Writing Tips We Can Learn from Downton Abbey - Part One

By Linda Wood Rondeau 

I’ve never been a fan of serial drama. When St. Elsewhere and Hill Street Blues hit the airwaves, I had a hard time with leaving the characters in such awful straits for a whole week. Maybe the more modern dramas like Castle re-shaped my tolerance for the night-time soap format.

I suppose there’d been a lot of chatter about the British series storming the country, but I was clueless until someone gifted me with a DVD of Season 1 and 2. By the second episode my husband and I were hooked. We couldn’t wait to watch season three. The more I watched, the more I wondered. What makes this show so successful?

I’ve seen a lot of shows tank even with great actors.

In most cases of successful television, as in Downton Abbey, the appeal is multi-faceted.

Jim Carter (Carson) stated that while in Los Angeles he was approached by a woman fan who said, “Downton Abbey and your performance make me want to live a better life.” He hadn’t thought of the show in terms of religious significance. Yet, there is no arguing, it has profound resonance with its viewers. We writers can learn from that resonance.

Universal Theme

“The sun is rising behind Downton Abbey, a great and splendid house in a great and splendid park. So secure does it appear that it seems as if the way of life it represents will last for another thousand years. It won’t.” This is the main thrust of the series, says its creator Julian Fellowes.           

Like Tevye from Fiddler on the Roof, Lord Grantham, a man of good moral character committed to his way of life, must cope with three daughters and a wife who do not see the world through the same set of glasses. The generational conflict intensifies through the eyes of Violet, Dowager Countess of Grantham, who is through and through an Englishwoman. Convention vs. forced change is a common theme in literature and is a great tool for the development of conflict in a story. Whether the convention is a political system or a family tradition, we identify with both the character who wants to be free from expectation and the loving institution that seeks to preserve a way of life. The theme is as old as the parable of the prodigal son.

The Story’s Elements support the central theme

A good work of fiction will use the elements of story to support its theme, and Downton Abbey does not disappoint in this regard. “I adore Downton Abbey,” says Yvonne Lehman, author of Hearts that Survive—A Novel of the Titanic.  “Love the British accent, the times, the clothing, the difference in the aristocracy and working class, and yet the sameness in emotions, hopes, and dreams.”

Kristy Wedge Cambron states that she loves the “intoxicating mixture of expertly written characters both upstairs and down, the ever-present storyline of history in every episode, and the sweeping set/costume design.”

In Downton Abbey, all story elements work together to support the idea of class struggle and changing mores. 

Part Two of my post on Monday, April 14th, will cover Setting, Characters, Plot and Dialogue. This weekend can you write an outline for Season Four’s opening episode in keeping with Downton charm and spirit?

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Linda Wood Rondeau is a native of Central New York, she graduated from North Syracuse High School and later Houghton College. She moved to Northern New York where she met and married Steve Rondeau, her best friend in life, and managed a career in human services before tackling professional writing. After thirty-four years she and her husband have relocated to Jacksonville, Florida to start a new adventure...leaving rural America to live in a city of one million. Of course, the more favorable temperatures allow her to follow another great passion--golf. Rondeau's romantic suspense, The Other Side of Darkness, is the winner of the 2012 Selah Award for best first novel. Her romance, It Really IS a Wonderful Life is already a best seller. Joining her contemporary works is her first non-fiction, I Prayed for Patience/God Gave Me Children. Her paranormal suspense, Days of Vines and Roses is now available in both book and ebook format. Find her at http://www.lindarondeau.com/ and http://fullflavoredliving.blogspot.com/ and http://lindarondeau.blogspot.com/

By This You Will Be Known

By Doyne Phillips, Managing Editor for Southern Writers Magazine

What will be your claim to fame? What do you want it to be? We all have ideas about what we would like to be known for but the truth is we seldom have a choice. Many are known for a particular talent we have, an event we are a part of or a folly we willingly or unwillingly participate in. Past Presidents with high hopes and expectations have left behind their defining moments of scandals, program failures and questioned conflicts. I am sure it isn’t what they had in mind but again we can’t always choose.

