Their gazes met, and her entire body jolted.
“I love you.”
He smiled slowly, sending her pulse into overdrive. “I love you, too.”
Let’s layer in some emotion and tone!
Their gazes met, and her entire body jolted. How long had she waited for this moment? Forever?
“I love you,” she rasped.
Heat swirled in his irises. He smiled slowly, sending her pulse into overdrive. “I love you, too.”
Do any of your scenes need new layers?
Your assignment: Write roughly 250 words for your novel.
Day 138
Tag, Who’s It?
If a scene is dialogue heavy without enough tags, tones, actions and reactions a reader can lose track of who’s talking. But, you don’t want to go overboard with your tags, either.
“Why haven’t you answered my text?” he asked.
“Because I didn’t want to?” she replied dryly.
“That’s not a good enough reason,” he said.
“Well, it’s the only reason you’re going to get, bud,” she told him.
Versus.
“Why haven’t you answered my text?” he asked.
With a dry tone, she told him, “Because I didn’t want to?”
“That’s not a good enough reason.”
“Well, it’s the only reason you’re going to get, bud.”
Your assignment: Write roughly 250 words for your novel.
Day 139
Doing the Unexpected Is Fun
How many times have you heard someone complain about a predictable book or film? If you’re like us, the answer is countless. Doing something unexpected with your plot and/or characters can shock your readers, enhancing their reading enjoyment.
One example of this is Lord of the Abyss by Nalini Singh. The heroine is the beast, and the hero is the beauty. A wonderful twist!
What unexpected thing can happen in your story?
Your assignment: Write roughly 250 words for your novel.
Bonus Assignment: Take a look at your decision tree and a decision your character had to make. Did they make the expected choice? What would happen if they made the opposite choice, doing the unexpected? Does one of your characters bear the expectations of parents, mentor or supervisor? What would happen if they opted not to follow through?
Day 140
Reflect and Catch Up
So, the length of your rough draft is growing every day. You’ve gotten a more personalized feel for your main characters, your plot and your own writing habits. Here are some other things to consider:
Check on your goals. Are you meeting your word or page count goal—the stepping stones to your main goal?
Have you learned something new about your characters? Do you need to tweak their interviews?
Are you continuing to use the same words over and over? Do you need to brainstorm a quick list?
Have you learned to write when you really don’t want to?
Have you learned to manage your time better? Could you work on that?
Are you taking care of you?
Day 141
Muahahahahaha
No matter how dark our story is, we like to insert moments of humor to break up the tension. And there are many different types of humor to choose from. Slapstick. Comparison. Truth/reality versus expectations. Unexpected answers. Irony. Pun. Brilliant wit. And more!
Slapstick: A type of physical humor.
Comparison: Comparing two unlikely things. In Gena’s book The Darkest Assassin, the heroine thinks:
Men were like toilet paper. Necessary for a moment but happily discarded after use.
Truth versus expectation: The description on a personal ad compared to the person who arrived.
Unexpected answer to a question:
“What is Area 51?”
She smiled. “What else? It’s a salt flat.”
Irony: Language that usually signifies the opposite of what is being said.
Pun: A joke that focuses on the different meanings of a single word or words that sound similar but mean different things.
Wit: Keen intelligence.
What kind of humor do you prefer when you read someone else’s book or watch a movie/TV series? How can you incorporate that type of humor into your own novel?
Your assignment: Write roughly 250 words for your novel.
Day 142
New Twists
You can take the tried-and-true from the public domain and add a twist to make it your own. That’s how we get books like Pride, Prejudice and Zombies Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith.
GENA: I’ve taken multiple myths or stories from the public domain to create my own unique story.
Lords of the Underworld series—Pandora’s Box. I didn’t want to blame all the world’s misery on one curious woman, as the traditional myth suggested. So, I decided to twist the legend my way and blame men.
The Evil Queen—Little Snow White. I used the story written by the Brothers Grimm as a blueprint for my own tale.
The Glass Queen—Cinderella. Again, I used the story written by the Brother’s Grimm as a blueprint.
Alice in Zombieland—Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. I didn’t use the story by Lewis Carroll as a blueprint for this one, but I did twist his title and use the idea of a girl stumbling her way into a whole new world.
Do you have a favorite story that is part of the public domain? If so, how could you twist it to write your own story?
