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How to Write Romance Novels

Last Updated: May 17, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Stephanie Wong Ken, MFA . Stephanie Wong Ken is a writer based in Canada. Stephanie's writing has appeared in Joyland, Catapult, Pithead Chapel, Cosmonaut's Avenue, and other publications. She holds an MFA in Fiction and Creative Writing from Portland State University. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 352,413 times.

Writing a romance novel is a great way to practice creating compelling characters and believable relationships. Our guide will help you get started, from drafting an outline to crafting the perfect romantic ending!

Brainstorming Ideas for the Novel

• For example, you may take a passionate but doomed relationship in your past and change around real life names to fictionalize it. You may also change the setting or small details to make the situation more dramatic.
• You can also use the real life romances of others around you as inspiration. Maybe you have a friend who is in a stormy romance. Or perhaps you have a sibling who had a passionate relationship in the past.

• You can also use romantic books and songs as inspiration for your romance novel.

• For example, you may have a main character who is a high-profile criminal lawyer by day, and a single woman struggling to meet someone on her level at night. Or you may have a main character who is left by her husband and copes by going back to her hometown.

• For example, if you are writing a romance set in 1930s West Virginia or during WWI, you are writing historical romance. If you are writing about a romance between a ghost and a woman, you are writing paranormal romance.

• Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
• Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James
• Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
• Off Campus by Amy Jo Cousins
• The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks

Dive deep into your chosen genre. "Focus in on the genre you want to write, and read books in that genre. A LOT of books by a variety of authors. And read with questions in your mind."

Writing the Novel

• You could also have the girl be of a certain race or background that clashes with the boy she falls for. Or the girl could be from a family that does not get along with the boy’s family.

• For example, you may set the novel in modern-day Savannah, Georgia, where the characters have Southern accents and the heat is unbearable in the summer. Or you may set the novel in a naval vessel in the ocean, where the characters are nauseous from seasickness and bad weather.

• For example, you may have a central conflict where the main character has to choose between a high stakes criminal case and her budding romance with her next door neighbor. Or you may have a conflict where the main character’s illness gets in the way of uniting with her true love.

• For example, you may describe the setting of the sex scenes using sensory detail, such as how it smells, feels, sounds, or looks. Providing context for the sex scene can make it more emotional for the reader.

• For example, rather than write, “he was tall, dark, and handsome,” you may write, “he was good looking in a stylish professor kind of way.”

• For example, maybe your main character and her love interest finally get together. Or perhaps your main character recovers from her illness long enough to see her love interest one last time.

Polishing the Novel

• You can also read the novel aloud to catch spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors. Try reading the novel slowly so you can check that each word is spelled correctly.

• You can also join a writing group or start your own writing group with friends so you can workshop your novel.
• Be open to constructive criticism from others. It will only make your novel better.

• After you have revised the novel, you may consider sending it out to publishers so it can be read by a wider audience.

Romance Novel Samples

Community Q&A

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• ↑ https://tech.ed.gov/files/2017/01/NETP17.pdf
• ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wVL7NamC9s/
• ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rn__v80q7_w/
• ↑ https://www.govst.edu/uploadedFiles/Academics/Services_and_Resources/Writing_Center/WC_Inside_Pages/Basic%20Rules%20of%20Grammar%20WORD%202003%20Document.pdf
• ↑ https://nap.nationalacademies.org/read/2303/chapter/13/

About This Article

To write romance novels, create an engaging main character and develop a central conflict for your protagonist to navigate. To capture your readers' imaginations, be sure to create a strong setting and strive to write unique content that doesn't repeat typical romance novel cliches. You may want to focus on a specific type of story, like historical or paranormal, since the romance genre includes a lot of niche territory. Don't forget to wrap up your novel with a satisfying conclusion, since romance readers tend to prefer "happily ever after" endings. For tips on revising your first draft, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How To Write A Romance Novel in 13 Easy Steps

POSTED ON Apr 11, 2024

Written by Sarah Rexford

Romance is one of the bestselling fiction genres, which means learning how to write a romance novel is a solid (and incredibly fun) business decision. In fact, in 2021, 18% of adult fiction sales were from romance alone, making it the second highest-selling category in fiction.

Readers love romance, and for good reason. Stories about love, the tension of forming relationships, and happily ever afters are aspects of life we resonate with. Who doesn’t enjoy cracking into a new novel and finding inspiration in our favorite fictional characters? 

But learning how to write a novel is an entirely different animal. How do you compete with the millions of books already published?

In this article, I will cover what exactly this genre is, a few of its sub-genres, and how to write a romance novel in 13 simple steps (including how to write a romance novel outline).

Need A Fiction Book Outline?

This Guide to How to Write a Romance Novel Will Cover:

How to write a romance novel: defining the genre.

Romance novels are one of the most popular types of fiction to write , where the key plot focuses on two characters and their love story.

Jane Austen is a classic example of an author who does this well with her beloved characters. Whether it’s Mr. Darcy believing Elizabeth Bennet is beneath him, or Emma pushing herself into the love lives of those around her, romance books center on love.

The depth of focus on the topic, as well as the subplots surrounding it, define what type of romance you write. 

For instance, fantasy romance books incorporate fantastical elements that add to the story, such as time travel or mythical creatures . A few classic examples of this sub-genre include The Princess Bride , Twilight , and Diana Gabaldon’s 1991 novel, Outlander . 

Related: The 7 Best Fantasy Book Series Of All Time

It's helpful to read young adult fiction books when learning how to write a romance novel. This popular sub-genre includes titles such as To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before , The Fault In Our Stars , and The Sun Is Also A Star.

A List Of Romance Sub-Genres 

When learning how to write a romance novel, it's helpful to understand that there are many sub-genres. So before we take our deep dive into the steps for how to write a romance novel, let’s make sure you have a good understanding of where your next novel fits on the shelf. 

Here is a short list of romance sub-genres:

• Fantasy romance (Romantasy)
• Young adult romance
• Dark fantasy romance
• Dark romance
• Historical romance
• Romantic comedy
• Romantic suspense 
• Contemporary romance
• Enemies to lovers
• Love triangle
• Forbidden love
• Medical romance
• Second chance romance
• Time travel romance 

The list could go on, but you get the point. Romance is a massive genre filled with sub-genres and further sub-genres within those sub-genres. If you’re worried you won’t be able to master the art of how to write a romance novel, rest assured, your plot likely fits somewhere, as long as there’s a focus on love! 

Related: Master List of Book Genres

How to Write a Romance Novel in 13 Simple Steps

With the foundation laid, how do you write a romance novel? What are a few practical steps that can take you from idea to final draft? Writing a successful romance novel involves several key steps to engage your readers and create a compelling love story.

First, set yourself up with novel writing software so you are ready to go. Then, here are the 13 steps you should take when learning how to write a romance novel:

1. Define your target audience

The first step in learning how to write a romance novel is deciding who your audience is. Determine the specific audience you want to cater to—contemporary romance, historical romance, young adult, LGBTQ+, etc. Understand their expectations and preferences and keep that audience in mind as you write.

2. Mindmap your novel

One of the easiest ways to learn how to write a romance novel is to start with a mindmap. This is a way to brainstorm your book and get all your ideas down on paper. It will make it much easier to learn how to write a romance novel outline afterwards.

I like to use a simple bubble method. I write down a key concept, theme, or event in the novel – such as “enemies to lovers.” Then, I create smaller bubbles around the main bubble to flesh out the concept. Why are they enemies? How did/do they meet? What prevents them from liking one another? What are the events that will start to chip away at their resolve?

You keep going and going until you have all the details you need. You can continue mindmapping your concepts until you know exactly how to write a romance novel on the topic.

3. Develop well-rounded characters

Create relatable, multi-dimensional protagonists with distinct personalities, motivations, and flaws—embodying the essence of beloved romance tropes that will keep readers rooting for their love story. Your protagonist is the hero of your story and should be the character who drives the action.

While experienced authors can make almost any types of characters in fiction a leading one (consider Suzanne Collins’ book The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes ), it’s helpful to choose the character who makes the most sense. 

If Collins had written The Hunger Games from Katniss’s mother’s point-of-view, readers never would’ve entered the games or experienced the Capitol. In the same way, if Nicholas Sparks had cast Travis’s dad as the protagonist in The Choice , the love story would’ve had an entirely different feel. 

Make sure that as you choose your protagonist, you keep their love interest in mind. Just as directors cast actors with good chemistry, make sure your lead and their love interest can work as a pair.

4. Develop a strong plot – and start with an outline

While romance is central when writing a romance novel, your story should have a plot beyond the romantic relationship. Include subplots, challenges, and character growth to keep readers engaged.

There are several reasons why outlining can help you learn how to write a romance novel and, better yet, learn how to write romance in a way that draws your readers in. An outline helps you to:

• Write your book faster – When you choose to spend time upfront crafting an outline, you greatly cut the amount of time it takes to write the actual scenes. Instead of finishing a chapter and wondering where to go next, simply reference your outline and keep writing.
• Know how your story ends – Writing toward an ending helps keep you on track. Additionally, when you know how your story ends you can drop hints throughout your chapters leading up, a type of easter egg to keep the reader turning pages.  
• Eliminate writer’s block – Part of learning how to write a romance novel comes down to making sure you actually write . Outlining, and maybe even using a book title generator to come up with a working title, provides you with a rough map for when you feel your creative energy is lacking.

Types of romance novel outlines

There are many helpful methods for writing your book and various ones to choose from. You can determine what works for you by simply trying several of the options below and then sticking with the one that’s most helpful. 

Finding the right method is crucial when learning how to write a romance novel. Remember, these methods are meant to help you toward your end goal of completing your draft, so refuse to get stuck on a method that’s not helpful to you.

Simple table outline 

One of the most efficient tools to aid you in writing your draft is via a simple table created in an Excel spreadsheet. A table outline is extremely helpful if you have a difficult timeline or perhaps two overlapping timelines. 

For example, Nicholas Sparks’ book, The Longest Ride , combines many shifting elements. If your romance book falls into a similar category, you may want to try a table to keep track of any moving pieces. 

Remember that the point of a table outline is to help keep you moving as you draft your manuscript. The quicker you can get your initial draft down, the more likely you are to stick with edits and publish!

Post-it note method 

Discovering how to write a romance novel efficiently can be difficult. This is where the tried and true post-it note method comes into play. Post-it notes are an extremely visual, interactive way to plan out your various love stories. 

If your story focuses on a love triangle, you may want to try out the post-it note method. This method allows you to easily structure and move post-its around. If you want your protagonist to fall in love sooner rather than later, or introduce the third player in the triangle a bit sooner, simply move your post-it note up the line. 

Snowflake method 

Randy Ingermanson is responsible for what we know as the snowflake method . Writers often design great plots and draft compelling drafts from this method.

Put simply, the snowflake method builds off each element of your story. Start with a line, build to a paragraph, chapter, and so forth, until you complete your rough draft.

If you prefer to write as a pantser, this is the most minimalistic, basic method and will likely work perfectly for you. Simply plan out your chapters, write down a few bullet points of the main ideas and supporting events taking place within the chapter, and then get to writing.

Related: What is a Rough Draft?

Template method 

You may want to browse various templates or research your favorite romance authors and see which method they use. Open your favorite search engine and look up “how to write a romance novel template” or “ book outline template .”

Many, many different methods should pop up at your fingertips, including what you should include in acts one, two, and three of your romance novel. 

Reverse outline 

Alright creatives, I see you. If the above methods seem too straightforward or you want to give yourself a different type of challenge, you should attempt the reverse outline. As the name implies, when you use a reverse outline you start at the end of your novel and work backward. 

This type of planning allows you to make both your plot and your characters even more complex. Because you know X falls in love with Y at the end, you can develop their character arcs accordingly, drop hints, and craft character journeys you wouldn't be able to otherwise. 

5. Build sexual tension

Slowly develop the attraction and chemistry between your main characters. Use subtle gestures, dialogue, and emotions to create anticipation. The build-up is one of the best parts of a romance novel!

Introduce obstacles and conflicts that keep the lovers apart or make their relationship challenging. This can include external and internal conflicts.

6. Show, don't tell

Use descriptive language and sensory details to immerse readers in the characters' experiences and emotions. Allow them to feel the love and passion between the characters. This is important when writing ANY book, not just when learning how to write a romance novel.

7. Remember that dialogue matters

When learning how to write a romance novel, practice crafting authentic and engaging dialogue that reveals the characters' personalities and furthers the plot. Conversations should be natural and meaningful. Keep reworking them until they feel right.

You should consider which types of tones you should use to convey the correct mood and personality for each scene.

Explore the emotional journey of your characters. Show their vulnerabilities, fears, and growth as they navigate the ups and downs of love.

8. Resolve conflicts believably

While romance novels typically end with a happy ending, make sure the resolution feels earned and realistic. Avoid clichés or overly contrived solutions.

When learning how to write a romance novel, remember that the ending of your story should be emotionally satisfying and leave a lasting impression. You want your readers to have a book hangover when they slide out of those pages!

Tie up loose ends and show how the characters have evolved throughout the story.

9. Self-edit

Learning how to write a romance novel doesn't actually end with writing. You have to edit your book, too! Revise your manuscript multiple times to eliminate errors and refine your writing. You can do this on your own at first, but once you think your manuscript is in top shape, it's time to get someone else's eyes on it.

10. Hire a professional editor

The next step in learning how to write a romance novel is seeking feedback from an outside source. You can find some beta readers, and hopefully a professional book editor . A book editor will catch issues with flow, grammar, and readability that you yourself have been blind to.

Editors know all about what sells in the publishing industry, so while you ultimately have creative freedom when it comes to your work, consider their advice seriously when learning how to write a romance novel.

11. Create a title and book cover

Once your manuscript is in top shape, it's time for the finishing touches. While you might have thought up a book title before you even started writing, it's time to examine if that title is still actually the best fit now that all is said and done. Get your editor's opinion, and don't let yourself get attached to a title that isn't doing you any favors.

You should also consider hiring a book cover designer to help you create a cover that is truly eye-catching and does justice to your story.

12. Format your book

Formatting your book should not be overlooked. Book formatting ensures your font is easy to read and there is nothing that visually takes your readers out of the story. You can use free book formatting software , but for most people, it makes more sense to hire a professional book formatter to get this taken care of promptly.

13. Market your novel and get ready for book launch!

Now comes the most important part of learning how to write a romance novel – book marketing . If you don't properly market your book, no one is going to find it to read it!

One of the best ways to get attention quickly after book launch is to have a big launch team. I recommend gathering around 100 people from your email list, social media channels, work network, etc. These people will be given an advanced reader copy of your eBook for free in return for an honest review of your novel.

This is SO important when learning how to write a romance novel. Having reviews straight away on Amazon will boost your visibility and make potential readers more likely to snatch up your book.

You should also make sure you have a professional author website set up, as well as a social media presence and an active email list .

Marketing will make or break your book sales come launch day! If you are concerned about how to market or set up a launch team, our Author Advantage Elite program comes with your first authentic Amazon reviews guaranteed!

Examples Of Successful Romance Books

Now that you've learned the steps for how to write a romance novel, it’s time to look at concrete examples of successful romance books. 

People We Meet On Vacation by Emily Henry

Emily Henry’s People We Meet On Vacation is one of the best in the Contemporary Romance genre. Here are a few things Emily does well that we can all learn from.

First, she casts two unlikely characters in leading roles: Poppy and Alex. They are completely different from each other (a common romantic trope), but she highlights their differences with concrete details. These details are a second aspect she does well. 

Emily Henry’s characters feel human, relatable, and even whimsical, yet she puts them both on a one-week timeframe. The clock is ticking, and readers have to keep turning pages. This added tension sets her book apart.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

John Green’s instant bestseller, The Fault In Our Stars , went on to sell over 23 million copies worldwide. Despite incredibly tragic circumstances, both of Green’s main characters share a comedic optimism that reminds readers of the importance of hope. 

Another compelling facet of this romance novel is its writing style. If you want to learn how to write a romance novel, read John Green.

Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers

Francine Rivers is best known for her romance novel, Redeeming Love , although she has written many other books as well. Redeeming Love was originally published in 1991, but became so beloved by readers that it was made into a feature film in 2022. 

What makes Rivers’ book so iconic is both its references to the Biblical characters in the book of Hosea, but also her unflinching description of her protagonist’s experiences.

Price and Prejudice by Jane Austen

We can’t discuss historical romance without mentioning Jane Austen. Her classic novel, Pride and Prejudice , has hit the screen twice, in 1995 and in 2005, and her characters feel like they belong in a history book. So, what did she do so well?

Austen’s characters embodied the culture of their time:

• They battle the tension of class
• Struggle through the proper etiquette of courtship
• Work with their own strong feelings both against, and ultimately for, each other

In fact, the love story of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy is similar to an enemies-to-lovers novel, showing that romance writers can mix sub-genres for an original take on classic plots.

The Witness by Nora Roberts

New York Times bestselling author, Nora Roberts, paves the way in romantic suspense with her 200th book, The Witness . Her fascinating plot reveals the unromantic perspective of Abigail Lowery, paired with the local police chief’s interest in not just her, but her past.

If you want to stay up all night reading, taking notes on how to write this genre well, and keeping the light on, pick up a Nora Roberts novel.    

Start Writing A Romance Novel Today!

No matter what romantic sub-genre you choose to write, if you create at least a brief outline, follow the process that works best for you, and take notes from the leading authors in romantic fiction, your first draft will hold a quality few first drafts can rival.

It takes daily commitment to learn how to write a romance novel and finish your manuscript, but we’re here to provide you with all the resources you need.

Feel free to check out the below resource to help you start on your outline. Even the most simple outline can empower you to finish your first draft. Happy romance writing!

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Home » Blog » How to Write a Romance Novel [In 13 Steps]

How to Write a Romance Novel [In 13 Steps]

TABLE OF CONTENTS

On the surface, romance can seem like an easy genre to write in. However, knowing how to write a compelling romance novel takes skill and practice.

Writing a romance novel takes just as much time, effort, and planning as any other piece of fiction. Following these steps will make the process easier for you, especially if it’s your first novel:

• Choose your subgenre
• Create the setting
• Choose a novel writing tool
• Know the romance recipe
• Use plot devices
• Know your readers
• Present your heroine
• Present the love interest
• Identify the driving force
• Carefully consider the intimate scenes
• Craft your secondary characters
• Find some tools
• Write the happy ending

While it may not require the extensive research and worldbuilding that a fantasy novel does, that doesn’t mean it’s easy. If you’re going to write a fantasy romance or a successful romance you do need to learn how to write a novel well.

Here is a breakdown of steps to write a romance novel:

1. Choose Your Subgenre

Romance is versatile. If you want to write a straight romance, that’s fine! There is a huge market for this.

Many readers live for a good, dramatic story that focuses on love.

But, fans of other genres want some romance too. This is where you can consider writing in a subgenre of romance. You can weave romantic plot lines into almost any other type of story, but the most popular romance subgenres are:

Contemporary

• Supernatural or paranormal

If you’ve been thinking that your idea isn’t appropriate for a romance, you’re probably wrong. Even if fantasy, thriller, or the supernatural is where your heart is, you can always incorporate romance.

The amount of emphasis you put on the romance is up to you. It can be subtle or it can be a focal point throughout the plot. You should add at least a small amount of romantic tension to any novel.

Even if it is a very small part of the story, it is something that helps the characters become more believable. Because everyone needs love in their own life, readers will relate to the character’s yearning for it as well.

If you haven’t already, it’s a good idea to read some romance before attempting to put it into your novel in any significant way. Even if you are a dedicated horror fan, pick up a few romance novels. If you don’t love reading them – consider it research.

This guide is not specific to any one subgenre or type of romance. It is here to teach you the important elements of learning how to write a romance novel. What you learn here can be applied to a romance of any kind.

2. Create the Setting to Write a Romance Novel

No one who is learning how to write a novel should neglect to create a good setting. However, in a character-driven romance, it is especially important.

The setting creates the atmosphere and the atmosphere can hold a lot of weight in what goes on.

A contemporary romance, for example, often takes place in a simple and modern location. This can include an idyllic small town or a university campus.

These settings are perfect for your main characters to spend a lot of time together and have lots of drama ensue. These locations are also usually small enough where larger-scale drama is realistic – such as flying rumors and fast-traveling news.

All of this makes for a perfect contemporary romance setting. An exotic vacation town with lots of tourists or a quiet countryside would not be as effective.

Historical romance can be set anywhere, as long as you have chosen a specific time period in history. Historical romances can be beautiful, exciting trips back in time. But, they are only successful when you do the proper research on your setting.

You need to know what everything was like in your chosen place at your chosen time. Consider these questions when creating your historical setting:

• Who was the president that year?
• What was the economy like?
• What was the social hierarchy? Ie – were women and people of color being treated as equals? What was the balance of the poor/middle class/rich?
• What was the most common mode of transportation?
• How far along was technology at that point?

These are just a few things to get you started. You will need a lot of information before your historical romance will be accurate. But, all this research will be worth it when you have created the perfect setting for the story you want to tell.

Lastly, take paranormal romance as another example. This is a story that could take place in that lonely country town where neighbors are few and far away.

Perhaps the main setting is even a haunted house or street. This creates an effective, gloomy atmosphere for a spooky, ghostly love story with a darker feel.

Creating Good Setting

Of course, you can set your story wherever you want, there are no rules . But, guidelines and common suggestions are in place for a reason – they work.

What matters most about your setting is that it makes sense and captivates your readers. Your goal as a writer of any type of fiction is to pull your readers in and transport them into your world. Once you have chosen the specific location of your story, keep these elements of a good setting in mind:

• Balance description with action. Don’t write endless paragraphs that only describe.
• Use the location within the conflict. Perhaps a physical obstacle or an unreasonable local law.
• Use all the senses when describing your setting.
• Make your setting real by using names. Street names, building names, and even local nicknames are given to landmarks such as a forest or park.
• Be specific about the time of year your story is happening, and even the time of day. This helps the reader visualize what’s going on. It also helps certain scenes make more sense – like something that would only ever happen at night.
• Even if they are not central to the plot, talk about the social and political environment. These things impact everyone’s lives and your characters are no exception.
• Use several different elements to set the mood and atmosphere. Things like temperature, weather, lighting, and the emotional atmosphere will all contribute to how everyone feels.

3. Choose a Novel Writing Tool

In the quest to craft a captivating romance novel, the choice of your writing tool can make all the difference. There are multiple tools out there but Squiber wins the race with AI Smart Writing features.

Squibler emerges as the indispensable ally for aspiring romance authors, offering a plethora of features designed to elevate your storytelling. 

Squibler harnesses the power of AI to effortlessly create and seamlessly integrate characters, settings, and objects into your narrative. Crafting scenes becomes a breeze as Squibler transforms your selected elements into vivid and engaging storylines.

If you feel stuck or need insights then Squibler’s serves as your personal writer’s assistant to answer your queries, guiding plot points or character nuances. 

