Understanding Romance - Sensuality and Heat Levels

OK, so it is time to have "the talk." How hot do romance novels need to be?

It all depends on several things. The publisher expectations that you are writing your story for; your personal voice and writing ability; and finally, the story itself. I bring this up in a lot of my blogs and talks about writing. Your story will dictate what you need to include.

I am always reminded of a conversation I have with every group of creative writing students I work with. They always ask if they are allowed to swear in their stories. My answer is always the same: Does the story need it, AND, does the swearing advance the story line. If so, then it is not a problem. If you put it in there just to do so, then you are ruining the story.

The same goes for the sex scenes and the level you take those scenes to. If the story does not need it, then do not add it to the story. Remember that in romance, the story is about the relationship building. It is not just about the tension of wondering if and when they dive into bed with each other. If the story is chugging along great and there never seems to be a time for the characters to move past a great kiss, then keep going. It is just like the talk that moms and dads always have with their kids. "It will happen when it is the right time."

When we talk about the level of heat, again, this depends on the author and the story. I would also add here that it would depend on the characters. If your characters are not into extreme sports in the bedroom, then adding that to the story is just too much. I guess I think a lot about movies here. Have you ever watched a movie and wondered why they had to throw in a nudity scene? You see it and your brain just sort of stops for a second and asks "why?" Even language levels will do this for an audience. Was that necessary? This is not to say people are being prudish. It simply comes down to wondering if it was needed. 

Do not be fooled into believing that romance novels without screaming hot sex scenes will not be bought by publishers. There is a whole spectrum out there of romance novels with varying heat levels. Focus again on the plot and always ask yourself if it is truly needed to advance the story. That will help you out every time. 

Forget The Love At First Sight

I wanted to take the time to address the genre of romance writing today. I felt this would be a great topic considering how many submissions I see that seem to miss the mark time and time again. I do believe a lot of this comes from misunderstandings by authors as they attempt to figure out the genre simply by looking at the writings of other authors. I think the other problem stems from authors worried that they cannot get to that happily ever after without doing certain things.

One of the biggest issues I see in stories are authors who simply rush the story too much. Again, I do believe some of this comes from the myths we often hear about the hero and heroine having to get together in a set number of pages or chapters. While page count and word count does come into play, this is not what we need to be looking at.

A while ago, I posted a link to Mark Knapp's Relationship model.

I always like to go back to this when we talk about the romance genre. It simply takes time to get those characters together and really growing in a relationship. The thought of immediately falling in love with a person simply does not happen.

Too often writers have their characters immediately becoming overly attracted to each other before they even get a chance to know the other person's name. While this approach might get that story moving and get the readers to "the good stuff" in the story, it does not come across as being truly believable.

There is nothing wrong with having your characters look across a room and finding someone "good looking" but taking it too far is just not going to work.

I am currently working with an author on her latest project and we are taking a unique approach with the hero and heroine. They are aware of each other, but the real "interaction" is not happening until nearly chapter 4. This might seem like a long time, but as we have have read through the initial rough draft, things are flowing well.

Don't panic. I promise, there will be time for the characters to get to "the good stuff."

Romance Is About People, Not Plots

Far too many authors miss this point. I can see it immediately in the query letter, the pitch, and they synopsis. Too many writers are simply focused on the wrong thing when writing in the romance genre. They focus on the plot, not the characters. They miss the central idea of romance writing. It is all about the building of the romance to that happily ever after.

It is first important to remember what romance writing is about. This is a story of a couple, coming to know each other, overcoming some obstacles along the way, and then, the mandatory element, they reach a "Happily Ever After." The plot of the story just happens to be the road they are traveling along the way to get to that moment. The goal of the author is to show the building relationship along the way.

A good way to understand romance is to look at Mark Knapp's model examining the stages of a relationship.

For romance, the focus is on the first half of this model. Readers know that after they hit that HEA, they will be together for a while, and work on that relationship, and yes, we know that things may fall apart or they simply die. We aren't looking for that part of the story.

Now here is the key. Since we are watching in on this intimate building of a relationship, and we want to feel all of those great emotions the characters are feeling along the way, we have to like the characters. We have to get to know the characters just like they learn to get to know each other. If the plot starts getting in our way of getting to know those characters, the emotional satisfaction is not going to be there.

My wife and two daughters have been hooked on watching the Netflix series, REIGN. This is the story of Mary, Queen of Scots. In an episode they watched recently, the writers had the characters dealing with a death of a little girl. Now, I fully get they were hoping for the viewers to be going through boxes of tissues. Was the scene touching? Yes. Did it have the impact? No. The reason is that this plot of the story had over-shadowed the connection to the girl that was needed. Because the viewers had been focused on the other plot line, and did not get a chance to really get involved with the girl, to get to know her, the impact was just not there.

As an agent, this is part of the reason that during pitches, I will not let people read their memorized pitches to me. I want to hear them talk. When they do, if the story is too plot focused, all they tell me are the actions that take place in the story. If, however, they are writing about characters, I have to ask additional questions to know the plot.

Plots are necessary. The things in the story have to be logical and everything needs to be connected together. But, if you are not taking the time to really let us get to know your hero and heroine, you are missing the point.

Celebrating Romance Authors

Today is International Women's Day. As my Facebook post noted it is a chance to "celebrate the amazing contributions women make to our world and our future."


Although romance authors are not all women, the majority of those authors are. These women are writing in a challenging and amazingly competitive market. And yet, these women are providing an enjoyment to so many readers around the world. They are providing that Happily Ever After that, for many readers, just does not happen in their real life.


These women are challenging stereotypes and addressing issues that many in the real world, including politicians, simply do not want to talk about in public. The present real strategies for dealing with huge emotional topics ranging from abuse, abandonment, unwed mothers, and troubled teens. These are tough topics, and yet, these women are able to address the issues in a way that we can truly relate to.


