BONUS CHEAT SHEET

The Writer’s Guide to Crafting

a Love Story That Works
Love stories are some of the best-selling mass-market fiction with a large fan base of readers who
just can’t get enough. These center around two protagonists who develop an intimate connection
and who are falling in love. The central protagonist (or sometimes both the protagonist and the
antagonist) typically has some kind of internal wound or flaw to overcome before they feel fully
worthy and ready to open up to true love. Readers want to see true love win. So, these stories end in
“happily ever after,” or at the very least, “happily for now.” Beyond that, romance novels can have
any tone or style, be set in any place or time, and have various levels of sensuality. They can include
various subplots as long as the love story remains the main focus of the novel.

Love Genre Overview:

➔ The protagonist wants to find or be worthy of love and to avoid rejection
➔ This means that what’s at stake, or what they stand to lose or gain is intimacy, connection,
and/or romantic love with another human being.
➔ Readers want to feel anticipation over whether two individuals will get together (or not).
They also want to feel a sense of hope that true love will prevail. They want to vicariously feel
romantic desire, vulnerability, and maybe even sexual tension, just like the protagonist.
➔ Therefore, the general theme of a romance story is something like, “desire, vulnerability,
and sacrifice for another leads to intimacy and love,” or “selfishness and being guarded
results in loss of intimacy and love”
➔ Examples include: Outlander, Twilight, Pride and Prejudice, Something’s Gotta Give, Call Me By
Your Name, Sense and Sensibility, Bridgerton, The Notebook, Red, White and Royal Blue

Love Genre Conventions:

#1. The protagonist wants to avoid intimacy and is usually not the pursuer of
an intimate relationship.
In most love stories, the protagonist wants to avoid intimacy because there’s something inside
themselves that says they are undeserving or unworthy of love. Either that or they have an outdated
worldview that prevents them from making a connection. Because of this, the protagonist is not
usually the pursuer of a relationship. In fact, it should be pretty clear that the last thing he or she
wants is to meet the love of their life right now. If they do try to pursue an intimate relationship with
another person, they probably sabotage themselves (and the relationship).

Example: In Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth doesn’t want to marry for anything other than true love.
She feels a lot of prejudice towards the upper-class and hates the idea that her future is dependent

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on a man and what he can offer. In this case, her worldview isn’t allowing for what she wants
most—real love.

#2. The antagonist wants to connect and be intimate with the protagonist and
usually pursues them as a result.
The antagonist in a love story is the other person in the relationship. And just because they’re called
“the antagonist” doesn’t mean they’re up to no good. They could be amazing! And all the things the
protagonist has always wanted in a partner! But because of that outdated worldview or the internal
wound that’s making the protagonist believe he or she is unworthy of true love, they will see the
antagonist as a threat to their comfort zone. In most cases, the antagonist pursues the protagonist,
even if just slightly. What you’re looking for here is some kind of ying-yang (or push-pull) energy.

Example: In Pride and Prejudice, Mr. Darcy pursues Elizabeth more than she pursues him, but not at
first. In the beginning, they both have too much pride and prejudice to see the other for who they
truly are. Once Mr. Darcy gets to know Elizabeth more, he starts to pursue her as a possible partner.

#3. The protagonist and antagonist have something to offer each other. A
special quality, skill, or worldview that the other lacks.
Something is holding the protagonist (and maybe even the protagonist) from being able to give and
accept love. In some of the best love stories, the antagonist has some kind of quality, skill, or unique
worldview that the protagonist needs to be exposed to. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the
protagonist needs the antagonist to be complete, but rather, the antagonist shows them something
different. A possibility, or an answer to what might be missing from their lives currently.

Example: In Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth is intelligent and witty. She’s different than the women
that Mr. Darcy is used to dealing with, and she represents what Mr. Darcy could be like if only he
loosened up a little bit. On the other hand, Mr. Darcy helps Elizabeth see that wealthy people are
capable of having depth and being altruistic. They each have something the other one lacks, and
thus, these qualities put pressure on the other person, causing them to eventually change.

