WRITING LOVE STORIES
Valentine's Day always brings with it a plethora of romantic movies and books - and for Romance writers, that’s a very good thing!
According to Writer’s Digest, RWA (Romance Writers of America) statistics reveal that the lion share of paperback novel sales in the US belongs to Love Stories, by a large margin. In fact, romantic fiction constitutes over 50% of the entire market and that trend isn’t just in the United States. With the online E-book industry, people all over the world consume this genre like rabbits eating carrots – Ahem. And that moves the needle such that Love Stories repeatedly amount to around 45% of all E-book Fiction sales for retailers like Amazon, every year. This should be very encouraging to burgeoning Romance writers everywhere.
We all have our favorite genres and Love Stories don’t cut it for everyone. But, if you are a writer of any other genre, it is still advantageous to understand the craft of romance. Why? Because Love Stories make fantastic subplots. They can give your story more depth, a different kind of conflict, and a touch of magic that shows another side of your characters altogether. What’s not to love?
If you do plan on writing in one of the most desirable genres on the market, however, beware. You will need to know what makes them work. The loyal fans of Love Stories have a lot to choose from and if you don’t deliver on their expectations, your book will bomb. They choose these stories because they want to feel romance. They want to swoon. They want the sparks, mystery, and heart-flutter of falling for someone without taking the risk of swiping left or swiping right.
Of course, not all Love Stories are prescriptive with happy conclusions. Take a read of Damage by Josephine Hart – a savage cautionary tale about the dangers of obsessive, forbidden love. However, all the successful ones - as measured by their evergreen consumption - do abide by the best tools the art of writing offers - and this goes for both prescriptive and cautionary.
Even if they don’t know what's missing, if you defy the love-story form and leave the specific characteristics of romantic tradition out, lovers of romance will know something is off. Meeting your readers’ expectations is akin to mastering the craft put forth by the brilliant authors who came before, like Jane Austen, the Brontë sisters, and Shakespeare.
Writers, this may make you groan. You may think some of the expectations are corny or relentlessly repetitive. You may feel the rebellion of wanting to cut these deliverables out – but this will be at your book’s peril, I’m afraid. If you want people to read your romance, your best bet is to innovate on the Conventions and Obligatory moments that have already been thrashed out and established. In other words, be creative with what already works. It’s just a suggestion.
What is all this fuss about Conventions and Obligatory Moments, you may ask. Well, because stories are about change (protagonists generally have an arc), each genre needs specific Conventions to set those changes up and specific Obligatory Moments to pay those changes off. Though they are not the be-all and end-all of love stories, they are an excellent starting point, especially when coming up with your idea and when plotting it out.
To help you see these tools working, I am going to show these Conventions and Obligatory Moments in one of the most popular and romantic movies of 2018:
To All the Boys I've Loved Before
This movie is based on the book, which was originally written by Jenny Han and was adapted for screen by Sofia Alvarez. If you haven’t seen it, you can catch it on Netflix before reading on, as the grouping of Cs and OMs breaks up the natural flow and order of the story. You could also read the book, but sometimes they are different and may not be the same as the movie.
N.B. If you are writing a novel or a screenplay these traditions will be the same.
CONVENTIONS
TRIANGLES
Triangles are what this story does so well.
There is a triangle between Lara Jean, Josh and Margot (Lara Jean’s sister) since Lara Jean has a current crush on Josh and has written him a letter, that gets sent by her younger sister. When Margot gets home for Christmas she stumbles upon a fight between Peter and Lara Jean, wherein Peter finally puts it together that her breaking up with him has to do with her desire for Josh. This misunderstanding leads Margot to question her sister’s intentions.
There is a triangle between Lara Jean, her ex-best friend Genevieve, and Genevieve’s cousin Christine – who is now Lara Jean’s current bff. Even though Lara Jean is supported by Chris with respect to Genevieve’s mean-spirited jabs, L.J. does feel that Chris is using her to get back at Gen, as it appears that Gen dropped her cousin also.
There is a protective triangle between Josh, Lara Jean, and Peter because Josh is trying to deal with, and understand, the letter he was sent by Lara Jean while simultaneously not wanting her to date the “jock” he doesn’t like, Peter.
Of course, the biggest triangle is between Lara Jean, Peter, and Genevieve as Genevieve has broken up with Peter to date some college guy but is also jealous (as intended) of Peter’s pretend relationship with Lara Jean - who was her best friend until Gen got super popular and Lara Jean didn’t. This triangle started back in the 7th Grade when Lara Jean kissed Peter because of a Spin the Bottle game and Gen, we find out, had a burning resentment over it and still has it.
HELPERS and HARMERS
HELPERS
Christine (Gen’s cousin) is a helper to Lara Jean. Even though she doesn’t like Peter from when he was dating Gen, she does help Lara Jean by telling her when Gen is coming onto Peter or trying to get him back. She also agrees to go on the Ski Trip for the sake of L.J. even though it’s not her thing, because she knows Gen will get Peter back if L.J. doesn’t go. When she sees the hot tub picture on L.J.’s. locker, she rips it off and tells Peter he needs to do something about it.
