How to Write a Brilliant Romance: The Easy, Step-By-Step Method of Crafting a Powerful Romance (Go! Write Something Brilliant) Read Online Free PDF
Author: Susan May Warren
ourhearts.
Howdoesirresistibilitywork?Consider Return to Me. Whyistheheroineirresistibletothehero? First,becauseBob’sdesperatelylonely.Gracefillsthatvacancythroughherembraceofothers.She hasawide“family,”whilehe’saloner,andhasahardtimecaringevenforhimself.Thescenewhere Bob’sdogeatsfromthekitchendrawerishilariousaswellassad.Gracealsoaddstohisstrengths. Shehasasenseofhumorhefindsendearing.(Rememberthebottledwaterscene?)Grace’shumor andstrengthencouragesBob’sebbingspirittokeepgoing.(Remember,he’sbuildingagorillapark, against allodds).
MyfavoritelineisafterGracehasleft,andBobgoesintotalkwiththeoldguys,askingforher address.Hedoesn’tknowwhattodoandsays,“IacheforGracie.”Shehasaplaceinsidehim,and missingherhasleftagianthole.Wonderful!Irresistible!
Maybe it’ssimply easier to ask your hero, What draws you to her? Why can’t you live without her?
If this feels too cumbersome, simply ask: How is your heroine irresistible to you?
Maketheheroinebeautifultotheheroandshe’llbebeautifultothereader.
Ask your Heroine:
What do you want?
What is your biggest flaw?
Why? What fear drives this flaw?
What are you good at and how does that Super Power help save the day?
What can you do at the end of the book that you couldn’t do at the beginning?
What is beautiful about your heroine that only (or especially) your hero can see?
How does your heroine complement or balance the hero?
What does your heroine do that affirms the hero?
How does she accentuate his strengths?
Ask the Hero:
What draws you to her? Why can’t you live without her?
How is your heroine irresistible to you?
Ingredie n t2:Interest/ N eed
“Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine.”
~Rick Blaine (played by Humphrey Bogart) in Casablanca
We’lltouchonwhyfoolsfallinloveinamoment,butbeforeyoucanstartyourromance,youneed togetthemtogetheronthepage.
Whichmeanstheyneedtomeet.
Inaromance,theIncitingIncidentisoftenthemeetingoftheheroandheroine.It’sthatmoment wheretheywalkintoeachother’slivesandeverythingchanges.ItispossibletohaveanInciting Incidentseparatefromthemeetingoftheheroandheroine,aslongastheIncitingIncident leads to theirmeeting.
And,inaromance,thismeetinghastohappenbychapterthree.Inacategoryromance,oranovel oflessthan75K,thismeetingshouldgenerallyhappeninchapterone,andpreferablyinthefirstfew pages.
Therearetwocomponentsnecessarytothismomentwhenyourheroandheroinemeet:Interest andNeed.
Build Interest. In other words, make something about the other person stand out.
Forexample,in Sleepless in Seattle ,it’sthevoiceoftheheroine’ssonandhissadsituationthat captures Annie’sattention.
In While You Were Sleeping ,it’sthefactthatLucy,Peter’ssupposedfiancée,isstayingthenightonthe sofa.Jackhasneverheardofherbeforeandtheymeetwhenheinterruptshersneakingoutofhis parents’home.
In A Walk in the Clouds ,Paulissellingchocolatesafterthewar(andafterheandhiswifeare estranged)andmeetsVictoriacryingonabus.She’sbeautifulandhecan’tresistlisteningtoher storyandwantingtohelp.
In Return to Me ,theheroandheroinemeetwhilehe’sonablinddatewithanotherwoman.Hesees Grace,whoisawaitress,fillingupabottleofwaterwithtapwaterforhishigh-maintenancedate. Hekeepshersecretandisrewardedwithatake-outdinnerwhenhemakesexcusestoleaveearly. Thankfully,he’slefthiscellphonebehindintherestaurant,whichnetshimadatewithGracewhen hegoestopickitup.
Thekeytothismomentissomethingthatstandsoutabouttheheroandheroinetoeachother. They’ve createdInterest.
HerearesomewaysI’vehadmyheroandheroinemeet:
Inmybook, Nothing But Trouble, PJSugarmeetsherloveinterest,Jeremy,whenshebreaksintothe houseofadeceasedfriend.Jeremyisaprivateinvestigator(PI),posingasapizzadeliveryman,also breakingintothehousetosearchforclues.Theyescapetogetherandtheromancesparks.
