Love List ♥ ♥ ♥

Many moons ago, I read an inspirational guest post about Love Lists by contemporary young adult author Stephanie Perkins’ for author Natalie Whipple’s blog. Here’s what Stephanie had to say:

Whenever I begin a new project, I also begin a list called “What I Love About This Story.” I start by writing down those first ideas that sparked the fires of my mind, and then I add more ideas as I discover them during my push through early drafts. I use this list as a touchstone to remind myself during the hard times why my story is worthwhile. It’s easy to forget the GOOD STUFF when I’m wading through the muck, and the end is still months away, and it feels pointless and hopeless to continue. This list becomes a crucial reminder: Yes! This is a story worth telling! 

Brilliant, right? Last year I made a Love List for Cross My Heart and, since I’m currently knee-deep in the Muddled Middle of my new WiP, I thought it might be a good time to write up its Love List. Here’s what I’ve come up with so far…

Best Friends
Boone’s Farm
Birthdays
Betrayal
Baseball
Bubble Gum
Small Towns
Red Hair/Freckles
Vintage Movie Theaters
Fast Cars
Full Moons
First Love
Desperate Love
Dancing Under the Stars
Dead Ends
Dusty Libraries
“Love is a splendid tragedy…”
Kissing (Obviously)
Tim McGraw
Train Tracks
Twiggy
Unspeakable Secrets
Escaping/Fleeing/Breaking Free
“Inside all of us is a wild thing…”

Have you ever made a Love List for a work-in-progress?
(If you decide to make a Love List for your WiP, let me know…
I’d love to check it out! Also, be sure to visit the Love List my friend Alison Miller posted today — it’s awesome!)

38 thoughts on “Love List ♥ ♥ ♥”

  1. Cecilia Robert says:

    I LOVE your love list. I’ve never made one before, but I think it’s the high time I did for my upcoming contemporary romance. I’ve written past the muddled middle, but something isn’t working. Not sure what. I’ve been chasing my tail for days now…lol I definitely need to make my list.

    • katyupperman says:

      Let me know if you decide to post your list, Cecilia. I’d love to check it out! And I think Steph is write: recalling all the things I love about my story goes a long way in inspiring me to keep working on it. Good luck getting over that hump!

  2. Elodie says:

    Love it, Katy and I’m even more curious about your story now…Can’t wait to read more of it! Vintage Movie Theaters and Desperate Love? Sounds great!
    ❤

  4. Alexa says:

    Great list! Fast cars, vintage movie theatres and dusty libraries and kissing – sounds wonderful. Definitely a book I’d like 🙂

    I loved that guest post of Stephanie’s, it inspired me to make a love list for my last story. I haven’t done one for this one yet, maybe when I finish the first draft.

  5. Jennifer Pickrell says:

    I love the “feel” I get from your list! It definitely reminds me of small towns and the bittersweetness of first love 🙂

    I’m gonna try and make a list myself in the next week or two – I need some inspiration!

  7. Rebecca B says:

    What a lovely love list. I am so into a book that combines “inside of all of us is a wild thing,” dusty libraries, dancing under the stars, and Boone’s Farm. Yes.

  9. Rachel (writes things/007) says:

    I love this idea, and I LOVE your Love List. I want to read a book about dusty libraries and kissing. Hope you finish it soon so we can all see it on sub and then shelves. 😀 *ponders* maybe I’ll do a love list this week for the book I’m querying…

  13. Erin Funk says:

    Your Love List is awesome! There are so many sweet details, but of course I’m especially partial to the red hair/freckles bit. Definitely sounds like a story worth telling! 🙂

  15. Jessica Silverstein says:

    This looks great! For some reason, bubble gum is the thing that jumped out at me 🙂

    Right now I feel like I’m too *meh* on my story to write one of these…although that may just be due to sitting through a 90-degree day with no AC! I’m pretty *meh* on anything that’s not ice water right now. Maybe tomorrow if the AC really does get installed, I’ll try to come up with one.

    • katyupperman says:

      I kind of love the bubble gum thing too, Jess. 🙂

      Yikes! Here’s hoping you have air conditioning ASAP. It’s a little chilly here by the bay. I actually turned on my heat this morning because it was only 58 degrees. Boo! I’ll keep an eye out for your Love List, should you choose to make one.

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  18. Kris Atkins says:

    This is the third love list post I’ve seen this week! Something must be in the water. I made one for my WIP a year ago but it needs to be updated and I’m dying to do it. Love lists are so fun, aren’t they? I love yours, especially the quotes.

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