Tag Archive - Romance

Romancing the Readers

April 25, 2012 in Craft, Karen, Romance, Writing with 18 Comments

by Karen Ball

I had a conversation with a writer friend a few weeks ago. She was telling me that the book she’s writing is, at the core, a romance, and no one was more surprised than she. “I don’t know a thing about writing romances,” she confessed. “Any tips?” I sent her an email with my thoughts, and that was that. Then she emailed me a few days ago:

“I just re-read this [email] as I’m still struggling through the end of my ms. This is an unbelievably beautiful note! It would make a great blog post on how to write romance….”

Well! I took a look at it, and I think she’s got something there. It does lend itself well to a blog. So I did a little editing, and here you go. If you find yourself writing a romance and you’re not quite sure about it, here are some things to keep in mind about the hero and heroine:

* The reader needs to see their attraction as believable. In other words, Not just because he’s handsome and she’s beautiful. As with real romance, let their feelings surprise them, then show those feelings growing as an organic part of the story. That’s not to say they can’t be immediately attracted to one another, or that one can’t be immediately attracted to the other. That instant spark does happen. But make sure readers see good reasons for romance—and love–to grow between them. Think about it. What’s more romantic than a man who treats women and children with respect? What’s more appealing to a man than a woman who honors and respects him? It’s not about Tarzan meets Jane, it’s about character and integrity and true strength and beauty.

* It’s vital that the conflicts between them are authentic and believable, not contrived. Too often romances just have the protagonists getting mad at each other for no solid reason, just to keep the tension going. Let the tension flow from the natural conflicts in the story. And believe me, there’s no more natural source of tension than the whole man-woman relationship!

*Use external tension as well as internal, especially when their love for each other becomes clear and accepted by them. What obstacles keep them apart? What do they have to overcome to finally be together? Give the reader a sense of celebration and victory when they’re finally together for good.

* Remember that any romance/love, real romance/love, is a reflection of God’s love for us. There is dying to self involved, looking to the good of the other first, sacrifice and struggle. Real romance isn’t easy. But oh! It’s amazing when it’s right!

* Show passion. Not graphic passion. Not the easy, physical lust. But that inner passion that somehow weaves another person into the fabric of who we are. The passion that brings the image of their face to mind, taking our breath away. The passion that makes the sound of their laughter like a long, cool drink on a parched day. The passion that leaves us feeling as though a part of us is missing when they’re not with us. The passion that, when we see how their eyes light at seeing us, sends a shock from head to toe. Oh yeah…that passion is what drives us on. It’s what lasts, even when physical passion may have ebbed.

* Last but not least, do not disappoint your reader! Don’t know if you’ve ever seen Sommersby, but I loved that movie. That movie has an awesome love story, amazing romance. Right up to the last 5 minutes. And then I HATED it. Will never watch it again. The ending was such a betrayal of the wonderful romance and the promise we were given up to that point. I understand why it ended the way it did, but that didn’t matter. I was actually angry at the end. I mean, boiling mad. If what you’re writing is a real romance, then deliver on the promise if that for the readers. Let the hero and heroine be together in the end!

And above all, have fun!

Fresh Formulas

February 2, 2012 in Agency, Branding, Craft, Creativity, Publishing, Romance, Tamela, Trends, Writing with 10 Comments

by Tamela Hancock Murray

Some have a hard time appreciating the talent involved in writing genre fiction. By genre fiction, I mean novels that fall into a defined category such as contemporary romance, historical romance, romantic suspense, or cozy mystery. Many of these novels are published by mass market publishers (like Harlequin) and fit in lines they have formed for the sole purpose of selling the genre.

These are distinguished from Trade fiction where there isn’t necessarily a specific line that has been formed to sell a genre, although there are exceptions to that “rule” like the “Love Finds You” series from Summerside Press. In publisher’s lingo “trade” means a 5 1/2″ by 8 1/2″ trim size and is probably between 80,000 and 100,000 words in length. “Genre” or “category” fiction can mean the 4″ by 6″ trim size (also known as mass market) and between 50,000 words and 70,000 words.

