Since the ‘70s, publishing houses and self-publishers—thanks to an insatiable reader base—have built a billion-dollar industry out of stories that sell not just love stories, not just spice/steam, but something else to readers: romance novels are the books that tackle issues on the forefront of human experience. From complex issues related to physical intimacy, such as consent, protection, and communication, to issues surrounding work and career, home life, family dynamics, trauma, and healing, romance is the genre that allows readers to laugh, cry, learn, grow, and be challenged—all while delivering a guaranteed Happy Ever After.

If you’ve wanted to write a romance novel but don’t know where to start, here’s a guide to getting started:

1. In a romance novel, the story is always about something bigger than just the love story. Yes, the love story is a key quality of the genre, and of course, the happy ending is a critical covenant that romance authors make with their readers. But new authors often think a romance novel is simply the story of how two characters fall in love.

This is not correct!

Both characters in a romance novel need to have the first component of the GMC formula: a goal.

What kind of goal? Ideally each of your main characters, whether you write single point of view or dual, will have a clear, time-bound goal. That means your character is working toward something. That goal could be saving a family business, opening a business, getting a new job. That goal could be avoiding something, as well: such as running away from an engagement, avoiding legal trouble, or staying under the radar while engaging in questionable life choices.

No matter what your character wants, they need a goal unrelated to the romance itself. I promise you, the romance will be critical to the story. That’s where the rest of the formula comes in.

2. The characters in your romance novel have goals. But why do they want what they want? Just like humans in real life, your characters need motivation. Motivation is the thing that drives characters toward their goal, and its the story fuel that will sustain the story’s pace while hitting all of the expected beats and arcs.

In your romance novel, look at the goal you’ve developed. Why does your character want to save that family business? If the answer is “just because,” you’ll run into problems trying to develop the middle of your book. (Also known as writer’s block.) Motivation comes from something, often in romance a core wound or a critical lack the character feels. Motivation can come from inside your character; things like trauma, desire, need create that drive toward a goal. Without motivation, the slightest resistance will collapse your character’s intention. And that means a story that falls apart.

Think about your own life. Why do you want what you want? Let’s take a realllllly simple example. I love crocheting, so let’s say I want to crochet holiday gifts for family. But what is the consequence of not achieving that goal? Well, the stakes are pretty low. I have other options, such as showing up to the holidays with store-bought gifts.

Let’s add motivation. What if I have been unemployed all year and I have zero money. I have a closet full of yarn and some crochet hooks and nothing but time, and I just found out that my younger sister, who has been my lifeline since our parents passed away, is going to be deployed overseas in the new year. If I want to send my sister off with something special, now I have motivation to make that afghan or shawl. I don’t have money. I do have yarn. I have a relationship that deeply impacts my life. I have a timeline under which I need to do something concrete or else I will suffer some unwanted consequence.

Now, I have authentic motivation for my goal, and as a result the journey changes! I can’t just do the easy thing, and I can’t just fail. Well, I can fail, but the cost to me is a lot higher in the scenario where I have motivation for the goal. A goal + motivation = a far more dynamic story. Notice that I haven’t even mentioned the love story yet… But once you have motivation for the goal, you’re ready for the last piece of the puzzle.

3. If my goal is to crochet my sister something by the holidays so she can take it overseas with her, you might think the only thing I’m battling is time and my own skills—and maybe my tendency to procrastinate. Far from it! A dynamic romance novel also needs conflict.

Once you know the goal and why the character wants to pursue that goal, you can litter their path with obstacles. Some of those obstacles will come from inside the character—such as my ability to procrastinate and not get the afghan done because I’m searching for a job, filing my nails, walking my dog—whatever I’ve done over the last year that I’ve been unemployed and very, very broke. Those internal issues are the things that I’ll need to change if I want to be healed and whole by the end of the novel. So if I am a procrastinator, you (as the author writing my story) will want to create opportunities for me to change, to get over myself, and to stop doing the thing that has held me back in the past. That journey to grow and change (sometimes successfully and at other times not so successfully) creates a dynamic character arc.

Some of those obstacles, or conflicts, will come from outside the character.

Think now about how to create a complete story for the “me” character.

Jeanne, unemployed and broke, has three months to crochet a going-away gift for her sister who’s being deployed overseas.

We have a goal and we have the motivation for that goal. We have a time frame within which that goal must be achieved or else the character will suffer some unwanted consequences. But where will we find our conflict?

I’ve already got plenty of internal flaws that will challenge me on the path to finishing this project in time. Let’s look outside of me for some external obstacles or external conflict.

What are some things that in my external world that could stop me from achieving my goal? The obvious circumstance I can think of is noise.

