The big news in erotic romance this week was the announcement of the upcoming release of Grey: Fifty Shades of Grey as Told by Christian. The original Fifty Shades was told completely from the heroine’s point of view. This story is a retelling from the hero’s point of view.
E.L. James isn’t the first writer to do this. Many romance writers who write in one point of view have published retellings in the other point of view (or, at least, have considered it). Some have been successful, attracting new readers, making their existing readers very happy. A few have seen the retelling out sell the original. Some have failed disastrously, upsetting their existing readers, perhaps losing them forever. This is a high risk project.
Why is it high risk?
Because with a retelling, the reader already knows the plot. We know exactly what will be done and what will be said and when all of this will happen. The only things we don’t know are (sometimes) the new point of view character’s thoughts and his (usually his) detailed history.
I say sometimes because often the original point of view characters will discover her love interest’s thoughts and history. In my contemporary erotic romance, Breaking All The Rules, the story is told through Camille’s eyes but readers learn quite a bit about Nate’s history and his thoughts. Retelling the story from his point of view wouldn’t provide the reader with much more information. The reader would be bored.
And I would be bored writing it. I’m a pantser. Part of the joy of writing for me is finding out what will happen next in my stories. With a ‘retold’ story, I know this. There’s no mystery. I also know what my hero is thinking, what his history is, what his biggest fears are. I might not put it on the page but I know all of this. I must in order to create a believable character.
There’s a reason I write my stories from a certain character’s (or multiple characters’) point of view. He Watches Me was originally written from both Anna’s and Blaine’s points of view. It didn’t work as a story. When I wrote it solely from Anna’s point of view, magic happened. Flashes of Me and Sinful Rewards wouldn’t work if I showed the hero’s point of view.
Will Grey work? I hope so. E.L. James and her editors clearly think it does. We’ll find out on June 18th.
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The thrilling conclusion to the Billionaires and Bikers series!
One tiny mistake turns Bee Carter’s worst fears into a terrifying reality. She knows she isn’t alone. The sexy, honorable man she adores stands by her side, willing to sacrifice his freedom to ease her concerns.
But she yearns for more than he is offering. She wants a partner who will love her as fiercely as she loves him, who will say the words and mean them, and someone who will choose her because this is what he desires more than anything else, not merely out of a misguided sense of duty.
Will saying no to the man she loves earn Bee unbearable heartache or will she finally get the forever she craves?
Buy Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sinful-Rewards-12-Billionaires-Novella-ebook/dp/B00NVLNYDA
Barnes And Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sinful-rewards-12-cynthia-sax/1120380067
