Howl At The Moon

Tonight, I think I’m going to stand outside and howl at the moon. Maybe some neighborhood dogs will join me. I’m sorry but an annoyed neighbor would only make me do it again. And they do have furry friends. If they ask, because I don’t have a dog, I can say I was trying to get into my character’s head. Or, I was reading Ginsberg.

Did you know that there is an official day to Howl at the moon? It’s October 26th. This google search turned up way more than I expected. I found piano bars that are called, “Howl At The Moon”. Howl’s Castle popped up and a 5K adventure run. The list goes on. There’s something about the glowing rock that creates all kind of lore for night lovers.

What is the lore of your novel? If you had a series, what do you want readers to remember? I’m asking because series or no second book, you should have something that creates a kind of legend for your stories. Lore gives readers an anchor that hold your story steady as characters go through their dilemmas and problems. What elements shouldn’t change throughout your book? What truth will never change? Which ones do change for your character?

Novels are meant to be dramatic. Life altering events usually happen, and people who go through that usually aren’t the same as when you knew them in the beginning. A sidekick may stay steady and true but rarely do main characters stay the same. There’s some kind of realization that occurs for them. Main characters are those who change history, are the heroes, or leaders of countries. What shapes them can’t be ordinary, or they would be the sidekick. Sidekicks can become main characters but again something needs to happen to them.

As we all go through this month for writers, ask – why does your character matter? Why are they on this journey? Our heroes matter or there’s no point to the story. I’ll leave you with these questions so that you can questions your main character. Writing prompts include pretending to interview the characters of your story.

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Get closer to your writing goals with my Writer’s Journal filled with writing prompts and exercises. You can find a copy at https://www.amazon.com/Writers-Journal-Writing-Prompts-Notes/dp/B0931QRL7C.

~Yoon Ju

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