These tools will help you keep your story on track, deepen emotional arcs, and create a compelling romance. These tools can be tailored to your novel’s specific subgenre, whether it’s second chance romance, enemies-to-lovers, or something else!
? Define your romance subgenre (e.g., contemporary, historical, second chance).
Identify the central conflict (internal and external obstacles to their love).
Establish your protagonists:
- Who are they? (Backstory, personality, goals, flaws)
- Why do they belong together? (Shared values, opposites attract, etc.)
Choose a setting that enhances the romance (e.g., small-town charm, urban tension).
Define your ending (HEA—Happily Ever After—or HFN—Happy For Now).
Meet Cute: How do the characters meet (or reunite)?
Building Tension: What keeps them apart emotionally or physically?
Moments of Vulnerability: Key scenes where they connect and reveal their true selves.
The Dark Moment: What threatens to destroy their relationship?
The Grand Gesture: How does one or both characters overcome their fears and prove their love?
Resolution: How are their conflicts resolved? What’s their new normal?
? Ensure strong character motivations—why do they want/need love?
Show character growth through the romance (e.g., overcoming fears, learning to trust).
Use romantic tension to drive the story:
- Physical tension (close proximity, accidental touches).
- Emotional tension (misunderstandings, secrets, vulnerability).
Balance romance with subplot (e.g., career struggles, family dynamics).
Flaws: What internal obstacles do they need to overcome?
Strengths: What makes them admirable or lovable?
Goals: What do they want (romantically and personally)?
Backstory: What past experiences shaped them?
Growth Arc: How do they change because of their relationship?
? Why are they attracted to each other (physically, emotionally, intellectually)?
How do their personalities complement or challenge each other?
What shared moments deepen their bond?
What qualities make them fight but also bring them closer?
? External conflicts (e.g., rivals, circumstances, societal expectations).
Internal conflicts (e.g., fear of commitment, past heartbreak).
How are these resolved or overcome?
? Use body language: Glances, touches, proximity, tension-filled silences.
Add internal monologue: Show conflicting thoughts and emotions.
Create obstacles or interruptions: Misunderstandings, external conflicts, or comic timing.
Build escalation: Each interaction should deepen their connection or their conflict.
? Include a scene where one character shares a deep fear, secret, or insecurity.
Show how the other character reacts with support, humor, or tenderness.
Tie vulnerability to their growth arc.
? Build anticipation with sensory details:
- What do they notice about each other?
- How does the moment feel physically and emotionally?
Make the setting matter: Is it private or public? Quiet or spontaneous?
Reflect their personalities in the moment:
- Is it hesitant? Bold? Playful?
? Ensure the gesture reflects the character’s growth:
- Does it address their flaws (e.g., vulnerability, fear of rejection)?
Make it personal: Tie it to their relationship history or what they value.
Add stakes: Why is this moment make-or-break for their relationship?
| Act | Key Beats |
|---------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Act 1: Setup | Introduce characters, their flaws, and goals. Establish stakes and conflict. |
| Inciting Event | Characters meet (or reunite), sparking attraction or conflict. |
| Act 2: Building Tension | Romantic moments deepen their bond while obstacles arise. |
| Midpoint | A key moment of vulnerability or connection shifts their relationship. |
| Act 3: The Conflict | External forces or personal fears push them apart. |
| Climax | One or both characters make a grand gesture, overcoming their flaws. |
| Resolution | Show how their love transforms them and leads to their HEA or HFN. |
Here’s a template to structure individual romance scenes:
? Does it reveal their personalities?
Does it reflect their chemistry (banter, teasing, flirting)?
Does it deepen the emotional stakes?
? Does it show their flaws or vulnerabilities?
Is there subtext? (What are they not saying but feeling?)
Does it escalate the tension or stakes?
| Stage | Sophia’s Emotional Arc | Ethan’s Emotional Arc |
|-------------------------|------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------|
| Initial State | Guarded, distrustful of love. | Ambitious, prioritizes career over connection. |
| Catalyst | Reuniting with Ethan triggers old emotions. | Seeing Sophia reminds him of what he lost. |
| Growth Moment | Starts to admit she wants love but fears hurt. | Realizes his success feels empty without love. |
| Turning Point | Trusts Ethan after seeing his vulnerability. | Sacrifices his career for Sophia’s happiness. |
| Resolution | Fully embraces their second chance at love. | Chooses love and connection over ambition. |
? Include a subplot that complements the main romance:
- Career struggles (e.g., Sophia’s fight to save the library).
- Family dynamics (e.g., pressure from parents, unresolved sibling issues).
- Community involvement (e.g., a town fundraiser, shared project).
Ensure the subplot adds stakes or reflects the characters’ growth arcs.
? Does every scene serve a purpose (advance the plot, deepen emotion, or develop character)?
Is the pacing consistent, with enough tension and payoff?
Are your protagonists’ growth arcs clear and satisfying?
Is the dialogue natural and true to their personalities?
Have you delivered on the romance subgenre’s core expectations (e.g., HEA or HFN)?