Original Story of the Week: Bells Ringing in the Summer Haze

Bells Ringing in the Summer Haze is an original fiction written by mmmxalright. In this edition of Original Story of the Week, we take a closer look at this work.

Give us a brief summary of Bells Ringing in the Summer Haze.

Bells Ringing in the Summer Haze is a love story between two people who don't always get along. It's about two cousins, the one is getting married, the other is the maid of honor, but they are more like sisters. It's also about friendship and family, and the characters kind of learn things about themselves that they may not have known before the adventure begins.

What inspired you to write Bells Ringing in the Summer Haze?

When I first started writing Bells, my boyfriend's sister was in the wedding stages; she was getting ready to be married. She was planning her wedding and I helped with a lot of things, so I was in the wedding mood, you could say. I always love a good romance story so writing it just kind of came naturally and since the wedding was a big part of my life, at the time, it was fitting to write a story around that.

How long have you been working on this story?

Unfortunately, I've been working for a long time on this story. My computer crashed so I lost more than half of the chapters. Right now, I'm taking a breather on trying to re-create it. I'm writing other stories and working a lot, but I think I will get back into it soon. It may not end the same way I had originally planned, but I will get there.

What is your favorite thing about writing Bells Ringing in the Summer Haze?

My favorite thing about Bells would be the romance. I love being in love, I love reading and writing about love. It makes life so exciting and even when there are downfalls, love really is fantastic.

What is the most challenging thing about writing it?

The most challenging thing about writing the story is trying to re-create what I've already written. When my computer crashed I had a lot of the story finished, and now I feel like I'm trying to compare it, and it's difficult to compare it to what it was.

Another difficult aspect is not trying to be too cliched, and make an interesting read. I know sometimes romance stories are the same thing and I want it to be different for people reading it. I want it to be a story that people could read again.

I love feedback but I also get a little nervous to post chapters and get mean feedback, so that's always a challenge for me no matter what the story is.

Have you ever experienced writer's block with this story? If so, how did you overcome it?

Yes, I feel like I am in writer's block now, and I usually go to my other stories and take turns writing them. I may also move past the part I'm struggling with, and then go back to that section when I figure it out. I will usually write a chapter if I know exactly what I want to write, and when I'm stuck I will wait it out. I also read a lot, so when I'm reading something, inspiration may strike.

Do you write with an outline, or just wing it?

I just wing it! I may jot down ideas for the future. I don't want to give specifics away for those readers who haven't read it yet, but I knew when I wanted specific events to happen. And when I get specific ideas I usually write them down at the top of my word document. However, I just write the chapters one at a time without really planning. I know what I want the end result of my story to be, but not how the story gets there.

Do you have any pre/post writing rituals?

I always have to be wearing comfortable clothes while I'm writing. For example, I'm leaving for work in a bit, but as I write this I am wearing yoga pants.

I also can't write in absolute silence, so I either need the TV or my music on. I also have to have specific music for specific scenes, for example if I am writing about a party or club/bar scene, I need quick tempo'd music. If I am writing a sad or important scene I usually put on Taylor Swift or instrumental music.

Is there anything you would like to say to your readers?

Honestly, I just want to thank my readers for reading my stories. I know sometimes people are just so busy and when they take the time to read and comment, I really appreciate it. The feedback keeps me motivated and I love getting to meet them all.

Special thanks to silent hearts. and elixir for editing!