Category Archives: Relationships

Exploring Close Proximity Romance: Finding Love in Shared Spaces #romancebooks #romancewriters

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In a world where connections are forged through shared experiences and mutual understanding, close proximity romance emerges as a compelling narrative of love blooming in the most unexpected places.

From roommates turned soulmates to colleagues discovering a deeper connection, the dynamics of close proximity relationships offer a rich tapestry of emotions, challenges, and ultimately, profound intimacy.

Proximity Breeds Familiarity

Close proximity romance often begins with a simple proximity: living in the same apartment building, working in adjacent offices, or frequenting the same neighborhood café. It’s the everyday interactions, the casual conversations, and the shared routines that lay the foundation for something more meaningful to blossom.

In these shared spaces, familiarity breeds intimacy. As we navigate the intricacies of daily life together, we begin to unravel the layers of our personalities, revealing our quirks, vulnerabilities, and aspirations. What starts as a casual acquaintance evolves into a deep connection forged through shared experiences and mutual understanding.

Navigating the Boundaries

However, the proximity that fuels the flames of romance can also present challenges. Close proximity relationships often blur the lines between personal and professional boundaries, testing our ability to maintain a balance between intimacy and independence.

Living or working in close quarters can magnify disagreements and conflicts, requiring open communication and a willingness to compromise. Navigating these challenges requires empathy, respect, and a mutual commitment to fostering a healthy relationship dynamic.

Embracing the Magic of Everyday Moments

Despite the challenges, there’s a unique magic to close proximity romance that lies in the beauty of everyday moments. It’s the stolen glances across a crowded room, the shared laughter over morning coffee, and the comforting presence of a partner by your side through life’s ups and downs.

In these seemingly ordinary moments, we discover the extraordinary depth of our connection—the shared dreams, the whispered confessions, and the unwavering support that sustains us through life’s trials. Close proximity romance reminds us that love is not always found in grand gestures or sweeping declarations but in the quiet moments of togetherness that fill our days with warmth and joy.

Embracing the Journey of Love

Ultimately, close proximity romance is a journey of discovery—an exploration of the intricacies of the human heart and the transformative power of love. It’s about embracing the vulnerability of opening our hearts to another, knowing that the greatest rewards often come from taking the greatest risks.

So, whether you find love in the apartment next door or the cubicle across the hall, embrace the beauty of close proximity romance. Celebrate the shared moments, navigate the challenges with grace, and cherish the gift of finding love in the spaces where we least expect it. After all, it’s in the closeness of our connections that we find the true essence of romance.

Here’s my close proximity romance – The Car Share.

As Lia and Mateo share the road, their connection deepens with each journey. Yet, personal losses and familial obligations loom large, casting a shadow over the possibility of romance. Will these commuting companions overcome their individual struggles and find love amidst life’s challenges, or will an unexpected rival derail their journey to happiness?

Join them on this touching and humorous exploration of love, loss, and the un-expected detours that lead us to where we truly belong.

Click here for more

Celebrating My Publication Day #PublicationDay #RomanceReads

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It’s finally here – my second book with Bloodhound Books – Instructions For Falling in Love Again.

I am now a proud author book mum of two book babies.

A funny, heartwarming new romance about finding love the second time around—with a little help from an unexpected dating coach . . .

Lonely widow Pippa opens a notebook written by her late husband and discovers that good-humored Dan has actually provided lots of advice on how to live without him—and fall in love again.

After fifteen years of marriage and three kids, Dan believed he knew Pippa better than anyone. With detailed instructions on everything from what to wear to how she should act on a first date, Dan has all the bases covered. He even has someone in mind for her—and in Pippa’s opinion, he couldn’t have chosen a less suitable match.

Discarding his directions to make a match with Mikey, she embarks on her own hilarious journey of self-discovery on the dating scene, supported by her children and two best friends. But it isn’t long before Pippa is struggling to ignore Dan’s advice . . .

