Why Every Romance Writer Should Be Watching Showtime’s The Affair
The dear wonderful hubby and I are watching Showtime’s The Affair, a TV show following an affair between a New York City schoolteacher/novelist and a young waitress. What makes this show unique (and writer gold) is that the story is told from both Noah’s point of view (the hero’s) and Alison’s point of view (the heroine’s). The same period of time is shown twice.
This is a terrific exercise for romance writers as many romances are told from both the heroine’s and the hero’s points of view. We often have a good handle on how the character we most closely relate to sees the world (I’m female so I’m more likely to know how a female character/the heroine might think). Seeing the world from the other character’s point of view can be more challenging.
I Wore WHAT?
I love spotting the differences in clothing on The Affair. The story is told in the past with the hero and the heroine remembering the details. The hero almost always remembers the heroine as being dressed in a seductive way. In last week’s episode, he remembered her wearing a very short, flirty skirt. The heroine, when she tells the same story, remembers that she wore jeans and a conservative top. The colors are different. The hero might remember a blue shirt. The heroine remembers a particular shade of blue.
Talk This Way
The differences in dialogue are enlightening. The hero remembers grittier, to-the-point, cruder dialogue. He’s a man. Rrrr… He’s also super slick. Boyfriend says all of the right words, wooing the heroine. The heroine remembers more emotional dialogue. The hero isn’t perfect. He bungles a bit. They talk about feelings. Some of the poetry flowing out of the hero’s mouth a man is unlikely to say (and haven’t we all read romance novels in which the heroes didn’t sound like men?).
Shit Gets Done
The hero’s memories are often clustered around actions. He’s getting shit done. He’s not lying in bed having long chats with his (oblivious) wife. He’s researching his book, going to a town hall meeting, attending a party.
The heroine’s memories involve talking, so MUCH talking. She’s sitting beside the hero in the library (while he remembered them meeting in the stacks, both of them standing). She’s sitting beside her neighbors at the town hall meeting (while he remembers not sitting).
Have you been watching The Affair? What differences have you spotted?
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Four years ago, Bee Carter left her tiny hometown, escaping her tormenters. She concealed her tarnished reputation under a good-girl persona, hiding her history from Nicolas, her strong and silent billionaire; Hawke, her tattooed bad-boy biker; and Cyndi, her man-crazy best friend.
Today, she’s returning home … and she’s not alone. Some of her deepest, darkest secrets will be revealed. Trust will be tested. Clothing and inhibitions will be discarded. Bee and her hometown will never be the same.
When her past and her present collide, will any of Bee’s relationships survive?
Buy Links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Sinful-Rewards-Billionaires-Bikers-Novella-ebook/dp/B00I7V89N4
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-sinfulrewards4-1645053-149.html
Barnes And Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sinful-rewards-4-cynthia-sax/1119919839
Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Cynthia_Sax_Sinful_Rewards_4?id=PvxzAwAAQBAJ
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/sinful-rewards-4/id814148698
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