#4. There’s at least one rival competing for the protagonist’s affection.
There needs to be someone (or something) competing for the protagonist’s affection, and maybe
even the antagonist’s affection, too. Without this rivalry, there’s no possibility for your protagonist to
face a choice between one person or another. And this choice between one person in another is a
surface-level choice. Really, each person represents what kind of person the protagonist can be
moving forward. So, for example, there’s usually a guy who’s “good on paper” that represents the
heroine’s comfort zone. And then, there’s the guy who pushes the heroine out of her comfort zone
and causes her to blossom into the best version of herself. The rival doesn’t always have to be flesh

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and blood either. Sometimes the rival manifests as a choice between the romantic relationship and
something else—career advancement, continuing with an addiction, clinging to a toxic family.

Example: In Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth has three men interested in her throughout the
story—Mr. Collins, Mr. Wickham, and Mr. Darcy. Mr. Darcy, as one of the richest men in the area,
and probably has multiple women hoping to win his affection, but Caroline Bingley is the person we
see as most interested in Mr. Darcy throughout most of the story.

#5. There are characters who support and thwart the protagonist’s romantic
relationship with the antagonist.
In love stories, there needs to be at least one character who’s supportive of the romantic
relationship and who wants things to work out. This person will do whatever they can to help the
two main characters get together. On the flip side, there needs to be characters who are NOT in
favor of the relationship, and who will do whatever they can to thwart the budding relationships.
You can even have multiple characters who fill these roles, too.

Example: In Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth’s mom, Mrs. Bennet, acts as both a helper and a harmer.
She’s all for seeing her daughters marry rich men and does whatever she can to make that happen
(sometimes to their detriment). Jane will support Elizabeth no matter who she chooses to be with.
Mr. Wickham is a character who thwarts the relationship between Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth because
he fills Elizabeth’s head with lies about Mr. Darcy to make himself look better.

#6. There are intimacy rituals that occur between the characters.
The protagonist and antagonist need to have intimacy rituals like shared traditions, private
languages, and inside jokes that they only do with one another. These types of rituals are important
to have in your romance novel (and to develop over time) because it helps you create and enhance
the chemistry (and intimacy) between your two main characters.

Example: In Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy tease each other and exchange witty
remarks whenever they’re together. Even at the end, when married, the teasing continues.

#7. There are secrets being kept from or by the protagonist.

Love stories need secrets. And there are three types of secrets to choose from; secrets that other
people keep from the protagonist, secrets that the protagonist keeps from other people, and secrets
the protagonist keeps from themselves. And this last kind of secret is the kind that’s most often
present in romance novels. Why? Because the character often needs to admit the truth to
themselves and overcome whatever’s holding them back from opening up to true love.

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Example: In Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth keeps her growing feelings for Mr. Darcy a secret. Beyond
that, Elizabeth isn’t aware of her own judgments toward the upper class until the end of the story.
This is a secret she keeps from herself. Mr. Darcy’s secret is that he was responsible for helping
Lydia and Mr. Wickham marry, and for helping Jane and Mr. Bingley get back together. The secret he
keeps from himself is that his own pride is getting in the way of him being able to accept true love.

#8. There’s something more than just the relationship at stake.

In love stories, there has to be more than just the romantic relationship at stake. There needs to be
something else going on in the protagonist’s life—something that they’re pursuing, and something
that they stand to lose or gain. This is what will drive the external plot of the story, and the actions of
the two main characters. For example, maybe the protagonist wants to climb the corporate ladder
by getting a specific job title. Or maybe they want to raise a certain amount of money to save their
veterinarian practice. Whatever it is, this goal needs to be something specific and timely that your
characters think will bring them happiness or fulfillment. Other than that, this external goal can help
create conflict for your protagonist when love enters the picture, too. For example, maybe your
protagonist and antagonist going for the same position at work. Or maybe they’re on competing
teams trying to win the same prize.

Example: In Pride and Prejudice, none of the Bennet girls will inherit Lonbourn after Mr. Bennet dies.
Therefore, they need to find husbands if they want a secure future. Elizabeth is very concerned
about her sisters’ happiness, and what the future holds for them. When Jane falls for Mr. Bingley,
Elizabeth is “stuck” navigating the same social circles and events as Mr. Darcy. This is a point of
contention between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy too. They belong to different social classes, and they
have different sets of worldviews and values.

