Lucy Mitchell's Blog, page 9

Why We Love Cafe and Coffee Shop Themed Romance Stories

I love reading and writing romance stories which are centred around cafes or coffee shops. The possibilities for romance in a coffee shop are endless; unexpected conversations in the queue, accidental spillages, chance encounters, handsome baristas, beautiful and ambitious cafe owners, arguments over who gets the last pastry, secret messages on coffee cups, and incorrect coffee orders. There are so many interaction points for romance characters.

Cafes and coffee shops are popular settings for romance books. They do more than just provide us with wonderful beverages and mouth watering pastries. Cafes and coffee shops offer sanctuary for those of us who want to escape parts of our busy and stressful lives. They also enable human interaction where we can meet up with friends / loved ones or just be around people when we are feeling lonely.

On a side note they are also outlets for creativity boosts. According to a 2012 study (Journal of Consumer Research), a low to moderate level of ambient noise in place like a coffee shop can actually super charge your creativity. Apparently the ambience and the array of noises do wonders for abstract thinking.

I love the quote from this article about how coffee shops are ‘living things, their mood shifts and oscillates throughout the day.’ This can be great for the writer who matches the atmosphere in the cafe to the ebb and flow of the romance which is being created.

Coffee shops are like alternate universes and worlds for our fictional characters to find themselves in, be drawn to by chance or make a daily trip to as part of their arduous trek to work. They offer lots of romance trope opportunities; friends to lovers working in a coffee shop, enemies to lovers with rival coffee shops or second chance romance where you bump into your childhood sweetheart in the queue.

Writers can let their imaginations run wild with the design of their fictional cafe or coffee house. They can also be picturesque places with colourful interiors and funky decor. These can then feed into the design of their book covers. Beautiful romance book covers featuring idyllic and picturesque cafes or coffee shops always draw me to them in supermarkets or book shops.

Coffee shop themed romance offers us hope that our soul mate can be found in the queue of our local coffee shop. Or they can be in the form of the handsome new barista who has started working in our local coffeeshop. In an ideal world we don’t have we don’t have to look very far to find happiness. Obviously in reality things can be very different but we all live in hope

Do you enjoy writing or reading coffee shop romance?

Writers – Attention Seeking Minor Characters – Blessing or a Curse?

Currently rolling my eyes at a minor character who has ideas well above his station.

There’s nothing worse than trying to write a scene and being distracted by some minor character who believes you made a big mistake when the casting for main character roles was being undertaken.

Some minor characters are born into your story knowing they are NEVER going to be centre stage and make it their fictional LIFE AMBITION to change this. 

What I want to know is whether attention seeking minor characters are a blessing or a curse to us writers?

Let’s first discuss minor characters:

Minor characters are great devices for relaying information about the main characters to the reader. They can also be useful in contributing to key moments in your story or in some cases act as a catalyst. In addition they can help set the mood of a scene or provide some light relief for the reader.

The important thing to remember is that minor characters play a small role and should not overshadow the main characters.

Attention seeking minor characters can be a pain. You will know when you come across one because when you are editing you will say things like, ‘not you again!’ and ‘blimey – this is not your story!’

They can be hard to control and if left to their own devices they will frustrate the hell out of the writer and take the story in an unwanted direction.

Minor characters can also turn into sparkly objects, especially when things get tough in stories. It’s no surprise after EIGHT drafts sweating I have found myself getting side tracked by someone funny, energetic and desperate for my attention. I end up finding myself writing about him when I should be writing about the main characters.

Needy minor characters can send your story down a new rabbit hole and at editing stage you can end up deleting pages as they got way more limelight than planned.

However, I don’t think they are all bad.

Attention seeking minor characters are trying to tell us something about our story or cast of characters.

The questions I think need answering when faced with an attention seeking minor character are:

Is there a reason why I am being pulled in another direction?Is this character actually trying to help me move the story forward or give the reader some insight into the main character?Are they stealing the limelight away from my main characters for a reason? Is my main character dull? Do they have a stronger voice than my main character? Who is in control here – me (the writer) or the handsome / beautiful minor character who is like a new shiny, sparkly object?Do I need to tighten up my book plan and not let them run riot.

So, I am going to sit on the fence and say attention seeking minor characters are both a blessing and a curse.

Please let me know your thoughts on this hot topic!

Why Your Book Character Needs a Hobby #MondayBlogs

We all want our stories to connect with readers. We all want our readers to read our words and feel like they are slipping into the shoes of our fictional characters and stepping into another life. We all want our readers to live out another life inside the pages of our books and forget they are still sat in their armchair, on the train, in a cafe or curled up on the sofa. To do this we need some writer magic sauce.

