At the beginning of last week, I did something very out of character.
Even though I had loads of responsibilities (a kids’ dentist appointment, dance performances, and a baseball game on top of regular day-to-day and work duties) I drove three hours up to Yosemite National Park to take part in what was essentially a 2-day reader’s retreat.
If you follow along with Reese Witherspoon’s book club, you might have seen her “Camp Unwritten” events publicized. Readers get to go camping in luxury canvas tents and under the stars, alongside famous authors. They do bookish crafts, roast s’mores, eat and drink from chef-prepared literary-inspired food and cocktail menus, exchange books, participate in author book signings and Q&As, and take an excursion into nature. So, in a nutshell it is an idyllic experience for book lovers.
And yet, a part of me was terrified of going. Why? Because not only was I feeling the “Mom guilt,” but despite me spilling my guts in these missives, I am actually quite shy by nature. Especially in big groups where I know no one.
I waffled about going for weeks, but it wasn’t until I learned that the second, surprise, author that would be in attendance was the author of my first five-star book of the year: Into the Blue by Emma Brodie. Rainbow Rowell, the other author in attendance led a star-studded credence to the event already, but since I’d just finished Into the Blue I was especially eager to meet Brodie.
I imagined a moment where I could speak to her one-on-one and ask the question that had been on my mind since finishing the book: How the heck did she manage to create so much yearning?
So I packed those bags, shoved down the guilt, and purchased a ticket. And reader, it was magical.
A few kisses from the divine happened to me that first night. First, as I was awkwardly standing around at cocktail hour, trying to figure out whom to approach for small talk, I noticed a table set up for book bedazzling. We were given copies of Rainbow Rowell’s Slow Dance to decorate with tiny little gems. So of course, instead of mingling, I opted for the real introvert option of crafting and chatting with people who sat down beside me.
Photo courtesy of Reese's Book Club photographer at Camp Unwritten
At one point, as I was buried in my craft, I looked up and the author herself had sat down and was bedazzling her own book with us. She chatted about the book, about her experience writing it and where the inspiration came from and she was just so lovely and down-to-earth and funny.
Shortly after, when they called for dinner, the second magical thing happened. Again, I swallowed down my shyness and awkwardly scanned for an open seat at one of the dinner tables. I found one that didn’t look too intimidating and lo and behold, I wound up sitting down across from Emma Brodie. (!!)
The whole group chatted over dinner, but at one point, as things started coming to a close, I took a deep breath and asked Emma if I could ask her a craft question. She agreed and we dove into a conversation about writing and publishing and it was so lovely. And so here I am, bringing you the wisdom gleaned from an author who wrote such a beautiful book.
If you haven’t heard of, or read, Into the Blue, it’s a love story about AJ and Noah, who meet as teens at a video rental store and bond over a cult show, Astronomicals. They spend the summer learning improv, and acting, their friendship deepening in the most electric way, until Noah disappears from AJ’s life without an explanation. Years later, she’s working as a writer for Saturday Night Live and he is a famous movie star and they are reunited for work on an Astronomicals spin off show. Their acting chemistry is as off-the-charts as it was when they were young, but there’s a lot of mess and heartbreak they must each contend with if they can be together.
So, as I mentioned above, the thing that really stuck out to me about this book was the pure yearning we felt from the POV character AJ for Noah. So I asked Emma for some insight to her process.
The first thing she did was take a happily-ever-after off the table. I won’t give any spoilers, but suffice it to say that there are very big—very real, external—reasons that they cannot be together.
The second thing she did was make the male character, Noah, “larger than life.”
Over the course of the book, starting in the beginning, we see Noah’s movie star rise. He comes from a long line of famous, successful actors, and then later he is running through the Oscar circuit, grasping his own nominations and awards. And by making him larger than life, it makes it more difficult for AJ to accept that she is good enough for him.
Whether you are writing romance or any other genre, there is something here that you can use to make your story stronger. The thing to remember is that number one: desire fuels your book, and the stronger that desire, the more your reader will care. And number two: the more out of reach you make that desire, the more your readers will be on tenterhooks to see if they can attain it.