So let’s consider the hardest noises to block out/ignore: construction or a dog barking are two that would be high on my list. Now I have an idea.

One day I notice scratching, barking, and crying coming from across the hall. I’m trying to crochet but in my cheap apartment, even noise-cancelling headphones can’t silence the sounds filtering into my apartment.

Now I have an external problem to solve, an obstacle that will keep me from my goal. What if one day I get so mad, I walk across the hall in the evening when the dog is quiet and pound on the door. My neighbor across the hall is someone I’ve never met and I plan to give them a piece of my mind until I open the door to very attractive man. I learn he’s a hot single dad who has custody of his daughter. His daughter is struggling to get through her parents’ divorce and so Dad rescued a puppy. And that puppy is the bane of your crocheting plan.

See what I did there? I had a goal. I had motivation for my goal. I had some internal conflict, but now, I’ve got external conflict. That external conflict just so happens to create an opportunity for not only growth, but love. Now that I have all three pieces, I have the critical components for an epic rom-com. And look how easy it was to find the “right” match for my main character. I didn’t start with her perfect partner. I build out a fully developed character and worked through the essential components of the story to find that perfect match.

If you’ve always wanted to write a romance novel, start with a character. Give that character a goal. Add authentic motivation, and if you can, a time-bound consequence tied to the success or failure of that goal. Now dig deep for conflict—obstacles that come from both inside the character and who they are as well from their external environment. The love story will come together once you know who you’re writing about, what they want, and what challenges will get in their way. And of course, don’t forget to give them a Happy Ever After!

When I work with romance authors, one of the most common issues I find is that the essential building blocks of the story are simply missing or are not fully developed. For example, let’s say you’re writing a male-female contemporary love story and the female main character is a baker on the hunt to save her bakery from financial ruin. She’s sunshine and sweetness, and you think you have a working premise. The male main character is the grumpy, so you’ve got the grumpy-sunshine trope. Sounds like a great read, right? Well, without an equally well-developed goal for the male main character, this book won’t rise. (Ha, sorry! I couldn’t resist the baking pun!)

Whether it’s authentic stakes, fully developed goals, or conflict that keeps the tension between the characters high, having a well-paced romance always starts with a strong foundation. My Storybuilding Worksheet breaks down every essential building block and challenges you to ask the right questions so you can give your characters what they *knead* so their love story *rises* to the top. (Yikes, I’ll stop with the puns now!)

In all seriousness, this worksheet is a critical tool for authors. I use it as well, whether I’m writing my own books or ghostwriting. When you are inspired to write, you should absolutely start with characters you are passionate about. Who are they? What makes them unique? Why will readers care about them?

But beyond the basics, if you want to build an unbreakable book, test your essential story elements by completing this storybuilding worksheet. If you can’t answer one of more of the questions, one or more aspects of your story may need development.

If you’re editing a draft, be honest when you fill out this worksheet. Could anything be stronger? More clear? More time-critical or pressing?

Whether you’re writing a new WIP (work in progress) or revising, the Storybuilding Worksheet will help you build an unbreakable book.

The Storybuilding Worksheet

622KB ∙ PDF file

Download

A romance novel is the story of two characters who see, confront, and resolve the internal and external obstacles which have until now, in this story at this moment, in this place/time, prevented them from finding love. Use this worksheet to keep track of all the story elements you’ll need to craft a strong romance novel. You don’t have to answer every question but answer as many as you can to help you craft the most thorough and concise storybuilding elements.

Download

While this one focuses on romance novels, you can absolutely apply these questions to other genres! Is there a genre you write that you’d like a worksheet for? What issues do you encounter when writing or revising your work? Let me know in the comments and I’ll get to work on more helpful tools!

Read more

Let’s take a look at some of the most popular myths about romance novels and pull away the curtain to reveal what fans and loyal readers know is the truth.

1) Romance novels are poorly written.

Well, this is just an overly broad generalization. Within any genre, any published work, you’ll find strong writing as well as weak books. If we’re going to address the genre as a whole, let’s talk about not just opinions. (I love romance! or… I hate romance!) Let’s look at facts.

Most romance novels follow the traditional three-act structure of the novel. Many other genres have determined that the three-act structure is a powerful and compelling structure for narrative. Watch movies? They follow the three-act structure. TV shows? Same. In fact, every episode likely follows the three-act structure. And if you’re studying a series as a whole from pilot through conclusion, the arc that the entire storyline over the seasons follows… likely fits the three-act structure. Mysteries and sci-fi and many other genres follow the three-act structure, so a well-written romance likely meets the objective standards for strong fiction structure.