This writer magic sauce has many ingredients but to name a few; conflict, a compelling plot, a good setting, great dialogue and captivating characters.

Characters are so important. They bring the flavour to a good story.

It’s not just about their physical appearance. When I started out as a fresh faced, newbie writer I was more concerned with the way my characters looked and what they liked to wear. As a result my characters came across as one dimensional. It was only when I started adding more facets to my characters that things changed for me.

Book characters need a personality, motivation, flaws, back story and they need hobbies or interests.

Hobbies and interests tell you so much about someone. They not only tell you what that person likes to do for fun or unwind but also they reveal a side to their character – which you can show and not tell. For example:

A character who loves going to explore far flung places in the world with just a rucksack on their back and gets bored of normal life easily. This is someone who is open to change, likes to be independent and craves adventure. They also have a restless curiosity which needs to be satisfied. A character who loves to play hockey in their spare time. Their team doesn’t win much as they play for fun but this character has dreams of one day turning things around. This is someone who likes being part of a team, likes the thrill of sport, enjoys solving problems on the go and is used to dealing with failure.

Hobbies and interests are good devices from a technical perspective. They give your characters dreams, ambitions and life goals. Add enough passion and motivation to your character and they will go to great lengths to pursue that dream / life goal of opening their own bakery, leaving the coprorate rat race to sail a boat around the world, climb that mountain or run a marathon. This gives you a chance to set them off on a journey of self discovery and you can put some obstacles or conflict in their way like a love interest perhaps?

if you are writing romance like me, hobbies and interests are a great device for getting your characters to meet by chance, have something in common or get competitive with each other.

Giving your fictional character a hobby or an interest makes them more relatable. They start to become real in the mind of your reader. This creates a connection between your story and the reader. It is good when a reader enjoys the same hobby as your character but for me as a reader I also like characters who engage in new and unique pastimes.

Character hobbies and interests are the little details which make a good story pop!

Writers – The Importance of Forgiving Ourselves #MondayBlogs

Writers, I believe forgiving ourselves is the secret to moving forward with our creative lives and ultimately achieving success.

After a lengthy period of Writer’s Block I found my way back to writing and do you know what finally did it for me? Do you know what it was that resulted in me waking up one morning and reaching for my dusty laptop? 

Forgiving myself for writing the same story the wrong way. 

Once I forgave myself I felt a lot lighter. By forgiving myself I had set something free.

Looking through my writing journals from the past few years I can see that forgiving myself for creative mistakes has been a reoccurring activity. This is how things go for me:

I make a writing mistake; a draft doesn’t work out, a story has to be shelved or I get a rejection in some shape or form, I bundle up all the negative energy with that situation and carry it around for weeks and even months, until the weight of creative shame becomes too much and my knees buckle. Then I have a brainwave and think maybe I need to forgive myself AGAIN!

So, I go through the motions of forgiving myself  which involves me acknowledging the fact I am human and the only way to learn stuff is through mistakes. In a matter of seconds the weight on my back vanishes. The bundle of negative energy never wanted to stay with me. The act of forgiveness set it free.

My creative life moves on once I have forgiven myself. 

A list of things from the past four years I have forgiven myself for:

Not getting anywhere in writing competitions.Rejections.Taking a draft in the wrong direction.Writing a draft beta readers dislike.Killing off a much loved character.Writing a passive character.Writing a bad story.Writing a dire first chapter.Writing a story which bores the hell out of me by chapter three.

One day I want to be able to spot the bundle of negative energy which is attached to a creative mistake and decide not to put it on my back. Instead I will place it carefully on the floor. I would then re-position my oh-so-fancy-Writer’s Hat (next year I intend to wear more hats), smile and walk away…whistling.

As I like to pass on things which work for me,  try forgiving yourself if you are going through a writing bad patch. It doesn’t cost anything or requires hours of extra work. You just need to forgive yourself and let the bundle of negative energy go. You can either talk to yourself in the mirror or write it down. Just forgive and move on.

Take care out there x

How To Handle The Book Idea Which Keeps Tricking You Into Thinking…It Is Ready To Be Written #MondayBlogs

Some story ideas enter your mind and allow you to write them straightaway. However, some will trick you into thinking that they are ready to be written. These book ideas are pesky little devils. They will whisper in your ear that you should rush ahead and start writing them. They will stroke your creative ego, tell you they are a guaranteed future best seller and remind you that there is no time like the present. You will skip the thinking part and go straight into getting the words out. However, after a few chapters you will start to huff and puff. It has become apparent that this idea was not ready to be written. They tricked you. You rushed in believing they were ready to be written when really they needed more work. In your ear you will hear their wicked laugh as you walk away feeling deflated. If you looked back at your writing desk you would see your naughty little book idea pulling faces and skipping happily around your laptop.

