The Essentials of Romance Writing.

I find going over different aspects of the writing craft re-inforces my mind. I have a lot of tips in folders, written on paper on a cork board, and also on tabs of paper stuck here and there.If I wrote the lot on my tabs, or put them on my cork board it would be such a shambles. So posting what I have learnt is a great way to help others as well.

• The story must end with a variation of the Happy Ever After. This means that by the end of the story the hero and heroine must have fulfilled their journey to leave the reader with the feeling that these two have a future together. Marriage is not the ultimate fulfilment at the end of the story. Perhaps they might want to live together for a time. Lol However, leave the reader fulfilled knowing they have some aspect of the HEA.
• Characters must be interesting three-dimensional people. They need to have flaws and be real people. Readers need to relate to these characters, and not have them be perfect people in a perfect world. Our world isn’t perfect so give them some hang-ups.
• The setting must be easy to visualise. The reader needs to see that in her minds eye.
• All five senses must be used. Taste, touch, smell, sight, hearing. They reader should be able to engage in all these five senses to experience what the characters are feeling. This is the old tale, show, don’t tell.
• There has to be Goal, Motivation and Conflict. Give the hero and heroine goals so they don’t’ wander aimlessly. To obtain these goals they must have motivation. Something that pushes them to chase their goals. Conflict: there needs to be Internal and External. Conflict produces tension between the hero and heroine, (Internal conflict pushes the hero and heroine apart) and External conflict, which moves the plot forward, (pushes them together)

If you have something to add please feel free to do so. I'm forever learning and I love aquiring new information. lol.. it's a necessity. :)

Thanks, Have a great day,

Suzanne :)