The Paranormal Romance Beats

In my Page Turner Pacing course and book, I assume that everyone knows the beats and tropes of their genre. As I've been making these posts, I've come to realize that not everyone knows what I mean when I'm referring to these obligatory scenes that readers are expecting when your cover or blurb promises a certain type of book.

I pretty exclusively read romance. I can talk about some other genres, but only those that overlap with romance because I probably DNF'd the book or fell asleep during the movie. Over the next few days I want to breakdown what I've noticed are the repeated patterns some genres. I'm going to start with my favorite; Paranormal Romance!

I really like thinking about stories in terms of their beats instead of plot points. It gives a much looser structure to allow for surprises and spontaneity… says the woman who has the need to breakdown everything to it's smallest particle.

My favorite genre of romance is Paranormal Romance. Werewolves, vampires, fae oh my. I love them all. And because I read so much I keep noticing patterns. Here are the rhythmic beats I hear when I read (or watch) a PNR. Please note these do not have to be in this order, but I constantly see these scenes present throughout the story.

THE ORDINARY WORLD
First, the hero is introduced to the reader amidst a background of their every day environment, society, and personal history. I believe this is done because the reader needs to get a bit of the hero’s personality to be able to identify with them in the present, and then also have something to measure the new person they will become by the end of the story.

For a quintessential text, let's use…. You know what I'm going to say; "Twilight."

In "Twilight," Bella is an ordinary girl placed into what seems like an ordinary situation. She's the new girl in a new town in a new high school with her estranged dad. Normal enough. She's pretty ordinary in this ordinary world until she sits next to the hero who acts like she stinks to high heaven!

THE MEET CUTE

In a romance, this is where the Hero and Heroine meet for the first time or the first time on the page. In a PNR it involves an Awareness of the paranormal being or the magical world. A shifter scents his mate. A vampire’s heart might beat for the first time upon coming into contact with his bride. The beast inside the male might shout she's "MINE!"

In "Twilight," Edward's first awareness of the new girl Bella is the scene before the actual meet cute. It's in the cafeteria when he becomes aware that he can’t hear her thoughts. Then he gets a good whiff of her in the meet cute and all bets are off!

A SHOW OF POWER

The hero or heroine reveal their power in this beat, depending upon their supernatural persuasion.

An elf might show dominance over the elements. A dragon could breath fire or shift to his serpentine form. A vampire could show power with his age (knowing something historical or being involved in it), his bite because he has to feed, or he might show his weakness and have to go to bed at sunrise. A werewolf could scent his mate, show his strength in a fight, or show his weakness at the full moon which causes him to change into a feral animal. Bears could have the same strengths as wolves. Maybe their weakness is narcolepsy in the winter ;-)

In "Twilight," Edward shows his power when he saves Bella from the wayward truck that's about to crash into her with just one hand.

MOVE TO THE EXTRAORDINARY WORLD

At the end of Act One, your hero or heroine should cross the threshold into the new and extraordinary world. Here the rules of the old, ordinary world, no longer apply. The heroine, or lover who is not magical or just growing into their powers, needs to learn the new rules quickly and be tested as they meet new allies and enemies.

In "Twilight," Edward takes Bella to the forest to expose his true, sparkly self.

BROUGHT INTO A FOUND FAMILY

At some point in your story, the outsider needs to come to “Sunday Dinner.” In shifter romance, one of the key components of why readers flock to these tales is for the pack. The found family of individuals who choose each other or who share the same blood. Often times it's the heroine who is the outsider and she is eventually welcomed into the pack, which the reader experiences as themselves being welcomed into a pack.

You’re likely to find all kinds of characters in the family pact; tricksters, mentors, shapeshifters, etc. Translation; ex lovers, the black sheep brother or cousin, the wizened old crone, the alpha with the heart of gold, etc.

In "Twilight," Bella gets invited to family dinner to meet the Cullens. These vampires are a true found family put together by the family patriarch Carlisle, with Esme as the matriarch, there’s Alice as the soothsayer, Rose as the shapeshifting mean girl, and the two brothers who have Edward’s back no matter what.

THE MIRROR MOMENT

The mirror moment is a time when the character comes face to face with who they were at the beginning of the story, but also who they need to become to get their goal. They see both of these selves as they stare at their reflection. The have to decide if they can hack it in the extraordinary world, or they should go home to the ordinary world.

In "Twilight," Bella and Edward know the bad guy is coming after them. They should separate to keep her safe because they both know that they want to spend their lives together, however that might be.

POWER UNLEASHED

Now that the hero and heroine know how they want to spend their lives, they’re going to have to fight for it. This is the moment when the beast comes out and the hero shows off their full power.

For Edwards, he has to defeat the villain who is after Bella. But Bella is ready to die for Edward. I think this moment isn’t all about power. It’s about love.

THE CLAIM

A kiss would be enough in a standard romance. But you’ve got a paranormal beast to contend with here. The claiming scene puts everyone on notice that the shifter has a mate.

A bite

A mark

A kiss

A vow

HAPPILY EVER AFTER

And finally, there’s a happily ever after scene of the two characters in their new life. One of them will change to become paranormal now… or eventually.

In my Page Turner Pacing book and course, I do not spend a lot of time breaking down genres and categories because I have to assume that you, being a passionate reader of your genre, know them. But I love having these conversations.

If you back at the Cohort level in the Kickstarter, we literally will watch television together two days a week for three weeks and talk incessantly about the beats. If you're a story nerd like me, I hope you'll join one of the cohorts! I'm in charge of the remote!!!! But I'll bring the popcorn 🍿