If you want to rephrase, summarize, add examples, add more inner conflict, or enhance the intensity of your romance plot, use Squibler and let AI instantly elevate the richness and detail of your content.

The AI Writer ensures a smooth flow in your storytelling journey. Squibler analyzes your previous writing and generates fitting paragraphs, maintaining the tone and direction of your narrative. 

You can also visualize your story in a whole new light with Squibler’s, allowing you to create images and short videos of characters, settings, and plot elements.

Add depth to your scenes by using Squibler’s Describe feature. Highlight text, choose the senses you want to evoke, and watch as Squibler helps you paint a vivid picture with sight, smell, taste, sound, touch, or even poetic metaphors. 

If you need to expand a particular section, Squibler will assist you in developing it further. 

Squibler’s user-friendly interface and dedicated romance novel templates are the key to unlocking success in your romance novel writing journey.

4. Create the Recipe

Many cooks and chefs spend years practicing and perfecting their signature recipes. Why? Because when you have that tried and true recipe that everyone loves, the meal will always be a success no matter how many times you make it.

The same can be said for romance novelists . While any novel follows some sort of story structure , most successful romance novels have six key ingredients. These ingredients are included because they are proven effective.  Even when repeated throughout different stories, audiences love it.

The six basic ingredients:

• Boy and girl meet.
• Boy and girl are attracted to each other.
• Boy and girl begin their romance.
• Boy and girl separate.
• Boy and girl become reunited.
• Boy and girl live happily ever after.

Of course, these elements can go in any direction. This is the absolute bare bones of your romance. But, it’s a structure that works.

This recipe can be tinkered with, added to, and expanded. If your love story is unique and original, it won’t feel like a cop-out just because you stick to the basic romance formula. Why mess with a proven, age-old method?

5. A Plot Device is Essential to Knowing How to Write a Romance Novel

A plot device or “trope” is a specific person, object, or situation that is used to advance the plot in the way the writer wants. It is a means to an end – the writer knows what result they want so they figure out a way to get there.

Many plot devices within fiction are common. Earlier I talked about certain settings working for certain types of romance stories – plot devices are no different. Some plot devices just work to drive a romance forward.

Just because a plot device is common doesn’t mean it’s bad. It is up to the writer to make their use of a plot device original and unique.

Common Romance Tropes

There are many more but these are some of the most popular. You can probably think of at least one book or movie right away that matches each of these tropes. Take these stories and ask yourself – did you thoroughly enjoy it or did it feel overdone and cliche?

You might have a mix of answers. This is because it is easy to take these tropes and be lazy. This creates a tired story that won’t stand out.

On the other hand, many writers make these effective devices work for their story in a fresh, unique, and interesting way.

Don’t shy away from plot devices that you know will work, just be sure you are being creative. Put in the effort to write something people will love to read. You can also do this by combining several different plot devices to create a unique flow.

6. Know How to Write a Romance Novel by Knowing Your Readers

Knowing your readers is an important part of knowing how to write a book of any kind – fiction or nonfiction . Being aware of your target audience will help you write in a way you know will resonate with them.

For some books, this can require a good amount of research. For nonfiction especially, you need to find out exactly who needs your expertise, and exactly which parts of it they need at this time.

For romance authors, however, your basic readership is pretty simple and consistent.

About 80 percent of romance readers are women. This is overwhelming compared to most other genres. While this does leave about 20 percent of your readers as male, you know you’re writing to a female majority. It is women you want to reach with your story.

Some other facts to keep in mind:

• Most of the women who read romances are between the ages of 20-50.
• Romance makes up about 30 percent of all fiction.
• Around 30 percent of regular romance book readers will buy more than one romance novel in a month.

That last one is especially important. This means they are constantly exposed to different romantic plot lines, and will easily spot one that is overdone or boring.

To gain a loyal readership that won’t hesitate to pick up your next book, make every effort to stay unique, original, and different.

Writing for Women

While you don’t want to completely alienate the small number of male readers you have, it is important to know how to write for women. Women are the overwhelming majority of your target audience, so pleasing them is a top priority.

Here are a few tips to help you resonate with your female audience:

• Focus on the setting – especially the home. In days past, caring for the home was the women’s job. While society is moving forward from this and embracing the working mom and gender equality, the home is still important to a woman. The way things are arranged and decorated, how it’s kept. Don’t neglect this in your story.
• Don’t be afraid of feelings. It’s no secret that women can be more emotional than men. Don’t be afraid to write strong and deep emotions into your female characters. This is why character development is important.
• Don’t leave out the kids. Not all women have kids, but the reality is that most do. Don’t be afraid to use them in the story. They can be a useful source of conflict. Especially if your reader is a mom, she will directly relate to any emotions about children.

Keep these things in mind, but also ensure you are creating balance. Unless you want to dive right into women’s fiction specifically, maintain a balance. Remember your small section of male readers.

7. Present Your Heroine

This is where knowing your reader becomes even more important. We’ve established that most romance readers are women. But, there are still different age groups to consider.

Narrow Down Your Target Audience

Writing a story about a college girl who falls in love with the arrogant quarterback will not always interest a woman in her forties because she wants a character she can connect with.

So as you write about your heroine, keep your specified target audience in mind. Are you writing for the young adult fresh out of high school, or do you want to target the middle-aged mom?

It’s an important question to ask yourself, but don’t overcomplicate it either. Older women can enjoy a story about young women and vice versa. But, it’s good to keep the general target in mind especially when creating a female heroine.

A romance book will connect with its readers when they have something in common with the heroine. There are a few details you can keep in mind as you begin bringing her to life:

• Your heroine’s age
• Her worldview and personality
• Physical features of your heroine – height, hair color, etc.
• Where she lives
• What she does for a living

Create Believability

Now that you’ve chosen what kind of character to write , you need to make sure they are believable.

Nobody, anywhere in the world, goes through life without struggle. It is imperative that you also give your characters some struggles and obstacles. A character that has the perfect experience every time will not only be entirely unrealistic, but they will also be boring.

Nobody wants to read about a perfect relationship because that’s not interesting. It’s not real and there is nothing to invest in. This is why temporary separation is part of the basic romance recipe I mentioned earlier.

So, give your characters some flaws and put them through some struggles. These struggles can include any number of things:

• Job troubles
• Financial troubles
• Relationship troubles (romantic and friendships)
• Family drama

That is just naming a few.

Usually, it’s most effective to write your main character(s) as round and dynamic. Give them deeply complex personalities. In addition, brings them through some change and growth as the story progresses.

Not every character needs to be like this. That would be exhausting and flat characters have special functions of their own. But, your main characters need to be multi-dimensional to create the maximum level of believability and relatability

8. Present the Love Interest

Much like your heroin, imperfection is the key to creating a successful second character. Or in this case, the love interest.

Like any character, they should be flawed. Perhaps his more prominent flaws cause your heroin to wonder if they made the right choice or if he is the right one.

It can be tempting to write a perfect love interest because a perfect person is easy to fall in love with. However, this is a bad choice. It will take away from the conflict in the story and the believability of the character.

Don’t Make Them Hated

Many stories start with the heroine hating or at least disliking the eventual love interest. This is effective, but it doesn’t mean the readers have to hate the love interest as well.

There is usually a specific reason your heroine hates him – a past betrayal, something he has done, who he was before a transformation took place, etc. This makes the distaste personal and your readers don’t need to share her opinion.

Give him some redeeming qualities that appeal to the reader, and don’t objectify him. Even if your main character hates him for a while, the readers should be able to tell that he genuinely loves her and is a good person at the core.

From here, you can positively develop him. As your heroine begins to fall in love with him, your readers will just like him that much more.

Don’t Fall Victim to the Stereotype

When we speak of romance, our minds often drift to the typical tanned, tall, well-built Don Juan who sweeps her off her feet. He is suave and charming. But, this puts you at risk of creating that too-perfect love interest.

These characters are sometimes effective, but it’s not the only type of man that can be romantic. Sometimes, a shy, nerdy gamer is what your character will love.

Don’t be afraid to go outside the box and create a unique love interest who is charming in his original way.

9. What is the Driving Force?

In her popular book GMC: Goal, Motivation, and Conflict, Debra Dixon says: “External motivation is necessary to establish early in the book. Internal motivation can take a bit longer to develop and be woven into the fabric of the story one thread at a time.”

This is the perfect illustration of the driving force. There is a difference between goals and motivation. Both of them combined are what create your character’s driving force.

For example, let’s say you have a character training for a marathon. He may have a couple of goals here. One might be to make it to 5k. Another might be to win and get the glory.

These goals are logical and important, but they are not enough. What makes him different from every other person training for that 5k marathon and wanting to win? His motivation.

What is really behind that desire to win? It could be a burning desire to feel powerful or superior. Maybe he wants to prove wrong someone who never believed in him. Perhaps he wants to honor a family member or even a beloved coach who has passed.

Each of these motivations will have different people doing the same thing – training for that marathon. But, it’s what drives them that speaks to who they are as a person.

Determine What Drives Your Characters

So, what drives your characters together?

To answer that, you need to dive into your characters and figure out every little, personal detail. Motivations often come from their past. This is why it’s important to know everything about your character , even if the reader doesn’t.

For example, your heroine might struggle to trust in a relationship because she was cheated on by an ex-fiance of five years. This part of her past will drive her behavior within her current romantic relationship as well as other actions and decisions throughout her life.

At some point in the story, this betrayal may be revealed to your audience. But, you need to keep it in mind from the very beginning. Her actions need to remain consistent even before their reasoning is made known.

10. The Intimate Scenes

Within the romance genre, you will find different levels of intimacy.

On one end of the spectrum is straight erotica. Here, physical intimacy is the focus. Writers go into excruciating detail with every scene. And there are a lot of scenes.

But, graphic sex scenes are not a requirement for successful romance. If you are writing about teenagers for teenagers, it would be highly inappropriate. On the other hand, if you are writing for grown women and you mention nothing more than a kiss on the cheek, they may feel a bit ripped.

Knowing your audience is crucial in determining how intimate you get in your romance writing . Your level of comfort will also come into play. Not all romance writers want to be known for the straight sex appeal of their books.

You may also just not be into it, and that’s fine! If sex scenes aren’t your thing, your book won’t necessarily hurt for it. Much can be implied and well, people have good imaginations.

Don’t Neglect Them

Regardless of how much or how detailed you get with your more intimate scenes, knowing how to write romance in a romance novel does not mean you need some .

The general “show, don’t tell” rule works well with scenes of physical intimacy, especially between characters who already have a deep connection. You don’t have to be graphic to let your reader know, through her reaction, how a kiss from her partner makes your female protagonist feel.

Unless you are writing young adult romance, your intimate scenes should have a specific purpose. They should serve to advance the plot in some way. Whether it’s the moment you’ve been building up to for half the novel, or it’s a means to create conflict, it shouldn’t be there just because.

If you are interested in writing intimate love scenes, that are more detailed, there are some things to keep in mind:

• Remember that pushing or breaking physical boundaries requires a building of trust.
• Don’t do everything all at once. Build intimacy over several scenes before finally reaching the finale.
• Don’t skip steps. In real life, some people will go straight to kissing and straight from kissing to sex. While it may happen at times, it is not interesting. Make the process slow and intense. One thing at a time. This will keep readers turning the page rather than yawning.

11. Secondary Characters are Important in Writing a Romance Novel

While secondary characters are important to any story, they play a unique role in a romance. For a female main character, it is usually her sister and/or her best friend from whom she seeks relationship advice.

This right here is a limitless pool of potential conflict. Sometimes, best friends give well-intentioned but very poor advice. And then, the advisee follows said horrible advice and lands in a highly compromising situation.

Sometimes these poor results can be hilarious, other times they are heartbreaking. Either way, they add tension and conflict.

Crazy sisters, eccentric best friends, jealous guy friends, and protective family members all add value and drama to your story. Don’t neglect these characters and their relationship to your heroine and/or hero.

12. Learn How to Write a Romance Novel With Tools

Knowing exactly how to write a book takes time. While nobody will ever write a perfect book the first time, there are ways you can tighten up the process and make things easier on yourself.

There are many book-writing software out there, and most of them have something good to offer.

For editing, you have things like Grammarly and Hemmingway . These are powerful editing tools that scan your work and give you a lot of helpful insight.

Grammarly scans for and alerts you to basic grammatical errors:

• Punctuation
• Missing words
• Repeated words

It will highlight your mistake and offer a solution. To use their correction, simply click on it and the document will change itself. Text can be edited in the Grammarly app, or you can integrate it with Chrome, Microsoft Word, and Google Docs.

Hemmingway is a different novel writing software that checks for readability. It won’t tell you if you’ve spelled something wrong, but it will tell you how easy your piece is to read. It does this by looking at a few specific things:

• Passive Voice
• Complex words or phrases
• Hard-to-read sentences
• Very hard-to-read sentences

The editor is available to use online for free, or you can pay $19.99 for access to the desktop version as well as a few other bonuses and features.

Before you can edit, you need to have written something. The writing process has many elements:

• Brainstorming
• Note-taking
• Planning/outlining
• Storyboarding
• Writing the story

Squibler is an AI book-writing software that can help you with all of these. It has a place for notes, research, your book’s actual content, and everything in between.

It teaches you how to write a book in the most efficient way possible with AI. This will have you on your way to publishing before the novel starts dragging on for months or even years. In the end, this will make you a better writer .

The Smart Writer lets you develop and expand your love story in just one single click. If you want to add more intensity to a current plot, describe a specific scene, or rewrite a chapter, Squibler does all this in just one click with the help of AI. 

Squibler is equipped with advanced organization features. It is not just a writing editor, but also a place where you can format, organize, and collaborate with authors and editors. It offers a lot more than just writing. The drag-and-drop feature for your chapters and scenes means you don’t have to worry about writing in chronological order. You can write whatever you want, whenever you want, and reorganize later.

The existing templates for romance, fiction, biography, and self-help books make the work 50% easier for authors. 

Squibler also offers assistance when it comes time to publish. Once finished, you can export your manuscript to PDF, Kindle, or print publishing formats.

Most book writing software helps you publish , but not many include print publishing as an option within the software. This is where Squibler is powerful and unique.

13. A Happy Ending

There is an unspoken rule within the romance genre. And that is the happily-ever-after. Or at the very least, a happy-for-now. No matter how much trauma and emotional turmoil an author puts their characters through, readers just know that they’ll be okay in the end.

Many criticize romance for being too formulaic. This is because romance does have a formula, which isn’t always a bad thing.

But, the formula does include the HEA. It’s like an invisible line of trust between the author and the reader.

Some try to break conventions. They write a wonderful , romance story but end it with a less-than-happy situation. These often conclude with one or both of the lovers dying. Some argue this would no longer even be considered a romance, but a tragedy.

The issue is up for debate. But, the fact remains that a romance without a happy ending will leave readers, and especially dedicated fans of the genre, feeling betrayed.

That’s not to say you can’t think outside the box. Just be aware of what people are expecting. With romance, unhappy endings can lead to failure if you are not very careful.

If you want to break the mold without enraging your readers, you can try to compromise.

Types of Happy Endings

Here are the common happy endings that you can adopt for your novel:

• Let the lovers end up together, but one is permanently sick/disabled.
• They are together but have a constant thorn in their side – like a nasty and manipulative mother/mother-in-law who disapproves of the relationship.
• A historical romance could have them ending up together but still living in a war-torn, poverty-stricken country.
• Let them be together, but their relationship has the permanent stamp of someone’s mistake or betrayal – perhaps a child with another person.

These types of melancholic endings will still give your readers the satisfaction of seeing the lovers together forever. But, it lets you add a sense of realism and tragedy. Some people will love stories with a darker twist and will appreciate an ending like this.

Learning How to Write a Romance Novel is Always a Good Idea

Romance novels will always hold a special place in the hearts of everyone. Even those who are too “tough” or “hardcore” to admit it, will always have a soft spot for a good romance.

This is due to our inherent desire for love and companionship. Everyone craves it – needs it, even. We have many connections throughout our lifetime – friends, colleagues, family – but our partners become the most important.

It’s this love of love that has people gobbling up these romance books like there’s no tomorrow. Be it a novel that is entirely romance, or a romantic subplot in a different genre, readers love it when there’s love. It adds an element of relatability that lets them connect to the characters .

For this reason, it is smart to know how to write a romance novel. Whether you want to be known as a career romance novelist or not, writing great romance novel is a crucial skill.

Romance is becoming more and more popular, with many romance novels being turned into movies and TV series.

While there is much to be gained from taking formal classes, there are ways you can learn how to write a romance novel on your own. This includes research, experience, and practice.

Fortunately, you don’t have to be head over heels in love at the very moment. Your love life is your business – which is why I have outlined all the essential elements of writing a romance novel. Perfecting the craft will take time, but you can use these strategies to get started.

Romance Novel Template

The steps outlined here will no doubt help you write your romance novel. If you want to make the process even easier, I suggest using a template as well. Squibler has a great romance novel template to spark your creativity:

The template will guide you through each step of the process and make sure you don’t miss anything that a good romance needs.

Final Remarks

Whether you want to learn how to write a novel with romance woven throughout, or you want to write in the romance genre specifically, you can now write your first romance novel with confidence.

The basics of outlining and structuring a novel are the same across all genres, but romance does have a few of its own quirks and unwritten rules. Familiarize yourself with these things and you’ll be able to expertly craft that winning romance in no time.

Here is a list of common questions that authors ask on writing romance novels:

How do I create engaging and relatable characters for my romance novel?

Focus on their quirks, desires, and flaws. Develop characters with relatable qualities, allowing readers to connect emotionally. Give them goals and challenges that resonate with the romantic theme.

What’s the key to building tension and chemistry between the main characters?

Establish a balance of conflict and shared experiences. Create situations where emotions run high, and the two characters must navigate challenges together. Allow their connection to evolve naturally, building anticipation for romantic moments.

How can I write realistic and heartwarming dialogue in a romance novel?

Capture the authenticity of human interaction. Use colloquial language, sprinkle in humor, and express emotions through dialogue. Keep it concise and let the words convey the emotional depth of the characters’ feelings.

Should I follow a specific structure when plotting a romance novel?

While flexibility is crucial, a classic three-act structure often works well. Introduce characters and their worlds, build tension in the middle with obstacles, and resolve conflicts in a satisfying conclusion. Let the romance unfold organically within this framework.

How do I avoid clichés and bring originality to my romance novel?

Infuse uniqueness into character traits, settings, and plot twists. Challenge traditional romance tropes and add unexpected elements to keep the love story fresh. Focus on the specific dynamics between your characters, steering away from overly predictable scenarios.

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How to Write a Romance Novel in 2021

L ingering touches and stolen glances, jaw-dropping revelations and long-awaited reunions— the pleasures of romance novels abound . Yet for so long, one of the most popular (and lucrative) genres in publishing has centered stories by, for and about a homogeneous set of women, bolstering the stereotype of straight white women as the romantic ideal and cementing the economic power of writers who share that identity.

But despite long-standing systemic inequities, a growing set of authors has recently found success with swoony love stories featuring characters from backgrounds that reflect the diversity of the world we live in. Writers like Jasmine Guillory , who is about to publish her sixth novel in less than four years, and Tia Williams, whose latest novel was selected for Reese Witherspoon’s book club , celebrate Black women as romantic leads. Helen Hoang populates her best-selling fiction with neurodiverse characters, while Casey McQuiston , whose debut novel is set to be adapted by Amazon, fills her slightly fantastical worlds with queer characters. And with the door to more inclusive storytelling cracked open in the industry, newcomers like debut authors and real-life wives Mikaella Clements and Onjuli Datta are preparing to enter the scene. TIME spoke to these six romance authors about the evolution of the genre, the craft of writing and the novels that changed their lives.

We all have books that have shaped our perspectives. What was the first romance novel you ever read?

Onjuli Datta: I stole my mum’s copy of Sophie Kinsella’s Can You Keep a Secret? when I was way too young for it, and I was obsessed. There’s this scene where the heroine steals a scallop from the hero’s plate at dinner that I still think about when writing food—it was such a simple, sexy moment amidst the hijinks and drama.

Tia Williams: A Rose in Winter by Kathleen Woodiwiss. I was 8 years old, and way too young to be reading a sweeping bodice ripper. But the story definitely left its imprint on the fiction I’d grow up to write: high-stakes, ultra–dramatic, live-or-die, unreasonably romantic love stories.

What are the biggest misconceptions people have about the genre—and about writing it?

Helen Hoang: Lots of people think romance is cheap, trivial and the literary equivalent of pornography. To me, it’s an escape, catharsis, a bridge to build empathy, even a political or social statement, all while providing a full mind, heart and body experience.

Jasmine Guillory: There’s this idea that all romances are the same. Just because they all have happy endings doesn’t mean the books are the same. What happy means is different for everyone.

What’s the worst writing advice you’ve ever received?

Hoang: “Write every day.” As someone who struggles with mental–health issues, sometimes writing or working is the last thing I should be doing. Sometimes, in order to write better, I need to stop for a while and give my mind time to heal.

Casey McQuiston: To write toward broad market appeal, even if your heart’s not in it. I don’t think you can make good art when your main priority is selling it. Write what you want to write and what you want to read.

Williams: Stephen King is my absolute writing idol, but he feels that fiction writers should remove adverbs from their arsenal. How else do you explain that someone “groaned inwardly” or “sighed softly”?

Read More: 36 New Books You Need to Read This Summer

You all tell stories that combine the fun and levity of romance with social commentary. How do you find a balance between the two?

Williams: Honestly, it’s tough to be a Black female writer in 2021 and not have a lot to say, social-commentary-wise, no matter the genre you’re writing in. Black Lives Matter and #MeToo and whatever the hell the last presidency was—you can’t help but infuse reality into your story if it’s at all contemporary. But love stories still need to be told.

McQuiston: For me, it’s about finding the sweet spot between suspension of disbelief and punching up. A lot of romance stories take place in settings or under conditions that we may want to challenge in the real world—monarchies, for example—and I like committing to the bit while also subverting the tropes that come with it and inviting the reader to examine them with me.

Hoang: Some of my favorite romances are more serious in tone, but I love them for the intense emotions they evoke. Romance with social commentary flows and balances itself very naturally, as social issues create conflict, which in turn inspires emotion, which is the heart of romance. The tricky part for me is in making those emotions inspired by social issues relevant to a love story.

Helen, why is it important to you to portray neurodiverse characters in your work?

Hoang: That is my life experience, and writing helps me to better understand myself and process what I’ve been through. At the same time, it’s important to share this perspective with readers so they may either see themselves, if they’re neurodiverse as well, or understand and develop empathy and lose the sense that autistic people are “other.”

A lot of your books describe sex in visceral and sometimes intense terms. Striking the right tone to avoid cheesiness and make readers invest in these moments seems super- difficult. How do you approach those scenes?

Guillory : Sex scenes are part of the way I tell the story of this couple—who they are and how they relate to one another. I want sex scenes to feel fun and exciting, yes, but also to tell the reader something about these characters and their relationship. Is that character emotional? Uptight? Funny? How do these people feel about one another?

