Story: Better Than Perfect

What follows is an analysis of a Woman's World story with suggestions and observations for people who want to sell stories to WW, peppered with some personal opinion, too. :) If you truly want to get the most from this weekly blog feature, it's best to have your own copy of the story to refer to. (And no, I don't get a kickback for pimping the magazine here!)

Story: Better Than Perfect by Maggie Forsyth from the May 12, 2008 issue.

Tagline: Mike was becoming a habit with Jody. A good habit...

In A Nutshell: Jody waits tables at a truck stop. She makes friends with a trucker, Mike, who's working on eating healthier and exercising, per doctor's orders. Jody is inspired by him and does the same. They go out to a nice dinner together.

Teaching Points: This story has a the "perfect" concept for WW--a romance paired with healthy habits, a topic that is a mainstay in their publication. I did something similar with my first WW published story in which the heroine was perusing her horoscope. So if you're looking for story ideas, page through one of your issues.

Woman's World Standbys: A good old beta hero. He's sweet and complimentary, a little nervous.

In My Humble Opinion: Mike "blushes" some dialogue in that first column.