Tag: Writing Romance 101

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Romancing Your Story

Knowing (and Meeting) Reader Expectations

All fiction readers come to their chosen stories with certain expectations.

A mystery reader expects a puzzle to solve.

A thriller or suspense reader anticipates tension and excitement and an explosive ending.

Fans of literary novels expect to get lost in world building, beautiful prose, and lovely descriptions.

Romance readers expect:

  • Well-drawn characters
  • On-the-page chemistry between the hero and heroine
  • Compelling reasons that keep the two apart until they wake up and realize they’re perfect together, leading to a
  • Satisfying resolution and a
  • Happy Ever After ending. Or at least a Happy For Now ending

Characters need to be compelling and feel like people we could be friends with in real life. They should have story goals that are known to the reader close to the beginning.

Give them a quirky trait to seal them as true-to-life characters. In The Princess Bride, Farm Boy Westley responds to Buttercup’s every demand with, “As you wish.” Darcy’s pride covers his growing feelings for Elizabeth Bennet in Pride and Prejudice.

Hero and heroine both need to grow during the story, overcome obstacles and learn something about themselves that helps propel them to the end of the story.

The recent release, Here With Me, by Mandy Boerma with Tari Faris and Susan May Warren, is a second chance romance. Both Sadie and David contributed to their break-up ten years ago. To get to their Happy Ever After, both characters must learn to overcome their weaknesses—David to communicate more clearly and Sadie to trust and accept help. David has a failure along the way, but he learns from it and becomes more determined to win Sadie, no matter how long it takes. Sadie feels betrayed and let down and it reinforces her resolve to handle everything alone. David’s persistence and care helps her learn that God can be trusted, and she should accept help when she needs it.

There are various kinds of chemistry romance characters experience. There’s instant attraction, the slow burn (Enemies to Friends, for instance), or awakening interest (Friends to Something More).

To keep readers turning the page, the story needs to have tension. Tension is not the same as conflict. An argument is conflict. So are competing goals. The best tension comes from something unexpected or unknown happening.

You create this by using things such as:

  • Subtext in dialogue
  • Weather or other external forces
  • A ticking clock (often used in suspense and thrillers but can also be put to effective use in romance. Maybe the heroine has to raise a loan payment and is running out of time. Perhaps the hero has to get a job or apartment to prove to the court he’s a worthy guardian)
  • Failure or the fear of failure

Other elements romance readers expect:

  • Witty dialogue/banter, especially with humor
  • The hero and heroine sharing lots of time on the page together
  • A unique setting. Rural town, mountain village, coastal settlement, or neighborhood in an urban area are often used.
  • Romantic gestures, large or small. Remembering she loves peanut butter cookies and bringing some to her at work. Or getting the whole community to support the unveiling of her big project in the town square.

Of course, the best characters need a compelling storyline and plot. They need shared goals as well as individual goals. They need conflict with competing goals. And it all needs to culminate in a satisfying resolution.

With all these elements, your readers’ expectations will be met with a heartwarming, compelling story and they’ll close the book with a contented sigh, satisfied.

The best reward for a romance writer.

Carrie Padgett lives in Central California, close to Yosemite, but far from Hollywood, the beach, and the Golden Gate Bridge. She believes in faith, families, fun, and happily ever afters. She writes contemporary fiction with romance. She recently signed a contract with Sunrise Publishing to co-write a romance novel with New York Times bestselling author Rachel Hauck that will be published in 2022. Carrie and her husband live in the country with their high-maintenance cat and laid-back dog, within driving distance of their six grandchildren.

You can find her online at:

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Romancing Your Story

Can Your Male Character Still Be the Hero in Your Romance Novel?

The current writing trend is to have strong, independent female characters. These female characters can run a business and a household, AND fight the bad guys, so do they really need a man in their lives? The romance genre has added more types of romance and characters to cater to all the different lifestyles in the current world.

However, God is still the Creator and His Word is still true and still says a true marital relationship consists of one man and one woman. I believe there is a need for both Christian Romance and Clean Romance. I know that the romance genre sales have exploded since 2020. Why? Because romance readers need “happy endings”.

I also believe that plenty of women in the real world, like the career women and the single moms, get tired of being strong and independent. They get tired of “doing it all” and would truly appreciate a strong, yet gentle, loving man to rescue them and give them a break, to allow them to have time to rest.

