Tag: Romance writing

Writing Stories Featuring Mature Characters

~ The Regal Writer ~ Leave a comment
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Pick up a book anywhere these days, and you’ll likely find a story about a young protagonist, or at least someone far younger than yourself. In an effort to reach the millennial generation, most publishers and filmmakers tend to feature younger characters.

Where does that leave older readers and viewers?

A recent study by Gransnet, an online community for grandparents, finds that ageism really does exist in fiction. In its survey of 1,000 women over the age of 40, roughly 47% said there aren’t enough books on the market about middle-aged or older women.

Further, over half (51%) felt older women in fiction were portrayed in clichéd roles, such as being technology-phobic (not true) or not having interests outside of the home.  

Most important, two-thirds of surveyed women (67%) said they want to read about characters they can identify with, specifically physically active women (56%) and working in satisfying careers (41%).

The publishing industry is beginning to take notice. Some publishers are more open to reviewing manuscripts featuring older adults. While the path isn’t wide open, it’s certainly an improvement from days past when publishers automatically dismissed a story because of an aged protagonist.

For examples of these types of stories, here’s a list of books I’ve read that feature older protagonists (late 40s and older).

* The Little French Bistro by Nina George
* The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George
* The Messy Lives of Book People by Phaedra Patrick
* The Children Act by Ian McEwan
* A Man Called Ove by Frederick Bachman
* Still Alice by Lisa Genova
* Olive Kittridge by Elizabeth Strout
* The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey
* Open House by Elizabeth Berg
 
Why do these stories work? Because they feature clearly drawn characters with extensive life experiences and some emotional baggage, which makes them relatable. Their backstories are based on modern realities, such as career shifts, love gained and lost, and personal challenges. They also bring emotional maturity. Even though they’re older, they still face difficulties, such as fear of aging, fear of being alone and struggling to trust again.

The truth is, people don’t stop living – or loving – once they turn 45.

“Older characters show us what it’s like to be human,” said Jeannie Moon, Your Author Mom, in a recent webinar for the Contemporary Romance Writers (CRW). While her session focused on romance novels, I think her suggestions can be applied to any genre or literary fiction.

Stories about characters over 45, Moon added, “focus not only on romantic relationships but also on personal journeys of growth and reinvention. Themes of second chances, overcoming life’s hardships, and rediscovering love are common, adding to the emotional resonance of these stories.”

To best capture these literary journeys, writers can adapt the traditional fiction tropes so they reflect the challenges and opportunities of middle-aged characters. For example:

* Friends to lovers – You might have the lead characters meet through a mutual friend or at a social occasion, like a wedding. Maybe they go to the same health club or share the same hobby, like bird watching, or meet at a cooking class.

* Forbidden love – Something about their budding relationship might be forbidden. The most common obstacle is age difference or perhaps they live in separate cities so the distance might prevent them from being close.

* Second chance – This trope is common for older characters. Imagine them meeting at a class reunion (I have friends who met that way and later married!) or meet at the funeral of a mutual acquaintance after not seeing each other for years.

* Rebuilding after loss – Older characters suffer through losses, but also find the strength to move forward with their lives. Losing a spouse, a job, or a home are common experiences for older adults.

* Forced proximity – Seasoned characters might have their own businesses. In this trope, try pitting two business owners against one another on opposite sides of an issue concerning their town.

You get the idea.

There’s plenty of room on library and bookstore shelves for stories about mature adults. The key is to create characters that are authentic and believable. Show them as vulnerable people struggling to make sense of their world as they grow older.

As readers age out of younger protagonist-led stories, they will appreciate being able to find novels with older characters.

Writing the Hidden Identity Trope

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Last week, I posted this story about writing fish-out-of-water stories—stories about people who find themselves in unfamiliar surroundings and circumstances and struggle to fit in. Another trope I enjoy reading is the hidden identity, in which the protagonist hides some aspect of themselves to achieve a certain goal. I’ve always liked the suspense that builds as the character strives to keep their secret self hidden from others.