A lot of the time we give up on book ideas too quickly because they were not ready to be written.

Before I blame the book ideas, let’s remind ourselves that we live in a world where everything is now now now. Sometimes this instant gratification desire spills into our creative work. We dive into writing ‘chapter one’ just so that we can get out our creative need met quicker. Even though we have a few pages of notes and a gang of boisterous fictional characters inside our head, the book idea might still require some thinking time. This is sadly one of the reasons why we hit Writer’s Block during a first draft.

Ideas for books can appear so attractive. They dance before our eyes and dazzle us with their future potential. It is so easy to drive off into the literary sunset with a mischievous book idea. You disregard the need to think the plot some more or come up with a better form of conflict. All common writer sense is flung out of the window. The sooner you write this idea the better. Fast forward a month and you will be holding your head in your hands asking yourself why your book idea is not working.

I am guilty of writing story ideas straightaway when they should have been left to stew for a little bit longer. Patience is not one of my virtues. I get so excited with new ideas and try to write them as soon as they appear. This results in literary pain.

What I have learnt is that if you feel like you are being led astray by a naughty book idea and you are skipping the tough thinking bit – ask yourself is it ready to be written? Maybe consider the following?

Are your characters strong enough? Do they need more development? Can you see how the entire story will pan out?Do you have enough obstacles standing in your character’s way? Have you got your inciting incident worked out?

We must remember book ideas are special gifts and not all book ideas should be treated the same.

Have you experienced the pesky little book idea which has tricked you into thinking it is ready to be written?

Ways in Which Your Draft Novel Communicates With You #MondayBlogs

To the non-writer a draft novel is just a pile of papers. They won’t see it as a living thing. If you asked them whether a draft novel was capable of communicating with a human, the non-writer would probably laugh, roll their eyes or frown before asking whether you had been in the sun for too long.

To the writer their draft novel is a living thing. It communicates with them regularly, even when they are trying to avoid it. A draft novel senses when the writer is ready to write and it knows when the writer is actively trying to avoid it.

Once you start delving into this strange phenomenon of unspoken communication you will see why a writer’s life is so exhausting.

With so much unspoken communication going on between you and your draft novel it’s a wonder you have the energy to communicate with fellow humans, let alone write a bestseller.

Here are some examples of unspoken communication between a writer and their draft novel:

The Nudge. 

The writer receives what can only be described as a mental nudge from their draft novel. It normally occurs when the writer is being lazy and the draft novel is getting fed up of waiting around or being second best to a Netflix series. I would like to point out that the nudge can also be administered when the writer and their draft novel are physically apart. I have been nudged in business meetings, in the supermarket confectionary aisle and on the beach in Majorca.

The Alarm Bell. 

The write receives a warning signal, in their head, from their draft novel to alert them about a potential problem. It could be plot related, connected to a character or quality of writing in the first chapter. Again the writer and their draft novel can be physically apart for this to occur. Plus the writer doesn’t even have to be conscious as some draft novels will send their writer an alarm bell message whilst they are sleeping.

The Itch. 

This is where the writer receives what can only be described as an itch to write. The draft novel is responsible for giving the writer the itch. Some writers get an itch on a regular basis and some of us can go weeks, even months, without an itch. When it finally happens we are somewhat relieved.

The Brain Takeover. 

This is when the draft novel takes over the writer’s brain which means the writer cannot think about anything else. It normally occurs on first drafts and on subsequent drafts when you are close to finishing.

The Sacrificial Lamb. 

This mental signal lets the writer know their draft novel is ready to be sacrified for something better. It normally occurs at the start of a second or third draft but for some poor writers it can happen in the middle of drafts. The writer will give a solemn nod and whisper, “I’m sorry,” before gritting their teeth and deleting, rewriting and cutting up their beloved draft novel.

The Phoenix. 

This mental signal occurs when the writer’s draft novel has been shelved, binned or forgotten about for some time. The draft novel will contact the writer (could be any time, day or night) and rise like a phoenix from the flames inside their mind. Shortly after this the writer will be seen making a mad dash through the house to their writing desk, to read the old story they ditched a few months ago, which now feels like the next big literary thing.

The Flirt.

This is where the writer’s draft novel flirts with the writer. It will send out flirty signals and will do its best to lure the writer away from a dull family gathering or large pile of ironing. Damn it – draft novels can be so attractive at times!

The Changeling.

