[Erynne]

Hey guys!! All of the stories I’ve ever written (or tried to write. Maybe just imagined a scenario in my head while trying to fall asleep…)

Anyways, so all of that above has always had hints of romance in it, like maybe one of the side characters has a crush on someone, nothing big. I actually want to write a true romance story, but I don’t have an ideas for a plot. I have everything else, but no plot XD

So tell me, please, what are some things you want to see in romance that isn’t done enough, or that is done enough, but not enough?

I’d really appreciate any idea, thanks!

Be weird. Be random. Be who you are. Because you ever know who would love the person you hide.

[Noah Cochran]

@erynne

Interesting coincidence. I was thinking about this precise topic myself a couple weeks ago. I had the type of relationship/love story I wanted to write, but I was at a loss on what setting and physical plot to use.

So tell me, please, what are some things you want to see in romance that isn’t done enough, or that is done enough, but not enough?

Most stories I’ve read that have a lot of romance still aren’t primarily romances (Victorian mysteries and YA dystopians for instance). The only true romance story that I’ve read and I can remember off the top of my head is Emma by Jane Austen. That books plot was the everyday life of a group of relatives and neighbors, and all the romantic arrangements between them.

My question for you is, are you wanting a fresh physical plot, or fresh romance beats/arc?

If your wanting the former, then what exactly are you trying to figure out? The physical actions lives of the characters? The setting?

Let me know what exactly your wanting, and I’ll try to brainstorm a few ideas for you.

[Erynne]

@noah-cochran
Haha, ngl, i totally didn’t see you as a romance guy.

Yes, it is the former. I think It’ll probably be more of a contemporary thing to show the difference in a Christian courtship versus a modern day thing.

I have no plot ideas, just characters and genre.

Thanks for being willing to help!

Be weird. Be random. Be who you are. Because you ever know who would love the person you hide.

[Noah Cochran]

@erynne

Haha, ngl, i totally didn’t see you as a romance guy.

I love romance subplots in books, but I don’t typically read straight romances. They do interest me enough to think about writing one though.

I have no plot ideas, just characters and genre.

Hmm. So are you fine with an everyday life sort of book? Examples:

A girl is traveling around to churches and meets a guy. There relationship develops from there.

A guy joins a wildlife club and meets a girl. The group of people go on hikes, observing nature, etc.. Elements of danger could be added in a setting like this.

Or are you wanting a more adventurous plot like a mystery, natural disaster, etc..?

[Erynne]

@noah-cochran

I love romance subplots in books, but I don’t typically read straight romances. They do interest me enough to think about writing one though.

Gotcha. That’s cool! It’s hard to read straight romances. I enjoy them, but it’s hard to find clean ones.

 

I like both of those ideas! I was thinking of ways to make it a mystery, but I still want it to revolve around the romance. I was thinking maybe the girl had a hard past before she was saved and an enemy from her past came back trying to destroy her world.

That and the church idea could go together well.

What do you think? Did you have another idea?

 

Also, this is completely off topic, but finding the Pinterest you created then left to die, I noticed your tag is @ncochranpb. Talking with Cathy, we came to the conclusion the pb either stands for “pastor’s boy” or “peanut butter” would you mind to tell me which guess is correct?

Be weird. Be random. Be who you are. Because you ever know who would love the person you hide.

[Noah Cochran]

@erynne

I like both of those ideas! I was thinking of ways to make it a mystery, but I still want it to revolve around the romance. I was thinking maybe the girl had a hard past before she was saved and an enemy from her past came back trying to destroy her world. That and the church idea could go together well. What do you think? Did you have another idea?

An enemy from her past in a contemporary setting could be interesting.

I would recommend you think along the lines of: pick a relatively normal activity or hobby, add some interesting conflict to it, and have it connected to both the guy and the girl in some way. For instance: a musical, a play (nice setting for a low-key mystery), a house party gone wrong, some kind of event at a park that also acts as their meeting place, a cooking contest.

Also, this is completely off topic, but finding the Pinterest you created then left to die, I noticed your tag is @ncochranpb. Talking with Cathy, we came to the conclusion the pb either stands for “pastor’s boy” or “peanut butter” would you mind to tell me which guess is correct?

Oh, yeah, Cathy asked me about that as well a while back. She was confident it meant peanut butter. 🙂

Pastor’s boy is a great guess, I didn’t even think of that. It actually means Primitive Baptist.

[Erynne]

@noah-cochran

An enemy from her past in a contemporary setting could be interesting

Yeah, I thought so too. I was thinking maybe an ex husband who she thought had died…

I would recommend you think along the lines of: pick a relatively normal activity or hobby, add some interesting conflict to it, and have it connected to both the guy and the girl in some way. For instance: a musical, a play (nice setting for a low-key mystery), a house party gone wrong, some kind of event at a park that also acts as their meeting place, a cooking contest.

Those are cool ideas. I could do the cliche bumping into each other and the girl spills coffee all down the guy’s “favorite tie!” XD

The church idea is my favorite so far. Maybe a church event that the girl’s friend drags her to.

Oh, yeah, Cathy asked me about that as well a while back. She was confident it meant peanut butter. 🙂

Hey, now I brought that to her attention and gave her both ideas. I get any and all credit!

Pastor’s boy is a great guess, I didn’t even think of that. It actually means Primitive Baptist.

