“It’s finally here! It’s finally here!” – Me, running around my house this morning.
It seems like forever ago that I first announced Novel Boot Camp. I asked for topic ideas, your most common editing problems, and I spent hours upon hours (upon hours) writing and perfecting the course. Whew! It almost felt like Boot Camp was never going to arrive!
But here we are at the kickoff party – you with your manuscripts in hand and me ready to do nothing but eat, breathe, and sleep (or not sleep) Novel Boot Camp for the next month. It’s going to be a wild ride!
Before things get too crazy and some of you are inevitably reduced to tears with a bloody manuscript in your hands, let me say that the excitement and enthusiasm for Novel Boot Camp has reminded me of why I do what I do. It is the passion and dedication of writers like you that keeps me blogging, editing, and mentoring. You guys are the greatest!
To celebrate the kickoff party, keep meeting up with writing friends and critique partners (though I know some of you are at more than capacity in that department!) and let your friends and family know that you’ll be putting your pen where your passion is and might be a bit busier (and crazier) than usual. In order to keep the blog comments focused on the workshop, post your kickoff party excitement on Twitter and the FB group.
And now on to our first workshop!
Workshop #1: Genre Guessing Game
June 30 – July 6
For our first workshop, I want to focus on the most important aspect of editing – seeing your novel from the outside.
This is no easy task! You’ve toiled and slaved over your novel. You know it inside and out. If you’ve been editing it long enough, you can probably recite passages from heart. All of that is lovely and wonderful and passionate, but terrible for editing.
So for this first workshop, I want you to send your book out into the world – just a tiny piece of it – to see how it’s perceived by those outside yourself, by the people who know nothing about it.
Participants will submit the first 200 words of their manuscript. Guessers will attempt to identify the genre, tone, and basic plot of the novel. The objective is to have a bit of fun while exploring how your manuscript looks from the outside. Do people think your romantic comedy is a horror/thriller? Do readers expect your story of redemption to be a story of revenge?
Remember that how the Boot Campers perceive your novel is likely how agents and editors will perceive it too. We’ll be talking about why the reader’s perception of the first page is important in our first lecture tomorrow.
Warning: This is a new and totally untested workshop process. Please bare with me if there are any technical kinks or if things seem awkward. I wanted to do something unique so I hope it works!
How to Play the Genre Guessing Game
***Read the FULL directions and follow them or you will not be eligible to participate!***
Firstly, I understand that not all readers are comfortable sharing their work online. If you do not want to submit, you may still participate in the guessing.
How to Submit Your Opening
To streamline the process, decrease cheating, and increase participation, I will be posting all of the first pages anonymously (meaning that no one other than me will know whose first page is whose). If you attempt to submit your own first page, it will be deleted!
The submitted novel openings will be posted as quickly as possible, but since it must be done manually, there will likely be some delay.
Submit your novel’s opening in the form below. It will go to my email and I will manually post the first 200 words only (not your name, genre, tone, etc.) into the comments section.
Note that your novel’s opening is the very first 200 words. If you open with a prologue, use that rather than your first chapter.
How to Guess the Genre
In the comments section below this post, leave a reply to the novel openings submitted and post some or all of the following:
- Guess the Genre – Is it a contemporary romance? A YA paranormal? A horror/science fiction hybrid? Post your best guess. If you think it’s middle grade or young adult, please also include a genre (adventure, comedy, romance, etc.).
- Guess the Tone – What do you think the overall tone of this novel is? Is it creepy? Heartwarming? Spiritual? Disturbing? In other words, what adjective would you use to describe the book?
- Guess the Basic Plot – What do you think this novel is going to be about? What do you expect to happen?
- Do NOT post a critique of the opening or any comments about the writing quality or style. We will have a novel opening critique later in the month.
Please do not post your guesses anonymously unless you do not want to be eligible to win the prize for best guesser!
Sample comment/guess: I think this is a middle grade adventure story with a dark tone. I expect it to be about how the main character learns to overcome his fear of the water to defeat a sea monster.
