Is there a great love story brewing in your mind? Do you hold out hope that the fairy tales you read as a kid will really come true some
day? If so, you may have what it takes to be the next great romance writer. In addition to an eternal belief in happily-ever-afters,
here's some insight to what makes romance writing one of the most popular and fun genres of fiction to write.
Read, Read, Read
Almost every romance writer you ask will tell you that their love of the genre did not come to life when they put pen to paper but when
they began reading. For every writer, reading is a critical element to build background and to develop a deeper awareness of the language
and craft of the genre. Using romance novels as your textbooks will teach you what works and what does not.
Choose Your Sub-Genre
Within romance exists an enormous variety of sub-genres--everything from cowboys to cops to cyber worlds, from sweet love stories to
sizzling tales of intrigue and murder. Each sub-genre has its own vocabulary, flavor, and reader expectations. And since most publishers
specialize in acquiring specific sub-genres, knowing the one you want to write for is a necessity.
Dynamic Dialogue
Every line of dialogue in a romance must accomplish three goals simultaneously: advance the story, intensify the hero/heroine connection
and deepen the conflict. For this reason, having your character say "Good morning" doesn't have nearly the impact of "I heard about the
murder in your neighborhood this morning." Additionally, dialogue can be used to show rather than tell the emotions of a character. By
changing "Your mom doesn't listen" to "Your mom is a spiteful, mean woman who can't see your shortcomings," you've added a dimension to
the connection and the conflict.
Sensational Scenes
The promise of a romantic relationship draws readers into your story, but what keeps them engrossed from page 1 to page 218? A
combination of character growth, balanced action and narrative, good dialogue, a compelling plot and fresh writing—in other words,
sensational scenes. The most memorable romance novels make the reader care from page to page. The end of every scene must leave the
reader wondering what will happen next. As one conflict is resolved, another more intense conflict occurs. By building scenes that
capitalize on this momentum and deepening emotional involvement, that make the reader wonder how the hero or heroine will get themselves
out of this conflict, the curiosity and genuine concern about the character will make the reader unable to put down the book--the highest
compliment of being a romance writer.
Strong from the Start
What sells a romance to the editor and ultimately the reader? A strong opening line. Editors receive upwards of 200 manuscripts a year.
Being able to hook the editor from the first sentence is a key to getting from the slush pile to the contract. That immediate spark will
also help your published story become a best-seller with readers. Research shows that most readers read only the back cover blurb and the
first line of a story before deciding whether or not to buy the book. If your first line is dynamic, immediate and sparks their
attention, you've made a sale.
Love Grammar and Language
Ask any editor the number one reason for rejecting a manuscript and the answer may surprise you: grammatical, spelling and typographical
errors editors don't have the time or patience to correct. What does this mean for you? You may have the next Gone With The Wind, but if
improper punctuation makes your first sentence longer than the Civil War, the manuscript won't make it further than the editor's slush
pile. If grammar isn't your strong suit, you can join a critique group or trade manuscripts with another writer you trust to make
corrections.
Never Forget the Key Elements
While every top-selling romance novel is different, each contains the same elements in different degrees. Romance editors and readers
expect successful novels to contain:
- A focus on the relationship and accompanying emotions of the hero and heroine
- Strong characters: a heroine the reader can admire and cheer for and a hero that any woman would love.
- A critical situation that sets the main conflict into motion.
- A main conflict, made of smaller obstacles, that keep the hero and heroine from resolving their internal and external conflicts and
keep them apart.
- Romantic conflicts that build slowly through increased sexual tension. The story doesn't need to include explicit sexual scenes but
the more compelling and believable the underlying sexual tension is between the hero and heroine, the more readers will invest
emotionally in the story.
- Resolutions to the conflicts that create more conflicts. Dramatic tension to keep the reader involved until the final page draws
readers and editors back for more.
- A happy ending. The hero and heroine end the story with a commitment (not necessarily marriage) to each other. Each character will
ultimately sacrifice something important to them to make the relationship work. Bittersweet endings are for mainstream and literary
novels. If it isn't a happy ending, it isn't a romance. Period.
Set Small Goals
Novel-length romances average 60,000 words or more—a daunting figure when you consider one double-spaced page averages a mere 250 words.
Successful romance novelists break their writing goals into much smaller steps to avoid being overwhelmed. Some authors accomplish this
by writing a set number of pages per day; some per week. Others vow to finish a chapter or rough draft by a reasonable date. Author Donna MacMeans sets a combination of goals. "For me, setting a goal isn't so much about writing XX number of words a day but devoting a set
amount of time to writing. I find that I can convince myself that I can afford 45 minutes sitting in front of the computer. Of course,
once I get drawn into my story, I spend several hours working on my story. When someone else [critique partner] expects to see a story
by a set date, that motivates me to put in the extra time to meet that deadline."