Tia, the protagonist of your new book, Eva, is a famous erotica novelist. How does your approach to writing sex scenes compare with hers?

Williams: I thought it’d be interesting and funny to write a character who invents ultra-steamy sex scenes for a living—and yet hasn’t had sex in ages. At the time I was writing Seven Days, I was extremely single, like Eva. So our sex-scene strategy was pretty much the same: lots of imagination and wish–fulfillment fantasy.

Mikaella and Onjuli, as a gay couple, what was it like writing about a straight relationship?

Mikaella Clements : It was fascinating to navigate our characters through the many layers of power, desire and difference which exist in a straight relationship and examine the tensions that might arise. At the same time, there are many things about love which are universal.

Does every romance novel need to have a happy ending?

Guillory: Not every love story does, but every book called a romance does. When readers are specifically looking for a romance, they want a book with a happy ending.

Hoang: When readers trust that everything is going to be O.K. in the end, they open their hearts to experience a wider range of emotion, because they’re not protecting themselves from pain. This is something special to the genre.

Datta: The most important thing is to leave your characters in a place where the reader can say goodbye to them, even if they don’t want to.

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How to Write an Irresistible Romance

Taught by: Kate Studer

Romance is one of the most popular genres out there, and with good reason! Whether it's a story of star-crossed lovers or enemies-to-sweethearts, romantic fiction is compulsively readable and adored by countless fans. So why not write a romance novel of your very own?

In this course, you'll learn how to write an irresistible romance with the help of editor and writer Kate Studer. She'll take you through the many subtle intricacies of writing great romance, and provide solid tips on how to create it yourself. Just 10 quick lessons and you could be the next Nora Roberts!

What you'll learn in this course:

• How to write for your particular subgenre of romance
• What traits make a strong romantic hero/heroine
• Which tropes to use, and how to keep them fresh
• How to write compelling conflict in romance
• Why you should invest in your secondary characters

Brought to you by Kate Studer

With over a decade of experience working in romance publishing, Kate Studer is a full-time editor and writer based out of Southwestern Ontario, Canada. As a freelancer, she’s had the pleasure of helping craft a variety of manuscripts from indie authors to New York Times and USA Today bestsellers. She loves collaborating on stories readers can’t put down and helping new writers find their voices.

What are people saying about this course?

"I really enjoyed this course. It taught me the basics of writing romance and gave me great resources from blog posts for further study. I even saved all of the emails to refer back to if needed." — Blair N.

"A very good introduction to the genre. I've written a few romances in the past but reading this series was illuminating, in that it pointed out what constitutes a good romance. The next time I write a romance, I'm confident it will be a more cohesive and enjoyable experience for my readers. Thank you!" – Vera N.

"Very much enjoyed the practical feedback — with no fluff — in a nice compact package, delivered right to my inbox. The tips were very helpful and I've already recommended this course to a writer friend. Thank you!" – Anon.

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How To Write A Romance Novel: 8 Key Steps For Writing Your First Novel

• February 22, 2022

Romance novels, and the romance genre in general, have always been incredibly popular. Now more popular than ever, romance readers have more novels to choose from—contemporary romance, historical romance, paranormal romance, and many more.

Romance writing requires certain elements to qualify as a romance novel. Conflict and character development in all fiction novels are a must, but romance novels need a happy ending. Romance readers do not expect a happy ending—they demand it.

If you want to start writing your first romance novel, you need to realize that writing a romance novel is not easy. Romance authors have to do more than write a story about a boy who meets a girl, falls in love, kisses her, and marries her. Romance writers deal with emotions, creating a believable love story and sometimes awkward and challenging scenes, such as sex.

This article will walk you through the steps of writing romance, from creating your main characters to writing intimate scenes. With enough dedication and practice, you can write a successful romance novel.

How to Write a Romance Novel Step-By-Step

While there may not be a specific process that will teach you how to write a romance novel, certain steps must be observed to write a romance novel. The romance genre spans several subgenres, but they all require the same elements. The following will help you in your quest to write a romance novel.

How to Start a Romance Novel

Starting is often the scariest part of writing anything. There is planning, making hard decisions, and a lot of second-guessing. The blank page is the enemy of many writers, and romance authors are no exception.

1. Choose a Subgenre and Setting

The first step in romance writing is deciding on the subgenre. There are many, but we will discuss the more popular ones below and their typical settings. The setting makes your story cohesive and believable.

Contemporary Romance

Contemporary romance novels have realistic settings and are set in the present time. They are the standard romance novels in the city, suburbia, farm, workplace, etc. It is usually like the rom-com you see, a classic love story set in today’s age.

Setting for this subgenre is often anywhere you can think of, but more often than not, it is a small town or a portion of a large city. For example, if the story takes place in a large city, the characters’ only places could be their home, their job, work, and a spattering of other locations like a club, restaurant, and beach.

Historical Romance

The bodice rippers—nearly everyone has heard this term, and almost everyone has probably seen the cover of one of these books. They usually feature a woman with her hair up in Victorian style, wearing a heavy dress with who knows how many petticoats underneath, with a corset. There is always a man near or behind her, his shirt partially open and usually with long hair.

While that description does qualify as historical romance, it is one of the typical romance tropes that confuses both writers and readers about the subgenre of the romance novel. Historical romances occur when any romance novel is set more than fifty years ago. So the 1970s now qualifies as historical romance. There is also a huge fanbase for World War I, World War II, and Civil War-era romance novels.

Settings for this subgenre vary widely depending upon the era they are set in. The biggest and most important thing to remember is to keep the scene historically accurate. For example, you need to know whether the restaurant chain where your characters met existed when your story is set in. Maybe one of the love interests has a shady past and is wanted by the FBI for questioning. Are you sure that the FBI existed then? Ensure that you do your research on settings for this popular subgenre.

Paranormal Romance

Paranormal romance has gained popularity since the Twilight series was published, even more so after the movies. Paranormal romance writing involves anything supernatural, such as vampires, werewolves, witches, sorcery, demons, etc. Usually, one of these beings is one of the lovers, while the other is a human. Think Bella and Edward (vampire) or even further back, to Buffy and Angel (vampire).

The setting for this type of romance novel can be anywhere, but they are often set in dark and sinister or mysterious places: castles, mountains, small towns, or forests. Settings for paranormal romance novels are often dark and intimate.

Young Adult

In general, the young adult genre is one of the most lucrative genres in literature and film—the Fault in Our Stars, Romeo and Juliet, A Walk to Remember, and even The Notebook. Writing romance of this genre involves the young adult love story, combined with a happy ending. It is a win-win for the young and the old readers, who remember what that first love felt like and sometimes wonder what it is like for those who experience the type of first love that never ends. Writers like Nicholas Sparks have made this genre incredibly popular.

The setting for this sort of romance novel is much the same as it is in contemporary romance novels, except for keeping the age of the characters in mind. You may need to include high school campuses, summer camps, college campuses, sports events, or parents’ houses.

Erotic Romance

This is the 50 Shades of Grey type of romance novel. While most young adult romance novels do not have explicit sex scenes, most other subgenres do have some sex that is described. In erotic romance, however, the focal point is the sex between the main characters, often with romantic tension and a love story. Romance novelists in this genre include much more physical intimacy than other romance authors.

The setting for this subgenre can be anything, but keep in mind that if sex is the central part of this book, your characters will need a special place. For example, Christian Grey had a Red Room. You can have the wider setting be anywhere, but having somewhere more secret and private is usually a good idea for this sort of romance novel.

2. Choose Your Story Structure

Story structure is essential for romance writers. If you want to know how to write a romance novel, you need to understand the story structure present in nearly all books within this genre. Most romance readers who have read the same story multiple times with slight variations still love it. Romance books are meant to be groundbreaking in their plot . When you write romance, you are writing about a romantic relationship that will, with any luck, move your readers.

Boy Meets Girl, and All Ends Well

This works on the basic subgenre of romance. The male character and the female character meet, and sparks fly. Romance and love ensue. Some conflict occurs, and then the book ends happily. There are many ways to do this to keep the content interesting.

3. Choose From the Romance Tropes

Romance tropes exist to move the plot forward. Readers love these kinds of stories, even though they repeatedly use the same few tropes, with slight changes to the details. You can include several tropes to make a good romance story, but do not think using one of the typical romance tropes will make your writing easy. You will still have to dig deep, especially in your first novel, to write a love story that makes sense and will push your readers to care about your characters and their romance.

The following are some of the tropes that you will find commonly used in this genre. You see them in other genres as well, often as subplots.

Enemies to Lovers Story

This trope will give you a lot to work with. Tension, an exciting build-up, and a fascinating backstory . Were your main characters friends and had a fight that caused them to be enemies until something happened to bring them together romantically? Were they rivals? Was the chemistry so strong that they ended up not liking each other because they could not act on their feelings and grew resentful or bitter? A lot of conflict and tension can be built with this particular trope.

Best Friends to Lovers Story

There is still tension and conflict in this trope because at least one person will fight their feelings for their friends, not wanting to risk losing the friendship if the romance does not last. These are often friends who have known each other for a long time, and sometimes when they see the other person with someone else, they come to understand that their feelings for their friend are not entirely platonic. Readers love the best friends trope because it mimics real life. Often, romantic feelings grow between two friends, but it is not often acted upon.

Damsel in Distress

Hello there, Cinderella, and most other fairy tales and Disney classics. This is the damsel in distress trope, and even though we all know that it can sometimes be a bit overdone and a bit cliché, the reader still loves it. It does not have to be an actual danger that the female main character is in that she needs saving from. Set in modern-day times, you can write a character who needs help with her job, finances, a home renovation, or other troublesome issues. Do not assume you have to lock your damsel in a tower and guard it with a dragon.

4. Introduce Your Main Character and Love Interest

It is crucial to keep the reader in mind for this part. Whom are you writing for? Most of the romance readers are women. So you have to be descriptive and not afraid to involve feelings and talk about them openly in your book. Describe your main character well, including her name, age, eye and hair color, height, build, and personality. Do not forget to make her relatable with a few flaws . No one wants to read about a perfect person.

What does she do for a living? What is her social status? Does she have children? Has she ever been married? Does she consider herself happily independent, or is she actively seeking love? Answer as many of these questions as you can when introducing the main character.

You also have to introduce the love interest of the main character. It is even more important not to make him a perfect character. He can be physically attractive, incredibly intelligent, or very sensitive. But you also need to give him a flaw that will make the heroine iffy about him for a while. He can be attractive but overly vain. He can be smart but arrogant. He can be sensitive but unrealistic.

5. Decide What Brings The Main Characters Together

Something has to happen to bring your characters together and develop a love story. Remember that a successful romance is not forced, so the motivation or drive for love should feel organic. Perhaps secondary characters push them towards one another, or they are dating secondary characters, ending the relationships with the main characters and leaving our lady and fellow to help each other get over their ruined relationships.

Whatever it is, it needs to be something that could realistically move the romance forward. The last thing you want is a forced love story. Romance books tell the stories of organic love. That is what brings the readers to the books.

6. Write Intimate Scenes

You need to have some sort of intimacy between two characters in love. That can be anything from sweet small gestures shown in children’s movies to vivid and graphic erotica. Many writers blush or shy away from writing a scene that features sex or intimacy, but most readers like it. It happens when couples get together, and there is nothing to be embarrassed about. Later in this article, we will go into the details of how to go about writing these sorts of scenes.

7. Introduce Conflict

It cannot all be easy. Even Cinderella had to run and leave the prince alone on the dance floor, forcing him to pursue every woman in the kingdom in search of her. You need to have some conflict. Something gets in the way or tries to push the lovers apart. Some examples are moving another person to another location because of work or an ex who shows up out of nowhere and complicates things. Something has to present conflict.

8. Give the Lovers a Happy Ending

Readers of this genre and the publishing industry will tell you that you need to have a happy ending if you write romance. Without one, you will have turned readers off of your writing. Decide how to wrap up the conflict in a way that will end the book on a happy note, even if it is not happiness that seems sustainable.

How to Write a Sex Scene

If you want to know how to write a romance novel, you have to learn how to write intimate scenes, which will likely include a sex scene or two. Familiarizing yourself with and getting comfortable with it will help you in many ways as a writer. Here are some tips that will help you write those dreaded love scenes.

1. Remember Your Subgenre and Audience

You need to decide how you should proceed to create a physical intimacy between your romantic leads. This depends mainly on what sort of romance novel you are writing. For example, having a graphic sex scene in a young adult novel is probably inappropriate. This subgenre is better off with kisses, cuddles, and hand-holding. However, if you are writing contemporary romance with adults, and your target audience is women over 30, chances are, the readers want more than a kiss on the cheek. They usually want a sex scene.

Knowing what your target audience expects and keeping the level of intimacy appropriate for the subgenre is an essential first step.

2. Keeping Love Scenes Implied

If you are just not that comfortable with writing about sex, you can still heavily imply it while focusing on character development and feelings. You can say that the guy spent the night with the girl and woke up next to each other the following day. That implies pretty heavily that something happened without giving the reader a play-by-play.

Just make sure that you beef up the description of character development and feelings if you keep the physical connection implied. Use all the senses when describing the characters’ feelings for each other.

3. Take Your Time Writing Intimacy

In real life, things do not go the way they do during the intimate scenes of people in a new relationship. Writing, however, means that we can create an inciting incident that leads to a relationship and then leads to sex that is the most meaningful and beautiful thing that has ever happened to either character. Be deliberate and slow in writing the scene. Do not go from the first kiss to sudden nudity. Take the time to describe the little details. Be descriptive but not vulgar, and include the character’s reactions and thoughts.

For example, if we have two characters named Beth and Ben, Ben takes off his shirt, describes the act, what he looks like without his shirt, and what Beth thinks about it and feels about it. Do this for every little thing that happens during these scenes, and your reader will love it. This works incredibly well for love at first sight romance because often, the lovers are strangers.

4. Ending a Sex Scene

When writing these scenes, it can be challenging to know where to end them. Once again, it mainly depends on your audience and which of the popular subgenres you are writing about. For example, you can end up building up and describing everything that leads up to sex, the foreplay, if you will, and then just let the reader assume that intercourse came next. You can describe everything from the first gaze to the lovers going into the bedroom, and then fade out that scene and start your story back up the next day or the following day.

However, if you are writing erotica, you will have to describe everything. It is a play-by-play of all the sexual acts, and there are a lot of them in this subgenre. This relationship type and subgenre should only be tried by writers who are very comfortable writing these scenes.

Whether you are a freelance writer, a creative writer who writes love stories as a hobby, or if you seriously want a career as a romance writer, it is essential to learn a bit about publishing. Remember that self-publishing no longer has the stigma it used to, thanks mainly to a romance story called 50 Shades of Grey, created and distributed through self-publishing. Educating yourself on every possible part of the novel-writing process, from brainstorming to publishing and promoting , is a great way to set yourself up for a win when writing a novel.

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Blogs / Romance / How to Write a Romance Novel: in 4 Steps

How to Write a Romance Novel: in 4 Steps

How to write a romance novel is an extension of the question: How to write a novel?  We’re going to use Me Before You by Jojo Moyes and pretend we are writing it from scratch, just like we did for Gone Girl  by Gillian Flynn. The post on Gone Girl explains how to write a novel in general.

So now, let’s get genre specific with romance.

In my search for a book to use, I chose Me Before You because it’s rated 4.5 stars on Amazon from over 33,000 readers and just over 4 stars from over 1.2 million ratings on Goodreads. So clearly this is a book readers love. I also chose it because I hadn’t read it yet.

You can read Me Before You before or after reading this post, but I must warn you, there is a spoiler. I give away the ending.

How to Write Romance

There are 5 steps for writing a romance novel, so let’s go through them now.

Find Your Romance Niche Step 1

Before you write your romance novel, you should have an idea of the premise and what the romance niche will be. For a romance story to work, the main story line is about…you guessed it…a romance.

What I mean by niche is the secondary story line.  Here are some options:

• Contempoary Romance
• Young Adult Romance
• Mysteries, thrillers, or suspense Romances
• Paranormal Romance
• Fantasy Romance
• Horror Romance
• Science Fiction Romance
• Historical Romance

Knowing the niche before you start writing will help you with developing characters, plot, and settings.

How to Write a Love Story: Steps 2 and 3

Let’s assume you have a premise or an idea for your story, and you know the niche you want to write in. If that’s true, skip to Step 1 below.

What if you don’t have a premise but want to write a romance? Our friends a ProWritingAid wrote Use These 81 Romance-Writing Prompts to Start Your Next Romance Novel. Yes you read that right. 81 one ideas to get you going.

Once you have an idea, give the story a title.

Write a blurb. You’re writing a blurb for yourself, not the reader. It’s to keep you focussed as you write your first draft.

The title and the blurb are to keep you focussed as you write your first draft.

The blurb for Me Before You shows the reader LOUISA is the protagonist, as she is mentioned first. The opening line is “They had nothing in common until love gave them everything to lose…” tells us this is a romance novel.

ME BEFORE YOU Blurb

You can change the title and the blurb once you’ve written your story. The goal now is to have a framework that keeps you focussed on the story you want to write.

On note on choosing your protagonist. In Leigh Michaels book: How to Craft a Romance Novel that Sells she says:

“Though there are always two main characters in the romance novel, in most books the major focus is on the heroine – the story is primarily her story. Though the hero’s point of view and thoughts are usually included, the heroine’s point of view and thoughts usually take up a larger portion of the book.”

Since the romance novel includes such a wide variety of genres, I want to add the heroine and hero are two characters of any type. Two people, robots, animals, aliens, etc. It doesn’t matter. What matters is which character is the reader following and cheering for. That character is your protagonist. Think of E.T. The Extra Terrestrial.  Elliot clearly falls in love with E.T. not in the romantic sense, but in the sense that he will risk his life to save E.T. In Me Before You , Louisa is the heroine (protagonist) and Will is the hero.

How to Write A Romance Book Step 4

In writing the blurb, you’ve chosen the protagonist. You must know whose story you’re telling. Since we are pretending to be Jojo, we’ll decide to write this novel from Louisa’s point of view. Remember, we’re starting as if there is no story yet. You can always change this later, but for now, it’s another way to keep focussed.

The protagonist is the main character who pursues the story goal and has the most to win or lose. Clearly from the blurb, Serle has chosen Dannie as the protagonist.

It can be hard knowing who the protagonist is, particularly in a romance novel. The romance genre is often misunderstood as having two protagonists.

Here are 3 quick tips.

• Every scene must impact the protagonist in a positive or negative way. Even if they are not in the scene.
• Every scene takes the characters closer to or farther away from getting together.
• The protagonist will be the character the reader is following and cheering for.

Panster or a Plotter?

Whether you happen to be a panster (a person who writes a novel without an outline) or a plotter (a person who writes a full outline before writing a draft), you can benefit from having a process. You’re the artist, and how you create your story must be done in your own way. I’m here to give you focus while you retain the creative aspect.

If romance is your genre, you need to know the key beats. What’s a beat, you ask. These are the key scenes a reader expects in your story.

Writing a Romance Novel Step 5

Start your novel outline.

A blank page can be overwhelming, intimidating, and terrifying…But what if you don’t have to face that blank page?

You’ve already given your story a title and written a blurb. That puts you in a great place to start an outline.

A Story Arc Refresher

The simplest form of the story arc , also known as the narrative arc, is made up of 5 key scenes (plot points) and can help you create your story structure in a way that captivates readers. These scenes are the Inciting Incident ,  Plot Point 1 , the  Middle,   Plot Point 2 , and the  Climax .  These key scenes must appear in the right place for the human brain to love the story.

Don’t worry about key scene placement until you have a draft written.

If you know the key scenes before you write, this is the best place to start an outline.

Every key scene must be written from the point of view of the protagonist.

How to Write a Romance Example

So now we are going to look at how Me Before You was written in the context of  the story arc. Using the story arc is one of the easiest ways to start writing any fiction book.

In this next section we will break down all the key elements of a romance book and how you can apply the individual elements to your own book.

Me Before You  Setup & Indicting Incident

Let’s start with the setup and inciting incident in Me Before You . The setup includes the inciting incident and leads to plot point 1 at around 25% into the story.

To start an outline in Fictionary StoryTeller, I’ve named the opening scene The Setup . I’ve set the story arc scene to yes, and the purpose of the scene is the inciting incident. As you build your outline, you’ll add more scenes and chapters. The setup shows the reader Louisa’s normal life and why she has feelings of inadequacies.

The inciting incident is the moment Louisa’s world changes in a dramatic way. Louisa losing her job is the trigger for her to find a job taking care of Will. Without the job loss, she wouldn’t have changed her life and wouldn’t have met Will. This is the reason I chose this as the inciting incident and not a scene where two characters meet. In a love story, the inciting incident can also be the scene where the love interests meet each other. As the outline builds and the story gets written, it may turn out a different scene is the inciting incident.

Keep in mind this is an outline. In the final version of Me Before You , the opening scene is not the inciting incident. In the published version, the opening scene is a prologue from Will’s point of view.

When we begin an outline, we don’t know where the key scenes will end up. What we are doing here is building a framework to write our story.

Me Before You  Plot Point 1

Plot point 1 is the point of no return. Louisa can’t back out of the central conflict. This is when the setup of the story ends and Act I is over.

During the setup, Treena tells Louisa she is going back to college. This puts pressure on Louisa that she has to keep a job. It doesn’t mean she couldn’t quit the job taking care of Will, because she could find another job.

Plot point 1 happens when Louisa overhears that Will has a plan to kill himself. She’s the only person who has made Will smile or show an interest in anything up to this point, so she can’t leave the job. In the Romance genre, this is referred to as the point of adhesion. This maps to plot point 1 in general terms and is the end of Act I.

You’ll notice I’ve only written a summary of plot point 1, and the outline is already building. Soon, we’ll have to think about what will happen between plot point 1 and the middle. But first, let’s decide what the middle will be.

Me Before You  Middle

Act II is often the hardest part of a novel to write. It takes up 50% of the word count and goes from plot point 1 to plot point 2. This is the whole of act II. By having a structure ahead of time, it will be easier to write the connecting scenes. The first half of ACT II is taken up by scenes from plot point 1 to the middle. The second half is taken up by scenes from the middle to plot point 2.

Like all well-written middle scenes, Louisa moves from a reactionary mode to a proactive mode. Two worlds can overlap as happens in ME BEFORE YOU.

Here are the minimum number of scenes needed between the middle and plot point 2.

Me Before You  Plot Point 2

Plot point 2 is a low point for the protagonist. Louisa’s actions since the middle have caused disaster. Plot point 2 causes Louisa to become more determined to reach her goal of saving Will from himself. This must be the worst moment for Louisa, so it must hurt.

Once you’ve decided on plot point 2,  the following are the key scenes that should be included in the story to bring it to an ending that satisfies and thrills the reader.

