Struck by Cupid’s Arrow: The Advantages of Insta-Love in Fiction

by Jessica Nelson

Two main characters lay eyes on each other while [insert preferred meet-cute here] and there’s an instant, undeniable, irrevocable connection that sets them on the journey of a whirlwind romance.

Insta-love? Psshh. More like insta-lust.

I object to the “love at first sight” trope in fiction on principle. It’s annoying to see two characters go from strangers (or worse — enemies) to proclaiming their undying love and willingness to die for each other in less than seven chronological days — or 20 pages, whichever comes first. Unless your story involves Cupid literally shooting the characters with love arrows, insta-love is highly unrealistic, even by fiction standards.

That said, I am an avid reader of romances, and I have found that, as a reader, I have very little patience for slow-burn romances.

Maybe the inundation of insta-love has ruined me for more measured love stories, or maybe I’m just a naturally impatient person, but if the characters are still hemming and hawing about whether or not they might like each other by page 100, I’m liable to start screaming, “Get on with it already!” at my Kindle.

Readers like me prove that insta-love has a place in fiction. But there’s a way to do it wrong and a way to do it right.

The most “wrong” way to do it — and most universal example — is the classic tale of Cinderella.

Discarding the other themes, there is nothing more unbelievable than the way Prince Charming falls for the tale’s heroine.

Like, seriously: He dances with a girl for one song and falls so madly in love her that he’s willing to marry her and make her the queen of his kingdom, but he never gets her name, can’t remember what she looks like, and has to use her lost shoe to identify her? Bleh.

The development of love — of a romantic connection — is often a driving force behind emotional conflict and character growth. If a story uses insta-love, then one avenue for growth and development has been taken away. The emotional heart of the story has to shift accordingly, generally becoming introspective: discovering oneself, battling inner demons, healing from old traumas, etc.

A budding romance usually features heavily in the story’s plot; insta-love makes the plot rely almost solely on external forces: something that keeps them apart or pushes them together, or an obstacle they must overcome as a team. If you’re like me, I like my love stories to have some flying bullets or sword fights, maybe a crime or two, and the occasional explosion. I’ll settle for a ghost or other paranormal or fantasy elements.

When done right, insta-love successfully raises the emotional stakes of a plot-driven tale. With the characters already so invested in each other, any threat to one of them or their relationship becomes more intense for the reader.

If there’s insta-love, there’s likely to be insta-lust, which can be just a trite, particularly given its overuse in the romance genre. I’ve read descriptions of characters’ physical reactions to meeting “the one” that have literally made me laugh out loud. And every time I read about body parts “tightening” or becoming erect, I’m liable to roll my eyes.

Don’t get me wrong — such descriptions have their place in adult romance, just maybe not so explicitly in the meet-cute. Even if the author is relying on insta-lust the get the characters together, it can be overdone.

Insta-lust at least has a basis in reality — more so than insta-love at any rate. In every human interaction, we eye up the other person and make a series of split-second judgments. One of those may be deciding whether or not we find the other person attractive and to what extent.

The advantage to insta-lust is it draws the characters into close proximity and keeps them coming back together. As long as the characters are interacting, there are opportunities for love to grow.

Of course, intense physical chemistry can also bring its own set of interesting plot points.

Inta-intrigue, however, hits the sweet spot. It incorporates the physical elements of attraction (without the more explicit details) and the emotional elements of love. How does the person’s appearance make the character feel? What about the person piques the character’s curiosity? What internal or external force draws the characters together again and again?

With insta-intrigue, there’s plenty of room left to develop a romance — as sweet and clean or hot and steamy as you’d like — that can be built into the plot or around which the story can evolve.

All said and done, insta-love and insta-lust have their place in the literary tradition. And there are a lot of readers who look for just that. But there are ways to do wrong and ways to do it right. The key to using insta-love or insta-lust effectively is to balance it with other emotional and plot elements to create a story that still has room for growth and change.

So sometimes it does pay off to be struck by Cupid’s arrow.

Kindle Edition of In the Midst: A COVID-19 Anthology Is Now Available!

 

It’s here! I’m so excited to announce the release of the Kindle edition of In the Midst: A COVID-19 Anthology.

It’s been almost two years since a global pandemic shattered our world. Perhaps for the first time in history, people from every continent are experiencing the same emotions—fear, anger, sadness, anxiety. How are they coping? What are they learning? How have they changed? Writers and artists of every age (10-90) from six continents (including the countries of Argentina, Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Zimbabwe) have contributed original art, photography, poems, essays, fiction, and scripts to create In the Midst, a COVID-19 Anthology. The works reflect a common humanity beyond age, ethnicity, or location and are captured here to share with the world.

