The 3rd Act Breakout Woes

 

Is this a safe space? 👀

Can we let go of the 3rd act breakup? I know, I know, the 3rd act breakup is a normal part of the romance genre, but is it necessary?

What is the 3rd breakup?

The 3rd act breakup is a tension/conflict that causes the couple to take a different direction, and work on themselves in the hopes of a greater character arc and groveling.

 Why is it a woe for some readers?

It's not always necessary! Plain and simple.

Pump the breaks...all 3rd act breakups aren't created equal. I do think in some cases it's warranted. So, this post is really directed to the cases where the breakup comes at the tail end of the book. You know what I'm talking about the last 10%, now we're stressed for them to get back together, and reads mostly rushed. The breakup is followed by some sort of grand gesture/realization and somehow that fixes everything. 😖 I think why this convention bothers me the most is the breakup is a result of not communicating. You can see the breakup coming, so when it does it feels more like a gut punch instead of angst.

What can be in the place of a 3rd act breakup?

I'm happy you asked..

1. I think if the breakup is crucial to the growth of one or more of the characters, it could happen earlier in the plot. Perhaps a second-act breakup then. This gives the characters some breathing room to address the issues and reconnect. The ending then isn't contingent on the grand gesture but rather on communication and growth.

Magic in the Moonlight they are separated already and are working backward or rather figuring out how to make it work. 

Magic in the Moonlight by Dria Andersen

2.  Have an external conflict that impacts the couple's relationship status. This approach 

     allows for the tension and angst some readers crave.

Sloan's bum-ass ex was the external conflict that could have broken them up. However, if you know anything about Rafe he was not letting HIS woman go, so yeah he said not over here partna. Conflict over. Another point Rafe also communicated his feelings for Sloan pretty early on in the book so they worked through the power dynamics, so it made sense that the conflict would be external. He was not in the business of losing his family. 

Rafe by Rebekah Weatherspoon

Another external conflict option was Sunny Disposition my boy Finn lost his memory and spent the majority of the book trying to figure out why he was so drawn to Naomi. Could she love the new guy or was she still in love with his old version? Needless to say he wasn't upfront about his identity but they didn't break up because Naomi accepted his rationale for staying quiet. I know this recommendation might not work for everyone but I thought it was tender. 

Sunny Disposition by Deanna Grey 

3.  Actually, talk to each other. 

Similar to Rafe Lizzie and Lonzo had a lurking ex but they used their words and also used couple's therapy to work through their conflict in Found Forever. We are here for the coping skills used in action. I mean King did get collared up but that's beside the point.  

 

Found Forever by Lady Marie 

Let me close by saying, I support you if you're in the camp that loves a 3rd act breakup. I on the other hand would like to petition and possibly free up authors to take the liberties to let it go. If it doesn't fit, then don't feel the pressure to include it. I know this is fiction. But I also think conventions can and do change to address contemporary readers' preferences.

Last thought (for real this time) I wonder if my consternation is really about whether there can be enough groveling in 3 chapters and I would rather read changed behavior in my fiction 🤷🏾‍♀️

Where do you land on the 3rd act breakup debate? 

Happy reading (with or without the 3rd act breakup)!