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Are two potential love interests enough?
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My MC is focused on his profession; barely giving his personal life a thought. His last serious romantic relationship with a woman was when he was 22. Time for that later, he believes. Retire at 45 and then look.
He has two women who are interested in him now:
M wants him now, is very strong willed and fierce. She is a colleague of his and loves that he is more dangerous than she as it makes her feel normal. She is expert at seduction but not so at serious courtship. She ends up declaring her feelings by serenading him with ‘You’d be so nice to come home to’ accompanied by a very fine pianist who is madly in love with her.
J is a young, vivacious and quirky woman who is very professional but uninhibited and very loath to let the MC take himself seriously for more than a second. She is also a colleague of his, though in a completely unrelated field. She is more of a cheerful beacon. She has decided that the MC is certainly worth the effort and until M declared herself had even been willing to wait until the MC is ready. Now her hand is being forced.
My question is not so much what should I write, but do these ladies provide enough tension?
I am considering adding two more:
B is an almost lifelong friend of the MC’s elder sister who looks at this guy she’s known since he was twelve and realizes that he is all grown up now and might be a fine choice to take the place of her deadbeat ex husband and provide a strong positive influence on her son.
O is a cultured woman of education and refinement, who also knows the uses of all the cutlery available (as does the MC) and sees him as a handsome man who could make a good spouse - or plaything.
My question is this: would adding B and O as potential love interests add tension or dilute it?
characters
asked 2 hours ago
Rasdashan
1387
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
favorite
My MC is focused on his profession; barely giving his personal life a thought. His last serious romantic relationship with a woman was when he was 22. Time for that later, he believes. Retire at 45 and then look.
He has two women who are interested in him now:
M wants him now, is very strong willed and fierce. She is a colleague of his and loves that he is more dangerous than she as it makes her feel normal. She is expert at seduction but not so at serious courtship. She ends up declaring her feelings by serenading him with ‘You’d be so nice to come home to’ accompanied by a very fine pianist who is madly in love with her.
J is a young, vivacious and quirky woman who is very professional but uninhibited and very loath to let the MC take himself seriously for more than a second. She is also a colleague of his, though in a completely unrelated field. She is more of a cheerful beacon. She has decided that the MC is certainly worth the effort and until M declared herself had even been willing to wait until the MC is ready. Now her hand is being forced.
My question is not so much what should I write, but do these ladies provide enough tension?
I am considering adding two more:
B is an almost lifelong friend of the MC’s elder sister who looks at this guy she’s known since he was twelve and realizes that he is all grown up now and might be a fine choice to take the place of her deadbeat ex husband and provide a strong positive influence on her son.
O is a cultured woman of education and refinement, who also knows the uses of all the cutlery available (as does the MC) and sees him as a handsome man who could make a good spouse - or plaything.
My question is this: would adding B and O as potential love interests add tension or dilute it?
characters
asked 2 hours ago
Rasdashan
1387
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
favorite
up vote
1
down vote
favorite
My MC is focused on his profession; barely giving his personal life a thought. His last serious romantic relationship with a woman was when he was 22. Time for that later, he believes. Retire at 45 and then look.
He has two women who are interested in him now:
M wants him now, is very strong willed and fierce. She is a colleague of his and loves that he is more dangerous than she as it makes her feel normal. She is expert at seduction but not so at serious courtship. She ends up declaring her feelings by serenading him with ‘You’d be so nice to come home to’ accompanied by a very fine pianist who is madly in love with her.
J is a young, vivacious and quirky woman who is very professional but uninhibited and very loath to let the MC take himself seriously for more than a second. She is also a colleague of his, though in a completely unrelated field. She is more of a cheerful beacon. She has decided that the MC is certainly worth the effort and until M declared herself had even been willing to wait until the MC is ready. Now her hand is being forced.
My question is not so much what should I write, but do these ladies provide enough tension?
I am considering adding two more:
B is an almost lifelong friend of the MC’s elder sister who looks at this guy she’s known since he was twelve and realizes that he is all grown up now and might be a fine choice to take the place of her deadbeat ex husband and provide a strong positive influence on her son.