What Should Writers Take Away?
The reader’s perception of your novel is more important than your own. Keep an eye on your novel’s opening this week to see how Boot Campers perceive your work. Is it right in line with your vision or way off?
Is the novel going to deliver what readers seem to expect? We’ll be talking about the importance of the first page’s promise in our first lecture tomorrow.
Prize – Free Edit of Your First 1,000 Words!
This workshop will have two winners! Due to the labor involved in posting, moderating, and then judging the posts, it may take me until after Novel Boot Camp to choose and notify the winners. How long it takes depends on the level of participation.
Award for the Best Guesser: This prize will go to the Novel Boot Camper with guessing power from the gods. In other words: the camper with the most correct guesses.
Award for the Best Opening: This prize will go to the opening that had its novel, genre, and basic plot guessed correctly the most often.
Both winners will receive a free edit of their first 1,000 words.
Connect with Other Novel Boot Camp Participants
Need a writing friend? Got a question? Need a shoulder to cry on? We’re there for you!
I will be answering writing and editing questions on our Twitter hashtag as time allows. Due to the insane volume of emails I’m receiving, I cannot provide free advice or assistance via email. Thank you!
What is Novel Boot Camp?
Novel Boot Camp is a free online novel writing course focused on identifying and correcting problems in your novel. Learn more about Novel Boot Camp and find past (and future) posts here.
Ellen Brock 
Ellie saw quick movement from across the street and recognized it as Simon’s red baseball cap. Furious, she ran in the same direction. Grateful for the hit of red she could see flitting between the parked cars, she followed her little brother from across the street. Intent on catching the object of her ire, she ran blindly down the sidewalk, only narrowly avoiding trampling a small dog. As she gained on him she saw an empty parking space between two parked cars. Plunging headlong into the space, she sped up as she crossed the street.
Within a few seconds, Ellie felt herself go from pure anger, to fear, to finally end up feeling nothing at all. Out of nowhere, a car had appeared. Her mind had registered the sound of tires screaming as the car tried to stop. Her head had jerked to the right and, in mid-stride, she had stopped running. Her right leg was hit. She was so surprised by what was happening that her mind did not have time to register any pain. Still frozen by surprise, Ellie never even cried out. Her body twisted, or maybe it was thrown, she could not tell, then landed on the pavement.
Genre: YA overcoming hardships story.
Tone: Somewhat sad.
Plot: After Ellie is hit by a car, her whole life changes. She spends months recovering from injuries and, unable to do the things she’d always enjoyed, struggling with anger at the driver and, though she knows it’s unfair, at Simon. With the help of other disabled young people, she learns to forgive and be grateful for her life, even if it’s not what she’d wanted.
Genre: Middle Grade, bildungsroman / contemporary
Tone: Serious
Plot: Ellie must learn how to deal with the setbacks she faces after her injury. In addition to spending time in hospital, and learning valuable life lessons from teenagers more badly injured than she is, Ellie must learn how to forgive her brother and take responsibility for her own life choices.
Young adult family. Heartbreaking. Ellie has been in a serious car accident. I think we will follow Ellie as she recovers physically and mentally from injuries sustained in this accident.
GENRE: YA Adventure
TONE: Desperate
BASIC PLOT: Ellie’s life is about to be turned upside down. Action, romance and mystery will collide all at once in the transformation of her life from child to woman.
Young Adult Inspiration/coming of age- Serious tone – Ellie must learn to forgive her brother for the accident she claims was his fault – and learn walk again after being hit by the car.
Genre: YA Contemporary
Tone: sad, coming of age, hopeful
Plot: When Ellie is thrust into the midst of a car crash, she finds herself hurtling towards death. But no, life isn’t that kind. Instead of dying, she spends her life recovering from the injuries she had sustained. Ellie struggles to fit in once again, and regain her hold on life, but as a permanently scarred car crash victim, this proves a feat.
