There are many people who believe that romance writing is one of the easiest forms of fiction writing there is. The truth is, just because there is a formula to it, that doesn’t mean it’s simple. Just like any genre, there are complexities that need to be considered to make a romance novel really pop. Here are five things people don’t tell you about writing romance.

1. Creating a leading character that readers will fall in love with is HARD. I write male/female romance, so my mission is always to create the perfect swoonworthy yet sexy male that will make people keep on turning the pages. To do this requires some careful crafting. Not every reader wants the same thing in a leading man, and it will also depend on which sub-category of romance you are writing, but the most important trait he needs is a level of likeability. Even the most insufferable alpha male needs to have something redeeming to keep a reader’s interest, and so it’s important to really take your time when shaping your character’s profile.
2. A romance, by definition, must have a happy ending, or a “happy for now” so the reader finishes the story feeling satisfied. There are books that have elements of a romantic plot but don’t have the happily ever after. And if you are marketing your book as a romance without that happy ending, you will find yourself with some very upset readers, so ensure you are correctly labelling your book before you begin your promotion.
3. Emotions are key. It sounds obvious, but you would be surprised by how many romance novels are written that lack emotional depth, and without that, your novel might just fall a little bit flat.
4. Let’s talk about sex, baby! (I know you’re singing right now!). Not all romances MUST have a sex scene. There are oodles of clean romances out there that are sweet and sell. It’s a myth that you have to have your characters getting down and dirty to make your book popular, but if you are going to get them all sweaty… that is something you have to nail (no pun intended lol). Frankly, writing sex scenes is not my favourite thing because there are very limited words you can use for the relevant body parts to keep it feeling sensual and not clinical. Keep use of the correct terms for male and female parts when you are writing these scenes to an absolute minimum because they aren’t very appealing! I might write a longer post on this topic another time as there is an awful lot to cover!
5. Knowing your genre, no matter what you write, is something you must do. Obviously, you must never copy someone else’s book, but you do need a knowledge of what works and what doesn’t to make your own book a success. Re-read some of your favourite romance novels and note what you liked and didn’t like. You can also do this exercise by watching romance movies – plus, you get to look at good-looking guys while you are ‘studying’! Use your list to help you hash out ways you can utilise those elements within your own story.

All writing requires a LOT of study and a lot of re-writing and learning along the way, but hopefully, now you have a little more knowledge on some of the secrets behind romance writing.

You can take a look at my romance novels here: https://kyralennon.com/books