These women are also writing in a market that, for too long, have viewed romance writing as a less than noble profession. I don't know how many times I have heard other authors make comments of "Oh, you write romance?" and it is generally followed with a snort or other non-verbal implying it is "JUST" romance.


I am sorry to say this, but if you have not written romance, you don't realize how difficult it can be. In a limited about of space you have to get a couple through the first 5 phases of the Mark Knapp model of relationships...

...and make it believable and satisfying. For many on the outside, they seem to believe that romance is just about adding sex to the story. In reality, it is so much more.


And these women have figured it out.


Here is my challenge to you:

1. If you know someone who is a romance author, send them a quick note and congratulate them on what they are doing (published or not).
2. If you just read romance, email that author (and their publisher) thanking them for the books you have bought and what they have done that is amazing.
3. Get online and write an AMAZING 5-Star Review for those authors that you read. Post it on EVERY one of those online sites.

And if you have not read a romance, go out, but one today, and appreciate the amazing ability these authors have.

“Do not wait for someone else to come and speak for you. It’s you who can change the world.” – Malala Yousafzai

Why Romance Will Always Be A Big Seller In Fiction

We go into bookstores and have to go to a back corner to find the romance section. We go to general fiction writing conferences and hear other writers say "Oh? You write romance?" with a tone as if they are looking down their noses. But, I am sorry to say this to all of you who think so little of this genre, romance has been around for a long time and is not going anywhere.

Obviously the numbers say it all. This is a $1 Billion dollar industry with 64% reading romance at least once a month. These figures come from the Romance Writers of America, but if you ask romance writers and readers, the numbers really are not the big picture.

Why is it that people read romance? For the simple fact that we love the happily ever after! We love watching a couple go through the same struggles we face every single day, and always triumph. Good does triumph over evil. We read these novels because, although we know how the story will end, this is a chance for us to work through our own issues through the lives of the characters.

Romance novels are not about the things that happen behind closed doors, like so many believe. These are stories about real people (O.K. some may be vampires and other paranormal beings) with real emotions and real feelings. We read these stories to watch relationships build and, for those of us in relationships, this is a chance to relive our own relationships.

If you ask the followers of the Diana Gabaldon OUTLANDER series, although they might take a bit of pleasure in seeing Jamie run around in a kilt and no shirt, what they really talk about is how the Jamie and Claire truly love each other. They talk about the relationship. They talk about the things they do for each other. That is romance!

These stories make us smile. We can be sitting on a commuter train or bus in the busiest city in the world, coming home after a completely terrible day, and disappear into a world of complete happiness. And people have been doing this for centuries. When you consider the time Shakespeare was writing and performing his plays, this was not exactly the most pleasant of times. The real world was pretty disgusting, but when that audience walked into the doors of the Globe Theatre and saw Romeo and Juliet, they saw romance. When they watched Beatrice and Benedict struggle during the early acts of Much Ado About Nothing and triumph in the end as they recognized they truly were in love, that ugly world outside was gone. And, I am sure, when they walked out the door, back into the real world, they probably did so with a smile on their face.

Romance is the ultimate example of a humanities genre. These are stories about humans. These are stories that study humans. And these are stories that celebrate humans. So, is romance going away soon? I think not.

The Emotional Connection With The Romance Genre

It's not about the plot. It's about the people.

In simple terms, the reason the romance genre has been around for so many years, and the reason it will be around for some time is the connection it makes with the human condition. Unlike a lot of genres out there, the romance genre is tapping into one of the most intimate and certainly one of the most sensitive emotions that people deal with. When an author writes a successful story, the reason is pretty clear. The author has tapped into those universal emotions we all feel.

Think about it. With emotions such as hate, anger, jealousy and so forth, it is easy to separate the words from the feelings. Screaming "I hate you" can be attributed to so many different things. But when the romantic feelings come into play, suddenly those words become even harder to deal with.

And it isn't so much about the words, but the complexity of thoughts and feelings that are connected to those feelings of romance and love. Remember when you first realized that person sitting next to you in school was more than simply another student in the class? Remember the feelings you had getting ready for that first date, ending that date, or even having to break up. Words simply couldn't say what you needed to say.

My son is going through this right now. He is involved with his first serious relationship and when they have to say goodbye, either on the phone or in person, we all know that he will be pretty moody for the next several hours. The sense of "loss" is too much for his brain to handle. We do know, as adults, this is often easier to handle, but in those early stages of a relationship, it is often unbearable.

But when it comes to those romance novels, the stories the authors have crafted for the readers will provide the reader with the words and the experiences he or she couldn't say or comprehend on their own. In an article by Maryanne Fisher, PhD. for Psychology Today she noted after a study of Harlequin novels that "The reader can live vicariously through the heroine and fall in love with the hero, but without any of the consequence. She's not cheating onher husband (most readers are married) because it's just a novel. She isn't at risk of becoming pregnant, but she can imagine the seduction by the hero. She gets the thrill, the rush, of falling in love, all for a few dollars." (2010).

She further noted that successful authors seemed to have a knack for being able to get right to the point for the readers. "Authors of these books seem to know this because they rarely describe the heroine in much detail. Presumably, they want to allow the reader to get into the shoes of the heroine with some ease." The authors have taken that plot and reduced it down to being the background for the development of the romance and the relationship. The emphasis is on the people and not the plot. Sure, the plot is an element and this isn't just a story about people talking. But the focus is always on one central goal - understanding how a relationship builds and grows.

When I am looking at new submissions, I am always looking to see how much the author does to "draw me into the story." What is the author focusing on? Too often, however, I am finding that authors seem to be more focused on the plot element. They are pushing to find a unique plot or setting and then forgetting what the story was really about - the people.

If you think of Erotica, the stories are often not about any relationship building. It is all about the lust and the physicality of the two characters. Yes, the story might end with a happily ever after, or the characters may express in words their emotions of love and longing, but it is often just that - only words. The emotion itself is just not there.

