Using the Big Debate to Build a Story by Author Rachel Hauck

One of the great tools for writing a romance is the big debate. The Why/Why Not or the Why Not/Why*. Rachel, you might be saying, what are you talking about?

Why/Why Not

This scenario is when the hero and heroine start the story in love. Or maybe when they first meet, it’s nothing but heart palpitations and love fireworks. They are perfect for each other. But well, then something happens and suddenly they aren’t so right. Maybe a past love returns or he’s shipped out with his platoon. Maybe she’s in an accident and in a comma. In other words, something comes along that keeps them apart. It can be a physical or emotional element.

Of course, they overcome the obstacle, return to true love and have a Happily Ever After.

Why Not/Why

This is when the hero and heroine meet and it’s fireworks all right, the explosive kind. They can’t stand each other. They are on the opposite sides of an issue or a relationship or a career post. All roads lead to, “These two should never fall in love.” But well, then something happens and suddenly they are on the same team. They start to see the internal beauty in each other and forget about the external struggles. They find they have a lot in common and love blooms.

Of course, there’s one final battle that test their love but they over come and find their Happily Ever After.

In my book Once Upon A Prince, it’s a Why/ Why Not scenario. He’s the prince of a small European nation and about to become the King. She’s an out of work landscape architect from small St. Simon’s Island, Georgia. How could they ever be together?

They like each other a lot. And in a short time span start to fall in love, but the walls around their happily ever after are daunting and impenetrable.

Then like a true hero, Prince Nathaniel saves the day. And love wins.

Writing romance is so fun because everything in life requires love and romance, music and flowers. I love how Prince Nathaniel and Susanna met and fell in love. It’s almost as if it could’ve really happened.

It might just happen to you!

*courtesy of My Book Therapy.

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Rachel Hauck is the bestselling author of ACFW Book of the Year winner Sweet Caroline, RITA Finalist Love Starts With Elle, bestselling and RITA Finalist The Wedding Dress, and of the critically acclaimed fiction collaboration with multi-platinum country artist Sara Evans, The Songbird Novels. Hauck’s latest release, Once Upon A Prince, is already receiving rave reviews, including a Starred Review from Publishers Weekly.

She is the past president of American Christian Fiction Writers and now serves on the Executive Board. Hauck is also one of five author contributors to Southern Belle View Daily.

Visit her website at www.rachelhauck.com to sign up for her newsletter, read her blog and follow her on Facebook(Rachel Hayes Hauck) and Twitter (@RachelHauck).

Review of Once Upon a Prince by Sally Black

This was a highly entertaining book to read. I enjoyed the fairy tale romance, which was much like Cinderella, an ordinary girl rescued by the handsome Prince Charming. I like how Rachel Hauck spun her story of Christian romance with a historical background, adding modern day royalty characters to the story.