Me Before You  Climax

We’re now close to the end of how to write a romance novel. A climax scene must have the highest level of conflict, the greatest tension, or the most devastating emotional upheaval. Let’s see what Moyes (in our made up world) decided in her outline.

How do You Know You’ve Written a Draft?

We often refer to a manuscript as a draft, so let’s get specific. I consider a manuscript a draft if it has a beginning, a middle, and an end.

So yes…that’s obvious and vague.

A draft means the story contains an inciting incident, plot point 1, a middle, plot point 2, a climax, and a resolution. The first five are key scenes on the story arc.

Once a story has these plus the scenes that connect the key scenes together, we can consider it a draft.

A draft must exist before you can determine the impact every scene has on the protagonist, which is really important in determining if the story is going to work.

Then you get to move on to editing that draft! For more help check out How Creating a Book Outline Helps You Edit.

How to Write a Genuine Romance

by Lewis / February 11, 2020 / Character Development

Storytelling has taught me that romance is complex.

All too often, fictional romances end up stilted and hollow or outright creepy. Common romance tropes tell us that surprise kisses and fatal attraction are the building blocks of a good romance, when in reality these tropes miss the very foundation that makes romantic relationships work—love.

Of course, romance can be a truly heartwarming part of your novel. The key is to understand what creates true romantic chemistry, and to avoid the many pitfalls and tropes of the genre. Fortunately, by understanding the various stages of fictional romance, you can write a loving relationship worth swooning over!

The Problem With Romance Tropes

• 1 The Problem With Romance Tropes
• 2 The Challenges of Writing a Realistic Romance
• 3.1 Establishing Their Flaws:
• 3.2 Sparking Mutual Interest:
• 3.3 Creating Some Conflict:
• 3.4 Making Time to Bond:
• 3.5 A Period of Separation:
• 3.6 Finally Coming Together:
• 4.1 Characters on Two Sides of a War:
• 5 A Well-Written Romance is at the Heart of Your Novel

Sexual attraction doesn’t equal love.

One of the most common mistakes writers make when creating romance between two characters is assuming that a mutual—or even one-sided—physical attraction is enough to justify instant love.

While “love at first sight” definitely exists, there’s more going on behind the scenes than you may think. Even when two characters feel that immediate spark, it’ll take time for them to build a genuinely romantic relationship.

Robbing your readers of the chance to see that relationship grow is a surefire way to leave them disinterested or even disgusted by your romantic duo. For instance, imagine this:

What if Gaston was Belle’s love interest, rather than the villain?

Beauty and the Beast works as a love story because Belle and the Beast learn to love one another through a slow, genuine process. Their relationship feels natural, and they both have to earn each other’s love over time (and no, their story isn’t about Stockholm syndrome).

Contrast that with Gaston, who takes one look at Belle and decides he’s going to marry her, and you can quickly see the difference. Gaston is a creep, and definitely deserves the title of villain—can you imagine a love story where he was Belle’s love interest? Yet, many novels take this trope to heart, basing their love story purely on an instant physical attraction.

This isn’t the only negative romance trope out there either:

• Surprise/unwanted physical advances
• Stalker-like behavior
• Extreme emotional dependence
• Emotional manipulation

Not only do these tropes set a bad example, but they make for worse love stories too. Unfortunately, it’s easy to lean on them anyways, simply because writing genuine romance is hard. But what makes writing romance such a challenge?

The Challenges of Writing a Realistic Romance

Writing romance is hard because human emotions are hard—and love is one of the most complex emotions we have.

To make matters worse, writing a compelling novel requires you to create conflict , and love stories are no different. There needs to be a certain level of resistance between your lovers to make the story interesting, but there’s a fine line between interesting and harmful levels of conflict. Is it ok for your lovebirds to fight, and at what point does that fight go too far? What is the line for each character, and how much conflict is healthy or ok?

Honestly, writing relationships is one of the most difficult parts of storytelling.

This is why many writers lean on tropes they’ve seen in other stories to make writing romance easier, and society doesn’t help them with this. In the past, many people have touted extreme tales of emotional dependency as some of the best and most romantic stories around, such as Romeo and Juliet . Meanwhile, stalker love interests like Edward from Twilight are often revered, while we brush aside the disturbing things they do to their lover.

Though I don’t personally understand why these tropes ever became popular, I can confidently say that there are better examples out there. Astrid and Hiccup from How to Train Your Dragon stand out, as well as Zuko and Katara from Avatar; The Last Airbender and Baby and Johnny from Dirty Dancing .

The trick here is balance—all of these couples come into conflict at various points, but they eventually circle back around to building each other up, not tearing each other down (we’ll get to Zuko and Katara’s more complex relationship later in the article). In fact, many of the best examples of fictional romances follow six distinct stages…

The 6 Stages of a Genuine Romance

This article is more about writing a genuine, loving relationship than it is about mastering the romance genre. The romance genre and its readers have a ton of expectations, many of which deal more with story structure and pacing than with relationship building. If you’re trying to write a romance novel, check out the guide below—it’ll still be useful to you—but also read up on some of the obligatory scenes of the romance genre here.

Establishing Their Flaws:

Before a relationship can begin, you need to establish both of your soon-to-be-lovers’ flaws.

Like I mentioned above, your love story will need a certain level of conflict to engage your readers, and your characters’ flaws will be the core of at least some of that conflict. Their flaws will be what prevent them from developing a strong relationship from the start, and they’ll have to make a genuine effort to overcome these flaws to come together.

Essentially, your lovers will be a  catalyst for each other’s growth.

What’s more, their early flaws will not only inject some healthy conflict into your story, but will also give readers a starting point from which to judge their progress. When they complete their character arc and earn happiness at the end of your novel, it’ll feel even more deserved.

Sparking Mutual Interest:

Once you’ve introduced both sides of your romantic duo, it’s time to light the flame of romance!

As we’ve discussed, this is often done through physical attraction, and at this stage that’s ok. The key is that you’ll continue to develop and expand on that relationship going forward, adding some much needed depth. Of course, sexual attraction isn’t the only way to create romantic interest.

Your characters could feel drawn to one another for a variety of reasons:

• Sexual attractiveness
• Intelligence
• Social status
• Wit or charm
• Spiritual connection

The form of initial attraction you choose will depend on your story and the personalities of your two characters. Think about what each of them would admire in a person and then show off that quality in their love interest.

Once your pair is interested, you can begin building on their romance.

Creating Some Conflict:

Conflict is the core of every good novel , and that’s no less true for romance.

However, when dealing with a romantic relationship you need to balance conflict and compassion between your characters—or risk damaging their relationship beyond what readers will accept. Fortunately, conflict can come in many forms, and it doesn’t always need to be interpersonal conflict.

For instance, your two characters could be separated by the plot of your story. Perhaps social taboo prevents them from being together, or maybe they’re on opposite sides of the world. Likewise, they may be separated by other characters who don’t want them to be together.

Of course, interpersonal conflict can also add some healthy tension to your love story.

Many lovers start out at odds because of their flaws as characters. They may be interested in the relationship, but resist pursuing it because of their own fears of commitment or a lack of trust. They may believe their relationship is wrong (especially if it goes against social norms) or they might have a personality difference.

Hundreds of successful love stories hinge on two characters who bicker like dogs, only to pine for each other in secret!

In the end, the most important thing is to understand where the line is.

How far can each character go before your reader backs out? Violence and abuse have no place in a healthy relationship. Unless you’re purposefully trying to create a negative relationship—in which case this article isn’t for you—then remember that both lovers should have each other’s best interest at heart, even if they disagree about how to achieve that.

Making Time to Bond:

Alongside conflict, you also need a chance to build on your characters’ relationship.

This is where many romances fall flaw—the author simply doesn’t give their lovers enough time to develop a genuine relationship. Creating a love story will take numerous scenes, because your characters need time to progress along their character arcs, come into conflict, and also bond as partners. Fortunately, this bonding can often tie into the plot of your story, meaning these scenes can pull double duty!

For instance, here are some ways your lovers can bond:

• Achieving a mutual goal
• Escaping danger together
• Helping each other with a personal project
• Impressing one another with their skill/wit/compassion/etc…
• Learning more about each other’s history, personality, or worldview
• Being supportive in moments of vulnerability

This list is by no means exhaustive, and there are as many ways for your duo to bond as there are potential scenes for your story. Don’t be afraid to experiment and think about how your characters’ relationship fits within the overall plot of your novel.

And, of course, remember to inject bits of conflict among these more supportive scenes—even if that conflict is as simple as a misunderstanding or minor disagreement!

A Period of Separation:

Before your lovers can come together once and for all, they’ll often experience a period of separation.

While this is by no means a requirement for your novel, it often fits perfectly within the Third Plot Point , or the darkest moment of your story’s structure. Not only is there a negative twist in the plot, but there is also an emotional downturn that pushes your lovers apart, either physically, emotionally, or both. This adds tension to your story and gives your characters a final chance to assess their relationship and fight to preserve it.

For example, maybe the pair has an explosive argument. They storm off, swearing they’ll never talk to their lover again. However, beneath the surface they both regret their actions and fear they’ve damaged their relationship beyond repair. This is the darkest moment of their relationship, and by the end of the story they’ll come back together, making amends and overcoming their flaws in the process.

Of course, this isn’t the only way to trigger separation. Your characters might:

• Have a major argument
• Be forced apart by rival characters
• Have a misunderstanding (perhaps orchestrated by another character)
• Be separated by a major plot event like a natural disaster

Fortunately, we know this isn’t the end for your romantic duo—or at least we hope not! Just like your protagonist will have to overcome the Third Plot Point and complete their character arc in order to reach the Climax, your lovers will need to confront their flaws and make amends to be together.

Finally Coming Together:

Last but not least, we have the culmination of your character’s romance!

This is where your lovers will come together to prove they’ve both grown into better people. Not only have they completed their personal arcs, but they’ve also recognized that this is a relationship worth fighting for. Whether they have to regain each other’s trust or overcome a war, they’ll find a way to be together in the end, bringing their romance to its conclusion.

Best of all, they’ve come to this point in a natural, genuine way.

They didn’t take one look at each other and declare their undying love, and they didn’t force each other into a relationship through emotional dependence or disturbing behavior. Instead, they developed their relationship as a pair, learning to love one another and treat each other right even in the face of their differences.

This is the finale of the heartwarming romance that your readers have been pining for!

What About Characters Who Start Out Hating Each Other?

While the six stages above will get you pretty far, not every romance is the same. Some characters will outright loathe one another, so much so that you’d never expect they could one day fall in love.

Of course, these are the romances readers seem to love most. 😉

Not only is it possible to write a romance where the characters start out as enemies, but it can be done to great effect. However, you’ll need to remember everything we’ve discussed above—these characters will need time to establish a genuine relationship, especially because they’re so at odds starting out.

If you’re trying to create romance between two enemies, pay extra attention to these things:

• Don’t force either character into the relationship through violence or abuse
• Both characters should play a role in helping the other grow and improve
• Their romance will take more time to develop, and will hinge heavily on trust
• Be careful what kinds of conflict you create—some wounds can never heal
• Focus on common goals that can bring them together as allies, even if it takes time for them to discover those goals

Characters on Two Sides of a War:

Let’s look at Zuko and Katara from Avatar: The Last Airbender as an example. Yes, I know they don’t end up together by the end of the series, but this is a very popular fan pairing for a reason. There’s a lot of chemistry here!

These two start out on opposite sides of a literal war, but this isn’t a star-crossed lovers kind of situation. In fact, these characters hate each other, and would be thrilled to see the other one dead. Both are extremely flawed as well. Zuko’s desperate need to be accepted by his family has driven him to murder and pillage, and Katara’s resentment for her mother’s death is slowly pushing her in a similar direction.

It isn’t until both characters have begun to overcome their flaws that they come together. Zuko uproots his life after recognizing the harm his actions were causing. Katara refuses to trust him at first, and with good reason, but he makes it his goal to prove he has changed. Eventually, she enlists his help in getting revenge on the general that killed her mother, but in the process comes to the same realization he did—you have to learn to forgive.

This is the real heart of their relationship, and why these types of romances work.

Both characters had to grow as individuals before they could open themselves up to a healthy relationship. Not only that but, once they completed their individual growth, they then helped each other grow as well.

Katara was vulnerable in that moment of revenge, and Zuko did his best to support her and help her heal—likewise, Zuko made himself vulnerable by asking for Katara’s forgiveness, and over time she recognized that he had changed. Despite starting as bitter enemies, they end up as one of the most compelling romances in the entire series.

A Well-Written Romance is at the Heart of Your Novel

While writing romance is complex, it definitely isn’t impossible. At the end of the day, the key is to focus on building a relationship between your lovers that feels real and earned, even if it takes more than one scene to do so.

Here are some final tips to consider:

• Think about how your characters’ arcs will affect their romance
• Learn your characters’ personalities so you can write them realistically
• Look to couples that you admire and find what sparked their love
• Don’t be afraid to build friendships that don’t grow into romances until later on
• Remember that love is a two-way street—both lovers need to support each other

Above all, avoid creepy romance tropes as much as possible—trust me, you’ll know them when you see them! While they’re an easy crutch to lean on, your novel (and your lovers) will be better off without them. 🙂

How do your characters fall in love? Let me know in the comments!

Thoughts on how to write a genuine romance.

Wow. This is amazing advice. I was looking for ways to develop my character’s relationship without it looking hollow… and this is the best advice for anything like this I’ve read. Sometimes I just can’t STAND reading anything with romance because it just doesn’t seem realistic, and they haven’t progressed enough as characters or emotionally bonded together enough to ever really be able to have a sustainable relationship. Thanks so much Lewis!

Hi there! I’m aromantic, so I have a lot of trouble expressing the emotion of love in writing. This article really is good for talking about how to build a healthy relationships. Currently I’m writing two novels, both with romantic subplots, so I’ve been looking for advice and this is the best I’ve found so far. One of them involves the LI finding the MC injured and alone, and taking him in and bandaging his wounds. As the MC adjusts, their relationship evolves into one of mutual dependence, but both have secrets keeping them apart. I’m not sure if this would put too much on the LI, as the MC becomes paralyzed and they live together out in the woods.

Thank you so much for this article. I write Romance, I guess, lol, but this was a big help.

This is a great article! Thank you for the advice! I’m writing a dystopian novel and am struggling with the romance with my characters. They do escape danger together, as mentioned in your article, which helps them to bond. But I’m not sure how to give them ways to connect outside of the danger they’re in, or how to let them joke around without it feeling out of place in the type of novel it is, if that makes sense.

Obviously this will depend on your specific story, but I don’t think a few quiet, lighthearted moments would be too out of place. These scenes don’t need to be loud parties or side-splitting slap-stick, but even a subdued night before an attack or before a major plot point could give your lovers a chance to bond and you a chance to develop both of their characters. Most of their connection will probably come from the danger they’re in, but they could still have smaller things in common (especially things like their hope for the future, etc…).

Found this off of Google search results; it’s so good and puts this idea into words so well, and I wish more authors and storytellers could see it! I, as a person, am definitely NOT a fan of any romance, but it took me a while to realize that maybe part of the reason I was especially put off by some of it in stories was because the romance that I was seeing was creepily-written, poorly-executed, and unrealistic in every way. Looking back, the romance plots (often subplots) that I did somewhat enjoy were always the ones that felt like what is being described here. Buildup in a story based around a growing character relationship is so essential, and it’s so important to portray it in a healthy and realistic way, so it’s kind of surprising to see how it’s become so common to forget about it that now we have an entire concept of “love at first sight” in the vein of poorly-crafted romance arcs.

I love this advice. It’s so important to establish boundaries, healthy communication and sustainable behaviour in romance novels. So many people base their ideas and expectations of a relationship on what they read or watch so it’s all the more important. I read twilight religiously as a teen and internally swooned at behaviours that I cringe at as an adult. Thank you for putting content like his into the world!

I think you’re absolutely right Olivia! Ultimately, there’s nothing wrong with bad boy/girl romances or even questionable behavior in fiction. The most important thing is that readers know what they’re getting into, and that they also have enough healthy romances to look towards to judge what is or isn’t right for them.

Loved your content Lewis, very well-written! Successful romance stories does not happen immediately at first sight. They are build up to get readers in the heart.

Cheers, Monique

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How to Create a Romance Novel Outline

Hannah Yang

So you’ve got an idea for a romance novel. You’ve come up with the core premise, identified your main characters, and maybe even envisioned some of the key scenes that you know readers are going to love.

Now you need to turn this jumble of ideas into an actual book.

How do you put it all together?

If you’re a plotter, like me, you’re probably excited to build a plot outline for your novel so you can plan out the story. But even if you aren’t a plotter and prefer to make things up as you go, story structure is still important to understand.

The romance genre has many conventions and tropes. Your readers will expect certain things from your novel at different parts of the story—tension, drama, heartbreak, and more.

By starting with the right plot outline, you set yourself up to fulfill those expectations and craft a satisfying romance novel that both new and experienced readers will love.

This article will give you a complete blueprint for writing a romance novel that will make readers keep turning the pages.

What Is Three-Act Story Structure?

What should i include in act one of a romance novel, what should i include in act two of a romance novel, what should i include in act three of a romance novel, final words about writing a romance-novel outline.

There are many story structures you can use to create a plot outline, from Blake Snyder’s “Save the Cat” beat sheets to Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey.

In this article, we’ll be using one of the most popular outline templates: the three-act story structure.

The three-act story structure is one of my favorites. It’s simple enough to work for almost any novel-length story, but still detailed enough to give you specific scenes to work with.

If you’re new to the concept, check out our article on how to use the three-act story structure for a novel of any genre.

Essentially, the three-act story structure involves splitting your romance novel into a beginning, middle, and end. Each of these sections include core plot points to keep up the tension and keep your reader turning the pages.

Here’s an overview of the three acts we’ll be splitting your romance novel into:

• Act One: The Setup (0-25%)
• Act Two: The Confrontation (25-75%)
• Act Three: The Resolution (75-100%)

So how do you take this plot outline and apply it specifically to the romance genre? Read on for a detailed blueprint for building an irresistible romance novel.

We start with Act One—the setup stage of the story.

This act encompasses the first quarter of your novel. Your focus in Act One should be to lay all the groundwork you’ll need for the rest of the novel.

You need to introduce readers to your cast of characters, establish the setting, and set up the promise of what the narrative arc will be.

As early as possible, introduce the two main characters and make them feel like real people outside of their romantic lives.

Give the two characters external goals that have nothing to do with the relationship itself—such as starting a business, succeeding in a new job, or winning a competition.

Show that each character has fears and flaws that might make it hard for a long-term relationship to work out unless they’re willing to grow as a person.

Choose a Unique Meet-Cute

Around 1-12% of the way into the novel, we get to the first story beat in your plot outline: the inciting incident, which sets off the entire chain of events that follows.

In a romance novel, this is the meet-cute—the moment your two main characters meet.

A meet-cute is a necessity for any romance novel. You should establish the possibility for attraction without making it instantaneous. Leave the reader wanting more.

There are countless meet-cutes out there, and it’s a lot of fun to come up with your own. It could be as mundane as having your two characters sit next to each other on the bus, or it could be as dramatic as having one rescue the other from mortal peril.

If your characters already know each other—for example, if they’re childhood best friends, or if they’re ex-lovers yearning for a second chance—this scene should be the first time we see them together on the page. If they don't know each other yet, this should be the first time they meet.

Keep the Protagonist Thinking About the Love Interest

No matter what the meet-cute is, there must be some challenge that stops the two love interests from getting together right away. Love can’t come easy in a romance novel. To keep readers turning the page, you need to build tension and suspense.

After the inciting incident, the protagonist should agonize over whether or not they actually want to take the next step forward. It’s important to set the stage for the conflict that will get in their way.

The protagonist might deny that they’re attracted to their love interest to protect themselves from the possibility of rejection. Or they might assume they can’t be together because of some kind of external conflict.

It is important to get the pacing right at this crucial point in your novel. Too quick and readers will not have developed a strong enough emotional attachment to your protagonist.

Too slow and they may become bored and— gasp —stop reading. To avoid disasters, try out ProWritingAid's Pacing Report , which highlights slow paragraphs and suggests that you do not have too many in a row.

In spite of this conflict, however, the protagonist can’t stop thinking about the love interest and wondering if there might be a way to make it work. This brings us to the first plot point.

Force the Protagonist to Make a Choice

After all this internal debate, your protagonist will accept the call of the meet-cute and agree to take the next step forward. This plot point should happen around a quarter of the way into the novel.

Whatever this next step is, it means the protagonist and their love interest will be seeing a lot more of each other.

This is a good time to consider which tropes you want to use in your story, since many tropes come with a built-in first plot point. If you're looking for romance-plot ideas, these tropes can definitely help spark your imagination.

Here are some examples of tropes that all romance writers should know:

• The fake-dating trope: the protagonist decides to pretend they’re in a relationship with the love interest
• The rivals-to-lovers trope: the protagonist agrees to enter a competition in which the love interest is a rival contestant
• The friends-to-lovers trope: the protagonist decides to accept a job, new house, or other external circumstance that will bring them into close proximity to the love interest

While the inciting incident could be something that happens out of the blue, the first plot point should usually be an active choice for the protagonist, even if they still have their reservations.

Until now, they could always walk away. But after this, there will be no turning back.

This decision will push the story into Act Two.

Act Two is the meat of the story, where you bring the two love interests together and enjoy the drama that ensues.

This act is where you build momentum for the relationship. Now that your two love interests are stuck in the same place and forced to get to know each other better, the romantic tension should begin to pick up.

You want to deepen the attraction and the conflict at the same time, hand-in-hand. They key is to make the reader think “Will they be able to end up together?” without us giving a definitive answer until Act Three.

Build the Romantic Tension

This section of the story is your chance to fulfill the expectations that made readers pick up your book in the first place. Different sub-genres will have different expectations they need to fulfill. These can help you understand what your readers expect.

• In a Western romance novel, readers will want to see rodeo shows, ranching events, and/or other traditionally Western activities
• In a Regency romance novel, readers will want to see ballroom dances, gossip and scandal, and/or strict social rules
• In a paranormal romance novel, readers will want to see a hidden magical academy, a dystopian society, and/or paranormal creatures

Fulfilling these reader expectations has the added benefit of giving you more romance plot ideas. With all of these sub-genre conventions as the backdrop, the action should steadily rise until you get to the midpoint.

As the two characters get to know each other more, they learn to trust each other and to like each other in a deeper way. The romantic attraction should simmer and build.

Give them ample opportunity to spend time together. Perhaps they share secrets about themselves or begin to reveal vulnerabilities. One way or another, they begin to see each other in a new light.

In spite of the attraction growing between them, at least one of the two characters needs to be hesitant to jump into the relationship. All romance novels need conflict. Otherwise, you get to your happy ending too early.

As the two characters get to know each other better, they also deepen the fundamental conflict that might make it impossible for them to be together.