A way I really test this is when I sit down with authors during pitch sessions. For those of you who have pitched to me before, you know that I make you do your pitch without notes. I want you just to talk about your story. Even if you have it memorized, I will often interrupt you enough to make you simply talk. What comes out of your mouth is very telling and it is often the real truth of what the story is about. If all you talk about is the plot of the story and what the characters do, the story will often lack that emotional connection. If, however, you focus a lot on the characters and really getting into their heads, I will often have a gem (or at least a diamond in the rough) in that submission.

So take the time to examine your story. What is the real focus?Is it about the plot, or about the romance and emotions. Remember, it is not just about saying it, but about showing it!

Romance Novels Are Not Just About Sex

I love attending writing conferences, and especially those that focus on the general fiction market. Don't get me wrong RWA people, I love the romance conferences as well. But here is the thing. When I attend the general fiction conferences, I get to really teach about the romance genre. There is a huge misconception there as to what this genre entails.

For many, here are the thoughts people come in with regarding the romance novel. They believe it is a romance if:

–“I have romance in my story.”
–There is a relationship
–It is in a romantic setting
–The characters get married
–The characters have sex

But here is the thing. While many romance novels utilize these common elements, the romance itself focuses exclusively on the building of a relationship. We are watching from the sidelines as two characters fall in love with one another. Let's look at the specifics.

The relationship is the central story arc - As I said, the romance is the central story arc. You can pretty much write about any other sub-plot as the backdrop. but if we chart out what the main story is, it would be watching the hero and heroine discover each other and fall in love. 

There is a happily ever after - I know a lot of people have a hard time with this one, but with the romance, we want to know, when we finish the book, the two are together, and will be together for some time. This might not be the actual marriage, but we know they have committed to each other by the end of the book. 

The focus is primarily from a female perspective - This is not always the case so please understand this. You will likely have scenes from the male POV, but the heaviest emphasis is from the female POV. A lot of authors seem to feel that if they have a female protagonist, she is the narrator and she falls in love, then this is a romance. The POV is just one part of it. It is seeing the world through the female lens that puts romance into the women's fiction genre. 

The story is about human nature Because it focuses on that relationship, we want to see how human nature is bringing the two characters together. We want to see how they react and behave to the things the other person says and how they act. 

As far as the sex element, we have to remember that this is not what makes a romance. There are a ton of romance novels out there where the extent of any physical interaction is a simple kiss. The level of sensuality you put in the story is really up to you and your readers. Remember though, when the sex becomes the storyline, you are now moving out of the romance genre and moving into the erotica genre. 

So, for those of you heading off to those conference, remember to really examine your novel before pitching it. If it is not a romance, then don't pitch it as one. 

Make The Romance The Story Arc

Cross genre writing is a term a lot of authors have been using recently. This is, actually, a concept that has been around for a while, especially in the romance genre. Paranormal romance, romantic suspense, inspirational romance and historical romance are all versions of cross genre writing. The key to this writing is to somehow blend the two styles together to offer a unique new twist to something we have seen before.

I wanted to talk about this today and really focus on the romance - XX genre. In other words, genres that are emphasizing the romance and blending it with some other genre. What I have seen lately are authors who do attempt this, but simply end up missing out on the romance element. I actually see this most in those romantic suspense, romantic mystery and romantic thrillers. Essentially the suspense plot becomes so invasive, that the romance becomes almost a second thought.

This is actually easy to spot. Readers know, going in, that the story is supposed to be a romantic something but they get really involved with the plot. We have to find out "who did it" or "what is hidden in that attic." At this point, there is really nothing wrong, until the author realizes he or she forgot to add in the romance. Next thing we know, we are in the middle of a stake out and the hero and heroine decide, now, out of all of the times possible, would be a good time to "get it on." Wrong!

Writing these blended genres is really not that hard, if you are a plotter. Remember the key to the romance genre is to watch the building romance. So, plan that out first and then use the external plot, whether it is a psycho demon, or historical uprising, as the backdrop for the relationship.

I do want to stress something. In no way am I saying that your story has to make the romance the central focus. It is perfectly fine to have a story be a mystery and then have the characters maybe find a romance. But, if you want to market it as a romance, the put the romance as the central story arc.

It's all about what you put in the spotlight.

I Do Believe In The Romance Genre

I am sure I have talked about this, but I honestly felt really inspired about this today. Maybe it was that extra strong cup of coffee or the simple fact it was so quite around the house, I had the chance to appreciate what I do. I can honestly say, I am truly fortunate to work with this genre.

I know there are a lot of "fiction" and "non-fiction" authors who look down on the romance genre as being nothing but fluff. They are still in the mindset that these books are that stereotype "bodice ripper". I do have to say, however, these people clearly have not taken the time to pick one up and read one.

Yes, romance is escapist literature. There is certainly nothing wrong with that. There are, in fact, a lot of other genres that fall into this category. But the thing that truly separates romance from all of the other genres out there is the simple fact that these are about people. These are about relationships and we, as readers get to follow along with the hero and heroine as they overcome obstacles and fall in love.

With romance, you also get that happily ever after. I know that Romance Writers of America have now started to use the term "An Emotionally Satisfying and Optimistic Ending" But for me, I am going to stick with the happily ever after. I like knowing the characters I fought hard with to overcome those obstacles are going to live on beyond the last page of the book.

The romance genre also brings together a lot of writers who really do share that same common interest of telling a great story. I have often found, when I go to the romance conferences, there is a shared sense of that common goal. These authors are POSITIVE. I know there is some backstabbing that takes place out there, but that always seems to be overshadowed by the great vibe you get from being around the romance authors.

We have to remember that romance is a genre that has been around for a long time. Going all the way back to the oral tradition, storytellers would bring together a hero and heroine and show how love can conquer all. I do believe that will never go away. We may see some different approaches, but the romance genre is simply not going to go away.

I have to applaud the publishing houses who have kept their romance lines a strong force in the company portfolio. They invest in this not simply because of the money it brings in, but because they know romance is a "sure thing."