Rick Monday played 18 years of Major League Baseball. Rick Monday was an Arkansas born, California raised player that was fortunate to have the years and the success he had. Today he is a sports announcer and still active in the game in many ways. I am sure that Rick, like most Major Leaguers, had dreams of being remembered as a great left hander with a .264 batting average, 241 home runs and 775 runs batted in. He was twice chosen as an All-Star 1968 and 1978, and was a World Champion on the 1981 World Champion LA Dodgers team. But there were two events that defined his career. These are known as “The American Flag Incident” and the second was “Blue Monday”

“Blue Monday” came about as he was playing for the LA Dodgers in 1981 during the National League Championship Series against the Montreal Expos. There had been an earlier rain delay and the deciding game was played on Monday afternoon. Rick Monday hit a ninth inning, 2 out, 2 run homer that made the difference in a LA victory. This dashed the hopes of the Expos only chance at a Pennant in their 36 years in the National League representing Montreal. Expos fans today still refer to the 5^th game in that NLCS as “Blue Monday”. 

The Dodgers went on to beat the Yankees 4 games to 2 to win the 1981 World Series. Years later in a Canadian documentary he told the story of being held up at Dorval Airport by Canadian immigration officers. He missed his connecting flight. When he inquired about the reason, the officer asked if he was the former Dodger player, and smiled.

“The American Flag Incident” occurred in 1976. Monday was with the Cubs and was experiencing the finest year of his career. In a game at Dodger’s Stadium on April 25^th in the first two protestors came onto the field to burn an American Flag. They had doused it with lighter fluid and their first attempt failed. Just as they were about to strike their second match Rick Monday came dashing out of nowhere and snatched up the flag. Monday, a US military Marine Corp Reserve later said, “If you are going to burn the flag don’t do it around me.” At Monday’s next at bat the crowd gave him a standing ovation and on the large board was, “RICK MONDAY…YOU MADE A GREAT PLAY…” 

On September 2, 2008 during the Dodgers game, Monday was presented with a Peace One Earth medallion by Patricia Kennedy, founder of the non-profit organization Step up 4 Vets, for his actions on April 25^th, 1976. The flag is in Monday’s possession and Monday has been offered as much as one million dollars for it. 

Just as your parents chose the perfect name for you, then your friends decided you would be better suited called by a nickname some not so kind, your fame may also be at the choosing of others.  Rick Monday’s career defining moments, chosen by baseball, were great ones. 

We at Southern Writers Magazine hope your defining moments are chosen and recognized as edifying to you and your career. I do know any recognition received from Southern Writers Magazine will be positive and career building.     

The Forgotten Character – Setting

By Marian Merritt

Think about the books you've read that have stayed with you—they probably had great characters, but I'd venture to say they brought you to a place you'd never been and made you feel that you'd been there when you finished.

Grounding your character in the setting does this, but bringing the setting to life does much more. I'm not talking about line after line of description. That's a sure way to lose your readers.

Showing the love/hatred of the setting (land, house, town, culture, etc.) through the character's eyes and using the setting to draw the reader.

For example:

Moss hung from the branches of the tall oaks.

Versus:

The stately oaks extended their branches in greeting, welcoming her home to a place she'd long abandoned. The thick clumps of moss waved as though to say, "hello, we've missed you."

It's giving human qualities to parts of the setting so the reader can imagine the setting more clearly. The technique is called personification or anthropomorphism.

Here are a few examples of personification. Notice how the reader gains a deeper view of what the writer is trying to say.

The flowers were wilted                                   The flowers begged for water

The sun emerged from behind the clouds        The sun peeked from behind the clouds

The trees were on fire                                      The fire swallowed the trees

Lightning broke the evening sky                      Lightning danced across the evening sky

Use judiciously so as to make the greatest impact when used.

