We invited author Rachael Thomas to share with us about Reaching HEA and her latest release, New Year at the Boss's Bidding.
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Reaching the HEA
You’re almost at the end of writing your book, about to reach the happy ever after, but will it really be what your characters deserve? The temptation for you as the writer to reach that happy conclusion too quickly can leave a reader feeling cheated and unsatisfied. Equally a long drawn out ending where the happy ever after becomes lost in all the whys and wherefores can irritate a reader.
A romance reader expects a happy ever after – or even a happy for now ending, so as writers of the genre we must deliver it, despite the fact that the reader has known from the very first word of you book that it will end happily.
Here are a few things I’ve learnt along the way to help your characters reach their ultimate happy ever after.
1. Know your ending – Work out before you start writing how the characters are going to reach their happy ever after. If you are a plotter, you’ll love this tip, but if you are a panster it will not feel right. It is important to have some idea of what your characters are going to be experiencing as they go on their journey and writing a synopsis before you write the story can be a very useful tool.
2. Love and war - Ensure your characters have had times in their story when they did get on with one another, when it did look possible for that happy ever after – until something else was thrown in the path of happiness that is!
3. All neat and tidy – Throughout your story questions will have been raised by your characters’ actions and these need answering to give the reader a sense of
completion. Don’t wait until the last few pages to pack it all in. Instead filter it throughout the story, but keep that real big issue for the black moment, the point in the book where the reader wonders how your characters will ever come back from that point and reach their happy ever after.
4. The last word – Let your reader see, with dialogue or actions, as the characters work things through for the last time. Resist the temptation to tell them it all ended well and they lived happily ever after – show them, let them be there as those final words are said.
A Child Claimed by Gold
A scandal of their own making
Nikolai Cunningham has kept his family history secret for seventeen years. So when photographer Emma Sanders is granted exclusive access to his childhood home, he returns to Russia to ensure it stays hidden.
Though she tries to keep her eye on the story, Nikolai's potent sexuality proves too much for Emma's untouched body to resist! But, convinced she only wanted a scoop, Nikolai casts Emma out, unaware she's pregnant!
When the consequence of their recklessness is revealed, Nikolai will legitimize his heir—with a gold wedding ring!
Enter to win Signed Copies of A Child Claimed by Gold
Goodreads Book Giveaway
A Child Claimed by Gold
by Rachael Thomas
Giveaway ends January 31, 2017.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.
Great suggestions for making sure the story is fleshed out and well rounded! Thanks.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by!
DeleteShowing the happy ending is always best. It makes for a good read. :)
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely! Thanks Chrys!
DeleteCareful weaving of the story lines is so important. Thanks for such a clear explanation here for reaching the HEA!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by!
DeleteI love knowing a book will work out in the end! Makes it comforting even during the chaos! :)
ReplyDeleteDefinitely! Thanks Jemi.
DeleteLayer the answers rather than pile them all on at once. (Good way to overload the poor reader.)
ReplyDeleteLayering for sure. Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteExcellent tips! I particularly like the last one--I like seeing the couple happy, not just being assured it by the author :)
ReplyDeleteI think that is so important. Thanks Meradeth!
DeleteGreat tips! Thanks for sharing! Best of luck with your book.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the good luck wishes Kelly!
DeleteWise words. Thanks for sharing. Wishing you both a successful new year!
ReplyDeleteThanks Nicola for the success wishes!
DeleteI have to know the ending before I start to write. The lead up to it often changes as the story takes shape, but the ending itself stays the same. I'm more a timeliner than a true plotter or pantser.
ReplyDeleteA good mix of both! Thanks Carol.
DeleteI do like a happily ever after ending and these are great tips for pulling off successfully.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by!
DeleteA question that often plagues me, I'm happy to say that I recently ACTUALLY feel like I'm rounding my story out well. Wonderful tips all the same!
ReplyDeleteGreat news Robert! Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteGreat advice. It is interesting that romance readers want and expect that happy ending and giving it to them so they feel satisfied has to be done just right. I can see how having the ending figured out ahead of time would be very important. :)
ReplyDelete~Jess
Thanks Jess. That's what it's all about, readers' expectations, whatever the genre. Thanks for stopping by!
Deletegreat advice! i definitely don't want to annoy the reader! the end needs to entice them to want to read another of our books - it needs to be memorable and satisfying (or slightly cliffhanging to make them want to know what happens next!)
ReplyDeleteand thanks, Kelly, for stopping by my cradle rock release party!
Tara Tyler Talks
Good advice! You definitely need a good ending to keep the characters memorable and make the reader want to read more of your work.
ReplyDeleteAwesome thoughts. I'm totally after the HEA when I read. (And not just in romance.) But I agree it has to be earned. There is nothing worse than getting to the end and feeling like the plot was contrived.
ReplyDeleteExcellent points, Kelly. Love the cover. He is very handsome. Where do they find these models? Looks like Leonardo's brother.
ReplyDeleteSo I know I commented once... But I can't remember what I sad because that was a couple weeks ago. Maybe google is eating comments again. Hmmm.
ReplyDelete