Get Involved
Even if you have a supportive spouse, you'll need to vent with someone who understands if your characters are misbehaving or another
rejection letter lands on your desk. Find a local group of writers to commiserate and celebrate with. Join a local Romance Writers of
America group and become an active participant. You can find more details by visiting the RWA website at: www.RWANational.org.
Learn the Lingo
All writing has its own set of acronyms and jargon. Romance writing is no exception. If you're asked for a partial and you send a
synopsis, you may have just lost your chance of breaking into to the published world. Some common writing terms include:
- Manuscript: the unpublished form of the story you are writing
- Partial: usually considered to be the first three chapters of a manuscript
- Full: your complete manuscript
- Synopsis: an outline or condensed version of your manuscript
- Editor: a person who works for a publishing company and buys manuscripts
- Unsolicited Manuscript: a manuscript you send to the editor that was not requested by the editor
- Slush pile: the unsolicited manuscripts an editor hasn't read
- Agent: a person who agrees, for a fee or percentage of your manuscript sale, to represent your work to editors who publish your type
of story
- Query: a short letter of introduction sent to an editor or agent including information on your manuscript where you ask if the
editor/agent would like to see your manuscript
Contests and Conferences
Contests and conferences are two of the easiest ways to get involved and become informed about romance writing.
Romance writing contests are sponsored by nearly every RWA group. Additionally, many publishers conduct their own contests to find new
writers. Besides bringing you closer to the elusive publishing contract, many contests provide exceptional feedback. Many RWA contests
require a fee.
Held around the country—and the world—romance writer's conferences can last a day or a week. They provide writers with networking,
informational sessions, editor/agent appointments and a variety of other writing-related activities to refresh the muse. With a little
luck, you might be able to meet face-to-face with the editor you want to pitch your manuscript to. "My publisher closed in October,
before printing my third novel," says award-winning romance novelist Rosemary Laurey. "I ran into Kate Duffy from Kensington at RT
(Romantic Times conference) and found she'd read my first two novels and liked them. She asked what I could send to her and I told her
I had the rights back to my first two novels. She bought all three books and two more."
Follow Publisher's Guidelines
Nothing kills your chances for publication faster than sending a western romance to an editor who only buys contemporaries. Before you
waste your time and the editor's, be sure the publisher you're sending your manuscript to is the best choice for your story. If you
aren't sure what the editor accepts, call the publishing house and verify that they accept your particular genre.
Be certain that the publisher you submit to is someone you've thoroughly checked out. Know your rights, your royalty percentage and
their publishing process before you send your work. A legitimate publisher will never ask you to pay money to publish your book. Again,
if you aren't sure, call and inquire.
Write Every Day and Keep Records
Set up a spreadsheet on your computer or log in a notebook of every single day you write, even if it's only for ten minutes. Keep
receipts for office supplies, copies of rejection letters and cancelled checks from membership dues and any other record of your writing
business. You never know when you'll sell.
Treat Yourself As A Writer
If you don't take the initiative by declaring yourself a writer, no one else will. You must value your time enough to set limits on
others so they understand you're serious about writing. Donna MacMeans says her husband knows [romance writing] is important to her and
has learned she's a much more fun and patient person if given her writing time. However, she "discovered that finaling in a significant
contest gave my writing credibility in my family's eyes." It isn't always easy and it isn't always going to happen the way you plan. But
if you're serious about writing and behave as a writer, eventually those around you will as well.
Believe
Rosemary Laurey received rejections from "…just about every English-speaking country on the planet " for her Walk In Moonlight before
it caught the eye of an editor at Avid Press, who promised to publish the story if Laurey could cut the word count from 120K to 100K.
She did and she sold not only that manuscript but two sequels she had yet to write. Walk In Moonlight eventually won the Best of the
Best of the Prism awards (for paranormal books).
Write, Write, Write
"One can spend a lot of time reading "how to" books but never truly learn a thing because they haven't constructed a scene or created a
full-fleshed character. The more one writers," comments Donna MacMeans, "the better one gets. There's no substitute."
About The Author:
Beth Morrow is a nationally published freelance writer whose first love is romance writing. She served as the 2005
Ignite the Flame contest chairman for the Central Ohio Fiction Writers, the Columbus, OH-based RWA group. Contact her at:
beth@bethmorrow.com
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This article may NOT be reprinted without monetary compensation and written permission from the author.
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