Do Your Characters Belong Together?

I honestly don't know how many times I have read romances and wondered what these two saw in each other. Maybe it is just me. I do the same thing when I am at the mall, or out in public and really question that that couple saw in each other. I get it. I know romances are not just built around looks and romance is so much more, but still, one has to question. 

Since romance novels are all about the building of a romance, your two characters have to actually fit together. While I understand that many authors out there want to build their stories around the theme of "opposites attract" there still needs to be some commonality between the two of them. There also needs to be a reason that the two of them would really be in, essentially, the same room with each other and actually take notice of each other. 

I remember reading a story a long time ago about a heroine who was clearly modeled after a Paris Hilton style character. Socialite head to toe. If it wasn't Gucci, then it was trash. Honestly, we are talking way over the top. The hero was a nice guy, but a high school dropout, had been kicked out of the military and was now homeless. My first question was, how on earth did they meet? In the real world, even if he was homeless, there are certain portions of major cities where the homeless would not be on a daily basis. As for our socialite, she would probably have an entourage with her and be pretty isolated. The author decided to have her, on a whim, decide she wanted to work in a food kitchen. She was not forced to do this. Working there was not a publicity stunt. There wasn't even anything in her past life that would have motivated this. And yet, the author does this. Somehow, meeting over her serving food to the hero, they had this instant attraction. Sure, we would want this to happen, and it might mean that society is turning a page to a more hopeful and positive world, it is likely not going to happen. 

Consider a few other situations. In romantic suspense, the investigating detective is not going to become attracted to and start a relationship with the person he or she is investigating. Sorry, but this WILL cause the case to be thrown out. 

In the business world, if there is a not fraternization policy within the company, most would not even consider this, unless they truly hated their jobs and planned on leaving. This becomes even worse if it is a boss and someone working below them. 

Yes, I get that we are writing fiction, and yes, I get that in many cases, romances are "true fantasies" however, this fantasy world has to at least have one leg in the real world. If not, you will lose your readers really fast. 

Is Your Character Allowed To Do That?

I am going to first say that most of these issues often show up in romantic suspense stories, but to be honest, the problem can exist across all genres.

Many writers often find themselves in a similar situation. You have these great characters and now your plot has them do something to get from Point A to Point B. You know exactly what you are going to have them do...

But forget one thing...

Is the character even allowed to do this.

Several years ago, I composed a list of things I have seen suspense authors have their characters do, and then checked it out with someone in law enforcement. All of the situations would have jeopardized the case, were simply illegal, or would have had the character being terminated from his or her job immediately.

Think of it this way. The heroine is being considered as someone helping their brother who may have done something illegal. So the hero decides to go undercover and get close to her just to find out more. But now the hero and heroine become romantically involved. Well, there went that case.

How about a historical premise where the heroine now takes over a business after her father died. While that might again seem like a great story line, if this is a time when that was simply not legal, I don't care how good the story would be, it is simply not possible.

What about those stories where the heroine who was a lawyer now takes over a small restaurant in a small town. Awww, cute huh? Not only does this person have no experience, do they have a license to run the business? Health Department issues? OK, you might not want to add the months of paperwork she would have to go through in the story, but opening a restaurant that quickly is not going to happen.

Try this one... Professors at a university deciding to have a relationship with a graduate student under their guidance. Sure, go ahead and throw away that tenure they worked so hard on.

This is pretty simple. Take the time to see if what you want to do is actually possible in real life. If not, adding it to your story just because it makes a good plot will come back and bite you in the butt!

Conflict For Your Characters

I was talking to one of my writers a couple of days ago and we were talking about a book we had both read. We were really frustrated that this author really did not seem to have any significant conflict for the characters. The result was that the story seemed to go no where.

Let me explain what I mean.

I romance, when we create our heroes and heroines, we want to have a reason that might get in the way of the two of them getting together. This might be opposing perspectives on something, or maybe a prior relationship they had. Maybe this is an issue that they are competing against each other for a contract in a company. But, here is what I see far too many authors doing. They create characters that simply would never get together in the first place!

Now, I know what the authors are thinking. They see this as big conflict that will have to be overcome. Yes, it will be, but the reality of the situation is that this relationship simply would never happen.

A good example is a project I remember reading many years ago. The author had a rich socialite (think Paris Hilton) who is going to get paired up with an ex-military guy, homeless (or at least borderline homeless) with PTSD. This author was going for a story that showed how people had to learn to look past the outside and see the real person inside. This author was also trying to layer in the trope of the rich girl who needs to see "the real world." While these two story themes are great, the issue came down to the two characters. NEVER, and I mean NEVER would the two of them ever be in the same room together. The result is that this storyline would never happen.

As you think about your character, there has to be some reason for them to actually be together and really interact with each other. In the case if the prior story, the socialite would never talk to the guy, but would like be in the board room of the charity. Getting her hands dirty? I think not.

Please, take the time to see if your characters really do fit together. This might be part of the reason your stories are struggling.

What We Can Learn From Jo, Beth, Meg and Amy

I do believe that so many authors these days are too hung up on plots. They are trying their best to create these unique and totally different plots to stand out from the rest of the authors out there. While this approach is certainly fine, I do believe that these same authors are missing out on something a lot of the great authors around the world have figured out. They forgot the characters.

