This week: Surprise vs Expectations Edited by: Dawn Embers  
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Romance/Love Newsletter by Dawn
Romance is known for having particular elements in order to qualify as the main genre that includes happy endings and stories focused on a relationship. This makes other genre readers wonder about the lack of surprise and writing to certain expectations. Let's discuss some of that here. |
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Romance is one of those slightly different genres that some people absolutely adore and others don't care for in part due to whether or not there are surprising elements to the plot compared to having expected results. The endings are notable examples because most romance readers will say that they want a happy ever after ending, or at least a happy for now. Which means, for many many stories, we do have an expectation for what will happen at the end. The couple will find a way to be together. Also, the story tends to be focused on the relationship, so there are certain times where something will happen that isn't a surprise.
By surprise, I don't mean just randomly having an explosion or tornado wipe out part of a city, that is more for the Action & Adventure newsletter. Accidents like car crashes do happen in stories that come out of left field as those are things we don't expect in real life either, so that might be a useable element of surprise. In general, we are talking about things that might be hinted at in some way within the plot but that causes problems without the reader knowing 100% that was going to happen. So, we'll talk about a few aspects and why it might be okay even if the reader thinks "I knew that would happen" when reading the story.
The couple breaking up near the end?
Not a surprise. It's called a third act breakup, which does add a big moment of conflict and when written well, still causes concern for the reader even if they sort of expect something like that to happen. However, given the right story progression, it still can be a creative, well written story that readers adore. I've re-listened to or re-read a few romance stories over the last year and probably about 80% of them include this element. Some are very short. One breakup in an amusing single dad trope storyline had them break up for like 10 minutes after facing an unexpected bear sighting on a camping trip. The trick is having a good reason for the possible relationship end or time apart. Don't just throw it into a story because it is common and some expect that it might happen.
Readers sort of expect things...
This is true within the romance genre. Not that it can't have surprises in the story relating to characters and the conflict, but there are certain elements that if changed, will influence the genre connected to the story. Sure, it's possible to have a story focused on romance where the ending isn't happy. In fact, I'm pretty sure there is a novel out somewhere that says in the title that the characters will die. Not exactly a happy ending. However, most of the time if things go sour or sad at the end, this may switch the main genre to something else, like drama. Just because the story involves a romance storyline, that doesn't necessarily mean that it's going to be a romance novel. Many genres will include a romantic subplot. Many consider books by Nicholas Sparks to not be romance due to the stories not meeting certain expectations.
Sometimes the concept of fitting expectations can seem like a negative. For some readers, they wonder why one might want to read a story if they have a general idea what will happen? Others seek comfort and even joy in experiencing the different ways characters get through the conflict in order to get the relationship happiness that is desired. Some readers will like the genre and others will go for something else. Just have to remember that one can't write for all readers because preferences will be very different.
There can be surprises too.
On the other hand, I will admit that there can be some surprises. These can work for or against you in a story, however. The car accident is a good example because it's something that people don't often expect, unless there was an intense foreshadowing that makes it seem like an obvious choice. Things like an accident or health scare can be useful in a romance story because it forces a character or even both of them to take some factors into consideration, including mortality. This may help to either push them towards a relationship or cause a reason for suggesting to step back. The trick is making sure it's something that not only makes sense for the story but also doesn't distract from plot lines that are already in place. Overall, you want to connect dots within the story and limit the number of loose ends that get left behind because readers don't want to have unanswered questions when they reach the end. If there has been focus on a particular set of problems and an accident distracts the character, don't forget at some point to resolve those issues or have a way to show why they don't matter anymore. Completely forgetting a conflict when things go sideways will make the reader question if the story was ready or needed a rewrite.
The basic summary of this newsletter ramble? In romance stories, it's okay to both have some surprises but to also write things in a way that is expected by the reader. You can have that third act break up, throw in a surprise doctor visit and have a happy ever after. Do what you need to do in order to write the story. That's the key focus. Write the story. Worry about the other things later. Just write...
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Do you need surprise in a story or is it okay to have some elements that fit expectations?
"I love you as certain dark things are to be loved, in secret, between the shadow and the soul." - Pablo Neruda, 100 Love Sonnets
"I would rather share one lifetime with you than face all the ages of this world alone." - J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings
"To love or have loved, that is enough. Ask nothing further. There is no other pearl to be found in the dark folds of life." - Victor Hugo, Les Misérables
"Love is a temporary madness. It erupts like volcanoes and then subsides. And when it subsides, you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots have so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part." - Louis de Bernières, Captain Corelli's Mandolin
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Romance/Love: July 24, 2024 Issue [#12648]
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