If you're inspired by this to develop a piece of theory, go for it.

This list isn't me being precious about hoarding ideas, it's so that anyone who has anything to say about a topic can get in touch if they want. And if your extended take on the same subject happens to be written down or recorded somewhere and is freely accessible, I'll happily link to it.

Don’t be surprised to see these topics broken up.

Some of these topics will be released as a collection of shorter pieces (see the More Info sections for how I'm breaking things down). The goal is to aid you in your writing, not burying you under 15k opuses.

Sometimes, the focus shifts halfway through. If you're disappointed with the direction a topic seems to be taking, let me know or consider creating your own theory (& share it when it’s done so I can link to it).

1) I’m always grateful for your take. Just get in touch.

2) I'd be thrilled to have a better understanding of the kinds of questions you want answered about a certain topic.

3) Finding quotes and examples is the most time consuming thing in the universe. If you've got a shining example to share from your bookmarks or highlights, anything at all you believe denotes craft excellence in any way, I'd truly appreciate it, along with your reasoning.

I want to hear it.

If there's lots of interest for a topic I don’t feel ready or qualified to tackle, I'll send out a bat signal.

As soon as there's an ETA I can commit to, I'll add it below, but if there's no mention of it, it's still cooking. Sorry ❤️

This establishes romance theory as a distinct field with clear boundaries but multiple valid approaches. It gives people a framework for understanding where different types of knowledge fit and how they work together.

Comes with resources: The Map, Good Theory vs. Bad Theory Overview.

This series includes a build-along example theory called The Attraction Field, which is proving to be a tough nut to crack.

Three-part series:

1) The Art of Theory Scoping: How To Turn Your Theory Hunch Into Focused Research

2) From Pattern to Principle: Building Practical Romance Writing Theory

3) Advanced Theory Building: Making Space for Contradiction and Complexity

I'm using Romance Conflict as a proof-of-concept to experiment with different ways in which collaborative theory creation can work.

On the conflict hub page you'll see everything that’s going on and that needs input.

That hub page is still a mess in progress, but The Triple Conflict Method is fully outlined and partly written. I'm currently hunting for solid examples, so if you've got any, send them my way.

I think there are helpful articles about this topic out there that don't have a romance character focus but can still help you build character depth. If you have a method you particularly recommend, let me know and I'll add it to a resource list.

We reimagine the act structure to be more suitable for the romance genre and look at other structural components of romance stories, such as shifts in emotional availability and intimacy escalation progressions.

We propose and define these and other key structural elements, learn how to recognise them and show how they can help you set up or break down your story logically, either to help you create it, or to diagnose what isn’t working.

Everything you've ever wanted or needed to know about romance arcs and outlines: what they are, how to create them step by step and what they look like in the wild. Whether you're a meticulous planner or you like to follow your gut, there'll be something for everyone.

I'm hoping to include a variety of different methods from authors because there is no right or wrong here, only what works for you. So if you're down to talk about

• your system of colour-coded cards
• or your Excel spreadsheet emporium
• or your maniacally scribbled, barely held together post it outlines

so that it might help other writers learn what this process can look like, let me know.

I'm hoping to turn this into a collection of useful beat sheets for different romance subgenres and relationship dynamics. If you've got a beat sheet you don't mind sharing, let me know.

I'm especially interested in poly or RH beat sheets or plotting guides.

Includes advice on balancing standalone satisfaction with overall series momentum and managing post-HEA/HFN tension effectively.

I'm actively looking for examples of series or really long fics that have kept the momentum going and didn't lull post-HEA or HFN. If you've got recs, destroy my inbox pls. I'm also interested to hear your personal take or advice on this if you've got some.

Part of building a theory of romance writing is giving writers the confidence that their genre isn't less-than. If you're dealing with imposter syndrome or are being judged by anyone for writing romance, this bit will give you the intellectual clapbacks needed to effectively dispose of criticism.

Not that you should need it, but alas.

Is your emotional tank running low? We've all been there: sometimes, romance writing itself demands an emotional toll, other times, life just makes crafting HEAs impossibly difficult. Looking after yourself is paramount, so here we explore some self-care techniques for romance writers.

Under this heading, we’ll tackle character cast development, maintaining consistency, and avoiding repetitive conflict setups, among other things.

If you've got tips and tricks and real-life examples, I'm all ears.

Also includes a blueprint for analysing and reproducing tension from stories you like. We'll do a deep dive on two stories that execute this concept exceptionally well, one trad pub and one fanfic, so you can learn to recognise and emulate the tension dynamics you feel drawn to.

Right now, this is shaping up to be more of a critical diagnostic tool than something that should be used for active plotting, but hope springs eternal.

Definitions, dynamics, effects, psychology, intensity, beat sheets, conflicts, tension, progression, payoff, subversions, pitfalls, trope compatibility—the works.

Currently: a flaming hot pile of garbage. Tropes aren't great as romance writing tools to begin with, but EtL was the worst one I could have possibly picked.

To me, there's a massively compelling tension between the desire to better understand romance craft excellence and the recognition that excellence in romance might be inherently unmeasurable.

I've kind of put this on hold for now, because it's not super practical for writers apart from understanding why even the most popular stories don’t work for everyone. It seems more like a geeky theorist's opinion piece.

But in the meantime, if you’re unsure whether to start canon building or theory building, build a theory.