Hi everyone,
I've written novels but have never written a historical novel before. I have an idea for a WWII romance. The focus is on the romance, with the war as the backdrop.
If you're interested, would you care to read my outline below and tell me what you think of it?
It's the year 1938. Nicolette, called Nikki by all, is an 18 year old who has a French dad and British mom. She grew up in France and grew up bilingual. Her parents divorced when she was a child and her dad stayed in France, remarried, and had other kids. her mom moved back to Britain. Nikki lives most of the year with her mom but has often visited France.
Most of her life, Nikki has had one dream: to marry into the British aristocracy. Even if she can't land a rich, titled man, she hopes to get a rich guy who is related to titled people so that she can move in the highest circles and move from being comfortably and respectably middle class to being super-rich and pampered, with servants to see to her every whim.
Her middle class mom has a cousin who married into the aristocracy, so Nikki feels she has a chance. Now that she is 18, the cousin invites her to come stay with her in London so the cousin can chaperone Nikki's "coming out" and introduce her to polite society.
So Nikki starts attending balls and meeting young men.
Nikki meets two brothers. The older one is a Duke and the younger one a lord.
Nikki falls for the Duke, Adrian, and he for her. meanwhile she clashes with the younger one, Daryn, who feels she is a gold-digger or at any rate a title-seeker. Lots of sparks fly between them.
Once at a dinner party the conversation turns to the rumors about the persecution of Jews in Germany.
"Those Germans know how to deal with trouble-makers," says one dinner guest.
The others agree.
After dinner Nikki says to Adrian, "I notice you didn't say anything."
"I didn’t see the point," he says. "What use arguing with the ignorant or with bigots?
"But are you sure you feel that way in the least?" she presses.
"Why is this so important to you?" he asks.
"Because my family has always hidden it, but my mom is half Jewish," she says.
"So is my mom," he confesses. "some people know but we never went out of our way to tell anyone."
His now-widowed mom was an American heiress [like Cora in Downton Abbey] who came to England to snag an impoverished aristocrat. Like Cora she had a Jewish dad, and so she was considered not quite top drawer. The wealthiest American families, the ones who were the most particular about breeding and having the right ancestry, didn’t want to marry Jews. So his mom became one of those fabulously wealthy American heiresses, daughters of the nouveau riche who made their money in business, who went to the UK to seek men with the highest connections to marry.
She met Adrian's father who was looking for a pretty heiress to put money into the estate. But now the estate is falling to pieces. after WWI they lost a lot of money and now once again a huge infusion of cash is needed.
his mom insists his duty is to marry money. It could turn out to be a happy marriage as hers was.
"If you loved me, you would sell the estate and we could live on whatever money you get," says Nikki.
"I do love you," says Adrian. "But it's not that simple. I'm a Duke. I have a responsibility to my descendants to preserve our heritage."
Nikki decides she needs to marry a man who doesn’t later regret marrying her, who won't always feel she cost him his heritage.
Adrian's mom tells his younger brother Daryn too that it's his duty to marry money. As the younger son he won't even inherit the title or estate, so he will have nothing to even sell off to live on.
"I don’t care," he replies. "As a younger son I always knew I would have to make my own way in life or else marry a wife who could support me. I'm fascinated by politics and the world situation and I can see what is happening in the world. The League of Nations has failed. Racism and fascism have arisen in Germany. I believe I will see another world war in my lifetime and I am training to be a pilot because not only do I love to fly, I want to keep ready for when we have to defend the world from the Nazis."
Daryn comes upon a weeping Nikki and figures out she is heartbroken over the loss of his brother.
"Placing your entire life's happiness into the hands of another human being is highly risky," he tells her. "What if, God forbid, Adrian died? Get some interest in life besides my brother or any man."
Then war breaks out. Daryn runs to enlist. Adrian stays home, feeling his primary duty is always to the estate.
He tells Daryn he feels an utter failure. He lost the woman he loved because he put the estate first and now he feels he has to make sure that sacrifice count for something.
