14 Bestselling Archetypes in the Romance Genre

14 Pages·2013·4.96 MB·English

by  Adrienne Sobolak

How to Write Novels That Sell 6/16/2013
14 Bestselling Archetypes in the Romance Genre
Presented by Adrienne deWolfe
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How to Write Novels That Sell 6/16/2013
The Secrets to Getting Your Romance
Novel Published (e-Book Series)
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14 Bestselling Romance Archetypes
Why Do Romance Novels Appeal to Women?
• The female character is consistently characterized as
“heroic.”
• She is given power over her life.
• Romance is an optimistic category of fiction.
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How to Write Novels That Sell 6/16/2013
14 Bestselling Romance Archetypes
Why Do Romance Novels Appeal to Women (cont.)?
•Romance novels emphasize values that are traditionally
important to females.
• The girl gets the guy.
• The guy treasures her as a woman.
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14 Bestselling Romance Archetypes
What Makes Romance Readers Turn the Pages?
• Female characters receive the same fictional privileges that, in other
genres, have been traditionally reserved for the male protagonist.
• The heroine is given the emotional strength and physical resources
to overcome great odds, winning in the end.
• The genre provides stories that make women feel good about
being female.
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How to Write Novels That Sell 6/16/2013
14 Bestselling Romance Archetypes
The Hollywood Daze
• Modern movies have confused many aspiring
Romance authors.
• Many popular “romantic movies” would not be
considered genre Romance material.
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14 Bestselling Romance Archetypes
Not Genre Romance Material:
Shakespeare in Love
Bridges of Madison County
Ghost
The Notebook
Love Story
Titanic
Camelot
Mists of Avalon
Nights in Rodanthe
Gone with the Wind
The Time Traveler’s Wife
Why they aren’t they considered genre Romances?
Because the lovers don’t get to live (marry) happily ever after.
In many cases, one of the lovers dies at the end.
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14 Bestselling Romance Archetypes
Not Genre Romance Material (cont):
Sleepless in Seattle
The Lakehouse
The Princess Bride
Why aren’t they considered genre Romances?
The lovers are physically separated until the story climax.
Legally Blonde Although we cheer at the movie’s
end, the protagonist winds up with
the secondary male lead (who is
introduced late in the movie).
King Kong Beast / Human love stories don’t
pass muster in genre Romance
(unless your beast shapeshifts.)
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RWA polls
have
identified
8 taboos
that Readers
don’t want
to see
in Romance
novels:
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How to Write Novels That Sell 6/16/2013
14 Bestselling Romance Archetypes
Prohibited Events/Elements in Romance Novels 4
• Rape (especially of the Heroine)
• Cruel Hero
• Sad Ending (lovers go their separate ways)
• Physical Torture, Brutality
• Promiscuous Heroine
• Weak Hero (indecisive, whiny, cowardly)
• Promiscuous Hero
• Heroine is Stronger (willed) than the Hero
4“What Do Readers Want? Ask Them,”written by Eileen Putman,
Romance Writers Report
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14 Bestselling Romance Archetypes
Tips for Developing a Romance Plot:
• There’s no such thing as a new idea.
(Romeo & Julietis a re-write of the Celtic tale, Tristan & Isolde)
• Editors don’t expect you to write what’s never been written before.
(They expect you to put a fresh spin on an old plot.)
• Certain story patterns or “plots” crop up in your favorite books.
(Archetypes appeal to the Mass Consciousness or “Common Man”)
• To begin plotting, start with the age-old question, “What if . . . ?”
• Write with a strong voice and a pinch of humor to land your first sale.
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Ready for the
14 Bestselling
Story Archetypes
in the
Romance Genre?
☺☺☺☺
Audience
Participation
Rewarded with
CHOCOLATE!
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14 Bestselling Romance Archetypes
#1. Beauty & the Beast
(Hero is physically flawed )
•Beauty & the Beast (Disney)
•Roxanne (Movie)
•Beastly (Movie)
Twist on the Theme:
•Courting Miss Hattie (Historical
Romance by Pamela Morsi)
Now it’s your turn!
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How to Write Novels That Sell 6/16/2013
14 Bestselling Romance Archetypes
#2. Cinderella Stories
(Princely hero rescues deserving
heroine from undesirable life.)
• Charming the Prince (Historical
Romance by Teresa Medeiros)
• An Offer from a Gentleman
(Historical Romance by Julia Quinn)
• Maid in Manhattan (Movie)
Twists on the Theme:
• Shrek (Movie)
• Cinderfella(Movie)
Now it’s your turn!
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14 Bestselling Romance Archetypes
#3. Lady & the Tramp
(Lovers come from
different social strata)
•Bringing Up Baby (Movie)
•Scoundrel for Hire (Historical Romance
by Adrienne deWolfe)
Twist on the Theme:
•Kate and Leopold (Movie/Time Travel)
Now it’s your turn!
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How to Write Novels That Sell 6/16/2013
14 Bestselling Romance Archetypes
#4. Ingenue & the Rebel
(Good Girl/Bad Boy)
•Angel & the Bad Man (Western Movie)
•Grease (Musical)
• Devil’s Bride (Historical Romance
by Stephanie Laurens/Cynsterseries)
Now it’s your turn!
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14 Bestselling Romance Archetypes
#5. Shotgun Wedding
(Marriage of Convenience)
•Devil in Winter (Historical Romance
by Lisa Kleypas)
•Kiss an Angel (Contemporary Romance
by Susan Elizabeth Phillips)
• The Bargain (Regency Romance
by Mary Jo Putney)
•His Wicked Dream (Historical Romance
by Adrienne deWolfe)
Now it’s your turn!
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How to Write Novels That Sell 6/16/2013
14 Bestselling Romance Archetypes
#6. Labors of Love
(3 Tests: Wit, Strength, Forbearance;
H/H must pool their wits/resources
to outsmart enemies)
•The Saint (Movie)
•Romancing the Stone (Movie)
•Princess Annie (Historical Romance
by Linda LaelMiller)
Now it’s your turn!
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14 Bestselling Romance Archetypes
#7. Homebody and
the Rover
(Nester tames Wanderer)
•Born in Ice (Contemporary Romance
by Nora Roberts)
•Texas Lover (Western Historical
Romance by Adrienne deWolfe)
Twist on the Theme:
•Woman of the Year (Movie)
Now it’s your turn!
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