O is a cultured woman of education and refinement, who also knows the uses of all the cutlery available (as does the MC) and sees him as a handsome man who could make a good spouse - or plaything.
My question is this: would adding B and O as potential love interests add tension or dilute it?
characters
asked 2 hours ago
Rasdashan
1387
My MC is focused on his profession; barely giving his personal life a thought. His last serious romantic relationship with a woman was when he was 22. Time for that later, he believes. Retire at 45 and then look.
He has two women who are interested in him now:
M wants him now, is very strong willed and fierce. She is a colleague of his and loves that he is more dangerous than she as it makes her feel normal. She is expert at seduction but not so at serious courtship. She ends up declaring her feelings by serenading him with ‘You’d be so nice to come home to’ accompanied by a very fine pianist who is madly in love with her.
J is a young, vivacious and quirky woman who is very professional but uninhibited and very loath to let the MC take himself seriously for more than a second. She is also a colleague of his, though in a completely unrelated field. She is more of a cheerful beacon. She has decided that the MC is certainly worth the effort and until M declared herself had even been willing to wait until the MC is ready. Now her hand is being forced.
My question is not so much what should I write, but do these ladies provide enough tension?
I am considering adding two more:
B is an almost lifelong friend of the MC’s elder sister who looks at this guy she’s known since he was twelve and realizes that he is all grown up now and might be a fine choice to take the place of her deadbeat ex husband and provide a strong positive influence on her son.
O is a cultured woman of education and refinement, who also knows the uses of all the cutlery available (as does the MC) and sees him as a handsome man who could make a good spouse - or plaything.
My question is this: would adding B and O as potential love interests add tension or dilute it?
characters
characters
asked 2 hours ago
Rasdashan
1387
asked 2 hours ago
Rasdashan
1387
edited 9 mins ago
asked 2 hours ago
Rasdashan
1387
asked 2 hours ago
Rasdashan
1387
asked 2 hours ago
Rasdashan
1387
1387
add a comment |Â
add a comment |Â
2 Answers
2
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up vote
2
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You are talking about two different books. One is a book focused on the love triangle between a man and two different women --the primary conflict of the book is which one he will choose. The other book is about a man and the many possible loves in his life.
The main difference is that the love triangle version is more evenly focused around your three main characters. They not only relate to the man, they also have a relationship with each other as rivals (and, in this case, coworkers). The other version is more squarely focused on the man. The other characters are only presented only in relationship to him. One is not right and the other is wrong, it more depends on what book YOU want to write.
If you want the focus to stay on the three central characters, and their interrelationships, then I wouldn't add the others in --unless you want a twist ending where the man doesn't pick either of his two main choices.
answered 1 hour ago
Chris Sunami
24k33089
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
Any number of stories see the protagonist having no romantic interests and work, or just one and work, but your question stems from wanting to do something only possibly with at least two: conflict between would-be lovers. Is two enough? Definitely, if you flesh each out adequately. You may find, for example, that it helps if J is in the MC's orbit first, only to feel she has to be more aggressive once M turns up. Do you have to do it that way? No, but it'd work, and wouldn't need B or O. You can add them (Heaven help your word count), say as people the MC is interested in even if they don't like him, while he's not as keen on M or J as they are on him. Again, this isn't the only way. I think what you really need to do is plot this story carefully (and know how many words your bullet points will get; see here) and see what you have room for.
answered 2 hours ago
J.G.
4,57911024
I see this work as more of a series so am less concerned about word count. It is character driven rather than plot driven and I tend to dedicate the occasional chapter to a peripheral character. The cast of characters is more ensemble with a couple of stars than a narrow cast. Tertiary characters cross the stage, but the focus is on the MC. The romance is a subplot
– Rasdashan
25 mins ago
add a comment |Â
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
2
down vote
You are talking about two different books. One is a book focused on the love triangle between a man and two different women --the primary conflict of the book is which one he will choose. The other book is about a man and the many possible loves in his life.