There are a lot of times when I read submissions and find that I simply cannot connect with the story. The initial premise of the pitch and the story idea sounded fantastic, but, when I start reading the project, the story just doesn't hit home. In the majority of the cases, it comes down to the characters. In simple terms - I just don't care.

If a reader does not make that connection with the characters and find a way to feel what they feel and see what they see, they are simply bi-standers in the story.

I bring up Jo, Beth and Amy from Little Women simply for this reason. The characters are people that everyone can connect with. When it comes down to it, the storyline itself is pretty simply. We are following this family through their journey. We have no car crashes, no serial killers, no adultery. It is a simple story about a simple family. But the depth of characters is incredible. We know what drives all three of the sisters. We know what touches each of them emotionally. We can connect, in some way to at least one of the characters on a personal level. These are believable characters.

One of the things I tell authors that I look for in romance and women's fiction are characters that are real. Of course, I do have a lot of authors who simply do not understand this and send me a memoir or biography (heavy sigh), but for the rest, many still struggle with this. The key to romance and women's fiction is the ETHOS and the PATHOS. We want an emotional journey but that journey is only going to have an impact if we can "relate" to the characters.

So here is the question for the weekend.

Have you even thought about your characters as being real? Are you creating characters that people can say they "know?" Do you have characters such as Beth that you can really cry over?

If not, it might be time to rethink what you are doing.

Why Certain Heroes Tend To Rock!

A lot of people tend to think that in romance, there is a fixed formula and if an author doesn't stick to that formula, publishers will not take it. In reality, the only two items that tend to be of a concern when it comes to romance is that the story must show a growing relationship and there is that happily every after. Still many seem to think that only certain characters work. What people should understand it that it isn't so much an issue of only wanting certain characters. It is more of the fact that certain characters sell better than others.


This is the reason why we see those standard trope characters such as:

• Navy Seals
• Special Ops Vets
• Firemen
• Doctors
• Cowboys

With these characters, authors can tap into a lot of character traits that are fantastic with romance novels.

First of all, you have a group of guys who will tend to be physically fit. These guys need their bodies

to do their work so you can count on the fact that when they take that shirt off for a book cover, you will be getting a body perfect for marketing.


Secondly, for most of these occupations, you need to have dedication and drive. These people are focused and driven to do great work. They have a lot of people counting on them so they are going to do great things.


Now, when it comes to the cowboys, we add in the special touch with animals. This is that touchy feely side of the guys that you might now see with the other professions.


So, how do authors bring in that touchy feely side for the other heroes? This is where rescuing babies, the hidden baby storyline or even making the doctor a pediatric surgeon comes into play. We see that soft side of them come out here.


I think the thing to note here is that there are just some combinations that offer romance authors a lot of options when it comes to showing that relationship development. This is not an issue of the only things that work, but simply that some things work better than others.

Do We Like Your Characters?

One of the things I look for in submissions are characters the reader can connect with. When we read a story we want to feel what the characters are feeling and go through the emotional roller coaster they are on. But here is the problem. I often see characters that readers simply cannot connect with. In some of those cases, it is simply the fact that the characters is unlikable.

One of the biggest issues I see are characters who are doing unethical things. Yes, I understand ethics and morality is a personal issue, but it is going to play a role for many readers. One that I see more often than not is the cheating hero or heroine. Sometimes, the writer has set up the husband cheating on the wife. This is a pretty common trope. So far, I am not overly worried about this since we are setting the husband up as being a "bad guy." But here is where things fall apart. Instead of getting the wife out of the situation, the writer has the wife having an affair with some hot guy. Partially to fulfill that emotional void left by the husband, but also to get even.

It is the motivation for doing this that becomes the problem. I get that the wife is mad. I get that the husband is not there for her. But, when the author has just set up that cheating is not right, trying to justify the same behavior is not going to work here.

Another situation I see is in the character development. If I have a character who is always complaining or whining about something, becomes annoying. We don't want to be around people like that in real life, so why would we want a character to do this, especially if it is the hero or heroine. The same goes for the ruthless and tough business hero. I don't care how hot he can be, if the guy is a jerk, the reader will spend more time thinking of reasons to dump the guy then to get him hooked up with the heroine.

You can create unique characters, but there has to be something appealing about this person. I always ask authors, is this someone you would want to invite to your house and hang out with? If not, you might want to work on that.

Keep Your Secondary Characters Second

When we talk about characters, we talk about essentially three types: the protagonist(s), the antagonist(s), and the secondary characters. This is simple, right? Now, let's look at that final group and consider what their name implies. They are secondary! They are not the primary characters.

One of the things that really gets annoying about a book is when the authors fail to hold those secondary characters back. Those darn characters are doing everything they can to take center stage. While those scenes might be fun, or those characters might be fighting for the right to have their own book, within the pages of the current work in progress, they do not have the right.

There are actually two problems when your secondary characters start taking over. First of all, they are sucking up both writing time and word count that should be better spent on your main characters. You might not think a lot of it right now, but those paragraphs you are giving to the supporting staff are paragraphs that would add depth to your characters. Think of it as a budget for a team. You only have so much to spend so giving it to someone who is not central to the team is going to hurt you at play-off time.

The second issue is that you are not distracting your reader from the central story arc you set out to create. If it is a romance then the relationship needs to take center stage. We want to watch the hero and heroine fall in love and not be interrupted. Think here of a great movie you want to watch on tv and how annoyed you get when the commercials keep showing up. Sure, the commercial might be funny or informative, but when it comes to the movie, you are annoyed by the interruptions.