Here are some examples of external conflicts you can use:

• Friends or family who disapprove
• Ex-lovers who try to interfere
• A job or other external obligation that physically keeps them apart

And here are some examples of internal conflicts you can use:

• Secrets and misunderstandings between the two characters
• Past baggage that prevents the two characters from fully trusting each other
• An inability to commit to a real relationship

Shake Things Up at the Midpoint

In the middle of your story, you get to the midpoint reversal.

This scene is a new turn of events that feels like either a false victory or a false defeat.

If it’s a false victory, you want the reader to think that the two main characters are close to their “happily ever after.”

A false victory might be the point when the two characters finally declare their affection for each other. They might share their first kiss, or even their first night together, depending on the spice level of your novel.

If it’s a false defeat, on the other hand, you want the reader to think that the two characters can’t be together after all. Some crisis arises that makes them deny their feelings or wonder if this was all a mistake.

Either way, it’s false, because the story isn’t over yet. If it’s a false victory, make sure to bring the conflict back into the budding relationship as soon as the midpoint is over. If it’s a false defeat, give us hope again.

After this, the two characters will be forced to be make decisions about what they really want. If they truly want to be together, they’ll need to find their way back to a middle ground.

It’s time to turn up the pressure and force the main characters to confront the problems they’re facing, both internal and external.

Don’t fully resolve the conflict yet. Save your trump card for the end.

Teach the Protagonist a Lesson

The process of the two characters finding their way back to each other should continue until the 75% mark, when you get to the second plot point.

The second plot point is when your protagonist looks deep inside themselves and realizes that their own flaw has been holding them back. If they want love, they need to confront their own flaw or misbelief first.

This should tie back to the inner conflict you've established throughout the story so far.

Even if you're using an external conflict, you should make sure it relates to the character's internal growth—for example, by being willing to stand up to their disapproving family.

Character growth is a huge part of what makes a novel captivating. If you nail this story beat, you’ll be able to tug at readers’ heartstrings while also imparting a nugget of wisdom.

Here are some examples of lessons learned:

• The protagonist was too afraid of commitment to let the relationship evolve, and now they realize they need to stop making decisions out of fear
• The protagonist always believed they needed to choose between falling in love and succeeding in their career, and now they realize they need to put in the work to have both at once
• The protagonist was pining after the wrong person because they thought they needed love to make them complete, and now they realize they need to put themselves first

Once the main characters learn this crucial lesson, they can finally move forward into the third act.

In the final act of the story, the two main characters will come back stronger—this time, armed with the new lessons they’ve learned along the way.

If your novel has a Happily Ever After (HEA), this act will end with the two protagonists falling in love.

If not, it will end with the two protagonist parting ways, having learned something new about themselves in the process.

Let The Protagonist Fall in Love

Between 75-90% of your romance novel, the two characters will finally admit they’re falling in love with each other. They’ve learned their lessons, faced their own flaws, and decided they want to be together.

This section is a good time for the romantic and even physical intimacy to escalate. It’s finally time to dial up the spice.

Make the reader feel almost certain that it will all work out—but then, almost at the last minute, take us to the climax and bring the conflict back with a vengeance.

Give Us a Climactic Breakup

In the climax, the conflict that’s been getting in the two main characters’ way should finally come to a head.

This scene is when you play your trump card—the terrible obstacle between them that we all knew was coming but tried to ignore anyway.

The reader should question whether the two main characters even have a future together. The climax usually involves a breakup, a moment when the reader truly thinks it’s over. Everything should appear hopeless.

To figure out what your climax should be, examine the faults and flaws of each character. What would get in the way of their happy ending if they aren’t willing to grow and change?

Here are some examples you could use:

• A disapproving parent steps in and tells the protagonist they will never approve of this relationship
• An ex-lover declares their undying love and makes the protagonist question if they’re with the right person at all
• The love interest discovers that the protagonist’s been keeping a big secret from them and feels blindsided and betrayed

Make sure the crisis is believable and grounded in what you’ve established throughout the entire novel so far. This shouldn’t be a bolt of lightning out of a clear sky—it should come out of flaws that we already knew would get in the way.

Put in the Work to Rebuild Their Relationship

The climax also shouldn’t be an easy solve. Whatever the problem is, it should be severe enough that it will take multiple chapters for the two main characters to overcome the issue to rebuild the relationship.

In the chapters following the climax, one or both of the two characters must make a choice. They must decide to sacrifice something in order to be together.

Here are some examples:

• If the climax was caused by the disapproving parent, the protagonist may need to stand up to their parents and sacrifice their family’s approval
• If the climax was caused by the ex-lover, the protagonist may need to turn down the offer and sacrifice the love they used to crave in the past
• If the climax was caused by the big secret, the protagonist may need to show more vulnerability and sacrifice their emotional shields and barriers

Whatever this choice is, it should prove that the main characters have grown throughout the story and are ready to make a true commitment to one another.

Afterwards, the relationship will come out even stronger for it.

Give Us a Taste of Their Happily Ever After

Now that the final conflict has been solved, it’s time to wrap up your plot outline.

If you’re writing a romance with a happy ending, this will usually involve a declaration of love.

Keep the denouement short and sweet—don’t draw it out so much that you lose the romantic tension you’ve worked so hard to build.

You can end with a snapshot of the couple together—perhaps as an epilogue, a year or two down the line. Tie up loose ends and give the reader a hint at how the couple could make a long-term relationship work.

If you’re writing a romance novel with a tearjerker ending, you should make sure some of the protagonist’s other goals are achieved instead. The reader should still feel some amount of satisfaction, even through their tears.

If you can hit all these plot points, congratulations—you'll have a fantastic plot outline for your romance story.

What are your favorite romance novels? Do they fit into this three-act story structure? Let us know in the comments.

Writing romance? Join us for our FREE online summit

October 11–15: romance writers’ week.

ProWritingAid will be hosting our first ever Romance Writers’ Week in October. Join hundreds of other romance writers to learn what makes a romance novel swoon-worthy. Whether you’re writing contemporary, paranormal, historical, or speculative romance (or something in between), you’ll find practical, actionable sessions to help you plan, write, and market your romance story.

Learn from bestselling authors like Tia Williams , Talia Hibbert , Louise Dean , and Carolyn Brown , as well as romance writing experts from Pages & Platforms , Simon & Schuster , Harlequin , Romance Writers of America , and more.

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Hannah Yang is a speculative fiction writer who writes about all things strange and surreal. Her work has appeared in Analog Science Fiction, Apex Magazine, The Dark, and elsewhere, and two of her stories have been finalists for the Locus Award. Her favorite hobbies include watercolor painting, playing guitar, and rock climbing. You can follow her work on hannahyang.com, or subscribe to her newsletter for publication updates.

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A Beginner's Guide to Writing Romance - Tips for Writing A Romance Story

Writing romance is about tapping into the depths of human emotions, building chemistry between characters, and creating a genuine connection with readers as well. Read on to find out more about what makes up a good romance story and what goes into writing one.

Shruthi Nair

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The world of romance writing is where hearts flutter and emotions ignite on the pages of captivating love stories. Whether you're a novice writer eager to explore the realm of love stories or someone simply intrigued by the art of crafting heartfelt romances, you would be well aware of the allure of beautifully written love stories.

From creating endearing characters that tug at the heartstrings to crafting tender and unforgettable moments, there are a few key elements that make a love story truly resonate with readers. These include the art of building romantic tension, crafting authentic dialogue, and imbuing stories with a special spark that leaves readers sighing with delight.

What is a Romance story?

A romance novel or story is a genre of fiction that revolves around a central romantic relationship between two characters. The primary focus of a romance is the development and evolution of the romantic connection between the protagonists . These stories often explore themes of love, passion, attraction, and emotional intimacy.

Romance stories can take place in various settings, including contemporary times, historical eras, fantasy worlds, or even futuristic societies. The characters may come from diverse backgrounds and have distinct personalities, but their journey ultimately revolves around falling in love and navigating the challenges that arise within the relationship.

While romance is the central theme, romance books can also include elements of other genres, such as mystery, suspense, comedy, or fantasy. The core of the story, however, remains the emotional and romantic bond between the main characters.

Romance stories can range from light-hearted and humorous romantic comedies to intense and dramatic love stories that tug at the heartstrings. They may also explore sub-genres like paranormal romance (involving supernatural elements) or historical romance (set in the past).

One of the defining characteristics of romance stories is the promise of a satisfying and optimistic ending for the central romantic couple. This ending, often referred to as the "happily ever after" (HEA) or "happy for now" (HFN), provides readers with a sense of fulfillment and hope for the characters' future together.

What are the key elements of a Romance story?

A good romance story or book is characterized by several key elements that work together to captivate readers and leave a lasting emotional impact. Here are some essential components that make up a compelling romance:

• Well-Developed Characters : The main characters should be relatable, multidimensional, and have compelling backstories. Readers should be able to connect with them on an emotional level and root for their happiness throughout the story.
• Strong Chemistry and Romantic Tension : A successful romance story builds palpable chemistry and romantic tension between the protagonists. This dynamic keeps readers invested in the relationship's development and eagerly anticipating their moments together.
• Engaging Plot:  A well-crafted romance book has an engaging and well-paced plot that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. It should have intriguing twists and turns that challenge the characters and their relationship.
• Emotional Depth:  A good romance delves into the characters' emotions, exploring their vulnerabilities, fears, and desires. The emotional journey should be authentic and resonate with readers.
• Conflict and Obstacles : To keep the story compelling, there should be significant obstacles and conflicts that the characters must overcome to be together. These challenges add drama and suspense to the romance.
• Satisfying Resolution:  A satisfying romance story provides a fulfilling and believable resolution to the central relationship. Readers should feel a sense of closure and contentment as the characters' journey reaches a satisfying conclusion.
• Realistic and Relatable Setting : The setting of the story should feel authentic and relevant to the characters' experiences. Whether it's a contemporary city or a historical backdrop, the setting should enhance the romance and enrich the overall narrative.
• Evocative Writing : Strong writing is essential in any genre, but in romance, it becomes even more crucial. Evocative prose, heartfelt dialogues, and vivid descriptions help to immerse readers in the world of the romance.
• Diversity and Inclusivity : Representing diverse experiences, backgrounds, and identities in romance stories enriches the genre and allows more readers to see themselves reflected in the narratives.
• Themes of Love and Growth : A good romance book not only explores the power of love but also highlights personal growth and self-discovery for the characters. The romance should inspire positive change and personal development.

Tips for Beginners who are Writing a Romance Story

For beginners venturing into writing romance, here are some helpful writing tips to make your journey into the genre a rewarding and enjoyable experience:

1. Read Widely in the Romance Genre

By reading a variety of romance novels, beginners can familiarize themselves with the genre's conventions, tropes, and themes. This exposure helps writers grasp what elements are expected in a romance story and how to effectively use them.

The romance genre encompasses various sub-genres, such as contemporary, historical, fantasy, paranormal, and more. Exploring different sub-genres allows writers to identify the ones that resonate with them and pique their interest, guiding their creative direction.

Reading works by established romance authors provides valuable insights into successful storytelling techniques, character development, and plot structures. Observing how experienced writers craft their narratives can inspire and inform a beginner's own writing style. Exposure to different writing styles and expressions aslo enhances a writer's vocabulary and helps them experiment with their prose. It broadens their understanding of how to convey emotions, descriptions, and dialogues effectively.

So take time to immerse yourself in a variety of romance novels to understand different sub-genres, writing styles, and themes. Reading widely will give you a sense of what works well in the genre and help you find your unique voice as a romance writer.

2. Develop Compelling Characters

Creating compelling characters is essential for beginners venturing into writing romance because well-developed characters are the heart and soul of any engaging story, especially in the romance genre. In romance, readers must emotionally invest in the central characters and their relationship. Compelling characters with relatable traits and vulnerabilities allow readers to connect with them on a deeper level, making them care about the outcome of the romance.

Well-crafted characters feel authentic and genuine, making the romance story more believable and relatable. When characters have depth and complexity, they mirror real-life individuals with their strengths, weaknesses, and growth. By creating characters with well-defined personalities and backstories, writers evoke empathy from readers. When readers can empathize with the characters' experiences and emotions, they become more invested in their journey.

A satisfying romance often involves personal growth for the characters. As the relationship develops and with the potential to grow, the characters learn from each other, overcome obstacles, and evolve into better versions of themselves. Characters' individual goals, desires, growth, and conflicts fuel the narrative. With this dynamism, the protagonists' personal challenges and aspirations often intersect with their romantic relationship, driving the story forward.

Before you write about how your character grows or changes, you have to be familiar with all aspects of their personality first. And the best way to do that is to fill up or create some character sheets. Once you've got your character sheets on hand, make sure to constantly refer to them Doing so will prevent you from writing them out of character, even as they go through their character arc . Compelling characters have the depth and capacity to illustrate the growth of a character, while still keeping them consistent with their core personality traits.

If you are unsure of how to start a character sheet, consider trying JotterPad's Character Profile templates to do so. These all-rounded character profiles allows you to dive deeper into multiple aspects of your characters; physical, mental, emotional, and historical. With these elements laid out for you in an organized manner, you can build a robust character by exploring these multiple aspects of characterization, making your characters stand out and apart from each other through this template.

3. Build Chemistry & Tension

Chemistry and tension between the protagonists draw readers into the story and keep them invested in the relationship's development. The anticipation of their interactions and the possibility of romance pique readers' curiosity and keep them turning the pages.

When readers sense the palpable chemistry between the characters, they emotionally invest in the outcome of their relationship. Creating a strong emotional connection between the characters and readers is vital for a successful romance.

Chemistry and tension create a page-turning quality in a romance. As readers yearn for the characters to get together, they are motivated to continue reading to see how their relationship evolves. Romantic tension also evokes powerful emotions, such as longing, desire, and uncertainty. These heightened emotions create a deeply immersive experience for readers.

Memorable romances are often defined by the sparks and tension between the characters. Building a compelling connection that leaves a lasting impression makes the romance more memorable to readers. The culmination of such a chemistry and tension often leads to a satisfying resolution, such as a romantic confession or a moment of intimacy. A well-developed buildup of chemistry and tension enhances the impact of these crucial moments.

4. Focus on Emotional Depth

Romance is an emotional genre, and readers seek stories that evoke strong feelings. By infusing emotional depth into the narrative, writers create a powerful connection with readers, making them more invested in the characters and their journey.

Emotions make characters more relatable and human. When characters experience a range of emotions, readers can see themselves in those feelings and experiences, making the romance story feel more genuine and realistic. Emotional depth also allows readers to empathize with the characters' joys, sorrows, fears, and insecurities. Empathy enhances the reader's emotional investment, driving them to root for the characters' happiness.

Emotional depth in romance often involves conveying unspoken feelings and subtext. Skillfully revealing characters' inner emotions through actions, gestures, and subtle cues adds richness to the narrative.

5. Set the Right Mood

The right mood and atmosphere can intensify the emotional impact of a romance. Whether it's a dreamy, romantic setting or a tense and charged environment, the atmosphere can amplify the characters' emotions and the chemistry between them. A well-crafted setting can transport readers to a different time, place, or world. This immersion allows readers to escape into the romance and experience the emotions and events alongside the characters.

The mood and atmosphere set the tone for the romance. It signals to readers the type of love story they can expect, whether it's a lighthearted rom-com, a passionate and intense love affair, or a tender and emotional journey. The right mood can also make romantic moments more memorable and impactful. A beautiful sunset, a cozy candlelit dinner, or a magical winter wonderland can heighten the emotions of a significant romantic scene.

The setting and mood can convey subtext and unspoken emotions. For example, a rainy day might reflect the characters' feelings of melancholy or introspection, while a vibrant spring garden could symbolize hope and new beginnings. So pay attention to the setting and atmosphere of your story. The environment can enhance the romance and evoke emotions, whether it's a cozy café, a breathtaking beach, or a mystical fantasy world.

Balance Dialogue and Narrative: Use engaging dialogue to reveal your characters' personalities and interactions. Balance dialogue with descriptive narrative to set the scene and evoke the characters' emotions effectively.

6. Avoid Clichés

Romance readers are drawn to stories that feel fresh and unique. Avoiding clichés allows writers to offer something new and different, setting their romance apart from others in the genre. By steering clear of clichés, writers can surprise readers with unexpected plot twists and turns. These surprises keep the story unpredictable and exciting, holding readers' interest throughout the narrative.

Clichés can lead to one-dimensional and predictable characters. Writing outside of clichés allows writers to develop more authentic and relatable characters with depth and complexity. Clichéd romance tropes can make the story predictable, reducing the emotional impact on readers. Fresh and inventive storytelling keeps readers guessing and engaged until the end.

Avoiding outdated and overused clichés ensures that the romance remains relevant to modern readers' sensibilities and preferences. Romance stories that break away from clichés can also better represent diverse experiences, relationships, and cultures. This inclusivity allows more readers to see themselves reflected in the narrative.

While romance readers enjoy certain tropes, be mindful of overused clichés. Strive to bring fresh and original elements to your story to make it stand out.

7. Portray Respectful & Consensual Relationships

Writing about consent and healthy relationships in romance novels provides readers with positive role models for their own relationships. It demonstrates the importance of communication, respect, and boundaries. Incorporating consent and healthy relationships makes the romance story more realistic and relatable. It reflects healthy relationship dynamics that readers can recognize and appreciate.

Readers, especially in today's context, value stories that portray consent and positive relationship dynamics. Addressing these topics in romance novels makes the story more relevant and appealing to contemporary audiences.

Romance novels that emphasize consent and healthy relationships empower readers to prioritize their own emotional and physical well-being in their personal lives. Writing about consent and healthy relationships also allows romance authors to contribute to broader conversations about consent culture, boundaries, and respect in society.

8. Write with Passion & Authenticity

Romance is a genre that thrives on emotions. Writing with passion allows authors to convey genuine feelings and create a strong emotional connection between the characters and readers. Writing with authenticity enables beginners to capture the essence of romance, making the love story feel sincere and heartfelt. When writers write from their hearts, it resonates with readers on a deeper level.

Infusing the narrative with passion and authenticity allows writers to showcase their unique voice and perspective. This individuality sets their romance apart and creates a distinct and memorable reading experience.

Passionate writing evokes emotions in readers, allowing them to experience the highs and lows of the romantic journey alongside the characters. When writers write with passion, they show their love for the story and its characters. This enthusiasm is contagious, creating a stronger bond between the writer, the characters, and the readers. Also, no doubt, romance stories written with passion and authenticity leave a lasting impact on readers. The emotional sincerity of the narrative makes the love story more memorable and cherished.

Let your love for romance writing shine through in your storytelling. Write from the heart, and don't be afraid to infuse your own experiences and emotions into your characters and their journey!

9. Edit & Revise

Editing and revising allow writers to refine the plot, characters, and overall narrative structure. It helps eliminate inconsistencies and ensures a cohesive and well-structured romance.

Through editing, writers can deepen and enrich their characters' personalities, motivations, and arcs. This results in more relatable and multi-dimensional characters that readers can connect with on a deeper level.

Editing dialogue ensures that it is natural, engaging, and true to the characters' voices. Well-crafted dialogue enhances the chemistry and interactions between the protagonists. Editing also helps identify and remove unnecessary repetition and filler content, keeping the story focused and compelling.

Revising the pacing of the romance ensures that the story flows smoothly and keeps readers engaged throughout the narrative. Writers also get the chance to address any plot holes or inconsistencies in the story, creating a more coherent and satisfying reading experience, and ensure that the themes and motifs are clearly conveyed and effectively explored throughout the romance.

Writing a great romance story often requires multiple drafts and revisions. Edit your work critically to refine your prose, strengthen your characters, and enhance the emotional impact of your story.

If you've been wanting to write a romance story of your own, but you're unsure as to where to start, JotterPad's Romance Novel template would be the perfect springboard for you. Write your next enchanting romance story by using the template to format the book title, the cover art, author's name, contents page, chapter numbers and titling, paragraphing, page numbers and others. With the nitty gritty formatting details being taken care of for you, you can turn your attention to other things like story-building and character development.

Venturing into the world of writing romance can be a thrilling and rewarding experience for beginners. By embracing these essential tips, aspiring romance writers can embark on a journey to craft captivating and emotionally resonant love stories. Writing romance is all about tapping into the deepest of human emotions, building chemistry between characters, and creating a genuine connection with readers. From setting the right mood to avoiding clichés, every element of a romance story plays a crucial role in delivering a memorable and impactful narrative.

As beginners, it's important to remember that writing is a process of growth and learning. Allow yourself the freedom to experiment, explore, and revise. Embrace your unique voice, and let passion and authenticity guide your pen!

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How to write a romance novel

Vikki Moynes, commissioning editor at Viking, which is an imprint of Penguin General, works on commercial and upmarket fiction – from laugh-out-loud romcoms like Emily Henry ’s Book Lovers to intoxicating, compulsive tales of deadly secrets like Heather Darwent ’s The Things We Do To Our Friends . Here, she shares what she looks for in a romance novel, and her top tips for debut authors.

What are romance editors looking for?

Think of yourself as a reader of your own book – if you were reading a blurb, what would make it a must-read? “First and foremost, I’m looking for the hook – something that feels unique and engaging. This is how I know I can get readers to be as hungry to read it as I am,” says Vikki. “A sense of plotting is also an absolute must. I want to be taken in by the tale the writer is weaving. I read so many books that it’s very hard to surprise me, so when it happens that’s a surefire way to catch my attention!"

Lastly, characters are especially important. “I’m also searching for writers that understand their characters intimately, who can bring them to life and make me care about them too.”

'I'm also searching for writers that understand their characters intimately, who can bring them to life and make me care about them too'

Vikki's top tips for writing a romance novel

1. Create off-the-charts chemistry

The fundamental thing for a love story is the connection between the two main love interests. It should be clear to everyone, but them, that they are meant to be. Your readers need to be aching for them to just get together already!

2. Rework the classic tropes

While there are certain beats and plot arcs that nearly all romances need to hit, writers that can put a fresh spin on those tropes are what always catches my eye.

3. Sweep the reader off their feet

Essentially a combination of the two above points – while we all know they’re probably going to end up happily-ever-after, you need to take the reader on an emotional journey, so they fall in love with each of the characters as much as the protagonists do with each other.

4. Add (at least) a hint of passion

From a flickering candle to a full-blown wildfire, no love story is complete without those all-important scenes where the two people you’re rooting for finally get together. The setting and build-up are key in making the wait worth it for the reader!

How are 'love stories' categorised in publishing?

"Love stories could fall into pretty much any category, as the simple act of falling in love is so universal and fundamentally human," says Vikki. "The love between two people can be so multifaceted: platonic, parental, familial."

'The love between two people can be so multifaceted: platonic, parental, familial'

Genres are a simple shorthand to clearly explain to readers what they can expect from the reading experience. Some readers know they like certain genres, so it helps to categorise books in this way, especially in bookshops, libraries or online. Things are rarely ever as straightforward as that in reality though – often novels sit across multiple genres, for example, Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens is simultaneously a murder mystery, a love story, and a coming-of-age tale.

