“most people talking about the technical structure of romance refer to it as a black moment but i did an online course that called it the POINT OF RITUAL DEATH and that’s just so satisfyingly dramatic” ELABORATE PLEASE

dsudis:

Okay so, the defining trait that makes a romance a romance (in terms of the modern book genre, at least) is: IT ENDS HAPPILY. That was lesson one of the online course.

Lesson two was about the “8 essential elements” which sort of comprise a standard outline although obviously these can be played with a lot and good execution makes you largely not notice that you know this pattern, etc. But generally a well-structured romance will do all of these things, and they all significantly contribute to making the story satisfying.

Anyway, the eight elements according to the online course are:

1. Society defined (with some problem or conflict created for the
characters by their society/situation–like maybe someone needs to get married or is closeted, or maybe eight people are becoming sensates at the moment that the person who could normally guide them in that process is dying and also they are all being hunted by a creepy government agency.)

2. The meeting

3. The barrier/conflict

4. The attraction and romantic/sexual tension

5. The declaration (“I love yous” and also stating commitment to each other)

6.
THE POINT OF RITUAL DEATH (the point when hope seems lost, when it seems like things
might not work out, possibly literal danger of death but often the part where they break up before getting back together.)

7. The recognition (where main characters individually realize that they are past the obstacle keeping them apart and
now they can be together–whether that’s an external obstacle or their own internal problems)

8. The betrothal (where they reconnect/recommit)

Plus 3 optional points:

1. The wedding/dance/fete, in which we see that all is now right with the world and the relationship is celebrated.

2. The scapegoat exiled (possibly, you know, from mortal life.)

3.
The bad converted (where people who may have stood in the way now
realize that the main characters belong together and are folded into the
family/team/community.)

So anyway, when romance writers talk about structuring a book, very often the central thing they talk about–because it’s usually a fulcrum for both the external plot and the characters’ emotional arcs, and also because it’s generally where the big obvious climax is happening–is the Black Moment, or Big Black Moment. I have never heard anyone call it the POINT OF RITUAL DEATH because who on earth would say that out loud with a straight face, but it’s bonkers and I love it.