On Writing Romance (5 page)

Word count: 60,000 to 100,000

See also
Futuristic, Historical, Paranormal

Woman in Jeopardy:
Features a heroine whose life is clearly in danger, often from someone close to her or in a position of trust. The old-style Gothic romance is a good example of woman-in-jeopardy books, but the rules have broadened considerably since Victoria Holt's day. The threat faced by the heroine in a woman-in-jeopardy book is bigger, fiercer, closer, and more frightening than in most romances (for instance, she might suspect her husband, rather than a stranger, of trying to kill her). Woman-in-jeopardy books sometimes include paranormal elements.

At present, this isn't as much a category or subgenre in itself as it is a type of story appropriate for several of the longer romance lines as well as single titles and mainstream.

Word count: 80,000 to 110,000

Women's Fiction:
Fiction usually written by women and aimed at a primarily female reading audience, including mainstream and single-title books but usually not category romance novels. Women's fiction often involves a group of women who may be sisters, friends, co-workers, or enemies.

Word count: 90,000 to 110,000

See also
Mainstream, Single Title

Young Adult (YA):
Aimed at the teenage and even pre-teen reader, these books usually focus on the development of an innocent first love and include few sensual (and no sexual) elements.

Some books in the YA line focus on older teens and may involve realistic situations and decisions about drinking, drugs, premarital sex, etc. Though these books can carry a message, the successful ones don't preach or lecture.

The time frame for YA books can be contemporary or historical. Paranormal characters appear in some YA fiction.

Word count: varies

In addition to understanding the various types of romance, it is important to read widely within the romance genre. As an aspiring romance author, you should read the type of romance novel you are writing, as well as other similar categories or types, in order to be familiar with the style and type of stories the editors are choosing.

If you wish to write category romance, it's important to realize that each category has its own very definite identity. Reading the books themselves is the best way to understand and distinguish between categories that seem very much alike. If you don't understand the differences between similar-looking categories, you may end up writing a manuscript that doesn't really fit anywhere.

Even if you wish to write single-title books, you should familiarize yourself with the market and the competition. Though by definition a single-title book stands alone, reading a wide variety of current books will help you discern what factors make a single-title book successful.

To begin your study, visit a bookstore and simply browse the romance section without picking anything up. Stand back from the shelves and notice the variety of romances, looking at how the different categories and types of books are packaged so they are distinguishable from the rest. Which books seem to have similar themes and covers? What catches your eye as you look at the shelves? Is it bright colors, type styles, art?

Now move up close. Take a good look at front covers — colors, designs, titles. What kind of art does each cover use — is it a photograph, a painting, a cartoon, or a graphic design? Read back cover copy. What can you deduce about the books from the appearance of the front and back covers? Does the cover hint at the level of sensuality, drama, humor?

Look inside, check out pages here and there, note the size of type and margins and how the pages are laid out. Is there a lot of narration or a lot of dialogue? Does the page look inviting to read?

Despite the wide range of romance subgenres and categories, the reader has certain expectations of any romance novel. The author who doesn't meet those expectations isn't likely to make it into the bookstore. Now that you have an idea of how many different romance subgenres there are, look at what they all have in common. Read at least ten romances, selecting different authors and choosing from different categories and publishers. Check the copyright page to make sure the books you choose were first published within the last year or two and are not reprinted, ten-year-old titles.

As you read, think about the structure the author has hidden behind the story. Ask yourself the following questions:

1. How are all the heroines alike? How are they different? What can't a heroine be?
   

2. How are all the heroes alike? How are they different? What can't a hero be?
   

3. How long are the books? How are the chapters or sections divided?
   

4. How do chapters begin and end? How many chapters are there?
   

5. What point of view is used? Whose thoughts can we eavesdrop on?
   

6. How many characters are there? Are there patterns in supporting characters from book to book?
   

7. Are there similarities in the development of the plots — in the number and placement of complications, in the tension, in the love scenes, etc.?
   

8. How does the author get the readers involved in the beginning of the story?
   

9. How is each character first presented to the readers? When does the heroine first appear? When does the hero first appear?
   

10. How does the author make you care about the main characters?
    

11. How does the story end? Is it always a happy ending? A wedding?
    

When you've read a number of books, start making a list of the rules you've deduced. Here are a few samples to get you started:

1. Romances of all kinds have a happy ending, generally with the hero and heroine planning a lifelong relationship.
   

2. In many romances, the heroine has a best friend who serves as a confidante and allows the author to tell us about the heroine's background, weaknesses, and thoughts.
   

3. While a heroine or hero can be divorced or have had a previous serious relationship, characters generally don't get involved with a new love interest until the earlier entanglement is finished and they have had time to heal.
   

4. In inspirational romances, faith is more important than doctrine, so specific religions and denominations are seldom mentioned.
   

It's possible that your list of rules will ultimately run into the hundreds, but the reasons for the rules fall into only two main categories. First, the readers of romance novels expect sympathetic, likeable characters. Second, they expect an engrossing, uplifting story. If you look closely at your list, you'll find that nearly every one of the rules fits into one of those areas. Either it helps to create a likeable character or it helps tell the story in a way that holds the reader's attention.