Maybe the only place they can find such a man or a break and rest in their life, is through reading a romance novel where there is a male character who offers his strong shoulder to the female character to  lean on, cry on, or simply rest on. A male character who will make some of the decisions for a while or take the kids to the park for a while, maybe even cook dinner occasionally. A Christian Romance novel can give them a taste of this type of relationship. It can offer them something to consider, to possibly make a change in their lives—to make better choices or to just know they have options and don’t have to “do it all”, or maybe our stories will simply give them the break they need and help them find their hope and strength in the Lord.

More importantly, we know that God made women more emotional then men, so even the strongest female CEO needs to release her emotions and appreciates a man with a good listening ear who can encourage her and who will hold her in his strong arms.

We may see lots of crazy in the world right now and wonder if there is a place for our romance novels. The good news is “yes”, there is a need for strong male heroes in romance as well as a need for good Christian themes running through our romance novels. There are hungry readers out their looking for, not just a happy ending, but also for hope, and we, as Christian Romance authors can give them what they need and are looking for.

Kelly F. Barr lives in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. She is married and has three sons. She writes historical romance. She has also been a blogger for ten years, and every Friday, you can find her Flash Fiction stories posted for your reading pleasure. She loves her family, including the family dog, books, walks, and chai lattes.

You can find her online at:

Website: kellyfbarr.com

MeWe: KellyBarr8

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Writing Romance 101

The (Character) Arc de Triomphe

Writing teachers often talk about the story arc and character arc, meaning how the story is constructed or how the character grows and changes. As I write this, the Arc de Triomphe in Paris was recently wrapped in fabric, an artistic event envisioned and designed by the late artists, Christo and Jeanne-Claude. Much like wrapping the iconic landmark in layers of fabric and rope, adding layers of character arc and growth will make your stories deeper and more nuanced.

Growth

One facet of growth an author can layer in is the character’s ability to do something at the end of the story they couldn’t do at the beginning. Or they see the truth of something they first believed to be a lie.

In the movie You’ve Got Mail, Kathleen Kelly believes her life only has meaning as long as she keeps her dead mother’s bookshop alive. By the end of the movie, the shop has died, but Kathleen has been able to not just envision a different life for herself but takes steps to build that life. She can do something she couldn’t before, because she’s moved from a lie to the truth.

Character Arcs

Another facet of character arcs that can be particularly effective is an ending that mirrors the beginning.

While You Were Sleeping begins with Lucy talking about her dreams of travel, the stamps she planned to collect in her passport, but how that didn’t happen because of her father’s illness and death. Later, she shares that dream with the hero, Jack, who gives her a snow globe with a scene of Florence, Italy, a foreshadowing of the end. The movie ends with the two of them traveling and Lucy gets that passport stamp for real.

Rachel Hauck’s book To Save a King begins with a prologue in ten-year-old Prince John’s point of view about his love for the fairy tale, The Swan’s Feather. The book ends with grown-up Prince John’s wedding to his real-life love, Gemma, and the convergence of three white swan feathers.

How does an author find the arc to the ending? Or the moment to mirror?

  • Figure out what is the lie your character believes at the beginning and how they will move to truth (like Kathleen Kelly in You’ve Got Mail).
  • Decide if there’s a poignant moment you can mirror at the beginning and end (like Lucy’s empty passport in While You Were Sleeping).
  • Find a prop you can highlight in both the beginning and ending scenes (like the swan feathers in Rachel Hauck’s To Save a King).

Well-layered character arcs leave the reader satisfied and happy and leaving five-star reviews. They may not know why or how, but they know they’ve been taken on a ride of beauty and vision by an artist.

Carrie Padgett lives in Central California, close to Yosemite, but far from Hollywood, the beach, and the Golden Gate Bridge. She believes in faith, families, fun, and happily ever afters. She writes contemporary fiction with romance. She recently signed a contract with Sunrise Publishing to co-write a romance novel with New York Times bestselling author Rachel Hauck that will be published in 2022. Carrie and her husband live in the country with their high-maintenance cat and laid-back dog, within driving distance of their six grandchildren.

