The Prompt

Write A Valentine’s Story

I know, you think I’m crazy, right? But if you’re a sick as I am (already) of the Christmas music in the mall (it’s early NOVEMBER!) and the magazine articles about ‘holiday entertaining’, then why not strike back, by skipping the festive season altogether and writing a Valentine’s story?

The bonus here is that, should you happen to write a story draft that has promise, you’ll have plenty of time to polish it and submit it well before the Valentine’s magazine deadlines roll around (end of Nov/early Dec). If you’re more of the Do-It-Yourself-er, then you’ll still need time to polish, format and market your story before February strikes.

And if you’re just writing for fun, what could be better than letting your story take you away from the present day?

Tips

• Put on some love songs and “think romantical thoughts”.
• Try writing a love story with a twist. Everything gets kind of sickly sweet around Valentine’s Day. Write a story for the people who really NEED a love story that day! This might include revenge, someone asserting their independence, someone walking away from a relationship, or a good old-fashioned farce.
• Ever watched a soppy movie or read a romance and hated the way it ended? Create some similar characters and give the story a better ending.
• Remember that story comes from character. Know your character before you start writing — what does she want? What does she need? How are these different? That’s where your story happens.

Go!