I thought point of view had to do with where someone stood on an issue, conflict took place in the Middle East, and tension could best be applied to a rubber band. The manuscript went through three major rewrites, and dozens upon dozens of smaller rewrites before I finally got it right. She and her editor worked to identify the story's weaknesses, chief among them the overuse of sex. After she was told how common it is for new writers to rely heavily on sex, she realized that many of her love scenes did not advance the story, and, in fact, slowed it down. Elizabeth says she is in awe of those writers who can capture a reader with a fairly tame love scene so much that the reader's imagination sees more than what is written.
Sex can deepen their emotional bond, and be the source of all sorts of realizations and revelations.
Sex for the sake of sex does not hold my interest. Elizabeth's success in this highly competitive field has been astonishing, especially to the author herself. I am especially thankful to Diana Gabaldon for the advice and guidance she offered at critical points in my career. After having signed a standard two-book contract with Bantam, she was unprepared for its immediate success. She says that when Warlord was released, her agent called to congratulate her.