You can like those secondary characters, but remember... you are the author. You have the control. You tell them what to do.

Is Your Character Likeable?

I find a lot of times, I will quit reading a novel for the simple reason that I hate the character or both of the characters. I understand that the author is trying to set up a situation where that character maybe goes through some sort of change during the book, but frankly, I cannot get past my dislike of the character.

It is beyond crucial that you as an author find a way to make your character someone the readers can relate to and can at least like. If you don't do this, we will quit reading.

One of the things I have often found in romantic suspense novels in particular are the heroines who simply do stupid things just to get them into a situation where the hero has to save her. When I see things like this, my first thought is "Give me a break. She deserves to be locked up or getting in trouble." I really never even want to see the hero save her.

The same thing happens with many romances where the author is trying to go for the Beauty and the Beast trope. There is nothing wrong with this trope, but frankly, if he is that much of a jerk in the beginning, the readers will want to do everything in their power to find her another guy. Heck, any guy will do as long as he is not with this jerk. Again, not the thinking you want for your readers. They will give up.

I think an easy approach to take when writing your stories is to ask yourself if you would even want to be in the same room as your characters. Would you invite them to a party? To dinner? For the romance side of things, would you want this person naked and in bed with you? You can keep some of their smaller character traits, but make sure that you still keep the person likeable. Even if the person comes across as cold in the beginning, make sure to give the readers a justification for why the person acts this way. It doesn't have to be much, but it needs to be there.

I remember reading one historical romance in particular where the hero was a complete jerk. He treated everyone poorly, he had an attitude and so forth. I want to say (it was a while ago) that he was even a thief. I really liked this particular author's writing but frankly, this guy was really turning me off. It wasn't until roughly chapter 4 that the author finally revealed that this was all an act because he was working undercover. Really? Had they told me that in one line in the beginning of the book, I would have been fine. Sure, the heroine doesn't need to know, but the readers do.

So, your homework today is to really examine your characters.

• Are the heroes jerks?
• Is the heroine whining all of the time?
• Is she that much of a social misfit that no one would like her?
• Is the hero someone who is far from attractive (both physically and emotionally)?

Then you might want to fix those characters FAST!

Overusing Tropes Can Be Dangersous

A trope, by definition, is the use of a figurative language. In other words, authors would use a trope to get across a meaning, different than what the literature language would mean. But, within literature, tropes have taken on a new definition. Writers will often hear professionals talking about common tropes as being, reoccurring motifs or cliches within stories. Some of those common tropes we have seen can include (but not limited to):

• Millionaire hotty heroes
• Lost loves regained
• Arranged marriages
• Unknown baby stories
• Overheard conversations
• Ugly duckling stories
• Marriage of convenience
• etc.

Unfortunately, for the romance industry, many authors have missed the point when it comes to tropes and doing one of two things. Either A) they are assuming the trope is a template to the entire story; or B) believing if one trope is good, more is better.

What writers need to understand is that using a trope is fine, but misusing a trope (or multiple tropes) does result in a story that sounds formulaic. This will also lead to stories that come across sounding very forced and unnatural.

We see this a lot in series romance. Authors have this assumption that a particular series line has to have a plot that is constructed 100% around those tropes. Take, for example, the Harlequin American line. When you read the description, you can see how easily an author can fall into the trap of overusing tropes:

You love small towns and cowboys! Harlequin American Romance stories are heartwarming contemporary tales of everyday women finding love, becoming part of a family or community—or maybe starting a family of her own.

But here is the thing. The real element that makes a story great for the American line is the second part of that description. "...heartwarming contemporary tales of everyday women finding love, becoming part of a family or community - or maybe starting a family..." The comment about the small towns and the cowboys would be the trope elements, but this does not mean it IS the story.

Digging deeper into the submission guideline information further supports that the tropes DO NOT make the story:

• Central romance is driven by the hero's or heroine's (or both) desire to be a part of a family or community
• Stories showcase the comforts of home and a sense of place – particularly the charm of small-town America and the ruggedness of western locales
• Must be set in the USA
• Western heroes and heroines are very popular – cowboys (ranchers, rodeo riders), law enforcement (sheriffs, deputies, Texas Rangers), etc
• All stories must feature strong family elements such as pregnancy, young children, blended families, etc
• Warmhearted stories offer a range of tones, from light humor to drama
• Level of sensuality is low to moderate
• Word count of 55,000 means stories must be fast-paced and plot-driven

Stories showcase comforts of home
Strong family elements such as pregnancy, young children...

Please note, there are suggestions of certain tropes (cowboys, ranchers, law-enforcement) but this does not mean you have to incorporate all of these.

When we talk about using tropes, we are basing these ideas around common themes market research is showing that the readers like and gravitate to.

The thing to remember is the trope does not make the story. As seen is this single submission guideline, it is the theme that creates the story. It is the theme and the message that dictates the plot you want to use and the characters that you want to tell that story.

Finding Your Inspirations for Characters and Settings

I have seen a lot of different approaches for developing the characters for authors' books. Many go to great lengths to develop full profiles of their characters. Now, with the advent of social media, specifically sites such as Pinterest, authors are now taking this far beyond the character plotting bulletin boards we once used. Everything down to hair color, nail style and make-up is being posted online to create the perfect three-dimensional character.