I challenge those of you who may not have picked up one of these stories to do so this weekend. Make an investment. Break out of your shell. Who knows? You might find something you have been missing for a long time - That knowledge that goodness and happiness DOES exist in the world today.

This post is really going out to all of you writers who think that you know romance. This is for those of you in the fiction world that think what you are writing is a romance. Now, for those of you in the romance industry, please understand I AM STEREOTYPING here to make a point. 

Just yesterday, I posted here about authors who submit to Greyhaus projects that are clearly not falling into the romance or the women's fiction genres. I should also add that I did get a second gentleman who proceeded to tell me that all of these great movie actors are looking at his manuscript and to also remind me that "Harry Potter attracted the attention of a lot of editors" what ever that meant. 

So, with that said, if you think you write romance, would your book end up on a shelf with covers like this:

 

 

Or better yet, would there be descriptions in your book such as:

"Sucking and licking, she was so close."

"His hardness was pushing against her womanly core."

"She shattered as he plunged one final time."

"I want you in me now!"

and I did leave out all of the lines about nubs.

O.K. So maybe you say, "I am writing romance not smut". Fine, let's try this then...

"Her hand tingled with electricity from his touch."

"She knew from the first glance that he was for her."

The point of all this is simple. Do you know what your write or are you simply throwing darts at a wall and hoping that something will stick?

I teach a session on understanding romance and women's fiction and one of the easiest tests is to wander around a bookstore and tell me where your book would be placed. If it is not in the section on romance, the odds are you are not writing this genre. 

And once, again, yes, I was stereotyping but it is there to make a point. Know what you write. Know the genre and submit only to agents and editors who acquire that genre.

Here's A Shocker - The Romance Writers of America Is About Romance Writing

Over the last several years, the Romance Writers of America have been fine-tuning the wording on many of their documents and certainly the two major contests - The Golden Heart and The Rita. Of course, in the process of that fine tuning, there have been many authors out there complaining that the RWA is preventing them from writing what they want. Many of these authors are also complaining that the RWA is attempting to push people out of the organization because of what they write. This cannot be further from the truth

How can I say this? Well, let's start at the beginning.

The last time I checked, RWA stood for ROMANCE Writers of America. As the name implies, this is an organization that is focusing its attention on a specific genre - romance. The assumption is that if someone decides to join this chapter, this is the genre they are interested in and networking with other authors who share the same passion. If you aren't someone who writes or works with the romance genre, then the odds are you wouldn't be writing a check each year for membership.

The Greyhaus Literary Agency is one that represents romance and women's fiction. This is why I am a member of the organization. I am not a member of the Mystery Writers of America or some of these other organizations because they do not meet the needs of the agency or my clients.

But let's go a little further. When we look at the central mission of the RWA, it says:

Romance Writers of America® (RWA) is a nonprofit trade association whose mission is to advance the professional interests of career-focused romance writers through networking and advocacy. RWA works to support the efforts of its members to earn a living, to make a full-time career out of writing romance—or a part-time one that generously supplements his/her main income.

Again, note the wording. This is a professional organization focusing on romance. I don't think that can be any clearer.

I know what some of you are saying now, "But Scott, what about the RITA's and The Golden Heart contests? My story doesn't fit those categories so they are keeping me from entering." Ummm, let's think about that for a minute. Yes, the contests are pretty clear. The description, as listed on page 9 of the October edition of the RWR says it is to "promote excellence in the romance genre" and it goes on to identify on page 10 under the entry requirements: A book of original Romance Fiction which means the work contains a central love story and the resolution of the romance must be emotionally satisfying and optimistic In other words the infamous HEA.

The issue I believe I see are those authors who are branching out with their writing. We had, for a while, a division in the contest for Novels With Romantic Elements. Personally, I never understood this category other than it was there for those people who had written a book with maybe a love interest thrown in to spice things up. Sorry, but adding a sex scene or a bit where two characters randomly fall in love does not make this a romance novel. It IS the central story arc that defines the story. If your central story arc is about solving a crime, then it is a crime novel. If the central story arc is about saving the Galactic Rebellion, then the odds are it is a science fiction story.

Now the twist comes in with what some are calling Women's Fiction. Are these stories romance? Well, the issue once again comes down to the central story arc. In Women's Fiction, the focus is to see the world through the female perspective. These are stories that give us an insight into the female psyche. Back in January of 2010 I did a piece for Writer's Digest identify the differences between romance and women's fiction  In that article I stated:

In women’s fiction, is there no happily-ever-after? Does this mean there is no romance? No. Women’s fiction is about something much more. I have always tried to define this genre as a story that shows the female journey. The goal and the intent of this genre is to be able to relate to the character and understand her own life. We want to know what it is to be a woman. Like romance, this can occur in any time period, but the goal is still the same – to understand the female psyche. The story can be multicultural, like Amy Tan, or historical, like Philippa Gregory. It really doesn’t matter other than making the heroine the central focus of the story. It may be contemporary. One of my favorite stories that I believe fits this the best is A Summer All Her Own by Rosanne Keller.

So, does this mean that a women's fiction piece cannot be a romance. Absolutely not. As long as the story's central story arc is a romance, then you are good to go. For it to be women's fiction, the story just uses the lens of that female perspective as its driving force. 

Now, let's get back to the issue of the RWA. This organization is in no way telling people what they can and cannot write. This organization is not even saying you cannot be a member of the organization. If you happen to write something else, as well as your romance, then this is the place for you. It is open to anyone if that is your interest. But again, I would ask, if it is not your interest, why would you join in the first place?

I do think many of these issues developed as authors started into this cross-genre writing. Again, please note there is nothing wrong with doing that. However, if your story fails to keep a foot in both genres and shifts into the other genre, then you cannot call it a cross-genre book any more. 

So, for those of you who have moved on from the romance genre, it is OK. We all want you to be successful. But this might also mean that for you, the RWA isn't the place for you. It doesn't mean you cannot come back. It doesn't mean the RWA hates you. It simply means that at this moment in time, you need something else. We just cannot blame an organization for your movement into other genres. 