These characters lead double lives, with one foot in one setting and the other foot in another. They choose to conceal their true identities to protect themselves or the ones they love.

You probably recognize the secret identity trope from popular culture.

  • In adventure and superhero stories, our hero often poses as a regular guy or gal on the street. Think of Superman’s Clark Kent who works for the local newspaper and meets his love interest, Lois Lane.
  • In mystery novels and spy thrillers, the hero goes undercover to investigate a crime. This might be especially true for amateur sleuths who often disguise themselves to get close to their target.
  • In fantasy and science fiction, the hero must often hide an aspect of themselves to protect themselves from a terrible, untimely demise. Harry Potter, for instance, must hide his magic powers when he returns home to his muggle parents, though they make it difficult for him to do so.
  • In romance, the protagonist hides some aspect of themselves that they perceive interferes with their ability to find true love. For example, a prince or princess lives among commoners to escape their royal duties, or an heiress who hides her wealthy upbringing to seem more normal and attract someone who will love her for who she is not for her money.    
  • In literary fiction, a character may adopt a new persona to hide from danger. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah comes to mind. Protagonist Isabelle becomes an underground messenger known by her code name The Nightingale to support the Allies during World War II.

According to First Draft Pro blog, the hidden identity trope explores themes of privacy, nature of self, duality and the consequences of leading a double life. There is often the conflict between the public face presented to others versus the personal self that those closest to you know best.

Like fish-out-of-water stories, hidden identity tropes resonate with the human experience. After all, who hasn’t presented a different persona in public settings while keeping their personal identity hidden? Why else would Halloween be such a popular holiday? Because it allows people to disguise their true selves and adopt a new persona that may be truly different from who they really are.

So how should you write these hidden identity stories? There are different approaches you can take that can build suspense while making your character relatable.

Approach 1: The Surprise Reveal
In this scenario, when the character’s true identity is revealed toward the end of the story, it usually surprises other characters and readers. It makes for a great plot twist. Jodi Picoult’s Leaving Time has one of the best and most surprising plot twists when readers discover the true identity of one of the main characters. It moves the story in an entirely new direction.

Approach 2:  Going Along for the Ride
Readers know the true identity of the protagonist early on, even though other characters haven’t learned about it yet. Readers are taken along for the ride as the protagonist fights to keep his identity hidden. Superhero stories are constructed this way. In Superman, we know who Clark Kent is long before Lois Lane does.  

Approach 3: Everybody’s in the Act
In this scenario, each of the main characters is hiding some aspect of themselves or guarding a secret. One by one, each of their secret identities is revealed. In Hallmark Channel’s The Christmas Train, for example, during a long cross country train ride, we learn about the cast of characters which include several actors hired by a scheming director to push the two romantic leads together. Other characters not involved in the plot have their own secret identities, including one woman who is actually a private investigator trying to uncover a string of thefts on the train.

When done well, the hidden identity trope can create suspense and keep your readers guessing about what secret the character is hiding and who your character really is.

To learn more about the hidden identity trope in romance stories, check out this post by Seacrow Books.

Eight Favorite Romantic Tropes to Make Readers Swoon

~ The Regal Writer ~ 1 Comment
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February is the month for love, and if you’ve been following my blog, you know I’ve been talking a lot about romance – the language of love. Romance novels are more popular than ever these days. Who doesn’t want to read about a happily ever after? Most people, I think, still believe in true love, or that love conquers all.

Sure, the romance genre has its critics who say these stories are predictable, they can’t be taken seriously, or that they don’t reflect real world relationships. It’s true that romance stories can be predictable. You sort of know what is going to happen from page one. But it’s that expectation of predictability that appeals to many readers. Readers expect a happy ending, and they expect the couple in question to struggle through their attraction.