Early readers have left some fabulous reviews:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ‘Loved this A really lovely read. Not your traditional Rom-Com! Had me laughing out loud and then crying the next minute. A real rollercoaster of emotions! Highly recommended x’

Instructions for Falling in Love Again: The perfect heartwarming romantic comedy https://amzn.eu/d/7wmmWLJ

A Guide to the Rockstar Romance Trope #MondayBlogs

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I am in my rockstar romance reading era and its AMAZING. My reading life has been shaken up good and proper with my desire for stories based on unattainable rock star fantasies.

Oh my days – someone pass me my handheld fan and a cold compress for my forehead. I am here for rock star characters who are desperate to run away from their fame, troubled rock star characters who bump into their biggest fan years later and fall in love with them, rock star characters who are too wild and need taming plus broken hearted rockstar characters who can’t sing anymore because music reminds them of a past love. Also I like a good serving of rockstar life, band drama, band fall outs, dark shades, gelled hair, a lot of leather, fame, money, snippets of lyrics, screaming fans and both music and romantic conflict. I have been consuming both closed and open door rockstar romance books so my feelings and emotions are all over the place.

Why haven’t I fallen into this romance book vortex before? It’s so appealing and you can lose yourself for days in it.

At the centre of the rockstar romance trope is the troubled rock star. They can be male or female. Generally most of the book will be spent with them working through their feelings, figuring out their music issues / future music career and processing some strong emotions for their new love interest. They will normally be facing a pivotal time in their music career; either things will be in decline or they will be out of control. The secret with these characters is that they will always be wanting to push boundaries and break rules. There could be a band involved and if there is you will see two worlds being created; internal band life and external life / love interest.

Rock stars in general get to be noticed by industry if they look visually “marketable”. So, the characters are always breath taking to look at and utterly gorgeous plus know how to dress. They will also come with bags of charm and swagger. To get to their level of success they are going to have to know how to entertain. They will have a presence when they enter a room and they will attract attention.

There is so much conflict to be found within these stories:

  • Rockstar life – lengthy periods apart and the worry of wondering what they are getting up to when they are not performing. Plus concerts in different countries, time zones etc.
  • Social media – photos, fan selfies, curated images and tabloid photos being plastered all over social media will test any fledgling romance.
  • Fans – will the new love interest be accepted by the rockstar’s loyal fan base?
  • Normal life – can a rockstar lead a normal life? Can they put out the recycling, cook a meal, buy a pint of milk without being mobbed by fans or mow the lawn?
  • Their past relationships – they always have interesting pasts in terms of romance and somewhere there is a whiff of scandal…
  • Their relationship with music. This is quite important in terms of conflict. Hopefully finding love will help put them in a better relationship with their music and career by the end.

Mixed into this swirl of emotions and tension are the standard tropes. Here are a few examples:

  • Friends to lovers – or should I say fan / groupie to lovers.
  • Bad boy / girl – the wild rockstar who can’t be tamed.
  • Second chance – the childhood sweethearts who were together before one found fame.
  • Small town Rock Star – they both grew up in the same small town and now they find themselves back home – one because their music career failed / they fell out of love with the rockstar lifestyle and the other because life dealt out some unfair cards.

Rockstar life does tend to include sex, drugs and rock and roll so expect some dark themes running through a rockstar romance read.

Reinvention of the rockstar will always be a key theme. They will always be looking at ways they can reinvent themselves. They want to stay current and no matter how hard they try to ignore it – they crave the spotlight! Again – how will love impact this?

I think Rockstar Romance is pure escapism. It’s about reconnecting with your inner fan girl / fan boy and those teenage crushes you once had. These stories are packed full of angst, moody musicians, intense music concerts and high drama. It’s about being attracted to those bad and wild musicians and never ever expecting them to turn up in real life.

Here are some of my favourite reads:

  • The Words – Ashely Jade. Enemies to Lovers.
  • My Own Personal Rockstar. Kirsty McManus. Friends to Lovers.
  • Dirty Like Me: A Hot Rockstar Romance. Jane Diamond.
  • Maybe Someday, Colleen Hoover. Second Chances.
  • Call Me, Maybe. Stephanie Chapman. Friends to Lovers.

