Romance Novel Writing Formula

Writing novels always follows a formula or a general outline of how the story should progress. Romance novels, which are very popular with avid readers, follow a certain formula like always having two people as its main characters who fall in love, get into trouble for doing so and eventually resolve it in the end where everybody is happy.

That is the tried-and-tested romance novel writing formula.

Even as romance novel writers follow this formula, they should also remember to give their characters enough human attributes that the reader can relate to. Female readers in particular, love a character that they can root for, one that they grow attached to as they read and finish the novel.

She must meet the guy, fall in love, be forced to part ways and then reunite in time for the “happily ever after” ending. Female readers also love a handsome and dashing hero who is always there to save his damsel in distress, one they can easily get a crush on.

The other characters in the book must be relatable as well, including the antagonists — the characters whose feelings get spurned or rejected and therefore makes them plot revenge against your story’s protagonists. Remember though that they can’t be too mean or despicable. They too must be portrayed as not entirely heartless.

Of course once it’s established that the two main characters will meet, their meeting and eventual union must be made difficult with enough obstacles and roadblocks that they must overcome satisfactorily to make readers root for them even more.

Again, remember that there IS such a thing as too many obstacles — a reader may think that you don’t plan to have your main characters end up together and that is almost always a turn off for them.

Also, the twists and turns the story takes is an important element as well because they have to fit with your general plot. Out of whack twists will only make the reader wonder if they are reading a romance novel or a sci-fi book.

Today’s romance novel writers have a lot of options on what settings to use for their plots, how the story goes and how it ends. No newfangled method however, can erase the fact that there still is the same old romance novel writing formula to follow if you want your novel to become a national best seller.

The key to making a romance novel a hit is to keep the readers hanging — you must always keep their curiosity aroused and make them wonder if the two protagonists end up together. Whatever ending you decide on, it has to be emotionally satisfying and optimistic.