Lucy Mitchell's Blog, page 5

From Pantser to Plotter – Not As Easy As You Think #MondayBlogs

Last year I wrote a blog post about how I was changing from a pantser to a plotter.

In simple terms, plotters are writers who plot and pantsers are writers who don’t (instead, they “fly by the seat of their pants”, hence the name).

For years I have been a proud pantser and I have written 13 books using this method.

In 2023 I started interrogating my process. This resulted in me deciding that I needed to become a plotter. Now in life I love embracing decisions and throwing myself into things. The last half of 2023 were spent creating as many novel plans as I could. I became a factory for books plans.

The plans which I created were great to look at and they made me feel like I was on my way to producing something great.

I started writing the books which I had planned and….I could feel the enthusiasm draining out of me. I do love to ignore things which aren’t working so I carried on forcing myself to write a planned book. I now have a lot of unfinished drafts.

More unfinished drafts than I did when I was a pantser. When I was a pantser stories got finished because I think I was curious to see how they ended.

So, now I am going to do an experiment. What happens if I write something with no plan?

Watch this space.

If anyone has any wise words please leave me a comment.

Writing the Romance 💔 Break-Up #MondayBlogs

As a reader of romance I think writing a good break-up is an art form. The authors who do it well make their fictional couple break-up emotionally impactful and believable. They write them so well you can almost hear your own heart breaking into two.

I have been known to shed a few tears at the break up of a much loved fictional couple. I do love it when they break up mid-book and then I’m left wondering / praying / hugging a cushion they’ll get back together at the end.

Here are some things I think should be considered:

Character Development:
The breakup has to align with the characters’ growth and development throughout the story. The reader needs to see how the relationship has changed them individually and whether a breakup is a natural progression for them.

Motivation and Conflict:
You have to establish the reasons for the breakup. As a reader, I don’t want to be thinking whether I would break up with that person for that reason. I am not a fan of vague break-ups either. If they are going to split up, let’s make it a good reason. Whether it’s external conflicts, personal growth, or irreconcilable differences, you must make the motivations authentic and believable.

Setting and Atmosphere:
This is important. You must choose an appropriate setting for the breakup scene. The location can contribute to the emotional impact. I like to use the atmosphere and surroundings to enhance the mood. A rainy day, a quiet café, or a meaningful location can add depth to the scene.

Emotional Impact
As readers we want to FEEL the tension, heartache, and vulnerability of the moment. This is why we read romance. We want to FEEL things. I am all for reading about the aftermath – the characters’ immediate reactions and how they cope with the breakup emotionally. Love all this.

Setting and Atmosphere:
Think about the breakup on supporting characters. Friends and family can offer insights, support, or create additional conflict.

Here’s the secret sauce – Decide whether the breakup provides closure for the characters or leaves certain aspects open-ended. Is there a chance they could get back together?

Good luck splitting up your fictional romances

Writing the Romance 💔 Break-Up #MondayBlogs

As a reader of romance I think writing a good break-up is an art form. The authors who do it well make their fictional couple break-up emotionally impactful and believable. They write them so well you can almost hear your own heart breaking into two.

I have been known to shed a few tears at the break up of a much loved fictional couple. I do love it when they break up mid-book and then I’m left wondering / praying / hugging a cushion they’ll get back together at the end.

Here are some things I think should be considered:

Character Development:
The breakup has to align with the characters’ growth and development throughout the story. The reader needs to see how the relationship has changed them individually and whether a breakup is a natural progression for them.

Motivation and Conflict:
You have to establish the reasons for the breakup. As a reader, I don’t want to be thinking whether I would break up with that person for that reason. I am not a fan of vague break-ups either. If they are going to split up, let’s make it a good reason. Whether it’s external conflicts, personal growth, or irreconcilable differences, you must make the motivations authentic and believable.

Setting and Atmosphere:
This is important. You must choose an appropriate setting for the breakup scene. The location can contribute to the emotional impact. I like to use the atmosphere and surroundings to enhance the mood. A rainy day, a quiet café, or a meaningful location can add depth to the scene.

