Heartbeat Moments
In romance, we’re all familiar with the obligatory scenes: the Meet Cute, the Fun and Games, the Dark Moment, and the Grand Gesture. Each of these is critical in advancing the romantic narrative.
In the Meet Cute, the hero and heroine meet for the first time on the page. For Fun and Games scenes, we see the hero and heroine falling in love. A Dark Moment happens where they might break up. Followed by a Grand Gesture where they profess the undying love that leads to their Happily Ever After. In each of these scenes there's usually an action that the hero performs that is known to make a reader's heart skip a beat along with the heroine's heart skipping a beat. It's an action that elevates a scene from just moving the plot along to making your reader deeply invested emotionally.
I first heard author Anne Marie Meyer refer to these as Universal Desires in a talk about how she made viral Tiktoks. She pointed to movie scenes where the hero made the theater or home viewer lean in towards the screen. Then I heard Catherina Maura give a talk about this same topic at Inkers Con 2023 where she called them Heartbeat Moments.
Heartbeat Moments are those instances where the hero performs an action that is intensely emotional and romantic, often reflecting the high tension and passion of the moment. It’s when the hero loosens his tie in a moment of vulnerability, leans over the heroine in a doorway with a gaze full of passion, or crosses the room in three quick strides to close the distance between them. These actions are charged with emotion and significance, resonating deeply with both the heroine and the reader.
Heartbeat Moments are also the fairy dust that turns a Tiktok viral. Go look for yourself. You'll see these moments peppered in those posts and reposted and shared and imitated.
Let's talk about how to Create Heartbeat Moments in your current WIP.
1. Look for High Emotion and Tension: Scan your manuscript for scenes with high emotional stakes and tension. These are ripe for Heartbeat Moments. Personally, I use Margie Lawson's E.D.I.T.S. method found here: https://www.margielawson.com/lecture-packets/
It's an editing system where you highlight your manuscript using various highlighters searching for emotion, dialogue, inner monologue, tension and setting. I know whenever I see the pink and orange highlights of emotion and tension that I have potential Heartbeat Moment gold!
2. Show, Don’t Tell: Describe the action in a way that shows the emotion behind it. Focus on the physical sensations and the unspoken feelings between the characters. Another great resource to help you with this is the Emotion Thesaurus. To save shelf space, I have the online versions through One Stop Shop for Writers: https://onestopforwriters.com/emotions
3. Context is Key: The impact of a Heartbeat Moment is heightened by its context. The impact of a seemingly simple gesture, like a hand reaching out, is immensely amplified by the emotional setting and timing. Picture a scene where this gesture follows a moment of vulnerability or a significant confrontation. Here, the hero's outstretched hand becomes more than just a physical movement; it symbolizes a bridge of support, understanding, or a turning point in the characters' emotional journey.
To craft such moments, focus on building a rich emotional landscape leading up to the action. Consider the journey your characters have been on, the tensions and unspoken feelings between them. Every detail, from the setting to the body language, should converge to make this gesture resonate with deeper meaning. It’s these context-laden actions that truly make the readers’ hearts flutter, transforming ordinary moments into memorable, emotionally charged experiences in your romance novel.
4. Synchronize with Character Development: Ensure these moments align with your characters’ emotional journeys. In crafting Heartbeat Moments in romance, it's essential that these actions don't just stand alone as isolated moments of passion or connection, but rather, they should be deeply intertwined with the characters’ emotional journeys and development. These moments offer a window into the evolving dynamics and deepening emotions between the characters. For instance, a hero who has been emotionally guarded throughout the story might have a Heartbeat Moment where he vulnerably opens up to the heroine, symbolizing a significant shift in his character arc. This not only heightens the romantic tension but also demonstrates his emotional growth and readiness for intimacy. But make sure to have his actions speak just as loud as his words!
The Power of Heartbeat Moments
Heartbeat Moments do more than just add romantic flair; they deeply engage the reader. These moments build a visceral connection between the reader and the characters, making the romance feel more real and the emotional stakes higher. They are the instances where the reader is as breathless as the heroine, as enthralled by the hero’s actions, and as emotionally invested in their love story.
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