It’s a wild ride reading rockstar romance 🥰 Can you imagine writing this – oh my days!! One day I must try and live out my own rockstar fantasy *sigh*

Enjoy ❤️

5 Ways To Make Romance Readers ❤️ Your Male Character #MondayBlogs

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I read a LOT of romcom and romance books and I have had MANY crushes on fictional male characters. There’s nothing better than having a crush on a fictional male character. If the author is on top of his / her romcom book writing game than you will find it difficult to have time away from your fictional love interest, you will become good friends with your handheld fan, NO fictional female character will ever be good enough for him and at night your fictional love interest will step off the page and into your dreams.*Sigh*

In romcoms female characters are tough to write but an even bigger challenge is to write the male character.

Based on my reading and book writing experiences here are 5 ways I think you can make readers ❤️ your male character:

  1. Ditch the idea of creating the flawless man. That’s not relatable and readers will get bored. We all have flaws. Even the beautiful people. Your male character must be fabulous in many ways but here’s the secret he MUST have room for improvement. We all have flaws and we could all improve aspects of ourselves. Your male lead must possess both strengths and FLAWS he could work on.
  2. Focus on him as a person. He is a person who has lived a life like the rest of us. In that time he will have encountered happiness, sadness, heartbreak, life dreams which don’t work out, traumatic times, loss and been broken in some way. He will have thoughts, feelings, dreams, life goals and a past love life. He also will have made mistakes in his life too. Think of him as a person. Don’t make him a flat character. Sometimes I read books where the male character has just two emotions – feeling sexy or being angry. Whereas the female character displays a wide range of emotions. Your male lead is more than just a love interest.
  3. Internal conflict. Like your female character needs internal conflict, so does your male character. We are all fighting something inside our heads. Your male character needs an inner battle. Examples like this can be a past mistake making him feel like he doesn’t deserve happiness, a past mistake making him lose confidence in himself or his abilities or having to give up a life dream to save his community, team or country. There are a lot more so do your research.
  4. He doesn’t need to always save her. Allow her to save him. You can play around with the idea of the heroic character. It doesn’t always have to be the male character being heroic. A good relationship is where both parties alternate between doing the saving and being saved.
  5. The cheerleader. I find male characters who become the female character’s own personal cheerleader so attractive. These guys want their female love interest to be successful and do what they can to help her with her business or fulfilling her life dream. They are driven by seeing her succeed at something. They believe in her and are behind her 100%. This sort of attribute makes me go gooey. Please can we have more of these guys!

Good luck out there romcom and romance writers!

Why We Love Cafe and Coffee Shop Themed Romance Stories

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I love reading and writing romance stories which are centred around cafes or coffee shops. The possibilities for romance in a coffee shop are endless; unexpected conversations in the queue, accidental spillages, chance encounters, handsome baristas, beautiful and ambitious cafe owners, arguments over who gets the last pastry, secret messages on coffee cups, and incorrect coffee orders. There are so many interaction points for romance characters.

Cafes and coffee shops are popular settings for romance books. They do more than just provide us with wonderful beverages and mouth watering pastries. Cafes and coffee shops offer sanctuary for those of us who want to escape parts of our busy and stressful lives. They also enable human interaction where we can meet up with friends / loved ones or just be around people when we are feeling lonely.

On a side note they are also outlets for creativity boosts. According to a 2012 study (Journal of Consumer Research), a low to moderate level of ambient noise in place like a coffee shop can actually super charge your creativity. Apparently the ambience and the array of noises do wonders for abstract thinking.

I love the quote from this article about how coffee shops are ‘living things, their mood shifts and oscillates throughout the day.’ This can be great for the writer who matches the atmosphere in the cafe to the ebb and flow of the romance which is being created.

Coffee shops are like alternate universes and worlds for our fictional characters to find themselves in, be drawn to by chance or make a daily trip to as part of their arduous trek to work. They offer lots of romance trope opportunities; friends to lovers working in a coffee shop, enemies to lovers with rival coffee shops or second chance romance where you bump into your childhood sweetheart in the queue.

Writers can let their imaginations run wild with the design of their fictional cafe or coffee house. They can also be picturesque places with colourful interiors and funky decor. These can then feed into the design of their book covers. Beautiful romance book covers featuring idyllic and picturesque cafes or coffee shops always draw me to them in supermarkets or book shops.