#9. The protagonist undergoes an internal change before finally embracing a

committed relationship with the antagonist.
Whatever wound or outdated worldview the protagonist is dealing with, he or she must overcome it
in order to accept true love. So, in order to open up and receive true love, the protagonist has to go
through a period of self-reflection and change. They have to ask themselves who they want to be—a
person who lets the wound or outdated worldview win? Or someone who pushes past those wounds
or their outdated worldview and becomes a better version of themselves? Someone who can give
and receive love? In most cases, this change occurs because the protagonist has met and/or
interacted with the antagonist.

Example: In Pride and Prejudice, Mr. Darcy overcomes his pride, and Elizabeth overcomes her
prejudice. As a result, they are both rewarded with true love and happiness.

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#10. The story ends “happily ever after.”
At the very end of the story, we should see what “happily ever after” (HEA) looks like for the
characters. What does being wholehearted look like? This is that awesome emotional payoff that
readers have been waiting for since page one. It’s the final moment to let readers sink into (and
enjoy) that wonderful feeling that love has won yet again.

Example: In Pride and Prejudice, we’ve just seen Elizabeth accept Mr. Darcy’s hand in marriage. In the
final scene, we see Mr. and Mrs. Darcy hanging out on the dock, wonderfully happy and in love.

Love Genre Key Scenes:

#1. The lovers meet (or they appear on the page together) for the first time.
In the beginning of a love story, the protagonist needs to meet the antagonist (or they need to
appear on the page together for the first time if they already know each other). This meeting ignites
their need to open themselves up to connections, and in most cases leaves them a bit frazzled. This
scene is sometimes called the “meet-cute.” A well-crafted “meet cute” will show readers how the
external goals and the internal flaws of each character are in conflict with each other. This is almost
always the inciting incident of your story.

Example: In Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth and Jane Bennett meet Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley at the
town ball. And what’s great about this scene is that we get to see the tone of each relationship. Mr.
Bingley and Jane are sweet and polite. Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth are more witty and sharp-tongued.

#2. The protagonist is committed to avoiding an intimate relationship but is

somehow unable to walk away from the other character.
Love stories need to be crafted in a way that neither character can walk away from the other. For
example, maybe the protagonist and antagonist are stranded somewhere together, or faking their
relationship to accomplish a different goal, or they’re forced to work together on a project. Things
like that. Either way, the protagonist and antagonist can’t walk away from each other now. They
need to see this external “problem” through. Sometimes, this scene contains the couple’s first
intimate moment, depending on the setup of your story (and the heat level of your romance). If
you’re writing more of a sweet love story, you might show them sharing an intimate moment where
they hold hands, share some kind of dream for their future, or do something nice for the other. If
you’re writing something more steamy, this scene could include a kiss. This scene typically marks the
end of act one, pushing the characters into act two “stuck” together.

Example: In Pride and Prejudice, Mr. Darcy asks Elizabeth to dance at the Meryton ball. This is that
first moment where we see each of them let their guard down just a little bit and share a dance.
They’re “stuck” in this social circle together now.

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#3. The protagonist understands the antagonist’s true feelings, and that
things are no longer platonic.
After getting to know one another, one (or both) of the characters confesses their feelings for the
other person, escalating the stakes. This doesn’t necessarily mean one of your characters has to say
“I love you” to the other one, but it does have to be made known that one (or both) of your
character’s feelings are no longer platonic. Depending on the heat level of your story, this could
include a first kiss or sleeping together for the first time, too—whatever “escalating” the physical
intimacy looks like for your story. This scene usually happens at the midpoint because it’s an event
that really raises the stakes for your characters. Now they (and readers know) what’s on the line.

Example: In Pride and Prejudice, Mr. Darcy confesses his love to Elizabeth and says that despite his
better judgment, and despite her family’s status in society, he wants to be married. This is a good
example of a scene where only one character confesses their love because Elizabeth does not seem
to share Mr. Darcy’s feelings at this moment—especially after how he expresses himself.

