When it comes to romance novels, individual books can be as different from one another as a tragedy is to a comedy. But whether your preference is dark and steamy or light and sweet, this genre comes with its own set of rules. If you’re looking to write the next big romance novel and don’t know where to start, start here.
The Rulebook
The list of rules in romance novels is short but important. There are only two:
- The story centers on a love story between two characters.
- There is a happy ending.
That’s it. Outside of those two things, a romance novel can take place in any setting or at any time, and it can be written in any style or tone. As long as two characters are falling in love and there’s a happy ending, you have a romance on your hands!
Ingredients of Good Romance Novels
Even if there are only two official rules, a successful romance novel needs more than just a meet-cute and a rosy finish. A reader can’t just know what happens; they need to feel it—and care about it. While that can feel like a tall order, here’s a short list of things to keep in mind:
- Characters don’t necessarily need to be likable (at least not at first), but they do need to be interesting and compelling. Let’s be honest, it’s hard to care about a romance if the people doing the romancing are boring. Make sure your characters have unique personalities and depth beyond being a romantic interest. Who wants to fall in love with a sock puppet?
- Dialogue is paramount in romance stories. How characters communicate with each other doesn’t just showcase their personalities, it helps show a reader why they’re drawn to one another. Dynamic, real-feeling dialogue can bring a good story into great territory and keep readers coming back for more.
- Evocative language brings romance alive. There may be no other genre of book that steeps itself so deeply in descriptive language that you can feel the tingle in your fingertips. Familiarize yourself with vivid descriptors and draw them into your prose. Just don’t go too far and make them purple.
- Familiarize yourself with your chosen subgenre or identify what it will be. While you don’t need to follow a template to appease a romance subgenre, being familiar can help you understand reader interest and avoid any overused tropes.
Structuring Romance Novels
While there is no set romance structure outside of the happy ending, romance authors must juggle a number of arcs that will affect how to structure the book. A romance novel will always contain at least three arcs:
- The plot arc. This centers on the events that help facilitate the story and romance. It’s the underlying story that brings the romantic parties together and allows their love to bloom.
- The romance arc: This is the main plot about how the two (or more!) central characters fall in love.
- The character arc: This subplot follows how the main characters change by the end of the novel.
Although these three arcs can be worked into most story structures, a simple three-act structure is often used to organize plot points and ensure a tight narrative. You can check out our guide on story structure basics for more info.
Should You Include Steamy Scenes?
The simple answer: it’s up to you! Not all romance subgenres require R-rated content. If you want to add a little (or a lot of) spice, do your thing! If you aren’t comfortable or don’t want to draft sultry content, feel free to pass it up. No matter your book’s steaminess, there’s a subgenre (and audience) for you.
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