Writing About: New Year's Eve + January Question of the Month

New Year’s Eve is a fun night in the real world and it can be a fun night in fiction as well. It could be a night of passion for a romance story or a night of suspense for a mystery. Maybe two people meet at an acquaintance’s party, or a murder takes place. Whatever happens, try to fit one or more of the following highlights into your story.

1. New Year’s Eve Party

A lot can happen at a New Year’s Eve party. Dozens of people get together wearing their best party clothes (glitter and sequins galore) and consume pints of alcohol. There’s dancing, snacks, champagne, and entertainment in the form of karaoke and watching the ball drop. You can spin a party tale for a romance, mystery or thriller. And even for different age groups including new adult and young adult.

2. Midnight Kiss

You can’t write about New Year’s Eve without including a midnight kiss, or the dilemma of who your character will be sharing a kiss with. It’s sweet if they share it with their love but intriguing if they share it with a stranger. The outcome of the latter could be the start of a new relationship or maybe he/she just kissed a murderer. Think about it….

3. New Year’s Resolution

A fun addition to a romantic-comedy or any genre is the mention of a New Year’s resolution. Perhaps it’s said with sarcasm or with hope. A good resolution for a romance…although a cliché…would be for a character to find someone to love.

New Year’s traditions from around the world:

- Colored underwear. Many believe wearing yellow underwear on New Years Eve will bring happiness. Others believe red underwear will bring their soul mate to them.

- Eating lentils is supposed to bring a prosperous new year.

- In Ireland, they bang bread against the walls and doors of a house to chase away bad luck and spirits.

- Do a version of Spring cleaning to get rid of old and start fresh.

- Eat 12 grapes (one for each month) while making a wish. 

- Write things you'd like to leave behind on a piece of paper and burn it so you don't bring bad habits, experiences, etc. into the new year.

- Light candles. Red will bring love and passion, orange is for wisdom. blue for peace, green for good health, and yellow for financial success.

QUESTIONS: What do you like most about New Year’s Eve?
What do you dislike?

QUESTION OF THE MONTH

To join this monthly blog hop visit Michael G D'Agostino's blog.

QUESTION: What are some new year’s resolutions you’ve had in the past?

My Answer: I set reasonable goals every New Year's Eve. It's a tradition. I write down a list of goals, including some of my deepest wishes on a piece of paper. Then I store it in a glass bottle for the whole year. At the end of the year, I fish it out and see if I met any of my goals. 

Some of my old goals that I achieved: 

- Move out of my apartment into a house

- Buy a laptop

- Get a car

- Get my GED 

- Finish writing certain stories

- Submit certain stories for publication

Writing About: A Party

When we go to a party we look at the decorations, the food being served, the people who are attending and what they are wearing. And since characters are meant to be portrayed as real, I believe they should do the same thing if they go to a party whether it’s a birthday Party, Christmas party, New Years Eve party, or charity event.

However, you don’t have to say that your character stepped up to the food table to examine every appetizer or walked to every corner of the house to see every decoration. You’re the writer. When your character steps into the party, use that moment to tell the reader all the details that they need to know to perfectly envision the atmosphere.

What does the room/house look like? Are there hollies draped over the banister, streamers fluttering from the ceiling, a dance floor? Is there a performer or band?

Is there food? Indulge in your cravings by letting your characters nibble on decadent desserts and expensive treats. Is there popcorn, caviar, shrimp cocktails, or chicken wings? Are there waiters with flutes of champagne or a cooler stocked with beer?

Who is at the party? It wouldn’t be a party unless your protagonist knew people there. Let your characters mingle then tell your readers about the outcome. Does your protagonist spot their love interest or the person they believe is the suspect in a crime?

Once you reveal who is at the party, tell your reader what they are wearing. I love to do this because the dresses that my female characters wear are dresses that I have designed. Now, if you don’t have a knack for fashion, don’t worry! Describe simple attire instead. Example: “She wore a black dress that pooled at her feet in a puddle of silk.” If you are fashion savvy but don’t design, use fashion magazines to find attires that your characters would wear and try to use your crafty way with words to put those outfits into your story.

Now there has to be a purpose for the party other than the fact that it is Christmas or New Years, etc. Something needs to come out of the party for your protagonist.

For a romance, does he/she dance with the person who has caught their eye? In each other’s arms, with music swimming around them, do they sink deeper in love? Do they end up leaving together or do they have a lovers spat?

For a thriller, does your protagonist confront the person they suspect did a crime? Do they get into a heated argument? What words are exchanged? Does it get physical? Whatever happens, make it good! Make your readers want to jump into your book to defend your protagonist.

Lastly, how does the party end? Does your protagonist leave with their lover to have a passionate night, with a black eye from the confrontation with someone they dislike, or with hors d'oeuvres in their purse to feed to their cat?

SHARE: How you write about a party in your stories.