The basics of romance writing

Gothics are still viable - again the heroine is in danger. They're recognisable by the cover: very dramatic with a maiden fleeing a dark-and-stormy-night kind of setting. In this case, a young woman is somehow in a house she really shouldn' be in. She's the governess, a visiting relative, the housekeeper. She immediately finds out that there is something creepy going on and becomes tangled in a web of intrigue and romance with the handsome owner/relative/master. Usually in the Gothic there is nothing supernatural going on, although it might appear there is. The danger is usually coming from some family enemy or family secret.

Again, let's stress that while conflict is at the heart of every yearning romance, the reader wants a heroine who' plausible. She needs to be strong and willing to take matters into her own hands. And the hero doesn' need to be a brooding, cold brute.

What about humour in romance?

Writing coach: Humour is becoming more of a commodity all the time. There has to be a series of misunderstandings that screw things up between the couple. The love interest can be unaware of his true feelings for the heroine for a good part of the story. Remember that you want inner and outer conflict; they both need to have compelling reasons that keep them apart.

What about time-travel romance?

Writing coach: Time-travel romances are a separate category; Time and Again by Jack Finney is an example. It seems to me that the genre is wide open; if you have an interest you can find a fit for the kind of story you want to tell.

Must a modern romance novel include graphic or semi-graphic sex?

Writing coach: The publisher's guidelines will describe how much sex it wants. In general, sex is underplayed in lieu of sexual tension. There are books with no sex - called 'sweet' in the industry. And passion and writing are linked, right?

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Jackie Collins

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