In many ways, authors are taking the approach that Anthony Michael Hall, Ilan Mitchell Smith did
when they created "Lisa" (aka Kelly LeBrock) in WEIRD SCIENCE. Although Lisa had everything that Wyatt and Gary wanted in a woman, she really was too perfect.

But the funny thing is that authors don't have to go that far.

I am a big fan of people watching. Going to the grocery, walking through the mall and even walking down the street can provide an author with more than enough resources to develop the perfect character. In fact, I would almost argue that the character is more realistic that the prepped out Internet version.

Looking around us is a great way to find that inspiration for the characters in our stories, and I would also argue, for the settings of your stories. You aren't taking their life stories, but simply looking at the way they act and behave, the way they talk and the way they react in different situations.

The same goes for the settings of your books. Just look around you and you might be amazed at what you see. Your characters are walking together down the street of a small town, just look at the characteristics of that small town street. Again, I am not saying to make a carbon copy of your small town, but use the template the real world has created for you.

I do have to say, there are a lot of times when I read a story and the characters or the settings come across as too stereotypical. The small town that always has the cupcake shop directly next door to the used book store and across the street is the barber shop. While that might be the case in some place, it doesn't have to be that cookie cutter in all of your books.

Take the time today, as you move around your own world, to simply open your eyes. Who knows? You might find your next hero, heroine, or even the setting for your next book.

Why Did Your Character Take That Job?

I am always amused at the jobs many of you give your characters. I do wonder if you give them these jobs just to surprise the reader. In most of the cases, you have given these characters professions that are not only unnecessary, but end up creating more problems as you try to weave that career into the storyline.

Consider the pretty stereotypical small town story. The heroine, a nice city girl, ran into problems with a boyfriend in NY. Now her 7 figure law degree is not as fun as it was in the past so she runs to Bodfish, California (by the way, this is a great little town) to open a cupcake store. The fact that she has no ability to cook, or for that matter has never run a business doesn't seem to be a problem. Really?

OK, try this one...

The heroine meets up with this great guy. But then we find out he has to be a professional football player. Don't get me wrong, this is not an issue, but the fact that now you have to weave that whole element into the story when it wasn't necessary for the plot just sucked up essential word count. This is word count that could have gone to better developing the main characters' real stories.

You have to understand that the job you give the character could potentially become another character in the book. If the job is not essential to the storyline, then find something that isn't really going to have an impact on the story.

So our lawyer doesn't have to open up a store, but can go there to take a year sabbatical to get her head in the game.

The football player could simply be an athletic guy which would give him an "in" for making connections with the heroine's little boy who needs a father figure.

Just remember, going to extremes may not always be the best approach.

The Realism Of Characters

Last night, the family sat down and watched THE BREAKFAST CLUB. As I watched it, I really started to think about why this movie, that came out so long ago, still works today. It all came down to the characters. The success of the story comes down to the believability of the characters and the way an audience member can relate to the characters.

Think of this last dialogue:

Brian Johnson: Dear Mr. Vernon, we accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it was we did wrong. What we did *was* wrong. But we think you're crazy to make an essay telling you who we think we are. You see us as you want to see us... In the simplest terms, in the most convenient definitions. But what we found out is that each one of us is a brain...


Andrew Clark: ...and an athlete...

Allison Reynolds: ...and a basket case...

Claire Standish: ...a princess...

John Bender: ...and a criminal...

Brian Johnson: Does that answer your question?... Sincerely yours, the Breakfast Club.

We can't help it. There IS someone in that movie that we are. The success of the story comes from our ability to make a connection with the characters. Sure, there are great lines in the movie and yes, there are great scenes. But, the real success comes from the way we can connect.

I do believe that, too often, writers are so focused on the plot of the story, then end up forgetting the characters. They forget that these people, living in this world you created, have to be "real". As readers, we want to have sympathy and empathy for the characters. We want to feel what they feel, cry when they cry and laugh when they do.

As you think of your writing this weekend, ask yourself. Are these characters that would really exist? Or is their only existence in your brain?

Archetypes are Not Stereotypes

As I read through submissions I see a great confusion (I believe) on the part of authors when it comes to creating their characters. This confusion seems to stem from a misunderstanding of the words "archetype" and "stereotype" (I will also extend this to cliche). Let's see if we can clear that up today and start with the basic definitions of each of the words:

Archetype is defined as "a typical character, an action or situation that seems to represent universal patterns of human nature."

Stereotype is defined as "an author's method of treating a character or situation in a fixed way"

and Cliche is defined as "an expression that has been overused to the extent that it loses its original meaning or novelty. A cliche may also refer to actions and events which are predictable because of some previous events. 

The problem we often see is that authors are presenting characters in their novels not so much as an archetypal character, but pushing it to such an extreme that the characters become stereotypical and cliche. The end result of this is that the story itself lacks the strength and the uniqueness so necessary in today's publishing market.

When it comes to archetypes, readers love to count on certain things from these characters. As the definition states, these are "universal patterns" meaning that we as readers can all relate to this type of character. The odds are, we all have these type of people in our lives.

The issue, however, is when the author has pushed this to such an extreme. Let's look at a couple of examples:

• The male best friend of the heroine happens to be either gay or very clearly metro.
• The heroine who needs to be saved happens to be a book worm or a librarian.
• The hero of the romantic suspense happens to be an ex special ops soldier who saw his buddy die in a military combat.