This is where the draft novel signals to the writer that they are turning or have turned into something else. The writer might have started out with plans for their draft novel to be a sugary romance but half way through realised they have the makings of a good crime story (because one of their characters took a relationship break up badly). I have recently experienced this situation. My draft romance novel signalled to me it wasn’t the same story I had started out with.

The Mischievous Tease.

A draft novel can tease a writer. It can send them flirty ‘write me’ signals and when the poor writer turns up the urge to write disappears. All the draft novel needs is a few naughty fictional characters and it can make the writer’s life a misery. I have also experienced this. How the hell the successful authors deal with one of these situations I don’t know!

The Bestseller Wink.

 This can be likened to a cheeky wink. The draft novel and writer will exchange something unspoken and special. It will result in the writer beaming and the draft novel shuffling with pride.

I hope you have enjoyed reading about this wonderful topic.

Just keep writing x

Why Coming Up With A New Book Idea Is Like The Fairy Tale – The Frog Prince – For Writers #Writers 🐸📚

Do you recall reading the fairy tale, The Frog Prince, when you were younger?

It is a fairy tale by the Brother Grimm. The tale focuses on a princess who kisses a frog and to her amazement it turns into a handsome prince.

Well, hold that thought there for a bit.

Being a writer is not easy. I think I say this on every blog post. One aspect which proves to be a constant challenge is coming up with new ideas for books or stories.

If only Amazon sold ‘New Idea’ tree seeds which we could order, plant and grow. Then we could happily harvest our new ideas for our creative projects and never throw a hissy fit again about ‘getting nothing’ from our weary writer brains.

As new ideas for future novels sadly don’t grow on trees we have to come up with them…ourselves. Ugh.

This is tricky because coming up with new ideas for future best selling books can take weeks, months, years and even decades. In addition not all new ideas ping into our writer brains fully formed. A lot of the time it’s like putting flat packed furniture together and not all new ideas come with assembly instructions. You have to spend hours, days, weeks etc, carefully putting them all together to see if they will work. Even then there is no guarantee the idea will be a success.

Also, a lot of ideas fail for a number of reasons. They are slippery little things. some don’t work, some make you cringe, some annoy you after the first three chapters and some make you lose interest in them after 30,000 words.

To be successful you have to keep coming up with ideas and be able to accept that some won’t work.

So, let’s return to the Frog Prince fairytale. A funny maxim has been constructed on the tale of the princess kissing the frog.

‘Before you meet the handsome prince, you have to kiss a lot of frogs.’

I have done a bit of research and the maxim originated from a needlepoint pattern advertising campaign in the 70s.

In my analogy for this post:

The princess is the writer and she has to kiss a lot of frogs (new ideas) before she meets her handsome prince (the idea which forms the writer’s next book). Ha ha ha!

Coming up with ideas is very similar to kissing wet, slippery frogs

Some of us have to kiss a LOT of frogs too!

Happy Frog Kissing Writers!

10 Things About Writing Meet Cutes #MondayBlogs #writingromance

I do love reading a good meet cute in a romance novel.

A meet cute is when the two main characters encounter each other for the first time and this will eventually lead to a romantic bond forming.

For us romance book lovers it is the moment we all look forward to when starting a book and it is where we will give praise to authors who make that meet cute both memorable and unique.

Writing an engaging meet cute can be tricky. Nothing is ever easy with writing. As I am about to write a meet cute here are some things I am going to consider.

The meet cute can be romantic, funny, awkward, disastrous, sexy, unique, explosive or heartwarming. The meet cute results in several scenarios: love at first sight, enemies at first sight (one of my personal favourites), one sided attraction or awkward love. It’s best not to get attached to the word, ‘cute’. The best ‘meet cutes’ I have read in romance books are not cute, they are awkward, embarrassing, funny, chaotic and packed full of miscommunication. Remember the meet cute sets up the story and relays a lot of information to the reader about the characters. Think about how your characters respond to the meet cute. Conflict is your best friend when writing a meet cute. The best meet cutes focus on misunderstandings and miscommunication. They are also about two characters with the same goal but for different reasons. Conflict is a must have. Always add a generous spoonful of banter. Connect your invisible thread to these two characters. This is important. Once their worlds have collided we (the readers) need to know there is a good chance these two are going to meet again. What is the connection between these two going forward? Do they work together? Mix in the same social circles or have recently joined the same sports team?The chemistry between these two characters in the meet cute has to be insanely high. Even if they dislike or annoy each other when these two characters meet there must be a reaction. This is what will keep us readers turning the page. We will be eagerly awaiting their next meeting. The meet cute is the foundation for the plot so it needs to be as impactful as possible. Remember it is not only a meet cute for the characters but its also a meet cute for your romance readers.