Emotional Impact
As readers we want to FEEL the tension, heartache, and vulnerability of the moment. This is why we read romance. We want to FEEL things. I am all for reading about the aftermath – the characters’ immediate reactions and how they cope with the breakup emotionally. Love all this.

Setting and Atmosphere:
Think about the breakup on supporting characters. Friends and family can offer insights, support, or create additional conflict.

Here’s the secret sauce – Decide whether the breakup provides closure for the characters or leaves certain aspects open-ended. Is there a chance they could get back together?

Good luck splitting up your fictional romances

Writing The End of a Romance Novel #MondayBlogs

I have always enjoyed writing the final chapters of my romance novels. They are great to write and they usually result in me turning into a blubbering and snotty mess. I always need to go hug my dog and eat a lot of chocolate after writing a good ending.

The romance novel ending is the crucial and emotional part of the story. It’s where you wrap up the romance and leave a lasting impression on your readers.

Here are some things I think you should consider when writing the end of a romance novel:

Sort Out The Main Conflict: You need to ensure the main conflict keeping your fictional couple apart is resolved. When I say, main conflict, I mean misunderstandings, external forces, or personal issues. Readers need your ending to feel satisfying and believable.Emotional Closure: You need to bring emotional closure for your characters. This means all internal conflicts they may have faced throughout the story have been addressed.Character Growth: You have to show the characters have evolved throughout the novel. They must have learned something about themselves during your novel. This adds depth to the story and gives readers a sense of satisfaction.Final Moment: You need to come up with a memorable final romantic moment between the main characters. This could be a declaration of love or simply a quiet and intimate moment that reflects the depth of their connection.Tie Up Those Loose Ends: You must resolve any subplots or character arcs. Readers appreciate closure, and tying up loose ends contributes to a satisfying conclusion.Leave Room for Imagination: While it’s important to provide closure, leave a little bit of room for readers’ imagination.

Here’s my secret sauce to an ending:

I remind the reader at the end of a similar scene at the beginning of the book. I love a full-circle feel to a story. For me it offers a satisfying ending for readers and a sense of closure.

Here are some famous romance endings which I have loved:

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne: It ends with a declaration of love and a satisfying resolution to the love-hate dynamic between the main characters, Lucy and Joshua.

One Day by David Nicholls: The novel follows the lives of Emma and Dexter over the course of several years, and the ending is both heartwarming and heartbreaking.

The Fault in Our Stars” by John Green: This ending broke me. I won’t say what happens but I was inconsolable for hours. My daughter made me watch it as her school friends had told her it wasn’t that bad. It destroyed me. Never listen to teenagers!

Writing The End of a Romance Novel #MondayBlogs

I have always enjoyed writing the final chapters of my romance novels. They are great to write and they usually result in me turning into a blubbering and snotty mess. I always need to go hug my dog and eat a lot of chocolate after writing a good ending.

The romance novel ending is the crucial and emotional part of the story. It’s where you wrap up the romance and leave a lasting impression on your readers.

Here are some things I think you should consider when writing the end of a romance novel:

Sort Out The Main Conflict: You need to ensure the main conflict keeping your fictional couple apart is resolved. When I say, main conflict, I mean misunderstandings, external forces, or personal issues. Readers need your ending to feel satisfying and believable.Emotional Closure: You need to bring emotional closure for your characters. This means all internal conflicts they may have faced throughout the story have been addressed.Character Growth: You have to show the characters have evolved throughout the novel. They must have learned something about themselves during your novel. This adds depth to the story and gives readers a sense of satisfaction.Final Moment: You need to come up with a memorable final romantic moment between the main characters. This could be a declaration of love or simply a quiet and intimate moment that reflects the depth of their connection.Tie Up Those Loose Ends: You must resolve any subplots or character arcs. Readers appreciate closure, and tying up loose ends contributes to a satisfying conclusion.Leave Room for Imagination: While it’s important to provide closure, leave a little bit of room for readers’ imagination.

Here’s my secret sauce to an ending:

I remind the reader at the end of a similar scene at the beginning of the book. I love a full-circle feel to a story. For me it offers a satisfying ending for readers and a sense of closure.