As a writer whose stories are set in the south, it's important that readers who have never ventured below the Mason-Dixon line get to experience the area through my stories. I feel I've accomplished my goal when a reader says, "It feels like I've been there." Or "I want to go there."

Another important factor is bringing in all five senses—If you're writing a story set in the deep South, let your readers experience the sticky feel of ninety-percent humidity, see the Technicolor green of the lush trees and plants, the earthy taste of ground sassafras blended in a steaming bowl of Seafood gumbo, hear the deafening chorus of frog, crickets, and cicadas on a quiet summer night and smell the rich aroma of the earth after a torrential rain.

There are unique features to all settings. Dig deep to find them and bring them to life through personification and the use of the senses in your stories.

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Marian Pellegrin Merritt writes stories that blend her love of the mountains with her deep Southern roots. She is an author and freelance writer with over ten years experience. Her work has appeared in newspapers, magazines and online websites and garnered a first place award in ACFW's Genesis contest. Marian is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Women's Fiction Writers Association. Her first fiction title, Southern Fried Christmas, released in 2012.  She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in physical therapy and an accounting certificate from the University of South Alabama. This Louisiana native writes from the Northwest Colorado home she shares with her husband and a very spoiled Labradoodle. Connect with her through Website, Blog, Facebook, Twitter Her books, The Vigil and Deep Freeze Christmas will be releasing from Pelican Book Group later this year.

7 Ways to Avoid Awkward Exposition

by Gary Fearon, Creative Director, Southern Writers Magazine


We've talked before on the blog about heavy-handed dialogue, the kind that intends to convey meaningful insight but instead winds up as clumsy or ill-timed exposition.  There are few quicker ways to jar an audience out of your fictional magnificence and snap them back to reality.

So how are we supposed to get essential details across without banging readers over the head with blatancy? Here are several ways those who've gone before us have done it:

1. Through the voice of an expert
A detective investigating a crime, a professor teaching a class, or two colleagues having a work discussion all have valid reason to go into details that might not appear in normal conversation. Even then, it's inadvisable to spill everything at once.  We've all seen confessions on TV shows that were too easily evoked and earnestly explained.

2. In the midst of a bigger distraction
In Jaws, when shark hunter Quint describes his horrifying experiences with maneaters to Chief Brody and oceanographer Hooper, it's nighttime in a boat and we're already anticipating toothy Bruce any minute now.  We're grateful for not only the opportunity to delay the terror, but also for the informative details that tell us what we're up against.

3. As a sidenote
At a wedding in The Godfather, Michael Corleone's girlfriend wants to know how it came to be that a famous singer is attending.  The resulting story reveals essential workings of the "family business" as well as the power of Michael's don dad. It comes across as a natural extension of the conversation.

4. In a hurry
"I only have a minute to tell you this," is a good excuse to unload a lot of info in a short amount of time. In Back to the Future, Marty learns about time machines, flux capacitors and plutonium in the time it takes for Libyan terrorists to show up.

5. That old favorite, Show Don't Tell
We could either devote unnecessary pages of dialogue to having a wallflower bemoan to her friends that she doesn't hit it off with guys and has a crummy car, or we can write a dramatic scene showing her striking out at a party and getting in a car that won't start.
     In an adventure tale involving a superhero or a secret agent, we would rather see their futuristic gadgetry in action than hear about it.  If we already knew the Batmobile could turn into a boat, we wouldn't think "how cool is that" when it surprises us.

6. An eye for detail
The scenery itself has its own backstory to tell.  A reception area with perfect furniture and fresh flowers says success.  A city in ruins spells war.  A desk littered with books, papers and Oreos means you've seen my office.  Don't judge me.

7. Do It Like Disney
Disney wastes no time revealing what the heroine wants.  We hear it all in their opening number.  While our novel's protagonist may not be able to burst into song, we can give a glimpse into the longings of his or her heart through the actions they take.  Checking the want ads, joining a gym, or working on a lab experiment after coworkers all go home give some indication of motivation.
     First impressions are among the strongest, which makes the beginning of the story the ideal time to establish traits that can be subtly built upon over the course of the story.

