Writing Romance
Since 2018 I've been ghostwriting romance novels. However, even before that my first foray into writing had to do with the genre. I'm sure most of us have read a romance at some point in our lives. After all, it is an extremely popular genre. Romance novels can be found anywhere and there are millions to choose from.
Regardless of its popularity and staying power, many people still scoff at the genre. Not only readers but some of my fellow writers do as well. Because there are so many, it tends to get looked down upon. For some reason, it’s thought that the genre is easy to write, however, that couldn’t be further from the truth.
I have to admit that I really didn't know what I was getting into when I first jumped into the genre professionally. I was among those who thought it would be simple and I'm grateful that my experience knocked me down a peg or two.
There is a literal formula to writing romance novels and while I don't use it myself, that doesn't mean I ignore it altogether. Because it works. Just like any other genre, there are rules. The exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution, finale, and themes all matter. There are things you should and shouldn't do when you set out to tell a romance story.
The first lesson I learned which I will pass along is that there is a difference between romance and erotica. As someone whose background is in fanfiction, I thought transferring to writing romance novels would be a breeze. To put it plainly: I was wrong. Thankfully, I had a knowledgeable client who respectfully steered me in the right direction.
What I learned was that not all romance novels have explicit love scenes, whereas erotica novels do, frequently. If a romance does have an explicit scene, the focus tends to be on the emotions the characters are feeling in the moment, rather than the physical acts themselves. Language also plays a factor as certain phrases or words can paint a different picture than you intend.
I cannot tell you the number of times I’ve stopped reading something because the language during the love scene made me laugh or cringe. Certain words just don't sound steamy, no matter how much you want them to. They just don't. It can also be quite jarring to be reading this sweet romantic story only to transition to a love scene that doesn't match that vibe at all.
For example, I was reading an erotic short story that had wonderful prose. The language was top notch and what the writer was doing with the tension between the characters was intriguing. Then, the love scene arrived and they used a word that was so far removed from the proper language they had been using up to that point that I started laughing and couldn't finish reading. The word didn't match the character nor the tone and promptly took me out of the story.
Long story short, it's important to choose your words carefully and try to keep with the tone you've set.
Something else to keep in mind when writing romance is the tropes that go with it. A lot of people tend to laugh at these stereotypical tropes without realizing that each genre has its own. Fantasy has the hero who answers the call. Sci-fi has the artificial intelligence that longs to be human. And mysteries have the red herring who tries to distract you from the plot twist you see coming a mile away.
As writers we tend to want to turn these tropes on their head, to put our own spin on the genre and of what's expected of it. But you can't do that if you don't familiarize yourself with the tropes to begin with. Once you know why they are popular, why they persist, only then can you start to play around with them.
Whatever you do and whatever you decide, the main takeaway is to remember that regardless of the genre, writing is difficult. For someone to put their thoughts to paper but share those thoughts with others takes courage. One genre isn't superior to others. One shouldn't be scoffed at because of past prejudice or the demographic they target.
At their core, romance novels are about love and how that can look different from person to person. When you're writing romance, keep that in mind.
If you're looking to hear more of my thoughts and suggestions on writing romance novels listen to Episode 007 – Writing Romance of I Got Nothing, a podcast for exhausted writers.
