I believe this is a presentation offered at the 2023 LDSPMA writers’ conference. Any misinformation is the fault of the note-taker.

They meet

• How they meet. May have known each other before but this is when they are both on the same page together
• Attractions with resistance sparks fly
• They are forced together

They fall in love (long lots of chapters

• They are stuck together and kind of like each other. Forced interactions or outings. Something happens to increases interactions.
• One step forward, two steps back. The middle of the end: everything falls apart
• They can’t fight this feeling any longer

They live happily ever after

• Big declaration of love.
• Everything falls apart
• Grand gesture) everything comes together

Turning up the heat: when is sex too much?

• The attitude of the characters is not clean romance when they just want a romp. A forced marriage plot is when they slowly fall in love
• In religious romance, they make decision-based on their religious beliefs.
• If you have a cover with a man with a shirt off, the reader expects sex.

In conclusion:

• Romance is different than written other kinds of fiction
• The protagonist is the romance
• Outlines work (you must be smarter than a fifth grader.
• Outlining plotting, and story structure are not the same thing but must be used together.
• Romancing outlining 101: they meet, they fall In love, and they live happily ever after.

Q&A:

• Some books have chapters that alternate characters.
• If you are trying to determine what point of view to use in a chapter, use the character who feels they feel the relationship is in danger.
• Let body language show the reaction of the other person.
• The book: Romancing the Beat and Save the Cat Writes a novel, both help in plot contribution.
• The change of dating must be accurate in the time period of the book. Such as same-sex relationships.

If you have subplots where characters do different things, make sure the couple are not away from each other too long and the characters think how their current diversion is influencing their relationships with the other character. They think of the other person.  If you have subplots where a character with a personal journey it can influence their response to the main romance. If there is a misunderstanding, that may not be as interesting as a subplot where there is a more legit conflict.

• A lot of publishers require certain events to occur at a certain point such as the first kiss by a certain page. You follow the path of who you publish with.
• This author used various editors previously but found an editor that works well and stays with her.
• For pennames, can be used as you like. Amazon keeps track of what you’ve published. Amazon lets you only have three author profiles. You should use a different pen name if you write different genres.