Cozy mystery and clean romance have a lot in common . . . right? I mean, aside from the fact that people are getting murdered in one genre, while in the other genre, they’re making out. 😉
As a cozy mystery author who just finished final edits on her first official romance, I have thoughts on this subject. For authors who are looking to try something new or readers who’re curious about crossing the line, here are the lessons I’ve learned:
- The answer is yes. Cozy mystery and romance–particularly clean romance–have a lot in common. (There’s one caveat there, which is depending on the author. If you’re reading or writing a bunch of mafia or motorcycle club romances, for example, cozy mystery might seem a little . . . mellow, haha.) That’s setting aside content or specific details about story length, etc. So, what exactly is so similar about them? Well . . .
- Community. This is the first way that the two genres are similar, and one I really enjoy. Whether it’s solving crime or falling in love, it’s never just about the main couple (or amateur sleuth and criminal, if you like). In both sets of stories, there’s a warm and supportive–even quirky–community behind the main characters. So, if you’re an author in one genre, rejoice! Your lovable side characters are welcome. And if you’re a reader who likes chuckling at the friends’ witty comments or silly antics, don’t worry, you can still get that in the new genre.
- Plot. I know “mystery” and “romance” sound like two entirely different plots right off the bat, but here’s the conclusion I’ve come to: a romance is just a mystery about how the main characters will get together. Not if, mind you; we know they’ll end up happy, just like we know the sleuth will catch the villain. The question is how. And as a writer, you can put “clues” into the story that lead up to the final, emotional confession–for example, internal issues the characters can help each other face, little symmetries in their goals, or private jokes they share. Then, seeing them admit their feelings can be just as rewarding as seeing justice carried out.
- Voice. This one is a little more nebulous, but easy to recognize. Both cozy mysteries and romance straddle this line: if they aren’t written in first person, they’re usually written in close third (where you’re following one character at a time and can “hear” their thoughts). It comes down to a matter of preference, because you can find many examples in each category. For me, I find that the humorous, caring voices I personally enjoy in mystery translate well to romance, and vice versa.
If I had to add one final lesson–perhaps a difference between the genres–it’d be the amount of internal conflict. Romance characters have to face their misconceptions/fears/flaws, in order to accept love. Mystery characters will probably face those things as they solve their mystery–depending on the book–but they might not have to. So, in romance you get a deeper dive into a character’s emotions. Makes sense, right? 😉
Alright, we’ll stop there before I start babbling about character motivations. This is really the kind of thing I could talk (write) about all day . . . But in the meantime, if you’re a reader/writer from one genre, I wish you luck in exploring the next! 😀
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