The Art of Writing Intimacy, Part 2
by Sarah Greene Hamer @SarahSallyHamer In Part One, we discussed the natural, normal way that humans express intimacy. But fiction is a little different, not because we don�t follow the same steps in our writing, but because we show it differently on the page. And also in fiction, it�s not only about physical intimacy. It�s about how characters are introduced to each other and how they feel about it. So, imagine a target with concentric circles. The one farthest out is red, with orange, yellow, green, blue as you go towards the middle. Purple is in the exact center. Each one has a specific �intimacy value� as a story progresses. 1. First awareness (Red) When two characters meet, no matter which two, there is always an awareness of the other person. Of course, in fiction, we work very hard to eliminate superfluous characters, so these two (or more) should have a good reason to be in the story. But this step starts as simply an introduction. And, it doesn�t have to be sight only. It...
