The Asshat's Guide to Second Chance Romance
- maggienorthauthor
- Jan 24
- 4 min read
There's a legend in romancelandia that second chance is the hardest trope to write. Having written several romance novels, I'm usually of the opinion that whatever trope I'm currently writing is the most impossible one. But second chance is definitely tricky. These two idiots ALREADY BROKE UP, and for good reason! One or both of them is determined not to make the same mistakes all over again! And the writer (you, unfortunately) has to make their reunion feel inevitable, believable, and earned. NO PROBLEM hahahaha.
This is where romance beat sheets can help you out of a jam. One day I was messing around in the group chat when one of our members crashed into the chat in absolute despair over her second chance romance WIP. To cheer her up, I started writing cheeky second chance romance beats, and what do you know, they were specific, helpful, and really made me laugh. So many friends have asked me to share them that I finally got off my ass and did it!
There are a lot of romance beat sheets out there, friends, and this is just one of them. But it's one that makes me laugh, so that's something. (And much love to Alexandra Kiley for contributing number 17!)
PLEASE BE AWARE THERE IS A LOT OF SWEARING IN THIS BEAT SHEET. I happen to love all the words in the English language, including (especially?) the swears. **smiles beatifically** They are also designed for an open door, midpoint love scene structure, but you can play around with the heat level and/or the timing of physical intimacy and keep the emotional beats where they are if you want to switch that up.
It helps to be familiar with the basic romance beats if you're using this sheet! Some beat sheets that can be matched up with this one are Jami Gold's beat sheets and Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody. I've matched it to Gwen Hayes's Romancing the Beat for reference.
THE ASSHAT’S GUIDE TO SECOND CHANCES BEAT SHEET
Romance Beat | Profane and Unserious Romance Beat |
Introduce main characters/meet cute | Ohhhh, I know THIS asshat |
No Way 1 | And I would NEVER AGAIN place my precious heart near their horrible ass(hat) |
Adhesion Plot Thrust/Break into 2 | We better not be stuck together, I swear to god |
No Way 2 | GO AWAY, ASSHAT. BEGONE AND VEX ME NO MORE |
Inkling this could work | You know who would do something nice for me? An ASSHAT. That’s who. But I am not fooled. The past taught me all I need to know about YOU sir |
The present is no picnic either! I sure could use some help from anyone at all. If it must be an asshat then I guess it must, but you better be getting ZERO IDEAS about what this means | |
Deepening desire | Lord help us that asshat looks sexy when they are solving problems though |
Possible they have changed? If so, must be to new species of asshat. Here, let me seize on the flimsiest possible evidence of asshattery to bolster my weakening resolve | |
Maybe this will work | OKAY OKAY they have changed but that DOES NOT MEAN that we will necessarily bang like horny weasels on caffeine pills |
…but if we did…No! No! BAD imagination | |
Midpoint of LOVE plot thrust | We are a dream team, seems like we should prolly smash a bit and see if we are this good in ALL domains |
Inkling of doubt/deepening doubt | Oh wait we haven’t confronted EVERYTHING about our past, and I just tripped over a big chunk of it that was just lying there. What do you mean you don’t see it, it’s RIGHT HERE and it’s the size of your stupid head |
Retreat | SEE WHAT I MEAN, you just tripped over it too and now we’re both bleeding and it’s YOUR FAULT, ASSHAT |
Shields up/breakup | Get gone. Just go. Just GO; we have hurt each other enough for TWO lifetimes |
Dark night of the soul | Fucking ASSHAT. I will now stop thinking of them |
Wake up/catharsis | Oh fuck what is this other fragment of the past I now uncover. The piece that redeems them. Ohhh shit |
Or maybe this is a frag of the present? WAIT IT IS PRESENT AND PAST UNITED IN REDEMPTION and now I also must do an act of redemption | |
MAGGIE WHY DID YOU SAY NUMBER 16 THAT SOUNDS FUCKING IMPOSSIBLE TO PLOT (Ed: don't stress about it! It means that the character who initiated the breakup now has to discover a secret from the past that changes their viewpoint on their love's actions in the past and in the present) | |
Grand Gesture | You are no asshat, sir. It is EYE who must grovel to YOU. I AM THE ASSHAT. Any chance you would like to get lucky with an asshat tonight |
Whole hearted | AWWW YEAHHHHH |
Epilogue | And they lived happily ever after/for now |
Best of luck with your second chance romance! If you liked this beat sheet, you might like my newsletter and/or my books!