He also feels he failed when he never spoke up whenever people derided Jews. "Is it because of people like me that the situation got to where it is?" he wonders. "You saw this coming, didn’t you?'
"Yes," says Daryn. "But the world isn't composed of people who see things coming. Too many people don’t know what's coming until it crashes slam-bang into them and then they have to rush to the emergency room or else make what repairs they can before it's really too late and the damage can't be undone. In fact most of our world leaders and politicans belong to this group of people, so you’re in good company."
So Daryn goes off to fight. Nikki stays behind in Britain but after France is invaded, she joins the SOE.
According to Wiki:
"Special Operations Executive (SOE) was a British World War II organization. Following Cabinet approval, it was officially formed by Minister of Economic Warfare Hugh Dalton on 22 July 1940, to conduct espionage, sabotage and reconnaissance in occupied Europe (and later, in occupied Southeast Asia also) against the Axis powers, and to aid local resistance movements."
People who knew French were needed to parachute into occupied France and help the local Resistance ether, so Nikki volunteers. She is trained, then parachuted into France where she operates under a whole fake identity.
She runs the risk of being exposed by informers and those who collaborated with the puppet Vichy government, the one that collaborated with the Nazis.
Eventually conscription is introduced in the UK, and people like Adrian, who didn’t sign up immediately, anyway have to join the war.
Nikki and the rest of the Resistance help Allied soldiers who got trapped in France to escape back into the UK so they can rejoin the fight.
One day, Adrian and Daryn's planes are downed and they get trapped in France and she has to help them.
"Do you feel bitter towards me?" Adrian asks her.
"Are you kidding?" she says. "Who cares about our silly romantic problems? The world is burning all around us. I joined the SOE partly because of what Daryn said. I want to find some meaning in life outside of the man I marry. And at a time like this, nothing is more important than saving the world, and especially our two countries, from the enemy."
He tells her he regrets losing her and wants to marry her if both of them survive the war.
Meanwhile Daryn too tells her he has fallen in love with her. He immensely admires the courageous woman she grew to be, so different from the girl he knew back home.
She arranges to help them escape back to the UK but after some twists and turns where she is trying to evade the enemy, they are all caught before the men can leave.
They are found out by one of her half siblings who is a collaborator with the Vichy govt.
Because it's her own sibling, the collaborator can't bring herself to turn in her own sister, so she lets all 3 of them go and helps them all escape since Nikki's cover will soon be blown. She warns Nikki that she just learned that they have been gathering info about her activities and nikki was soon going to be arrested and sent to a concentration camp to be put to death, as was the fate of Resistance fighters. I'd show some scenes during the story where the Germans and collaborators are gathering info about Nikki's activities.
So the three of them escape back to the UK. The guys beg Nikki not to do anything dangerous now that her cover has been blown. While they both feel everyone has a duty to risk their life for their country, they can't bear the idea of Nikki being caught.
There is some uncertainty about which one of the brothers she loves more.
When the war ends and both brothers return home, she chooses Daryn. Adrian could have his own romance in a sequel.
So, lots of character growth of both Nikki and the guy who was her first love but who she eventually rejects, i.e. Adrian. Daryn is kind of already a perfectly formed character with few flaws but with all the wisdom that helps Nikki learn and grow.
***
Well, the above was my outline. It's still rough, and I've never been good at writing outlines. But you get the general idea. Do you think the above would make an interesting novel or movie?
I think Hollywood still loves making WWII movies. If they want big movies featuring a romance set against a big historical background, does mine sound mine sounds good enough to make? I think my story is more intricate than any other romance I've seen on film set against a big background.
But of course it's practically impossible to sell to Hollywood. On my writing site I know people who have been trying for decades, have placed in or won big contests, and still not managed to sell anything to Hollywood.
It would make more sense to write it as a novel first but I'm not sure the story is one romance readers would love. For one thing it's not set in a popular time period. People may enjoy WWII movies but as far as I know, there's no such demand for WWII novels among romance readers, who devour different genres like contemporary, erotic, and Regency historicals.
Thanks for any feedback.
