Great Expectations!

 

 

 

Last summer, my husband and I celebrated 20 years of marriage.  So, we decided, since I was doing a book tour in Holland, to tack on a trip to Prague.  If you’ve never gone, it just might be the most beautiful city in Europe. 

 

About four months before our trip, we got online and searched for hotels – found a beautiful hotel right on Old Town Square, facing the Tyn Cathedral.  We ordered Prague travel books and we hired a guide for a day.  My husband began Tivoing every travel channel episode he could find on Prague (which led to a day –long excursion to find the perfect apple strudel, thank you so much Samantha Brown). 

 

We were ready.  Or so we thought. 

 

We knew from pictures that it was beautiful, but when our taxi drove us into Old Town square, words failed us.  Everything from the dark grandeur of the gothic cathedral, to the storybook square, to the smell of the cafes and linden trees, to the sound of horses, their hooves clopping across black cobblestones – we’d been swept into a fairytale.  We expected to eat a pig’s knuckle, an sit in outside cafes and see castles, and linger on the St. Charles bridge, and learn about the city.  Our anticipation only whet our appetite, and the reality exceed our expectations.

 

A great romance does exactly this.  We understand the feelings of falling in love, but a great romance novel brings it to life and stirs in us feelings we may have forgotten.  But what sets a Romance apart from, say, a literary novel?  Or even women’s fiction? 

 

I’m teaching a seminar this year – three times, actually – with agent Chip MacGregor, about how to write commercial fiction.   (For more info, check out www.themasterseminars.com)  As I began to ponder the difference between commercial fiction and literary fiction, I realized it’s one simple thing…

 

It’s all about expectations. 

 

We expected to have a great time on our trip.  We’d done the research, the preparation, and had a list of expectations.  Thankfully, we weren’t disappointed. 

 

You know those times when you want to throw a book against the wall?  That’s because it hasn’t lived up to the promise. 

 

See, all romances have the same elements.  And yes, it’s a formula, but just like perfumes are formula, put together differently, they create a different scent.   But the wearer of perfume expects to smell great.  A reader of romance expects to fall in love, plain and simple.

 

So, what are those “formula elements” of a romance? 

Let’s take a quick look – we’ll be diving in depth to all these components this year, but for now use this as a check list to your current WIP:

 

Boy Meets Girl – An event, goal or circumstance occurs to bring our hero and heroine together

Interest/Need – Something about their own situation makes their heart vulnerable to romance

Why Not – Obstacles between the hero and heroine, and True Love conspire to separate them

Wooing – Events or situations allow the hero and heroine to fall in love

Sparks – Dialogue and action create romantic tension

Kiss – Leading to sexual tension

Breakup – The biggest Why Not rises to push them apart

Why – The core reason they belong together saves the day

Big Gesture/Sacrifice – The Hero or Heroine are able to make the Big Gesture/Sacrifice to stay together.

Happily Ever After- They find the love they’ve always longed for.

 

These components of a romance occur in different order, depending on the romance, but they must be there for the promise to be kept.  Leave it out and you’ll have a tour that has omitted the tour of the castle, or a taste of a pig’s knuckle  (really – very tasty!), and disappointed your reader.

 

Does your current WIP have all the elements in a romance?  If not, hang in there – we’ll be covering all of them this year.  But print off this list, and aim now to keep the promise to your reader. 

 

We want them to have a great time in Prague!   

 

On Monday we’ll be discussing the two main romance arcs.  Until then— the “I ache for Gracie.”  Contest is still open.  Name what movie that is from and send me the answer at susan@mybooktherapy.com and your name will go into the drawing for my new book, Sons of Thunder. 

 

Have a great weekend!

Susie May