G: YA
T: Sad
P: Ellie is paralyzed from waist down after the accident. She has to overcome the sorrow and find reason to live.
Genre: YA Paranormal
Tone: Serious
Plot: Ellie dies, but returns to let her brother know that it wasn’t his fault. A serious family drama about releasing/confronting guilt.
Terriana refused to believe it, but she could not rid her mind of the dreadful possibility. The possibility that her little brother was dead. It was dark when she had chased her brother out of the imperial encampment and into the Zinzinian forest. The morning sun was now above her. It’s yellow glow barely pierced the thick white fog as she stumbled through the burned vegetation of that awful forest.
The only thing Terriana wore was a silky white gown, which had been ruined by mud and gaping holes. The cold morning air stabbed at her exposed skin. Her long dark hair was damped and tangled mess.She knew for certain that she looked like some lowly commoner. She did not care. she had to find her brother.
Gasping for air Terriana stopped and leaned onto a tree. She wiped the warm beads of sweat that trickled down her forehead. As she caught her breath, She tried to understand why her foolish brother would venture into such a place. A forest that was filled with so many frightful things. Didn’t he know the dangers of that savage infested place? Didn’t he know that he treaded in the forest of their father’s enemy?
Genre: MG Fantasy
Tone: mysterious
Plot: Her brother goes missing and she has to find/save him. Story concerns the family bond and what lengths the protagonist will go through to get her brother back home.
Genre: Middle grade fantasy/adventure
Tone: Light
Plot: Terriana must go on a quest in order to find and rescue her brother.
Young adult fantasy Frightening. Terriana enters into a world she is unfamiliar with searching for her brother. Maybe she will discover everything she had been told about this world is a lie.
GENRE: YA Fantasy
TONE: Desperarte
BASIC PLOT: Terriana is about to be whisked up in the brewing war between her father’s kingdom and ‘the others’.
Young Adult Fantasy Adventure serious tone – Terriana must blend in with her Father’s enemy in their encampment in order to free her brother who has been captured there. While waiting for the opportune time to do this she learns that the enemy are not the savage beasts she has been told by befriending a boy around her own age who helps her. She frees her brother and pleedges to one day unite their people
G: YA fantasy
T: Serious
P: Terriana has to enter the woods in order to find her brother and hopefully bring him back home before anything happens to him. She has to careful, if she gets caught they will kill her. As she gets deeper into the forest she comes across the enemy on few occasions. Each time she has to figure out a way to move forward without being seen. Eventually she overhears a conversation that reassures her that her brother is still alive. Now she knows where to go. When she gets there, much to her surprise, she discovers that it’s her father who is the “bad guy”.
Prologue
Salem Prison Dungeon, Salem, Massachusetts May 1693
What name do you give a child, whose first breath is filled with dank, foul vapors, wrapping around him like a damp blanket of death; whose first cries echo off cold, stark walls, blending with the discordant clamor of chains scraping stone and the muffled whimpers of hopeless souls? Some would choose an unremarkable name, perhaps from the Bible. For who would distinguish one Benjamin from another when there are so many, and hence, perhaps in later years, one would have no cause for connecting this child with his horrifying beginnings. But I want them to ask. I want them to know – to remember – that when there was none to deliver from the very jaws of hell, my God in his infinite mercy, gave to me, a saving gift. As God sent his son to save the world, He sent my son, my Ammi Ruhamah, to save me.
Chapter 1
Andover, Massachusetts April 1692
Spring in the year of our trials was deceitful in its beauty, with no portent of the searing heat summer would bring. Yes, there would be mishaps, and in the clear light of hindsight, perhaps one wiser than I could have discerned the omens leading to that terrible season.
Genre: historical/Christian fantasy
Tone: dark
Plot: The main character is accused of witchcraft during the period of religious crisis now known as the Salem Witch Trials. She is pregnant, giving birth to a child during her imprisonment, and must show her strength by standing fast against false accusations and eventually proving the reality of her faith in God.