Editors know their readers extremely well, and it can be instinctual when reading a new submission. "When I’m publishing books under the romance genre, that’s generally because I feel the hook would appeal most heavily to a core audience who reads romances," says Vikki.

"These readers tend to like novels which centre around two characters who fall in love and end up in a relationship – they want to feel the sexual tension, the angst, and be swept off their feet along with the protagonists."

'The hook is your one-line pitch that gives editors and booksellers the unique selling point of the story – the thing the plot hinges on'

The hook is your one-line pitch that gives editors and booksellers the unique selling point of the story – the thing the plot hinges on. Getting it right is a key thing to work on, and something you should keep revisiting during the writing process. You can also gather honest feedback on the hook from people you feel would be the target audience – do they ‘get’ the book straight away? How does it make them feel? Can they envision where it would sit in a bookshop? This can all be useful to help refine before sending it to agents and editors.

Trust your voice

Getting published can be a long journey, and understandably quite daunting, but editors are very aware that your book is incredibly special to you! Vikki says, “Don’t give up – so much of getting published is finding that person who connects with your novel as much as you do – a bit like dating to find your one true love in a way! While it can be a hard slog to find that right editor, it only takes one, and will all be worth it when you do.”

Illustration: Mike Ellis for Penguin

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Tips for Writing Your First Romance Novel

Penning your first romance novel?

While romance may seem like the easiest genre to write, it is definitely not. The average romance reader is smart, discerning and not easily impressed. To create a successful romance, it takes a thoughtful strategy. It won’t just happen magically.

Let’s discuss what you need to know to create a romance novel that makes the reader fall in love and then tell her friends about it.

By the way, I apologize ahead of time for the double entendres and puns that are scattered around this post, but how could I not?

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Follow the Formula

To create a satisfying romance novel, you need to follow a tried and true formula. It’s this:

Boy meets girl.

Boy loses girl.

Boy gets girl.

There’s no use in trying to reinvent the wheel here. Most romance readers will demand that your story follows this formula.

But the good news is, there are millions of different ways you can write this story without it sounding, well, formulaic.

Choose a Familiar Plot Device

Three of the most popular romance plot devices are:

• Friends become lovers
• You’re my soulmate, it’s fate
• This is my second chance to love again

While there are different devices you can use in your story, such as rich and sadistic billionaire playboy meets mousy, unsure girl, you can’t go wrong with the above tropes. Readers want to see themselves in the heroine. They want to believe that this love interest exists. And they want the story to be in some way relatable to their own lives.

Understand Your Audience

When you write a romance novel, you start out with one big advantage. You already know who your reader is: it’s a woman. To be more specific, it’s a middle class and middle aged woman from the South. They like ice tea and hot romance, and I say that with affection as a true southerner.

You may think I’m just joking, but statistics show that 82% or romance book buyers are women . The majority of these women read romance novels at least once a month, but over a third buy more than one romance novel each month.

And these readers are seasoned. 35% have been reading romance novels for 20 years plus. If you crunch the numbers, the average reader was read well over 200 romance novels in their lifetime.

So, keep in mind that you’re probably not going to surprise them with plot (romance stories usually follow the predictable formula we discussed above), but you can provide them with interesting characters to care about and introduce them to a new world that they’ve never experienced before.

Introduce the Heroine

Now that you have a clear understanding of who your reader is, it’s easier to create a heroine that she will love to read about. Although it’s possible to craft a story around a teenage girl and her first love, it may not resonant if your reader is in her 40s. She wants to see a heroine she can relate to.

So, create a heroine that reflects your average reader. Your heroine and the reader should share some sympathetic characters. Here are some ideas you can use to reflect the reader in your romance novel:

• The age of your protagonist
• The mentality of your protagonist
• Physical attributes of your protagonist (hair color, eye color, ethnicity)
• Where your protagonist lives
• What your protagonist does for a living

Psst, don’t forget to check out our guide on writing women here .

Introduce the Love Interest

So, how do you create the perfect love interest for your protagonist? Don’t make him perfect.

Make him imperfect. The protagonist shouldn’t immediately love him or, even if she does, there should be something that gives her pause (age, relationship, etc.).

Make the reader fall in love with him, too. It’s not enough for the heroine to love him, the reader needs to get it. Make the reader care about both main characters. Take your time to create rounded and realistic characters.

In other words, don’t just objectify the hero. He should have faults but a true admiration for the heroine. And he should have a growth arc through the story as well.

What’s the Motivation?

What is driving these two characters in a collision course with each other? For this, you’ll need to know the background for each character. I highly recommend creating a character bible . It’s an important part of the process for character creation in any genre but holds special significance in the romance genre. Here’s why:

Romance characters can often fall flat, if you’re not careful. In a bid to push the characters towards a happy ending, writers may ignore motivation.

So, what exactly do I mean by motivation?

Motivation is the reason why a character does something. It can be something they believe about themselves, something they believe about the other person, or something they want to happen (or not happen).

Motives are usually born in the backstory. The reason why a character opts for one course of action over another is based on something that the reader may not know (but you should definitely know).

Perhaps the heroine doesn’t trust men because her father left her mother. While that may or may not enter into the story, it’s important that you know your character well enough to know the meaning behind her actions. If you can understand her psychology, you can create a character that’s whole, authentic and realistic, even if you don’t tell the reader everything that you know.

You may give glimpses to the reader, but as the writer, should always know the motivation of each character at every point within your story.

Let’s Talk About Sex

Clutch your pearls, boys and girls. It’s time to talk about sex.

So, the question is, should you go graphic and ultra specific with a fully fleshed out (I warned you about the puns) sex scene? Or should you leave a lot to the reader’s imagination?

The answer depends on you. Do you want to write descriptive sex scenes? Or does the thought of using the word “throbbing” make you want to curl up in a fetal position and hum?

There’s no shame in acknowledging that “sexy time” writing is not for you. You can still create a wonderfully romantic, passionate story without going behind closed doors. However, if you do decide to write about sex, remember your audience is women, not teenage boys, and they prefer context to sex. They don’t want gratuitous sex, they want emotion that’s illustrated with sex.

Location, Location, Location

As you know, you use setting to create the mood and atmosphere of your story. But the setting can also become a main character in your romance novel.

You can do historical, you can do contemporary. You can do bucolic, you can do metropolitan. But choose a setting that adds tension to the characters in some way .

Additionally, think of ways to use the setting to differentiate your romance. Instead of setting your story in any town, USA, why not set it on a mission to Mars?

Choosing an unusual setting for your romance novel can help you stand out in a “been there, done that” genre.

A Happy Ending

You need to create a satisfying ending to your novel. If you don’t, it will completely ruin the story for your reader and, perhaps worse, discourage them from reading any other romance novel you publish in the future. That’s not good.

The best plot is the one where the boy gets the girl at the end. Period. So, no matter what it takes to get your characters to this ending, make it happen.

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How to write romantic novels: 9 bestseller insights

Learning how to write romantic novels requires understanding the key ingredients of a great love story. Read 9 insights from 10 top romance novels that show how to write romance that is marketable and affecting:

• Post author By Bridget McNulty
• 2 Comments on How to write romantic novels: 9 bestseller insights

• Build characters readers fall in love with
• Use romantic tension and conflict fully
• Create strong stakes
• Make side characters memorable, too
• Build romantic suspense
• Focus on important choices
• Beware romance tropes
• Surprise your reader
• Commit to your romance

Top romantic novels: 10 bestsellers by reader rating

To select romance books to discuss, we took a random sample of books shelved under ‘Romance’ on Goodreads with a 4.2 or higher Goodreads rating. Most loved romantic novels (including hybrid romance) include:

What do the above novels teach us about writing irresistible romantic novels?

1. Build characters readers fall in love with

At the heart of all the top romantic novels are bold, memorable characters. Desires, fears and romantic developments that feel real.

When you read through reviews for the romance bestsellers listed above, readers frequently remark on their attachment to the characters.

For example, writing for The Guardian ‘s book review portal, a reader says of Cassandra Clare’s third book in her The Infernal Devices prequel series ( Clockwork Princess ):

There was a lot of parts where I had to cry whilst reading Clockwork Princess. Happy, sad and what I can only describe as tears of love – how much love and respect I have for certain characters in not just this book but the trilogy as whole. Reviewer SmileyBlondeee, full review here .

How do you create romantic characters readers fall in love with?

• Include relatable character elements: Most people have things like flaws , vulnerabilities, desires, fears and a history that informs their choices and behaviours. Weave these deeply personal elements into your characters and connect action and reaction.
• Show how characters love (and hurt) one another: Top romance novels are stories of desire as well as the small things that chip away at it; promise and betrayal. We see the double-edged sword of attraction that also brings the possibility of rejection or repulsion. Showing both sides of love – its light and shade – makes romance in your novel more believable and relatable.
• Explore multiple kinds of love: There is ego-based, acquisitive love in a romance novel ( what the Greeks called Eros ). There is also selfless, friendship-like love (what the Greeks called Agape ), too. Many reviewers have commented on how they enjoyed the friendship at the heart of Cassandra Clare’s love triangle in Clockwork Princess . Lust and desire is there, but the connections run deeper. Readers relate to that, to characters with more dimensions.

2. Use romantic tension and conflict fully

Tension and conflict are the lifeblood of story, in any genre.

Romantic novels are the natural place to find simmering tension and smoldering conflict.

Browse through reviews for top romance novels above and you will see the word ‘rollercoaster’ used again and again. Tension and conflict are a key part of that up-down, zig-zag experience.

There are many ways to find tension and conflict for your romance novel:

Popular sources of romance conflict in fiction

Common sources of pulse-racing conflict in romance include:

• Forbidden Love: This is a classic source of romantic tension, going back to Romeo & Juliet (and earlier, for example the love the nymph Echo has for the self-obsessed Narcissus in Greek myth). Forbidden love is writ large in the list of books we chose. In Red, White & Royal Blue , for example, it’s forbidden M/M love between a fictional First Son and a British Prince.
• Love Triangles: Three-way love is more prevalent than ever in fiction with polyamory (a normative practice to some cultures and religions) becoming increasingly mainstream. One thing is certain with a love triangle: more potential for complications, with extra players complicating the mix of desires, fears and other emotions.
• Duty vs Desire: Many romance novels explore internal conflicts that arise under situations such as having public vs private or familial vs personal responsibility. At one point in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice , Lizzie Bennet’s father warns her that if she doesn’t marry a particular man, her mother will never speak to her again, but if she does marry that man, he won’t. That’s a lot of pressure, adding fodder for internal conflict.

What other types of conflict can you identify in your own top romance novels? In Sarah J. Maas’s A Court of Thorns and Roses , the protagonist Feyre falls in love with her captor. The initial conflict leads to an unlikely passion.

Next time you’re reading a romance, take notes on the key conflicts. Who are they between? Where do the external conflicts come from, versus the internal conflicts? How do they shape action and character arcs?

3. Create strong stakes

Any character-driven story needs strong stakes, and romance is no different.

What propels two characters into each others’ lives? What odds do they have to overcome, in order to make it work?

Often, trauma is a part of one (or both) romantic leads’ backstories. A history of survival may be part of a character’s inner conflict, the source of an initial ‘debate’ story beat that makes them reluctant to fully embrace a growing, potential relationship. Nora Roberts’ Three Sisters Island series is one of her highest-rated romance series. Her protagonist, Nell, has high stakes attached to her arrival on the titular island in Book 1, Dance Upon the Air . Nell is fleeing her abusive husband and even conceals her identity in doing so.

The setup is ideal for romantic suspense, as it provides Nell with stakes already going into the story (avoiding being found by her ex) that aren’t yet tied to a new love interest.

Stakes in your romance may stem from the core relationship, but also from peripheral relationships such as past relationships your characters want to escape or forget.

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Work 1-on-1 with a romance writing coach who will help you build strong arcs and stick to your writing goals.

4. Make side characters memorable, too

Juliet’s warm, affectionate but wise nurse in Romeo & Juliet is a coveted stage role because of her potential to steal scenes.

Top romance novels seldom exclusively focus on the romantic leads. That could become very tedious for the reader.

Supporting characters provide many uses in a romantic novels . They may:

• Provide obstacles in lovers getting together: For example, Allie’s mom hiding Noah’s letters to Allie in The Notebook
• Provide valuable advice: Many novels feature romantic leads’ best friends who provide sounding boards for relationship decisions (whether the MC adheres to or goes against the advice given). These relationships often add a cosy, heartwarming element
• Flesh out the feeling of a real, lived life: It’s rare that great lovers don’t have great friends. Friendship is a learning ground for building mutual liking, resolving conflict and much more that people bring to their adult relationships

As one reviewer said, regarding McQuiston’s Red, White & Royal Blue , familial and other bonds help to illustrate romantic leads’ backgrounds and whether or not they have support.

I am always here for strong sibling relationships, and this book has that in spades! Alex’s family in general was everything to me; both of his parents being so supportive and always putting him (and his pace) first really meant a lot to me and makes me so soft just thinking about it. Seriously, this book is found family and blood family goals. Goodreads user Melanie’s review, available to read here.

This may influence the romantic decisions your characters make. Are they empowered to follow their desires, or is it a greater struggle?

In short, side characters with some depth give your readers more to love; more to make your romantic leads’ emotional lifeworld fully fledged.

5. Build romantic suspense

It’s impossible to learn how to write romantic novels without getting good at creating romantic suspense .

In a romantic story, the main source of suspense is so often the simple question, ‘Will they or won’t they [end up together]?’ You have to find the movement, the changes, in a suspenseful situation between two (or more) people when there is attraction in the mix.

As we’ve explored elsewhere , love in cinema and other media builds suspense in a dance between emotional two poles: Desire, on one end, and fear on the other.

The clock strikes 5 to 12, and Cinderella feels intense fear. The prince comes looking for after her flight, and desire is kindled.

A book that has often been held up as a classic romance saga (though some reviewers describe it as an ‘anti-romance’ because of how it pushes up against the limits of the genre) is Colleen McCullough’s The Thorn Birds .

Forbidden love is a large part of The Thorn Birds ‘ romantic suspense: The saga, set in the Australian outback, tells the story of off-limits love between an Irish Catholic priest and a farm labourer’s daughter. An unexpected inheritance forces the priest to choose between his ambition within the church and his love for Meggie, the farm labourer’s daughter.

Here, suspense boils down to a simple (yet also not simple) question: What will he choose?

Build suspense in your own romance by putting your romantic leads through tough questions, tough choices.

6. Focus on important choices

On the subject of choice, choice is a crucial aspect of writing romance. Before lovers propose, elope or drink sleeping potions to escape their feuding families, they first (even if only subconsciously, to start) choose each other.

Great romances suggest or question why people choose each other, cleave to each other, despite forbidding families, miles of distance, and other impossible obstacles.

A reader of JoJo Moyes’ Me Before You sums up what makes a great romance rise above any ‘cheesy’ or schmaltzy ‘carpe diem’ take-home point:

People keep pulling up these quotes about the meaning of life and carpe diem and it makes the whole thing seem much cheesier than it is. […] It’s also nowhere near as romantic as everything tries to make you think: the cover (the UK one is even worse), the blurb, the title… when actually there’s very little romance. There is a touch of finding love in unexpected places and against the odds, but the main focus of this book is about life and the importance of choices. Reader Emily May, review available to read here.

As an exercise, make a list of each character’s possible choices in your story. Which cost the most, entail the greatest sacrifice?

7. Beware romance tropes

Every genre has its tropes. What is a trope? Originally, the word simply meant ‘a significant or recurrent theme, a motif’. However, in the language of narrative studies, it’s also acquired a negative connotation, meaning something clichéd in a genre, such as the ‘orphaned hero’ trope in fantasy fiction. That something is a romance trope does not mean you shouldn’t use it necessarily, or that your book will flop if you use it. As an example, Ashley Schumacher’s 2021 novel Amelia Unabridged has a high average rating on Goodreads, even though some readers railed at specific tropes in the book.

For example, the romance genre trope of ‘insta-Love’ (where romantic leads fall in love almost instantly, with little to build plausible grounds for a relationship).

Says one reviewer:

I am livid. The suspension of disbelief this book asks from me is just monumental, and the way it treats (insta-) love as a magical cure for trauma, anxiety and grief – all in the span of a week – makes my skin crawl. As someone who lived through all three, it feels wrong and harmful and I’m so pissed right now. Having the characters acknowledge how unbelievable it all feels doesn’t make it right, because it’s still there, and it’s not cute. Review via Goodreads, available here.

Romance tropes are ‘sins’ that some readers will take more seriously than others, so it’s helpful to be aware of common ones.

Even hit romance novels use romance tropes

Even bestselling romances sometimes flirt with contrived plot and character devices. TV Tropes does a fantastic (and funny) job naming and describing common romance tropes:

• All Girls Want Bad Boys (the male lead must be ‘alpha’)
• Arranged Marriage (particularly common in historicals as a way to force the love interests to deal with each other)
• Beautiful All Along (the female lead will be described as plain all along, but will be revealed as a secret beauty – a common trope in teen romance movies particularly)

Think of ways you can turn romance tropes on their head.

Maybe the woman (or gender non-binary) lead is alpha. Perhaps the ‘ugly’ or plain character stays that way but finds love anyway on their own terms.

If you use worn out tropes, make sure enough of your story is original for them to be forgiveable.

8. Surprise your reader

Part of why many readers experience obvious tropes as a letdown is that we want stories to surprise us. There’s delight in surprise. Three core emotions that make reading enjoyable are wish, wonder and surprise.

Part of what makes Pride and Prejudice an enduring classic romance tale is its multiple layers of surprise.

We’re surprised a woman living during times where women are married off and threatened with being barred from the family unit for their marital choices that Lizzie Bennet manages to be so headstrong and independent, for example.

The story completely goes against the trope of ‘insta-Love’. Lizzie and Darcy’s growing feelings are the slowest of dawning, creeping realization.

One 5-star review in particular sums up the way the book still has the power to surprise readers:

I was forced to read this by my future wife. I was not, however, forced to give it 5 stars. Reader Troy, review via Goodreads

Whether it’s an unlikely M/M relationship between the sons of heads of state or a historical woman behaving ‘badly’ for her time period, take chances and risks. Risk not serving your reader the same, stale romantic story.

9. Commit to your romance

A big theme that emerges in interviews with Diana Gabaldon, author of the hit historical romance Outlander series, is ‘commitment’.

The commitment between her characers, for one. What it required (and how she was determined to write about the sex lives of forty-somethings):

Claire and Jamie are in their mid-40s, and any number of interviewers expressed aghast horror that I would do that. “No one wants to read about people having sex in their 40s!” To which I replied, “Wanna bet?” Well, actually what I said was, “I’m 42 and my husband’s 43, and I’m not planning on stopping having sex any time soon, and neither is he, if he knows what’s good for him.” Diana Gabaldon, ‘Interview with DIana Gabaldon’, available to read here.

But also, the commitment to writing itself. If you’re writing a romance series, in particular, it’s crucial to commit to story you’ll be telling for some time.

At 35, I said to myself, Mozart was dead at 36. I don’t want to be 60 and not have written a novel. The determination to write came first. Then I asked myself, what am I going to write At Doune Castle about? What would be the easiest thing for me? I’m a research professor, and I know I can do research. I could research historical fiction! Diana Gabaldon, interview with Rona Berg via Enchanted Living

Want to write a great romance? Work with an experienced writing coach who will provide feedback, advice and accountability.

Related Posts:

• How to write a bestseller: 747 No. 1 novels
• How to write a book chapter: 7 popular novels' insights
• How to write a romantic novel for all genre lovers
• Tags how to write romance novels , romance bestsellers , romance writing

By Bridget McNulty

Bridget McNulty is a published author, content strategist, writer, editor and speaker. She is the co-founder of two non-profits: Sweet Life Diabetes Community, South Africa's largest online diabetes community, and the Diabetes Alliance, a coalition of all the organisations working in diabetes in South Africa. She is also the co-founder of Now Novel: an online novel-writing course where she coaches aspiring writers to start - and finish! - their novels. Bridget believes in the power of storytelling to create meaningful change.

2 replies on “How to write romantic novels: 9 bestseller insights”

This article was really good, and very much needed for any writer who wants to write romance and loves it like I do, so I thank you profusely. Hope you keep writing more such helpful hints in future.

Thanks so much Arundhati. I’m so pleased that you found it useful. Good luck with your writing!

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Romantic Novel Writing

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There’s nothing like getting lost into a good love story. People often read to escape reality, and entering an imaginative and creative world of make-believe is sure to leave the mind at ease and the heart full. But what goes into writing a romantic novel? Apart from being able to sell the book, you’d also want to make sure that the story speaks to its readers on a personal level.

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The Art of Romantic Novel Writing

Are you a fan of reading romance novels? Maybe you’ve come across Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin. Or perhaps you’re into young adult romance novels such as Rainbow Rowell’s  Eleanor & Park  or  Anna and the French Kiss  by Stephanie Perkins. And to anyone who has ever felt personally victimized by Nicholas Sparks and his tear-jerking romance novels — don’t worry, you’re not alone. You may also see writing templates & examples .

While romance novels have the ability to pull our heartstrings and make us swoon with glee, contrary to popular belief, this artistic craft is far from the rainbows and butterflies that authors often talk about. Writing a novel isn’t easy, especially when it tackles a universal language that many people struggle to talk about — love.

Romantic novels can sometimes be overly exaggerated, incredibly cliché, or somewhere in between the chaos of it all. But what makes romantic novel writing so raw and pure is how it triggers real human emotions. Stories that talk about the beauty of love, as well as the pain and suffering that comes along with it, is a far cry from the imaginative grounds set by authors of science fiction novels .

But romantic novel writing goes beyond depicting romance with the use of the L-word. In fact, there are many novels that have disguised romance so discretely that readers have failed to notice it right away. For instance, when did you realize that Ron and Hermoine were madly in love in the Harry Potter  series? Surely, the author, J.K. Rowling, never mentioned it directly to an audience, yet readers immediately caught on to their romantic tale because of how it was simply implied in the story. You may also like essay writing examples & samples .

Generally, love is a tricky subject to grasp, but it’s also the primary concept that writers need to focus on when creating a romantic novel.

There’s something about those famous three words that authors try to avoid. It’s not that these words fail to interpret one’s feelings accordingly, but they’re often considered to be melodramatic and overused in both literature and life. So instead of imagining what love is really like or how it’s supposed to be, authors are known for incorporating their personal experiences into their stories. This is what inspires writers to create a piece that can connect with its audience. It’s about conveying a deep, emotional relationship between the characters of the story without stating the obvious. You may also check out book writing examples & samples .

How to Write an Engaging Romance Novel

Romantic novels are one of the bestselling genres in all of history. But despite our personal understanding and knowledge in romance, writing about love and its marvels is a lot harder than you may think. To enhance your writing skills in the said genre, here are some tips and techniques you can employ:

1. Choose a Romance Genre.

Since romance novels are divided into multiple types and subgenres, it’s always best to decide which of these categories to focus on. These subgenres are closely related to other literary genres, such as mystery, thriller, crime fiction, and fantasy. You may also see tips for writing an effective essay .