Following the correct structure is one aspect of craft—but just because an author gets that right doesn’t mean you’re going to like the book. Let’s look at the subjective side of the first myth. What is a poorly written book to you?

To me, a poorly written book is one I can’t finish. I can’t get lost in the universe the author creates because the characters don’t hook me and compel me to care about their journey. What about poor editing, like typos and poorly constructed sentences? Yes, all of that will put me off a story, and even if I bought the book, I may not finish it.

Sure, you may find some self-published romance novels that got the editing wrong or that don’t quite hit the mark. Traditionally published books go out with errors (this is, after all, a human process!) as well as phrasing or descriptions that may not land with every reader. Maybe some of the biggest names in romance are selling lots of books but for some reason the book didn’t grab you. But on the whole, the romance genre is so huge, almost any reader can find a romance novel that tells brilliant stories, crafts unforgettable characters, and provides exceptional entertainment.

2) Romance novels are just “smut” or “mommy porn.”

The truth is, the romance genre is so enormous, a reader can find anything from Amish romance, to Hallmark-levels of sweet intimacy, to slightly sexy love stories, to full-on wild and wonky alien coupling. That’s part of the beauty of the genre. If you prefer a sweeter read, or a book that fades to black when the couple closes the bedroom door, you won’t have any problem finding something that you can enjoy. But if you’d like to experience something a little more intimate, you’ve got loads of choices. The term smutty implies gratuitous—pointless graphic content or physical descriptions simply intended for titillation.

Now, I personally am a believer that a well-crafted romance uses intimacy to develop the story—not just to arouse the reader. So I’d refer back to myth #1 in part here… A well-written romance novel by definition cannot be “just smut.” At least not in the sense of pointlessly and aimlessly explicit. And if the book is, then there is likely a market for that. So if you don’t want that type of content, believe me, you can find something that fits your values, your taste, and your interests. Romance novels are NOT one size fits all for a reason!

3) Romance novels aren’t interesting.

I read a lot of romance, and not just those I’m paid to edit for work. Part of the reason why I love this genre so much is because the “professional development” side of the job is so much fun! Romance novels are a place where authors tackle some of the most critical, challenges topics being addressed in literature. The horrors of history, trauma recovery, mental health, chronic illness, sexuality, love, war…Is there any genre that can take slavery, drug abuse, and societal injustices and give the reader hope? None quite like romance novels.

Here’s a short list of romance novels that I adored, couldn’t put down, and the reasons why. If you think romance isn’t “interesting,” see if any of these books pique your interest even a little…

• 99 Percent Mine by Sally Thorne, published by William Morrow

This sophomore effort by Sally Thorne followed her wildly successful debut novel, The Hating Game. I’m one of the few people who read 99 Percent Mine before The Hating Game. I moderated a book club event and we studied 99 Percent Mine. The book club readers had a lot to chew on from a craft perspective. The book is written in single point of view, first person, so we’re limited to the perspective of the main character, Darcy. Darcy has some really serious problems: an inherited home she’s about to lose to a renovation and sale; a greedy brother who wants to milk the house for every penny it’s worth; and “the one who got away” is the man charged with completing the renovations. Darcy has a serious heart condition and normally would run from anything even remotely resembling emotionally charged, but—she’s lost her passport, her cell phone is at the bottom of a bar toilet, and the only place she has to live is under the same roof with the one who got away…who by the way, is presently engaged to be married to someone else. If the premise and the trope after trope contained in the book don’t strike your fancy, maybe the writing will? This line guts me nearly every time I read it: “I can never decide if Tom’s hair is the color of caramel fudge or chocolate. Either way, yum. The texture is like a romance novel that’s fallen into the bath, then dried: vaguely sexual crinkle waves with the occasional curled edge and dog-ear.”

I mean… how can you NOT be interested?

• Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston, published by St. Martin’s

Casey McQuiston’s debut novel is nothing short of ambitious. What do you get when the son of the female President of the United States falls in love with the Prince of Wales? A wildly entertaining fake relationship turns real romance that spans two countries and which employs every swoon-worthy technique in the book. Literally. While the book has political themes that may feel heavy-handed to some, I felt the politics were a really well-developed backdrop for the angst and uncertainty of two young men at crossroads in their emotional and civic lives. And the writing…the humor! Alex Claremont-Diaz is brash and hilarious, intelligent and driven while the Prince is…just that. Stately, reserved (until he’s not), and with the fantastic dreamboat quality that ultimately Alex—and I—couldn’t resist. Another couple of lines that I cannot resist:

June inhales deeply and makes an enormous fart noise with her mouth, shattering the serious mood, and Alex is so grateful for it that he melts onto the floor in a fit of hysterical laughter.