Here are some famous romance endings which I have loved:

The Hating Game by Sally Thorne: It ends with a declaration of love and a satisfying resolution to the love-hate dynamic between the main characters, Lucy and Joshua.

One Day by David Nicholls: The novel follows the lives of Emma and Dexter over the course of several years, and the ending is both heartwarming and heartbreaking.

The Fault in Our Stars” by John Green: This ending broke me. I won’t say what happens but I was inconsolable for hours. My daughter made me watch it as her school friends had told her it wasn’t that bad. It destroyed me. Never listen to teenagers!

My Writing Review of 2023 #MondayBlogs

Hi there. Welcome to my writing review of 2023.

What were your writing successes in 2023

I had 2 romance novels published by Blood Hound Books. I’ll Miss You This Christmas and Instructions For Falling in Love Again. See pics below. I wrote my 3rd novel – The Car Share – due out April 2024.

What were your writing challenges in 2023

Towards the end of the year I got into a cycle of writing first drafts and walking away from them half finished. I am still in this cycle and I am finding it hard to break free from it. I think my inner critic is too loud and needs to be silenced whilst I am drafting. I would like to break this cycle. I have 4 half finished first drafts. If anyone has any suggestions, please write below in the comments.

What has 2023 taught you about your writing?

It has taught me that editing a draft book is where the magic happens. 2023 was the year where I finally understood what everyone has been saying about editing. It is the secret sauce.

Have you done anything different with your writing in 2023?

I started becoming a plotter and I moved away from being a pantser. Whilst I have enjoyed creating novel plans, I have a sneaking suspicion this is why I am in a bit of a tailspin with unfinished drafts. A novel plan is great and they do bring me joy. I can now write a mean novel plan with character arcs and pacing however I have yet to finish a first draft with a plan. I also love boasting about making the transition from pantser to plotter – no one ask me to provide a fully completed first draft based on a novel plan. Oh, God, what have I done?

How have you managed social media in 2023?

I got serious about TikTok in 2023 and tried hard to post regularly. I am @lucymitchauth on TikTok if you want a friend on there. I have grown my followers from 203 to 1722. I joined Threads and moved away from ‘X’. Social media promotion is tough. I have found that when my writing confidence dips, so too does my social media confidence.

What has been your approach to writer self-care in 2023?

I have found my way back to my daily yoga and meditation. I lost it at the start of the year but luckily I am back doing it. If I don’t do it on a morning I do notice my body is aching and my mind is a mess. I journalled all the way through 2023 which has been a godsend. Journalling is brilliant for self-care. You do start to see your mental patterns. Going away to stay with my mother has helped. She’s like my digital detox with no social media and no TV. We do jigsaws together and talk a lot. We go for walks and I always come back a more relaxed writer.

Thanks for reading my 2023 Review.

I’ll Miss You This Christmas

Instructions for falling in love again .

My Writing Review of 2023 #MondayBlogs

Hi there. Welcome to my writing review of 2023.

What were your writing successes in 2023

I had 2 romance novels published by Blood Hound Books. I’ll Miss You This Christmas and Instructions For Falling in Love Again. See pics below. I wrote my 3rd novel – The Car Share – due out April 2024.

What were your writing challenges in 2023

Towards the end of the year I got into a cycle of writing first drafts and walking away from them half finished. I am still in this cycle and I am finding it hard to break free from it. I think my inner critic is too loud and needs to be silenced whilst I am drafting. I would like to break this cycle. I have 4 half finished first drafts. If anyone has any suggestions, please write below in the comments.

What has 2023 taught you about your writing?

It has taught me that editing a draft book is where the magic happens. 2023 was the year where I finally understood what everyone has been saying about editing. It is the secret sauce.

Have you done anything different with your writing in 2023?

I started becoming a plotter and I moved away from being a pantser. Whilst I have enjoyed creating novel plans, I have a sneaking suspicion this is why I am in a bit of a tailspin with unfinished drafts. A novel plan is great and they do bring me joy. I can now write a mean novel plan with character arcs and pacing however I have yet to finish a first draft with a plan. I also love boasting about making the transition from pantser to plotter – no one ask me to provide a fully completed first draft based on a novel plan. Oh, God, what have I done?

How have you managed social media in 2023?