#4. The protagonist reaches an all is lost moment where their internal wound
or misbelief sabotages the relationship and the lovers break up.
Whatever internal wound, false belief, or outdated worldview your protagonist has been carrying
around rears its ugly head here and sabotages the relationship. So, in most love stories, this is
where the protagonist and antagonist break up or separate (depending on the circumstances). This
breakup is only temporary because we’re headed for a “happily ever after,” but it should feel
permanent for readers. This scene usually happens around the end of act two right around the “all is
lost” moment when it really does seem like there’s no hope for this relationship.

Example: In Pride and Prejudice, right after Mr. Darcy says he’s in love with Elizabeth and wants to
marry her, just turn him down. She turns him down and lists all the reasons why she dislikes him and
why a relationship with him would never work. Readers are hoping for a “happily ever after,” but
they don’t know how it’s going to happen yet. And that’s the fun part!

#5. The protagonist and/or the other character prove their love by sacrificing
something in favor of the other’s happiness.
After the protagonist and antagonist have gone their separate ways, one of them proves their love
by sacrificing something for the other person’s happiness. And not only that, but they need to do it
without any hope that their action will change the other character’s mind about entering into a
relationship. They’re simply sacrificing something so that the other person can be happy. They just
love that other character so much. What could they sacrifice? A part of themselves, they could
sacrifice a job in a different state, a bad habit, a way of life, an outdated worldview, money. It could
be anything. What you’re looking for with this sacrifice is something to prove that your character has
learned the lesson of the story. This is the climax of the global story.

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Example: In Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth learns that Mr. Darcy has sacrificed a part of his fortune,
to a man he despises (Mr. Wickham), in order to protect Elizabeth’s family from disgrace and to
ensure Elizabeth’s happiness. Not only did he sacrifice his money, but he did it all without any bit of
hesitation. It’s this sacrifice that causes Elizabeth to realize that she’s been wrong about Mr. Darcy
this whole time. Lady Catherine confronts Elizabeth about a rumor she heard (that Elisabeth and Mr.
Darcy are engaged), and asks Elizabeth to promise that she will never enter into an engagement with
him under any circumstances. Elizabeth refuses, and when Mr. Darcy finds out, he takes this as
proof that Elizabeth has feelings for him. It gives him the courage to propose to Elizabeth again.

#6. The protagonist’s sacrifice is rewarded with a committed, intimate

relationship and a sense of “happily ever after.”
At the very end of the story, we should see what “happily ever after” (HEA) looks like for the
characters. What does being wholehearted look like? This is that awesome emotional payoff that
readers have been waiting for since page one. It’s the final moment to let readers sink into (and
enjoy) that wonderful feeling that love has won yet again.

Example: In Pride and Prejudice, we’ve just seen Elizabeth accept Mr. Darcy’s hand in marriage. In the
final scene, we see Mr. and Mrs. Darcy hanging out on the dock, wonderfully happy and in love.

Savannah’s Tips & Notes:

➔ Examples are based on the Pride and Prejudice movie.
➔ Love stories usually feature dual POVs, alternating between the protagonist and antagonist.
➔ If you’re writing a story about familial love or friendship, you can use these key scenes and
conventions to help you flesh out your story, too. They are not limited to romantic love.
➔ Love stories need an internal genre to pair with. The internal genre can help you flesh out
their internal arc, or what it would look like for the protagonist to let go of that internal
wound or outdated worldview that’s holding them back. If you don’t have an internal genre
paired with your love story, it will fall flat.
➔ If you’re writing a MG or YA romance, you’ll want to dial back the physical intimacy and
commitment level. For example, maybe the climactic moment is the couple’s first kiss or the
first time they acknowledge their feelings.
➔ When writing sex scenes, remember that it’s not just about body parts! Sex is about
connection, emotion, and vulnerability, so make sure that’s on the page.
➔ If you don’t have HEA ending, you’re probably not writing true romance! Take a step back,
and think about using one of the other external genres as your primary genre, and consider
that the romance might play more of a secondary role. Romance readers want a “happily
ever after,” and if you don’t deliver it, they’ll be disappointed.

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