Setting

When writing your next great romance novel, give some serious consideration to setting. Setting can have a huge impact on the tension, flow, or tone of your story. Consider the impact of setting in the following movies:

Dead Calm (1989) - The heroine is trapped on a boat, which is stranded in the middle of the ocean, with a deranged killer. If that doesn't up the ante, I don't know what does.

Father of the Bride (1991) - A beautiful suburban home, the perfect setting for a wedding. The house even acts as a character in the story, a cherished part of the family's life holding many memories.

Practical Magic (1998) - Another house that adds its own character to the story. The rambling old home reflects the eclectic style and respect for family tradition of its inhabitants. The town adds a sense of community, at perfect odds with their perception of the "unusual" Owens family, who have been frowned upon for centuries.

Titanic (1997) - A ship doomed to sink, where history has shown that a landslide majority of first-class passengers survived, and most third-class passengers perished. A perfectly tragic, heart-wrenching setup for a romance between a first-class lady and a third-class man.

I could go on and on, but you get the point. A carefully-chosen setting can add punch to your plot, and even act as a character in your story. As such, it's important to give consideration to the backdrop in which you place your hero and heroine. If you haven't seen some of these movies, I strongly suggest you rent them and pay attention to the nuances of setting, and how the characters interact with it. And make some popcorn!