The main difference is that the love triangle version is more evenly focused around your three main characters. They not only relate to the man, they also have a relationship with each other as rivals (and, in this case, coworkers). The other version is more squarely focused on the man. The other characters are only presented only in relationship to him. One is not right and the other is wrong, it more depends on what book YOU want to write.
If you want the focus to stay on the three central characters, and their interrelationships, then I wouldn't add the others in --unless you want a twist ending where the man doesn't pick either of his two main choices.
answered 1 hour ago
Chris Sunami
24k33089
add a comment |Â
up vote
2
down vote
You are talking about two different books. One is a book focused on the love triangle between a man and two different women --the primary conflict of the book is which one he will choose. The other book is about a man and the many possible loves in his life.
The main difference is that the love triangle version is more evenly focused around your three main characters. They not only relate to the man, they also have a relationship with each other as rivals (and, in this case, coworkers). The other version is more squarely focused on the man. The other characters are only presented only in relationship to him. One is not right and the other is wrong, it more depends on what book YOU want to write.
If you want the focus to stay on the three central characters, and their interrelationships, then I wouldn't add the others in --unless you want a twist ending where the man doesn't pick either of his two main choices.
answered 1 hour ago
Chris Sunami
24k33089
add a comment |Â
up vote
2
down vote
up vote
2
down vote
You are talking about two different books. One is a book focused on the love triangle between a man and two different women --the primary conflict of the book is which one he will choose. The other book is about a man and the many possible loves in his life.
The main difference is that the love triangle version is more evenly focused around your three main characters. They not only relate to the man, they also have a relationship with each other as rivals (and, in this case, coworkers). The other version is more squarely focused on the man. The other characters are only presented only in relationship to him. One is not right and the other is wrong, it more depends on what book YOU want to write.
If you want the focus to stay on the three central characters, and their interrelationships, then I wouldn't add the others in --unless you want a twist ending where the man doesn't pick either of his two main choices.
answered 1 hour ago
Chris Sunami
24k33089
You are talking about two different books. One is a book focused on the love triangle between a man and two different women --the primary conflict of the book is which one he will choose. The other book is about a man and the many possible loves in his life.
The main difference is that the love triangle version is more evenly focused around your three main characters. They not only relate to the man, they also have a relationship with each other as rivals (and, in this case, coworkers). The other version is more squarely focused on the man. The other characters are only presented only in relationship to him. One is not right and the other is wrong, it more depends on what book YOU want to write.
If you want the focus to stay on the three central characters, and their interrelationships, then I wouldn't add the others in --unless you want a twist ending where the man doesn't pick either of his two main choices.
answered 1 hour ago
Chris Sunami
24k33089
edited 1 hour ago
answered 1 hour ago
Chris Sunami
24k33089
answered 1 hour ago
Chris Sunami
24k33089
answered 1 hour ago
Chris Sunami
24k33089
24k33089
add a comment |Â
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
Any number of stories see the protagonist having no romantic interests and work, or just one and work, but your question stems from wanting to do something only possibly with at least two: conflict between would-be lovers. Is two enough? Definitely, if you flesh each out adequately. You may find, for example, that it helps if J is in the MC's orbit first, only to feel she has to be more aggressive once M turns up. Do you have to do it that way? No, but it'd work, and wouldn't need B or O. You can add them (Heaven help your word count), say as people the MC is interested in even if they don't like him, while he's not as keen on M or J as they are on him. Again, this isn't the only way. I think what you really need to do is plot this story carefully (and know how many words your bullet points will get; see here) and see what you have room for.
answered 2 hours ago
J.G.