Writing Romance - It is harder than you think...

I always find it interesting when I see how people react when an author states that he or she writes romance. This is especially true for authors outside of the genre. Usually there is a snort, a twitching of the eyebrows, and a general look of "Oh, well isn't that cute." It doesn't shock me to see it really takes a lot of work to get that author to even admit that romance is their genre of choice. In my humble opinion, it is a shame.

And the reason is clear. Writing romance (and I will include women's fiction in this category too) is harder than hell to write. All of you authors out there that write in this genre, and especially those of you who have made the leap to published author need to stop keeping your genre a secret and really show people that this is a genre to be dealt with.

First of all, the romance genre has been around for a lot longer than many of the other genres. Even the early epic poems utilized strong elements of romance to keep the hero going through his "amazing battles of strength and manliness." Even as we scan through the classics of literature, those things that literature scholars refer to as The Canon of literature, we can see that time and time again, it is a romance that makes that list. Consider a few of the authors (this comes from the Gutenberg Project by the way):

• Alcott
• Austen
• Bronte, Bronte, Bronte (obviously all three)
• Browning
• Butler
• Cather
• Chekhov
• Chopin
• ... O.K. I am just on the C's but you get the idea.

Secondly, writing romance and women's fiction is about making a strong emotional connection with the reader. This is not about simply "telling a great story" or anything limited to the plot. The author is required to bring together the characters in the book and the reader emotionally and at an internal level. When the reader finishes the story, there should be a sense of true understanding of his or her place in the world and especially with other people on that interpersonal level.

Next, and this is the one of the hardest elements, the author has a limited amount of space to bring together two characters that, in most cases, prior to page one, had never met. The ultimate goal is, at the end of 55,000-120,000 words, these two have reached a happily ever after. Now plot wise, this can be pretty easy to map out. The difficulty, however, is to not force the issue and make this seem natural. Romance authors are tapping into Mark Knapps, 10 stages of interpersonal theory here! Heck, making a relationship work in real life is tough, but to do it in a short span like this becomes a huge challenge.

Now we add in the sub-genres of romance. These authors are now attempting to do all of the standard romance elements, in that short span of time, while also incorporating those traits of the other genres. Consider now the authors in: romantic suspense, paranormal, fantasy, science fiction and historical. No longer are these people just focused on building a romance, but the other plots have to be significant, and yet, not take the lead role in the romance. Remember, the main story arc is the romance and the secondary arc is the other genre.

Let's look at the numbers now. These come directly from the Romance Writers of America:

(source: Business of Consumer Book Publishing 2013)

• Romance fiction generated $1.438 billion in sales in 2012.
• Romance was the top-performing category on the best-seller lists in 2012 (across the NYT, USA Today, and PW best-seller lists).
• Romance fiction sales are estimated at $1.350 billion for 2013.
• 74.8 million people read at least one romance novel in 2008. (source: RWA Reader Survey)

(source: Simba Information estimates)

• Romance fiction: $1.438 billion in estimated revenue for 2012
• Religion/inspirational: $717.9 million
• Mystery: $728.2 million
• Science fiction/fantasy: $590.2 million
• Classic literary fiction: $470.5 million

Let's not forget that these numbers are (in many cases) not coming from hard-cover sales with rocking prices of $25.00+ a book. These stem from the number of books sold.

One of my authors told me recently that she recalled a creative writing instructor she had during her undergraduate work. When he found out she was writing romance, he commented that she might make it as a "snort" dime store novelist. She told me this memory hit her when she had just completed her 30th book for her editor. And yes, she did send her list of published books as well as the the total number of books sold and the countries she was now published in to the instructor.

In simple terms, romance writers (and yes, I am going to include in there the editors and agents who represent this fantastic genre) need to stand up and make the world take notice. We need to push the media more to stand up and take notice of the work these authors are doing. All of you authors should be proud of what you are doing. 

I, for one, am very proud to say I represent romance and women's fiction and I have no problem telling people this is what I represent. 

Writing Romance Is About Falling In Love

I saw over the weekend an article in the local news about a couple who, after so many years of being married together (I don't remember the years but let me say it was a lot), ended up dying within 15 minutes of each other. The wife was sick and died and sure enough, the husband knew it was time for him to go too and he followed her. This got me thinking about, what I believe, is a huge misconception of many of the plot lines I see in romance novels and certainly submissions.

Now, first of all, we have to understand what the romance genre is about. This is a genre where the central story arc is the coming together of a couple. We watch how they move through their relationship to that point of a happily ever after. When we read a romance, we need to see not only the relationship building, but truly watching the couple move to a point of falling in love with one another.

What I see, far too often, is a story of essentially a couple dating. We throw in some sex scenes and then, by about 3/4 of the way through the book, one of the characters declares to the other, "I love you!" and during the rest of the book, the characters do nothing more than to mop up the other plot issues the author used to get that one character to say those three words. This is not romance.

Your goal as a romance author is to tap into all of those raw emotions that people feel when they fall in love.

• We need to see the awkwardness of being around the other person. This is not because it is the boss, or their is an external plot issue that makes the character not comfortable being there. We need to see the awkwardness because there are unclear emotions running through the characters' heads. 
• We need to see the realization (that probably does not happen on the first meeting) that this person is an amazing person for whatever they do. We need to see that realization of something special the character, up until now did not see.
• We need to see the feeling of loss when that person leaves and the room is empty. The character needs to have a sense of a vacuum and a void when the other person is not around. 
• We need to see the characters just want to "BE" with each other. No, this does not mean the desire to hop into the sack and go for it! They would be happy just doing crossword puzzles in a kitchen.

I do believe that far too many authors today are so obsessed with writing this in-depth plot line that the romance truly is falling to the sidelines. Maybe this is a reason why I have always been against the genre that was "created" a while ago of "a novel with romantic elements". sorry but I have to disagree with this one. Just throwing a couple into a story or giving them a chance to have sex every now and then does not make it a romance, nor for that matter mean you have included romantic elements. You have simply put in sex.

