by Lisa Jordan, @lisajordan and Tari Faris, @FarisTari

Susie is across the pond, racing down the Autobahn, exploring incredible castles, and feasting on culinary delights with her favorite guys.

So, while the cat’s away, the mice (Lisa Jordan and Tari Faris) will play…err, take over Susie’s post for today.

(That cat is not Susie’s spirit animal—it’s a picture of my feline niece, Chloe.)

Last Friday, I had tea with a new friend—we’d met on Facebook. Funny thing is, she lives in the south, but she was in my area on vacation. So crazy. I mean, my part of the country isn’t like a mega tourist trap or anything. But her in-laws have a cabin along the river in my county, so her family escaped the southern heat to chill out near the water where we’re tiptoeing into summer. (It’s only 60 today, y’all—gimme some sun and warmer temps!)

I’ll grab any excuse to chat with friends over a cup of tea, but what made this date fun is my friend is also a writer and a reader. There’s something so special about talking story. Especially with someone who gets it—you know, the swirl of ideas, the constant chatter of characters in your head, the thrill of getting the call, the sad face of getting a rejection letter…all the feels.

Speaking of all the feels, my friend shared she’d gotten a rejection letter from an editor who had expressed interest in her novel. L The editor cited the reasoning being not enough conflict in the story and not enough reasons to keep the hero and heroine apart. After all, a good romance creates that angsty tension, right? I mean, how boring would the story be if the characters got together at the beginning of the book and the rest of the story was their easy, breezy romance?

I pulled out my Susie May Warren/Rachel Hauck hat and asked a couple of questions about her characters. I loved her characters, and her story shows so much promise, but it lacked that “will they/won’t they” tension needed to keep the reader turning the pages. I recommended she buy Susie May’s, The Story Equation.

The beauty of this book is it helps writers get to the heart of their characters. By learning who our characters are from the inside out, we’re able to plot out their stories to help them achieve their greatest dreams.

My friend said she’d read The Story Equation and see how she could deepen her characterization and strengthen her plot.

So, what about you? What are you working on? Summer’s upon us, and although most of us don’t have the opportunity to escape to Europe with our families, we are making plans to enjoy the warmer temperatures. Many of us may find it difficult to carve out writing time. But maybe you can pick up a great beach read or listen to an audiobook while walking in the park or kayaking. Maybe you’ll find time to dig into a book on writing. Sharpen your pen—so to speak—and you could find when fall returns, you’re more than ready to dive back into that novel with a stronger voice and a greater sense of who your characters are and what they want. And you’ll know how to help them to achieve it!

So, what are you waiting for?

Go! Write something brilliant!

Sincerely,

The Mice—Lisa May and Tari May, NOT Susie May

(and our middle names aren’t May either!)

P.S. Hey, if you’re struggling with breathing life into your characters, then check out our June Brilliant Bundle. You can learn how to ignite your story from a spark into a saleable novel, brainstorm your character’s necessary Dark Moment Story, and then how to layer in those necessary emotions to keep your reader turning pages. All for only $7. (If you’re already a Novel.Academy monthly member, then these classes are included in your membership!) Check it out here: June Brilliant Bundle