cj Sez: The following list of elements in a romance novel is
a composite of information I’ve gleaned from various sources over the years,
and I plan to keep it in front of me when I begin writing my next romantic
suspense.
A likable heroine
This character can’t
be weak or dumb and must be actively involved in the plot. There will, and
should, be some moments of angst in the story, but they should be fleeting. You
want your reader to root for this character rather than think she deserves what
she gets because she’s too dumb to win.
A likable hero
This character
should be strong (even if only emotionally), irresistible, smart, and actively
involved. He does not have to be stereotypically attractive to be appealing. A
well-developed personality can carry this character right into your readers’
hearts.
Emotional tension
What’s keeping your
heroine/hero apart? What threatens her/him? Making these decisions early on
helps keep the story plot on track.
A believable plot
A believable plot is
a must but no worries. A twist on an oldie will work. According to some
studies, there are only six (or maybe eight) possible plots in all of
literature. Ergo every “new” story might today be called a trope.
For instance, Cinderella can be construed as a variation of the Biblical story of Esther, who
was an orphan being raised by her uncle and who so charmed a king that he crowned
her his queen. Julia Roberts was Cinderella in “Pretty Woman” as was Melanie
Griffith in “Working Girl.” Star-crossed lovers, ala Romeo and Juliet, abound. It’s
your unique writer’s “voice” that’s important in relating your take (spin,
twist) on a familiar story.
A Happily Ever After ending
A HEA is an absolute
for a romance novel. Love stories do not have to end happily, but for the avid
fans of the romance genre, and all its subgenres, a romance novel must have a
happily ever after or at least the promise of one.
Three
of the points above are romance-novel specific, but at
least two of them—emotional tension and believable plot—can be broadly applied
to all genres. Even a memoir needs a bit of tension and a plot to make it an
appealing read. You can help me out here. As a reader and/or a writer, can you
think of a genre that wouldn’t use those two points.
By the way, there
is no “magic formula” for writing a novel in any genre, but with a lot of
reading, analysis, study, and/or luck you might find some suggestions that you
can adapt to your writing style.
§§
Author and Reader Notes:
I’m a member of the Facebook
group “POSSESSED: Timeless Gothic Reads,” and as part of our latest seasonal read-and-discuss
assignment, I did a deep dive into THE HOUSE OF SEVEN GABLES, a truly Gothic
novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne.
It is superbly rich in setting and description (which
I need more of in my writing) and wordy to the nth degree. Those long, complex
sentences made the read interesting but a real struggle for this fast-paced
suspense writer with tired eyes.
///
Expert advice: Deciphering good from bad. The following link is to a Jane Friedman blog post by writer, editor, and book coach Lauren Reynolds.
///
CALLAHAN IN ACTION, Book 6 in the Cat Callahan Mystery Series, is scheduled to launch August 8, and it's available for preorder. Click on the link below so you can put your name on a copy now: https://books2read.com/CatCallahan6 I preordered mine.
§§
Okay, that’s it for
today. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same. Raising
prayers for a happy and safe you and yours. (P.S.A.: There are five months
until Christmas.)
cj
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