I got serious about TikTok in 2023 and tried hard to post regularly. I am @lucymitchauth on TikTok if you want a friend on there. I have grown my followers from 203 to 1722. I joined Threads and moved away from ‘X’. Social media promotion is tough. I have found that when my writing confidence dips, so too does my social media confidence.

What has been your approach to writer self-care in 2023?

I have found my way back to my daily yoga and meditation. I lost it at the start of the year but luckily I am back doing it. If I don’t do it on a morning I do notice my body is aching and my mind is a mess. I journalled all the way through 2023 which has been a godsend. Journalling is brilliant for self-care. You do start to see your mental patterns. Going away to stay with my mother has helped. She’s like my digital detox with no social media and no TV. We do jigsaws together and talk a lot. We go for walks and I always come back a more relaxed writer.

Thanks for reading my 2023 Review.

I’ll Miss You This Christmas

Instructions for falling in love again .

Love At First Write Christmas 2023 Special

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-tzc58-1529f00

In this Christmas special we look back over season 1 and talk about our favourite episodes. 

Find out more about your hosts:

Lucy Mitchell – My debut romance novel, ‘I’ll Miss You This Christmas’ with Bloodhound books is out now. https://geni.us/MissYouChristmas Find out more about me –  https://linktr.ee/LucyMitchAuth  Lucy Keeling – Written the Just Friends series, with the final in the series, Just Friends for Now available from Amazon. https://bit.ly/3YEqich Bettina Hunt – My latest romantic comedy novel, ‘A Girl Like Me’ is available now from Amazon. mybook.to/AGirlLikeMe 

The books we talk about are:

         – The Ex-Mas holidays by Zoe Allison

         – My Flatmate is a Vampire by Jenna Levine

         – The Bodyguard – Katherine Centre 

         – Attachments – Rainbow Rowell 

How To Evoke a Sense of Being in Your Readers #MondayBlogs

I have invited author and blogger Ritu Bhathal on my blog today to talk about one of her many writing talents – bringing scenes to life. Ritu’s books will always be a memorable read for me as her descriptions of places and settings are so vivid and colourful. Reading one of Ritu’s books is like peering through a kaleidoscope. I wanted Ritu to come and tell us her secrets. Ha ha!

She’s also a fantastic blogger and you should check her out.

Thank you for inviting me over, Lucy, to have a little chat about description in writing with your readers. And hello to everyone reading!

Now, the lovely Lucy invited me over because she always comments on how I describe the places I write about.

Back in the old days, as a novice writer, I would cover the basics; you know, the ‘Who, What, Where, When, How’ (WWWWH) of a scene. Take this one below. My books have a lot of India in them, as well as the UK.

I went to visit the temple in Amritsar yesterday with my friends.

But the most common feedback I got was ‘We want/need more!’

As I sat and tweaked the relevant scenes, it occurred to me that it isn’t always the WWWWH that is needed. Rather, as writers,  we need to plug into our senses. 

In order to evoke the feeling of being somewhere, to immerse our readers into the scene we are writing, and to create atmosphere, we need to think of those five senses; Sight, Sound, Smell, Taste, Touch (SSSTT). 

And, I guess, that is right. 

For many of our readers, books are like armchair travel. 

Pick up a book and you can be transported anywhere you like. A bonus for those who are likely to never reach certain far-flung corners of the world. Equally, describing a setting can bring back memories for people who have been where you are writing about. 

So that above sentence. Let’s rewrite it. 

I’m using a passage from my first novel Marriage Unarranged, rearranging some parts, to add the different senses into a shorter passage, where Aashi, her brothers and their friends, visit the Golden Temple in India. I know many who read my books will have been there already, so I need to be true to the feeling you get when you visit this sacred place. I am also aware of many readers who haven’t, and will never go there, so I need to make this feel as if the readers are there, with the characters, so they can fully immerse themselves within the scene.

Aashi and the others stepped intp the hallowed grounds of Harmandir Sahib, the Golden Temple. 