By taking this extreme, the author loses the vital connection with the reader. That connection will only work IF the reader happens to have someone in their life that matches that stereotype exactly.

The other factor that comes into play is that the reader has nothing to look forward to. When we writer our stories, we want to keep the reader turning the pages. We want them always on their toes wondering what is going to happen next. If, however, an author moves into that stereotypical or cliche side, we end up already knowing the end. At some level, what is the point of reading when we already know what is going to happen.

If an author reads the submission guidelines for most publishers, they will find archetypes of what they are looking for. We want a hero who is tough, but vulnerable. We want a heroine who knows what she wants and is not afraid to go after it. These "definitions" provide the author a lot of room to craft their stories with a unique and personal tone. These are not carved in stone.

I spoke yesterday about showing the editors and agents you have something new. This is just one of those ways you can do that. Give us the archetype but make it your own! 

Why Romances Like Their Cowboys and Firefighters

This last weekend, my family headed out to the Western Washington State Fair to catch the finals of the rodeo. As we were sitting there, my wife and I started talking about romance novels and characters and it got me thinking about why romance novels continually fall back on specific  types of heroes. Of course when authors do this, those naysayers of romance start into their "romance can't think outside of the box arguments" so we'll just ignore them for right now. So what is it about those character types we see time and time again in those romance novels?

THE COWBOYS - I wanted to start with this one since we were just at the rodeo. When the camera panned down on these guys, you saw immediately what it was about the cowboys that made the women fall for them. These guys were clean cut and dressed well (which still shocks me how they can wear light colored shorts and not get them trashed around horses and bulls). Despite the fact this is a dirty sport, they were clearly taking the time to "look good." There was a lot of style and class. But there was more. These guys, despite the hours on the road, were family guys. In interviews, they spoke of getting home to their families and having some quite time doing things with the kids. They had crosses, or in one guys case, had the word Jesus sewn into his shirt as a "sponsor." One guys was on the board for a Breast Cancer Awareness campaign. To add to all of this, working a farm, training animals and so forth takes a lot of work and effort. This is a tough physical job that requires a dedication and commitment (not an obsession). In other words, it isn't about the muscles so much. It's about the guy.

THE FIREMAN - We are seeing much of the same things with these guys. The twist here is the dedication to others. These guys are putting their own lives on the line for the sake of others. Yes, your military guys and cops do this to, but it's really the fire guys who stand out more in the romance novels. Again consider the fact they are giving up so much of themselves to do what they do. Long hours at the station, a focus on staying fit... The big one here is also when they lose someone. You find the fireman really taking it hard. Their job is to save and they hurt when they don't succeed.  Are you seeing a pattern here?

VETERINARIANS AND CHILDREN DOCTORS - I'm putting these two together for a reason. Saving kids and animals always tugs at the heartstrings of even the coldest people out there. Both of these doctors have that same work ethic the firefighters and cowboys have, with that added compassion. Again, consider what they are responsible for doing. There are times they have to sit there and tell a family their patient isn't going to make it. Not exactly easy, is it? I think a good example of this one happened to my daughter this summer. She had just gotten back from the Canadian Nationals for Andalusian Horse riding. When they returned home, one of the families had a horse she had worked with that was going into heart failure and the vet had to put her down. My daughter just sobbed uncontrollably in the car on the way home saying "They gave her so much Bute." (I think the spelling is right for that one). It was tough for her 12 year old brain to comprehend. Now think of the vet...

I think the point here is each of these character types are more about WHO they are and not so much about what they do. It isn't about the looks and their body types. It isn't about washing firetrucks with no shirts on. It is about the nature of these characters.

I have said before that romance requires authors to build a strong connection with the reader through the characters. Their goal is to make the reader feel the same thing the characters are going through. Having those "go-to" characters just makes that challenge a little easier. I will say, however. Just throwing in a characters like this doesn't fix the problem. You still have to bring out that personality type to suck in the reader!

Why Should Your Hero and Heroine Get Together

I have just read two books recently that got me thinking about this issue more. As I read the stories, I kept asking myself why these two characters even wanted to be together. Considering these were romances, AND considering that in a romance we should see the building of a relationship, this became a big concern. When it comes to romance, it is this relationship that is the central story arc, and if the characters don't need to be together, don't want to be together, or they wouldn't ever come together in the first place, then everything falls apart.

I do think that far too many authors are so concerned with the external elements of the plot, that they forget the central focus of the relationship between the hero and the heroine. When they do finally get the characters together, the rationale for the relationship is often very weak. I read one just recently where the hero and heroine had been working in an office together for some time now. But suddenly, one single day they bumped into each other in the elevator and "BANG" they were suddenly attracted to each other. Really? The author then had to create a relationship so a "project" for the office was created, they had to work late, they had sex and then then struggled with this. Sorry, but this is not a relationship.