Other popular romance subgenres include the following:

• Historical Romance
• Contemporary Romance
• Paranormal Romance
• Romantic Suspense
• Inspirational Romance
• Multicultural Romance
• Erotic Romance

2. Allow Character Development.

Character development is one of the most important elements of a good novel. This typically portrays the protagonist along with his or her growth as an individual in the story.

A perfect example of proper character development is depicted in the popular novel A Walk to Remember  by Nicholas Sparks. Here, the main character, Landon Carter, is introduced to readers as a guy with a tough attitude and a ‘bad boy’ demeanor. But after multiple encounters with the story’s leading lady, Jamie Sullivan, Landon finds himself doing the things no one ever thought he would do — tutoring special children, performing in a school play, and most of all, falling in love with the most unpopular girl on campus. You might be interested in what Is writing used for?

The novel goes on to portraying Landon in a better light, where the boy who nearly dropped out of high school goes on to fulfill his dreams of becoming a doctor through the help and guidance of his ‘miracle’.

3. Use Backstories to Influence Relationships.

Adding a good backstory to explain a character’s personality can also help shape the type of relationship shared between the novel’s leading characters. Most authors use unfortunate or abusive upbringings to reflect a character’s fear to trust and love again, while others opt to use this as an excuse to treat their partners the same way. You can tailor the plot of the story according to the type of subgenre you wish to follow. You may also see memo writing examples & samples .

4. Learn to Embrace Flawed Characters.

Truth is, nobody wants to read about a seemingly ‘perfect’ character. Illustrating a character who is smart, kind, rich, attractive, and family-oriented is extremely unrealistic and unnecessary to a story. You don’t want people to believe that their knight in shining armor is supposed to be an immaculate being who can do no wrong, because we all know such being fails to exist. Instead, you need to build characters that readers can relate to. These ‘flawed’ characters should represent everyday people and the mistakes they make. This enables readers to see things from the perspective of the characters being portrayed. You may also like informative writing examples & samples .

5. Experiment with Mismatched Couples.

There’s something compelling (and amusing) about mismatched characters in a relationship. Sometimes, the natural chemistry that these couples share can make a story all the more interesting. A character could be so out of place that it’s actually funny to readers. The way these characters are drawn to one another can also lead to events that will contribute to one’s character development. Like they say, maybe opposites do attract. You may also check out writing examples in pdf .

6. Make it Interesting, yet Believable.

Although most romance novels are completely fictional, this doesn’t mean you could magnify every scene to the point that it’s no longer believable. A good romance novel needs to be as realistic as possible. It must showcase events that are likely to happen in the real world in order for it to become relatable among readers. However, for some science fiction romance novelists, stretching the truth a little may be necessary to emphasize the theme of the story. You may also see application writing examples & samples .

7. Avoid Writing Bad R-Rated Scenes.

It’s safe to say that erotic romance is one of the top-selling genres in the market. Its pornographic nature is what appeals to individuals of certain age groups.

But when E.L. James’  Fifty Shades of Grey  first hit the shelves, it generated a whirlwind of mix reviews. While some people may have adored how open the author was about the world of sex and its subparts, many critics have called out the author for failing to communicate effectively. Keep in mind that sexuality is a very personal topic to take on, so translating this in your novel can be quite difficult. It’s almost like a taboo that society finds difficult to accept in spite of it being a significant part of literature and real life. You don’t want to seem like you’re trying too hard to make a scene sound sexy or erotic, nor do you want readers to feel awkward and uncomfortable with your style of formal writing .

8. Limit the Clichés.

Though it’s nearly impossible to avoid the clichés, you don’t want to overdo it when writing a romantic novel. Overused romance plot tropes are often unimaginative or even damaging stereotypes, which can be a huge problem to sensitive readers. It’s always about the bad boy falling for the silent, girl-next-door type, or the damsel in distress desperately waiting for prince charming to sweep her off her feet. You may also see abstract writing examples & samples .

Maybe it’s time romance novel writing took a turn for the better by creating original love stories that surpass readers’ expectations.

9. Have a Way with Words.

“I’m in love with you, and I’m not in the business of denying myself the simple pleasure of saying true things. I’m in love with you, and I know that love is just a shout into the void, and that oblivion is inevitable, and that we’re all doomed and that there will come a day when all our labor has been returned to dust, and I know the sun will swallow the only earth we’ll ever have, and I am in love with you.” You may also like report writing examples .

— John Green,  The Fault in Our Stars

Romantic words always — emphasis on the “always” — seal the deal. This is where people take romantic quotes from famous novels to use as captions for the photos they post on social media . Like the example above, it’s hard to read a romantic line without feeling your heart flutter even just for a moment.

10. Happily-Ever-Afters: Are They a Yes or a No?

So maybe not everyone is a firm believer of the ‘happily-ever-after’ myth that fairy tales have lead us to believe was real. But perhaps it is true, or maybe to some, a happy ending isn’t standing in front of the alter with the one we love. It’s about being contented with the path that life has lead you to, despite not having someone by your side. You may also check out narrative writing examples & samples .

Regardless, people are suckers for the fairy tale end, in whatever form you wish to disguise it in. A good novel can leave a person smiling and filled with glee, even after the book has been read.

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Vi Keeland Finally Gets Her Unhappily-Ever-After

Dozens of books into her career, vi keeland is finally publishing the thriller she always wanted to write.

After publishing 45 romance novels in 11 years, bestselling author Vi Keeland is ready to pull back the curtain on what happens after the happily-ever-after. In July, her first thriller, The Unraveling , publishes from Emily Bestler’s imprint at Atria.

Keeland wanted “to look at the fallout when things don’t go right in relationships,” she says via Zoom from the cozy writing studio in her Long Island home. “What happens after the romance, when tragedy strikes?”

A native of East New York, Brooklyn, Keeland—who retains a subtle trace of the accent—has no formal training in writing, which she says contributes to lingering imposter syndrome. But she describes herself as a lifelong “avid reader” of both romance and thrillers. Indeed, she’s wanted to try her hand at suspense from the very beginning, and the time was finally right.

“Writing so many romances, I was starting to go, ‘I think I wrote that already. I’ve written that sentence before,’ ” says Keeland, who’s wearing a maroon blouse, layers of delicate necklaces, and thick-rimmed glasses. Her pale hair hangs loose around her face, and her hands flit through the air as she chats away at a rapid clip. Though she protests that she’s too introverted and awkward to show her face in her TikTok videos, she comes across as refreshingly frank and disarmingly self-deprecating. “Switching genres,” she adds, “really was a good little palate cleanser.”

Keeland’s day begins at 4:30 a.m. She spends the wee hours cuddling her three dogs, getting caffeinated, and doing admin work, before retreating to her writing studio, where no one—canines included—is allowed to interrupt. She’s incredibly diligent and seemingly undaunted by writer’s block. (“I just push through it,” she says with a shrug.) She’ll often work on one book in the morning, go for a walk, and then tinker with a different book in the afternoon.

This strict routine arrived relatively late in her career. Keeland first dabbled in writing shortly after college, scribbling half a novel in a long-lost notebook. At the time, she had no notion of sharing her stories with the world; instead, she headed to law school to become a tax attorney.

But even after entering corporate life, she continued to write. And she vividly remembers when she first considered publishing, because the idea came to her during a difficult moment: Hurricane Sandy had filled her family’s home with four feet of water. Keeland, her childhood sweetheart turned husband, and their three children moved into a trailer on their property.

It was then that Keeland happened to read an article about self-publishing, her first encounter with the concept. She had a completed, if unedited, book in the can and, after mulling it over for a few months, she says, “I was like, You know what? I’m going to try it. I didn’t even try to query or get an agent. I didn’t have a website or an author Facebook page. I just did it. Then a couple of days later, somebody wrote a review. It wasn’t even a five-star review! But I read it, and I got the bug. And so I kept going.”

She didn’t leave her job or tell anyone other than her husband about her authorial side-hustle. During those early years she had to fit writing in around her own schedule and those of her children. “My oldest was 14 when I started,” she says. “All of my children are incredibly athletic, unlike me. It was year-round sports, and I was constantly on the sidelines typing.”

Her audience grew quickly; Worth the Fight , the first book in her second romance series, published in September 2013, was a bestseller. Keeland would go on to hit the lists multiple times before she felt confident enough to quit her day job. “I was afraid,” she explains. “Even when my writing was going really well, I constantly felt that each success was going to be my last success. It took about six years to have enough confidence in myself to write full-time.”

And while Keeland has sold backlist titles to Tor’s new Bramble imprint and coauthored books with Penelope Ward that were published by Montlake, The Unraveling is her first solo title to be traditionally published. In many ways, the novel feels like her next big leap, and she’s just as nervous about changing genres as she was about leaving the legal profession.

“I actually had the idea for The Unraveling about five years ago,” she confesses. “I ran it past my agent,” Kimberly Brower at Brower Literary & Management, “and she was like, Do it! But I had my routine, and I was writing what readers expected of me. Basically, I was a chicken. Then a couple years later, I was like, I’m just going to write it. Even if I don’t do anything with it, I have to get it out.”

The Unravelling follows New York City therapist Meredith McCall, whose picture-perfect relationship with pro hockey player Connor Fitzgerald sours after a career-ending injury leaves him with a painkiller addiction and anger management issues. Connor dies while driving under the influence, killing a woman and her child and leaving Meredith wracked with survivor’s guilt. When she happens to recognize Gabriel, the husband of the woman, at a café, she develops an obsession with him. Things take another turn when Gabriel shows up as a patient at Meredith’s psychiatric practice. As the two become embroiled in each other’s lives—and a forbidden attraction blossoms between them—readers come to question exactly who is stalking whom.

Keeland conceived of the central relationship as a game of cat and mouse and notes that, across genres, she loves “to write books about characters on a collision course.” The tension between Meredith and Gabriel is both psychological and sexual, and though the novel isn’t a romance, there are still some sizzling scenes.

“I wanted to straddle a line,” Keeland explains, citing genre-bending authors like Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher as inspiration. “And I actually enjoyed it, bringing in a little bit of romance, making it a little forbidden and taboo.”

That said, the process of writing The Unraveling was a learning curve as Keeland got a handle on the pacing and conventions of a new genre, up to and including the sex scenes. “I was like, Is this too much? Is this not enough?” she recalls.

These questions are what drew her to editor Emily Bestler. “I wanted to work with somebody who’s put out books that I admired,” she says. “I was never sure on structure and plotting. When I first started, I did a little chart: I want the first twist to happen at 20%. But then I read it back and realized that took too long. I really wanted somebody whose advice I could rely on.”

The new genre also brought with it some unexpected pleasures. For one, “when you’re writing a romance, the protagonists have to be likeable,” she says. “Whereas in a thriller, you can just make them interesting.”

Similarly, she took pleasure in leaving the ending somewhat ambiguous, with a final line that delivers a gut-punching twist. “I feel like I have to wrap up everything in romance,” she says. “I’ve written romances about football players, and people email me to ask, ‘What was his jersey number?’ They want every question answered. But here, I loved getting to leave people to their imaginations and make them want to flip back and reread.”

Ultimately, Keeland hopes that romance and thriller readers alike will find something to enjoy in The Unraveling . “I know I’m not going to satisfy everyone,” she says, “but I hope my fans follow me and that I can appeal to both audiences. Maybe I can get some romance readers into thrillers, and maybe even convince some thriller readers to cross over into romance.”

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Durjoy Datta: The Worst-Best Author Durjoy Datta's new novel, "World's Best Girlfriend," is one of India's bestselling authors and we recently had the opportunity to interact with Durjoy and discuss his latest book and his writing journey.

By Kavya Pillai May 27, 2024

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.

Durjoy Datta's new novel, "World's Best Girlfriend," is one of India's bestselling authors. You would probably enjoy this one as well if you have been in love with his romance novels in the past. We recently had the opportunity to interact with Durjoy and discuss his latest book and his writing journey.

We started our chat with a simple introduction, Durjoy promptly said, " I'm Durjoy Datta. I have written 21 books and three audiobooks, and I am a part-time content creator because that's what everyone is these days." Coming to his early years and how he decided to pursue writing he said, "So I have always been a reader and I read a few books and I kept thinking that I can do a better job at this because the longer you are a reader, the more you think that you can write as well." "I think that sort of gave me the motivation to start writing my first book. And luckily, the first good book got picked up, got published. A lot of readers loved it, and that's how I became a writer," he added.

They say writers are immortal because their pieces of work live beyond themselves. If we had to look at cliched romances Romeo and Juliet comes to mind, although we personally have never met Shakespeare. His work has lived beyond him. We asked Dutta what piece of work he would like to be known for. He confessed, "That's a difficult one." "One of my lines is quoted often and that is very widely shared, 'love is a four letter word and so is hate'. I don't know why people like it, but that's one of the words," he added.

As an author, there are two sides to the job. One is the creative part and the other equally important part is the business side. We asked Dutta how he manages these two areas of his work. " I manage these two very badly. But do I give my hundred per cent trying to manage it all? Yes, it's very important. Once you've written the book, you need to push that book out in the market and make maximum people read it because that's what you set out to do. You did not set out to write a diary. You set out to write a novel that should be in people's hands. You want people to stop, go to a bookstore, buy your book and read it. How do I do it? I'm not sure, but I do give it my hundred per cent," he said.

Lastly, we asked how he trailers his book for his readers, Dutta shared, "I write the book that I would want to read, and usually by the time I'm writing the second draft and the third draft, it becomes a book for the audience and for the reader."

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‘How to End a Love Story’ Author Yulin Kuang on Plans for TV Adaptation of Her Debut Novel and Writing Emily Henry’s ‘Beach Read’ Movie

By Jennifer Maas

Jennifer Maas

TV Business Writer

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SPOILER ALERT: This article contains spoilers for Yulin Kuang ‘s new novel “ How to End a Love Story ,” which was released April 9.

Yulin Kuang was deep into her romance-novel era before she released her own first attempt at the genre, “How to End a Love Story,” last month. The debut author, who has thus far spent her career focused on TV and film writing, actually started penning her book while in the middle of adapting two rom-coms by best-selling author Emily Henry : “Beach Read” (which Kuang will also direct) and “People We Meet on Vacation.”

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Here, Kuang (who created the now-canceled CW series “I Ship It!”) explains to Variety how she’d want to see her own book adapted by Hollywood — including the fact she’d prefer a TV series over a movie (for obvious reasons).

If it gets adapted, would you prefer “How to End a Love Story” as a TV show or a movie?

I would only do it as a series. I was talking to an executive friend and she was like, “Why won’t you do this as a movie?” And I was like, “Because I don’t want to have the Act Two in New Jersey. I want to have the New Jersey episode.” That makes more sense to me. I want the camping episode, the Jersey episode. But I don’t want the Act Two as camping and New Jersey and then we come back. That doesn’t feel like the promise of our premise, as a movie. Also I’m just really drawn to the meta idea of a TV show about a writers’ room and seeing how an actual writers’ room would transform this into something else that’s suited to the medium.

Are you currently in talks with any studio, network or streamer for the TV rights?

We are not. We haven’t taken it out officially, I think because my team actually really wants me to consider a movie and I’m not going to change my mind.

Do you have any actors in mind to play Grant and Helen?

Would you want to be the showrunner or write the series yourself? How involved would you want to be?

I would want more control than Helen because I’m more established in my career than Helen. But I would want more voices in the writers’ room. I wouldn’t want to do the thing where it’s just me. Because I know that that is the thing that some people do. But given the nature of the story, it’s interesting to bring in other voices. And I’d probably want to direct the pilot and maybe also the finale. But I would be very interested in seeing what other artists would bring to it because I think that’s the fun part of filmmaking being a team sport.

I know you have a three-book deal with publisher Avon — have you considered doing a followup to “How to End a Love Story” as one of those books?

The thing that draws me to romance as a genre is the way that the stories end, which is not necessarily how the characters end. I think that the characters are existing in this world: Grant is living through pilot season and Helen’s in the background, writing books and things right. But I think this is where I leave them. I have written them to the point that I am interested in them and I’m ready to take on other stories.

When I spoke with Emily Henry before her new book “Funny Story” came out, she was looking forward to getting new drafts of “Beach Read” and “People We Meet on Vacation” from you. Have you all spoken about those yet and how close are you to locking the scripts?

I did deliver those drafts before I went on book tour. And the thing I’ve realized is when they say pub month in publishing, they mean pub month . They’re taking the entire 30 or 31 days. Once pub month is over, I resume work on “Beach Read.” There will be notes from the studio on “Beach Read,” at least. But my time with “People We Meet on Vacation” is probably done. I think [director] Brett [Haley] has got it from here.

Emily’s new book “Funny Story” and her one before that, “Happy Place,” are not currently being developed for TV or film. If and when those rights are sold, would you want to adapt either or both of them as well?

Listen, I love Emily. I love her work so much, so much about it resonates with me. I’ll never say a hard no — but my dance card is quite full.

This interview has been edited and condensed.

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No, a best-selling American writing duo didn't pen a Galen Weston romance novel

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TORONTO — You would be forgiven for thinking Christina Lauren's latest romance novel stars a hunky reimagining of Loblaw chairman Galen G. Weston. 

The hero of "The Paradise Problem" is, after all, described as an heir to Weston Foods, the "heartless corporation his family built from the ground up."

But Christina Hobbs and Lauren Billings, the best-selling American writing duo behind the book and the combined pen name, say Liam (West) Weston is not an analog for Galen Jr., and any similarities really are coincidental. 

"We did not know that there was a grocery family," said Billings. "We had no idea. Somebody told us this two weeks ago and we were like, 'Oh God, I hope that's not weird.'" 

"I did Google, because I was like, 'OK, are they hot?'" she added, requesting that her conclusion stay off the record. 

Though the Weston connection wasn't deliberate, the writers said, there are several intentional nods to Canada in the book for their friends and readers north of the border. The heroine is named Anna Green, as in "Anne of Green Gables," and there's a special edition of the book that features a bonus scene in which West and Anna travel to Canada to get married. (Not a spoiler, as all romance novels end happily.)

And while the parallels between the real-life Weston and the fictional West are clear — and the timing fortuitous, given that the book comes out in the midst of a Loblaw boycott — the similarities do end at a certain point.

West is described as having "eyes the colour of sunlight passing through a glass of whiskey" and "hair that is that exact same colour but with more sunlight streaking through, and so thick I suspect it alone has ruined me for other men." 

Weston's eyes are blue. 

But further to that, before joining the family business, Weston was an investment banker in the U.K. At the outset of the book, West is a Stanford professor who is disillusioned with his family's grocery empire and all it represents. 

Billings and Hobbs hope that makes it easier for readers — particularly those in Canada — to root for West's happily ever after. 

In this "eat the rich" era, the authors said, the billionaire archetype can no longer fit cleanly in the "hero" category — a dynamic they wanted to explore in this novel, their 30th together. 

"Romance has always loved a billionaire," said Billings. "In general, the billionaire trope is done in a way that it's like, he's young, he's sexy, he's kind, he's progressive...those things don't usually coexist. 

"Most billionaires aren't known for being really great, grounded, wonderful, ethical people."

While West is all those things, the Westons in "The Paradise Problem" are anything but wonderful, which is part of why Billings and Hobbs made their hero an heir to a grocery chain to begin with. 

"It's like it's your neighbourhood grocer. You see the picture of the owner and they're sweet and lovely and down to earth and all these things, when in reality they're just sort of nightmares," Hobbs said.

They sought to subvert expectations in general with "The Paradise Problem."

Their first book, adapted from a particularly successful work of "Twilight" fanfiction and published more than a decade ago, also featured a rich hero who introduced his love interest to a world that's out of reach to all but the one per cent.

But that book, "Beautiful Bastard," took a relatively uncritical look at the broader implications of one person having so much wealth.

"Our books now are a bigger world and a bigger story, and we're exploring bigger themes outside of the romance," Hobbs said. "But obviously the romance is always going to be central to the novel itself."

The romance genre has always had an element of fantasy that allows its mostly female readers to romanticize things they might find unappealing in real life — an "alpha" hero who is aggressive and ambitious, for example. 

That used to be how they wrote their books, Billings and Hobbs said, but over the last decade they've moved toward romanticizing the regular.

"Romance as an idealized world is something that's existed forever. But what I think Christina and I really want to do is romance as a realistic idealized world," Billings said. "Every consenting adult should get their happily ever after, and every happily ever after should have a stable and supportive community."

In "The Paradise Problem," they said, the "realistic" character is Anna, a starving artist who lives with a roommate and loses her job at a convenience store.

"In this book, Anna is the aspirational one, for me at least," Billings said. "She starts the book with nothing. She can barely afford to pay her bills. But she is still the person that we are rooting for, whose life we are envying at some point, because she is so grounded in herself and who she is."

The fantasy comes from the setting, the private island where West takes Anna for a family wedding.

Readers can luxuriate in the exclusive locale and marvel at the riches Billings and Hobbs describe. But at the same time, they can take comfort in the knowledge that being that wealthy comes with drawbacks.

"It was fun for us to both take that escapism of the island and the lush setting of the wedding, but also kind of try and ground it in a little bit more of reality of what a billionaire family might feel like to be around," Hobbs said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 14, 2024.

Nicole Thompson, The Canadian Press

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24 Romance Books To Spice Up Your Bookshelf In 2024

B uckle up, book lovers! We've lined up a romance novel smorgasbord that's all about the feels - heart-tugging, eye-rolling and swoon-inducing. These gems were all the rage last year, but trust us, they are worth a cozy curl-up in 2024. From brooding heroes to witty exchanges, there's a spicy page-turner perfect for your bookshelf. 

#1 Reminders Of Him By Colleen Hoover

Review: "The way this boom absolutely wrecked and destroyed me emotionally ?? I loved it, absolutely loved it, there isn’t a SINGLE DAY that goes by where I don’t think about it. That’s how much it affected me. Rowan, wooow her story; I was crying within the very first pages. I haven’t had a book that has made me cry this much in such a long time. The way the characters developments progressed is top notch, loved the ending! Love the whole book ? If you like emotional books that draw you in and tug at your emotions, this one is it. I highly recommend it." — Alymommydarling

Image credits: amazon.com

#2 Fourth Wing By Rebecca Yarros

Review: "I don't know what to say that hasn't already been said by many other reviewers. I've been more interested in fantasy lately, mostly reading YA romantasy. So when this book went wild on Bookstagram, I figured, hey why not try it out. Plus, have you seen those page edges with the dragons? So pretty. I tried to avoid reading reviews because I didn't want any spoilers and I didn't want someone else's review to affect my enjoyment of the book. Fourth Wing is one of the longest books I've read, but I truly enjoyed it. It was giving major Divergent & Hunger Games vibes with the tension/attraction of Twilight. I loved all those books and I'm not ashamed to say that! I liked the academy type setting, the divisions based on skills and learning what each group does, and of course the dragons. My favorite part of the book though is the tension-filled relationship between Violet and Xaden. I know this book is just the first in a series and I feel like it did a pretty good job of setting up the concept and some of the other characters. I did a mix of audiobook and ebook and I loved the audio. So for those of you romance readers who don't usually read fantasy but you're thinking about this book because you've seen it all over Bookstagram, I say give it a try. Try your library for the audiobook or ebook to see if you like it. I'm glad I gave it a shot because I absolutely loved it and can't wait for book 2!" — Joy J.