What make romances even more interesting are the tropes that help set up the romantic plot. You may find everything from a fake engagement to enemies-to-lovers story lines, May-December romances and second chance relationships. There are dozens of tropes used in romance novels, and some are more intriguing than others.

Below are some of my favorite romantic tropes and why I think they work.

  1. Secret identity – My personal favorite is the secret identity in which one person hides some aspect of themselves. Perhaps they’re ashamed of who they really are, or they’re trying to gain a professional advantage or they feel that they won’t be taken seriously if the other person knows who they really are. For example, a wealthy person might pretend to be an average blue-collar worker to blend in with the community, or a member of royalty decides to live among the commoners. This trope is my favorite because it creates the most intrigue and mystery within the romance. When and how will the protagonist reveal their true self? How will the love interest react when they find out who the other person really is? Will they still love each other in the end? There’s usually of fear of being found out, or wanting to find the right moment to reveal themselves. Except while hiding out, they learn to care for the other person.
     
  2. Road trip – There’s nothing like a long-distance road trip that can force two people to come together—against their better judgement. They usually disagree about something or have opposing points of view that creates the tension in their relationship. At some point, something or someone has to give in. Either they come to an understanding and learn to respect, if not love, each other, or they are ready to tear the other person apart. This doesn’t have to be a romantic relationship either. Think of films such as Driving Miss Daisy or Green Book.

  3. Girl/Guy next door – I think this is one of the simplest and most overlooked tropes because I think it happens in real life more often than we think. Sometimes our best love connections live right across the hall in our apartment building or in the house next door. These characters already have something in common – they live in the same building or neighborhood. The closeness forces the neighbors to keep running into each other, so they’re bound to start up conversations, which can lead to coffee dates, movies, and so on.

  4. Fish out of water – This trope can be the most creative and humorous because you see a character who it totally out of their element. Think of the movie Enchanted when Amy Adams’ princess character complete with her pink gown is clearly out of place in downtown Manhattan. The humor comes from seeing the missteps and assumptions the character makes to try to fit into her new environment. Enter the unwitting partner who helps the out-of-place character become more acclimated and falls in love with them in the process.

  5. Stuck together/stranded together – Whether it’s an elevator, a raft a long way from shore or inside a locked bank vault, when two people are stuck together for a short period of time, it’s bound to create a sudden kinship that wasn’t there before. They have no choice but to work together to get themselves out of their enclosed quarters, but once they do and they are free, what happens after their brief encounter? Do they decide to see each other again, or do they move on as if they had never met?

  6. Ghost/angel – Who doesn’t like a little bit of divine intervention to help a romance blossom? In this scenario, when a character struggles to find true love, a ghost/angel intervenes on the character’s behalf, usually dispensing sage if cryptic advice, and it’s usually up to the character to figure out what that means. Perhaps the angel is someone from the character’s past, or it’s an angel who is working toward earning their wings. Sometimes it’s the angel/ghost character who wins the person’s love, while other times they simply act as a guide to help the two lovebirds find each other.
    Examples: City of Angels with Meg Ryan or Hallmark Channel’s Christmas in Angel Falls.

  7. Belated love epiphany – This is another underused trope, yet I think it’s more reflective of the real world. In this scenario, two people have known each other for years as mere acquaintances, colleagues or friends. They spend so much time together in a neutral setting yet neither sees the other as a potential love interest. But as soon as one person leaves or threatens to disappear from  everyday life or marry someone else, the other person suddenly realizes how much they love them and fights to win them back.

  8. Forced proximity – Two characters fall in love after being forced to live or work in close proximity to one another. Maybe they have to work together on a project but come with opposing viewpoints and agendas, like writing a book or training to compete in a sporting event. Or they’re stuck in the same country cottage on vacation because the company doubled booked the accommodations. Now they have to figure out how to live together or find other living arrangements. After a few hours stuck together, they manage to enjoy each other’s company.