You can find her online at:

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Romancing Your Story

Getting Inside the Romantic Hero’s Head—Part III

Have you ever wondered what the opposite sex is thinking while you’re thinking? Men, as a rule, think in fewer words, phrases, emotions, than women generally do. The key to dialogue in romance writing is to keep it natural and consistent. #InsideHerosHead #writingromance101 @donnalhsmith @a3writers [bctt tweet=”Have you ever wondered what the opposite sex is thinking while you’re thinking? Men, as a rule, think in fewer words, phrases, emotions, than women generally do. The key to dialogue in romance writing is to keep it natural and consistent. #InsideHerosHead #writingromance101 ” username=”@donnalhsmith @a3writers”]

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Romancing Your Story

Getting Inside the Romantic Hero’s Head—Part II

[bctt tweet=”Have you ever wondered what the opposite sex is thinking while you’re thinking? Men, as a rule, think in fewer words, phrases, emotions, than women generally do. The key to dialogue in romance writing is to keep it natural and consistent. #InsideHerosHead #writingromance101 #romancingyourstory #almostanauthor” username=”@donnalhsmith @a3writers”]

Continue reading “Getting Inside the Romantic Hero’s Head—Part II”
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Romancing Your Story

Crafting the Hero – Part VI

Nobody’s perfect, right? True. Neither can your romantic hero – or your heroine, for that matter – be perfect. [bctt tweet=”When crafting the hero, choose a character flaw to craft that will irritate your heroine to the point where in order to love him, she’ll have to overlook it. #amwriting #almostanauthor #donnalhsmith #CraftingTheRomanticHero” username=”@A3writers @donnalhsmith”]

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Romancing Your Story

Crafting the Hero––Part II by Donna L.H. Smith

[bctt tweet=”Judah is going to be the man for Tovah. A romantic hero should be handsome and strong, sweet and sensitive, equal to the heroine with a sense of humor. #amwriting #RomancingYourStory #AlmostAnAuthor #CraftingTheHero” username=”@A3Authors @donnalhsmith”]

You’ve heard that opposites attract. Let’s list Tovah’s personality characteristics, then see how we can match Judah, our hero, up on the opposite side.

Tovah

Personality: Rejection, stutters when she gets nervous. Kind of shy, yet when she’s comfortable around someone, she can be witty and happy-go-lucky. She’s considerate and kind, but she’s got a temper, too.

Appearance: flowing light chestnut hair with great styling body. Her eyes are dark and beautiful, lips the perfect proportion.

Judah

Personality: Outgoing and friendly. Our hero be able to draw Tovah out of her shell. He’s somewhat laid back, which will help cool her off when she loses her temper. He’s self-confident, which will help her overcome her nervousness, and eventually, her stutter.

Appearance: Dark, curly hair, almost black, and lots of it. As a descendant of the house of David, he inherited the thick, heavy hair that Absalom had. He keeps it relatively short, but in attractive curls all over his head. His eyes are blue, a deep, sapphire blue, and penetrates and pierces her heart.

We’re setting up for conflict, sparks flying, and romantic respect between our two protagonists. There are always two in a romance. There can be three to begin with, until one is eliminated. I did that in my debut novel, Meghan’s Choice, a historical romance western available on Amazon.

Next time, we’ll get to some flaws for both characters. Opposite isn’t quite enough. They need conflict, romantic tension, and weakness.

[bctt tweet=”The romantic hero is always equal to the heroine—whether trading verbal barbs or enjoying a quiet meal. They’re a match, able to go through life together. #amwriting #RomancingYourStory #AlmostAnAuthor #CraftingTheRomanticHero” username=”@a3Authors @donnalhsmith”]

BIO

Donna L.H. Smith is a Kansas prairie girl transplanted to Lancaster County, PA. She is a graduate of Christian Writer’s Guild Craftsman program and holds a B.S. in Telecommunications (broadcasting) from Oral Roberts University and a M.A. in Mass Communication from Wichita State University. She’s been married to a wonderful man named Kirby for thirty years. No children, but a dog and her Mom over an eleven-year period.

She’s been a freelance journalist, and a radio reporter. Now, she blogs, speaks at workshops and retreats and although she is at an age where many begin slowing down, she wouldn’t think of it. She serves as Assistant Managing Editor for Almost an Author.com, and is Mid-Atlantic Zone Director of American Christian Fiction Writers. Other memberships include is also a member of the Protégé program of Advanced Writers & Speaker’s Association and Romance Writers of America’s Faith, Hope, & Love chapter. You can find her at her website, www.donnalhsmith.com, Facebook, and on Twitter as @donnalhsmith.

