So, does your novel have appropriate drama or soap opera drama?
Soap opera isn't a typical term to use when writing a novel, it's just a phrase I use to describe a story with too much drama because soap operas are full of drama. And some people like that, I guess, but it doesn't always work so well in a novel as it does on TV.
It's not always easy to tell when your story becomes a soap opera because the line where you cross into soap opera territory can be a thin one. Sometimes it's not until I'm rereading my work that I realize I've written a soap opera.
Here are some questions you can ask yourself to see if you need to tone down the drama.
1. Is my character overreacting?
I see overreacting a lot in books I read in situations like "my best friend likes my ex-boyfriend oh my gosh how could she? I thought she was my friend," and "you lied to me? I'm never talking to you again!" For every day problems such as those, you don't need such a dramatic reaction. It's okay to have an overreaction in the moment, because sometimes people overreact, but to keep it that way the entire book is a little much. Have your character overreact if they are going to acknowledge later on that they were overreacting. For every conflict, there's an appropriate amount of drama and you don't want to over-do it. Don't make it so that a little dishonesty/betrayal between friends is the end of the world.
2. ...how about under-reacting?
You need to watch out for this, too. If you have a character under-react to something, it can be a problem. I once read a book where, near the end, the protagonist's parents discovered that she had been molested several times as a young girl and they were just like "I'm sorry honey" and then basically went on with their lives. And I kind of just stared at the book for a while thinking "seriously?" If your character is going to under-react, they may as well not react at all. Sometimes, depending on the situation, you need a dramatic reaction. Make sure the drama fits the conflict.
3. Who is the victim?
Keep in mind that everyone should not react to the same situation in the same way. Some people may not need to react at all. If your protagonist isn't the person who's being lied to or cheated on, make sure they don't take those events personally. Paying attention to which characters are affected by the dramatic situations will help you write the reactions appropriately.
4. How easily can the problem(s) be fixed?
If you are writing about a situation that really isn't that big of a deal in the big picture and, it probably has a simple solution. Which means if your characters are spazzing out about it, the drama needs toned down. It can be annoying to the reader if your characters are hung out on a problem that they've already solved five or six different ways in their head while waiting for your characters to move on. If the issue can be resolved quickly and easily, don't draw it out for three or four chapters.
5. Do I have too much going on?
Be careful not to throw too much at your character at once. Not only is it hard for them to deal with, but it's hard for the reader to follow along. It also has the potential to throw you off course. If you have a character who is dealing with several big issues (mother dying, spouse cheating/divorce, single parent, job loss, estranged family), that's going to require a lot of reactions and can very easily become too much reaction.
6. Is this a pity party?
When your character is going through some tough stuff, it's hard not to make them feel sorry for themselves. And a little bit of that is okay. What you don't want to do is make it self-pity central. No one wants to read a book where the main character is just feeling sorry for themselves. I know. I've read some books like that. Recently, I read one where the main guy kept remembering that he was sad his wife was dead every two lines for the whole book. So the book was basically him having a pity party. And it was really boring. So be very careful you're not going overboard with the self pity. Give your character time to take it in then move on with the story. They don't have to forget their hardship, but don't keep bringing it up unless it moves the story forward.
And also, lighten up! Even dramas and tragedies don't have to be solemn all the time. Give your reader a break from the heaviness every once in a while. A lighthearted moment every now and then can seriously help reduce the level of soapiness from your drama.
Remember, you want some drama. But you don't want a soap opera.
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