There are many more tropes, and many overlap. You’ll likely find several tropes used within one story. While they may not be the most imaginative of scenarios, readers and audiences still crave them. They bring a sort of comfort because they’re familiar. To make them interesting, however, try mixing and matching the tropes or turning them upside down in some way.

When used well, tropes can help you create a romance that readers will swoon over.

Interview with a romance author

~ The Regal Writer ~ Leave a comment
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Happy Valentine’s Day!

Continuing my special focus on romance writing this month, I reached out to romance author Sylvie Kurtz for a Q&A about her writing career. Besides recently self-publishing two Christmas romances (I know — Christmas is long over, but there’s always later this year), Sylvie has also published numerous novels in the romance and romantic suspense genres. You can check them out on her website (https://sylviekurtz.com/books).

Sylvie was kind enough to answer some burning questions I had about her experience writing romance. Just in time for Valentine’s Day.

1. Do you recall the exact moment when you realized you wanted to be a published author and/or romance writer?

I found myself at home with two young kids and no one to talk to and decided to see if I could write one of the Intrigues I read. That first book will never see the light of day, but finishing it showed me that I could possibly, eventually do this. Took me four books before I got how story structure worked.

2. You’ve written and published romance novels for Harlequin in the past. What did you learn from that experience?

I learned how to write to reader expectations and how to write on a deadline. It’s interesting how having to write inside a box actually makes the writing more freeing.

3. What authors inspired you to become a writer?

* I’ve always been an avid reader, but didn’t think I could write for a long time. I learned English reading Marguerite Henry horse books. As a horse-crazy teen, I read any library book with a horse on the cover, which led me to Dick Francis racing mysteries, then to Airs above the Ground by Mary Stewart, my introduction to romantic suspense. I loved it so much that I read her whole backlist and looked for more like it. After having kids, I discovered Harlequin Intrigues.

4. You recently self-published two Christmas romances, Christmas by Candlelight and Christmas in Brighton. What inspired you to write this series?

During the pandemic, I found I couldn’t watch or read suspense anymore. I needed something lighter and turned to watching Hallmark movies. They were such fun to watch that I wanted to create that kind of magical, feel-good place. Yet, I also wanted to address some of the issues that cropped up in my life, like agoraphobia and anxiety.

 5. What made you decide to self-publish?

Mostly because I didn’t want to wait so long between a sale and publication. I also wanted to have more control over the final product.

6. What is it about romance novels that you find so appealing to read and to write?

Love is the greatest power for transformation. It lights up darkness.

7. What advice do you have for aspiring writers?

Keep reading. Keep learning. Keep practicing. Never stop believing you can write.

8. What’s next for your writing? What are you working on currently?

I’m working on a third book in the Love in Brighton Village series–a summer festival this time.

To learn more about Sylvie Kurtz, visit her website at https://sylviekurtz.com. You can also follow her on Facebook (https://facebook.com/sylviekurtzauthor) and Instagram (https://instagram.com/sylviekurtzauthor)

12 Ways to Show Chemistry between Characters

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 As Valentine’s Day creeps closer, it seems only fitting to talk about romantic chemistry. When you read or write romance, how do you know that two characters are truly attracted to one another? The signs are usually obvious to most of us, but could you list them all?

During a recent virtual romance conference sponsored by ProWriting Aid, writer and book coach Mary Adkins discussed ways to create chemistry between characters. She was on point when she offered her list of how to show signs of attraction. Her tips were too juicy to keep to myself.

Whether you’re writing a romance or want to create a romantic subplot for another genre, these simple, tried-and-true scenarios can help you create chemistry between characters.

  1. Acting clumsy. When you first meet someone you’re attracted to, the last thing you want to do is look silly or awkward. Yet you can’t help yourself. The girl or guy is just so darn amazing! The same is true for fiction. One of the first signs a character might show that they’re attracted to someone is clumsy behavior. Maybe they spill their glass of wine on them, forget their own name when they’re introduced to the other person, accidentally walk into a glass wall or trip over their own feet. Nothing like clumsy behavior to give a memorable first impression.