Critics think genre writers churn out story after story with little variation…following a proscribed formula. And while opportunities to be published in genre fiction are more plentiful than trade simply because genre lines publish a greater number of titles (see the statistics incorporated into this blog post), editors are nevertheless highly selective. They must be, because readers are right to be demanding, and genre authors must be dedicated to the craft.

Success

To be successful with a line, stay fresh and new while following the genre’s rules. When thinking of genre fiction, I like to visualize a box that needs to be filled with a story. The rules of the box include a strict word count. If you’re writing for a genre line, be sure to stay with the word count.

Guidelines for plot are concrete. For instance, with romance, the story of the hero and heroine must take precedence over anything else. The romance cannot be overshadowed, for example, by a murder mystery, a setting becoming a character in its own right, or a subplot involving secondary characters. Because of these guidelines, readers can rely on certain types of books to provide them with the stories they expect. In an uncertain world — and the world is always an uncertain place except for God’s enduring love — seeking genre books again and again offers readers comfort along with entertainment.

Twists and Turns

Once the writer learns the rules within the box, then what? Know that editors are looking for fresh ideas within the parameters of the genres they edit. To get an idea of what might work, read books from the line you are targeting. See what themes work. Concentrate on those that capture your imagination.

Interested in history? Consider researching real events that can launch a novel. For contemporary or historical, find a unique obstacle that will confront your characters so the reader has no idea how they can overcome it, and wrap a romance or mystery around it. Then plot and write. The author who stays within the rules of the line, yet comes up with a variation or twist on a beloved theme, is likely to find success and avid readers.

Your turn:

Do you read genre fiction? What are some fresh ideas you have enjoyed seeing in recent books?

The Superiority of Christian Romance Novels

December 8, 2011 in Romance, Tamela, Writing with 21 Comments

by Tamela Hancock Murray

A dedicated reader of the blog (Thank you!) posed an excellent question in response to a recent post:

 Recently, I heard a female Christian marriage counselor/speaker say that women should avoid Christian romance books. She stated there was no such thing as Christian romance. Since she was speaking on the topic of pornography, I assumed she was referring to fiction that leads the reader’s mind where it ought not to go. In my opinion, most romantic Christian fiction does not fall into that category.

My question for you: How would you respond if someone told you Christian romance was sinful, or that there was no such thing? Has that happened to you before?

Last week I responded to the idea that there is no such thing as Christian romance. ”Christian Romance – Fact or Fiction?”

Objection!

I am aware of a small cadre of people who are quite critical of Christian romance novels. A few years ago I was on faculty at a writers’ conference and had the displeasure of hearing a speaker demean Christian romance novels in front of the entire group of attendees. The conference in question catered to nonfiction book and magazine writers, so the speaker obviously felt he would face no disagreement. Steve Laube told me that I should have asked the speaker in private for clarification. I wish I had.

Vibrant Relationships

When not challenged as a teenager to read the classics at my college preparatory school, for leisure I indulged in romance novels. Unfortunately, as our culture has coarsened, clean romance novels are difficult to find. I refuse to blame publishers. They respond to what their audience buys. But pity the reader seeking an uplifting, life and love-affirming story with a happy ending for a godly couple. Christian publishers have seen this need and have been more than happy to fill the gap. In fact, Christian romance novels are far superior to the stories I grew up reading because God is front and center. If the couple starts out unequally yoked, they won’t be by story’s end.  Sexual tension is present, but Christian romance writers must be creative in expressing the couple’s attraction for one another, making for a rich, rewarding read. Because of the Christian foundation, the couple’s love for one another, and the holistic strength of their relationship, readers are left with the feeling that the marriage will last. Isn’t that what we all want?

Alternatives

Christian romance offers an alternative to ribald tales. I give Christian books to my family and church library, knowing they will not cause anyone to blush.

Recreate!

Perhaps some objectors feel that readers should be studying the Word instead of Christian romance. I will not argue that Bible study trumps all other forms of reading. But if you take away Christian books, then you must condemn all forms of leisure. That means you must study your Bible instead of going to a ball game, playing video games, surfing the web, reading this blog, or anything else that could be considered leisure. But I believe the Lord wants us to recreate. That is why He set aside the Sabbath.

Your turn:

Has anyone ever condemned your reading material? How did you respond? What are some of your favorite books?

 

Christian Romance — Fact or Fiction?

