This Week's Topic is: Inspired by Stephanie Perkins' post on Natalie Whipple's blog, what is your novel's "Love List"?
I love this idea of using a a Love List for brainstorming a new book.
I'm going to attempt a retrospective inspirational love list for my CHEATER BEATERS, even though I wrote the original version many years ago.
For me, love started with the characters. And, like most stories, real and imagined, it started with a guy:
A playboy, honest but unwilling to commit
Who is the perfect girl for him (or, the one who will give me the best story)?
A girl who's been cheated on by all her boyfriends
Driver's Ed
Troubled past
Move from mom to dad
City boy/New country life
Cornhole
Half brothers
Swimmer
Solid, book smart best friend
School? Who cares
Hiatus from guys
Country music fan
Younger brothers
Parents in love
Bruised Banana
Gross-out Dairy Queen Blizzards
Covered bridge
Wigs
Spy Gear
Revenge
Break from the usual
That's it. Easy to do after the book is written. More useful to do beforehand:)
What about you? Have you tried this before?
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Great premise, Jennifer! You had me at "A playboy, honest but unwilling to commit" and "A girl who's been cheated on by all her boyfriends". Sounds great! :)
ReplyDeleteI have to try this for my WiP--it's such a fabulous idea. Great list!
ReplyDeleteCornhole as in the beanbag-toss game?!
ReplyDeleteBruised banana and revenge and covered bridge: I like the sound of this. Looking forward to reading it!
Rebecca- yes, only the homemade versions often use cornbags instead of beanbags (thus the name)
ReplyDeletelol @ Gross-out Dairy Queen blizzards :)
ReplyDeleteAh, a covered bridge. Lovely right there. And the characters sound very interesting!
ReplyDeleteI love the concept. Cool list, though I'm trying to figure out what cornhole is...
ReplyDeleteAwesome!I love the hero and the heroine already!
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm super intrigued by "Bruised Banana" lol
Your guy and girl characters sound like they'd be just what the other doesn't need... which is a great set-up for a novel. :)
ReplyDeleteI agree with Colin. You certainly wouldn't expect those to two match up well. ;-)
ReplyDeleteMeeting a 'country music fan' might make me take a 'hiatus from guys'! Love the descriptions you have here, and the blurb for Cheater Beaters. It sounds like you have two amazing characters built there.
ReplyDeleteOh the Dairy Queen and Country Music, a playboy whose honest but unwilling to commit, a girl whose been cheated on— are you writing about the college town in Texas where I grew up? :) Love it and look forward to the book release!
ReplyDeleteCornhole! (My husband and I just hand-made our own football tailgating cornhole game set. Love it!) And I am so intrigued at gross-out dairy queen blizzard! Is that like... strawberry ice cream and Reese's? LOL. I love what you were working with from this list!
ReplyDeleteHmm...wigs and spy gear? I wonder what those are for? Great list!
ReplyDeleteI CANNOT WAIT to read this! LOVE that it started with a boy. Mine too. :)
ReplyDeleteYou had me at "Playboy, honest but unwilling to commit". And then you go and throw in things like driver's ed, bruised bananas, gross-out DQ blizzards, AND spy gear? Yeah, I'll be all over this one! :)
ReplyDeleteBest of luck when this comes out!