Tension

I don't like it but my romance novel needs it.

While I may not personally thrive under tension, I've come to appreciate its role in romance novels. Tension is the driving force that keeps my readers engaged and invested in the story. It's the thrill of the journey, the anticipation and excitement, that compels readers to turn the pages and see how things unfold. Without this element, the story can become stagnant, leading to reader disinterest. Let's delve into why tension is a crucial component in romance novels:

1.   Conflict Resolution: Tension sets up the conflict that the characters must overcome. This conflict can be internal (such as fears or doubts) or external (such as obstacles from society or other characters). The resolution of this tension forms the backbone of the story. It provides a satisfying payoff at the end when the characters finally come together.

2.   Emotional Investment: Tension elicits strong emotions from readers, connecting them to the characters. These readers become emotionally invested in the romance, rooting for the characters to overcome obstacles and find happiness.

3.   Dynamic Relationships: Tension adds depth and complexity to the romantic relationship. It allows for character development as the protagonists confront challenges and grow through their experiences. Tension also creates chemistry between characters.

4.   Pacing and Momentum: Tension helps maintain the story's pacing, keeping it moving forward and preventing it from becoming boring. By introducing obstacles and conflicts, tension propels the plot. It holds the reader's interest, ensuring there are always new developments and revelations to keep them engaged.

5.   Catharsis and Satisfaction: The resolution of tension provides readers a sense of catharsis and satisfaction. After rooting for the characters and experiencing their emotional journey, readers are rewarded with a happy ending or a resolution that feels earned.

Overall, tension is essential in romance novels because it creates the highs and lows necessary and keeps readers hooked from beginning to end. Readers want to see how the story will end. There are many ways to create tension in a romance story. Here are but a few:

• Pressure from society or family

• The two love interests are nothing alike

• One has done something wrong

• Something is working against them

• There is a misunderstanding

The above are just a few examples, but the important thing that I had to keep in mind was that regardless of the situation, I needed to create a roller coaster ride to keep my reader engaged. In romance, these are sometimes called beat sheets; others might refer to them as structure. I refer to it as getting my story to not put me to sleep after I've read it a million times. In simple terms, I lay out the parts of my story and when placed together, they create a whole book: Things go wrong—things are good—not so good again—and so on. Another way to think about it, according to the book Fool Proof Romance by Christopher Downing:

"Love is born. Love gets excited. Love gets scared. Love conquers fear."

Those four parts could be put into four acts. This book by Christopher Downing is a short read but is worth picking up. Pages 67-69 should be copied and posted on your bulletin board until memorized because it will save you time in the future and he covers the following:

·   The acts of a romance story

·   The stages of a relationship

·   Expected signpost scenes that readers expect to see

·   Types of Romantic Tension

·   Power traits

·   15 intensifiers of tension

·   5 needs of HEAs

·   Romantic essentials

Early on, when writing, I wondered why my story was boring. After reading a scene or chapter, I discovered some of my scenes contained little tension. If everything is perfect for my hero and heroine from beginning to end, it doesn't make a satisfying read. My books became more interesting after I started creating situations where readers worried about how I would get my hero and heroine together. Another thing to keep in mind is that you don’t want the same amount of tension in every scene. Too much tension in every scene can be just as bad as no tension.

Check out online conferences and classes to learn more about this subject and other writing topics. Contemporary Romance Writers is running their conference, July 27-28.

Inkers.con is also advertising their in-person conference in Dallas, June 7-9, or their online conference, July 20 - August 2. These events are designed to provide you with valuable insights and networking opportunities. 

Passionate Ink also has an upcoming workshop with Jen Beal on May 22,  Archetype Subversion Tactics, with Jen Beal.

Have a great week peeps!