I challenge all of you romance authors to take some time this week to really look around you. Find those couples that are truly "in love" and watch them. Take the time to listen to their stories. Use that as your inspiration for you romance.

Why So Many Romance Stories Fail

I was looking back on my database yesterday of all the submissions I have seen since the start of 2014. What I saw was an interesting trend. So much so that I went back and scanned through the 2013 files and saw the same thing. There was indeed a common trend why I passed on so many story. I also believe this common trend is why there are so many romance stories out there that fail to succeed.

In simple terms - the author forgot the romance.

It seems that authors are so intent on telling their stories, creating fantastic lines or scenes, or in the case of the 50 Shades crowd, trying to see how far they can push the erotic barrier, that the element of the romance is completely lost. I don't care what the sub-genre is the author uses, time and time again I am finding that the romance is more of an after thought than the focus. We really see this with paranormals and romantic suspense stories. There has to be so much world building and so much plot development that there is simply no room for any development of a quality romance in the story.

Along the same lines, when an author does put the romance front and center, what we are seeing is not a romance building, but two characters being run through a gauntlet of scenes to get to the "happily ever after" that the author already has planned. What the authors have failed remember is that the goal of a romance, regardless of the sub-genre, is to show a building relationship. We want to see them fall in love.

What I find is missing from so many of these stories is the emotional impact of the building romance. Somehow, in the middle of the narration and the dialogue the author has so carefully crafted, the reader doesn't get to "feel" the authors falling in love. This is 100% the fault of the author. It is the author's responsibility to draw on those real emotions and to weave those thoughts into their story.

Think of it this way. Take a moment and remember the feelings you had when you were first "really in love." I'm not talking about the first love or the first crush. I am talking about "real love."

I'll wait..........

Now, what did you feel? There is a sense of giddiness. A sense of the world spinning out of control when that person is around or when you think of the person. Your rush home "just to be with that person." You can be lost to the world simply watching the person across the table from you at dinner or even something a simple as mowing the lawn. When you get into a slight argument, you feel as if your entire world is going to fall apart.  I think you get the idea.

It isn't about the sex. It is about saying "I love you." It is about all of those turbulent feelings screaming at you. And it is just this that is missing from so many romance novels today.

Sure the plots are good. Sure the dialogue is great. Maybe the Rakes are hotter than those "sexy fireman calendars." But is the romance there.

I also think this is the reason why we are seeing so many authors turning to genres such as "novels with elements of romance." I honestly think many authors are making this shift because it is too hard for them to draw on those real emotions. Look, I get it. Writing romance is not easy. I know this is one reason why I am such a proponent of it and am proud of authors who write romance as opposed to 100% plot driven stories. These are tough to write.

If you really want to write romance, you have to simply return to your own sense of reality. You have to "Remember the magic" (Thank you Disney for that line), and make those characters really "fall in love."

Question from a Writer - The stereotyping of romance authors

Good Morning:
I love romance. And I enjoy writing romance. And I think that romance is the genre I will best fit into. (See, I'm faithfully reading your blog each morning, and along with learning to write better and better, I am also researching the market and considering my future career. Just like you instruct us newbies to do.)

Ok. So, I've crawled out from behind the laptop and experimented with a bit of professional schmoozing, only to trip and fall face first into the big boulder: Stereotyping. I've heard it's out there, but this is my first encounter with "romance writers are not real writers" – they are more a sub-class of writers, who if they are lucky, might grow up to be "real" writers someday.

Ok. I've been learning to plot and a hundred other techniques that should give me a great piece of writing, even if it is romance. And it's darn hard work. So I don't accept this particular stereotyping doctrine. Not in the least. But I'm still a novice. And that boulder hurts.

How do romance writers handle this kind of prejudice?

I hear you on this one! It is a shame that some writers out there feel the need to put down others just to make themselves feel better about their writing. There are a couple of things I would recommend putting out there for those people who have said this to you, and even for those of you out there who might be thinking this right now.

This information comes from the Romance Writers of America. Please have people take a look at these numbers.

(source: Business of Consumer Book Publishing 2013)

• Romance fiction generated $1.438 billion in sales in 2012.
• Romance was the top-performing category on the best-seller lists in 2012 (across the NYT, USA Today, and PW best-seller lists).
• Romance fiction sales are estimated at $1.350 billion for 2013.
• 74.8 million people read at least one romance novel in 2008. (source: RWA Reader Survey)

Now add in...

(source: Simba Information estimates)

• Romance fiction: $1.438 billion in estimated revenue for 2012
• Religion/inspirational: $717.9 million
• Mystery: $728.2 million
• Science fiction/fantasy: $590.2 million
• Classic literary fiction: $470.5 million

Romance writing is difficult in the simple fact that it isn't just a matter of creating a story with great characters, you have to work within the parameters of the characteristics of a romance genre. Now, if you are writing for a category line, you have to add in meeting those requirements as well including the theme of the line, the word count of the line and so forth.

I do believe, however, that many romance authors do bring a lot of this on themselves by making comments when people find out you write books such as "Well, you know it is just romance." I am sorry to say this but it isn't just romance! As I said before in the prior paragraph, this is tough writing.

When I first started Greyhaus in 2003, I decided to focus strictly on this genre. Why? Because this is a worthwhile genre to deal with and it deals with people. These are stories about human emotions, feelings and relationships. These are stories, that if told poorly, are really bad!

I would also go so far as to challenge many of these writers out there who think, as you put it in your question/comment that "romance writers are not real writers" – they are more a sub-class of writers, who if they are lucky, might grow up to be "real" writers someday." to get their butts out there and write one without coming across as stereotypical, cliche and formulaic as they often try to claim this writing is.

