Touch the untapped, or recently declined, trend on romantic books – for they are what most readers who are lost to True Love are looking for today!
Most of the recent trend in romantic novels displays broken, negative, and arrogant characters who miraculously transform into the irresistibly kind-hearted and passionate human all in the name of love. But you know that something like that does not happen in reality. And you know more that what is on trend in the film-making now are those which are tagged, “inspired by a true story of….” So how can you make your romantic novel appeal irresistibly to your intended audience? Exactly! It should just portray what ladies and gentlemen should look in a real life partner!
Character
Literally and metaphorically, many men and women of dating age are looking for this (and they should just look for this). Merriam-Webster defined character as an “ethical trait of an individual” which leads us to the conceptualization of a character. Before anything else, you should make a WINNING CHARACTER! How? Instill his or her values. Instill his or her sense principles. Instill his or her beautiful attributes.
The admirable character
Someone’s character should be that which should be admired by everybody. It should be wonderful. A good character is patient. Kind. Understanding. Generous. Caring. Loving. Successful. Not the selfish ones. Not just the beautiful ones. But those who can display hardworking and dedicated approach to what they want. Those who are, in a way, serious at least in their approach to relationships. Because in real life, those traits are what people are looking for.
Provide a reason for the romantically stubborn devotion to a partner
This is very important. Why should the lover love his or her beloved? Because there is just no definite reason why he loves her or she loves him? Then, isn’t it the same as saying that he or she could just love everybody since it doesn’t require such a reason to do so? If you are talking about platonic love for everybody, yes, this is right. But when you talk about the kind of love that can end up to dating and marriage – the romantic love – this is just not possible. You should clearly define what makes this beloved stood up from the rest. And let this reason be something out of an irresistible character. As what the universal nature states, you stick with an experience that provides you with a positive feeling – meaning happiness. And happiness is often created from kindness. In other words, you are more likely to speak and stay with a kind person rather than the arrogant, selfish and bully one. So, what makes your character kind and appealing?
The experience and time formula
Sufficient memorable experience and time for getting-to-know-each-other and then accepting one another is a killer for every romantic story. This is where all the most cited parts of the book are found – repeatedly read, highlighted, and quoted. What differences? What similarities? What sparks the attraction? What sustains it? What destroys it? And what makes it alive again? For these experiences, the characters develop loyalty to one another. It is not just a mere concern of “hey, I got a big catch!” episode. Most often, in wonderful movies and best-selling books, this is even the time when lovers reflect how much they are willing to leave the other if it means improvement and happiness for them. Now, that is a “big-catch” story. It really is a dream come true to find a person who loves you so much to think of your sake and do everything for your sake. To be loved by someone like that is what every person in the world longs for.
Develop the time frame for the character
Even in real life, a person changes over time. Hence, it is important to bring the story from one circumstance to another to show how the character makes sense. Does he improve? Does he become better? Does he succeed? If he does not, why? Justify the character. As in reality, there is always a reason behind everything and every change. And if he does not really become better, what then? Shall it stop right there? Definitely not! It is as if you are telling the readers to accept that they can really be hopeless while not being able to overcome it.
If you want a character to be remembered so well by everybody, show over time how he has become worthy of that memory. Let him suffer great. Let him be close to death, if possible. Then, bring him up. Prove that he is worthy to be loved, and not be pitied. There should be a great difference between the two. Because, truth be told (again), people love to stick with those who have overcome great tragedies. Because they just feel like they’re trusted.
Create only strong leading characters
When you say strong, you do not imply the brute strength of the person nor is his super intimidating personality. You mean the character that is courageous when it comes to the people he or she loves. It doesn’t matter if they are physically, intellectually, or economically weak. When they get high spirits, everybody would get to follow them, imitate them, copy them, IDOLIZE them. Now, you just got your character popular. Isn’t that what you aim for?
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Over the years the romance literature genre has greatly evolve. But some of the tips mentioned above have retained their charisma.
I agree. Me personally, I prefer an empowered leading lady and a leading man with a great perspectove on things.