Coffee shop themed romance offers us hope that our soul mate can be found in the queue of our local coffee shop. Or they can be in the form of the handsome new barista who has started working in our local coffeeshop. In an ideal world we don’t have we don’t have to look very far to find happiness. Obviously in reality things can be very different but we all live in hope ❤️

Do you enjoy writing or reading coffee shop romance?

10 Things About Writing Meet Cutes #MondayBlogs #writingromance

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I do love reading a good meet cute in a romance novel.

A meet cute is when the two main characters encounter each other for the first time and this will eventually lead to a romantic bond forming.

For us romance book lovers it is the moment we all look forward to when starting a book and it is where we will give praise to authors who make that meet cute both memorable and unique.

Writing an engaging meet cute can be tricky. Nothing is ever easy with writing. As I am about to write a meet cute here are some things I am going to consider.

  • The meet cute can be romantic, funny, awkward, disastrous, sexy, unique, explosive or heartwarming.
  • The meet cute results in several scenarios: love at first sight, enemies at first sight (one of my personal favourites), one sided attraction or awkward love.
  • It’s best not to get attached to the word, ‘cute’. The best ‘meet cutes’ I have read in romance books are not cute, they are awkward, embarrassing, funny, chaotic and packed full of miscommunication.
  • Remember the meet cute sets up the story and relays a lot of information to the reader about the characters. Think about how your characters respond to the meet cute.
  • Conflict is your best friend when writing a meet cute. The best meet cutes focus on misunderstandings and miscommunication. They are also about two characters with the same goal but for different reasons. Conflict is a must have.
  • Always add a generous spoonful of banter.
  • Connect your invisible thread to these two characters. This is important. Once their worlds have collided we (the readers) need to know there is a good chance these two are going to meet again. What is the connection between these two going forward? Do they work together? Mix in the same social circles or have recently joined the same sports team?
  • The chemistry between these two characters in the meet cute has to be insanely high. Even if they dislike or annoy each other when these two characters meet there must be a reaction. This is what will keep us readers turning the page. We will be eagerly awaiting their next meeting.
  • The meet cute is the foundation for the plot so it needs to be as impactful as possible.
  • Remember it is not only a meet cute for the characters but its also a meet cute for your romance readers.

Good luck and please let me know your favourite book meet cutes.. ❤️

Things I Consider When Writing The Fake Romance Trope #MondayBlogs #romancewriter

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As a romance bookworm I LOVE reading this trope. This is where two characters make their external world believe they are a couple.

I love how the fake relationship starts out of convenience; pretending to be together for a social commitment, pretending to be in love for a competition or needing to show the world that a secret love interest does exist, but soon the fake relationship starts to change into somethinge else. I get so excited when the chemistry between the characters gets to work and things get awkward. There’s so much potential for good comedy and hilarity.

This trope can level up beautifully when the two characters don’t like each other at the start.

Writing the fake romance trope can be tricky. Here are the things I consider when writing it:

  • Both characters need to be unlikely candidates for a relationship at the start. Fake relationships work best if the characters really dislike each other or are very different. I think the best fake romances blossom from a place of dislike, as healthy relationships sometimes do. Under normal circumstances they would never ever consider dating each other. Also remember both parties must benefit from the fake romance.
  • There has to be a legitimate reason for them to fake a romance. It also has to be their ONLY option.
  • They both find it easy to get into their new role. Even though they dislike each other they don’t find it too much of a struggle to fake a romance. This is where they become ingrained in each other’s life. It’s an enjoyable stage for the reader because whilst they are busy faking a romance they are also noticing little cute things about the other like their style of wit, their dirty laugh and the way they touch their hair. However there still must be a question in the reader’s mind about whether it will turn into a romance. We all know there’s a risk with fake dating. So make sure they keep reminding each other that it is just an act.
  • Let them get carried away with faking a relationship. These two are putting on such a good romantic show everyone is convinced they are an item. It is essential during this stage they start to chuck common sense and their ‘fake romance rule book’ out of the window. You can include some great dialogue like ‘everyone’s gone, why are you still kissing me?’ or ‘shall we practice kissing lying down on a sofa? Yeah? Great, let’s get practicing.’
  • Things must get tough as they both start experiencing new feelings. This is my favourite part of this trope. It is great to read a fake romance where one person’s feelings start to turn real. Suddenly the simple act of touching hands becomes charged with electricity. Bring on the lingering touches, breathless moments and some intense gazing. So much good dialogue can be added here. Things like, ‘I’m starting to think you don’t hate me as you say you do,’ or ‘I never thought I’d see this new side to you.’
  • The big reveal. When they are at their most vulnerable one of the characters will have to take the biggest risk of revealing the truth. They will have been struggling with their strong feelings, missing the other before they leave, on cloud nine everytime they are next to them and replaying all their conversations in their head. After all this time hiding, they must find the courage to speak from the heart. This is a great time to add something like – ‘be real with me – how much of this was fake?‘ Will the other feel the same way?

