5 Ways To Begin Your Romance Novel

Learn how to begin your romance novel with an opening that grabs attention, sets the tone, and keeps readers turning the pages.

1. ‘It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.’
2. ‘Reader, I married him.’

These two lines are among the most famous opening and closing lines in two of the greatest romance novels ever written. The first is from Pride And Prejudice by Jane Austen, the second from Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë. (It’s not actually the last line of Jane Eyre, but it’s the one most people remember. We’ll talk more about that in the next blog.)

Be honest, you just know that these two lines encompass the entire genre, right? The raison d’être behind every meet-cute, and every final chapter, of every single romance book ever written. If aliens were to land on earth and judge us as a people they would be wildly confused. We are devouring romance books by the truckload while continually waging war against each other!

There is definitely enough evidence to back up the theory that those two lines personify the entire genre. And you know what? You’re right. It’s why Romance is the bestselling genre. It also explains why Romance outsells the next most popular genre, crime, by vast numbers.

If you’re longing to write romance, but are not, like so many of us, the reincarnation of either Jane Austen or Charlotte Brontë, you are probably wanting to know if there are any insider secrets to writing romance. You’ll be happy to know there are. Today we discover 5 ways to start your romance novel.

5 Ways To Begin Your Romance Novel

We’re not about to give you five opening lines to regurgitate verbatim in your new novel. But here are a few to mull over. Writing romance, as we’ve mentioned before, takes discipline. Part of that discipline is to not be lazy in the writing. More time should be spent on your first and last lines than on almost any other lines in the novel. Why? Because they are often the two lines readers will remember the most. They are the keys to the kingdom and grant readers entrée to the exclusive circles of other readers who, rather smugly, know the lines off by heart.

1. Throw the reader right into the plot. Start your book as Jane Austen did by stating the exact goal of the story. If the quill is not wielded as expertly as Jane Austen’s, this can be ‘on the nose’ (a phrase I truly loathe). However, it does tell the reader exactly what to expect. The trick is to deliver on that promise! Unless, of course, you want your novel hurled across the room and scaring the cat.
2. Confront the reader with the hero’s reputation. Ensure your opening line is laden with subtext. Take the opening line of Venetia by Georgette Heyer, whose Regency romances are always humorous. ‘A fox got in amongst the hens last night, and ravished our best layer,’ remarked Miss Lanyon. When you discover that the new neighbour is a rake from London who is soon to set his sights on Miss Lanyon, you’ll realise quite how clever this line is.
3. Put the reader at the gate to the location and atmosphere of the book. Imbue the line with mystery, which in this example is also rich in subtext. ‘Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again.’ The author of Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier, is very clear; the only way to get to Manderley again is in a dream. There is a deep pathos, a heartbreaking longing in that line that sets the reader up for the tragedy and nostalgia of the book. We immediately want to know why we can’t go there, what happened? And you’ll notice, the line refers to a house, not the hero. That alone is intriguing. Once you’ve read the book, hearing someone say that line drops you right back into the middle of the love story.
4. Tell your reader about the character of the hero. This works especially well when the hero is a ‘bad-boy’. While I don’t personally think of Wuthering Heights as a romance novel, there are some that do. ‘I have just returned from a visit to my landlord – the solitary neighbour that I shall be troubled with.’ This line contains subtext, although it is barely concealed. It also tells us, quite directly, that this is not going to be a pleasant neighbourly relationship. Going into the book, the reader knows that Heathcliff is dangerous.
5. And now for something completely different. Don’t be afraid to throw the rules aside and write a genuinely original romance. Everybody’s two favourite lines from this book are: ‘As you wish,’ and ‘Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die’. Neither of which is in any way romantic, nor are they the first line of the book. The first line is: ‘This is my favourite book in all the world, though I have never read it.’ Yes, we’re talking about The Princess Bride by William Goldman. While most of the story is high-farce, it’s still a Romance novel, albeit one more like a Russian doll than anything else – one story within another. What’s great about this line is that you really, really want to know why this is the author’s favourite book. As a reader, you’re already settling down to hear a great romantic tale.

No matter what era your story is set in, or whether it’s a comedy like Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding, or a tragedy on the scale of A Tale Of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, make sure your opening line promises something your reader desperately wants to discover.

Next time: 5 Ways To End Your Romance Novel

The Last Word

A great romance novel needs a great beginning. Whether you introduce the premise, hint at the hero’s reputation, establish the setting, reveal character, or break the rules completely, make your opening line impossible to ignore. If you want to learn how to write romance, we can help.

Click here for more posts on romance writing.

by Elaine Dodge. Author of The Harcourts of Canada series and The Device Hunter, Elaine trained as a graphic designer, then worked in design, advertising, and broadcast television. She now creates content, mostly in written form, including ghost writing business books, for clients across the globe, but would much rather be drafting her books and short stories.

More Posts From Elaine:

1. The 6 Non-Fiction Genres That Sell The Most Books
2. The 6 Fiction Genres That Sell The Most Books
3. Stuck For A Scary Plot? Try These 5 Horror Story Ideas
4. The Essential Guide To Writing Horror Stories
5. Why Is Horror More Popular Than Ever?
6. The Art Of Writing A Great Love Triangle
7. Love Story vs Romance: Key Writing Differences Explained
8. A Quick Start Guide To Writing First & Last Lines
9. What Is A Character Bible & Why Do I Need One?
10. A Quick Start Guide To Writing Revenge

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