You’ve seen this advice a million times—from me, even: Torture your character. Make things hard for your character. Create obstacles that prevent them from getting what they want. Etc., etc, etc. Yada yada yada.
But I like Emma’s reframe: take the happy ending off the table.
I’ll say it again: Take the happy ending off the table. Or at least make it feel like there is no happy ending coming. Craft your story around so many insurmountable obstacles (internal and external) that it feels like no matter what your character does, they lose something substantial.
And when you couple that feeling of utter impossibility with a desire that eclipses all else…that’s where the magic happens.
Okay, but how do you actually do that? It’s so much easier said than done, right? Well here are a couple of questions I hope will help guide you as you draft or revise to strengthen your desire + impossibility foundation:
What does your character want so badly that they would risk embarrassment, heartbreak, failure, or loss to pursue it?
Why does this desire matter specifically to this character? What wound, longing, fear, or unmet need makes it deeply personal?
What would achieving this desire mean to them emotionally? (Love? Safety? Worthiness? Freedom? Redemption?)
What false belief or insecurity makes them feel unworthy of the thing they want?
How can you make the object of desire feel larger-than-life, intimidating, unattainable, or just beyond your character’s reach?
What external circumstances make a happy ending seem impossible?
What internal obstacles make your character their own worst enemy?
If your character gets what they want, what might they lose in the process?
What is the cost of pursuing this desire—and is it high enough?
Where in the story can you make your character believe, even briefly, that hope itself was a mistake?
If your character walked away from this desire entirely, what ache would remain?
And this one: What would have to be true for your character to believe that a happy ending simply isn’t possible?
These aren’t easy questions to answer, by any means, but I think they will help you if you’re struggling to figure out how to create that desire-obstacles push/pull that will help keep your readers engaged. And if you’re not struggling, then you can pressure test your book by answering the questions and confirming that what you’re trying to accomplish is actually coming across on the page.
One final thought I want to share with you is my other big takeaway from Camp Unwritten in case you need a little pep talk, as I did.
Do the thing that makes you just a little bit uncomfortable. Growth happens when we leave our little safety bubble, and when we open ourselves up to experiences we might not initially want to sign up for. You’re here because you’re writing and book or because you want to write a book. There’s a lot about writing that feels pretty dang uncomfortable.
But the more you do it, the more you put yourself out there, the easier it gets. And who knows, you might just meet some really interesting people along the way. There’s a world of readers out there, and this bookish retreat just gave me one more “why” to add to my list of why I do this. Because of the light books shine in other people’s lives.
If we don’t try, we might miss out on what’s possible.
So put your own happy ending back on the table. 💫
Offerings
I'm committed to bringing you free quality craft, publishing industry, and motivational content on a regular basis. But for those of you who want more, here's my menu of services!
Developmental Edits: Booked through May! Reach out if you're spinning your wheels in the query trenches or want a professional eye to help you figure out what's working and what's not. Email me or schedule a free 30-min chat.
Group Coaching: If you'd like to join us, we do 12-weeks of writing sprints 4-5x/week, and bi-weekly trainings and hot-seat coaching for a low quarterly rate. If you're looking for motivation, momentum, community, accountability, and a deepening of your craft skills, consider joining us! Find out more here. Let me know if you'd like to get on the wait list for the next session.
First chapter evaluations: Quick, simple feedback on your first 10 pages. Learn more or book here.
And that’s it for now! My goal is to simplify my offerings, and my newsletter, so that I can focus on doing the things I love (writing, teaching writing, connecting with authors, and providing clarity on the traditional publishing process) while serving you to the best of my abilities.
✨Momentum bites✨ Prompts to get your creative juices flowing:
👤Character👤
What do they desperately want more than anything in the world?
💖Mindset💖
Do something that scares you just a little, especially in your writing.
🎨Take action🎨
Set a 20 minute timer and try sitting down to do some writing practice.
Thanks so much for being here with me. I value you and I sincerely hope that I provide value for your writing journey. If you feel inclined, drop me a line and let me know what you’re working on!