And sometimes it does both. The heroine often has a best friend because it's a good way to show her as likeable, but the existence of that character also lets the author tell some of the story in dialogue between the two friends, which is usually a more interesting storytelling method than simply stating the heroine's thoughts.

While the rules exist for good reason, it's important to note that there are very few that are sacred. Heroines aren't required to have a best friend to confide in. While it's unusual to have a hero with a criminal past, such a character can still be likeable and sympathetic. Though the majority of romances are told in the third-person point of view, there are a few first-person stories. A hero or heroine who falls in love while still married is rare, but not impossible.

If you are aware of the reasons behind a rule, you can often find a way to break it successfully. You say you want your hero to rob a bank? To actually
do
it, not just be suspected of it? Then figure out how to make him look like a good guy despite his criminal tendencies, and go for it.

As you read your collection of romance novels and construct your list of rules, make note of what subgenre each book falls into. Is there a particular subgenre or type of book you find yourself most attracted to? Of the books you've selected, which stories do you most enjoy? What subgenres do those stories fall into?

Now that you know more about the romance genre and you've been introduced to some of the different subgenres, types, and lines of stories, it's time to start making some choices about your story. What kind of book do you want to write?

Is your book going to be historical or contemporary? Short or long? Category or single title? Paranormal, futuristic, or straight romance? Sensual or sweet?

Having trouble deciding? The first and most basic truth about writing is that a writer should write the story he wants to write. That usually means you should be writing the kind of book you most like to read. The act of writing, for most people, is not fun. At best, it's not consistently enjoyable. Good writing — writing a story readers will want to read — is hard work. It is difficult enough to construct a readable story without adding the burden of spending time with characters you dislike, a plot you find dull, a sensuality level you feel is bland (or shockingly explicit), or a time period you think is boring.

Yet people frequently try to write romances of a type they don't personally enjoy because statistically those types of books enjoy the best sales. The problem is that, even if they finish the story, their lack of enthusiasm will show, and their first reader — the editor — is likely to be the last reader as well.

You will have far more success on a personal level, and when you submit your work for publication, if you're writing a story you love, even if that story doesn't follow all the rules or fall into a distinct genre or subgenre.

There are hundreds of books that everybody knew would never sell, because everybody knew readers simply weren't interested in that kind of story. Except nobody told the readers they weren't interested, and when publishers took risks, they discovered there were indeed readers — sometimes hundreds of thousands of them — who loved those impossible books. (Jean Auel's
Clan of the Cave Bear
— a romantic story set in prehistoric times — is perhaps the best example.)

Not every book will be a bestseller, of course. But books written with love stand a much better chance of being shared with readers.

As you consider the kernel of your story idea, here are some questions to consider:

1. Is this a story you can write?
   Do you have the experience, insight, understanding, and voice necessary to address this story to this audience? If not, can you acquire those skills?
   

2. What are your qualifications?
   Do you possess the skills to write authoritatively about the subject, background, or time period you've chosen?
   

3. What drawbacks will you face in writing this story?
   Where can you find the additional resources and information you need to make your story believable?
   

   If you want to write a medical thriller with two doctors as your hero and heroine, but you've never worked in the medical field, the challenge will be enormous. You can do it — but only if you are willing to check every word your medical characters say to each other, and even every thought they have, in order to be sure they're accurate and realistic. Are you willing to put in that much time and effort?
   

   At the same time, don't choose what seems easiest if you don't like that type of story. Writing for young adults isn't easier than writing for mature readers, so unless you spend enough time with young people to understand how they think, writing a young adult romance is probably a waste of time. If your heart lies in historicals, you shouldn't choose to write a contemporary just because it sounds less difficult. It won't be easier if you'd rather be in Regency England or the Old West.
   

4. How can you shape your story to make the drawbacks and challenges more manageable?
   For instance, if you really want to write that medical thriller but you don't feel confident evoking the doctor's point of view, consider whether you can make your most important character a layperson instead. That way you can still use the medical setting, but you'll have a somewhat easier job creating dialogue and story because not every character has to think and act like a trained physician.
   

Deciding which romance subgenre or category your story falls into can be a challenge. There are many kinds of romances, and each has its own special combination of elements. Some feature pure fantasy; others focus on glitz and glamour; still others involve grit and realism. The best way to figure out where your story fits is to read the books being published today.

Look especially at the newest authors, those whose first books are on the shelves right now, because that tells you what kinds of stories editors are most likely to be seeking from other new authors. (You can often spot the newer authors by reading the bio page, which often list the titles of previous books.) Here are some questions to consider as you select the appropriate market for your book:

1. How big is your project?
   The more serious the topic or the more downbeat the main characters' overall experiences, the longer the book will need to be in order to solve the issues and create a realistic happy ending. If your hero has killed somebody, or your heroine's been raped, you'll need more room to develop the story and show the characters growing, healing, and overcoming the emotional baggage they're carrying.
   

   The lighter and more humorous the story line, the shorter the book is likely to be. It's not easy to carry a humorous tone through an entire work, and the longer the story goes on, the more difficult it becomes.
   