I applaud the authors out there who write romance. I applaud those authors who stand up and proclaim loud and proud they are romance authors. I applaud the Romance Writers of America for standing up and saying that this is what the organization represents and if you want to write in this genre, you are open and VERY welcome.

You ask, "How do romance writers handle this kind of prejudice?" Stand up to these people. You write that fantastic romance novel. In the end, I am betting that you will be the person who is published and these other writers will still be throwing those boulders and remain unpublished!



 

We Have To See Them Fall In Love

One of the hardest things about writing romance is not the intimate scenes in the bedroom, but the single thing that makes a romance a romance. The central story arc follows the development of the relationship of the hero and heroine from that initial meeting to the happily ever after. This seems like a relatively easy process, but if we want the story to do something, we can't exactly make it easy for them, can we? It is at this point that, for most writers, the relationship takes a backseat to the conflict and we fail to watch the romance grow.

Far too often, I read a romance where there is a great idea for that "setting" plot. I am using this term essentially as the backdrop to the romance. For example, we take a romantic suspense where the heroine is being driven off her land by some ruthless investor who wants to build condos on her property. He is the neighbor who just moved in to a rental for the summer and believes he can fix the problem (sort of that ROADHOUSE approach). But here is the problem. Somehow, in the middle of setting up the conflict with the bad guy, the introduction of the hero as a great guy who fixes problems, the author realizes, "Woops, this is a romance."

At this point, we start seeing the insertion of lines and scenes to "make it a romance" and we never see the characters fall in love.

Symptoms of this include:

• A sudden sex scene after either working too late or getting drunk - and then they wake up in love.
• The fact that he (or she) is totally hot and the other person has been celibate for so long that it is immediately love.
• In the case of a romantic suspense, they are trapped some place dangerous and then think this is a good time to have sex (as a way to release the tension).

This, I am sorry to say, is not falling in love, but a story with a lot of sex. And yes, even ROADHOUSE attempts to weave in a romance when in reality, the chance of Dalton staying around is slim to none, despite apparently "falling in love with the girl (I can't remember her name off-hand this morning).

Since a romance is supposed to follow a romance, we need to see them through all of those stages of the development and, since they are probably going to be characters that might not necessarily come together in any other circumstance, other than what you created as the author, we have to see them over-come that roadblock.

1. The Introduction
2. The Getting To Know You
3. The "This is not the person" but "A nice person" phase
4. The appreciation for the person for who they are
5. The transition from appreciation to admiration and falling in love
6. The conflict showing up to show this won't work (the dark moment)
7. The realization that love does conquer all

Now, since this is the central storyline, the other plot - the suspense, the paranormal vampires, the evil mother-in-law, or whatever - will become the structural element this romance is built AROUND. Your ultimate goal as an author is to SHOW us they learn to LOVE each other.

The end product is that feeling that when we hit the end of the book, we know they will continue into their old-age as a couple. We know there is that happily ever after. We don't want to be left thinking now that there is no more tension in their life, there is no need to stay together.

Discovering the Umami In Romance Writing

I started thinking about this yesterday as I had on my one of my favorite channels, THE FOOD NETWORK. Far too often, I am passing on projects that, in theory, have the potential of being a great romance novel. The characters, the setting, the theme - all of the elements seem to be in place for a great read. And yet, when I pick up the partial to read, something is missing and the story falls flat. What I realized was missing was that 5th element that we often find in cooking. The Umami.

According to the Umami Information Center (yes there is one), Umami is defined as...

When humans eat, they use all of their senses (sight, hearing, smell, touch and taste) to form general judgments about their food, but it is taste that is the most influential in determining how delicious a food is. Conventionally, it has been thought that our sense of taste is comprised of four basic, or 'primary', tastes, which cannot be replicated by mixing together any of the other primaries: sweet, sour, salt and bitter. However, it is now known that there is actually the fifth primary taste: umami.

But what does this have to do with romance writing?

As the food definition describes, we look at food using all of our senses. As the definition also goes on to say, taste is broken down into 4 more categories. In fact, we can break down all of the other senses into small categories as well. Sight can be the exact thing we see as well as the perceived thing we see. Hearing involves tone, volume, pitch and so forth. I think you get the idea.

The element of umami was more of that unnamed sensation that somehow brings to life the food that the other elements don't quite describe. Because romance writing (and I guess you can include women's fiction into this argument) deals with relationships and human emotions we have to bring in something that extends beyond the simple five senses.

If we think about falling in love, we often cannot describe what we are feeling. According to an article from ABC News in 2009 by Sheryl Kingsberg, Ph.D. she notes that researchers show that there are brain changes that make falling in love a physiological change. She goes on to note that if we really want "understand what falling in love is -- the best concept to understand is the concept of limerance. Limerance is that period in a relationship of great passion, when we're almost obsessed with our partner, when we can think of nothing else..."

The point is there seems to be this "feeling" we have. How many times have we seen in movies when some kid is asking a mother "how do you know when you're in love?" What is the answer? "You just know."

I think, in all honesty, what romance authors are forgetting is that feeling they had when they were in love for the first time (or the second). Sure, we can write a scene that has "all of the elements of a great romance" but the passion and the emotion you felt is simply not there. That missing element, the umami so to speak, is what prevents the reader from truly getting connected with the characters and their situation.

When we talk about classic argumentation, one element that is often discussed is that of "ethos." This is not only the credibility of the speaker, but also the connection that speaker makes with the audience. You can use the same idea here when we talk about writing. For romance to really work, it isn't simply about putting words on a page and telling a story. It is about giving the reader the chance to fall into the story and feel the same things the character is feeling. If they hurt, we hurt.

As you sit down to write your romances, you need to take some time to really "REMEMBER" what it was to fall in love. Remember those giddy feelings you had when the whole world made sense and didn't make sense at the same time. Remember those feelings of not wanting to be away from that person. How everything you did during the day reminded you of the person who wasn't there.

By reintroducing those thoughts into your brain prior to writing, and while you write, you will find that emotion just coming across in the words. Remember, it isn't about using the right terminology. It is the feeling.

