When I drafted this post, I felt like I did a good job. Then I went to post it, realized there were things I hadn’t said, wrote them, and felt like I WAS GIVING AWAY SECRETS.
So if there are a few typos this time (well!), it’s because I hit “publish now” before I could talk myself out of them. I’m not sure why on earth I had that reaction. I’m supposed to be giving away secrets!
But, in particular, writing out how romance novels work emotionally felt like I was betraying the romance writers I know. I’m sorry, romance writers. I know that in your hearts, you don’t mind that I’m telling people this, because if there’s anything that a romance writer wants, it’s for someone else to write ten thousand romance novels in the genre that they want to read, and they don’t really care who it is as long as they bring the emotion!
Anyway, I had to laugh at myself. Horror writers do this, too, but it’s a little different: they give all the sensory and emotional details, but use a lot of misdirection as well. And I want to save that explanation for “how to write clues” later on!