Romance's Emotional Beats: The Meet-Cute to HEA Structure
Romance is the most structurally demanding genre in fiction. Not because it’s formulaic-though it is-but because readers come with expectations about emotional experience. They’re not just reading for plot; they’re reading to feel specific things at specific times. Miss a beat, and you’ve broken an implicit contract. Deliver the beats with skill, and readers will follow you anywhere. The Non-Negotiables Before we dive into beats, understand the two absolute requirements of romance: ...