This is one of my favourite tropes so do it proud, writers. Enjoy writing those fake romances!

Things to Consider When Writing a Second Chance Romance #amwriting #MondayBlogs

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Second chance romance is one of my favourite romance tropes to read. It’s also the trope I once thought would be relatively easy to write. *Sigh* I was delusional when I first started writing.

A good second chance romance relies on character growth and that’s something which needs to be mastered. You also have to create a tangled past relationship which ended and you have to not only untangle it over the course of the book but you also have to show what’s changed since then.

Here’s a list of the things I always consider when writing a second chance romance novel:

How did they initially connect? Were they childhood sweethearts? Maybe they met at work? The secret here is readers need to see and feel how good that connection was between these two beautiful characters.

This breathtaking romance has to be unforgettable for both readers and the characters.

Why did they split up? What made them walk away from each other? Were they too young? Was it a case of bad timing or did one hurt the other? What broke them?

Readers need to understand what made these characters go blubber into a box of Kleenex, wedge chocolate into their mouth and go for long solitary walks in the rain.

What personal growth have they experienced? What has life taught them in the years they were apart? What did other relationships teach them?

Have they thought about why they have never connected with anyone on the same romantic level as they did with each other?

What made them want to give their relationship another chance? Why can’t they disentangle from each other’s lives? What has made them come together again? Why salvage a broken relationship?

The reader must understand and agree with these decisions. There must also be that old connection and the chemistry.

What stuff have they overcome? Have they resolved the old conflict? Readers need to see how these two characters might have had different priorities that caused their breakup. But now that those priorities have changed, so, maybe there is still a chance for them to work it out. It could also be a case of these two characters making mistakes and generally causing an emotional mess.

The reader needs to believe these two have changed for the better.

I hope you have found that useful ❤️

In other news last week:

I am over the moon and can’t wait to work with Bloodhound Books. This is a dream come true for me.

Author Interview – Bettina Hunt @BeautySwot #romance #amwriting

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A few creative moons ago I read, Without a Hitch, by a romance author called Bettina Hunt. From the start of the book I loved her humour, her relatable characters and her take on romantic comedy. I went onto read one of her other novels; A Tempting Trio, and laughed so much at her hilarious book I nearly fell off my chair. Since then I have become a bit of a Bettina Hunt author superfan. She still hasn’t managed to shake me off – lol.

In real life she’s one of the funniest people I know and always makes me smile. Now that her fabulous new book, High Heels on the Beach, is out I have persuaded her to come on my blog.

I thought it would be fun to do an author interview so you can all find out more about Bettina Hunt.

Please welcome one of my favourite romantic comedy & women’s fiction authors, Bettina Hunt.

Hello, thanks for having me on your blog, it’s such an honour!

  1. Bettina – can you tell us about yourself?

Such a difficult first question, Lucy!

I’m a forty something writer of romcoms and women’s fiction. I have two young boys and I can tell you that homeschooling them during Covid was certainly not an easy thing as one thing I’ve never wanted to be is a teacher, huge respect to those who are!