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Romancing Your Story

Crafting the Hero––Part I

Our romantic heroine, Tovah, is about to meet her match. She’s a Jewish rabbi who fears rejection because of being dumped by a boy while she was in high school. What kind of man should she end up with? [bctt tweet=”First, and foremost, a romantic hero is created to love and be loved by the heroine. She is the prize for him. He is the treasure for her.” username=”@A3Authors @donnalhsmith”]  #amwriting #RomancingYourStory #AlmostAnAuthor #CraftingTheHeroine

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Genre Romancing Your Story

Crafting the Romantic Heroine––Part III

Here’s what we know so far about Susie, our romantic heroine. We’ve made her Jewish, with fears of rejection, and by profession, a rabbi. What she notices when she looks in the mirror, is her nose. Because of it’s length, she thinks she’s ugly. Her voice is smooth and soothing, but she stutters when she gets nervous. She has flowing chestnut hair with great styling body. Her eyes are dark and beautiful, lips the perfect proportion.

[bctt tweet=”The romantic heroine’s flaws leave room for complementary strengths in the hero.” username=”@A3writers @donnalhsmith @AlmostanAuthor”] #amwriting #RomancingYourStory #AlmostAnAuthor #CraftingTheHeroine

This time, let’s change her name to suit who she is.

Naming Your Heroine

We’ve been calling her Susie, but maybe we should find a good Jewish name for her, such as Hannah, or Tovah, or Rebekkah. What do you think? Tovah reminds me of the actress, Tovah Feldshuh. I like the name. No one but a Jewish girl would have a name like that. Tovah’s her first name.

Maybe Cohen should be her last name. Tovah Cohen is a great Jewish name. Cohens, as I understand it, are descendants of the Levites, those charged with taking care of the tabernacle and the temple. Sounds good for a woman rabbi.

Connotations

Thinking of the connotations of the name you choose for your romance heroine is important. And, it’s precisely why in renaming Susie to Tovah, we’ve left little doubt as to Tovah’s heritage, background, and race.

If you name your heroine Bree, what nicknames would other characters come up with? Breezy, as in air-headed? You probably don’t want that connotation.

Once you have this basic information about your heroine, you can begin to add personality traits, backstory, and all those things to make Tovah a three-dimensional character.

Before diving into Tovah too deeply, we can begin to craft the hero. We’ll get to him next time.

[bctt tweet=”In naming your romantic heroine, choose a name that will reflect and personify your leading lady.” username=”@A3writers @donnalhsmith @AlmostanAuthor”] #amwriting #RomancingYourStory #AlmostAnAuthor #CraftingTheHeroine

How are you liking Tovah so far? Leave a comment and let me know.

Donna L.H. Smith is married and lives in Pennsylvania. She is a graduate of Christian Writer’s Guild Craftsman and holds two degrees in communications, with experience in publication and broadcasting. She blogs regularly and serves two Christian writer’s organizations. Her first novel, Meghan’s Choice, was an Operation First Novel semi-finalist. For more information, visit her website at www.donnalhsmith.com. Facebook: Donna L.H. Smith Twitter: @donnalhsmith

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Romancing Your Story

Writing Romance 101 – Crafting the Heroine Part II

We’re still building a heroine named Susie. We don’t know too much about her yet.[bctt tweet=”Creating a Great Romance Heroine: – here’s a good tip: use little flaws or imperfections to make your heroine someone your readers can identify with.” username=”@A3writers @donnalhsmith”] #amwriting #writingromance101 #craftingtheheroine

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Romancing Your Story

Writing Romance 101 – Five Basic Elements

Love writing

Girl Meets Boy. Lots of problems. Finally, Girl Gets Boy. That’s my new formula for romance writing. Most readers of romance in any genre, historical or contemporary, are women. [bctt tweet=”We women love our plucky leading ladies. There must also be an equally astounding, strong, sensitive, and courageous leading man to compliment her.” username=”@donnalhsmith @a3writers”] #amwriting #writingromance101

Continue reading “Writing Romance 101 – Five Basic Elements”