#1 Lessons in Writing from Bestsellers: Just Like Heaven by Julia Quinn
The Bridgerton series on Netflix won over everyone of us. We loved the romance, the aesthetics and the slow burn of it all. But before there was Rege-Jean Page and Phoebe Dynevor, there was the original Julia Quinn book series. Whether you read it before the show or after it blew up and whether you are an aspiring writer or an established one, Julia Quinn’s writing is something everyone can learn from.
I decided to sit down with the Smythe-Smith quartet and see what lessons can be picked up from the first book in the series, Just Like Heaven. You might remember the Symthe-Smith musicale from the Bridgerton series and the author does an excellent job of picking up moments from the previous books and introducing some of those motifs in the new ones. Almost like giving the long-dedicated readers something to smile about — an inside joke.
ON RECURRING MOTIFS
Recurring motifs are an important part of a story. It gives a base fornot just what’s happening on the pages but also to keep the reader in the story. In Just Like Heaven, loneliness is an important repetition. One thing I have noticed as an editor, is that writers have a difficult time figuring out how to reiterate the same thing without using the same words. Julia Quinn does an excellent job at never repeating the way this loneliness is conveyed.
Both Honoria and Marcus have been lonely all their lives; Honoria because she is the youngest child in her family with many years between her and her immediately older sibling, and Marcus because he lost his family at a young age. The author expresses these feelings in not just different scenes, but many times in the middle of different plotlines, for different reasons, and even through each other’s perspective. So, while it is said quite often, it does not feel repetitive or boring to the reader.
Another type of recurring motifs are the ‘secret’ ones — the type that is only between the two main characters and the reader — an essential part of any romance regardless of whether they are friends-to-lovers or enemies-to-lover. In Just Like Heaven, that is the character’s sweet tooths. It is something that binds the two characters and also gives the reader a common ground to fawn over. Introducing this secret towards the beginning gives the story an extra edge to keep the reader coming back for more.
ON PACING A SCENE
Around 50 pages of Just Like Heaven are dedicated to just one event. That’s a long scene and if not done perfectly, has the potential to bore the reader. But Julia Quinn is skilled at pacing a scene by making it as undulating as possible without appearing to be trying too hard. When Marcus is sick and Honoria and her mother are taking care of him, there is not just moments of excitement. There are moments of worry and lull as well as drifting thoughts and divergent conversations.
The scene is very important to the book since it establishes the romance between the two characters and it does an excellent job at being everything it aims to be. Honoria often thinks about her past memories of Marcus even when she is doing things as mundane as cleaning his wounds or just trying to fall asleep. Since the scene switches between various paces, it never feels like its long and manages to keep the reader riveted throughout.
SHOW, DON’T TELL
This is probably the most important lesson in writing and one that is talked about almost everywhere. A good writer knows how to describe an emotion but a great writer knows which words to use to convey the feeling. There are ample moments in the book that would bring this to mind, however, the two that stood out for me were when Honoria receives the news of Marcus’ illness ,and everything related to Daniel.
“Honoria was quite sure that was not going to happen but she didn’t say anything as she strode toward the front door, Cecily and Mrs. Royle right at her heels.”
Without ever having to say that Honoria is in a hurry, this sentence is able to convey the sense of worry in her. Words like strode and phrases like right at her heels, add an urgency to the scene.
Similarly, Honoria does not often directly say or think that she misses Daniel but her mind drifts to him sometimes and that does a way better and simpler job.
Of course, the closer a look you take at any book, the more you are likely to learn from it. There are other lessons every writer can learn from Just Like Heaven but these three were the ones that really stood out for me.
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