It never failed to render her speechless, no matter how many times she came here. The first view of the shimmering temple, rising out of the sarovar surrounding the gurdwara was a sight to be seen. She hadn’t ever been this early when the night sky was still an inky black. The temple glowed, lit up with thousands of light bulbs, illuminated for the special day that was Vaisakhi. The reflections of the lights twinkling on the surface of the surrounding water in the sarovar made it look like the temple was floating in the night sky.

She pressed both her hands together at this first sight, and whispered, “Waheguru-ji, Satnaam-ji” as she had always been taught to say upon entering any gurdwara.

Around her, the others were also quiet, soaking in the spiritual serenity this place emanated. They were engulfed  by thousands of worshippers, yet there was a respectful silence, except for whispered prayers and the low murmurs of kirtan that could be heard, as the priests sang hymns in the main darbar worship hall.

The smell of incense mingled with the sweet aroma of kara prasad, the sacred sweet pudding, that they queued to buy, as a token of gratitude to be offered when they paid their respects.

Aashi had to giggle when she saw Kiran playfully slap Bali’s hand away from the prasad. “Oh My God!” she whispered. “Can you not wait? We can eat ours soon, but we have to matha tekh first!”

Bali groaned. “I’m hungry, though! You woke me up at the crack of dawn to get here, and I didn’t eat anything.” He looked down at the small bowl in his hand, and licked his lips. “It’s like I can already taste the sweet, buttery goodness.”

“Well, you’re going to have to hang on. We’ll go to the langar hall soon, for food, too.” Kiran rolled her eyes, but a smile played across her lips.

It was a long wait and a slow walk down the aisle. On either side, they were surrounded by the water of the sarovar. Arjun had heard about the giant koi, hundreds of them, which lived in the water. He glanced at them, gulping air at the surface before swimming away. They were huge. Arjun managed to capture a few shots, not sure how they would turn out, with the darkness.

One thing I like to use as one of my tools, is the reactions of characters to further deepen the feel of a place. I like to talk. My characters do, too! Hence the dialogue part.

I could go on, and on. Describing a full visit to the Golden Temple in Amritsar could take several posts, and I don’t want to overstay my welcome!

I hope I have managed to give you a little insight into how I try and evoke a sense of being for the readers of my stories.

Thank you, again, Lucy, for letting me whitter on about part of my writing process!

Here’s a link to Ritu’s wonderful books

Click here to enter Ritu’s auction promise.

How To Accept Editing Your Draft Novel is Like Adding Magic Sauce to a Meal #MondayBlogs

I have become a huge fan of editing and revising a draft novel.

This wasn’t always the case. I started writing seriously many moons ago and the word, ‘editing’ used to make me groan. I also couldn’t understand why anyone would repeatedly go over their draft novels. That felt like a form of writer madness.

As my writing journey has progressed I have developed a love for editing. If only time machines were available for hire. I would definitely be nipping back to edit the hell out of my old stories,

Why the secret sauce?

Accept you have a wandering mind when writing. You don’t actually see this until you start editing your book but as you are downloading your story from your brain there is a chance other stuff will come as well. I always find unwanted things in my draft novels when editing. I either find traces of my own life (family names, pet names, things from shopping lists and scenes from other books I have been writing) or random stuff that has nothing to do with the actual story.

Your mind will also stray from the path or your novel plan. If your mind is like mine it will go in search of excitement by itself and it won’t ask permission. Editing gets you back on track which means a tighter story.

You are too close to the detail when writing a novel. A structural edit helps you see the bigger picture, the plot, sub plots and the pacing.

It also detects those parts of your story which you have glossed over and whispered, ‘l’ll figure out later.’ In addition it will also shine a spotlight on other areas of weakness.

Cutting emotional ties with your story and characters is hard. This is the part I struggle with the most. By the end of the first drafts my character are like close friends. The thought of changing them or *whispers* deleting makes me want to cry. A good character edit will cause discomfort, it will get rid of dead wood but there is a pay off. You will end up with believable and fully rounded characters with desires and motivations.

This is what I have learnt you have to get comfortable with creative pain. The successful writers welcome the discomfort that editing brings as they know it’s good for their work.

Editing is the magic sauce. Your first draft is simply the cooking of the basic ingredients. Editing is where you create the flavour, the layers and the texture.

My last point is that editors are special human beings. Use them.