On Writing Romance_ How to Craft a Novel That Sells - Leigh Michaels [11]
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:
I. 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.
NAVIGATING THE RULES
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