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I had a feeling that I'd read this before. I did read the intro once, but didn't pick it up because it has a very 'lol i did a meme' writing style and starts out very heteronormative. Later, the books switches to using H1 and H2 instead of presuming the MC is a girl and the secondary character is a guy. The example story broken down into a beat sheet is m/m.
I am glad I decided to give it another try. I had written this off as not-for-me. I agree with a lot of things in this book, including the idea that you can write what you want but if you call it a romance there are genre expectations. Failing to deliver isn't subversive, it's edgelord. I so agree with this! Also, external goals aren't wrong and are often part of the book's unique appeal \o/ Goddam, finally, these crafts books were giving me a complex.
There is a lot of good advice in this book. Some of it doesn't apply to fanfic, since typically in fanfic characters have already at least met... in some canons. Also, in this beat sheet characters have sex earlier than I typically see in fanfics, but also fanfics are shorter.
I haven't written enough stories to know for sure, but there are modifications I think I'd make to this sheet for my own use. I am not fond of they get together, break up, get back ... but that is also similar to the 'lose everything' beat in hero's journey that I often think undercuts the story's theme. Also, not sure on the 'hero's worry turns out to be true, or seems to be true' beat. Maybe sometimes? But not all stories. I might feel differently once I have more completed work.
But also I don't like conventional romance books, so it makes sense that I'd chafe at some of the conventional plot points of one.
Ideally, I'll reread this book at some point and make my own beat sheet. Actually, this may be a book that I reread from time to time. I think it is going to help me tighten up on the tension and other things. I like the idea of the protag going from hole-hearted to whole-hearted, and some of beats she talks about.
This book has they finally connecting as the climax, so them being together as the denouement. I think part of why I like case-fic or adventure-with-romance as opposed to Category Romance is that it puts them finally together in a different part of the story and we aren't headed right into The End. We get to stay in that 'together' beat long and see who they are as a couple, or throuple, or whatever. Together they finally solve the mystery or defeat the humans. I think that is one of several reasons I don't like Category Romance books... it all has the proposal or the grand gesture as the climax and then basically story is over. All this work to get together and we don't *see* them together except for maybe a scene?
I guess that some people read Category Romance books for the rush of them getting together and then want to move onto the next? It sounds that way from how she talks about it.
Anyway, I am glad I read it. Now it's time to move onto Le Guin's book.
I am glad I decided to give it another try. I had written this off as not-for-me. I agree with a lot of things in this book, including the idea that you can write what you want but if you call it a romance there are genre expectations. Failing to deliver isn't subversive, it's edgelord. I so agree with this! Also, external goals aren't wrong and are often part of the book's unique appeal \o/ Goddam, finally, these crafts books were giving me a complex.
There is a lot of good advice in this book. Some of it doesn't apply to fanfic, since typically in fanfic characters have already at least met... in some canons. Also, in this beat sheet characters have sex earlier than I typically see in fanfics, but also fanfics are shorter.
I haven't written enough stories to know for sure, but there are modifications I think I'd make to this sheet for my own use. I am not fond of they get together, break up, get back ... but that is also similar to the 'lose everything' beat in hero's journey that I often think undercuts the story's theme. Also, not sure on the 'hero's worry turns out to be true, or seems to be true' beat. Maybe sometimes? But not all stories. I might feel differently once I have more completed work.
But also I don't like conventional romance books, so it makes sense that I'd chafe at some of the conventional plot points of one.
Ideally, I'll reread this book at some point and make my own beat sheet. Actually, this may be a book that I reread from time to time. I think it is going to help me tighten up on the tension and other things. I like the idea of the protag going from hole-hearted to whole-hearted, and some of beats she talks about.
This book has they finally connecting as the climax, so them being together as the denouement. I think part of why I like case-fic or adventure-with-romance as opposed to Category Romance is that it puts them finally together in a different part of the story and we aren't headed right into The End. We get to stay in that 'together' beat long and see who they are as a couple, or throuple, or whatever. Together they finally solve the mystery or defeat the humans. I think that is one of several reasons I don't like Category Romance books... it all has the proposal or the grand gesture as the climax and then basically story is over. All this work to get together and we don't *see* them together except for maybe a scene?
I guess that some people read Category Romance books for the rush of them getting together and then want to move onto the next? It sounds that way from how she talks about it.
Anyway, I am glad I read it. Now it's time to move onto Le Guin's book.
