Writing the Big Reveal in Romance

For our Romance Week series, instructor and novelist Bryn Donovan shares an exercise that will help you explore internal conflict between your romance protagonists.

You’ve probably heard that the secret to a strong plot is conflict. This is certainly true for romance novels, with a crucial distinction: There needs to be a conflict to the romance itself. The main characters may strive to repair their reputation in society, defeat an evil monarch, or save their family ranch, but more than anything else, they need to overcome obstacles to falling in love. They have to change, learn, or grow as individuals to get their (non-negotiable!) happy ever after.

Some romantic conflicts are external. Maybe the protagonists live in two different countries—or on two different planets. Maybe one of them takes care of rescue dogs while the other is deathly afraid of them. Maybe their best friends are sworn enemies. But even when there’s strong external conflict, internal conflict to the romance makes the story more gripping.

To fall in love, people have to learn more about each other, but that can also lead to strife. For this exercise, write a scene between lovers after one of them has just learned a shocking secret about the other. It may have been intentionally shared, or it may have come out in some other way. It could be a deal-breaker! (Except it won’t be, obviously.) What will they both say? How will they feel? How will their actions, as well as their words, reveal their emotions?

Don’t shy away from the conflict. And who knows? This exercise may reveal a whole new story to you.