Thank you.

Ohhh right, I should’ve been able to figure that out.

(I am so sorry if she has started calling you peanut butter)

Be weird. Be random. Be who you are. Because you ever know who would love the person you hide.

[Erynne]

@noah-cochran

I have roughly 10,000 words of this romance written so far. I thought you might like to hear what I came up with.

After a hard past, Marie got the wrong idea of what a relationship was. She got a clean slate when her best friend, Kat, opened her house up to her. Marie was happy for the first time in her adult life. She was in church, became a Christian and was proud to be single. All this changed when a strange guy met her at a church gathering and immediately took a liking to her. Afraid of getting hurt again, she avoided the guy and did her best to keep him away but failed miserably. The “just friends” things only lasted for so long, and soon Marie was entered into the brand-new world of dating with a Christian courtship. A marriage proposal was being planned, but so was a breakup. Due to a mysterious photo and staged letters, the truth about Marie’s past comes out leaving her single, heartbroken, and back to her old ways. If only she hadn’t lied… 

I am not a professional book blurb writer so excuse that XD

I’m not scared to share anything about the story, so if you have questions you can ask. I’d love to at least hear your opinion!

Be weird. Be random. Be who you are. Because you ever know who would love the person you hide.

[Noah Cochran]

@erynne

That sounds pretty interesting! It sounds like you’ve got small mystery of sorts with a romance. That’s always a good mix in my opinion.

Personal preference alert, but the one thing I would like to point out in your blurb is the line ‘proud to be single.’ I know this is a common thing people claim to be both in real life after a break up and in books, but in my opinion it is not at all a good thing. If it was shown as a flaw that would be better, but it is rather trite either way. Just something I noticed, it’s totally up to you though.

[Erynne]

@noah-cochran

‘proud to be single.’ I know this is a common thing people claim to be both in real life after a break up and in books, but in my opinion it is not at all a good thing.

Yep, I totally agree. It’s not a biblical perspective of things at all and a self-empowerment way to go.

However, it is shown as a flaw. Truth be told, she is not actually saved for about half the book, she’s just able to fool people, including herself. As soon as life turns hard again, she collapses completely and this is when her faith is really questioned.

That may have been poor terms on my end. She isn’t necessarily proud to be single, but she does her best to avoid relationships at any cost. I’m not sure how to describe what I mean, lol

I did stay up incredibly late last night and wrote 3,000 words. I am paying for it today, but a little coffee will solve that.

I am excited for draft two. I reread a page of what I wrote last night and burst out laughing because it was so cringey, I loved it 😂

Be weird. Be random. Be who you are. Because you ever know who would love the person you hide.

[Noah Cochran]

@erynne

However, it is shown as a flaw.

That’s sounds pretty good.

Truth be told, she is not actually saved for about half the book, she’s just able to fool people, including herself.

I’m not sure that’s how it works, but I won’t start my theology talk again. 🙂

I did stay up incredibly late last night and wrote 3,000 words.

Great job! Keep that up!

[Erynne]

@noah-cochran

That’s sounds pretty good

Ah good, I got Professor Cochran’s approval.

I’m not sure that’s how it works, but I won’t start my theology talk again. 🙂

Basically she thinks she’s saved because at one point she prayed a prayer and accepted Jesus into her heart 😉

So she believes she’s saved and she comes off as a “Christian” to most, but she isn’t actually saved. Does that sound better, Professor?

Be weird. Be random. Be who you are. Because you ever know who would love the person you hide.

[Noah Cochran]

@erynne

So she believes she’s saved and she comes off as a “Christian” to most, but she isn’t actually saved. Does that sound better, Professor?

What I was referencing was the possible theological/biblical inaccuracy of the statement. I assume you’re now saying that she thought that accepting Jesus saved her (Armenian belief) but that that was false. I agree that accepting does not save anyone, but I’m not sure I agree with the statement ‘she thought she was saved and came off as Christian, but she wasn’t saved.’ How does someone know if they’re saved or not?

If I was writing a character who considered themselves to be an elect and born again child of God, and they strove to be a Christian, then that character is already saved. But here I go again getting into theology. I shall stop there.

[Erynne]

@noah-cochran
😂 You’re good!

I always thought I was saved, but when I went into a hard depression I eventually realized I wasn’t, and it scared me. I always in a way knew I wasn’t because I was always scared of dying and I always doubted, but I would just tell myself I was paranoid.

Similar thing happens to her, she thinks she is but (eventually) comes to realize she isn’t and does something to change it. My character says “yes, I’m saved,” for a while but she also silently gripes when she has to go to church, has no idea where her Bible is, avoids talking about faith, and has never said a true prayer in her life. Of course, none of this saves you, but if you are saved you strive to become closer to God by doing these things.

After she opens up to her best friend about her doubting faith, she helps her work through it and after several months gets saved.

And yes, her friend had noticed her lack of faith before but she didn’t talk to her about it as much as she should’ve which she explains in the book. That’s a whole other story though.

If we agree to disagree that’s fine 🙂

• This reply was modified 3 weeks, 6 days ago by Erynne.

Be weird. Be random. Be who you are. Because you ever know who would love the person you hide.

[Noah Cochran]

If we agree to disagree that’s fine

Yep. 🙂

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