I used to work in product management however, at one time I was thinking of becoming a lawyer… that attention to detail that I learnt during my law degree has held me in good stead 😉

As a gemini I have so many interests, I can be known to be indecisive but the one thing I knew was that I always wanted to write in some capacity. I started writing a blog about beauty and afternoon tea when I was at home with my eldest boy and then added a Friday Column so that I could share my poetry and short stories. My first book – A Tempting Trio – was originally a short story on my blog.

I’ve published four books and partially written another five. My ultimate dream is to have at least one of my books made into a film. I would also love to be part of a comedy writing team, writing either comedy sketches or a sitcom (i’m not fussy!) Sharon Horgan is one of my favourite writers and she’s written two of my favourite TV Shows – Catastrophe and Motherland. Most recently I’ve become obsessed with the BBC ONE series This Is My House. It’s a brilliant concept, so entertaining and funny.

Just before lockdown I also discovered Schitt’s Creek which is the ultimate heartwarming, feelgood comedy series. With perfectly written characters that evolve beautifully as the series plays out I laughed and cried. It’s the best series ever.

  1. Tell us about your new book?

High Heels on the Beach is a heartwarming contemporary romantic comedy set in both London and the fictional seaside town of Sunny Bay. It tells the story of Becca who’s used to letting her bestie make decisions for her in a twist on the Choose Your Own Story books that they used to read. When her world comes crumbling down, Becca realises she needs to stop relying on others and take control of her own destiny. Her planned voyage of self-discovery is thwarted by the need for her to return to the one place she’s been avoiding, home. In Sunny Bay she’s forced to take on the running of the family’s B&B, bringing her face to face with old flames and adversaries and meeting a host of colourful residents at the B&B. The story follows Becca’s emotional journey and her struggle between the pull of her old corporate life and a new life in Sunny Bay.

  1. Where did the idea for the book come from?

I actually got the idea when I was on holiday in Spain. I was looking around at the people by the pool and wondered how many of them were not looking forward to getting back to their jobs and the idea spiralled from there. I had planned to start writing it during NanoWrimo in November, however I felt compelled to write as soon as I got home and wrote 30,000 words during the Summer Holidays.

  1. When you are not writing books what do you like doing?

Most of this hasn’t been possible since COVID struck but … I love going out for afternoon tea, eating out and enjoying cocktails. I love going on mini breaks. I love the theatre, the west end shows. I love watching comedy shows on TV to lift my spirits. And I LOVE to sing 🙂 just for me mostly although I do lip syncs on Instagram too.

  1. Best piece of writing advice you have ever been given?

You have to turn on the tap to let the water flow AND you can’t edit an empty page.

  1. How long have you been writing books?

I wrote my first full book in 2015 but i’ve always had ideas bouncing around in my head. Still do. Every day in fact. Especially when I’m doing the washing up or in bed, trying to sleep.

  1. What book are you reading at the moment.

I’m reading a romcom (not much of a surprise there!) called The Summer Job by Lizzie Dent. It’s made me laugh out loud so that’s a good sign.

  1. Who are your favourite authors and why?

I love Lucy Vine for making me laugh out loud. Milly Johnson’s books are like a cuddle, warm and funny with fantastic characters. John Grisham for page turning suspense – My favourite book of his was The Runaway Jury. More recently I’ve discovered JP Delaney for thrillers. But honestly I read so many wonderful books that I wish I could give them all a shout out.

9.Favourite social media channel?

Twitter I think – I love how instant it is and I love to talk and chat, connect with people 🙂

  1. Favourite romance film?

How can I choose! I love romantic films and even better if they make me laugh… But if I really, really, had to choose – Okay I have 3 films in mind.

Some Kind of Wonderful made me cry buckets and has some fantastic lines in it. My two favourite romcoms are Sweet Home Alabama and You’ve Got Mail. I could happily watch all three over and over again.

Decision shy Becca is used to her best friend making decisions for her, but after a disastrous 30th birthday, London living Becca realises she needs to stop relying on others and take control of her own destiny.

With her life plans in tatters, she’s forced to return home to the quiet seaside town of Sunny Bay and the family’s B&B, where the bedrooms are covered in chintz and her mother is still serving up culinary delights from the 1970s. Adamant that she’s not staying, Becca embarks on a soul-searching trip to Europe.

