@BookGoddess1991
I'll tell you what worked the best for me. I first read tons of dark romance/ mafia stories. LIKE ALOT to get myself exposed to the dark setting and scenes of a story. Then I picked a trope that I felt like I could write (I feel like this is important bec your whole story revolves around the particular trope.) In my case, I chose the arrange marriage trope for my MC's. Plus, write something that you would want to read as a reader. Don't go for the usual plot, or if you're going for the usual plot, make sure your writing is so strong that it compels readers to it, and for that you need to have a strong grasp on your words, you need to play around with the dark elements of the story.
I hope this helps, and if you'd like to know more, feel free to reach out to me. I'll be happy to help and thank you for reaching out ❤️