In Happily Ever After ,myheroine,Mona,putsoutanadforahandyman—andJoewalksintoher houseinhismuddyboots,lookingforajob.
In The Perfect Match
Howdoesirresistibilitywork?Consider Return to Me. Whyistheheroineirresistibletothehero? First,becauseBob’sdesperatelylonely.Gracefillsthatvacancythroughherembraceofothers.She hasawide“family,”whilehe’saloner,andhasahardtimecaringevenforhimself.Thescenewhere Bob’sdogeatsfromthekitchendrawerishilariousaswellassad.Gracealsoaddstohisstrengths. Shehasasenseofhumorhefindsendearing.(Rememberthebottledwaterscene?)Grace’shumor andstrengthencouragesBob’sebbingspirittokeepgoing.(Remember,he’sbuildingagorillapark, against allodds).
MyfavoritelineisafterGracehasleft,andBobgoesintotalkwiththeoldguys,askingforher address.Hedoesn’tknowwhattodoandsays,“IacheforGracie.”Shehasaplaceinsidehim,and missingherhasleftagianthole.Wonderful!Irresistible!
Maybe it’ssimply easier to ask your hero, What draws you to her? Why can’t you live without her?
If this feels too cumbersome, simply ask: How is your heroine irresistible to you?
Maketheheroinebeautifultotheheroandshe’llbebeautifultothereader.
Ask your Heroine:
What do you want?
What is your biggest flaw?
Why? What fear drives this flaw?
What are you good at and how does that Super Power help save the day?
What can you do at the end of the book that you couldn’t do at the beginning?
What is beautiful about your heroine that only (or especially) your hero can see?
How does your heroine complement or balance the hero?
What does your heroine do that affirms the hero?
How does she accentuate his strengths?
Ask the Hero:
What draws you to her? Why can’t you live without her?
How is your heroine irresistible to you?
Ingredie n t2:Interest/ N eed
“Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world, she walks into mine.”
~Rick Blaine (played by Humphrey Bogart) in Casablanca
We’lltouchonwhyfoolsfallinloveinamoment,butbeforeyoucanstartyourromance,youneed togetthemtogetheronthepage.
Whichmeanstheyneedtomeet.
Inaromance,theIncitingIncidentisoftenthemeetingoftheheroandheroine.It’sthatmoment wheretheywalkintoeachother’slivesandeverythingchanges.ItispossibletohaveanInciting Incidentseparatefromthemeetingoftheheroandheroine,aslongastheIncitingIncident leads to theirmeeting.
And,inaromance,thismeetinghastohappenbychapterthree.Inacategoryromance,oranovel oflessthan75K,thismeetingshouldgenerallyhappeninchapterone,andpreferablyinthefirstfew pages.
Therearetwocomponentsnecessarytothismomentwhenyourheroandheroinemeet:Interest andNeed.
Build Interest. In other words, make something about the other person stand out.
Forexample,in Sleepless in Seattle ,it’sthevoiceoftheheroine’ssonandhissadsituationthat captures Annie’sattention.
In While You Were Sleeping ,it’sthefactthatLucy,Peter’ssupposedfiancée,isstayingthenightonthe sofa.Jackhasneverheardofherbeforeandtheymeetwhenheinterruptshersneakingoutofhis parents’home.
In A Walk in the Clouds ,Paulissellingchocolatesafterthewar(andafterheandhiswifeare estranged)andmeetsVictoriacryingonabus.She’sbeautifulandhecan’tresistlisteningtoher storyandwantingtohelp.
In Return to Me ,theheroandheroinemeetwhilehe’sonablinddatewithanotherwoman.Hesees Grace,whoisawaitress,fillingupabottleofwaterwithtapwaterforhishigh-maintenancedate. Hekeepshersecretandisrewardedwithatake-outdinnerwhenhemakesexcusestoleaveearly. Thankfully,he’slefthiscellphonebehindintherestaurant,whichnetshimadatewithGracewhen hegoestopickitup.
Thekeytothismomentissomethingthatstandsoutabouttheheroandheroinetoeachother. They’ve createdInterest.
HerearesomewaysI’vehadmyheroandheroinemeet:
Inmybook, Nothing But Trouble, PJSugarmeetsherloveinterest,Jeremy,whenshebreaksintothe houseofadeceasedfriend.Jeremyisaprivateinvestigator(PI),posingasapizzadeliveryman,also breakingintothehousetosearchforclues.Theyescapetogetherandtheromancesparks.
In Happily Ever After ,myheroine,Mona,putsoutanadforahandyman—andJoewalksintoher houseinhismuddyboots,lookingforajob.
In The Perfect Match
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