Genre: historical fiction
Tone: gitty
Plot: the main characters struggle (positive or negative) with Ammi Ruhamah.
Genre: Historical/Paranormal
Tone: Dark/gritty
Plot: Episodic, following the events leading up to the MC’s accusation and trial for witch craft and eventual death.
Horror Occult Creepy. Hope will exist because of the birth of this child.
GENRE: Horror/Paranormal
TONE: Hopeful/desperate
BASIC PLOT: A twist on the Salem Witches as we deal with a rejected son obsessed with avenging his mother.
Adult Historical Fiction/Fantasy serious tone with fantasy elements (ala Guillermo del Toro) – about a teen wrongly accused of witchcraft and then abused by her captors and impregnated by the devil himself the Dungeon keeper
G: Historical fantasy
T: Serious/dark
P: Ammi was born as his mother was imprisoned. We will find out more about the events leading up to her capture as well as the reason.
Genre: Historical/Religious Romance
Tone: pious, hopeful
Plot: Wrongly accused Christian – of being a witch. Maybe, due to her pregnancy –
illegitimate child.
–
At the top floor the elevator shudders as it opens the way an aroused woman’s thighs do, quickly and anxiously. When the doors fully separate there’s a muffled groaning sound, the kind a woman makes once her legs are spread wide, as she squirms in anticipation of her lover breaking her softest flesh. I slip through the doors and turn down a dim corridor, my tall heels quiet on the carpeting, my pace easy and cadenced. There’s a single door near the crown of the slim hallway. I raise a lax fist, then relax my knuckles when I notice the doorbell. I hear the vague reverberation of the ding and then I wait, run my hand through my long straight hair, taste my lips as I trace them with the tip of my tongue. Measured footsteps approach slowly. Then it’s silent. I shift my weight to one hip, make one arm akimbo and the click of the lock becoming undone is unexpectedly erotic.
I lift my chin as a tall stranger stands over me wearing a shirt and trousers with shoes, no jacket or tie.
After a pause, I blink back into the moment and offer him a small smile. “Hey.”
romance/erotica
anticipation
Character is a call girl who deals with high profile men to blackmail them for money.
Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Erotica
Tone: Definitely Adult!
Plot: ‘Callgirl’ is not all that she appears, and the client has a request for her that is going to start the story, and lead both of them into danger.
Erotica. sexy. Is this role playing? A wife stands at the door of a hotel room that her husband has arranged for their rendezvous.
GENRE: Erotic
TONE: Erotic
BASIC PLOT: Folks will have sex
Adult contemporary fiction/erotica – narrator is a Domme who has just been introduced to a new male submissive.
Genre: Adult Erotica Thriller
Tone: dark undertones
Plot: I’m not sure why (sounds like a man’s perspective until we get to the heels) so I feel this could be a man dressed as a woman, a murderer in the mists- a serial killer/undercover?
G: Romantic Erotica
T: sexy
P: MC works as an escort and is about to meet with her client. She doesn’t do it because she loves it, she does it because she needs the money. She falls in love with one of her clients and has to choose between love and money that she desperately needs.
Genre: Erotica
Tone: excitement
Plot: A beautiful woman uses men in the bedroom because she feels undermined in the office.
The summer heat had really hit the southern coast of Spain, and like many others around them, six friends had sought refuge in their favourite Tetería, a type of arabic tea-lounge, it was a dark room with dim lighting, the walls were white with hanging wooden panels decorated with intricate patterns, on one side of the room low level tables were sat on colourful patterned rugs surrounded by small wooden stalls, the other side had several booths separated by richly coloured light fabric drapings, inside of which there were also low tables on rugs but this time surrounded by small low leather bean bags. The group of friends had claimed their favourite spot in the corner booth and after they had all browsed the menu Anna used it to fan herself, the others used whatever they had at hand, quite literally, as Dylan and Tara both used their hands as fans.