As an author, it is crucial to sit down BEFORE you write and start thinking about some answers that you have to have to be able to effectively guide your characters through their relationship:

1. Would these characters ever get together in the first place? You cannot simply throw together two characters just to create a story. People like a certain type of person in their relationship. There are also people they would never get together with due to personality types, ethnic backgrounds, job situations and yes, even looks. This is human nature. Your characters in your books need to do just the same thing. Before you even start into your story, you have to take the time to know who your characters are and then decide if they would ever be compatible. Start with one and then find that perfect match.
2. What do they find attractive in the other person? This goes along with the first idea, but it is crucial you understand what your characters like and don't like in a "significant other". You cannot simply pretend they don't have likes and dislikes. Along the same line, if they do have certain patterns, they will not likely change that pattern just for your story.
3. Why haven't they seen this in the past? You have to create a real reason for why this relationship has never happened so far. This is especially true of the hero and heroine have been familiar with each other prior to this time. I would also add that if they have had a relationship in the past, was their first "break up" real or manufactured? If it was significant, what has really changed in BOTH of their lives to make them willing to look beyond that past?
4. What would prevent them from having a relationship? This cannot be external. This needs to be internal. We have to see the characters struggle with this relationship. The more they fall  in love, the more they should see that something may need to be sacrificed. 
5. Will this relationship stand a chance after the "external conflict" is wrapped up in the story? This one happens a lot in romantic suspense stories. Characters are thrown together in the heat of the crime revolving around them. The sex is unbelievable and they need each other to "get through this tough time." But what happens when the conflict is over. Will they really have anything in common to connect with other than the sex and the horrific crime that got them through the novel? You can't just slap on a "and they lived happily ever after" at the end of the book and hope for the best.

This really isn't that hard. You have to think though. You have to do a lot of pre-planning of your characters. You need to see how they are going to live together. Then, as  you write the story, you let the characters discover what you knew all along.

An Insight On What Scott Likes In Stories - Characters

For me, when it comes to a great story, two elements need to be rock solid - the characters and the plot. I want to talk about character today and tomorrow we will focus on the element of plot. Now, when I use the term "rock solid" I am referring to the idea the author has taken care of every little twist and turn about that character. There is nothing I feel I am missing with understanding who the character is.

I personally believe that writers today are trying so hard to find that totally unique plot line that the characters they place in the book have really all become secondary characters and plot devices. In other words, we keep the characters around so that the author can tell the story. The result of this approach is that the characters become very two dimensional, cliche and stereotypical. That feeling of satisfaction is just not there.

When I pick up a book, or read a submission, I want to really be drawn into the lives of the characters. I want to form a bond with this person to make me want to know more of their story. This simply cannot be forced through ho-hum narrative or external description. We need to see it in everything the character does and says.

Here are several examples from Greyhaus authors:

• Helen Lacey - This is my amazing special edition author. In DATE WITH DESTINY we are so drawn into Grace and Cameron's story. They each loved each other in the past but for different reasons, that relationship was completely severed. Now they are back together. What is great here is seeing how both of them have their own personal walls they have to break down just to allow the other person into their lives. This is very real and something almost everyone in the world will have to deal with at some time in his or her life.
• Jean Love-Cush - You have heard me screaming about this book a lot lately. ENDANGERED, which is coming out July 1 throws the reader into the life of Jenae as she has to watch the racism of the criminal justice system deal with her son who is accused of murder. I have to say, with this one, we are drawn in wondering "What would I do in a situation like this." Her realism makes us each question who we are as individuals.
• Bronwyn Scott - With Bronwyn and her characters, you get to see people that I do believe we could all be more like. She isn't afraid to let those characters be a little more daring and say things that we might all be thinking but too afraid to say it out-loud. I think the other thing that stands out for me with her characters, such as Channing and Alina in LONDON'S MOST WANTED RAKE is her ability to keep that sexual tension amazingly high through the book. She can push the characters right up to the brink and then pull them away, making you as a reader only want to see them together again.
• Ann Lethbridge - One of my other amazing historical authors brings in the emotional internal side of very three-dimensional characters. In RETURN OF THE PRODIGAL GILVRY, Andrew and Rowena give readers a chance to be immersed into the internal lives of the characters lives. With her stories, you are constantly wondering how each will somehow work through their own internal struggles that aren't as easy to solve as we might think on first glance. Ann has the ability to make the reader think, "Oh, that solution is easy." And then, on second glance think, "This solution might not be that easy."

When it comes down to it, I am looking for those characters that are real. No, this does not mean non-fiction. I am simply talking about characters who are very three-dimensional and could very much live in a world of today (or in history if it is of a different time period). I want characters who do belong together but don't see it yet. I want characters who are not manufactured just to tell a story and are certainly not stereotypical. And most importantly, I want those characters saying things and doing things he or she would really do.

Remember - characters are not plot devices!

The Role Of Secondary Characters

We have talked here before about your secondary characters in your novels. In the past, we discussed how we really don't want them to steal the show since it is your protagonist who the spotlight should be on. Today, however, I want to take this in a slightly different angle and really discuss what role that character should have in your book.

When we talk about your secondary characters, I like to think of these as your visible support staff. In other words, we see them, they are always visible in some form or another and will likely be back every now and then in the book. They are your reoccurring characters. The question now is, "What the heck do they do?"

As support staff, they are there to help the protagonist(s) in the book. That help is in the form of adding depth and dimension to the main character. They are there to round out the protagonist and to provide a new insight into the character's GMC (Goals, Motivations and Conflicts). The story is not about them. We don't need to really know much about their back story, but we need to know they are there. Any information about that character and his or her individual plot line would only come out on a "need to know basis". When it does it is there to provide some sort of balance to something that is going on in the protagonist's own plot line.

Let's look at Harry Potter. Now while some may argue that later on in the story, Ron and Hermione start to take on a much larger role, if we look at them in the early stages of the book, they would be considered the secondary characters. The story is simply about Harry and how he is dealing with this bizarre lifestyle he is now thrown in. We know a fair deal about Harry, but when it comes to understanding some inner workings of him as a character, that is where we need to have Ron and Hermione's help.