She’s barely stepped foot abroad before a family crisis sees her back in Sunny Bay and in charge of the B&B. Coming face to face with old flames and adversaries, Becca’s reminded why she left and is determined to get back to her old life in London.

But when the mysterious Madame DoTell, fortune teller to the stars, insists that home is where the heart is, Becca begins to wonder if she should listen…

If home is where the heart is, where is home?

High Heels on the Beach is a light-hearted and fun packed Summer tale perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella and Lindsey Kelk.

Book purchase link: click here.

5 Tips For Writing Comedy @AnnaBell_Writes #AmWriting #Romcom

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I am super excited because the author of heart-warming and funny romantic comedies Anna Bell has come to take over my blog today. She’s going to share with us her tips on writing comedy and I am hoping she will also tell us about her book which I can’t wait to read as it sounds fab.

Please give a warm welcome to Anna Bell:

Hello everyone,

Here are my top 5 tips for writing comedy:


1 – Belief
One of the hardest things about writing comedy is believing in yourself. Jokes are subjective, and they’re also personal. Sometimes writing comedy and exposing what you think is funny can make you feel vulnerable. But chances are if you find it funny then someone else will too. I don’t think there is anything nicer, both in real life or in your writing, than making someone laugh.


2– First Drafts don’t have to be funny
It’s very easy to get hung-up on making everything you write sound witty, but you have to remember that your readers are there just as much for the story as they are for the laughs. It’s almost easier to add humour on the next draft when you can spot if you’ve got clusters or deserts of funny scenes. On the second draft, when you know your characters better, you’re more likely to understand what pushes their buttons and how they’d react in any situation, making it easier for you to imagine the humorous situations they could find themselves in.


3– There is a fine line between funny and cringey
This is one of the hardest things to get right when writing comedy. It’s also a line that changes from reader to reader too. One person’s threshold for rolling on the floor in hysterics is another’s basis for a one-star review. One of the ways to avoid it being too cringey is to try and build reader empathy with the character, so that if the reader cringes, they cringe with the character, not at him or her.

4 – Make scenarios relatable
Watching stand-up comedians with live audiences is a great way to see what people find funny. Quite often it’s the most mundane things that people find the funniest, the jokes about extended family or ordinary situations that everyone finds themselves in. It’s often easier to relate to humour if you can imagine it could happen to you. It’s worth remembering this when writing. Scenes that are too over the top or unbelievable can seem like they’re trying too hard to get laughs.

5 – Outside the Room
Watching sit-coms can also help you learn how to write comedy. Shows like Frasier give excellent lessons in comic timing and build-up. There is nearly always a final big comedic scene that the whole episode builds up to, but to get the laughs you need to understand what has driven each character to react in the particular way they do. When you are writing a big scene with an ensemble cast, it’s worth bearing that in mind. What has happened to each of your characters prior to this scene? What is their mood? What has led them to the point they’re at? If the audience are in on the joke and understand why the character is reacting in the way they are, it makes it funnier. But you don’t always have to signpost the events that happen outside the room either. If you’ve got a big ensemble scene having someone other than the main characters arrive in the aftermath of an argument, or guarding a secret, can add to the humour and tension too. Usually that storyline would play alongside the big main event that’s happening to the protagonist, and the poor protagonist is left trying to put out fires from all sides, ramping up the humour.

Follow Anna on Twitter: AnnaBell_writes Instagram: anna_bell_writes
Anna’s latest novel is The Man I Didn’t Marry and it’s out now.


Ellie has the perfect life: a happy marriage, a gorgeous daughter and a baby on the way. But when her husband Max develops amnesia, he forgets everything about the last five years . . . including their relationship.
Now the man she said ‘I do’ to has become a stranger, and she has no idea why. Yet Ellie is determined to reconnect and find her Max again – he has to be in there somewhere, right?

As they get to know one another afresh, Ellie finds herself seeing Max clearly for the first time. But then she discovers that before his memory loss, Max was keeping a huge secret from her. Will their new beginning prove to be a false start, just as it seemed they might fall in love all over again?

Amazon
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Man-Didnt-Marry-heart-warming-hilarious-ebook/dp/B086VWRWZY