2. Does your story have a universal appeal?
   Appealing to readers in foreign markets is becoming more important as the global economy grows. As established markets become saturated, publishers are increasingly aware that the strongest potential for future market growth lies abroad.
   

   That means they're looking for stories that will make sense to readers in other countries. Some topics, like American politics and pro football, don't translate well, while other kinds of themes and problems (money, kids, property, honor) are pretty much universal — they could occur anywhere. If your story is one that can only happen in the United States, how can you make it more appealing to foreign readers and therefore more valuable to a publisher?
   

3. Can you shape the story to better fit today's marketplace?
   If you want to write a complex book but the word count publishers are looking for seems too short for your story, can you trim some secondary plot lines or restrict the number of characters? If your story is too short to meet the publisher's guidelines, don't pad it with detail or extra people. Think about additional complications for your main characters, ones that would strengthen the conflict and story.
   

4. What is the story's hook?
   The hook is the grabber that seizes the readers' attention and makes the book stand out from others on the bookstore shelves. It can be a story type (Cinderella, marriage of convenience), a setting (a town where it's Christmas all year around), or a hint about why the hero or heroine is different (“From special agent to ex-con”). The hook is usually mentioned in the back cover blurb, sometimes as a tag line (“The bridesmaid and the best man”; “Caught by a tycoon”; “Their perfect divorce is falling apart!”).
   

What specific angle will hook readers into picking up
your
story rather than one of the hundreds of other new titles released in the same month?

With a better understanding of the challenges you'll face in writing your story, and with at least a tentative decision on what form it's going to take, look a little more closely at your particular project and do some planning.

But how much planning should you do?

Some authors know their entire story before they begin to write. Some start with the main characters in mind and let the story happen as they go along.

Some know all about the problem and plot but discover the characters during the writing process. Some know the ending they're writing toward but nothing much about the story up to that point.

Some authors outline every chapter and/or every scene. Some write detailed summaries of the story, picturing every major event. Some authors keep a notebook with a page for each major scene or chapter, adding notes as they write in order to remind themselves of what needs to be brought in to the next parts of the book. Some analyze each scene with a spreadsheet. Some use a simple list of major plot twists, revising it from time to time with more details or new directions as the story progresses. Some write single ideas or incidents or lines of dialogue on slips of paper, then sort the pieces into what seems a logical order, resorting now and then as the story unfolds.

Some authors write a very sketchy first draft and then rewrite the entire book, fleshing out characters and incidents. Some write scenes and chapters as they come to mind, in no particular order. Some start with page one and write straight through, turning out a nearly finished story.

What's the
right
way? Any of the methods outlined above — or perhaps something entirely different. The right way for you is what works for you, and only by trying out a number of methods can you discover what, for you, is the most efficient, supportive, and helpful.

Don't be surprised if you can't see your entire story at once, because envisioning the whole book before writing a single word is a talent few authors have. Very few books are fully planned in advance. That's what second drafts are for — smoothing out the rough edges, adding the necessary foreshadowing and details, and tying up the loose ends.

Many people find that writing detailed outlines or summaries before starting a book is very difficult. Most prefer to leave their characters some latitude to develop and act in surprising ways. In addition, many authors find that planning so extensively eliminates a great deal of the joy of creating a story, turning writing into a mechanical process. Others feel secure in starting to write only after the story is completely outlined so they know exactly what happens in each chapter.

Whatever your style may be, some planning is essential in order to keep the rough edges and loose ends from overwhelming the story. Without an idea of where you're going, your story is apt to meander and end up fit only for the trash pile.

Writing a book is an enormous project, and keeping in mind from one month to the next precisely what Harry's supposed to tell John in the beach scene is nearly impossible. Worse, unless you write down the terrific idea you had about how to follow up on the beach scene, you're apt to forget it entirely when you get to that place in the story.

So whether you use a full synopsis, notes, a sketchy outline, a time line, a spreadsheet, a notebook, or a blackboard, find a way to organize your thoughts. Otherwise you'll waste a great deal of time — paging back through chapters or searching computer files to find the detail you're looking for, waiting for inspiration to strike, or doing massive revisions.

Planning ahead keeps you from spinning your wheels, speeds up your writing process, and eases your work in polishing after you've finished the first draft. But you can do too much planning. The biggest folly of beginning writers is waiting to start writing until they have the story completely in mind, until their research is all finished, until they have large chunks of time to devote to the process, or until they're in the mood or inspired to write.

You'll never have your story completely planned. And if you wait to start writing until you know you've got everything just right, you're apt to hit a stone wall by page ten and never get any further.

Doing a certain amount of research before setting up your story is both necessary and wise, because it helps ensure you don't construct your plot on an impossibility or a false assumption. But beyond that, it's difficult to predict what information you'll need, so start writing and look up facts as you need them.

Waiting until vacation time rolls around so you can devote entire days to your writing is like staying off your bicycle for fifty weeks in a row and then spending the next fourteen days riding across the country. You'll be stiff, sore, and unhappy — and unlikely to look at the bicycle with any fondness in the future.