paranomal romance question

[K. Taylor]

For those of you who do paranormal romance - How much of the plot is romance and how much the paranormal problems/adventure/etc.? Obviously for romance it has to have the HEA or HFN, but do they want a complex mystical plot as well?

Thanks!!

[jodiodi]

I don't believe the 'mystical' elements must be overly-complex. However, you must make your mythology and world-building coherent so your characters and plot make sense within the 'world' in which they exist.

Your world-building must make the paranormal elements seem logical. Any magic should follow the logic of your world.

I know I'm not making much sense, but I hope I've helped a little.

The good thing about fantasy is you're only limited by your imagination. But once you establish your systems, make sure you stick with the 'rules' you've set.

[K. Taylor]

No, you made sense. And my elements are set....not doing anything too complicated or far-out.

I guess I'm wanting to know if a paranormal plot is expected along with the romantic one at the same time?

[Irysangel]

I don't think you have to have a paranormal plot along with a mystical one, as long as the non-paranormal plot is fun. One of the books in my next contract is, in essence, about a human girl dating a were-cougar. The human works at a paranormal dating agency. So it's basically a dating-but-we-shouldn't plot, and not a lot of mystical stuff. And nobody asked me to change anything. :)

Oh! And Ava Gray's book that comes out today deals with a heroine that can steal abilities from people (kind of like Rogue from the X-men) but the rest of the plot is a straight-up romantic suspense.

[job]

guess I'm wanting to know if a paranormal plot is expected along with the romantic one at the same time?

If I understand you correctly . . .

I don't think one needs a 'paranormal plot.'
It's like . . . does a Historical Romance have a 'History plot'?
Not so much.

Historical Romance has historical characters with plausible historical motivation. The Romance plot is appropriate to the historical setting. And the historical elements are part of the story, infusing everything.

Sometimes the plot is 'who killed the princes in the tower? Let's find out.' Sometimes the plot is, 'what if a merchant fell in love with a noble's daughter in 1506' and we never mention larger events at all.

The paranormal fictive world -ISTM - can be part of the story as a major plot element. Lessa and F'lar must revive the wyrs to save Pern.

Or the paranormal fictive world can mostly be the playground for the story. I'm reading The Mislaid Magician by Wrede. The paranormal elements don't run the plot, any more than the Napoleonic Wars run the plot in P&P.

[K. Taylor]

Thanks, guys!! Just wanted to make sure I had the right idea of it.
Cool.

[Cathy C]

Actually, I'll have to disagree here. The books that do best on the shelf DO have paranormal plots alongside the romance plot. Not so much for the Nocturne line, for example (which concentrates on the romance) but for single-title imprints. If you look at books like Jacquelyn Frank, Yasmine Galenorn and others who have recently hit the NYT lists, there is most definitely a paranormal plot that accompanies the romance plotline. The only trick is the percentage. When we joined the Tor line, they wanted less romance and more paranormal. We were about at 50/50, which is quite a bit less than other publishers. Tor has now increased the amount of romance they're looking for, so we've moved over to the urban fantasy line to create the same sort of books.

But it might be a good idea to pick up some of the bestselling books at the publisher you're interested in to see what level of each they're looking for. :)

[K. Taylor]

Thank you, Cathy.

The paranormal is my NaNo project, so I wanted to make sure I'm on the right track before I'm too far in. (I'd rather get it right, or darn close, the first time.) Both MCs are paranormal origin, and their job is to find and get rid of the bad guy, so I think I'm okay. (fingers crossed)

[Stacia Kane]

Sometimes the plot is 'who killed the princes in the tower? Let's find out.'


It sure wasn't Richard III, that's all I know!!

(Sorry. Couldn't help myself.)

/hijack

[job]

Actually, I'll have to disagree here.

Listen to Cathy here, because she knows what she's talking about in Paranormal Romance. My 'paranormal' reading is almost all S.F.

[sunandshadow]

I don't write them but I've read them. I'd say they are about 2/3 plot, 1/3 romance. (That's just my gut feeling of calculating it, no basis in math or manuscript analysis.) Partly that depends on which plot structure you use: The kind where the love interest is the antagonist and there are hardly any other characters (captor-captive, marooning, most cross-time and ghost romances) are naturally going to have more romance (i.e. plot which occurs between the two main characters) and less external plot. The kind where the story is more of an action thriller or mystery/puzzle is going to have more external plot.

[Hailey-Edwards]

I agree with Cathy. I like the H/H to be working towards a goal while building on their relationship. :)