Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
4/5
Romancing the Beat: Story Structure for Romance Novels: How to Write Kissing Books, #1
By Gwen Hayes
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
5/5
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Love
Romance
Character Development
Music
Relationships
Enemies to Lovers
Love Triangle
Love at First Sight
Forbidden Love
Friends to Lovers
Opposites Attract
Second Chance Romance
About this ebook
What makes a romance novel a romance? How do you write a kissing book?
Writing a well-structured romance isn't the same as writing any other genre—something the popular novel and screenwriting guides don't address. The romance arc is made up of its own story beats, and the external plot and theme need to be braided to the romance arc—not the other way around.
Told in conversational (and often irreverent) prose, Romancing the Beat can be read like you are sitting down to coffee with romance editor and author Gwen Hayes while she explains story structure. The way she does with her clients. Some of whom are regular inhabitants of the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists.
Romancing the Beat is a recipe, not a rigid system. The beats don't care if you plot or outline before you write, or if you pants your way through the drafts and do a "beat check" when you're revising. Pantsers and plotters are both welcome.
So sit down, grab a cuppa, and let's talk about kissing books.
Author
Gwen Hayes
Gwen Hayes writes romance for adult and teen readers. You know...kissing books. Gwen is represented by Deidre Knight of the Knight Agency.
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Reviews for Romancing the Beat
Rating: 4.761904761904762 out of 5 stars
5/5
21 ratings3 reviews
What our readers think
Readers find this title a great read with practical information, straight-to-the-point writing, and actionable instructions. It is lovely and recommended for any author, especially those writing romance for the first time. Despite some criticizing romance as formulaic, the book acknowledges its popularity and usefulness in the publishing industry.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Jan 8, 2024
A great read! Practical information you can use immediately, straight-to-the point writing style, and funny. I outlined my novel as I read the book, and it was really helpful to have Gwen's guidance on it. - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Jan 7, 2023
Fantastic read. Clear and straight to the point with actionable instructions. Wholeheartedly recommend. - Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
May 18, 2022
The book is lovely. It's the #1 book for any author trying to write a romance for the first time. My friends and I go back to the structure again and again.
There are lots of people who sneer at romance as formulaic. It is. It is also about half of the publishing industry, because consumers WANT the same thing over and over again. It is popular like vanilla ice cream.
Book preview
Romancing the Beat - Gwen Hayes
What is What
What this book is:
This guide is for a very specific niche. I don’t go into depth about all the elements of great storytelling or story structure. I am going to delve only into the specifics of the internal/romance arc for romance novels, which is especially helpful for those who write shorter stories and category length.
● A new tool for your writer’s toolbox.
● A road map of the romantic journey your characters take in order to earn their happy ending by facing their biggest fears.
● A vehicle for me to drop ‘80s references.
● No, seriously. This book is littered with them.
Who this book is for:
● Romance writers who have been told their books focus too much on the external plot.
● Romance writers who know something is missing from their book, but are not sure where to look to find it.
● Non-romance writers looking to strengthen the romantic elements of a different genre book.
Why I wrote this book:
● It’s the first step in my world domination plan. I’m saving the world...one love story at a time.
Theme
Before we get into the actual beats, let’s talk about theme. Many authors tell stories in order to explore themes of importance to them and maybe even persuade the reader to consider those ideals. Some just write stories and let the scholars of the future deduce theme from their works. I’m not concerned with the other themes. You are writing a romance, so your theme is already picked out for you.
Love Conquers All
In a broad sense, all romance books are about one theme: Love conquers all.
Romance readers have genre expectations just like any other genre. The biggest of those expectations is the HEA (happily ever after) or the HFN (happy for now). If love doesn’t conquer all at the end of your story, you didn’t write a romance. You might have a great story with romantic elements, but if your characters don’t have a happy resolution, then you need to find a different shelf for your finished book to live on. That’s not a bad thing; it’s just not a romance
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