Christopher Vogler's The Writer's Journey insists all stories follow the Hero's Journey template—but does this actually work for romance novels? I mean, we know they have climaxes... just not necessarily the kind Vogler was talking about.

In this workshop, we corner romance author Lia Riley - creator of the time travel regency hockey romance Puck & Prejudice - who’s happy to geek out about the structure behind those steamy page-turners. Lia discusses the essential structure, beloved tropes, and what she playfully calls "the butter"—those deeper emotional truths that give romance its irresistible flavor.

We chat about the weird contradiction at the heart of romance: how do books where everyone knows the ending somehow dig deeper into who we really are? Lia breaks down how characters fumble through their emotional baggage to find real connection, basically becoming their best selves by falling in love.

And because we couldn't let her go without some fun talk, Lia tells us about her own podcast obsessions—Afternoona Delight, where she goes all-in on K-drama analysis, and Afternoona Army, her unapologetic haven for fellow BTS fans.

Remember, we have a Writers Process meetup every Wednesday. Check us out.