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The first chapter of a romance novel has to sizzle with cleverly written dialogue, succinct descriptions, and powerful emotions. Follow some basic tips to create a real page-turner.

Understand the Genre
Romance is entertainment fiction, not literary fiction. Know the difference. Read books by successful romance authors. Join romance writers groups. Above all, you must know your story, your characters, your conflict and begin to set it up right from the beginning. If you take too long to introduce your characters or define the romance, the reader will lose interest and dump your book.

Know the Journey
The romance reader wants to know where you're going with the story. In the first chapter, you have to set up the trip. The reader will follow you, but only if you map it out in a logical order. The first chapter will introduce you to the characters, set up the sexual tension between the hero and the heroine, and give you a clue to the conflict.

Develop Likable Characters
In your first chapter, your readers have to develop an affection for your main characters - they can't be one-dimensional, but instead, must possess desirable attributes with a humble flaw. No-one is perfect and it's important that your hero / heroine have that human imperfection. Make your readers feel they could step into the hero / heroine's shoes and they will follow you to the end of the book.

Don't Poke Along - Speed It Up
When it comes to romance, we're told to take it slow, savor the journey of falling in love. But living a romance and reading about it are exactly opposite. The romance reader doesn't have the time nor the inclination to wade through chapters of narrative in order to fall in love with your characters. You have to hook them in the first chapter and most often in the very first paragraph. While you might want the reader to know that your heroine was a homeless child, raised in foster care by unloving parents and therefore is afraid of commitment, don't write paragraph after paragraph explaining it. Use only short, descriptive passages that support the dialogue and explain her behavior.

Be Chatty - It's All About the Dialogue
Romance novels are character driven. That means the location and sub-plots are simply there to move the character through the romance. Don't begin your book with a "back-story," (an explanation of why the characters are where they are and why they're doing what they're doing), or with a detailed explanation of the setting. Instead, begin with a dialogue.

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