Lara Jean’s dad is a helper. He really likes Peter and loves that L.J. comes out of her shell when she is with him. He also takes her to the burger place that he and her late mother used to frequent. He shows L.J. a picture of her mom dancing and says Lara Jean reminds him of her.
Josh is a helper in that he does listen to L.J. when she is upset about things with Peter, even though he doesn’t like the guy. He encourages her to tell Peter how she really feels, as he sees her point.
Kitty is a big helper even though she causes Lara Jean a lot of distress by sending out her secret love-letters to 5 of Lara Jean’s past (and present) crushes. She doesn’t want to see her sister sit at home on a Saturday night, writing letters instead of having a relationship, and it is this very act that pushes L.J. and Peter together in a pretend relationship after she kisses him on the track to throw Josh off as he walks towards her with his own letter.
L.J.’s. sister Margot is a helper by assuring her and by getting the hot tub video taken down by the social media space it is on. She also is quick to forgive L.J. for writing a letter to Josh.
HARMERS
Genevieve is the main harmer in this story. She has dumped L.J, her cousin Chris, and then she dumps Peter for a college guy. But her jealousy of Lara Jean makes her want to get him back, so she tries to sabotage things in many ways for Lara Jean. She stays friends with Peter and makes that very clear and public. She speaks down to Lara Jean and makes fun of her in front of others. She lies about her time with Peter, making it sound like he stayed in her room and that her gave her Lara Jean’s scrunchie. She also takes the hot tub video and puts it online – then lies about that when confronted. She tries to make Lara Jean look like a bit of a hussy and is obviously the one who told everyone on the bus about their hot tub affair, which makes the students clap when L.J. gets on the bus.
GENDER DIVIDE
This convention is slipping away from stories as our world changes and becomes more inclusive, but some stories do still adhere to traditional roles for men and women, although in a much softer way in this one, certainly.
Peter is the one who can drive and has a car.
He is also the one who has had sex already, as Lara Jean is saving herself for someone special.
Even though Lara Jean is the one who wrote the letter and is the one who planted a kiss on Peter on the track, he is the one chasing her once he realizes that he is falling for her.
He is also the one who tries to make their pretend relationship real.
Lara Jean has a lot of people around her protecting her in some way, but no one is protecting Peter.
L.J.’s. dad however does break the mold a little by giving her condoms before she leaves for the ski trip, just so she is prepared and so that she knows he is not going to freak out if she makes her own decisions. He wants to protect her from other things like getting pregnant.
Josh and Peter also break this gender divide in that neither of them takes advantage of L. J’s apparent come-ons – delivered by mail - except for the kiss planted on Peter at the track. It may look to Josh that Peter is taking advantage of her, but we know otherwise, as does L.J. This breaks the convention of men going out and sowing their oats when broken up with by a gf instead of feeling what they feel.
EXTERNAL NEED
It is not exactly a pressure put upon L.J. to date and get a boyfriend, but her family do want her to be happy and meet people for her own sake.
Kitty wants her to get out and have fun because she is more aware that L.J. - who is sixteen - is staying home watching Golden Girls on a Saturday night (date night) and writing love letters that she doesn’t send. Kitty, who is only eleven on the other hand, had to cancel plans to stay home with her. Therefore, she sends all five letters in L.J.’s. closet with the good intention of helping to increase her sister’s chances.
Her dad is especially happy when she is with Peter, whom he likes and respects, but there is no pressure – only well-meaning encouragement.
OPPOSING FORCES
Gen is the major opposing force. Despite moving on, she still wants Peter to herself and is very upset and jealous about his fake relationship with her ex-best friend – especially given that she still resents L.J. kissing Peter in the 7th grade.
Josh is a mild opposing force because he doesn’t like Peter, but this is only until he realizes how much L.J. likes Peter and that he is treating her well.
Chris is also a mild opposing force since she dislikes Peter also because of Gen, but when L.J. starts to date him she’s on board as her friend is happy and Gen in unhappy.
SECRETS
L.J. has the most secrets because she has had all these crushes and not admitted feelings to anyone about them; her letters are her best kept secret until Kitty finds and sends them.
Peter keeps it secret that he still likes Gen, from Gen, but not from L.J. He later keeps the secret that he and Gen are still friends and that he still calls her but he does admit to it when asked and he and L.J. are only pretend dating at that time. He keeps it a secret from L.J. that he dropped by to see Gen after the hot tub night, but only to tell Gen it was over. Once Peter starts to fall for L.J. he keeps it close to his chest because L.J. doesn’t seem to be reciprocating, although he does write her very sweet notes and at one point, he tries to confront her about it, but she brushes him off, yet again.
Kitty has the secret that she sent the letters, as she knows L.J. would freak out.
Margot and L.J. keep it secret that Margot broke up with Josh despite being in love with him.
Gen keeps many secrets, but the main one is that she’s still pissed at L.J. for kissing Peter way back in grade 7, and this only comes out when L.J. confronts her in the bathroom.