Harry is supposed to be a leader in the book. Now all the time he has been living in the Muggle world, we really don't get a chance to see this. But, when we bring in someone like Ron who needs guidance and confidence, Harry can now shine in that area of leadership. Despite everything thing Harry might think about himself as not being a leader, the experiences he has when Ron is in the picture give not only the reader a chance to see that leadership, but also Harry.

When we want to bring him down a notch and show that he is a bit too reactionary and doesn't think things out, we bring in Hermione. She is the rational thinker. She is the critical thinker. She isn't the person who we just react to things. When Harry is by himself, we think he is just being, for lack of another word, brave. We don't contemplate how many of his decisions are without thought. Add Hermione and we see that flaw in his character.

What do we see many writers using the secondary characters for? They are dialogue devices. They are chances to hype up the second and the third book in the series. This is not what the secondary characters are used for.

The biggest is someone to talk to. The problem with adding these characters in just for a sounding board is that we do have to spend so much time adding that depth to the secondary characters bios. If all you need is someone to talk to, you can bring in the characters that Scott Myers describes as Tertiary. These are simply the characters that are nothing more that set pieces. In his screenplays, he would describe them as "Cop #3". This could be the secretary, the girl  at the coffee shop. It doesn't matter. These characters are not so much giving us a new insight into the character. They are simply a plot device to get the character to talk about it. In other words, we aren't really learning anything new about the character from an outside example. We just gave the character a chance to talk.

Secondary characters are fantastic to use in books, but you need to know why they are there and what their role really is in the story. Don't abuse these people. Don't let them take over. Use them for what they are there for - the supporting cast for your headline star!

If Your Characters Can Say It, Then Let Them

Here's a quick tip to "tighten up those stories." In this case, it deals with characters, information and dialogue.

I think there are a lot of authors who feel the need to insert secondary characters into stories just to give the main characters someone to talk to. Often, the characters are there simply to ask how the scene we just read in the prior chapter went. The goal is to, apparently, provide some insight for the reader as to the thoughts of the main character, while, at the same time, preventing there being "too much narration from one POV."

Even though this approach seems fairly logical, the problem I see far too often is the secondary character really getting in the way of the story. We have to now learn more about who this random person is (which requires more word count). We have to create a setting and a scene just for this so-called "introspection" (which also requires more word count). 

Here is a typical scene. The heroine has just gone to a party with the hero. It is still early in their relationship but she is starting to feel some signs of liking the guy. Maybe the date ended in a great kiss, groping or who knows what else. But, now we need some introspection. We need to know she feels this might not be the right thing at this time in her life. 

• BAD APPROACH - Now we insert a scene at the office the next day where the "perky" best friend needs to know all of the details so they have to go to lunch and, over a full scene of getting the food, the friend flirting with the hot waiter and the descriptions of the friend of how she seems to have it all... you get the idea... At the end of the full scene, the heroine discusses her feelings and the friend gives her permission to "have fun." 
• GOOD APPROACH - The better approach eliminates the best friend. Look, we just needed the ending of that prior scene. We only needed 2-4 paragraphs to say what we need to say. At the end of the date, when she is sitting at home she can think those over before going to sleep. TA! DA!

In other words, Keep It Simple!

Are Your Plots and Characters Real?

This is a pretty simple question. Are your plots realistic? Are your characters realistic? It doesn't matter if we are talking about paranormal characters or fantasy characters, the reality of your story, especially in romance and women's fiction, is crucial for the success of the book. Your readers have to be able to relate to the things going on in the book for the emotional impact of the book to take effect.

I was recently reading a submission for a contemporary romance set in a small town in "Somewhere, USA" and frankly the reality just wasn't there for me. First of all, this is one of those small towns with one main street and maybe the one blinking light at the central intersection. This is one of those towns where the population was born there, worked there and would probably die there. They have "town socials" and, in all likelihood, everyone went down to the local diner to "have Sunday lunch after going to the one church in town." We're talking small here. That part I can work with.

But, with a town this small, there isn't much you can do with building a romance. These people went to school together so seeing a "romance grow" is going to be tough since the relationship is already there. So, in an effort to "make it interesting" the author had to bring in some outside elements to spice things up. First of all, the town decided to put in a "full scale hospital." We're talking the big one with the neo-natal, the cancer research centers and so forth. The rationale was that someone in town several years ago came down with something bad and to drive them to "the big city" was too much and the person died. So now they are going to put in this huge hospital.

I know what the author was thinking. This is a great conflict of big city vs. small city. The heroine has lived here her whole life and is dedicated to keeping the town small but Mr. Hot Big City guy is here to develop (or something like that.)

The reality here breaks down with the initial situation. A) we have a town that we had to rip from the 1950's and sounds more like Andy Griffith's Mayberry; B) the odds are the town has a way to get people to the big city in cases such as this and that person probably was going to die anyway; C) No hospital board of directors would think this is a great financial move.

This is one of those reality situations.

