Matching Hearts: Writing for Woman's World #5

Okay, first of all, the story this week is super cute! I mean super cute! It was like syrupy sweet dripping off the page. If you haven't checked out Woman's World you may want to do that. In this series I'm breaking down WW stories into plot points in hopes of conquering the style and writing my way to a publication credit and an $800 paycheck! (I did this with novels in 2013 with novels and landed a book deal--it was a crap deal--but I did it).

B: Casey is grabbing her luggage at the airport, when she meets a man at the airport who says that he bag she's holding is his. He's surprised they have the same luggage tag. He bought a lime green one because no one else would have it. She figures out they purchased it at the same store in a small town. (1/6 pattern)

M: They talk about how unlikely it is they both live in the same small town and have never met until now. They are both in Boston visiting family. They part ways not knowing if they will see each other again. Then Casey spots him at the airport returning to Eastport(the small town). He says his flight came in earlier but his luggage didn't and he's hoping his luggage is with her. Both of their luggage come off the carousel together. (Slight more than 4/6)


E: They leave together to begin a tour of Casey showing him around Eastport as he is a newcomer. The tour will begin with a lunch date. (Less than 1/6 which I thought worked really well.)

Woman's World #2: The Happily Ever After Kind

I announced last week that as writing for Woman's World magazine is one of my goals this year, I'll be breaking down their short fiction on my blog. Someone asked a great question in the comments: Can you submit to Woman's World from outside of the U.S? And how do you submit to Woman's World?

You can submit from abroad, but it may get expensive. You need to mail the completed manuscript (800 words max) with a SASE. This is old school, but that's because, they will mail you a response. If your story is selected that response will include a contract and to the best of my understanding a check for $800. So this could be a good investment. And here is the address: Fiction Editor, Woman's World, 270 Sylvan Ave., Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632. Indicate Romance on the envelope.

The Happily Ever After Kind

B: This is loaded with back story. It does not fit the pattern I've found at all. Jack, the MC, goes through an account of how he came to be babysitting his sister's kids and why they are at story time.

M: (By the time we get there we're half way through the story). The librarian for story time is seriously hot, and of course good with kids.

E: His niece wants pizza after story time and Jack invites the librarian along. This happens in four sentences. 

Mom's Online Dating Adventure: Writing for Woman's World #1

So as many of you know, before I finally got published I spent months breaking novels down into plot points on my blog. I learned so much from the experience my next manuscript was strong enough to sell Harlequin Escape, and I started teaching an online workshop on using plot structure to write queries!

One of my goals this year is to be published in Woman's World  magazine, so I'm breaking down woman's world fiction into the 3 act structure. For those of you who have taken my class on 3 act structure or remember the posts, these stories are only 800 words. The structure won't be as tight and rather than trying to hit plot points, I'll be using only BME (Beginning, Middle, End), although I will point out other things I noticed about the story. If you're interested in writing for Woman's World here is another great blog to check out.

This week's story is Mom's Online Dating Adventure.

B: Daughter calls her mom and mom reminds her that she suggested trying online dating. There is a little back and forth between mother and daughter until mom admits she didn't think she had computer skills to set up an online dating profile but "Uncle Dan," offered to help. The daughter says they no longer have to refer to him as uncle. This section takes up about a 1/6 of the story(or about 133 words). I've broken down two off the blog and that seems to be normal. I found a good use of foreshadowing there because as soon as the daughter said "we no longer have to call him uncle" my mind went to Dan as a possible hero.
M: We learn that Dan is a dentist, so he wouldn't have specific computer expertise. (More foreshadowing). But a couple of people in his office have used online dating, so he's familiar with it. Mom talks about him coming over to set up her profiles, and says she asked him to stay and help sort through the options. There are no good options online. She considers looking outside of her county but Dan says there is another option. She could date him. This takes about 3/6 of the story. Again normal.
E: Mom says she accepted Dan's offer and mother and daughter express joy and amazement over her dating Dan. (1/6 of story).

I thought the author made good use of foreshadowing and while I expected Dan to be the hero for a second or two I wondered, so she did a good job with tension to. Something I sometimes find these stories lacking in.
Did you read this story? Do you read Woman's World? Have you ever written for Woman's World? And what advice do you have if so?