Romancing the Beat

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My writer friends are my best reliquary of things I need to learn and learn from. An elite group of writers who are always giving me ideas about something. One of them had some edits that were a quick turnaround back to her publisher. Then her editor asked for more romance.  

In stepped Romancing the Beat by Gwen Hayes. I’ve been using Jamie Gold’s Romancing the Beat excel spreadsheet for a few years. I don’t always pull it up when I begin a new project, but at some point, I need it. Especially since the last book had pacing problems.  

Romancing the Beat is short. I think it was 93 pages on my kindle. I’d say it's 24 or 25k words. There isn’t much fluff in the book. None. I appreciate someone who knows their subject and gets on with it.  

There is nothing magical about this book. Truly. If you are looking for a how to, this isn’t it. I don't know the intent of the author when writing it, but I can say as I’ve written more books, the text makes more and more sense.  

My copy is on my kindle. I’ll admit I’m considering buying the paperback so I can fill with notes, highlights and page flags. Office supplies make me happy! 

Here is a basic breakdown. Since there are so many products that reference the highlights, I’m going to put the rough list below. Please read the book. It’s short, but powerful. What I don’t want is anyone taking the list and coming up with their own interpretation of what everything means. 

See above

When I’m brainstorming, I like to keep a document with the beats. A rough guide of where I want to go with the story. Every time I write a book, I’m fighting the “oh, I’m not any good at this” portion of creative self-doubt. Typically, I find my way through the beats and create the GMC for my hero and heroine.  

I don’t keep to all the details I write. Things change. In fact, some of the most popular parts of my stories come when I'm in the midst of the work. There is space for inspiration. My process lets me come out with a skeleton plot, and then fill in the details as I write. A roadmap. 

What I love about the beat sheet is I can plug in my word count goal and then see a breakdown of about where things should happen by what page of the book.

People don’t always believe me, but creative works rally around standards no one ever comments on. I was lucky enough to attend an Alexandra Sokoloff workshop. She used a movie to map out the beats of a story. Don’t read her books if you ever want to enjoy a movie again. I can time the beats in most movies, tv shows and books. I’m a better writer for it, but there was a tradeoff.  

Ali Kazal

Using the beat sheet helps me make sure I’m telling a story in a way a reader will follow and sink into. There is always one person in every class who always raises their hand and says, “I don’t want my work to be formulaic.” Seriously, at least one.  

Every single story has been told before. Every. Single. One. In fact, as writers, we are always taking an old story and updating it, adding a twist and taking readers along for the ride. I always give the example of a table of writers. Eight of us in a writing sprint. We’re given a prompt to follow. Every table, and there are about 10, gets the same prompt, but we didn’t know that.

The prompt was about a woman who gets a box in the mail. That’s it. Write. Almost 100 writers in a room, same prompt. Not a single story was a repeat of any other. Not. One.  

Using a beat sheet in scrivener, excel, or a worksheet does not mean you’re going to write the same story everyone else is. Nor will it be a cookie cutter story. Although, I will warn you, the beats happen in the same general places no matter what type of book you’re writing.  

Gwen Hayes says she writes kissing books. I do too. I can time some beats. In most romance books, if it has sex scenes, the sex happens about halfway in the book. Obviously, hot books start with sex on the first page. (If you want an example of this, try Grace Goodwin’s Interstellar Bride books. Blazing hot first pages.)  

If you need some help herding all the ideas in your head, try Romancing the Beat. Use whatever tool you need to help you get your story told the best way possible. 

My friend finished her edits. She said she wore out her copy of the Romancing the Beat. I’m plotting something new. A trilogy or series. I’m not sure. Once again, I am using the spreadsheet to help me stay on track. Plus, it reminds me to make sure the emotional steps happen when they need to.  

What are your favorite writing books?