On Writing Romance_ How to Craft a Novel That Sells - Leigh Michaels [24]
That's the main way in which romance novels differ from real life—in real life, most of us prefer a calm and peaceful period to get to know each other. But calm and peaceful don't make a gripping book. It's the tension between the characters, caused by the problems they face, that makes the story exciting and unforgettable.
Tension between the characters is conflict, the second of our important framework pieces.
In the excitement of creating your hero and heroine and developing your story, it's easy to confuse plot with conflict. The plot is what happens while your two characters are falling in love; it's simply the sequence of events. Conflict is the difficulty between the hero and heroine that threatens to keep them from getting together. It arises because of the problems the characters face.
Most romance novels have two types of conflict: the short-term problem and the long-term problem. The short-term problem (sometimes called the external conflict) revolves around the initial situation that brings the couple together and keeps them together so they can get to know each other. The long-term problem (sometimes called the internal conflict) is the deeper difficulty each character faces—the difficulty that threatens to keep the couple from finding happiness together.
In many beginners' stories, the hero and heroine have plenty of problems. He's having trouble with his business; she can't get along with her father; he's got custody issues; she's in debt. But unless these problems cause tension between them, there's a shortage of conflict in the story.
The hero and heroine don't have to be at each other's throats all the time. In fact, it's better if they aren't always disagreeing. But if they agree on everything, if their relationship is calm and peaceful, then what's keeping them from recognizing and admitting they're in love?
On the other hand, if they can't get along, why doesn't one or the other just walk away? Why can't they avoid each other?
Chapter five will investigate conflict in depth—what it is and isn't, and how to develop realistic and believable conflict.
THE ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME LOVE
The need for a romance in a romance novel seems so obvious. After all, the romance novel is a love story—the hero and heroine have to fall in love. But if you stop and think about it, this important aspect is trickier than it first appears.
It's easy to write in a synopsis, "As they get to know each other, they fall in love." But showing that love growing is an entirely different proposition. If it happens too quickly, the readers will be bored. If it happens too slowly, the readers won't believe the happy ending.
Each event in the story helps your lovers see each other differently, discover new traits (good and bad), and get to know each other on a deeper level.
It's much easier to focus on action or to detail the bad guy's plans than it is to portray, step-by-step, the slow flowering of a caring relationship. As you
develop the framework of your story, keep in mind the importance of the characters' reactions to each other. What events will best allow each to see new aspects of the other's character? What is there about each person that causes them to fall in love? What makes this couple so perfect for each other (even though it doesn't appear that way at first) that their love story will remain in the readers' minds forever?
Chapter six will go into more detail about the once-in-a-lifetime love, the third pillar of the successful romance.
THE RESOLUTION
How is your story going to end? I'm not suggesting you have to know every detail—before you start writing—about how your characters solve their difficulties and live happily ever after, but it pays to have a good idea. Having your destination in mind makes the journey easier.
And if your book is to be a romance novel, then the story must finish with a happy ending—a positive, upbeat, hopeful resolution, which in most cases will involve a permanent commitment between the two main characters.
As you're thinking in terms of framework, you don't have to