The Unconventional Convention: Author Viola Ryan

I hurt myself by hurting myself

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by
Jeanie Viola Ryan
on September 9th, 2010 at 03:49 PM (738 Views)
We all suffer for our art in some way. I allowed myself to remember what it was like to have flashbacks in order to write a key scene. I thought that was the worst thing I'd endure for this book, I was wrong.

I finally have an opening chapter that makes me go "I want to read this book." In it, my heroine is snatched. At one point, the villains twist her arms behind her back and hold her against a wall with one hand. My villains are vampires, but I wanted to see the logistics of this. (If you know where this is heading, please don't laugh). I twisted my own arms behind my back to see where the wrists would meet. In the process, I sprained my shoulder. The pain is worse than labor and delivery. Now I have Vicodin to help me conjure up interesting things.

I tend to act out a lot of action to see the logistics. Hubby hopes my characters are never shot.

So how have you suffered for your art?

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Comments

  1. Faith M. Boughan - September 9th, 2010 07:08 PM
    Faith M. Boughan's Avatar
    Haha! Well, it only makes sense... and now you know how much pain your character will be in too, and can describe it more accurately!

    I almost did something like this once, trying to figure out how an ankle would twist based on a specific, opposing pressure... I was just about to attempt the feat myself when the hubby came into the room and suggested we talk it out instead of me risking injury. It was probably for the best...
  2. C.J. Ellisson - September 13th, 2010 09:50 PM
    C.J. Ellisson's Avatar
    I had to go on a clear liquid diet for a procedure and I'm not a very nice person when I don't get food. I used the hunger I felt churning in my gut to write a scene with my vampire who had lost a lot of blood and she was overwhelmed with her thirst.

    Hope you feel better soon!
  3. Jeanie Viola Ryan - September 15th, 2010 05:18 PM
    Jeanie Viola Ryan's Avatar
    Some people when things happen think "that would make a great blog entry." We think of ways to incorporate it into our writing.
  4. meham - September 17th, 2010 02:33 PM
    meham's Avatar
    I'm just now learning how to incorporate my real life into stories. After reading this, I think I'll switch to erotic romances. :-)
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