The devil, as they say, may be in the details, but we can ease their arrival by creating non-forced moments in which to position our exposition.

How I Survived NaNoWriMo 2013 (Without Dying to my Family)

By Bethany Macmanus

With November 2013 come and gone, I'm 50K words into my romantic suspense novel, thanks to NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). To say writing with a goal of 1667 words a day, every single day, was challenging, would be an understatement. Honestly, at this point, my family is hoping I don't do it again next year (maybe they'll come around—I've got a year to get them to see things my way!).

As the month and the novel both transpired, here are some things I found worked for me.

·        I used the “timed typing” function on my AlphaSmart to yank myself free of distractions like the Internet, and to focus on simply getting words on the screen, without my inner editor screaming its head off. True, there were spelling and punctuation issues I'd be embarrassed for even my mother to read, but it got the job done, and that's what's important in NaNo.

·        I lowered my house cleanliness standards, and then I lowered them again. I didn't let ANYONE see my house during NaNo, and I might have even walked around talking to the clutter to let it know it would meet its demise, come December. I also lowered my nutrition standards, letting my kids eat more fish sticks, frozen pizza, and mac 'n' cheese from a box than I would be comfortable admitting in many social circles.

·        Don't tell anyone, but for some scenes, if I wasn't hearing my characters' thoughts that day, I would just brainstorm description for the setting, dialogue, what the characters knew so far, and what they needed to find out. What their goals, motivations, and conflicts were for that scene; and reminders in caps for stuff I needed to change, that I'd written earlier.

·        I asked people on the social networks (namely Facebook) to hold me accountable if they saw me on there. I did, and they did. Enough said 'bout that...

·        I used inspiring sounds and smells liberally. Gomixit.com is a great white noise producer because it has variety, and it's free. I occasionally played my Celtic music while the timer was going on my AlphSmart, because the lively rhythms made me type faster. For scents, I used both candles and essential oils. If I found the setting of a scene difficult to visualize or get into, I would play YouTube videos of similar settings, whatever I could find to get those cogs turning.

·        I assigned a reward to myself, every day for the month of November. It might be helpful to write it on a calendar to yourself (I didn't do that, just thought of it right now). Some days, I asked my husband to hold my reward in safekeeping until I finished my NaNo.

·        I backed out of anything I possibly could, for the month. This included PTO, author meetings, critique partner responsibilities and chat time, etc. I apologized profusely to folks for my lapse in commitment.

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Bethany Macmanus lives in Houston with her husband, daughter and son. After practicing as an RN for five years, Bethany left the nursing field to pursue a fiction writing passion the Lord planted in her heart when she was a child. And as Nancy Drew mysteries were her guilty pleasure during those early years, so she naturally gravitates her pen toward the things that go bump in the night.She draws many interesting and perplexing facts from her former career. These come in handy when her characters get themselves into serious scrapes, and give a psychological spin to many of her plots. She’s allergic to milk, Sulfa drugs, and people who stop in the middle of intersections while driving. She has been a member American Christian Fiction Writers since Jan. 2011. She has been honored in 2011 ACFW Genesis contest Finalist for Mystery/Suspense/Thriller and 2013 RWA Daphne du Maurier (unpublished)contest Finalist for Inspirational Romantic Suspense. She has authored Six Solitude Road and Murdered Between Stalagmites. 

She blogs on her website, at http://bethanymacmanus.com/blog 

Facebook: http://facebook.com/bethanymacmanusauthor 

Twitter: @bgmacmanus

What do you do with your NaNoWriMo novel?

By Betsy Duffey and Laurie Myers

What do you do with your NaNoWriMo novel?

The start is so exciting and for several weeks, the constant stream of writing flows almost beyond thought.  This can be a good thing -- to let your fingers fly on the keys and not edit or judge the words. The quantity of words alone is amazing.