“Ugh! Men!” she groans. “No emotional vocabulary. …You should try saying some of that stuff to him.”

“Stop trying to Jane Austen my life!” he yells back.

• An Unconditional Freedom by Alyssa Cole, published Kensington Books

This book… If the lighter fare above doesn’t align with your interests, consider the story of a free man born in Massachusetts who studied law and was pursuing big dreams until he was kidnapped and sold into slavery. He leaves behind a woman he loves…and maybe the greater part of his true self. He is rescued, but Daniel Cumberland finds that freedom changes his dream. Once an idealist, he now has a single purpose—revenge. He becomes a spy for a covert organization. The layers of secrets and intrigue in this book run deep, and I don’t want to spoil it. Suffice it to say, Daniel meets his match in Janeta, the daughter of a plantation owner who married one of his female slaves. Janeta’s home life before she meets Daniel is complex enough—the politics of what happens in her own household would nearly be enough to sustain the book! But with her family is in trouble and her heart on the line, she agrees to infiltrate the group of spies with a sinister purpose—to betray them. The war she is fighting is not just personal war, and these partners may be better-matched than either can imagine. A line from this book that comes early in the narrative, during the brilliantly-told scene where Daniel is with his brothers-in-arms and yet nonetheless is utterly, completely isolated.

“War was a lonely thing he’d (Daniel) discovered. Survival was, too.”

Whether you’re watching BookTok, Bookstagram, or wandering through the aisles at your local bookstore, romance is a booming genre—one of the most financial viable and growing corners of the publishing market. Need more proof that romance novels are serious business as well as a valuable part of the literary landscape? Ask for more recs in the comments or share yours!

Well, you shouldn’t. And here’s why.

1) Love stories are not romance novels. 

• A  story  is a version of events that contains a beginning, middle, and end. A story tells the listener or reader what happens.

• A  novel  is a story told according to the conventions of the genre to which it belongs. 

• A  romance novel  is a specific type of novel, and so if you’re going to successfully write a romance novel, you’ll need to do much more than just tell a love story. What are the conventions of the romance novel? What do you need to include to have a successful, well-structured novel, and not just a love story? 

 A  romance novel  is the story of characters who overcome obstacles and resolve those obstacles so they can come together in either a  happy ever after  ending, or in a  happy for now  ending.

2) Overcoming the obstacles that stand in the way of love is a critical aspect of the successful romance novel.

No romance novel is complete without  both  the obstacles and the satisfactory resolution of those obstacles.

I’ll tell you a quick story about a love story that sounded a lot like a romance novel… but it would have failed if I’d tried to write it!

The most magical meet-cute I’ve heard about in a long time happened like most magical things do. It started out as a mundane, routine Saturday night. A girl went to a bar in the city with a group of friends. Let’s call the girl Andi. Andi at one point walked up to the bar to grab some water. Someone sitting alone at the bar struck up a conversation with Andi while she waited for the bartender’s attention. The guy alone at the bar happened to be from the same small town where Andi was raised.

Let’s call the solo man at the bar Robbie. So Robbie chatted Andi up. They knew lots of people in common, shared some history from their small town, and after a few minutes, Robbie invited Andi to a party nearby. Andi told Robbie she was at the bar with people and she couldn’t leave her group. Robbie said, “Everyone can come!” And so within the hour, Andi and her entire group of friends knocked on the door of a stranger’s apartment, expecting to be welcomed in by Robbie. 

When the apartment door opened, the person who answered the door was  not  Robbie. And Robbie never actually showed up at the party. Andi actually never saw Robbie again!

But, a couple of hours later, Andi was head over heels in love with the guy who lived in that apartment. Let’s call him Jake. But there was a complication. Andi lived in another state! She happened to be visiting friends in the city for just that weekend.

But since this is indeed a magical story of romance and meet-cutes, Andi moved back to her home state to be closer to Jake. And wouldn’t you know—they got their happy ending!

Now this sounds like fodder for a great romance novel, right? Romance, tension, drama, unexpected twists, the “will-they/won’t they” question… But this love story would not in fact make a successful romance novel. Why not?

Because critical aspects of the romance novel are missing: goals, conflict, growth, and character arcs!

If you want to learn more about developing the essential building blocks of your book, knowing how to balance too much/not enough conflict, or how to test whether the plot you’ve crafted is strong enough to support your romance novel, sign up for our newsletter or reach out for a personal consultation. We offer workshops, manuscript evaluations , online courses and education, and individual coaching . Until then, enjoy those love stories… and write them down in a journal or idea board. But before you decide to turn that love story into a romance novel, remember the story of Andi and Jake…because it’s just that: a  love story !​