WWII romance idea
I've written novels but have never written a historical novel before. I have an idea for a WWII romance. The focus is on the romance, with the war as the backdrop.
If you're interested, would you care to read my outline below and tell me what you think of it?
It's the year 1938. Nicolette, called Nikki by all, is an 18 year old who has a French dad and British mom. She grew up in France and grew up bilingual. Her parents divorced when she was a child and her dad stayed in France, remarried, and had other kids. her mom moved back to Britain. Nikki lives most of the year with her mom but has often visited France.
Most of her life, Nikki has had one dream: to marry into the British aristocracy. Even if she can't land a rich, titled man, she hopes to get a rich guy who is related to titled people so that she can move in the highest circles and move from being comfortably and respectably middle class to being super-rich and pampered, with servants to see to her every whim.
Her middle class mom has a cousin who married into the aristocracy, so Nikki feels she has a chance. Now that she is 18, the cousin invites her to come stay with her in London so the cousin can chaperone Nikki's "coming out" and introduce her to polite society.
So Nikki starts attending balls and meeting young men.
Nikki meets two brothers. The older one is a Duke and the younger one a lord.
Nikki falls for the Duke, Adrian, and he for her. meanwhile she clashes with the younger one, Daryn, who feels she is a gold-digger or at any rate a title-seeker. Lots of sparks fly between them.
Once at a dinner party the conversation turns to the rumors about the persecution of Jews in Germany.
"Those Germans know how to deal with trouble-makers," says one dinner guest.
The others agree.
After dinner Nikki says to Adrian, "I notice you didn't say anything."
"I didn’t see the point," he says. "What use arguing with the ignorant or with bigots?
"But are you sure you feel that way in the least?" she presses.
"Why is this so important to you?" he asks.
"Because my family has always hidden it, but my mom is half Jewish," she says.
"So is my mom," he confesses. "some people know but we never went out of our way to tell anyone."
His now-widowed mom was an American heiress [like Cora in Downton Abbey] who came to England to snag an impoverished aristocrat. Like Cora she had a Jewish dad, and so she was considered not quite top drawer. The wealthiest American families, the ones who were the most particular about breeding and having the right ancestry, didn’t want to marry Jews. So his mom became one of those fabulously wealthy American heiresses, daughters of the nouveau riche who made their money in business, who went to the UK to seek men with the highest connections to marry.
She met Adrian's father who was looking for a pretty heiress to put money into the estate. But now the estate is falling to pieces. after WWI they lost a lot of money and now once again a huge infusion of cash is needed.
his mom insists his duty is to marry money. It could turn out to be a happy marriage as hers was.
"If you loved me, you would sell the estate and we could live on whatever money you get," says Nikki.
"I do love you," says Adrian. "But it's not that simple. I'm a Duke. I have a responsibility to my descendants to preserve our heritage."
Nikki decides she needs to marry a man who doesn’t later regret marrying her, who won't always feel she cost him his heritage.
Adrian's mom tells his younger brother Daryn too that it's his duty to marry money. As the younger son he won't even inherit the title or estate, so he will have nothing to even sell off to live on.
"I don’t care," he replies. "As a younger son I always knew I would have to make my own way in life or else marry a wife who could support me. I'm fascinated by politics and the world situation and I can see what is happening in the world. The League of Nations has failed. Racism and fascism have arisen in Germany. I believe I will see another world war in my lifetime and I am training to be a pilot because not only do I love to fly, I want to keep ready for when we have to defend the world from the Nazis."
Daryn comes upon a weeping Nikki and figures out she is heartbroken over the loss of his brother.
"Placing your entire life's happiness into the hands of another human being is highly risky," he tells her. "What if, God forbid, Adrian died? Get some interest in life besides my brother or any man."
Then war breaks out. Daryn runs to enlist. Adrian stays home, feeling his primary duty is always to the estate.
He tells Daryn he feels an utter failure. He lost the woman he loved because he put the estate first and now he feels he has to make sure that sacrifice count for something.
