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Romancing The PDF - Gwen Hayes

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3K views10 pages

Romancing The PDF - Gwen Hayes

Uploaded by

paprika161076
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Welcome

HI, I’M GWEN HAYES.


I write kissing books.
I am also a freelance editor. My clients write kissing books.
Guess what I read for fun? Kissing books.
I wrote a book called Romancing the Beat that you can find here. It’s about writing the romance arc in
romance or books with romantic elements. Some people really like it.
This template is intended to supplement the writing experience after reading the book. If you haven’t
read the book—I hope the template is still useful to you. I tried to put mini-explanations on the front of
each beat card. These beats are only for the romance arc of your book. If you have a complicated external
plot outside of the romance, you’ll want to braid it to these beats.
I’m freely sharing this information—but it’s still copyrighted. If you find it helpful—and I hope you
do—let me know. We have a Facebook page just for writers who don’t want to bother with my fiction
books called Romancing the Beat with Gwen Hayes. But you can always drop me a line at
gwen@gwenhayes.com or say hello on my author Facebook page. For information about all my books and
activities: Gwen Hayes and to hire me as a story consultant and editor Fresh Eyes Critique.

@2016 Gwen Hayes


Phase 1: Set up
Introduce H1
~Introduce protagonist in a way
that makes that character
compelling.
~Show your character’s slice of
life but throw a hitch in it
~Give or introduce your
character’s external goal.
~Introduce or hint at what your
character needs.

Introduce H2 Meet Cute


~Introduce protagonist in a way
that makes that character H1 and H2 meet for the first time
compelling.
~Show your character’s slice of life on page. Make it memorable—this
but throw a hitch in it
~Give or introduce your character’s is the story they will share with
external goal.
~Introduce or hint at what your their grandkids one day.
character needs.

[Grab your reader’s


No Wayattention
1 with Adhesion
The argument your character This beat pushes you into the
voices
a greatagainst
quote from
falling
theindocument
love. It or
second act. It’s a plot thrust. They
sets up the romance arc for the
reader.
use this
The
space
character
to emphasize
basically a key cannot walk away from the other
says, either out loud or in internal
now. Not until they see this
dialogue,
point. the
To reason
place this
thattext
he or
boxshe
will not fall in love. Not now, not conundrum through. Make sure
ever,
anywhere
but especially
on the page,
withjust
thedrag it.]
your glue is sticky here.
character from the Meet Cute.
Phase 2: Falling in Love
No Way 2

Restate the argument against love

Inkling of Desire Deepening Desire

Begin attacking your character’s false They are starting to show each other

belief about what he or she stated in glimpses of who they really are.

either No Way Beat 1 or No Way Beat 2.

Maybe This Could Work Midpoint of Love

What if they gave in to that temptation? This is the beat where you show them

Characters begin to question their old everything they want and it’s in reach.

thoughts. False high.


Phase 3: Retreating from Love
Inkling of Doubt

Go back to your No Way Beats and give

them an inkling of doubt custom made

for their hole-hearted selves.

Deepening Doubt Retreat Beat

The intimacy is continuing or may even The Retreat Beat is one where you leave

appear to be growing, but the seed of subtext behind and let them actually say,

doubt you planted in the last beat just either in internal or external dialogue,

poked up through the ground. what they fear and that they are going to

protect their hearts.

Shields Up Break Up

Whatever they foretold in their No Way Always have your black moment be tied
Beats comes true. to the moment when your heroes choose
to hold onto their:
No Way Beat: I don’t believe in love/will
never love again/don’t deserve love fears/flaws/wounds/misconceptions
because_______.
Shields Up Beat: I knew better than to instead of opening their hearts
believe in love/love again/think I deserve completely.
love because when I let my guard down
______.
Phase 4: Fighting for Love
Dark Night

It's the beat where your heroes think they

should feel better than they do about the

stupid thing they just did. Suddenly, they

are staring out windows while montages

of Phase 2 play across their mind ...

Wake Up Grand Gesture

This beat is where they say: This time I He or she must be willing to put it all on

choose love over fear. I have been an the line now or risk losing the one thing

idiot. I need to fix this. they need to become whole-hearted. It’s

life or death now.

What Whole Hearted Looks Like Epilogue

They kissed and made up in the last beat, It’s up to you, a master at your craft, to

but show your reader what whole-hearted manage a scene with little conflict that is

looks like for these two. You’ve put them still intriguing.

through the wringer. This is your chance

to make it up to them
Now you try!

Set Up Phase

Introduce H1

Introduce H2

Meet Cute

No Way 1

Adhesion
Falling in Love Phase

No Way 2

Inkling of Desire

Deepening Desire

Maybe This Could Work

Midpoint of LOVE
Retreating from Love Phase

Inkling of Doubt

Deepening of Doubt

Retreat

Shields Up

Break Up
Fighting for Love Phase

Dark Night

Wake Up

Grand Gesture

What Wholehearted Looks Like

Epilogue (if desired)


Romancing the Beat

Available from these stores in eBook, audio, and print:

What makes a romance novel a romance? How do you write a kissing book?

Writing a well-structured romance isn’t the same as writing any other genre—something the popular
novel and screenwriting guides don’t address. The romance arc is made up of its own story beats,
and the external plot and theme need to be braided to the romance arc—not the other way around.

Told in conversational (and often irreverent) prose, Romancing the Beat can be read like you are
sitting down to coffee with romance editor and author Gwen Hayes while she explains story structure.
The way she does with her clients. Some of whom are regular inhabitants of the New York Times and
USA Today bestseller lists. Romancing the Beat is a recipe, not a rigid system. The beats don’t care if
you plot or outline before you write, or if you pants your way through the drafts and do a “beat check”
when you’re revising. Pantsers and plotters are both welcome. So sit down, grab a cuppa, and let’s
talk about kissing books.

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