-Before I forget!- Emma said picking up her bag- Do you remember that last week we were talking about going away somewhere refreshing to relax?- All of her friends nodded as she put her hand in her bag- Well, I found this guide book the other day
Genre: Contemporary
Tone: Light
Plot: The 6 friends vacation does not go as planned.
Genre: vacation adventure-story
Tone: light
Plot: Six friends go on vacation in Spain and, while there, discover themselves, love, and a mystery-adventure in a resort-town that they visit on a whim.
Adventure. Happy. Six friends are about to embark on a vacation that could possibly change their lives.
GENRE: YA Romance/Horror
TONE: Atmospheric
BASIC PLOT: A group of young folks are going on a cruise. It will either be romantic or The Ship From Hell.
Adult Contemporary Fiction Tone- light romance – Six friends adventure to the heart of Russia and discover life/love and the meaning of true friendship
Genre: Adult Horror
Tone: starts off light then turns dark
Plot: Starts all innocent but trip is not what they expect.
G: Adventure
T: Light
P: The group enjoys their holidays until they decide to explore places that they read about in a guide book. In order to safe money they want to do it on their own without a official guide. They get lost and have to find their way back.
“I swear it knows me you know.”
“Hmm?”
“The bird- the big crow in the tree opposite me.”
There was a grumble in response but very little else. Trilman scowled but kept his eyes transfixed on the ruffled black shape that stared straight back. It fanned out its feathers and pecked at them lightly before settling properly in its branch, letting its bobbing head choose a suitable place on his face. The glass steamed back and forth until he gave up his staring contest and returned the book to the trolley in front of him.
“You’re just paying too much attention to it. Come on lad, get finished with that lot – there’s plenty more to do before closing.”
Tril nodded, not allowing himself to look on the old mizer settled in the reading area of the library reading a book. Mr Granston was the head librarian and not a pleasant one at that. For no good reason it had taken 3 interviews and an intake on the phone to get the job in the first place. He wasn’t going to risk it with a smart comment.
Genre: Middle grade, urban fantasy
Tone: Light
Plot: The raven is an omen of some sort of supernatural change or force that Tril must learn to face.
Young adult mystery. Suspicion. The young boy is called upon to solve a mystery that involves the old man and the library.
GENRE: YA Horror
TONE: Ominous
BASIC PLOT: Tril is about to be embroiled in an ancient evil…
Young Adult Fantasy – dark tone – Trilman will soon learn the dark secrets of Mr Granston and the bird.
Genre: YA Mystery
Tone: Curious, suspenseful, dark
Plot: Trilman suspects that there is something up with that crow, but Mr. Granston has always tried to deter that train of thought. As time passes, and Tril’s curiosity heightens, he decides to dig a little deeper. He soon discovers that Mr. Granston has a lot of dark secrets. And so does the crow.
Genre: MG Paranormal
Tone: light mystery
Plot: ATril ends up encountering the supernatural. The old mizer, Mr. Granston ends up being his guide / comes to boy’s aid.
G: YA Mystery/paranormal
T: Light
P: Tril’s right, the crow knows him and its there to spy on him. The young boy is not aware of a power hidden dip within him. His abilities are about to revile themselves. He’s the only one who can stop the dark forces.
CLASSIFICATION: IEP269-292
NOVEL HISTORIAN: C. Davies
MEMORY PAINTER: T. Knight
[BEGIN REPORT]
LOCATION: Innerworld | 46.755601, -92.460920 | St Bernadette | MN | USA
DATE: CE 2 June 2009
It was the first day above eighty, and the Lycra stuck to Robin like decoupage. Only six cupcakes left. The first time he started the superhero gig, Robin thought he’d have to prepare something. A skit or trick for the kids. Mostly the job was handing out cupcakes and fielding questions from suspicious kids. Sometimes a retired frat boy dad would challenge him to a fight. (Robin made a point to not beat guys up in front of their kids.) A geek bored out of her mind might quiz him on Infinite Earths to see if he was worthy of the cape.
