Guest Post: How to Write a Great Romance Novel By Tina Martin

To write a great romance novel, you need great characters. Well-developed characters that the readers can visualize and empathize with will create a story that is believable and enjoyable.

Also, the writer must do a good job of creating moments of chemistry between characters which is very important in romances. Actually, this is true even for dating and relationships. I don’t know how many times I’ve heard people in the dating crowd say, “There was no chemistry between us.” If the spark is missing on the first date, then most likely, there won’t be a second. The same is true with writing a great romance novel. There has to be noticeable moments of personal interest and chemistry – a long, silent stare, an innocent kiss or a hug. Even tension can create an atmosphere of chemistry and romance. Consider a piece from my novel, Secrets On Lake Drive:

I was ready to pull away from our hug, but Sean held on to me, and for that moment, I felt like I was his. 


“We’ve been spending so much time angry at each other that we haven’t had a chance to get to know one another,” he said when he let me go and started staring at me with his darling green eyes. “I really need to get to know the woman that my son is so crazy over.” 


He held my hands and we just stood there on the balcony, staring at each other. Actually, he was staring at me and I had no idea why. The awkward silence was killing me and he seemed to have lost himself in my eyes. Then, out of the blue, he smiled. I smiled, too. It was the first time I’d seen him so sincere.


Sean’s stare was obviously more than just a simple stare. This scene occurred a few days after an argument between the main characters, and Sean’s stare in essence was telling Monica that he was sorry. She could see this in his eyes as they held hands while standing on a balcony; smelling the fresh, Lake Michigan breeze that enhanced their moment.

The last thing I would say about writing a great romance is, make your characters human and imperfect. So often, writers get caught up into writing fiction, they make their characters extremely perfect, especially in physical appearance. It’s okay to give your character flaws. Think about it this way – if you met the person of your dreams, will that small scar next to their nose turn you off, or would you grow to appreciate it?

Thank you Acting Balanced for having me as a guest blogger today. I hope my tips will help romance authors everywhere craft great, believable stories!


Bio

Tina Martin was born in Ahoskie, North Carolina and developed a love for writing in high school. She pursued creative writing courses in college and in 2007, self-published her first poetry book, Love Like Yours. She now uses her prolific style of writing to pen fiction novels, the latest being, Secrets On Lake Drive (Xpress Yourself Publishing) available now online at Barnes & Noble and Amazon.com.

You can read more about Tina at her website: www.tinamartinbooks.com.




Also, watch in September for my review of Secrets on Lake Drive!