But what do you do with it when you are finished?

Growing up our mother had a pantry, a closet where food was stored. We would cook fresh food from the store supplemented with dry goods and canned goods from the pantry. 

The Nano Novel for us becomes the pantry. Not a complete book but a treasure trove of words to draw from as we compose books going forward.

Three of the characters in our upcoming book The Shepherd’s Song came from NaNoWriMo two years ago. The ideas were only a beginning, images recorded: A young man following a red beret down a city street. A woman fleeing her abuser sitting in a tattoo parlor. An older woman in an assisted living facility trying to write a children’s book. Beginnings. But great beginnings.

In the book we are currently, writing two characters had their beginnings in last year’s efforts. A clown struggling to find his identity. A woman on a Ferris wheel with a fear of heights.

The images from that burst of creative flow can be powerful and can come onto the page with depth and dimension. Settings come; bits of dialog, scenes unfold. Somehow, for us they are pieces -- not a whole. 

This year, no NaNoWriMo we’re still working from the pantry of the last two years. The pantry is still chocked full of ideas from that previous year’s burst of creativity. Maybe next year we’ll try again.

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Betsy Duffey and Laurie Myers were born into a writing family, and began at an early age critiquing manuscripts for their mother, Newbery winner, Betsy Byars. They went on to become authors of more than thirty-five children’s novels. Their first novel for adults, The Shepherd’s Song, released March 11, 2014 by Howard Books. They live in Georgia. You can connect with Betsy and Laurie on their website   www.WritingSisters.com

10 Writing Lessons from Lilly Pulitzer

By Annette Cole Mastron, Communications Director for Southern Writers Magazine

Almost a year ago, Lilly Pulitzer Rousseau died. She lived a full, bold, and colorful 81-year life. Her iconic fashion legacy continues, and her life provides valuable lessons for all writers. 

Her fashions have spanned three generations. Her line was unique and affordable. Her first shifts cost $22. Wearing a Lilly Pulitzer "anything," can transform your attitude. They are "happy" clothes and remind you of a beach vacation. They remind you to dream.

Lilly made the most of her background. She was heir to the Standard Oil fortune. She attended the Chapin School with the Bouvier sisters, Jacqueline and Lee. She married Peter Pulitzer at age 21, and they moved to Palm Beach, FL, where he owned several Florida citrus orange groves. Oranges from the groves gave Lilly her first idea, open a juice stand in the heart of Palm Beach. Her next idea was born of necessity. To camouflage the juice stains, Lilly designed a sleeveless shift dress made from bold, colorful and brightly-printed cotton. These prints were unlike anything in the prim and proper fashion world of the late 1950's. She hung up extra shifts at the back of the juice stand and began selling them. She quickly discovered juice customers loved her "Lilly's." Selling more dresses than orange juice, Lilly changed her focused on selling her shifts, expanding her clothing line and developed her business.

It certainly didn't hurt that Lilly moved in America's elite society circles that often were photographed appearing in magazines. This was a time in the world prior to cable and the Internet. Print magazines were how fashion was measured. America's "royalty," First Lady, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Caroline Kennedy, and members of the Rockefeller, Vanderbilt, and Whitney families were all photographed in "Lilly's" at society functions and while on vacation. America wanted to be them, or at least look like them. 

The Washington Post reported in 1966 that Lilly’s dresses were “so popular that at the Southampton Lilly shop, they are proudly put in clear plastic bags tied gaily with ribbons so that all the world may see the Lilly of your choice.” Thus "preppy" was cool and became associated with Lilly attire. Even President Ronald Reagan donned a Lilly Pulitzer tie. 

Like all good things, in 1984 Lilly closed her colorful clothing operation. A twenty-five year run, not bad. However, that is not the end of Lilly's iconic brand. In 1992, Lilly's company was resurrected by investors with a new target market and continues to thrive. 

