Love It or Leave It? Exploring Romance Genre Rules with Kelsey Swanson

Author Kelsey Swanson shares her thoughts on popular romance rules such as dual point of view narration, third person past tense, and third act breakups. She explains how she incorporates these elements into her writing while adding layers to make common tropes less expected. Swanson also discusses her preference for epilogues, sharing research in author's notes, and breaks down the unique aspects of her first three books, from unrequited love to neurodivergent characters.

00:00 Introduction: Love It or Leave It
00:17 Dual Point of View Narration
00:29 Third Person Past Tense
00:38 Third Act Breakup or Dark Moment
01:13 Epilogues: A Glimpse into the Future
01:43 Sharing Research in Author's Notes
02:22 Breaking Romance Rules and Tropes