Two more. It was those kids in the bounce house. This was a Miller birthday party, which meant at any moment, Joyce, a.k.a. “Pidgin” would show up. And—there she was. The Miller family made up nearly half the population of St. Bernadette, and Pidgin was the matriarch’s sister. She was also single and had a penchant for goosing Robin or booping him in the abs.
Young adult adventure. A regular guy, who dresses up like a super hero and entertains at kids parties, will soon be the focus of something big.
GENRE: YA Romance
TONE: Playful/Bored
BASIC PLOT: Robin and Pidgin are about to take their relationship from ‘barely tolerable’ to ‘desperately dependent’
Adult Contemporary/Science Fiction -tone of dramedy – catastrophic events in multiple realities bring an actor/child entertainer into a world where superheroes are real and the job entails much more than just passing out cupcakes and avoiding gooses from Pidgin.
Genre: NA Romance
Tone: Witty
Plot: He really does have powers, though not the kind everyone assumes. ;o)
G: Romance sci fi
T: Light
P: Robin is from another planet from different solar system with powers that humankind never heard of. He falls in love with Joyce and has to find a way to stay with her. He can’t bring her to his home planet and is obligated to comeback soon and report on his findings.
I watched her from across the room, hands in my pockets, my hands two fists. She was with another man I had never seen her with. They were in her small office, the door wide open.
I was on Madison Avenue at Barney’s for an appointment, was here to do a fitting for a few appearances I had coming up. The woman I had my eyes on didn’t see me. She was too busy smiling and flirting with her new friend. It had been almost a month since I’d seen her. She looked as beautiful as she did the last time we were together.
Carter was standing in profile wearing a knee-length leather skirt, button-down chiffon top. Hair down, almost touching the middle of her back. High heels that made her legs look like they went on forever. I called her Carter. Her last name. She referenced me the same way, always called me Hill, never used my first name.
I waited. Watched. Evaluated.
He was dressed professional with a briefcase by his side. Suit jacket unbuttoned. Most of his weight in his midsection. Couldn’t have been more than five-seven. Ryan Seacrest with a bad metabolism.
Genre: Romance.
Tone: Bittersweet.
Plot: Hill is in love with Carter, a colleague who doesn’t seem to care for him (her?). Hill has to learn how to win Carter, meanwhile also encountering and overcoming difficulties in his (her?) work.
GENRE: YA Romance/Adventure
TONE: Obsessive
BASIC PLOT: Hill and Carter will find themselves embroiled in an adventure that forces them to depend on each other as equals
Modern Fiction with a Hard Boiled detective twist – perhaps an alternate reality, Carter is forced to discover the identity of the man with Carter after she is murdered and Hill sees the indications of that briefcase at the murder scene.
Genre: Adult Romance
Tone:
Plot: Hill has to build up his confidence. A story about the self/growth as much as love.
G: Romantic Thriller
T: Serious
P: Hill is more and more frustrated with Carter as she seems to be oblivious to his advances. After he sees her flirting with yet another man he decides that if he can’t have her – no one will. He starts to plan how and when should he “take care” of her.
A single ray of moonlight shines down to the bottom of the ocean through the deep navy blue, turning it into a lighter color like magic turning the night water into a hazy dusk. I could see the faint light illuminated from where I lay, even though my night vision enabled me to see through the dark oceanic depths anyway. She was comforting to me, the only mother I had at the moment. Really, I should have been sleeping soundly safely in my bed without a care, but there was something on my mind that night. There was somewhere I needed to be. Had I done so, things would have remained simple in my life.
I had a loving family, comprised of my step-father and four sisters. We lived under the sea, deep below the waves where we would be safe from prying eyes. As merfolk, we lived in a variety of homes, some of them hidden in the sides of large rock or dirt formations. Others were made by our own people. Each of them appeared to be just another piece of nature-made architecture from above, but from below they were masterpieces. We held lavish parties and did as
Genre: YA Fantasy.
Tone: A bit wistful.
