Romancing the Beat: Story Structure for Romance Novels cover art

Romancing the Beat: Story Structure for Romance Novels

How to Write Kissing Books, Book 1

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Romancing the Beat: Story Structure for Romance Novels

By: Gwen Hayes
Narrated by: Natalie Duke
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About this listen

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 is like 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 best-seller 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.

©2016 Gwen Hayes (P)2017 Gwen Hayes Romance Words, Language & Grammar Writing & Publishing Witty
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Listener received this title free

I love this book! As well as giving you lots of information on how romance novels are typically constructed, it's also extremely entertaining.

entertaining and informative

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I really liked this book. It adapted nicely the Save the Cat beat sheet to the romance books. It was short, clear and to the point, Natalie Duke conveyed the book's humorous style beautifully. It kept my attention and didn't bore me at all. I also appreciated the playlists, the Scrivener template and the example of an outline at the end. Perfect!

Short, sweet and useful

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Enjoyed this! I wish it could have been longer for the price. Practical but would like so.e writing tips too.

V helpful

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Have you ever wanted someone to tell you exactly how to write a romance novel in the funniest, most charming way possible while at the same time referencing hit songs from the 80's? Then this is the book for you. Gwen dishes the goods in roughly an hour and a half and leaves you ready and way more then willing to write a book of your own.

The best guide to writing kissing books.

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In the end it was easier to let Siri read aloud because the narration was so hysterical. I found the constant jokes really grating. The music list at the start of each chapter was pointless
What the author/producer don’t seem to understand is we’re buying the book for the information and not to find her ‘cute’
Could not finish

I really wanted this

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