In the last blog post we talked about the four act structure for novels in general. I promised I would cover how to write and use of the four acts in erotica/romance novels and how to apply it. We’ll take one of my longer stories as an example writing tip.
To react is to behave negatively and BE CONTROLLED by the situation. To respond is to behave positively and CONTROL the situation.
A reminder:
ACT ONE – INTRODUCTION
Here we meet the characters, get into the basics of our conflict
ACT TWO – CONFLICT
The main issue is slowly brought to light and dealt with using the characters old ways of being.
ACT THREE – THE REVERSAL
In this act we give the characters what they think they want, rather than what they need. We also make things more difficult in order to FORCE new behavior on our characters.
ACT FOUR – RESOLUTION
The characters learn lessons and change their ways of being to resolve the core issue.
First off, I used the words react and respond at the end of the previous post. The plot arc covers this as our characters go from reacting to an event to responding. The difference is simple. When plot and character arc happen to the character, initially they react, meaning they let the situation control their feelings and emotions. Behavior occurs with an old way of being. In my Male POV workshop we cover this concept of being, extensively but for now understand that just like us, our characters have a predefined tape in their heads. In our first act and throughout the story until we reach our black moment, our characters are going to react the way they normally would, despite having new information and a new way of being. This, in conjunction with conflict will ramp up tension for the reader and make them continue to read. This is especially true if we’re writing erotic romance where the plot has a strong focus on sex between the hero and heroine. The sexual encounters are where passion is explored and where emotional conflict comes out as characters think their way through their previous actions, think for the future of any relationships and continue to react to events in the first and maybe second sex scene.
In the middle sex scenes, characters have experiences that maybe didn’t go as they planned or were used to. They begin to question things and this is where the conflicts start to get heavier. As more pressure is put on our characters in the middle of the second Act that drives us towards conflict, they start to see that their old ways of being no longer work with the same results and something new needs to be done. But what?
This is where our black moment has the most impact. Our characters are lost both emotionally (depending on plot) and perhaps physically. The arc we’ll explore in another post will discuss character development in greater detail but for now, understand that there should be a shift in behavior on both parties. The point of view character starts looking at a new way of being to a situation. Thus, responding should occur during the climax and resolution of Act Four.
My next post will focus more on the character arc. Until then, stay tuned for Ralph Greco and our SEO adventures!
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Wonderful and informative post. I do have a question. Something I often struggle with is the POV in love scenes…When reading the middle sex scenes. Is there a way to switch POV from Heroine to Hero durring the sex scene in a way subtle enough, to dive into the head of each of the characters at the same time during it. Or should all sex scenes be from the POV of the herione, or should we alternate POV in sex scenes through out the novel.
Thank you Sensei, for the inspiration… ; )
I alternate depending on the one factor that concerns the characters the most. POV in erotic romance is dependent upon the character who has the most to lose, emotionally and may include the physical aspects of things, depending on the subgenre.
In sex scenes, does your hero not have something to lose even though he’s trying to gain something too? Does this help?
Yes, I believe I got your meaning. For example in the sex scene I’m revising now, the hero knows that he needs to win over his HEA, yet he is also aware that if she stays with him, it could mean disaster for his planet. However, he knows that with out her he can’t survive, so in this chapter, I am telling it from his POV…is this correct?
thanks Oh Wise one! : )
You know better than to ask ME about YOUR story and the correct POV dear. “Truthfully” what works for most romance stories is to have the woman initiate the sex in the first scene (According to Angela Knight, hot purveyor of fine smut!) as she has the most to lose due to the act of sex itself. That means that she’s guiding the sex scene but still, the male “could” show that she’s timid etc. It’s totally up to you.
My what ever do you mean, POV and MY story… ; ) Hey I’m a fast learner!
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