  2. Not noticing what happening around them. With their head in the clouds and stars in their eyes, the character may not notice events around them, even though they may be obvious to everyone else. They’re simply too preoccupied to notice that the sink is overflowing or the baby is crying in the next room. They may not realize their sleeve caught on fire from the open flame on the stove, or that someone is saying hello to them. It can make for a humorous moment in your story.

  3. Saying something stupid. Note that this is not the same as witty banter between two people. This is one person speaking out of turn in one way or another. For example, they might ramble nonsensically or gush over the other person who happens to be a celebrity. Or they might be tongue tied or forget their own name, or worse, say someone else’s name as an introduction. For example: Character one says, “Hi, my name is Jack. I’m new in town.” Character 2, mesmerized by the new person, responds, “Nice to meet you. I’m Jack” even though their name isn’t Jack. You get the idea. Another example is asking an awkward question. (“Is that a birthmark on your neck?”

  4. Having other characters notice the attraction. I see this often in Hallmark movies. One character always has to point out that the protagonist likes the new guy in town. Maybe the protagonist is smiling way too much lately or has a bounce in their step. Maybe someone points out that the protagonist has put on a sweater backwards or is wearing two different shoes of the same color. Best of all, two people may be dining out and the waitress mistakes them for a real couple, even before the couple has noticed their own attraction.

  5. Being attracted to a small detail about the other person. This could be something few other people notice, such as a scar, a tattoo, dimples or a cleft chin. Maybe there is another detail that the protagonist can’t stop thinking about, like their long eyelashes, slim fingers, or soft lips. Then again, it may be the person’s laugh that they notice or the scent of their perfume or cologne.

  6. Being surprisingly earnest and sincere. As the couple gets to know one another better, there might come a point when one of them speaks from the heart. Giving a compliment, for example. Such as “You look stunning tonight.” “You make me happy being with you.” Or “I’m really glad I met you.” Such honest moments bring the relationship to a new level of intimacy.

  7. Sharing something meaningful about themselves. You recognize that moment in the story when one character say, “Come with me. I want to show you something.” That’s usually a sign that there some degree of trust that they’re willing to expose more of themselves. They might share a hidden talent, such as playing the piano or writing poetry. Maybe they reveal a childhood experience, show off their family photo album or take them to their favorite private place that few people know about.

  8. Doing something impulsive together. These scenes are always fun to read or watch. Just when you think the couple is having one of their intimate conversations, one person breaks the tension.  It might be having an impromptu snowball fight, hurling seeds at one another while eating watermelon or splashing each other with water while washing a car. The unexpected fun brings them closer together with laughter.

  9. Giving someone a backhanded compliment. On the surface, their comment might seem meaningless, but underneath there is a sincere compliment. For example, a character might say, “This might sound crazy, but I don’t get tired of being around you all the time.”

  10. Mentioning some tiny physical detail. This is similar to number 5 above except this time the character mentions it in conversation. They may say something about that scar or birthmark. Or it might be the same hat or coat they were wearing when the two individuals met three months ago. For example, “How did you get that scar?” or “What kind of cologne are you wearing? It smells nice.”

  11. Still loving that sometimes annoying but endearing habit. In longer-term relationships or married couples, there might be one specific trait or habit that could be annoying to others but instead, they find endearing. It could be the way they laugh, their crooked smile or the way they whistle while they work. It could be their occasional habit of mispronouncing a word, their tendency to wearing socks that don’t match or the bad jokes they tell at parties.
     
  12. Showing someone that they’ve been paying close attention to what is happening in their life. Noticing that the other person is going through significant challenges or experiences shows they are invested in the other person’s life. For example, the character might buy an item that the other person had their eye on, like a scarf or pair of earrings. They might serve coffee to them the way they like it without being asked or serving it to them in their favorite mug. They might ask about what plans they’ve made for their birthday the following week or how their training is going for their next skiing competition.