Where readers, writers, and stories meet.
Just when you thought your story might draw to a sweet conclusion a little too early, it’s time to throw a wrench in it and drag it out for one more act.
Maybe one of them has been keeping a secret that comes to light, making the other one question his or her feelings.
Maybe your vampire is kidnapped by terrorists. Continue reading “2014 NaNoWriMo Trashy Romance Challenge: Act 3/When it hits the fan”
By now, you should have just about completed the middle third of your novel. It’s time to wrap up Act Two and set the scene for Act Three.
Write a scene in which your characters admit that they like one another and are interested in maybe starting a relationship. Continue reading “2014 NaNoWriMo Trashy Romance Challenge: Finish writing Act II”
Did you hit 25,000 words by the end of the day yesterday? If so, great work! It’s time to reward yourself by writing something fun.
Write a sex scene. Continue reading “2014 NaNoWriMo Trashy Romance Challenge: It’s time to write a sex scene!”
Without backtracking and reading anything you have written up to today, think about any plot holes that you might have in your story at the moment. Make a list of additional scenes that you could write to fill these holes.
Continue reading “2014 NaNoWriMo Trashy Romance Challenge: Act 2 Scene Assignment 5”
Write a scene in which other characters begin to comment on the feelings that they see developing between the hero and heroine. At this point, your characters will likely still deny that there is anything going on between the two of them.
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/168196409
Continue reading “2014 NaNoWriMo Trashy Romance Challenge: Act 2 Scene Assignment 4”
Write a scene in which your hero and heroine need to cooperate to get something done. Maybe they will decide to be friends or at least come to an agreement to be civil to one another until the task is complete.
Continue reading “2014 NaNoWriMo Trashy Romance Challenge: Act 2 Scene Assignment 3”
Write a scene that puts your hero and heroine in close proximity with one another where they get to touch each other. How much is up to you, but maybe hold off on actually letting them “do the deed” for the time being. Use this as an opportunity to build the tension.
Continue reading “2014 NaNoWriMo Trashy Romance Challenge: Act 2 Scene Assignment 2”
Do your hero and heroine now hate each other on the surface while secretly wanting to jump into bed with each other? If so, great work! Now you’re ready to begin writing Act Two of your trashy romance novel. For the next few days, I will give you brief scene ideas to keep you moving and hopefully keep your middle from sagging. Here’s the first:
Continue reading “2014 NaNoWriMo Trashy Romance Challenge: Week 2/Act 2”
Since I’m not writing a serious novel for my 2014 NaNoWriMo project, I don’t mind sharing a little bit of what I have written so far. So, without further adieu, here is my first chapter, completely unedited:
“Violet, are you sure you want to do this?” her sister Veronica asked. Veronica balanced a tow-headed toddler on one hip while fending off the toddler’s sticky-fingered older brother with the other.
“Joey, stop!” she said. “You’re getting your sucker all over my pants. Now, go wipe your hands like I told you to!”
“Come here, you little rug rat,” Violet said. She chased Joey around his mother twice before catching him and sweeping him up in a bear hug. “You are making your mother crazy!”
Joey giggled uncontrollably and tried to wriggle away from his aunt as she applied a wet wipe to his filthy hands.
“Of course I don’t want to, Ronnie,” Violet said over her nephew’s giggles. “But I’m tired of being afraid of everything. I need to do this.”
Veronica sighed. “Well,” she said. “You’d better keep it together. I can’t manage two kids under the age of five on a boat in the middle of the ocean and also take care of you in the midst of one of your panic attacks at the same time.”
“I’ll be fine, I promise,” Violet said. “I think the kids will be a good distraction for me. And besides, we won’t be ‘in the middle of the ocean.’ It’s only a three-hour tour.”
“Uh-huh.”
“I think we’re all set now, ladies.” The boat’s captain loped down the dock with an armload of life vests. “It took some scrounging, but I managed to get the smallest jackets I have ever seen for your little ones there. Hope they fit, ‘cause I got a schedule to keep, and we’re already behind.” Continue reading “NaNoWriMo 2014 | Chapter One Uncut”
The opening scene of my trashy romance novel is hilarious. Anyway, I think it is. I could be wrong.
I’m putting my heroine – who, by the way, is terrified of water – on a boat. She comments to her sister, “It’s only a three-hour tour.” Hmmm… what do you think I have planned for my heroine?
If you’re not giggling whilst writing your trashy romance novel, then you’re not doing it right. You’re more likely to finish it if it’s fun! Continue reading “Are you laughing yet?”
Write on the World 