Lesson One: write and evolve so you can find your niche and appeal to readers. Lilly started out as a juice stand operator created her simple "shift" to hide the juice stains. She then embraced the shift as her new product. As Lilly said, “The Lilly girl is always full of surprises…she lives every day like it’s a celebration, never has a dull moment."

Lesson Two: write a unique story to set yourself apart from the crowd. Think of Lilly and her colorful signature prints as you write colorful descriptive scenes that jump off the page. As Lilly said, “We believe elegance can be casual. We believe gracefulness can be compatible with fits of laughter. We believe in living a colorful life”

Lesson Three: write, even without pay in order to get exposure for your name and to highlight your writing style. If you are invited to write, do it regardless of pay. Everyone starts out making nothing. Lilly started her business to sell off oranges and turned it into a brand that eventually sold for $60 million. As Lilly said, “If you haven’t any charity in your heart, you have the worst kind of heart trouble.”

Lesson Four: writers need to transform their attitudes. If something isn't working in your story, spring to the next part of the story. Don't get bogged down. As Lilly said, “Despite the forecast, live like it’s spring.”

Lesson Five: take time to dream and enjoy the process of writing. One of the reasons I write with a Lilly pen when not at the computer is to remind me to dream. You may have guessed, my screen saver is my favorite Lilly print, they make me happy. As Lilly said, “It’s always summer somewhere.”

Lesson Six: writers need to be flexible, when rejected keep moving forward. If you find yourself covered in orange juice think of Lilly and move to the next step. As Lilly said, "Not always sunny, but I can always be in a sunny state of mind” 

Lesson Seven: writers need to use their individual backgrounds and contacts to move their dream forward, that of becoming a successful writer. Get connected in all phases of social media, so friends form your past and readers can find you. Maintain a website so your books can be linked to purchase methods. Be ready for success. As Lilly said, “Jackie [Kennedy] wore one of my dresses – it was made from kitchen curtain material – and people went crazy.”

Lesson Eight: writers should carefully choose their book covers. Many readers reportedly choose a book to read primarily by the book cover. It wouldn't hurt to have people pictured reading your book. Then, post the picture to your various social media sites. As Lilly said, “I didn't set out to be unusual or different. I just wanted to do things my way.”

Lesson Nine: writers need to protect their brand and be willing to expand their writing to other target markets. In other words, reimagine your books and stories. Several well-known authors known for their legal thrillers now also write young adult fiction. Expand your genre writing, stretch your imagination.  As Lilly said, “I designed collections around whatever struck my fancy… fruits, vegetables, politics, or peacocks! I entered in with no business sense. It was a total change of life for me, but it made people happy.”

Lesson Ten: enjoy the writer's journey. A good day of writing gives you sheer joy. Just like putting on Lilly Pulitzer attire gives you a jolt of happy. As Lilly said, “Being happy never goes out of style.”

What a legacy and to think it all started with a juice stand! Thank you, Lilly Pulitzer, you still inspire! 

Building a Fictional Town for Your Book

By Patricia Potter

When I started writing “A Soldier’s Promise,” I knew I had a problem. All my other books were set in an actual place: Atlanta that I knew well, Memphis that I knew nearly as well, Boston that I had visited many times and the Georgia coast that I had haunted for many years. Other locations were intentionally vague: a Texas Ranger station, a ranch in Colorado, a trail drive, etc. But now I was writing a book where a small town is really a character in the book. I wanted it to be eccentric, and quite obviously I couldn’t use a real one where everyone knows everyone. The only solution was to build my own town.

“Promise” is the story of a wounded vet returning to a life foreign to him after eighteen years in the army. With him is Amos, a retired military dog with PTSD. My vet, a loner without family, is seeking a quiet refuge where the two can heal each other. That refuge is a cabin left to him by his best friend who was killed in their last battle together.