But the reality doesnt' just have to be with the setting or the plot. It is also with the characters. Again, I think far too many authors are so hung up with coming up with this great plot, that their characters end up taking the back seat in the planning. Now we end up with characters that act and behave in ways that just don't seem natural. Consider some of the following that I see far too often:

• The ex-military hero with PTSD deciding to be the local sheriff... um guns and death people?
• The heroine who decides to throw away her 6 figure salary after one small bad day at the office to return to "Small Town, USA" and run a restaurant... but she doesn't have any experience.
• The Medieval story with the Lord or Lady falling for someone who is nothing more than a servant on their property... guess what? They wouldn't have been hanging out together.
• A character falling madly in love with another character after only seeing the person walk into a store... (it might be lust and a desire to have "I wonder what it would be like to have sex" thoughts but not love.
• The heroine who thinks the kiss of the boss at an business meeting was hot and not sexual harassment considering they have never really been around each other.

I think you get the idea here. The question you have to ask yourself is "How would a real person act in a real situation like this. The odds are in the above situations:

• The military guy would take a job AWAY from guns and violence.
• Our 6 figure business woman would A) not throw away a job after one bad day; and B) would likely just move to another company in the city if it was that bad.
• The Medieval people would pair up with someone in their own social classes.
• The lustful thought people would leave it at just that, or if it was really that bad, would have to find the courage to meet up with this person after a couple of those "chance meetings." (unless you are an 18 yr. old on Spring Break and who knows what would happen?)
• ...and our business people... she would slap him and maybe file that harassment charge; and he would probably not do that at all.

What writers have to realize, is that relationship stories and those about "real people" require the audience and the reader to be with you for the entire ride. This is referred to as "Reader Response Theory" in the literary criticism world. In other words, the story gains its meaning from the reaction and the interaction with the reader. When you break down that line of communication with an unrealistic idea, then the story falls apart.

A Common Theme Does Not Mean Stereotypes and Cliche'

When I tell people outside of the industry that I work with romance authors, I will often get comments about how every one of the stories are identical. I have found there is a widely held perception that romance stories all follow an identical formula, the characters are all the same and the plots are carbon copies of one another. Of course those of us who read these stories know good and well that is far from the truth.

However...

Time and time again, we as agents and editors find ourselves rejecting stories for just this reason. It seems that many writers believe that following those common themes means to use that pattern or formula. It is also those authors who frequently use the line, "There are only so many different stories out there."

Let me take one from the Harlequin line. What follows are the submission guidelines for this line.

If you love small towns and cowboys, you'll love Harlequin American Romance. Our stories are heartwarming contemporary tales of everyday women finding love, becoming part of a family or community—or maybe starting a family of her own.

American Romance Key Elements

• Central romance is driven by the hero's or heroine's (or both) desire to be a part of a family or community
• Stories showcase the comforts of home and a sense of place – particularly the charm of small-town America and the ruggedness of western locales
• Must be set in the USA
• Western heroes and heroines are very popular – cowboys (ranchers, rodeo riders), law enforcement (sheriffs, deputies, Texas Rangers), etc
• All stories must feature strong family elements such as pregnancy, young children, blended families, etc
• Warmhearted stories offer a range of tones, from light humor to drama
• Level of sensuality is low to moderate
• Word count of 55,000–60,000 means stories must be fast-paced and plot-driven

Now, let's dissect this a bit. First of all, you will see a lot of comments that use the phrase "such as." This is not a mandate that the authors need to use these idea, but simply ideas that provide a contextual definition of the type of stories that you would see. Do you have to use exactly those points? Absolutely not. What you would use would be "similar ideas."

You will notice the common theme for this line plays off of the idea of "The American Dream." Although many of these ideas are universal, this is really the central focus. To write a story of this nature, it is crucial for a writer to take the time to identify what that theme or message is that he or she wants the reader to walk away with. At the same time, the common focus of  finding family, community and romance is the central hub to build on.

What are the big requirements outside of that theme?

1. Must be USA Setting.
2. Must have strong family element
3. Lower levels of sensuality
4. 55-60 K word count

Outside of that, writers have a lot to build on and work with.

Now, let's take this a step further. Even though these are common themes and ideas, we don't have to make carbon copies of all of the characters and story elements. Unfortunately, we, too often see these over-done ideas showing up in submissions. These might (note I am using that same might here as well):

• The heroine is from the big city, dressed to kill and her car breaks down but the "cowboy" shows up in a beat up pick up truck to save the day.
• The cowboy is an ex-Special Ops guy trying to hide away from the world in Backwoods, USA.
• The heroine gives up a corporate job to go to Backwoods, USA to start a: 
• bakery
• flower shop
• bed and breakfast
• ... without any experience in these areas but simply because an relative left her the home.
• Because of a clause in a will, the hero and heroine must live or work together for 1 year first.

I think you get the idea. The thing is that it is fine to use some of these ideas every now and then, but when we are talking about themes and ideas, you are not required to use A) every one of the ideas; or B) just copy what others have done.

Another example of this is when we see the international settings for stories and the hero happens to be an Italian Billionaire. O.K. I get Italy rocks! I get women think Italians are sexy (as well as the Aussie heroes) but be careful using the same stereotypical ideas. Don't get locked in.

While the example I used was for a Harlequin American line, the same idea works for pretty much any other genre out there. Historical romances don't have to involve the hero or heroine being forced to marry for money. Science fiction and fantasies don't have to involve "being chased by some evil ruler". And certainly those romantic suspense stories don't have to involve a Special Ops hero "in charge of watching over a heroine because his boss/ex-military leader needed her to be protected."

Be original people! I dare you!