{"id":26426,"date":"2022-12-23T03:00:23","date_gmt":"2022-12-23T11:00:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/?p=26426"},"modified":"2022-12-22T10:25:55","modified_gmt":"2022-12-22T18:25:55","slug":"5-tips-ive-learned-from-writing-my-romance-novel-by-laurel-osterkamp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2022\/12\/23\/5-tips-ive-learned-from-writing-my-romance-novel-by-laurel-osterkamp\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Tips I\u2019ve Learned from Writing My Romance Novel by Laurel Osterkamp"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"5<\/a>Let\u2019s welcome back Laurel Osterkamp<\/a> as she shares with us \u201c5 Tips I\u2019ve Learned from Writing My Romance Novel.\u201d Enjoy!<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

I feel like there\u2019s a stigma attached to writing romance novels<\/strong>, and I\u2019m not exactly sure why. Perhaps it\u2019s because most romance novels follow a fairly specific formula and use a limited variety of tropes. Maybe it\u2019s because many romance novels are \u201csteamy\u201d with what can be graphic sex scenes. Or, it could be because most romance novelists are female, as are their readers.<\/p>\n

Perhaps it\u2019s a combination of all those things?<\/p>\n

Personally, I usually prefer both writing and reading stories that focus primarily on self-discovery<\/strong>, with romance as a secondary theme. That puts me squarely in the category of \u201cwomen\u2019s fiction\u201d (which also occasionally has a stigma attached to it). But I\u2019ve heard it\u2019s easier to attract readers if you can classify your novel as a romance. I don\u2019t know if that\u2019s true, but I\u2019m intrigued.<\/p>\n

So, my current WIP is a romance novel. I\u2019m writing it by the seat of my pants and am having a great time! Maybe readers will love it and maybe they won\u2019t, but I\u2019m learning a few things as I go, and I thought I\u2019d share them with you today:<\/p>\n

1. Complex characterization is more important than ever when writing a romance novel<\/b>.<\/h2>\n

No one is going to care about a love story between two flat or cliched characters.<\/p>\n

My first step before writing was to understand the motivations of both my romantic leads.<\/strong><\/p>\n

– What do they want that they can\u2019t have?
\n– What flaws and\/or obstacles are they trying to overcome?
\n– What personal hang ups do they have that might get in the way of them being in a loving relationship?<\/p>\n

Of course,<\/strong> I\u2019m getting to know my two protagonists and making discoveries as I go, which means I\u2019ll have some interesting revisions to make once I\u2019m done with my first draft. (I\u2019m about 60,000 words in, and aiming for another 30K.)<\/p>\n

My goal is to make my readers feel the way I feel when listening to my favorite love songs.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

2. Listen to your favorite love songs as you write, and internalize the lyrics.<\/b>
\n<\/b><\/h2>\n

My goal is to make my readers feel the way I feel when listening to my favorite love songs.<\/p>\n

So, I made a playlist specifically for this current novel.<\/p>\n

They\u2019re songs of tortured love<\/strong>, like Pink\u2019s \u201cJust Give Me a Reason,\u201d or of yearning, like Matt Nathanson\u2019s \u201cI Saw,\u201d or of desperation, like Lady Gaga\u2019s \u201cIs That Alright?\u201d<\/p>\n

These songs tell a complete, layered story of a relationship in a three-minute song.<\/p>\n

When I get stuck<\/strong>, I examine the lyrics, paying special attention to the details described, ones that show vs. tell what it\u2019s like to be in love.<\/p>\n

My favorites are from Taylor Swift\u2019s Folklore <\/i>and Evermore <\/i>albums.<\/p>\n

I think she is a master at storytelling through imagery and sensory detail.<\/p>\n

Anytime I don\u2019t know what to write next<\/strong>, I tell myself to use details like Taylor does, and soon enough, my fingers are flying across my keyboard.<\/p>\n

3. Read (or re-read) classic love stories. <\/b>
\n<\/b><\/h2>\n

Stigma or not, some of the best novels ever written are about love.<\/p>\n

While most of them wouldn\u2019t be classified as romance novels by modern standards<\/strong>, they might offer inspiration if you\u2019re aiming to create not just a love story, but commentary on the nature of love.<\/p>\n

Currently, I\u2019m reading Anna Karenina <\/i>(and I\u2019m blogging about it; check out my posts HERE<\/a>), and around a year ago I read Wuthering Heights. <\/i>
\n<\/i>
\n<\/i>No, I\u2019m not planning to have my characters<\/strong> throw themselves in front of a train or to die of heartbreak. And yet, love is timeless, even if some conventions are not.<\/p>\n