« Sci-Fi Story Ideas from Pulsars | BLOG HOME | Story Ideas from Gamma Ray Mysteries »
Love Story Ideas from the News
By Deb Gallardo
I recently read about a couple who “met” as young people in Poland during the Nazi regime. She and her family were posing as Christians to avoid internment. He was prisoner of the Nazis in her town. She would bring him apples daily until the day he was sent away to a death camp. Their story might have ended there and then, with his death presumably imminent. But soon after his arrival at the death camp, Allied forces liberated everyone there.
Fast forward to the 1950s in New York. They have both moved on, she believing he was dead, he not knowing what became of her.
He gives in to pressure to go on on a blind date. The woman is Polish, as he is, and they have much to talk about. When their conversation moves to wartime experiences, he mentions his internment. She relates the story of throwing an apple over the fence each day to a boy at that very camp. In wonder, he says, “That was me.”
STORY IDEAS TAKEAWAY:
What other historical, present-day or futuristic backdrops might you use to create a timeless love story/romance? The more conflict in the background, the greater the emotional impact and the higher the stakes. Plus, there are more opportunities to pull your lovers apart and bring them back together.
When they’re not separated by time and space, there are generally emotional or psychological barriers that keep them temporarily apart.
Regardless of what canvas you “paint” upon, be certain that you check guidelines for the sub-genre you choose. You may decide to write a science fiction story that contains a romance in it. This is far different from writing a romance that has elements of science fiction in it. In the former, the emphasis is on sci-fi. With the latter, it’s on the love story.
At Harlequin Intrigue, as another example, editor Debra Matteucci once described to me their spin on romantic intrigue. The two elements — the love story and the dangerous situation — are two strands that must be woven together. She likened it to a braid (although I use 3 strands when braiding, so the analogy isn’t perfect). If you removed one strand, you don’t have a complete story.
In other words, if you lift the love story out of the suspense/intrigue/mystery tale, and the story is still viable, then you haven’t met their specs. Likewise, if you can remove the dangerous situation without destroying the love story, then you also haven’t met their specs. The two must be so interlinked that without one or the other, there is no story.
Other subgenre publishers will have their own definitions and requirements. Let this real life story inspire your creativity.
I welcome your comments below.
Related Posts
- Story Ideas – Online Story Idea Generators
- Story Ideas – the Earth-Sun Connection
- Creative Writing – - No More Excuses!
- Story Ideas – Full Moon at Perigee
- More Creative Writing Resources
No Comments »