Your assignment: Write roughly 250 words for your novel.
Day 143
Sucks To Be Them
What is the absolute worst thing that could happen to your character right now? Is it emotional? Physical?
In Nora Ephron’s delightful movie You’ve Got Mail, the main character has been working toward saving her beloved bookstore she'd inherited from her mother. Losing her store would appear to be the climax. Not only has she failed, let her mother’s memory down and very possibly her livelihood, this event actually happens earlier in the story. She thought losing the store would be the worst thing to happen, and yes, it was very sad, but Kathleen Kelly not only realized she’d been living another’s dream but found depth and resilience she never realized she had.
Your assignment: Write roughly 250 words for your novel.
Bonus assignment: Think about what would hurt your main character(s) most at this moment. Write a scene where they think they’re losing it all. What lessons do they learn about life and about themselves? How will this tie into Harmony in their SEARCH journey?
Day 144
Scene Stealer
As you write, keep in mind that each scene should contribute to the overall arc of your story. Every snippet should do one or more of the points below. If not, consider revising or cutting. (We have suggestions for what to do with your deleted scenes, so don’t toss them).
Did your reader learn something new about the character’s RANGE? Did something change? Was something reaffirmed?
How did this scene move the plot forward through SEARCH?
Did the scene dive into the emotions of the main character(s), engaging the emotions of the readers?
Did you clear up what the character(s) have to win or lose? Start or finish an argument?
Would this scene interest you as a reader?
A lot of time we write scenes simply because they’re fun and we enjoy them. Maybe you’ve conducted a ton of research and really want to show that off. But if they’re not contributing to the story arc, then they might be considered fluff scenes. Too much fluff, and your readers may skip or skim—or worse, put down the book and never return.
Your assignment: Write roughly 250 words for your novel.
Day 145
A Picture is NOT Worth A Thousand Words
We like to peruse stock photo sites and use the models as inspiration. But be warned! The Wild West Days of the internet are over. You cannot copy any photo or image off the internet to use on you
r site, social media or book covers. That is a violation of a photographer’s intellectual property rights, and it is every bit as repugnant as book piracy.
There are free sites for pictures. Or, you can purchase an image for personal use. Just make sure you are on a reputable site, that you read the Terms of Service and understand the license that you are purchasing. Is it for commercial use? Is attribution required? Is the Standard license enough? Do you need the Extended license? Always always always check for a model release.
Your assignment: Write roughly 250 words for your novel.
Day 146
When You Wake Up With A Story: A Reminder
Ever had an amazing dream in the middle of the night? If it happens again, remember to email the highlights to yourself, just like your other ideas, or you will probably forget it. That is why it’s smart to keep your phone right next to the bed. Keep a notebook nearby, as well. (Actually, keep a notebook nearby ALWAYS. You never know when inspiration will strike.)
The mind works in mysterious ways. You might just wake up to find you’ve sent yourself the answer to a plot or character problem!
GENA: One night, I wrote myself an email. “Make paper dolls, and pretend they are real.” With “night brain,” I decided this was the best idea anyone had ever had, so of course I had to send it to myself. While the idea itself isn’t workable—or is it?—I was able to use the idea of taking something that is made up, like a fairy tale, and making it real.
Your assignment: Double your daily word count! Write roughly 500 words for your novel.
Day 147
Reflect and Catch Up
Emotion. Every one of my brainstorming ideas had to elicit emotion. Emotion is what readers want to feel when they read your story. For some, they come to a book seeking adventure, a thrill, or suspense. For others, it's love, sense of family, or joy. Maybe all of the above. Know your target audience, what they're looking for when they pick up your book, and incorporate as much of those emotions into what you're giving them as you can. Pluck at your reader's emotions to the point you pull from deep within them. I try to write stories that run a gamut of emotions. I want my books to make readers laugh out loud, to make them shed a tear or two, to make them cheer the characters onward during their lows and to celebrate their successes. On occasion, I achieve that goal and get to share something beautiful with a reader.
–Bestselling Author Janice Lynn
Day 148
Dribble Your Cast Out Slowly
Introducing a large group of characters at the same time can prove confusing. Readers may find themselves wondering, “Now who was that person?” This can rip them out of the story.
If you have many characters to introduce, consider spacing out their introductions if possible, rather than doing a mass intro in the same scene. Sometimes it helps to combine two characters into one.
