Creating a Romance Novel Outline Using Romancing the Beat
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Did you know I have a novella in a romance anthology out in June 2022, and a paranormal romance series coming too? That’s why I knew I needed a romance novel outline, and how I came to love Romancing the Beat.
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It’s no secret that I love to outline my novels before I write them. Hell, I even created The 90-Day Novel Planner to help others do the same.
So, I won’t make this post about whether or not you should outline. You know I think you should.
Instead, let’s talk about why a romance novel outline is important, okay?
Do You Need a Romance Novel Outline?
All book genres have expectations. Romance novels have EXPECTATIONS.
So, having a romance novel outline is a good way to make sure you meet those EXPECTATIONS head on.
What do I mean by all this? Well. If you’re a romance reader, you know that there is a certain cadence to the story, and the ending has to be happily ever after, or at the very least, happy for now.
And while the genre is expanding to be more inclusive of characters and storylines that wouldn’t have been featured in the past, there is still very much an expectation for the ending, and I would also say for the beats of the story itself.
PLEASE NOTE: My comments section is not a safe place for you to go off about how you don’t read romance because it’s predictable. Guess what? All stories are predictable. If you’re not familiar with basic story structure or the hero’s journey, then you should go do some research before you come at me. There are only so many plots and every story that is going to be told has already been told in one capacity or another.
So, I’m not available for your arguments that accuse romance of being unoriginal or predictable when so are literally all other stories.
Thank you. Have a blessed day.
Now, let’s talk about outlining.