4,57911024
I see this work as more of a series so am less concerned about word count. It is character driven rather than plot driven and I tend to dedicate the occasional chapter to a peripheral character. The cast of characters is more ensemble with a couple of stars than a narrow cast. Tertiary characters cross the stage, but the focus is on the MC. The romance is a subplot
– Rasdashan
25 mins ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
Any number of stories see the protagonist having no romantic interests and work, or just one and work, but your question stems from wanting to do something only possibly with at least two: conflict between would-be lovers. Is two enough? Definitely, if you flesh each out adequately. You may find, for example, that it helps if J is in the MC's orbit first, only to feel she has to be more aggressive once M turns up. Do you have to do it that way? No, but it'd work, and wouldn't need B or O. You can add them (Heaven help your word count), say as people the MC is interested in even if they don't like him, while he's not as keen on M or J as they are on him. Again, this isn't the only way. I think what you really need to do is plot this story carefully (and know how many words your bullet points will get; see here) and see what you have room for.
answered 2 hours ago
J.G.
4,57911024
I see this work as more of a series so am less concerned about word count. It is character driven rather than plot driven and I tend to dedicate the occasional chapter to a peripheral character. The cast of characters is more ensemble with a couple of stars than a narrow cast. Tertiary characters cross the stage, but the focus is on the MC. The romance is a subplot
– Rasdashan
25 mins ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
up vote
1
down vote
Any number of stories see the protagonist having no romantic interests and work, or just one and work, but your question stems from wanting to do something only possibly with at least two: conflict between would-be lovers. Is two enough? Definitely, if you flesh each out adequately. You may find, for example, that it helps if J is in the MC's orbit first, only to feel she has to be more aggressive once M turns up. Do you have to do it that way? No, but it'd work, and wouldn't need B or O. You can add them (Heaven help your word count), say as people the MC is interested in even if they don't like him, while he's not as keen on M or J as they are on him. Again, this isn't the only way. I think what you really need to do is plot this story carefully (and know how many words your bullet points will get; see here) and see what you have room for.
answered 2 hours ago
J.G.
4,57911024
Any number of stories see the protagonist having no romantic interests and work, or just one and work, but your question stems from wanting to do something only possibly with at least two: conflict between would-be lovers. Is two enough? Definitely, if you flesh each out adequately. You may find, for example, that it helps if J is in the MC's orbit first, only to feel she has to be more aggressive once M turns up. Do you have to do it that way? No, but it'd work, and wouldn't need B or O. You can add them (Heaven help your word count), say as people the MC is interested in even if they don't like him, while he's not as keen on M or J as they are on him. Again, this isn't the only way. I think what you really need to do is plot this story carefully (and know how many words your bullet points will get; see here) and see what you have room for.
answered 2 hours ago
J.G.
4,57911024
answered 2 hours ago
J.G.
4,57911024
answered 2 hours ago
J.G.
4,57911024
answered 2 hours ago
J.G.
4,57911024
4,57911024
I see this work as more of a series so am less concerned about word count. It is character driven rather than plot driven and I tend to dedicate the occasional chapter to a peripheral character. The cast of characters is more ensemble with a couple of stars than a narrow cast. Tertiary characters cross the stage, but the focus is on the MC. The romance is a subplot
– Rasdashan
25 mins ago
add a comment |Â
I see this work as more of a series so am less concerned about word count. It is character driven rather than plot driven and I tend to dedicate the occasional chapter to a peripheral character. The cast of characters is more ensemble with a couple of stars than a narrow cast. Tertiary characters cross the stage, but the focus is on the MC. The romance is a subplot
– Rasdashan
25 mins ago
I see this work as more of a series so am less concerned about word count. It is character driven rather than plot driven and I tend to dedicate the occasional chapter to a peripheral character. The cast of characters is more ensemble with a couple of stars than a narrow cast. Tertiary characters cross the stage, but the focus is on the MC. The romance is a subplot
– Rasdashan
25 mins ago
I see this work as more of a series so am less concerned about word count. It is character driven rather than plot driven and I tend to dedicate the occasional chapter to a peripheral character. The cast of characters is more ensemble with a couple of stars than a narrow cast. Tertiary characters cross the stage, but the focus is on the MC. The romance is a subplot
– Rasdashan
25 mins ago
add a comment |Â
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