An Introduction to Romance Writing

By Andrea Wenger, andreadavidauthor.com

As was announced earlier in July, the Heart of Carolina Romance Writers are now part of TAF! Formerly a chapter of the Romance Writers of America, HCRW is committed to supporting romance authors through education and networking. We offer quarterly face-to-face events as well as a monthly Book-in-a-Week writing competition. We also present periodic educational webinars through TAF. All TAF members are welcome to attend at no extra cost. Watch the forum to learn more about our events.

For those unfamiliar with romance writing, here’s a general explanation of this popular genre.

Beyond the Bodice Ripper: What Is the Romance Genre?

Romance is one of the best-selling genres in publishing — a billion-dollar industry featuring stories of tension and heart-stopping emotion. Yet it’s frequently dismissed as nothing more than a guilty pleasure.

In fact, the romance genre is a diverse, empowering, and deeply satisfying category of fiction that celebrates the journey of human connection.

While a love story can appear in almost any genre — from epic fantasy to gritty thrillers — romance novels follow two core rules. These aren’t suggestions — they’re the primary promise the author makes to the reader.

A central love story: The main plot is the development of a romantic relationship between two or more people. While subplots involving career, family, or even saving the world can and do exist, the romance must be the primary focus.

An emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending: A romance novel must end in a way that leaves the reader feeling hopeful about the central relationship’s future. This doesn’t mean every problem is magically solved. Rather, it guarantees that, at the end of the book (or sometimes, the series), the central couple is committed to facing life’s journey together.

Romance vs. Women’s Fiction: What Is the Difference?

If a book features a female protagonist navigating a romantic relationship, that doesn’t automatically mean it’s a romance. The key difference lies in the focus.

Women’s fiction (sometimes categorized as general fiction) centers on a woman’s journey of self-discovery. Her relationship with a partner might be part of that journey, but so are her career, friendships, family, and relationship with herself. The romance subplot serves the protagonist’s story. Crucially, a happy ending is not guaranteed.

In romance, the main characters’ journeys serve the relationship. The personal growth, career changes, external conflicts — they all exist to test and strengthen the bond between the central couple (or triad, or…).

What Are the Romance Subgenres?

The romance genre is vast and wonderfully diverse. To help readers find the specific stories they crave, the genre comprises numerous subgenres, including the following.

Setting-Based Subgenres

• Contemporary Romance: The largest and most popular subgenre features stories set in the 21st century. These novels reflect current societal norms and themes, with settings that can range from bustling big cities to quirky small towns.
• Retro Romance: Stories from 1950–2000 might fall into this category, or they might be classified as either contemporary or historical. As time marches on, the definitions are evolving.
• Historical Romance: These novels are generally set before 1950. This is a huge category with its own beloved sub-subgenres defined by specific eras, like Regency or Medieval.
• Western Romance: Set in the American West, these stories often feature cowboys, ranchers, and frontier life. They can be either historical or contemporary.
• Highlander: Set in the Highlands of Scotland, the kilted heroes and fierce heroines in these (mostly) historical romances project the independent spirit and family loyalties shaped by the rugged and sharply beautiful terrain.

Tone and Plot-Based Subgenres

• Romantic Comedy (Rom-Com): These light-hearted stories emphasize witty banter, humorous situations, and charming characters.
• Romantic Suspense: This subgenre seamlessly blends romance with a mystery or thriller subplot.
• Inspirational Romance: Faith or spirituality is integral to the characters’ journey, typically with high emotion but little or no physical intimacy.
• Erotic Romance: Explicit sensuality is key to the story and deeply intertwined with the emotional journey.
• Dark Romance: Exploring more intense and taboo themes, this subgenre often features morally ambiguous characters.

Speculative Fiction Subgenres

• Paranormal Romance: Set in a world superficially like our own, this subgenre features characters such as vampires, werewolves, witches, ghosts, and other magical beings.
• Fantasy Romance (aka Romantasy): These stories are typically set in entirely fictional worlds with their own unique creatures, magic systems, and political landscapes.
• Science Fiction (Sci-Fi) Romance: This subgenre blends futuristic technology, space travel, and alien worlds with a central love story between humans, aliens, or even artificial intelligence.

Character-Demographic Subgenres

• Young Adult (YA) Romance: Teenage protagonists experience the emotional intensity of first love, high school, coming-of-age themes, and other adolescent challenges.
• New Adult (NA) Romance: This subgenre explores the transition into adulthood with protagonists in the 18-25 age range. These stories often focus on experiences like college, starting a career, and navigating mature relationships.
• LGBTQ+ Romance: This broad and vibrant subgenre features main characters and relationships from across the queer spectrum. These stories can be found within all other subgenres, from Western to romantasy.

The Joy of Tropes: The Building Blocks of Romance

Far from being clichés, tropes are beloved story setups that deliver specific emotional experiences, telling the reader what kind of journey to expect. Here are a few of the most popular tropes and their appeal:

• Enemies to Lovers: The characters start with genuine animosity — but that fiery passion slowly transforms into respect, understanding, and love.
• Friends to Lovers: The characters already share a deep bond of friendship, and the story explores the terrifying, wonderful moment they realize there could be something more. It’s full of pining and emotional depth.
• Fake Relationship: Two characters pretend to be a couple (for a wedding or work event, to make an ex jealous, etc.). Forced together, they see each other in a new light, blurring the lines between what’s fake and what’s breathtakingly real.
• Grumpy/Sunshine: One character is brooding, cynical, or reclusive, while the other is upbeat, gregarious, and optimistic. The magic lies in watching the sunshiny character chip away at the grumpy one’s walls.
• Forced Proximity: There’s only one bed! They’re stuck in an elevator! They’re snowed in at a remote cabin! This trope throws the main characters together in a confined space, leaving them no choice but to confront their feelings.

The next time you’re looking for a story that guarantees hope, connection, and a deeply satisfying emotional payoff, consider a romance novel. You might find your new favorite escape. If you’re a writer and haven’t tried writing romance, hopefully this primer has opened your eyes to the possibilities!

Andrea J. Wenger writes Regency romance under the pen names Andrea David and Andrea Duke. When she’s not reading or writing, she enjoys gardening, scuba diving, and hiking active volcanoes with her husband. To learn more about her books, visit her website listed at the top of this post.