Romance Writing Plots

Those who are new to the business of writing romance novels must first and foremost know that a plot is an object and not a process. A plot is a concept that saturates every page of your novel and makes it come alive for your readers. A plot brings everything about your story come together to make a successful romance novel.

A plot strings your events together like links in a chain. A story is not a story without a plot. A plot is not something you use to fill your pages but rather something that will make your readers turn the pages. If you cannot give the plot within 12 sentences then you don’t have an idea of what the plot of your story is.

Writing a romance novel can be based only on so many basic plots but it is the writer’s style and the way the plot is presented that will make it original. Some examples of basic points to consider for a plot is as follows:

• The love relationship of your two main characters must be frought with obstacles they must overcome to be together
• They want to fall in love but can’t because in some ways they are not suited for each other
• They fail to overcome the first obstacle they are presented with and must prove their love is true

Through all this, your characters must show that they have deep feelings for each other so that readers will be able to root for them and want them to get together in the end.

There are basic romance writing plots that you can use to give life to your story while at the same time making sure the romance factor is high. An example of a basic romance plot would be pursuit. You need to make sure that there is real danger in getting caught, and that your two main characters may even get caught or almost get caught.

You also need to establish the rules of the chase, the stakes and start the ball rolling with a motivating incident. Another basic plot you can try building on is rescue which involves your two main characters and their antagonist going on a journey of pursuit, separation and confrontation before finally reuniting.

Or if you’re after fast-paced action, you can always go for the adventure plot wherein your male or female lead starts out on their own in search of fortune, motivated by something or someone and then needing each other to finish the task…and eventually getting together of course.

Don’t let the fact that every type of plot has already been used in the past hinder you from giving it an original spin and making it interesting for your readers, regardless of whether they’ve read it before.

It is really up to the writer, just as it is up to a good seamstress to make over an old dress and update it to a more contemporary and modern style. To make it more real to your readers, you need to adapt your plot to the current time and setting of today’s world to give it a new twist while at the same time retaining some of the old-fashioned appeal that will draw your readers in.

Once you learn the secret to great plotting, you will be able to come out with your own romance best seller.