How to Write a Romance Novel

Guest post by author Katy Berritt

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In the world of novel writing, there are two kinds of writers: Plotters and Pantsers

PLOTTER PROCESS:

1. Develop the plot
2. Research/outline any details that are needed to make the plot work.
3. Outline who the characters are.

• This includes whatever horrible backstory they might have. Read: partner cheated, partner lied, partner died. Also lousy parents, insecurity due to cellulite, saggy boobs, evil stepmother, evil stepbrother, evil ex-lover, whatever. You get the idea.

4. Describe in detail what they look like. We don’t want the hero to have green eyes         in Chapter Two and blue eyes in Chapter Fourteen.
5. Determine/describe the conflict. Conflict is what keeps our characters from
    falling in love and getting married in Chapter Two, thereby creating the world’s          shortest romance novel.
6. Write out what the BLACK MOMENT will be!

• The BLACK MOMENT is when it seems like the couple will never, ever, ever manage to get together, thereby creating that all-important tension. Without tension, the book will be as boring as shit.

7. Detail how the conflict is resolved.
8. Last but not least, creates a chapter-by-chapter syllabus. Some writers actually start with the ending of the book and work backwards.

• To me, that’s like a miracle. I never know how my book is going to end. Crap, I don’t even know how this blog is going to end.

Here's the thing: PANTSERS HATE PLOTTERS! I'm a Pantser. What's a Pantser you ask? A Pantser is a writer who makes it up as they go along i.e. seat of the pants writing. 

PANTSER PROCESS:

1. Oh, cool, I have a great idea for a novel.
2. How shall I start it? Oh, I know. Someone is murdered. Who, you ask? I don’t                  know.  I’ll figure it out later. We’ll just call him Victim X for now.
3. Invent a hero. Go on Google and come up with a cool name. Likewise, for
     the heroine.
4. What’s the conflict? Crap, I don’t know. I’ll figure that out later.
5. Well, shoot, I’m focused on the hero/heroine and forgot to include someone
    who could be the murderer. Go back to Chapter Two and add a few more                         characters. I’ll figure out which one is the murderer later.
                         **Time: Three hours.**
6. Wait. I just realized the murder victim has to be the hero’s brother… a brother
     I didn’t know the hero had until now.
       - Go back to Chapter One and write him in.
                          **Time: One hour.**
7. Shit! I don’t have a cop! Agghhh. I NEED a cop.
         - Add a cop or two to Chapter Four
                        **Time: Two hours.**
8. Go back and read a hundred and six pages looking for whether the hero has
      blue eyes or brown eyes because my characters are now staring lustfully into
      each other’s eyes and I can’t remember.
             **Thirty minutes to find that info. And correct all the wrong ones.**
9.  Oh joy! I just figured out what the conflict is!
       - Reread and edit nine chapters until I find a logical place to insert
       that explanation.
                         **Time: Two hours.**
10. Edit thirteen chapters because I finally figured out who the murderer is and
       who the victim is so now I need to insert some clues.
                        **Time: Six hours.**
11. Drat! I just realized I didn’t explain why the murderer killed the victim.
       - Reread until I find a spot to sneak that info in.
                           **Time: Forty-five minutes.**
12. Write the BLACK MOMENT!
      -Edit nineteen chapters to fit the new (and improved) BLACK MOMENT
      because my characters didn’t like my BLACK MOMENT and decided to create
       their own (don’t ask how this happens; it just does)
13. Yikes, I just realized that I’m up to page 309 of my 350-page book and I
       still haven’t figured out how to solve the murder.
       - Go on Google and look for ideas
        - Sleep on it.
        - Sleep on it some more
        - Close the file and write a blog
        - Create some Instagram posts
        - Check in with my friends on Facebook
         - Sleep on it some more
         - Put it away for the time being. I still have two months until my deadline
14. Oh yay! I woke up in the middle of the night with the solution! Get up at
      2 a.m. and write.
15. Read all 309 pages so I can add the rest of the clues that explain the
      fabulous solution I created.
16. Send the manuscript to my editor and pray she doesn’t ask me to revise. 

I *WISH* I was a Plotter. Plotters really have their shit together. That's why we hate them. 

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Katy Berritt started writing, a historical with herself as the heroine, of course, when she was nine-years-old. Since there were no computers in those days, all she got out of the exercise was twenty hand-written pages and a blister on her middle finger. It would be another thirty years before she took another shot at a story.
Katy writes romantic comedy. She loves to make people laugh and feel all warm and gooey inside which is why her motto is Love, Life, Laughter. Katy loves quirky heroines and not so perfect heroes. Her debut novel The Candy Capers is available now.
Katy lives in New York City, a city rich in history, weird residents and fantastic neighborhoods, a treasure trove to draw upon when creating her stories.
You can find Katy Berritt on her website, Facebook, Instagram, along with Goodreads and Bookbub.