Good luck and please let me know your favourite book meet cutes..

How To Accept There Will Always Be Some Who Don’t Understand Your Creative Life #mondayblogs

This is a tough one to accept and it has taken me a long time to get my head around this.

If you are a creative person there will be some people in your life who will never:

Understand why you spend hours creating stuff that is unlikely to go anywhere.Share your creative enthusiasm for your creative projects.Understand why you are cartwheeling around the garden after receiving one tiny bit of positive feedback.Ask to read or listen to your work.Get your weird and wonderful creative ways.Be able to relate to the buzz you get inside when your creative work is being shared or liked.

These are the ones who say stuff like “I don’t understand why you do all that writing!” or “have you just spent your whole day writing?’

Just because they don’t get your creative life doesn’t mean they are bad or cruel. They just don’t understand.

No matter how many hours you spend trying to explain your creative tendencies or excitedly telling them about your latest project, they will still cast you that puzzled or horrified look.

It can sting a bit when you realise that not everyone is as goofy happy as you about your creative projects.

The important thing to remember there WILL always be people who struggle to understand your creative ways. If we were all the same life would be pretty dull.

Here are some things to consider when accepting that some people will never understand your creative life:

As a creative person you will always be a mystery to some people. This is actually a good thing and you should always strive to remain a mystery. Keeps people guessing about what you will do next.Everyone is entitled to their own opinions. You can’t force others to like what you are doing or have created.Each one of us has different talents and skills to offer the world. As Walt Whitman said we are all here to ‘contribute a verse’.  Being creative (either through writing, blogging, podcasting etc) is your way of contributing a verse. These people are also contributing a verse in their own special way.If you are a true creative person (i.e. not doing it for the money or future fame) then you will know that your creative side is a huge part of who you are as a person. It’s not something you can change or switch off and anyway why would you?According to this article Neuroscience confirms that highly creative people think and act differently than the average person. Our brains are hardwired in a unique way! This means that some people are going to think we are from another planet.We are addicted to the thrill of creating stuff and its a hard addiction to break. To the outsider our creative addiction can look pretty scary.Being misunderstood comes with the territory of leading a creative life.There is a place in the world for all of us.

The sooner you accept that not everyone in your life is going to understand your creative life the better!

So, stop wasting time on trying to make them understand why you spent the entire day rewriting your fourth chapter with only a couple of breaks for coffee and biscuits.

Move on and focus your energies on creating!

The Joy of Handing Over All Your First Draft Issues To The Future You #MondayBlogs #Writer

Here’s a secret about writing first drafts which I have discovered – you can fill your first draft with plot holes, a saggy storyline, typos, bad grammar and dull chapters and then…HAND it OVER to the future you.

That’s right – you can grab your first draft with all its writing issues and hand it over to the future you. No need to worry about what you have produced.

All you do is you shove your first draft in an electronic folder or a phsyical drawer and walk away. There’s no need to burn it, bury it in the back garden or hide it away under your bed.

The future you will one day come up with a way of fixing that major plot hole. They will know what to do with those troublesome characters and they will come up with a much better ending. The future you will do big things with that first draft you have been struggling with and what’s great is they will thank you for giving them something to work with.

Sometimes we just need to get things down on paper, so that in the future we will have something to mould, sculpt and shape.

We put so much pressure on ourselves to make our stories work right now and if they don’t work today, we quickly shelve them.

We forget that in the future we might be better equipped to tackle our novel writing issues.

As soon as you start delegating crappy first drafts to the future writer version of yourself you will experience a new kind of writer joy. You will feel comforted that the future you will sort out your mess of a story.

This joy you will feel will put a twinkle in your eye and skip in your step. That first draft is not your problem anymore. Let me say that again – it’s not your problem!

Don’t despair if the sight of your first draft novel makes you cry. The future you will be ready and waiting to correct that pile of literary wrongs.

Things can get so bad when you are writing your first draft. Your finger will gravitate towards the ‘delete’ button and everyday you will contemplate starting again with the story. In this situation, I ask you to stop for a moment and consider this:

Your future self will not thank you for giving up like this. They will have nothing to work with.How do you know your future self won’t do amazing things with this story?

So, here’s what you do.

Finish difficult first draft, add post it note to the front and scribble, ‘Dear Future Me, here’s a little something I made earlier for you, enjoy xxx’

Stick in folder, smile and skip away. The future you will sort that out later. Doesn’t this feel amazing?

Look at the future you as an extra writing resource!

Thinking like this has changed my entire outlook on writing. Sigh.

I do hope the future me is ready for work!

Keep writing and smiling x