Excerpt:
“Romance novels are written to a specific formula.” The number of times I’ve heard this insulting and patronizing phrase throughout my career as a romance writer would fill its own book! Yet, regardless of urban legends and popular culture tales, the simple fact is this: There is no romance novel formula.Let me repeat that with emphasis: There is no romance novel formula.
Now, it might seem like I have contradicted the title of this book by saying that. However, there is more than one way to write a romance novel. This book is intended as a guide to assist you while giving you the freedom to find your own version of a formula.
While there is no set formula per se, there is a structure you can follow that will aid you in writing your breakout romance novel. This structure isn’t used solely by romance writers. Different forms are used by all novelists (see, for instance, books such as Story, Save The Cat! Writes a Novel, The Plot Whisperer, and Story Engineering, which have a variety of formulas, guides and suggestions). In that regard, writing a romance novel is almost the same as writing any other novel. I say almost because the romance genre has necessary inclusions that are applicable to it alone. This applies to every genre. These are called genre conventions.
Whether you are a novice or a seasoned writer, this book can lead you through the quagmire of structure and help you find the unique path for your characters to follow on what I call the lovers’ journey.
The Book Junkie Reads . . .Reckless Dreams Interview with . . . Alicia Leigh . . .
How would you describe your style of writing to someone that has never read your work? I write in several subgenres of romance plus non-fiction aimed at writers (obviously!). My romance tends to lean more to the sweet side, but there are definitely dark elements and themes which I feel the sweetness helps to offset.
Do you feel that writing is an ingrained process or just something that flows naturally for you? Both. Some days it feels like the words are already there, waiting for me to grab them. Other times, it is more about ‘bum in seat’ to get the words down.
What mindset or routine do you feel the need to set when preparing to write (in general whether you are working on a project or just free writing)? I usually do a meditation and affirmation routine before I sit down to write. I also have either music or a movie I know by heart playing in the background – it acts as a type of white noise that keeps me focused.
Do you take your character prep to heart? Do you nurture the growth of each character all the way through to the page? Do you people watch to help with development? Or do you build upon your character during story creation? I do people watch. It’s creepy . . . unless you’re a writer! :-D I tend to have a general overview of my character’s personality as well as their GMC (goal, motivation, conflict) and FNF (fear, need, flaw) and the way they will grow throughout the story, but I let the story and the characters ‘show’ me the way they want that to play out.
Do you have a character that you have been working on for a long time that still isn't quite ready, but fills you with excitement to work on the story? Yes. The heroine in the story I am working on for my PhD has been swirling in my head since I started but, due to the slower process required for my PhD, she is not fully formed yet. It has been challenging to adapt to the new pace (I’m normally a fast writer)!
Have you found yourself bonding with any particular character(s)? If so which one(s)? Yes. I adore all of my characters. However, Bella in BEAUTIFUL (my Beauty and the Beast retelling) and Diana and Jon in my first novel, SEE HER RUN, have special places in my heart.
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Thank you for the interview, and sharing. 😊
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