December 1, 2011 in Publishing, Romance, Tamela, Writing with 48 Comments

by Tamela Hancock Murray

In response to a recent blog post, “A Matter of Taste,”  a reader asked what I would say if someone claimed there is no such thing as Christian romance.

In fact, I have been confronted with this question before. At a Christian writers’ conference a few years ago, a woman told me in a snide manner that romance is a “fantasy” and walked away before I could respond. I felt especially sad that the woman was no doubt a fellow Christian, but it sounded like it had come from a jaded secularist. I believe this woman’s attitude reflects her own experience rather than the state of Christian publishing. True, not all real life endings are happy, and Christian romance novels traditionally end with the premise that the couple will enjoy a bright future. That is the hope and promise these books offer. Indeed, isn’t that the hope and promise of weddings in real life?

The Lord never promised Christians perfect unions. My heart aches for anyone in a miserable marriage. Hurt people hurt people, so no amount of convincing will change some minds about romance. But God is bigger than any situation, and He heals willing hearts.

Inspiration

Yet to dismiss Christian romance as a fantasy is wrong, in my view. When I wrote my own Christian romance novels, my husband inspired the best elements in my heroes. My heroines were not modeled upon myself, but on women I admire. I gave my heroines qualities I wish I had in bounty. I felt uplifted as I wrote my stories. Judging from the fan mail, those stories connected with readers as well. Other authors receive heartwarming fan mail by the bagful, so I know God is using Christian romance novels to touch lives.

In Real Life…

As for real life? My husband and I have the advantage of great examples. All four sets of grandparents demonstrated “till death do us part.” Three sets celebrated their 50th wedding anniversaries. Our family demonstrates that the Lord is a God of second chances, too. My husband’s mother is the child of her mother’s second marriage, as she was widowed young. My mother-in-law always speaks of how her parents encouraged her and her brother to be active in church. She ended up marrying the youth pastor who moved to town from the Midwest!

Both sets of our parents have celebrated their 50th wedding anniversaries. They are still devoted to each other. Though we aren’t perfect, my husband and I have tried to emulate their models. We make time for one another every day. We are individuals, but have cultivated the same interests so we enjoy doing the same things. We look forward to spending time together. We are devoted to each other. To me, that is the key word: devotion. How can you not feel romantic toward your mate when you are both devoted to one another?

Your turn:

What do you do to make your Christian marriage a Christian romance? Share your best ideas and stories!

A Matter of Taste

November 3, 2011 in Business, Marketing, Romance, Tamela, Writing with 24 Comments

by Tamela Hancock Murray

I always enjoy reading comments on our blog posts. Recently a reader posted a provocative question:

In this time of great emotional upheaval, instability, and unrest, aren’t we ready for something more solid and inspiring than just different types of romance novels?

Those of you familiar with my career know that I am the author of many romance novels and stories — and Bible trivia books!

And while I represent a variety of authors in fiction and nonfiction, my list is weighted heavily to romantic stories. I do realize that not everyone has the same taste — nor should we. God has created each of as unique, and CBA offers a variety of books to accommodate all readers. Please see the twentieth entry in the comments section of my post, Study the Market, for my unscientific suggestions for those looking for limited or no romance in novels.

History Repeats Itself

As to whether readers are ready for heavier books during hard economic times, I would say that economic times themselves have little or no bearing on popular tastes. Because people always have been and always will be unique, in perpetuity you will find a segment looking to escape their problems and another segment looking to confront them in entertainment. Today’s tough economy is likened to the Great Depression. This decade brought us the complicated life and romances of Scarlett O’Hara  in the 1936 book release, Gone with the Wind, by Margaret Mitchell, which led to the 1939 movie starring a king of Hollywood, Clark Gable. This decade also brought us the 1939 release of a gritty and hardscrabble The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, followed by the 1940 film, when the country had not yet recovered and was on the brink of war.

The Good Ship Lollipop

In the meantime, my grandmother, whom I called Precious, was watching Shirley Temple  films, lighthearted and heartwarming stories that are still run on TV from time to time and can be bought in a variety of volumes on DVD.  Shirley was so popular that Precious owned, among other trivia, a water pitcher and drinking glass set bearing Shirley’s image. Escapism? Yes. Popular? Wildly. Oh, and my other grandmother watched her “stories” on TV from 12:30 to 4 PM every week day — diversions popular through prosperity, inflation, stagflation, detente, and other such worldly cares.