But where to place that town and what and who should be included? I knew I wanted him to go to a small town in Colorado on the edge of the Rockies. The first step was a giant Colorado map on which I circled every small town. Then I googled each one. Most have web sites with valuable details: population, industry if any, businesses, city government. The latter was particularly helpful. It often included the composition of city government and the size of its police department, including the names of officers and dispatchers. The latter was doubly valuable for providing names typical of the region. When I thought additional information was needed, I would call the listed number and, as always, people were always eager to answer any questions.

Armed with this information, I then went to the State of Colorado web site as well as my own encyclopedia for information on weather, flora and wildlife. I knew the story would include a rattlesnake bite and a national forest. After days of estimating distances and researching towns, I decided to place my town of approximately 3,000 souls about a hundred miles west of Pueblo.   

I had the basics now. At last, I could become a town planner. I designed my l town, complete with street names, businesses, town hall, elementary and high school, police station and a community center. There’s a hardware store, of course, and a sarcastic veterinarian who is also involved in search and rescue. There is an elderly doctor, a grocery store, drug store, small bank branch, real estate and insurance company, general store with some clothing, service station and garage, Maude’s diner that makes the best steaks in Colorado and four bars/saloons. There is a lake, public picnic area and community center with ball fields.   Everyone knows everyone, and when a newcomer appears, there is mass community interest, the last thing my protagonist wants.

A big problem was the town’s name. My original name was Lake City until I discovered a small town of similar size in the Colorado Mountains named Lake City. I was halfway through the book then and couldn’t believe I had missed it when researching small towns. But just as a precaution, I googled Lake City and sure enough there was one. Back to the drawing board. I ended up with Covenant Falls and you have to read the book to find out why. It has to do with a legend and Colorado history.

       

Once I had my town, the population was easy. It’s decidedly elderly because young people have to go elsewhere for jobs. The mayor is a widow with an eight-year-old son and a motley crew of rescue dogs. She is constantly at war with the president of the city council.

         

Covenant Falls is now as real to me as my own Memphis and I expect it will be the location of other books. After all, I did build it.             

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Patricia Potter is the USA Today Bestselling Author of more than sixty books, including historical romances, suspense and romance. Her complete list of her books can be found at Romance Wiki. She has been published by Bantam, Berkley, Harper and Harlequin, and her books has been translated into twelve languages. She is a past president of the 10,000-member Romance Writers of America, Georgia Romance Writers and River City Romance Writers. She is an avid advocate of animal rescue groups, including Pets for Vets, and is the proud adoptive mother of two rescue Australian Shepherd mixes. You can connect with Patricia on her website and blog, She shares this site with five other best-selling authors, Story Broads. Her latest book, A Soldier’s Promise, released April 1, 2014. 

Writing on the Day for Humor

By Susan Reichert, Editor-in-Chief for Southern Writers Magazine

Happy April Fool’s Day. According to Brady’s ClavisCalendaria (1812): “The joke of the day is to deceive persons by sending them upon frivolous and nonsensical errands; to pretend they are wanted when they are not, or, in fact, any way to betray them into some supposed ludicrous situation, so as to enable you to call them ‘An April Fool.’” Now, I could not help but think when I read this how fun for a writer to make up situations with their characters where one character makes the other character feel they are wanted but when in fact they are not. Oh, and then put their characters in ludicrous situations, to make them look like a fool. I am sure many writers have followed just this type of situation with their characters. Wonder if they knew they were making their character out to be an April Fool?

The day is filled with all sorts of jokes, pranks and trickery everywhere you turn.

Have you had anyone pull a prank on you on April Fool’s? What was the prank and what was your reaction to it?

Ever done some foolish things? Were they in fun? Did you feel like a fool?

Have you made your list of the people you might want to play a joke on? Might be wise to make a list of people who could play a joke on you so you will be prepared.

At any rate, today would be a good day to write either a short story or a scene in which we play a prank on a character. Remember it has to be something funny, not mean.

Now let’s see, what kind of prank could I write about that would create a buzz?

Happy April Fool’s Day!