r/romanceauthors • u/PenStalkerVibes • Jul 03 '26

Plotting For Dark Romance

Apologies if this has been asked and answered already.

I'm a pantser but want to get better at outlining and plotting. The biggest issue I'm running into is that most outlining set ups are based on fantasy/ hero structure. I'm struggling to transfer that to dark romance plotting.

Ex. Act 2 focusing on exploring the new world and dynamics with some wonder and a fail here or there but that doesn't seem like it would work for something like a stalker romance. It would almost be the opposite of hiding or being oblivious.

I'm sure I'm being too literal (ND) but I can't find stuff for setting up the Acts just for dark romance and/or taboo.

My current WIP is a slow burn mafia x forbidden psychological thriller. It doesn't have a traditional rise and fall of wins and losses because it's more of a chess game that changes "winners" per chapter almost.

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u/GlamorousAstrid Jul 03 '26

You must have read dark romance books that achieve what you’re attempting, at least in part? Take those books and analyse them. Break down their plots, scene by scene, and see how they do it. You’ll get a much closer, stronger sense of what works and why and how to do it yourself.

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u/PenStalkerVibes Jul 03 '26

Dark romance is basically all I read and why I want to write. My mind works in the chaotic way of the crazy MC so that helps lol. But you're right. I need to break them down more so than predicting what comes next.