Variety in Entertainment

Because I don’t want this post to lapse into a burdensome tome overstating a point, suffice it to say, a study of entertainment history shows a consistent pattern of musicals and anti-war plus pro-war films in time of war and silliness alongside consciousness-raising books in times of unrest. Some authors want to address society’s problems — and we will always have problems, though immediate concerns will vary. Those blessed enough to find an outlet and an audience for the important points they want to make may well change society, or at least make people think. But those books and films are likely to attract a different audience than lighthearted stories. There is plenty of room for both.

The Importance of Romance

And please don’t discount romantic stories and genre romance as fluff in the Christian Market. Read one or more of these books and think about the stories. The ones I have written, read, and represent have an underlying spiritual thread and message. In fact, the spiritual arc is one of the proposal points I ask my novelists to include in their proposals. The difference here is, our  romance authors are writing the love story as the focus but intertwine spiritual truths. They are not looking to offer a sermon, then the romance. Those who dismiss romance novels and romantic stories should reconsider. God is great, and He can and does use romantic stories to change lives. My authors have the fan letters to prove it.

Your turn:

What is your favorite romance or romantic story you have read in the Christian market? What books do you recommend in other categories?

 

 

 

To Romance or Not to Romance

June 16, 2011 in Tamela, Trends, Writing with 24 Comments

by Tamela Hancock Murray

According to St. Teresa of Avila’s biography, the battle over romance novels has been going on at least since the 1500s:

Teresa’s father was rigidly honest and pious, but he may have carried his strictness to extremes. Teresa’s mother loved romance novels but because her husband objected to these fanciful books, she hid the books from him. This put Teresa in the middle — especially since she liked the romances too. Her father told her never to lie but her mother told her not to tell her father. Later she said she was always afraid that no matter what she did she was going to do everything wrong.

Those of us who write, represent, and publish Christian romance novels can be made to feel the same way when our brothers and sisters in Christ object to our efforts to provide readers with God-honoring entertainment.  I have spoken with authors whose pastors have derided their writing, read negative blogs, and heard conference speakers criticize Christian romance novels.

Why?

Some feel that romance novels are too frivolous. I ask those who make this charge if they are willing to give up everything in their lives that could be considered frivolous. And if so, I maintain that would be a mistake. God created the Sabbath for rest and recreation. For further reading, The Baptist Press addresses what the Bible says about leisure time.

Another reason detractors cite is that these stories set the bar too high for marriage because no hero can live up to the Christian romance hero. Really? The Christian romances I read show the heroes as flawed but doing their best to follow the Lord. Isn’t this the type of man you would want for your daughter? Isn’t this how you are teaching your son? Consider many of the alternatives in secular literature. Even some of the most noble heroes in literature don’t have a relationship with Christ nor do they desire one. And Christian romance heroines are the type of women readers can admire. By struggling along with the heroines, women can learn how to deal with their own personal conflicts.

These stories show role models in the context of romance. Those who disagree with the idea of role models should stop going to church if they look up to their pastors. And this viewpoint makes teaching Sunday School dangerous. Wouldn’t want to be a role model for anyone.

On a related note, I have heard that reading romance novels depresses some women, making them unhappy with their own marriages. This observation pains my heart because no one I know involved in any aspect of publishing Christian romance hopes these stories will bring sorrow and unhappiness to readers.  Regrettably, unhappy marriages will exist whether or not Christian romance is published.

If reading these novels makes you depressed, you have a choice of two actions. One, you can stop reading them.

I prefer the second option. That is, you can ask yourself why the story is bothering you, and ask God what He is telling you through the book. You may be embarrassed that God is using a lighthearted story to reach you, but no one else has to know how God talks to you. That is between you and God. The point is to listen to His personal message to you and pray about what He would have you do.

The Christian publishing industry has so much to offer. We publish books across all genres, and for all tastes. Rather than cut each other down because we don’t like a certain type of book, why not build each other up?

Paul wrote in Romans 14:19:  Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

Peace be with you, and whatever your taste, enjoy your leisure reading.