Narrative Arc vs. Character Arc

“Write what you know” is probably the most common piece of writing advice ever.

For me, I bent that advice to, “write what you’re passionate about and fascinated by.”  In following that advice, I ended up writing a historical romance.  And while there are many great pieces of literature that could be classified as such, great literature isn’t what typically comes to mind when you mention the words “historical romance” to someone.

No.  The words that usually come to mind are, “bodice ripper,” or “Harlequin” – not the kind of things usually associated with “Literature.”

So I couldn’t help but ask myself: “Is The Last Train from Paris really a ‘bodice ripper’? And if not, what’s different about it.  What makes it a more substantive read than other historical romances?”

The short answer to that question is “Character Arc.”  That and my choice of a Miró painting instead of a shirtless Fabio on the cover.^*

Seriously, though…my novel is fast-paced like a popular read or adventure romance.  It starts off in the middle of things and every chapter advances the plot and keeps things interesting.  My novel also has enough love and action scenes to be a popular romance.  And The Last Train from Paris is certainly set in a romantic, dramatic, and adventure-filled setting (were talking Casablanca-like Paris in WW II, after all), like many popular romance novels.

But the big difference is the degree to which the changes and inner growth of my hero, Jean-Luc, are intertwined with the novel’s fast-moving plot, as well as its many main themes.  Most “beach reads” and guilty pleasure novels just don’t have that.  For those novels, it’s all about the narrative arc – moving the story along at breakneck speeds and revealing the gasp-worthy twists.  Oftentimes the protagonists change very little, if at all, in these novels.

So I like to think that The Last Train from Paris kind of offers the best of both worlds.  Page-turning action and plotting with character-developing depth.  And the payoff for that character arc really comes at the end.  An ending that I’ll bet most readers find far more resonant and meaningful than what’s offered up by most historical romances.

All in all, The Last Train from Paris strikes me far more as a classic (and character-driven) hero’s journey than anything else.  If you’re currently reading, or have already read, my book, let me know what you think?

How would you categorize my book?

* P.S – Just as a funny side note, I actually got directions from Fabio once when I spotted him on a street near my friend’s house that I was going to see for the first time.  He knew exactly where the street/area was that I was looking for.  And, yes, he does actually wear shirts when he’s not posing for the covers of romance novels.

Tags: Character Arc, Fabio, Historical Romance, Last Train From Paris, Narrative Arc
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