Romancing the Story: Writing Romance, Storytelling, and Book Structure

"You want to (write dark themes) in a way that's sensitive and include the dark content but also consider the impact."  Sarah Hawley, USA Today Bestselling Author, knows how to occupy space in darker narratives and brutal high-stakes stories in addition to her lighter rom-com books. We focus on the first book of a high fantasy series, Servant of Earth, and its themes of escapism, rebellion, and fighting for a better world even when the odds are against you. Connect with Sarah: https://www.sarahhawleyauthor.com/ [https://www.sarahhawleyauthor.com/] Instagram: @mssarahhawley [https://www.instagram.com/mssarahhawley] Twitter: @MsSarahHawley [https://x.com/MsSarahHawley] Check out "Servant of Earth" by Sarah Hawley, the first book in The Shards of Magic Series: https://amzn.to/3GE7RRW [https://amzn.to/3GE7RRW] --------- The YouTube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPcGXevs2NQk3Ab9OD66zuQ] https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPcGXevs2NQk3Ab9OD66zuQ Support the Show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/romancethestory] https://www.buymeacoffee.com/romancethestory Find me below: Twitter - @RomancetheStory [https://twitter.com/RomancetheStory] Instagram - @RomancetheStory [https://www.instagram.com/romancethestory/] Facebook - @RomancetheStory [https://www.facebook.com/RomancetheStory]  Music: Strawberry Flavor Love by Daystar https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMi0dxVgqvo  Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/romancethestory]

"One thing I love about the romance genre is that you're allowed to have those big, emotional moments....without apology." Romance Author and former Hallmark creative producer, Bryn Donovan discusses the charming and humorous moments that arise with miscommunication in romcoms, the challenges of a love that transcends time, and the heartwarming journey that led to her novel being published and made into a movie. Connect with Bryn: https://www.bryndonovan.com/ [https://www.bryndonovan.com/] Instagram: @bryndonovanauthor [https://www.instagram.com/bryndonovanauthor/] TikTok: @bryndonovan [https://www.tiktok.com/@bryndonovan] Twitter/X: @BrynDonovan [https://x.com/bryndonovan] YouTube: @BrynDonovanWriter [https://www.youtube.com/@BrynDonovanWriter] Facebook: @AuthorBrynDonovan [https://www.facebook.com/AuthorBrynDonovan/] Find "Her Knight at the Museum" by Bryn Donovan: https://amzn.to/44nRClL [https://amzn.to/44nRClL] --------- The YouTube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPcGXevs2NQk3Ab9OD66zuQ] https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPcGXevs2NQk3Ab9OD66zuQ Support the Show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/romancethestory] https://www.buymeacoffee.com/romancethestory Find me below: Twitter - @RomancetheStory [https://twitter.com/RomancetheStory] Instagram - @RomancetheStory [https://www.instagram.com/romancethestory/] Facebook - @RomancetheStory [https://www.facebook.com/RomancetheStory]  Music: Strawberry Flavor Love by Daystar https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMi0dxVgqvo  Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/romancethestory]

"...each enneagram has a really unhealthy bar all the way up to a healthy bar. So for me, it's 'where did my character start on the bar?' and 'how do I get them to a healthy place of the enneagram through the story?'..." USA Today Bestselling Author Krystal Shannan explores the fascinating world of Enneagrams and their powerful application in character development and character arcs. Discover how the nine Enneagram types can help you create characters who are relatable, genuine, and dynamic. Krystal provides insights to craft characters that resonate deeply with your readers and drive compelling narratives. Connect with Krystal: https://www.krystalshannan.com/ [https://www.krystalshannan.com/] YouTube: @KrystalShannan Facebook: @KrystalShannan Instagram: @krystalshannan --------- Other Media Mentions: The Enneagram Institute https://www.enneagraminstitute.com/ --------- The YouTube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPcGXevs2NQk3Ab9OD66zuQ] https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPcGXevs2NQk3Ab9OD66zuQ Support the Show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/romancethestory] https://www.buymeacoffee.com/romancethestory Find me below: Twitter - @RomancetheStory [https://twitter.com/RomancetheStory] Instagram - @RomancetheStory [https://www.instagram.com/romancethestory/] Facebook - @RomancetheStory [https://www.facebook.com/RomancetheStory]  Music: Strawberry Flavor Love by Daystar https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMi0dxVgqvo  Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/romancethestory]

"For (the politican couple), it's almost a negotiation -  I know what I want. Are you able to give it to me? And just having that back and forth." Romance Author Alicia Wilder created a not-so-secret, forced proximity romance set in Washington DC with likeable characters to boot in My Secret Vice. She walked through the process of toeing the line between politics and passion and talks about building a West Wing-type romance with emotional depth, older MCs, ambitions, and respecting power balance. Connect with Alicia: https://aliciawilder.com/ [https://aliciawilder.com/] TikTok - @aliciabwilder [https://www.tiktok.com/@aliciabwilder] Instagram - @aliciabwilder [https://www.instagram.com/aliciabwilder] Facebook - @aliciabwilder [https://www.facebook.com/aliciabwilder] Twitter/X - @aliciabwilder [https://x.com/aliciabwilder/] Tumblr - https://www.tumblr.com/aliciabwilder [https://www.tumblr.com/aliciabwilder] GoodReads - Alicia_Wilder [https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/23070616.Alicia_Wilder] Find Alicia Wilder's books on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4fo5e2A [https://amzn.to/4fo5e2A] --------- The YouTube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPcGXevs2NQk3Ab9OD66zuQ] https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPcGXevs2NQk3Ab9OD66zuQ Support the Show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/romancethestory] https://www.buymeacoffee.com/romancethestory Find me below: Twitter - @RomancetheStory [https://twitter.com/RomancetheStory] Instagram - @RomancetheStory [https://www.instagram.com/romancethestory/] Facebook - @RomancetheStory [https://www.facebook.com/RomancetheStory]  Music: Strawberry Flavor Love by Daystar https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMi0dxVgqvo  Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/romancethestory]

"...if I want readers to be able to identify with the character then I want them to be able to identify with the illness specifically...I can't be ashamed to put the name (of illness) on the page." Romance author Cara Dion knows writing through the pain of chronic illness is not just about the physical aspects but touches ever part of her life. We chat her experience with chronic illness, the way it affects her writing and using romance as a way to create relatable characters and powerful commentary on challenges, both illness and beyond. Plus, who doesn't enjoy a good, ol' fashioned Hemingway to Sierra Simone pipeline? Find Cara Dion on Kindle: https://amzn.to/4d95nWh [https://amzn.to/4d95nWh] Connect with Cara: https://www.caradion.com/ [https://www.caradion.com/] Facebook - @caradion.author Instagram - @caradion.author --------- Media Mentioned: Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert https://amzn.to/4e3sDGh [https://amzn.to/4e3sDGh] Priest by Sierra Simone https://amzn.to/3XtiJqr [https://amzn.to/3XtiJqr] --------- The YouTube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPcGXevs2NQk3Ab9OD66zuQ] https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPcGXevs2NQk3Ab9OD66zuQ Support the Show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/romancethestory] https://www.buymeacoffee.com/romancethestory Find me below: Twitter - @RomancetheStory [https://twitter.com/RomancetheStory] Instagram - @RomancetheStory [https://www.instagram.com/romancethestory/] Facebook - @RomancetheStory [https://www.facebook.com/RomancetheStory]  Music: Strawberry Flavor Love by Daystar https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMi0dxVgqvo  Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/romancethestory] Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/romancethestory]