Your assignment: Write roughly 250 words for your novel.
Day 149
Find the Calm In the Storm
Perhaps danger fills your plot. Your characters are running for their lives, or saving a business. Amid their scheming to acquire their estranged father’s millions or expose their ex as a creep with an agenda, you might want to consider introducing a moment of calm.
This moment can allow your main characters a chance to breathe, reflect, renew their hope or discover a well of strength they might not realize lay dormant inside them. It is within these moments of calm that your readers are able to learn more about your characters. Characters can introspect in their downtime, while their thoughts can be chaotic amid action.
Also, further action will have more impact the better your reader knows your character.
Your assignment: Double your daily word count! Write roughly 500 words for your novel.
Day 150
Believe You Will
JILL: This is one of my favorite stories about Gena. She and I met at our local RWA chapter in Oklahoma and dreamed of being published romance authors. She loves to send cards, and when she found out I was allergic to cats, all the notecards she sent me for a year were cute kitten ones. Even if I didn’t recognize her chicken scratch handwriting (seriously her handwriting is the worst), the return address label always said: New York Times bestselling author, even though both of us were unpublished and querying at the time.
Gena knew her goal and spoke the words even before they happened. A few short years later, she was indeed a New York Times bestselling author!
GENA: I still do this kind of thing today. I focus on a goal, magnifying it in my thoughts, which then directs my every action until I triumph. I take it one step at a time. Baby steppin’, baby!
Your assignment: Write roughly 250 words for your novel.
Day 151
What Keeps Them Apart?
Whether you’re writing a love story, have romantic elements or a buddy comedy, there’s a strong connection between your main characters. What’s keeping them apart?
Introduce their conflict early. Just when they think they can make their relationship work… remind them why they can’t.
Don’t feel like that reason has to remain the same throughout your entire novel. The reason can change throughout the book as their circumstances and mindsets change.
When one character is willing to make a go of the relationship but the other isn’t because of reasons...what will it take to reverse their decisions so that the willing one is now unwilling and the unwilling one is now willing?
Your assignment: Write roughly 250 words for your novel.
Day 152
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
You can’t go through a managerial or education program without being introduced to Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Based on his groundbreaking paper “A Theory of Human Motivation” he attempted to describe the stages of growth and how these stages affect behavior.
Imagine a pyramid, and at the bottom is PHYSICAL NEEDS. Meaning, things like ‘sleep’ and ‘food.’ On the rung above it is SAFETY. The middle stage is THE FEELING OF LOVE and BELONGING. Above that is ESTEEM (respect and status) and finally at the very top is SELF-ACTUALIZATION–how the person feels about their parenting, if they’re a good spouse, if they’ve contributed something to the world, etc.
The theory goes like this: You’re not worrying about finding love, doing well at your job or contributing to society if you feel unsafe in your environment or don’t have food to eat.
Where are your main characters on the pyramid? Figure it out to help you define their actions. Are they protecting themselves? Protecting their physical being, their emotions? Their family? Their beliefs?
Your assignment: Write roughly 250 words for your novel.
Maslow, A.H. (1943). "A theory of human motivation". Psychological Review.
Day 153
Conflict is Not The Same As Arguing
Real, sustainable conflict between your characters goes much deeper than simple arguing. It cannot be solved with a conversation. Heck, it cannot be solved easily. Real conflict is the difference between I overheard you call me a bad name on the phone…oh, you were speaking about my sister? and you lied to me, so I can never trust you again.
How does the upset character know the hero referred to them specifically? Did the upset character simply assume? Does the conflict go away once a mistake has been pointed out or an explanation has been made?
This misunderstanding creates unsustainable conflict—conflict that cannot carry your story on its back—its legs break under the weight.
But, you can use arguments to advance your story and convey the emotions your characters are having trouble expressing. Have you ever argued about something other than the main issue because you didn’t know how to share your true feelings?
Your assignment: Write roughly 250 words for your novel.
Day 154
Reflect and Catch Up
Write the stories you are the most passionate about. Your passion and enthusiasm for your writing is the one cons
tant in the crazy, unpredictable business of publishing. So much of a book's success in the marketplace is out of an author's control, especially in traditional publishing, but the one thing that will remain is your love for what you do. Protect it at all costs. Write the stories you want to tell.
All Write Already: Year Of Your Book Page 14
