Ideas in Creative Genre Writing – Romance
Penning Romantic Fiction for Business and Pleasure
Jan 1, 2009
Romance, as a genre, is often miscast under the presumption that it is necessarily saccharine, verbose, and devoid of creativity. Shakespeare and a litany of other masters of the art would surely disagree! Writing quality romantic fiction requires acute attention to detail and the ability to give voice to impassioned, ambitious characters. – in many ways a very similar approach to writing when compared to speculative fictions such as fantasy or sci-fi.
Romance as a writing style relies heavily on descriptive language, setting and atmosphere, as well as emotional immersion and investment by the reader
Know Your Audience
The great majority of readers in the romance genre are women – as such it is important to consider this when putting your own narrative to paper. Typically as consumers of romance literature, women prefer long and intricate dialog sequences as well as plenty of tension between the protagonist and her prospective lover. As imaginative and emotionally committed readers, it is also important to offer dynamic and exotic locations and characters to explore – layering body language with complex and intelligent dialogue will be one of the major lynch pins of completing your work.
Due to the audience being comprised of women, it is important to consider the tone and language of your writing. While it's hardly recommended to rely on dainty or antiquated language – it is important to use pleasant terms for erotic exchanges that still bear a sexual energy without becoming crude.
Epithets and slang for parts of the human anatomy or sex acts are best kept to the genre of erotica – romance is concerned more with the feelings of the heart and soul than it is with reproductive organs. With that being said, a romance novel would not be complete without a climax of sorts, so it is important to include a few racier scenes to satisfy the modern romance audience.
Little Bit of Sugar and Spice
While the Victorian notion of romance and sexuality might be titillating for a small segment of your target audience, it is chiefly recommended that you attempt to spice up the plot with modern situations and liberal sexual tendencies. Sexuality is an integral part of any romantic relationship and in fact is often a major bond, holding the entire partnership together! Readers want to feel immersed in this excitement – this genre is for the imaginative, romantic, and erotic - and those are precisely the primary feelings you want to convey to your readers.
Do not be afraid of unorthodox sex scenes – pushing the boundaries of the genre is the only way to gain recognition with discerning audiences. Your characters should be real, imperfect, and subject to vice and in some cases perhaps even debauchery. The best narratives are multilayered, melding both traditional romance and contemporary sexuality. Remembering to blend a little bit of both sugar and spice into your works in the genre of romantic fiction will help you a great deal in creating realistic characters with libido to spare!
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