How to Make a Story Stew

By Debby Giusti

Leaves are turning colors, temperatures have dropped, pumpkins decorate doorsteps, football is the sport of the season and folks are cooking comfort food, such as hearty stews.

The recipe is simple. Toss chunks of beef into a pot along with carrots and potatoes, a couple tomatoes, chopped onions and garlic, then cook over a low heat for three to four hours or in a crock pot to have the house filled with savory scents and stomachs growling in anticipation of the delicious dinner ahead.

While the preparation remains fairly constant, good cooks add their own special touches to layer the flavors and add pizazz to the stew. Some common additions include parsley, thyme, cayenne pepper, fresh spinach, bay leaves, Worcestershire sauce, sea salt and freshly ground pepper. The variations are numerous but always satisfying.

The same can be said for stories. We know the basic elements: the inciting incident, escalating tension, a hero and heroine with their own GMC (goals, motivation and conflict), the black moment, climax and resolution. Throw in an antagonist, AKA the villain in a suspense genre or a nosey neighbor or overbearing relative in a sweet romance. A prologue at the beginning reveals a pertinent detail from the past, and an epilogue brings a sigh of contentment to the happily-ever-after ending.

But how can we spice up our stories?

Here are a few suggestions to catch an editor’s interest and ensure your manuscript goes to contract…or similarly to hook a reader into buying not only your current book but your backlist, as well.

SECRETS Readers love secrets. Pepper your story with secrets and add a bit of foreshadowing to enhance the reader’s anticipation—or let your reader in on the secret, especially a secret that either the hero or the heroine doesn’t know about. In COUNTDOWN TO DEATH, every character had a secret. It was a fun challenge for me to write, and from what readers said, they enjoyed the reveals as the story progressed. Note to self: I need to season my next story with a few secrets. Shhh! Don’t tell.

SECRET BABIES are another ingredient that ups the tension and keeps the reader turning the page. When the hero in DANGEROUS AMISH INHERITANCE returns home after almost ten years, he finds the girl he loved living next door with her nine-year-old son who looks just like him.

CHILDREN Whether a secret baby or not, children are a delightful addition to any story. Their innocence and wit and their unexpected revelations keep not only the hero and heroine on their toes but also the reader who hopefully opens her heart to these adorable little ones. Their struggles and upsets will tug at the reader’s heartstrings and provide added depth to your story.

ANIMALS Pets add warmth to any tale. My grand pups had roles in two of my books, and the manuscript I sent to my editor a few weeks ago features an adorable beagle named Sadie who stole my heart the minute she appeared on the page. Don’t limit yourself to only dogs and cats, calves, piglets, goslings, even hamsters and gerbils can find a home in your story.

SYMBOLS I write suspense so my plots pit good against evil. Using light and darkness can underscore the mood at key plot points. Sunlight breaking through the cloudy sky, moonlight filtering through the trees, or the sun rising over the horizon can foreshadow scenes when good triumphs over evil. Conversely, twilight, dark shadows and a blackened sky evoke a more ominous setting.

OBJECTS AS SYMBOLS I used a missing cross necklace in SCARED TO DEATH. The cross is pivotal to the heroine’s journey, and is the reason she leaves her ordinary world and travels to Mercy, Georgia, where the action ensues. A symbol adds emotion to your story and draws your reader more deeply into the protagonist’s plight.

WEATHER Mother Nature provides unexpected twists in a story line. A blizzard, torrential rain, ice or blustery wind can heighten an already exciting scene and make the reader stay up late to ensure the hero and heroine survive the inclement weather. Foreshadowing an encroaching storm is another way to up the tension. Weather can force a hero and heroine to hole up in a deserted cabin or a hidden cave. It can thwart their plans and compound their problems whether writing humor or suspense. If you’re like me, you check the weather app on your phone frequently each day. Weather is important to us so use it in your stories.

MISTAKES and FLAWS When I first started writing, my characters were perfect creatures without flaws, and yes, they were boring. I quickly learned that past wounds and mistakes make interesting characters. What mistake in the hero’s past keeps him from fully embracing life and love? Does he feel unworthy because of something that still plays heavily on his heart? Is he unable to love himself or accept God’s love? A physical handicap can add dimension to a character, but the interior flaw, the baggage from the past, the regret and guilt that he can’t overcome adds even more depth to your story. Additionally, redemption provides a satisfying ending that leaves the reader eager to buy your next book.

SECONDARY CHARACTERS Toss a few secondary characters into your story stew. A mentor can provide sage advice, whether the protagonist accepts it or not. An older family member, such as a grandmother or a favorite aunt or uncle, can be a voice of reason when life seems to be boiling over with unrest. In the same way, a good friend provides a sounding board to whom the hero can bounce off ideas or voice his inner feelings. While good friends seek to help, a conniving friend may throw barriers in the hero’s path and be interested in his own gain instead of the well-being of the protagonist.

Remember to start with the basics to make your story stew, then add additional ingredients to provide a delectable tale your readers will savor with delight.

What ingredients have you added to your own story stew? Or what are the special spices you enjoy in the stories you read? Leave a comment to be entered in a drawing for my NOV release and Christmas story, IN A SNIPER’S CROSSHAIRS.

Happy Writing!

Wishing you abundant blessings,

Debby Giusti

www.DebbyGiusti.com

IN A SNIPER’S CROSSHAIRS

By Debby Giusti

An assassin’s loose in Amish country…and she’s not the only target.

When a radio broadcast describes taxi driver Lily Hudson’s passenger as an armed criminal, she becomes his immediate target. Narrowly escaping, Lily accepts Matthias Overholt’s offer to hide at his Amish family farm for Christmas—until evidence reveals the gunman’s plan is tied to Lily’s past. Now to prevent an assassination, Lily and Matthias must unravel a years-old conspiracy…and evade a sniper who has them in his sights.

Pre-Order HERE!