with Jem's kindness, that push her into Jem's arms. (Can you tell I LOVE this one?) However, over the course of the series, Will's true character is revealed. Cassandra Clare does a magnificent job of presenting two equally wonderful heroes and a dynamic heroine who could choose either one. My only issues are a) the finale (though it's perfectly satisfactory, it has issues similar to--if less creepy than--Twilight) and b) the fact that they haven't made this into a series of movies yet! Seriously, the costumes alone would be amazing!

This obviously isn't a comprehensive list. I could add The Selection Series, The Mocking Jay Series, as well as a load of others. But I'd rather know what you think. What are some of your favorite Love Triangles in literature? Or do you condemn them altogether? Please leave me a comment! 

*By the way, my favorite criticism of Becoming Beauty was that it contained a Love Triangle within a Love Triangle. One reader in particular found this difficult to stomach. My only rebuttal is it's all part of the Beast's history and Bella's path to becoming Beauty. (Did you see what I did there?) 

FYI, dear friends, I didn't set out to write a Love Triangle. I set out to write an origin story. 

* * *

If you'd like to learn more about Becoming Beauty and jump into the conversation, here are a few links:

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Goodreads
Also, each of the above books' titles are linked to their webpages. So you can quickly jump to any you'd like to learn more about. As always, thanks for dropping in!