#3 Book Lovers By Emily Henry

Review: "I'm a reader. I read probably more than I socialize with people. My whole life is built around books. I usually go for fantasy and sci-fi to escape what reality I live in to catch a break. However, I admit; I'm a sucker for a romance where the banter is quick-witted, smart, catchy. I'm a sucker for a romance that isn't so played out, it's become boring but also isn't love at first sight. Nora Stephen's is the kind of career driven shark I wish I could have been a little more of. She isn't perfect; she compartmentalizes her emotions, she organizes every thing down to the last bit, she's maybe a bit cold but only because she's afraid to be top vulnerable, and those she loves the most are who she holds the closest to her. I loved the MC truly and her relationship with Libby. Watching her grow and shift to realize she doesn't always have to try and protect her. Much like my older sister, who thinks the same thing. This book caught me by surprise truly. Romance isn't my go-to reads and I'm so glad I read this." — Megan

#4 Happy Place By Emily Henry

Review: "What a beautiful book! The best way I can describe it is that it has such a nostalgic vibe. It felt a bit deeper than some of the other Emily Henry books and I loved that about it. It includes a lot about how hard life changes can be and the whole book was just so relatable. The found family storyline was perfection. I loved how each character was so unique but as a group they were tight knit and supportive even when life was hard or unexpected. Emily Henry is the queen of witty banter and this book did not disappoint in that area. I loved the way that Wyn and Harriet interacted with each other. The way she writes dialogue is my favorite. The setting was perfection and gave those perfect coastal, small town feelings. This book is told in a past and present timeline and I loved how the past timeline highlighted Wyn and Harriet most special places…their happy places. ? I feel this book is lighter on the romance but I still whole heartedly recommend it!" — Aimee McCabe

#5 Dreamland By Nicholas Sparks

Review: "The craziest thing is I do have a boyfriend, he is a farmer and I could never figure out why we can't be together most of the time. Reading this book did put things into perspective, I know our story isn't like Morgan and Colby's but kudos to you Nicholas. I loved every line in this book, and it maintained a bit of old school that I always find and makes me love reading novels. Every now and again it helps me escape the reality of the world we live in." — Shelly

#6 Love, Theoretically By Ali Hazelwood

Review: "I absolutely loved this book. It was so sweet and endearing. I truly enjoy these sweet academic romances. They are so much fun to read. This book along with all it’s predecessors is laugh out loud fun. This story totally melted my heart. I laughed, I cried and swooned while reading this book. The character line up was amazing and I could not help but fall in love. I really hope that the author decides to continue with these wonderful nerdy romances. Not only are they sweet, but they are laugh out loud fun. With funny awkwardness and quirky romance, these books are sure to have you falling in love. They are amazing reads for the geeks at heart. Nerds need love too!" — Patty Wilderman

#7 Yours Truly By Abby Jimenez

Review: "I was so excited to get my hands on a copy of this book, especially after loving everything I have read by Abby. Let me tell you; she did not disappoint with this one. This story had me all up in my feels. It's a total emotional rollercoaster. Bri and Jacob, two ER doctors, are opposites- she is outgoing, and he has severe social anxiety. After a rocky start, the two end up faking a relationship, and slowly but surely, they start falling for each other. Both characters are thoroughly likable and are just so good together. ⁠ This story had all the humor and heart you could want, and the way Bri and Jacob use letters is perfect. It was such a great addition to the storyline. This one had me laughing and swooning the whole time. Bri and Jacob's relationship is super sweet. I adored that they were able to really see each other and love each other, quirky faults and all. Some heavy topics are an essential part of the plot, so check the content warnings. She handled these issues delicately, and they didn't bring the whole story down. If you're looking for a fantastic romance, run - don't walk, and get a copy of this one!!" — Andrea G.

#8 The Bodyguard By Katherine Center

Review: "I adore this story! Fake dating, forced proximity, movie star/normal human, etc. So many of my favorite tropes all rolled into one fantastic story! I loved the meet cute! I loved the moment they both realized they weren't pretending! I loved pretty much everything about this book! Katherine Center sure knows how to write an unputdownable book!" — Heidi S.

#9 Meet Me At The Lake By Carley Fortune

Review: "this book made me want to pack my bags, and escape to a lake house, a warm genuine cabin resort. a place where i could dance with nature and feed my inner child, a community that makes you feel more than a guest, but like family. i enjoyed the hidden, simple messages of life not always going as planned and the little lessons of never taking life for granted, making sure to always tell a loved one how much you care and sometimes, we have to show up and fight for what we want. this book made me feel, made me want to connect with each character (my favorite was peter, i wanted to know more about him, i fell in love with his heart) a book where you can take to the park and have a picnic with, a companion, as you sip on wine after a long day, or share a nice hot cup of coffee with. either way, it’s a must read. thank you for this." — M o o n ii e

#10 Part Of Your World By Abby Jimenez

Review: "The chemistry is off the charts! I adore Alexis and Daniel. This story just takes off from first page and you don't want to put it down. Part of Your World is an opposite attract romance where two very different worlds collide. This is Abby's 4th romance novel and I have read all 4. And I must say she is one of my favoritea authors and I look forward to each new book she releases. This one was no exception and it lived up to all my expectations. This book might be her funniest yet. It made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me swoon. And there is a baby goat in pajamas! What more could you want? As expected the author tackles heavy topics in a realistic manner, this time it’s DV. I felt the author, as always, did a great job of blending such an emotional matter in a way that adds a valuable layer of weight to the book. Abby could just go for humor and romance but there is always more to her stories that makes it more meaningful. Definitely recommended for anyone who loves opposites attract, small town romance with tons of heart! It was a beautiful modern fairytale." — amanda little

#11 Nora Goes Off Script By Annabel Monaghan

Review: "I absolutely adored Nora Goes Off Script. I loved how clever it was and how it made fun of hallmark romance movies. I loved how real Nora was with her adorable two kids and her deadbeat ex husband. I loved the small town she lived in and all the fantastic side characters (looking at you, Weezie!). This story is just the perfect escape. Is it realistic? Absolutely not! But will it leave you swooning and smiling? Absolutely! This book will be one of your FAVORITE summer reads. It’s everything you want in a romance. Gosh, I just loved it. And now I’m a forever fan of this author. Like, what is next? Please just send it my way. New go-to author. ⁣ Content: romance- lots! But closed door, friends ?? language- yep, but I could deal without gritting my teeth. ?⁣ Loved it. Pack it in your suitcase for beach vacay, and thank me later." — MeetMeInTheStacks

#12 Romantic Comedy By Curtis Sittenfeld

Review: "It’s been a while since I enjoyed a book this much. The writing was intelligent enough that I looked several words up to be sure of their meaning. Intelligent but not stuffy! Sally and Noah were refreshingly and believably nuanced. The backstory around a Saturday Night Live-style TV show was fascinating, the love story itself was engaging and the ending pleasurably satisfying. Well done Curtis Sittenfeld!" — Lucy Grace

#13 The True Love Experiment By Christina Lauren

Review: "Much to my family's dismay, I don't do reality TV. I am just not a fan at all. Even my husband is known for tuning in to watch. At first, I was worried that this would impact my enjoyment of the storyline in The True Love Experiment, but I was pleasantly surprised. Let me tell you, I am so down to watch a reality show like the one in this book!! Give me all the romance novel heroes, please!! ⁠ As with every other book written by this dynamic duo, once I started reading, I couldn't stop. I finished this book in one sitting. I have never read a book by Christina and Lauren that I didn't absolutely love, and this one did not disappoint! Oh, Fizzy and Conner, how I loved you!! Your chemistry was amazing, and I thoroughly enjoyed watching your relationship develop. I loved seeing Jess and River again and was tickled that the DNAduo story continued. This novel captured everything I love about romance novels and was the perfect read for me!! My romance-loving heart highly recommends this one!!⁠" — Andrea G.

#14 The Love Wager By Lynn Painter

Review: "I LOVE Lynn Painter’s writing soo much! Her books are just perfect. What I love most about this book was its ability to put a smile on my face, and transport me away to Jack and Hallie’s world! It made me immensely happy to see Liv and Colin again as well. Hallie and Jack were cute! I loved how their relationship blossomed from friendship to true love. I could see Hallie being a besties with Liv. Also, Jack!! I could honestly spend my whole review detailing all the ways I adore him. He gives Wes a run for his money, but Wes will always remain the GOAT. My hope is that we get a book about how Will and his wife ended up together. I loved them in Mr. Wrong Number, and would love to know more. I’ll close just by saying, Lynn you’re truly the greatest!" — Uclaknitter02

#15 Practice Makes Perfect By Sarah Adams

Review: "I’ve wanted to get back into reading and chose this book to be the one that gets me back to reading more books. And it definitely did! I’m a sucker for romance, and this one hit the spot. Don’t expect it to be a SPICY book. (If I had to rate the spice it’s a 1 out of 5) Which it’s okay! Loved Annie and Will’s chemistry. Gawd I just love the whole vibe of this book, it’s hard to explain. Practice Makes Perfect is a very sweet & cute novel, that I recommend if you’re looking for a simple read." — Eunmi

#16 The Seven Year Slip By Ashley Poston

Review: "There's a hopefulness in the click of the lock in Apartment B4's door...and it sets up a magic contemporary romance in Ashley Poston's 'The Seven Year Slip.' While I found myself looking for an explanation as to why our two love interests--Clementine West and James Iwan Ashton--could individually leave the 'magical' apartment during its timeslip into the past and be in their respective correct time, I could set aside the desire for a sci-fi interruption and enjoy the contemporary story that unfolds here. Clementine and Iwan meet seven years ago when Iwan is just starting his career and Clementine is 'current day' with her career already seven years in progress--and they're both seeking. We follow Clementine's arc looking for joy in her job and life-without-her-beloved aunt and we see her assist Iwan in rediscovering his joy. It's not just a cutesy romance where two people fall in love and move through time. It's an in-depth look at how time changes a person--and reconnection can help you get yourself back. I admit I got a little weepy in a few spots while reading and then full-on burst into tears when I got to the thought-provoking discussion questions at the end. Poston did a fantastic job with this..." — Fantasy Author Sandy Lender

#17 Forget Me Not By Julie Soto

Review: "I love a book with excellent chemistry and tension between a couple. And I adored Ama and Elliot so dang much. She is terrified of commitment due to her past and he is someone who doesn’t get to know people easily but Ama breezes into his life like a splash of joy that he can’t say no to despite his grumpy nature. He is immediately enamored with her and fumbles with how to catch her as she flies in circles around him during all of this wedding planning. The story is told in two parts. Him as they met and dated in the past. And her as she is forced to work with him a few years later during a career making wedding she has to plan. The pacing is pretty fast and their reactions to each other is addicting. He rarely speaks so when u can read his chapters and hear his thoughts about how enamored he is with her just made my heart sing. Read this book." — Blondebell

#18 Hello Stranger By Katherine Center

Review: "Hello Stranger is my first Kathrine Center novel. Comfy cozy, light, heartwarming, fuzzy feelings aplenty! The plot was creative, you do have to suspend disbelief a little but overall I found this to be any enjoyable read. Sadie is a portrait artist on the cusp of her big break. She is a finalist in a prestigious art competition that will put her name on the map. She ends up in the hospital and after surgery she is diagnosed with prosopagnosia or “acquired face blindness.” She is now a portrait artist who can’t see faces with only one month to paint the best portrait of her life. Sadie is a complex but mostly likeable main character. She has been burned by the people closest to her, experienced the loss of a parent, and now is dealing with medical trauma. Because of her past, she has a hard time asking for help. As someone who has experienced my own losses, Center handled Sadie’s and her dad’s grief in such an authentic and heartbreaking way. The romance aspect of the story was so sweet, and the couple had great banter." — The Book Pear

#19 Business Or Pleasure By Rachel Lynn Solomon

Review: "I absolutely loved Business or Pleasure by Rachel Lynn Solomon. The chemistry between Chandler and Finn was sizzling, and they were a delightful couple. The way they communicated their needs through frank and open conversations was fantastic. I couldn't get enough of their story. I liked how genuine and heartfelt the interactions between the two were. The whole idea behind the story was enjoyable too. You hardly ever see male characters shown as anything other than perfect in bed, so it was nice to see Finn, even though he's a celeb, being portrayed as a relatable and flawed guy who needs a little help between the sheets. I found Solomon's writing style quite engaging, especially in the steamy scenes where Chandler and Finn were so open about their desires and mastering the art of pleasing a lover. Seeing them try to keep things strictly professional after sharing such intimacies was very entertaining. This forced proximity, he-falls-first, spicy hot romance was perfect from beginning to end! It had me laughing out loud one minute and swooning the next. It was a highly enjoyable and empowering female-forward read. It gets a full recommendation from me!" — Andrea G.

#20 The Neighbor Favor By Kristina Forest

Review: "I really enjoyed this book; mainly because it intertwined romance and the love of books from the perspective of black people. You often don’t hear too many people who read the Sci-Fi section of fiction books from African American Authors. So, the fact that Kristina used this to showcase that side of fiction genre was “chefs kiss”. Personally, I’m not a fantasy reader but hearing snippets of the books mentioned made me second guess it. I may be reading some in the near future. I did enjoy both Lily & Nick’s story… Very relatable in terms of their backstories. It definitely kept things interesting." — Tanesha Abernathy

#21 Will They Or Won't They By Ava Wilder

Review: "I've been in a bit of a reading slump and this book really grabbed my attention. I liked the backdrop of this tv show last season reunion but it was the characters that pulled me in. As flawed as they both are, the writing made me feel for them. I always enjoy dual POV in romance stories, so of course getting to read (listen to) both of them go through hate, jealousy, love, pain, joy...it was just a wonderful book. There's also a dual timeline and those chapters that went back to the earlier years added so much understanding to the current range of emotions the characters were experiencing. I recommend giving this book a try if you like romance stories with flawed characters." — Joy J.

#22 Just My Type By Falon Ballard

Review: "Wow. This was such a great book! It’s my first book by Falon Ballard and it did not disappoint. When it comes to tropes, second chance romances aren’t at the top of my list. But I loved the idea of a 'How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days' vibe mixed with a dash of soul searching, and this was truly a great read. Seth and Lana were both well rounded characters. Typically in a second chance romance, I usually side with one person over the other. But Seth and Lana both had their faults in their demise, but they grew into amazing adults. Was this a slow burn? Yes. But it was realistic and it was worth it. And I’m always a fan of highlighting how therapy can really help a person heal. This was done so very well, and I will definitely be reading more from Falon in the future." — Stephanie Dee

#23 Once More With Feeling By Elissa Sussman

Review: "First Elissa Sussman book and I can't wait to read Funny You Should Ask next! I loved her writing! This sweet second chance romance swept me off my feet and swooned me. It was sweet and a little spicy too! The theatre aspect of the entire book sold me. Theatre was my life in high school, so I related deeply to this book and all the theatrical drama! The enemies to lovers trope rang true in this one and it was executed so well and the character development was perfect for both Cal and Kathleen. It was a slow burn for sure, but every bit worth the wait. If you're looking for a light, funny, sweet and steamy rom-com for your summer, this is it!" — Skye Ellis

#24 Secretly Yours By Tessa Bailey

Review: "Okay, Tessa Bailey once again created the perfect rom-com for my HEA-loving heart. Set in the wine-perfect backdrop of Napa, this one immediately hooked me. I adored the magnetic attraction between the complete opposites, Hallie and Julian. That's a trope I can relate to. Their personality clash added some extra sizzle to the building tension between them. The spicy scenes were hot! Julian's body-positive affirmations made me swoon. I have to say that I will never plant flowers again without thinking of the garden scene. Whew!! It was also a refreshing change to have a male MC dealing with anxiety and panic. I enjoyed the personal growth and self-realization that Hallie and Julian prompted in each other. Kudos, Tessa!! This is an adorably fun romance novel I would highly recommend! ⁠" — Andrea G.

New romance books for a steamy summer: Emily Henry, Abby Jimenez, Kevin Kwan, more

Whether you’re heading on vacation or looking to stay entertained at home, you’re going to need a good book this summer. And if you're a rom-com lover, you've got plenty of options.

From the world of professional sports and reality love competitions, to a nostalgic summer camp and a waiting room in the afterlife, there's a romance story for every taste. Strong main characters, clever premises, spicy scenes, heart-stopping love stories — we've got a roundup of books that offer a little bit of everything you're looking for in the romance department.

These are some of the must-read romance novels for summer.  

'When I Think Of You' by Myah Ariel (out now)

Myah Ariel’s debut stars Kaliya, a movie lover waiting for her big break, and her ex Danny, a Hollywood nepo baby who finally offers her one. It’s a smart commentary on privilege in the entertainment industry and an emotional journey through second-chance love. 

Check out: USA TODAY's weekly Best-selling Booklist

'The Prospects' by KT Hoffman (out now)

Gene is the first openly-trans player in professional baseball. He’s living the dream — until his rival Luis gets traded to his minor league team. Hoffman’s debut is entertaining, sexy and delivers a much-needed joyful tale of queer love. 

'Expiration Dates' by Rebecca Serle (out now)

Rebecca Serle has a knack for executing high-concept, emotional love stories. “Expiration Dates” takes readers on a journey with Daphne, who receives a piece of paper every time she meets a man, detailing exactly how long they’ll be together. But Jake’s slip of paper has no date, and she’s forced to reconcile her big ideas about partnership, singlehood and uncertain futures. 

'Here We Go Again' by Alison Cochrun (out now) 

Former childhood friends-turned-enemies Logan and Rosemary felt like their lives had taken a turn for the mundane. But when their favorite high school teacher shares his dying wish, they embark on a cross-country road trip together that just might change everything. Alison Cochrun has a knack for delivering queer love stories full of humor, emotion and thoughtful observations about relationships with others and ourselves. 

'How To End a Love Story' by Yulin Kuang (out now)

The enemies-to-lovers trope starts out strong: Grant and Helen are at odds because years ago in high school, Grant accidentally killed Helen’s sister. Now, they’re working together as Helen’s YA novel series becomes a TV show. Debut novelist Kuang writes so beautifully and so intentionally, weaving the lives of this unlikely duo together. If you read one book on this list, make it this one.

'This Could Be Us' by Kennedy Ryan (out now) 

Soledad has a plan and an answer for everything. But when her seemingly forever relationship comes to a sudden halt, she has to pick up the pieces herself. And when the chance for new love arises, she has to decide if she can risk losing it all again. It’s a story about romantic love, but also self-love — Ryan masterfully builds complex female characters and she does it again here, crafting a lead who’s as invested in her own personal journey as she is her romantic one. 

'Late Bloomer' by Mazey Eddings (out now) 

When Opal’s lottery win ends up being more trouble than it’s worth, she buys a failing flower farm in North Carolina and flees her regular life. One problem: Pepper, Opal’s complete opposite, thinks she’s the rightful owner of the farm. Spicy, sweet and cozy, cottagecore girlies are in for a treat with this one. 

'Just For The Summer' by Abby Jimenez (out now) 

You don’t hear a lot of love stories that start with an “ Am I The Asshole ?” Reddit thread. But Jimenez builds a beautifully compelling one with Justin’s post about being a good luck charm for other people finding love, which finds Emma, who has a habit of dating men who find “the one” right after they break up. Can they break their respective dating curses by hatching a fake relationship plot to trick the universe? 

'Funny Story' by Emily Henry (out now)

The premise is a bit of a mouthful: Daphne pretends to date her ex-fiance’s new fiancee’s ex-boyfriend ahead of the wedding of the aforementioned ex-fiance. Rom-com darling Emily Henry’s latest work is yet another case study in her ability to craft a rich cast of complex, funny characters you can’t help but root for in romance and in finding themselves.  

'Savor It' by Tarah Dewitt (May 21)

Described as the love child between “Schitt’s Creek” and “The Bear” — we're hooked! New York City chef Fisher winds up in Sage’s small coastal Oregon town, where the two opposites join forces to try to beat Sage’s newly-engaged ex in the town’s annual summer competition festival. 

'Lies and Weddings' by Kevin Kwan (May 21) 

Rufus is the future Earl of Greshamsbury, but his family is facing a major money problem. Not to worry, he’ll just find a rich wife at his sister’s extravagant Hawaiian wedding. Could it be that easy? The author of rom-com juggernaut “Crazy Rich Asians” is back with another larger-than-life tale about high society and extreme wealth in all its glitz, drama and impermanence. 

'One Last Summer' by Kate Spencer (June 11)

If you’re looking for a story that screams summer romance, this is it. Clara’s life is resembling the beginning of the “Friends” theme song before she takes some much-needed time off with her friends at their childhood sleepaway camp. Everything is perfect… until they learn that the owners are selling the camp grounds. She’s reunited with Mack, her childhood nemesis, and confronted with decisions about what kind of life she really wants. 

'The Rom-Commers' by Katherine Center (June 11)

A homebody writer gets the opportunity of a lifetime to work on a rom-com script with her favorite screenwriter. The problem? He hates the genre and doesn’t believe in love. This rom-com about a rom-com offers a pretty predictable storyline, but the enjoyment comes from the tongue-in-cheek commentary on its own genre. As Center writes, “If you’re surprised by the ending, somebody wasn’t doing their job. We all know where it’s headed. The fun is how we get there.”

'Hot Summer' by Elle Everhart (June 25)

Attention “Love Island” fans: A new bombshell has entered the villa — er, literary scene. Cas gets cast on her favorite reality dating show, but there’s a catch: Her company is partnering with the show, and she’ll finally get a promotion if she makes it to the finals. But her plans to win the decidedly straight dating show are thrown for a loop when she develops feelings for fellow contestant Ada.

‘The Love of My Afterlife’ by Kirsty Greenwood (July 2)

Delphie dies by choking on a microwaveable burger, then finds herself in the afterlife waiting room with the man of her dreams. She takes a deal that gives her a second chance at life and love: Return to Earth and get the mysterious man to kiss her in 10 days or come back to The Great Beyond. Greenwood weaves themes of loneliness, grief and self-discovery into a romance filled with laugh-out-loud moments. 

'The Au Pair Affair' by Tessa Bailey (July 16)

A veteran hockey star hires a damaged but sunshine-y marine biology masters student as his daughter’s au pair. You didn’t think they’d be able to keep things professional while living together, did you? Come for the buzzy hockey romance trope, stay for the unique spins and swoon-worthy leading man that Bailey has become famous for crafting.