In Romance Writing, Let The Romance Grow - Don't Force It

Just as in the real world, a relationship cannot be forced upon two individuals. We cannot make people like each other and we certainly can't push them to the point of falling in love and developing a strong relationship. This is something that takes time and, as an author, you have to give the characters a chance to get to know each other. Let them discover each other throughout the story.

Now, don't get me wrong. We cannot extend this romance over several novels just to let the characters learn to love each other. We do have time constraints here. We do have a limited word count to do this in. What I am saying is that, as an author, you cannot make the characters fall in love with each other too quickly. They need the time to fall in love.

Let's look at this in a theoretical framework here. Mark Knapp outlines a model of relationship development that I do believe works great when we look at constructing a romance novel. Please note that Knapp is looking at the entire relationship from beginning to end. In a romance, we are not going to be going through the entire process. For this reason, we are going to look at just the elements through STAGE 5

The following is a tangible example of the model of relationship development
created by Knapp.
______________________________________________________________________________
Process Stage                                                  Representative Dialogue
                                                                                                                                                                         Initiating                                                              "Hi, how ya doin'?"
                                                                           "Fine, you?"

---

Experimenting                                                    "Oh, so you like to ski...so do I."
                                                                          "You do?! Great. Where do you go?"

---

Intensifying                                                         "I...I think I love you."
                                                                           "I love you too."

---

Integrating                                                         "I feel so much a part of you."
                                                                          "Yeah, we are like one person. What
                                                                           happens to you happens to me."

---

Bonding                                                             "I want to be with you always"
                                                                          "Let's get married."
When it comes to many romances I see, we have characters that are simply moving through the relationship far too quickly. Somehow, after the first meeting, they move to STAGE 3 immediately. Somehow, in the first chapter or two they have moved immediately to knowing that this is the person they are going to marry. Slow down there! Give them a chance!

Part of the thing that makes the romance genre work so well is that the well-written romances really do mirror what it is like to fall in love. As readers, we get to go through all of those tough and awkward first steps of the relationship building.

Our responsibility as an author is to give the reader that believable journey. When we do rush things too quickly, it becomes so unreaslistic, that our readers will turn away from the story and call it flat and lacking the depth we so wanted.

Now, does this mean there can't be elements of lust? No, feel free to add that into the story, but make sure to not confuse lust with love. These are two different things.

As you plan your next romance, take the time to plot out how you're going to move your characters through Knapps' model. What you may find is that the story now has a clear sense of direction and the depth of the characters and the plot will be ten times as strong!

Why William and Kate are models for "true" romance

If you are someone who follows this blog on a regular basis, you will frequently hear me going on and on about how I am looking for stories with no baggage. In other words, I am begging for stories about "real" people, in "real" relationships, truly falling in love.

In reality, if we think about the romances in the real world that we remember and cherish, the stories don't come out of crisis and drama. There were no stalkers, no demons, no missing babies. If we think about William and Kate, we really do see many of the same things.

I will admit that being a "royal" does tend to tweak things a bit, but let's put that aside for a minute. What you have with these two are college kids who fell in love and moved into doing what everyone seems to want to do with their life. They have a small 5 bedroom home, they hang out with their friends and family, the cook meals for each other and they love "regular" food.

When you see these two together, you really see two people in love. Too often, we see these "celebrity" relationships that appear too forced. Sure, with all of the drama around them, we really seem to "grub" on this. No, it isn't because we want to see them fall in love and live Happily Ever After. I honestly believe we want to see them fail. With a true romance, however, we want to see them succeed.

This success doesn't come from overcoming obstacles. We want to see the success of the couple just simply being happy.

We have to remember that in romance, not only is the central storyline supposed to be the romance and the relationship, but we want to have them succeed. I always say that when I close the book, I want to know that the hero and heroine are still living in their cozy little home we left them in.

And with William and Kate, I want the same thing. I want to know, without the cameras and the drama, that they are hanging out together in their small little house. I want to have that image that he comes home from work and they kick back on the sofa, sitting in trashy sweats and eating nachos while they watch the latest edition of Desperate Housewives or The Office. Heck, the dream world is that we know they watch Family Guy.

The point is, keep it real people~

Scott

What A Romance Should Really Be...

I started thinking about this a couple of days ago and it has taken a while for the idea to really develop in my head enough to write this morning. The simple, cold hard fact is that I simply haven't seen a romance out there with such passion between the characters that it leaves me speechless.

Now, don't get me wrong. I am seeing a lot of great "romance" novels out there with some great characters, plots, and so forth, but it was the romance that seemed to really be missing. So as to not confuse people with the blog today, when I talk about the genre romance, it will be in black, but when I'm referring to the emotional romance it will be in read.

My daughter had on her Disney Princess music several days ago. Yes, my family is into Disney. We love it! Hey we have to. That's where my wife and I met, but that is another story. The point is, she was dancing in the family room to IF YOU CAN DREAM from the Disney Princess album so I pulled up the video from it. Now, if you haven't seen the video, I recommend you check it out. Click here for the link. The premise is really a new song with all of the princess. The editing is really good on this.

As I was watching this with her, I was seeing how Disney had truly made the romance explode off of the screen from the princesses. The love and the passion simply couldn't be contained. Obviously, for all of the princesses, this was the "first love" and it was then I realized that was the level of romance that seemed to be missing in the stories.

Think back to your first love. It is that feeling of complete immersion in the relationship. You can't think straight. Everything you do seems to make you think of the other person. When you are with them, the entire world completely disappears around you. Words simply can't express the feelings and sometimes you sound like a babbling idiot talking about the person. When they aren't around, or there is a moment when you can't think about them, there is an emptiness.

That is ROMANCE!

Achieving that level requires much more than technique. You have to really pour all of your emotion into the characters.

So, if you want to know what I want in a romance right now, that would be it. Show me the ROMANCE!

Have fun writing this weekend.

Scott