He also feels he failed when he never spoke up whenever people derided Jews. "Is it because of people like me that the situation got to where it is?" he wonders. "You saw this coming, didn’t you?'
"Yes," says Daryn. "But the world isn't composed of people who see things coming. Too many people don’t know what's coming until it crashes slam-bang into them and then they have to rush to the emergency room or else make what repairs they can before it's really too late and the damage can't be undone. In fact most of our world leaders and politicans belong to this group of people, so you’re in good company."
So Daryn goes off to fight. Nikki stays behind in Britain but after France is invaded, she joins the SOE.
According to Wiki:
"Special Operations Executive (SOE) was a British World War II organization. Following Cabinet approval, it was officially formed by Minister of Economic Warfare Hugh Dalton on 22 July 1940, to conduct espionage, sabotage and reconnaissance in occupied Europe (and later, in occupied Southeast Asia also) against the Axis powers, and to aid local resistance movements."
People who knew French were needed to parachute into occupied France and help the local Resistance ether, so Nikki volunteers. She is trained, then parachuted into France where she operates under a whole fake identity.
She runs the risk of being exposed by informers and those who collaborated with the puppet Vichy government, the one that collaborated with the Nazis.
Eventually conscription is introduced in the UK, and people like Adrian, who didn’t sign up immediately, anyway have to join the war.
Nikki and the rest of the Resistance help Allied soldiers who got trapped in France to escape back into the UK so they can rejoin the fight.
One day, Adrian and Daryn's planes are downed and they get trapped in France and she has to help them.
"Do you feel bitter towards me?" Adrian asks her.
"Are you kidding?" she says. "Who cares about our silly romantic problems? The world is burning all around us. I joined the SOE partly because of what Daryn said. I want to find some meaning in life outside of the man I marry. And at a time like this, nothing is more important than saving the world, and especially our two countries, from the enemy."
He tells her he regrets losing her and wants to marry her if both of them survive the war.
Meanwhile Daryn too tells her he has fallen in love with her. He immensely admires the courageous woman she grew to be, so different from the girl he knew back home.
She arranges to help them escape back to the UK but after some twists and turns where she is trying to evade the enemy, they are all caught before the men can leave.
They are found out by one of her half siblings who is a collaborator with the Vichy govt.
Because it's her own sibling, the collaborator can't bring herself to turn in her own sister, so she lets all 3 of them go and helps them all escape since Nikki's cover will soon be blown. She warns Nikki that she just learned that they have been gathering info about her activities and nikki was soon going to be arrested and sent to a concentration camp to be put to death, as was the fate of Resistance fighters. I'd show some scenes during the story where the Germans and collaborators are gathering info about Nikki's activities.
So the three of them escape back to the UK. The guys beg Nikki not to do anything dangerous now that her cover has been blown. While they both feel everyone has a duty to risk their life for their country, they can't bear the idea of Nikki being caught.
There is some uncertainty about which one of the brothers she loves more.
When the war ends and both brothers return home, she chooses Daryn. Adrian could have his own romance in a sequel.
So, lots of character growth of both Nikki and the guy who was her first love but who she eventually rejects, i.e. Adrian. Daryn is kind of already a perfectly formed character with few flaws but with all the wisdom that helps Nikki learn and grow.
***
Well, the above was my outline. It's still rough, and I've never been good at writing outlines. But you get the general idea. Do you think the above would make an interesting novel or movie?
I think Hollywood still loves making WWII movies. If they want big movies featuring a romance set against a big historical background, does mine sound mine sounds good enough to make? I think my story is more intricate than any other romance I've seen on film set against a big background.
But of course it's practically impossible to sell to Hollywood. On my writing site I know people who have been trying for decades, have placed in or won big contests, and still not managed to sell anything to Hollywood.
It would make more sense to write it as a novel first but I'm not sure the story is one romance readers would love. For one thing it's not set in a popular time period. People may enjoy WWII movies but as far as I know, there's no such demand for WWII novels among romance readers, who devour different genres like contemporary, erotic, and Regency historicals.
Thanks for any feedback.
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