RendezvouswithGretchenRhue

So here we are…finally at #5. I have been enjoying summer vacation instead of blogging. Naughty, naughty! Back to the top ten!

# 5 – Write a Gourmet Story

Have you ever been stuck having to eat a bland diet? Yawn.

Readers crave flavor!

Just like marinading a steak or adding cinnamon to coffee, stories should be rich and scrumptious. Here are a few ways to make your story a delectable feast for your readers:

Catch Phrases

A good example of a catch phrase comes from Star Wars (Episode 4,5 & 6) when Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, and Princess Leia take turns repeating the famous line “I have a bad feeling about this.” It’s used just enough to be funny and endearing. And because different characters say it with the same emphasis on ‘bad’, it becomes almost an inside joke between the actors and the audience.

Catch phrases should be chosen very carefully and used sparingly or they will just be annoying or cheesy. Done correctly though, they can add interest to the story and pull the reader in.

Twists

Make sure you surprise the reader. Maybe even more than once. I can picture them reading like crazy with their eyes bulging out because they never expected a particular turn of events. And don’t save all the twists for the end. Sprinkle little ones throughout the story. If you have trouble thinking of twists, ask “what if.”

For example: “What if a main character’s dad didn’t really die? Was only presumed dead? Maybe they never found the body? Of course when the dad returns, it has to be believable, so provide a way to reassure the reader that you didn’t break rules of physics or ‘pull a rabbit out of a hat’.

Another easy way to create twists is to work backwards from ‘the reveal’ to any hints or clues leading to the twist.

The Power of Music

When at all possible include music in your story. Music evokes memories and feelings.

Perhaps your characters attend a rock concert or an opera. These two very different venues illustrate their tastes in music and helps to define them.

How tech-savvy are your characters? Do they have an iPod, an MP3 player, a transistor radio, a record player? How about an 8-track tape player? LOL! Do they download tunes, listen to Sirius Radio, or do they even illegally pirate songs for free? You can see how these details could help paint who your characters are.

What music is playing in the background? In the movie Twilight, Bella turns-on Edward’s stereo to see what he listens to. She is getting to know him and seems impressed that a vampire would be listening to “Clair de Lune.”

How about having your characters play an instrument, or even just whistle or hum a particular tune. In the movie Lady in White, (spoiler alert) the killer is discovered because of the song he whistles. To this day the song still gives me the chills! The choice of song tells a lot about them as does their instrument—whether it be a cello or just putting their lips together!

Tickle the Senses

Every scene should be a smörgåsbord for the senses. What do the characters see, hear, taste, smell and feel? The more unusual the better! In the movie Parent Trap, the twins (both played by a young—and more innocent—Lindsay Lohan) connect because they discover they both prefer to eat their Oreos with peanut butter. The audience imagines what that would taste like and then ‘connects’ with the characters.

The feelings the senses evoke don’t always have to be good. Readers will connect with ‘the good, the bad, and the ugly.’ In the movie Nanny McPhee, the children trick someone into eating ‘wormy sandwiches’. Every time I watch this with my kids, I squirm more than the worms do because it’s so disgusting.

Overall…

Your story should aim to make the reader react mentally and physically. They should laugh, cry, wish, hope, hurt, cringe, shiver, ache, smile, remember and/or be shocked, etc. Take a hard look at your story. Does it have the ingredients to make it gourmet?