Plot: A young orphaned mermaid, awake late to look at the moon, somehow discovers and/or saves a human. Through her tragic love for him, she finally finds where she belongs.
GENRE: YA SF/Fantasy Romance
TONE: Contemplative
BASIC PLOT: Our young merfolk is about to challenge the status quo in search of True Love
Young Adult Fantasy Romance – tone of west side story, well the Sharks anyway, not sure on the Jets at this stage of reading. Definitely something to be done here, possibly to due with love/emotions- lots of mention of family.
Genre: YA Fantasy
Tone: Wistful, longing, reminiscent
Plot: Set in the sea and following the merfolk MC as he/she either struggles to cope with the loss of his family or delves into a wild and dangerous adventure to bring them all back together.
Genre: YA Fantasy Romance
Tone: regret,
Plot: A young mer-girl finds herself unable to change time. She regrets the past but fate has a way of giving second chances, especially in matters of the heart.
G: YA Sci fi
T: nostalgic
P: something is going to happen when MC is laying down watching the light, lost in his/her thoughts. Maybe merfolk race has been eliminated and he/she is the only one left.
Genre possibly Young adult fantasy. A way of life familiar to the MC will be threatened.
Part I – Provocation
Dear Brother,
Last night I had a dream that disturbed me more than any others before.
We were forced to our knees in a straight line, with our hands tied behind our backs. Nothing but desert wasteland surrounded us. Stray sand attacked our exposed faces, threatening to choke us before the guards were through.
They put me at the end of the line, behind all of my children. A tall man stood directly in front of us, the hood he wore obscuring all the details of his face. He fixed his attention on Timmy first.
Timmy was too young and innocent for that. He hadn’t yet lost the baby fat in his face or his childish optimism. Even then, he looked up to the hooded man with hope in his eyes. He saw the gun aimed at him and still thought he could live through it.
It didn’t last. Through his curls of blond hair I saw that hope in his eyes die. His lower lip quivered. He let out one final cry, the beginnings of a plea for mercy. The hooded man’s gun fired with a loud pop. The angel didn’t have time to react-
Thriller with an urgent tone. Part of main character’s dream comes true. Seeks revenge on someone who killed one or more family members.
Genre: Dystopian future.
Tone: Dark/adult.
Plot: A dark future where intolerance has been institutionalized and the narrator’s family faces execution because of their difference (possibly religious). Episodic, told in letter form, and following the trials of the narrator as they struggle to keep their family safe and escape to where the brother lives. Not all the children will survive.
GENRE: Fantasy/Horror
TONE: Desperate
BASIC PLOT: Disturbing dreams reveal a war between the Angels and an unknown presence that will draw a family through Hell On Earth…
Adult Fantasy/suspense – serious/dark tone- the dreams are premonitions and bode of impending war/death if the writer and his brother cannot stop the spread of whatever evil the hooded man is obeying
Genre: Dystopian
Tone: Sad, afraid, despondent
Plot: MC gets terrifying dreams, and this one comes true. Her child is killed, and she is thrown into a fight against those who took him from her. A rebellion starts, and with the help of her brother and other oppressed, the MC defies against the system and fights to return the balance and bring justice.
Genre: Adult Thriller
Tone: fear/serious
Plot: The protagonist has been having nightmares and they are starting to make her paranoid. A nagging gut feeling refuses to go away, she is aware that something’s not right. The more her brother tries to comfort her fears, the more she feels there is a real danger lurking. Is it something that she forgot, something too painful? She starts to investigate her families background and uncovers a secret that brings a fear far worse than any previous nightmare.
G: Paranormal
T: Serious
P: it wasn’t a dream, it was premonition. She lives through it and now the only thing that’s left for her is to seek revenge. With help of her abilities she’s tracking down the killer. When she held baby’s lifeless body in her arms another premonition came to her. She got her first clue and she’s going to use it to her advantage.
Genre. Psychological thriller. frightening. A mother is in a living hell until she is rescued.