There are only two characters in a romance that matter. That's the two main characters. Anyone else who gets a mention is peripheral to the story. It's the two main characters will move through the book. So the reader has to get to know them well, and get to know them in the first chapter. But you can't just introduce them without background.
For example, jack was watching Julie she stroll down the street, Jack's red hair fell across his eyes and Jill's blonde hair waved in the breeze. She was going to fetch water from the well at the top of the hill. Now we all know the basic story that's just filled it out a little bit. It's always a good idea to set the scene and place at least one of the characters in it. Let me give you another good example. This is the first paragraph of chapter one mile character is being introduced.
And so is the hint of a conflict. This is the introduction to Nora Roberts is to the welcoming. Everything he needed was in the backpack slung over his shoulder, including each point three, eight. If things went well, he would have no use for it. What does this tell us? Everything he needed was in the backpack.
He could be alone. He certainly alone. He travels light, no indication yet of what or who he is. But there's a sudden element of danger in the including his point three, eight. attention is drawn into the story by the last sentence, a conflict on the horizon. Maybe if things went well, he would have no use for it.
If things went well What things you asked, read on. So obviously, you are introducing the lead male character first in this story, that's fine, but you can equally well introduce the lead female First, if that's how you want it. Let me show you in my book, the enemy anchor affair, pronounced in Minnesota. Chapter One, paragraph one. Rebecca had cleared passport control, picked up her luggage from the carousel, placed it on a trolley and was now on the customs queue in the Brisbane Airport Terminal building. Patience was something she had an abundance and there was nothing else for it, but to wait for her turn.
It's a slightly slower start, but it has introduced the female lead by name Rebecca. The story has started by placing her in an airport arrivals terminal to recap, and name is Rebecca. She's a patient sort of person, she's just arrived in Brisbane you will see that there is no immediate introduction of tension or conflict, just a calm easy start to get the lead character moving forward. We've nearly all been in an airport terminal by now. So there we surroundings are immediately familiar. Paragraph two is a short paragraph telling a little bit about a character for the discerning reader.
Still no description still no mile character in that, nothing to declare and light baggage should have seen her through in no time. Like everyone, she was now inching along in the queue. This hints to the reader that she's traveling light she means business. This is not a relaxing holiday. Light with her entire wardrobe. third paragraph introduces the conflict.
Since receiving the message in London office from her client, that Cooper Enders would only deal with a representative of the client company face to face. She'd been on the move. Cooper Anders was the owner of a vast tracts of land in Australia that her client was particularly interested in. And nothing less than a presence in Australia as representative would do. The Australian had indicated that he did not want to sell, but it was nonetheless willing to talk. Maybe Rebecca would be the key.
Don't think of conflict as being argumentative. conflict in story sense, is the case of romance novels refers to the eternal tension that can exist between a man and a woman. This tension is what laid to people to initially dislike each other for a multitude of reasons. The conflict of these emotions creates the atmosphere that you build on. So let's continue. Remember, we only have one chapter to bring these people to life in the readers minds.
All we have done so far really is to get the characters walking and talking, maybe not even talking. Think of the character as walking onto the set of the movie for the first time, the opening scene. We're still on the first page, and we've chosen which character to introduce first. In the first instance, we're introducing the male lead first. In the second instance, we're introducing the female lead first. Let's look at the next example.
Paragraph one chapter one Have Charlotte's surprise as yet unpublished. This is a little story I'm building. As we go along with this exercise. Casey Blake dropped his duffel bag on the platform and looked about as the train that the Adjust alighted from began to roll past him out of the station. He caught glances of people sitting in the dining car laughing over some tile glasses raised in an unknown toast as the cars began to speed by the sleepers at the end of the train sped by now, with their clickety clack. The last baggage costs sped by leaving a trail of dust and scraps of paper seemingly intent on following the train as it moved out across the plains.
He glanced after it, hardly moving his head. His eyes were hidden behind a pair of dark aviator sunglasses, and his face seemed like a mosque carved from stone Is this example more in keeping with our first example previously? Or is it more in keeping with the second example? study it carefully. I'll answer this question for you. In this case, it's more like the second example, where Rebecca is introduced at the airport is a project task for you rewrite the paragraph to be more like the first example showing again here.
Everything he needed was in the backpack slung over his shoulders, including his point three, eight. If things went well, he would have no use for it. Be careful here. What am I asking you to do? Actually, there is no right and wrong answer here. But I am asking you to make at least one specific change to the sample paragraph.
You can shorten it or even lengthen it ever so slightly, if you will. But change You must is a hint there is something missing. This is the rewritten paragraph. KC black look the bad is the train that they adjust allotted from began to roll past him out of the station. Everything he needed was in the duffel bag he had just dropped on the platform. The weight of his point three eight on his ankle when I noticed, and he hoped he wouldn't need it.
If things went well, he would have no use for it. He caught glances of people sitting in the dining car laughing over sometimes being told. Glasses raised in an unknown toasters, the cars began to speed by the last carriages at the end of the train went by and with the clickety clack the last cuspid by leaving a trial of Dustin scraps of paper drifting along the track. He glanced after it, hardly moving his head. His eyes were hidden behind a pair of dark aviator sunglasses, and his face seemed like a mask carved from stone. Unconsciously he touched the slim envelope in his coat pocket.
Was he going to need this? If all went well, he would not. If you'd like my feedback on your work, please make sure to message me using the Skillshare messaging system. You can also possibly do this via my author page. But the skills here messaging system will remember will make sure that you get the message to me. Remember, when writing this, it's all about the characters just to them.
Get to know them write little vignettes of them. For example, Casey shirt have become crumpled during the train journey. And being personally a little fussy about his appearance, he spent a moment to tack the shirt in and straighten his clothes out. These are little glimpses into his character. He's not really fuzzy, just a little fuzzy. writing these things about the characters, and the character of the characters will give them a clear impression in your mind as well as the reader.
Let's move on to the next lesson.