RITUALS
Usually, rituals are between the couple but there is one that L.J. has all to herself. Whenever she feels an overwhelming crush on someone, she writes them a letter and puts it in an envelope as if she is going to send it – complete with address. Then she hides it in a fabric-covered box and stores it high on a shelf in her closet with the others.
Peter writes L.J. little love notes to drive Gen crazy because she always wanted him to do that with her. But after they have broken up and L.J is having a heart to heart with Josh, Kitty brings L.J. the notes from Peter that she held onto for her sister. L.J. realizes they were very much based on his true feelings for her. This is the push she needs to admit her own feelings to him.
Peter picks L.J. and Kitty up and drives them to school daily because L.J. is a terrible driver.
L.J. stays home on weekend nights rather than taking the risk of making new friends and finding a boyfriend.
MORAL WEIGHT
L.J. has a crush on Josh even when he is still dating her sister
L.J. did kiss Peter even though he was going steady with Gen in grade 7.
L.J. is lying to everyone about her relationship with Peter. She is also being dishonest with herself and Peter by not telling him that she is falling for him.
Kitty has sent out L. J’s. secret letters, which could have had anything in them, which are deeply personal, and which only L.J. herself should ever decide to do.
Gen is mean-spirited and revengeful. She doesn’t want L.J. or Peter to be happy even though she has moved on. She doesn’t feel guilt for the lies she concocts that could ruin L.J. and Peter’s chance of being together, or L.J.’s reputation. She has no compunction about dropping people from her life if they don’t fit her superficial worldview. And she has no issues being mean to L.J. in front of other people.
Josh and Peter are pretty good guys in that neither of them takes advantage of the apparent advance from L.J. right after being dumped by their respective girlfriends. Neither is looking to get over it by using her and this is a refreshing switch for the moral weight of what young men tend to do when crushed by a girlfriend in romantic love stories. This is an innovative choice made by the writer Jenny Han. It is also a prescriptive way to write a love story for young men, in that it balks at the gender divide convention of the male characters who typically go out and “sow their oats.” Both young men are choosing to feel the pain of losing the ones they love, and the only reason Peter is “dating” L.J. in the beginning is to get Gen back as his girlfriend, which he makes perfectly clear to Lara Jean.
Make it stand out
Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
OBLIGATORY SCENES
LOVERS MEET
Lara Jean met Peter – way back in 7th grade (12-13 years old) - ostensibly through her former best friend, Genevieve, who was dating him.
FIRST KISS
Lara Jean and Peter first kissed at a party (7th grade) while playing Spin the Bottle.
Although there is another real kiss later when Lara Jean is away with Peter on the school ski trip.
LOVERS BREAK UP
When Lara Jean gets on the Bus to go home from the ski trip, everyone starts clapping. She sits next to Peter and asks if he told anyone about last night (they kissed in the hot tub). Peter honestly replies that he didn’t and that it’s a “ski trip thing” to clap for couples.
When the bus arrives back home, Gen decides to stir things up by informing Lara Jean that Peter gave her a scrunchie she just loves (the scrunchie he took out of L. J’s hair and that Gen took off his wrist). This upsets L.J. because she thought the kiss in the hot tub turned the fake relationship into a real one. Gen also expresses to L.J. that she’s so understanding to let Peter sleep over in her room last night (after the hot tub). Furious, Lara Jean confronts Peter, who doesn’t lie about stopping by Gen’s. Then she breaks up with him without letting him explain.
PROOF OF LOVE
Worse still, Lara Jean gets home and finds out that someone made a “sex tape” of her in the hot tub with Peter, and they didn’t even have sex! Her big sister Margot settles the tape situation by sending the social media giant an anonymous notice to remove the video, citing child pornography laws.
Relieved that this has all been put behind her, Lara Jean confidently goes to school flanked on each side by friends, but when she gets to her locker there is a picture of the two lovebirds in the hot tub plastered onto it, and a crowd standing around talking about them.
Christine rips the picture off L.J.’s. locker while Lara Jean storms off down the hall. As she approaches Peter, she chews him out for not correcting everyone’s perceptions of their so-called relationship, but Peter is confused. When he finds out what has happened, he yells above everyone in the hall that if he finds out who did this, and if anyone else talks about Lara Jean, he will kick their asses. This is Peter’s Proof of Love for Lara Jean. He cares about her more than he cares about his reputation. He puts her welfare first, despite their break-up.
LOVERS REUNITE
Lara Jean is miserable without Peter and her loved ones tell her so.
Lara Jean confesses to Josh that she really likes Peter.
Even Josh admits that Peter stood up for her over the hot tub situation. He encourages her to tell him how she feels, that she can’t stay home watching movies and writing letters.
Lara Jean writes one more letter – to Peter, but this time she goes to the lacrosse field to read it in person.
Their reunion runs into the Confession of Love scene.
CONFESSION OF LOVE
Peter doesn’t confess his love for Lara Jean until the very end of the story, though he does try along the way. Lara Jean plucks up the courage to tell him how she really feels about him after re-reading his love letters and realizing that he’d been saying loving things to her all along. Peter is ecstatic to hear this from her and tells her he loves her. With this, they reunite.
THE END
TL