People are suffering in so many ways from this unprecedented situation. But the pages of this anthology carry much more than tears. They also show the resilience of the human spirit. Some offer encouragement. Some ways of coping—especially creative ways, such as taking up new hobbies. Others find humor in the quest for toilet paper, the mandate to “wash your hands,” and hair—from new hairdos and natural hair colors of those who can no longer see their hairdressers to COVID cuts for those who took the problem into their own hands. Some describe new skills or practices that have improved their lives—things they will retain long after the pandemic is over. And many show appreciation to the ones who’ve sacrificed to keep the world moving.

What ties them all together? The universal experience of living in isolation and anxiety during a global pandemic with no end in sight. People are in crisis and need to share their experiences and imaginative solutions.

Difficult decisions were made to cut down the deluge of entries to this final selection of 100 pieces representing 84 authors and artists. I’ve always said that when you share your art or your writing, you share your soul. And we now celebrate the courageous people who have bared their souls to give you a glimpse into their lives.

I hope you are as touched as I have been by these honest, from-the-gut reactions while still IN THE MIDST of this historic pandemic. Hopefully, we’ll see our way out of this soon, and this anthology will become a collection to help future generations understand exactly what it was like to endure separation from friends and family, shutdowns of schools, churches, and “non-essential” businesses, and, of course, the fear and suffering caused by illness and death.  

In the Midst: A COVID-19 Anthology is available in two formats on Amazon. The standard format has a black and white interior and, for a limited time, sells for $16.95. The full-color edition printed on high-quality paper sells for $52.00. The New Kindle edition is available for $6.99 USD and is available worldwide. It is, of course, in full color. 

If you don't live in the USA, sign into Amazon in your domain area. Then you can type B08NX43Y4L in the search bar for the low-cost, black-and-white interior edition for a limited-time price of $16.95 USD (converted to local currency). Type B08NX6Q2Q1 for the full-color version (or click on the links if you are in the US) for $52.00 USD.  For the Kindle Edition, type B09L9K2ZQ1 as your search element. You can also search for "In the Midst COVID-19 Anthology" to see all versions on the selection screen.

The unique cover was designed and created by Lana Hunneyball. The artwork featured on the card faces are among the more than 30 original creations or photos included within the anthology. Lana used the layout of the card game “Patience” as a fitting representation of the patience required to get through this pandemic—and it’s a form of solitaire, which is especially fitting since many of us are alone at this time. Isolated.

But now you don’t need to be! Order a copy of this anthology for yourself and for everyone you know. You’ll be glad to have the company.

And be sure to share this announcement. Thank you! 

Be safe out there. 

 

Style Guides to the Rescue!

 Twenty-five or so years ago, when I was just beginning my editing practice, I had two important mentors. My friend Wilma was a newly-retired grammar teacher, and she was my definitive source for grammar. We even called her the grammar guru. If Wilma said it was so, it was so. My friend Patsy was a well-published author who had received many national and international awards. She’d been published in Guideposts, Redbook, Grit, Good Housekeeping, and on and on and on. She knew how to write a story.

Wilma, Patsy and I frequently met for lunch. One day, we went to Applebees. Wilma and Patsy arrived together, and they were already in the midst of an argument. And, as the meal progressed, so did the volume of the disagreement. I was the innocent spectator—and I was horrified. Here were my two mentors, the two women I admired most, and they were violently arguing about a comma.

My horrification was not because they were loud and on the verge of getting us kicked out of Applebees—although I was a bit embarrassed. What bothered me was that these two great sources of writing knowledge disagreed about commas.

By the time we left, Wilma and Patsy had forgotten their disagreement and were making plans to go shopping. But I was traumatized. How would I ever again know who to believe? Who to trust?

The internet was young in those days, but I went home and started a search. I found arguments for both sides of the Oxford comma debate. And then I found the answer—it all depended upon the style guide used. Both Wilma and Patsy were right. Wilma worked in academia. Her style guide said no Oxford comma. Patsy wrote fiction. The Chicago Manual of Style loves the Oxford comma.

Style guides are important, people! Be sure you understand which one is appropriate for the type of writing you do. Or ask. I’m here. I like questions.

Rest in peace, sweet, stubborn Patsy. I miss you every day.