There are a few things you can depend on in life: death, taxes, romance novels having a happy ending, and the fact that the “close door” button on elevators isn’t really attached to anything and is simply there to calm the nerves of impatient people. Technically, we aren’t going to talk about any of these things (although I could rant and rave about my elevator at work for a while if you wish) since Rule #2 in Part 2 summed up endings rather well. We will, however, discuss how to ARRIVE at… the final chapter!
The Characters
I have to give credit to Christina Hamlett of The Writer magazine, since most of this support session will be from her articles. I love what she says about romance characters. “Romance writing – once the backdrop for bodice-ripping pirates and helpless governesses – has evolved to mirror modern times and male-female dynamics. Heroines, who were once relegated to low-paying jobs as a stepping-stone to marriage, are now cast as women of substance and captains of industry.” I really like the word bodice…
She continues, “Likewise, many of the male characters in these stories are not simply there to sweep women off their feet. The hero realizes that winning a woman’s heart is only part of the equation. He also must get her respect.”
So let’s be honest here: In romance there are two characters, the heroine and the hero, but the focus of the story should not be on THEM, but on their developing relationship. Have you ever noticed that most romance characters seem to be the same? I commented, to a romance writer, that I was learning that CHARACTERS were the focal point of a romance novel, and she laughed at me. Her exact response was, “Actually, the characters are rather cliché, and most authors don’t do much by way of characterization. It is their interaction that varies, and tells the story.”
It is only recently that we are beginning to see a varying degree of characterization. Once upon a time all heroines had to be virgins, and heroes had to be tall, handsome, and slightly older than the lady. As our ideas of sexual dynamics and romance formulas change, we do delve a bit into heroines who have loved and lost (but are now ready to love again), and the non-typical heroes who like the woman who brings home the bigger paycheck. Still, some formulas seem to never change. Boy-meets-girl/boy-loses-girl/boy-gets-girl-back is a tried-and-true method for getting readers to come back time and time again. In addition, most heroes still tend to have an acceptable minor flaw. In conjunction with that flaw, heroines still seem to possess the patience to nurture and heal, the confidence to believe, and tact when dealing with the hero.
The Obstacles
Remember that true love is never easy. Obstacles provide opportunity to increase the interaction between your characters. Of course, it should be obvious to your reader that the two characters in your story belong together, but as an author you have an obligation to create conflicts that allow the chemistry to simmer. Ms. Hamlett was kind enough to provide me with the three most popular obstacles that appear in romance fiction.
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Reward
Here we see the hero and heroine after the same goal (I thought of a promotion at work, or something similar) that will either have to be achieved by compromise and communication, or completely abandoned in favor of their love. Jealousy and envy are good emotions to work with here, but remember to keep it real. How would you and your significant other resolve these issues? Is communication enough? Unfortunately, in a romance you can’t just decide that the reward is better than the character. The characters must choose each other somehow.
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Revenge
Let’s assume that the hero comes to town owning a really big bookstore and puts the heroine’s family book business out of business. Nonetheless, romance ignites on an antagonistic level, or perhaps the heroine has already fallen for the hero because of his swooning IMs even though she doesn’t know who he is, and must then overcome her own desire for revenge when she discovers his identity before their love can progress. Okay, it’s been done, but it is the only example I could think of. Hatred, remorse, betrayal: all of these are good emotions to work with here. Walk the love/hate line so that the reader will sympathize with both parties, but remember to include some sort of retribution – even if it is just a happy ending.
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Escape
Either the hero or heroine is trying to escape from a bad relationship. An abusive father or ex can create an obstacle while at the same time introducing elements of suspense. This type of romance is usually filled with excitement. Make the clock tick and escalate the threats so that the characters must face a third party who represents bias and power. Fear is the perfect emotion to use here – so remind me the next time I decide to do a series of articles on romance to skip Jane Eyre and go for something with obstacles of escape.
Viewpoint
Romance requires a restriction of viewpoint to either his or hers. Traditionally, her viewpoint was more common because his just wasn’t very important. Thankfully, with the advent of more male romance authors (who probably couldn’t get inside the head of a woman well enough to create a well rounded character anyway), the male perspective is gaining popularity. Personally, I think both viewpoints should be examined, so that your reader knows the secret inner desires of both characters… in relation to each other, of course.
Occasionally you may need to bring in the viewpoint of an antagonist, such as with escape obstacles. Be careful jumping around too much, however. Remember that your reader only cares about the interaction of these third parties on the relationship of your hero and heroine. Conveying third party intentions through dialog or action, rather than introspection, is preferred.
The Heat
I know all of you have read through all three of these romance articles just waiting for the section on sex. Well, here you go. If you are a romance author, be prepared to get asked the question how much “research” went into your bedroom scenes. Your best response would be to give them a wry smile, and tell them, “Well you know, it was easy. I read these three romance articles and fell in love with the author of them. I just wrote down what I wanted to do to him.” Oh you know it’s true.
When writing your sizzle, be sure to have a bit of common sense. Take into consideration your subgenre. If you’re writing erotic romance, graphic sex is permissible if tasteful (or maybe not so tasteful, depending on the publisher). If you are writing young adult, you’d better keep it sweet and PG. No matter how you choose to do it (no pun intended), remember that it is the ROMANCE that brings the characters together – not the sex. Query your publisher for guidelines, just don’t be surprised when you get vague responses like, “The heroine can only be intimate with the hero,” or “Taste and tact will get you far with our house.” If this happens, you may want to read some of the house’s published works to see what other authors have done.
Even if romance isn’t your pride and joy, I found it quite entertaining to take some time to learn to appreciate a genre I’ve always dismissed. I still don’t understand how horror authors are able to write true romances, but I’m determined to include more romantic characters in my every day writing. After all, love is an emotion capable of murder, intrigue, and fraud while kindness, happiness, and change also spring from its fountains. Such a complicated emotion is sure to continue in its growth bringing fatness to the wallets of those who do it well.
Now, for those of you who have fallen in love with my fantastic writing, sense of humor, sparking personality, and incredible humility, I invite you to call at 702-824-9474. No I’m serious, call now!
Maybe I can add a little horror to this romance thing after all…
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