Do The Hero & Heroine Always End Up Together?
As I write some of my up-and-coming novels, I have been wondering about something that I have idly thought of in the past. Most of us writers are also avid readers of the genres that we write in. My experience with romance, in particular, has been mostly of the young adult variety rather than anything steamy or contemporary until more recently. However, I have been writing contemporary romance and erotica for others for many years now as a freelance writer.
When writing for medium-sized publishers, there is often a formula given to you that makes the writing process more about math and science than art. While it is not the kind of writing I would enjoy the most, it pays my bills as well as those of the company. There is a specific chain of events the reader wants to see in a story; particularly a romance. At least, this goes for the typical reader.
Generally, the hero and heroine meet, there is conflict, they have a moment that puts them on a collision course with being in love with each other, and then there is another conflict. In the end, though, everything turns out okay. The couple gets married, engaged, or moves in together. there is at least still that fairytale hint of happily ever after. But what I want to know is, does there have to be?
Some of the best books are those that I can relate to, which means they truly emanate real life. Think back to all the times you have been in love and then answer this question: How many of those times ended in happily ever after? Generally, the answer is either 1 or even 0. So, why do we insist on setting our characters up to be successful in an area where no human typically is.
You might argue several things. The first of those being that most of these stories allude to many failed relationships for the characters beforehand and that this story focuses on that ONE person. To this argument, I say that this is boring and predictable to have every single time. Sure, I like a happy ending for a couple as much as the next person, but I find that as I am writing all these romance stories that they all end to similarly. How can I differentiate my work from someone else's if that is the case?
O ne of the biggest arguments has to do with the fact that these happy endings are what sell. This is the piece of the argument that I would love to talk to an even more seasoned writer about. As I try to plan these non-traditional endings, I wonder if I can even get away with selling such a thing. Will the readers want to buy a book about an amazing couple who doesn't necessarily end up still together at the end?
So, this si where I leave it open to the public as I take my risk and continue to think up atypical endings to my romance stories whether it's a nontraditional relationship or simply that they happily part ways.
