In a love story... must the hero and heroine end up together? Love story vs. Romance?

MsK · May 19, 2008

Hi there.

My first post in this area.
I have a WIP and that I don't see it as a romance, but, more of a love story. In this story, my hero and heroine do not end up together. In fact, the reader will see where the realtionship falls apart before the characters do.
Is this acceptable? That they do not end up together? That , maybe, they both end up with other people?
I have read a lot about writing romance and, apparantly, the reader wants a happy ending. Is this the case in a love story also?
And, is there agreement that there is a difference in a love story and a romance? WHat do you see as the differences?

dolores haze · May 19, 2008

Yeah, in a romance genre novel the "happy ever after" is a requirement.

Depending on how your WIP is written, it might be described as women's fiction, mainstream fiction, or literary fiction.

girlyswot · May 19, 2008

I think that's exactly the difference. Romance novels ALWAYS end happily. Love stories don't necessarily. If they both end up with other people, that could work as chicklit. Otherwise you're probably looking at something mainstream/literary/women's as dolores_haze says. Bear in mind that if the Happy Ever After isn't the payoff, then you've got to give your reader a different but equally strong ending.

MsK · May 19, 2008

Thanks for the input. Much of the story involves building the relationship, a relationship that the readers will see, before the heroine, is not built on the sturdy ground it should be.
But, because there is a lot of good to the relationship also, I fear that the readers won't want to see it fall apart.
Also, the heroine is very happy in the ending. The hero, not so much. But, in the case of that relationship, he really doesn't deserve to end up happily ever after. My conflict with that is that, despite the fact that he is the one to mess the seemingly perfect relationship up, he does have some very likable qualities. I hope the reader isn't disappointed that he doesn't win in the end.

sunandshadow · May 19, 2008

People are most likely to accept a relationship breaking up if you show that the two people were never compatible to begin with, they only imagined they were because they did not know all each others secrets or inner thoughts and feelings.

girlyswot · May 19, 2008

KrystalR, have you given your ms to any beta readers? Someone who's read the whole story would be able to give you a better idea of whether or not it works. It's quite hard to tell from just the general outline.

Deb Kinnard · May 19, 2008

Bear in mind I'm a romance writer & reader, and don't usually like "love stories" that don't end with Him and Her together.

That said--what's the point of your story? Does she end up a stronger, more secure person at the end? I'm thinking the story is her journey from needing him to standing on her own, but I'm not getting a solid feel for it from what you've described.

MsK · May 19, 2008

Deb Kinnard said:
Bear in mind I'm a romance writer & reader, and don't usually like "love stories" that don't end with Him and Her together.

That said--what's the point of your story? Does she end up a stronger, more secure person at the end? I'm thinking the story is her journey from needing him to standing on her own, but I'm not getting a solid feel for it from what you've described.

You hit the nail on the head. Maybe I'm wrong to see it as a love story, despite the love element.

Gillhoughly · May 20, 2008

Romance = happy ending = romance aisle

Love Story = women's fiction or general fiction aisle

Aside from racial issues, Gone With the Wind, touted as the greatest romance ever written, would NEVER sell today as a romance, since Rhett left Scarlet. It would be marketed as mainstream historical, if there is such a critter, and the writer would be encouraged to drop in lots of well-described sex scenes.

MsK · May 20, 2008

Deb Kinnard said:
Bear in mind I'm a romance writer & reader, and don't usually like "love stories" that don't end with Him and Her together.
quote]

In my story, you would be rooting for her not to end up with him. But, before that happens, you would also see how she fell for him and you would have hopes that he could live up to his promises.

I'm feeling this to be a love story for both of them/ journey of the soul for her.

I guess that's why this story of 60,000 words is on the back burner for now. But, I do love the story. There's so much emotion and growth. I will be working on it again. And, at that time, I will take your advice, girlswot, and turn it over to a beta reader. Thx.
For now... back to revising my fluffy women's fiction story.

MsK · May 20, 2008

Gillhoughly said:
Romance = happy ending = romance aisle

Love Story = women's fiction or general fiction aisle

Aside from racial issues, Gone With the Wind, touted as the greatest romance ever written, would NEVER sell today as a romance, since Rhett left Scarlet. It would be marketed as mainstream historical, if there is such a critter, and the writer would be encouraged to drop in lots of well-described sex scenes.

Can you imagine how different the story would be with all that sex?

Gillhoughly · May 20, 2008

Ew. I don't wanna think about it.

Back then it was better to just imply it was going on.

Besides, it was likely a powerful bit of work getting out of all those clothes! Contrary to covers showing bared manly chests and easily ripped bodices it took some effort and help to get undressed.

By the time they're both down to the skin I'm all out of the mood to read farther!

In a love story... must the hero and heroine end up together? Love story vs. Romance?

MsK

dolores haze

international guttersnipe

girlyswot

MsK

sunandshadow

Impractical Fantasy Animal

girlyswot

Deb Kinnard

MsK

Gillhoughly

Grumpy writer and editor

MsK

MsK

Gillhoughly

Grumpy writer and editor