Writing Romance Fiction

Writing Romance Fiction Advice

I encourage everyone who may have that drive to give it a shot. But don’t be fooled. Just because the market is huge, it’s not an easy one to break into. And for every published author, there are hundreds still waiting for their chance to score that first contract, especially if you’re shooting for the larger New York houses. Their acceptance rates are somewhere around 1 in 100.

Does that mean there aren’t opportunities? Absolutely not! The steady rise in ebook sales, and the first ebook publishing house to gain RWA recognition, means the industry is on the cusp of change. And those who are on the ground floor are bound to benefit. But, because many small press operations fold in a year or less, it also means a new author must be very careful about whom he or she does business with.

Romance Writers of America

As a fledgling author, your best friend is Romance Writers of America (RWA). Membership’s not cheap, but it’s worth it. Through the RWR, the monthly magazine, and a chapter membership or two, you’ll learn more in a year’s time about the industry than you would likely learn on your own in decades.

There are many things to learn. These things include:

• What houses publish what
• How to submit manuscripts and queries
• The rules of writing romance
• How to select an agent
• How to write active, powerful prose

Finding an active RWA chapter can give your career a huge boost. You can learn the basics of writing, find critique partners, mentors, ask about publishers and agents, and possibly avoid career-devastating disasters.

Above all, don’t expect to sell right off the bat. Most authors don’t see that kind of success — in any genre. Ask Steven King. But, also, don’t let rejection or harsh criticism discourage you if you’re really set on seeing your work published. If you are persistent, are willing to keep trying and willing to learn from your mistakes, you can make it.

Writing Romance Fiction Reading List

Following is a brief Romance Author’s Reading List. If you’re serious, I advise you to check out these books. Read them, internalize them, keep them as references. They will help you on your writing romance fiction quest.

• Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass
• The Plot Doctor's Prescription for Plotting Workbook
• The Plot Thickens: 8 Ways to Bring Fiction to Life by Noah Lukeman
• The Romance Writer's Phrase Book
• Writing Fiction by Janet Burroway
• So Your Muse Has Gone AWOL? by Pamela Johnson/Lori Soard
• How to Write a Damn Good Novel by James Frye
• Becoming Your Own Critique Partner by Jane Toombs & Janet Lane Walters
• Strunk and White: The Elements of Style
• The Weekend Novelist by Robert Ray
• Self-editing for Fiction Writers by Rennie Brown and Dave King
• Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg
• GMC: Goal, Motivation & Conflict by Deb Dixon
• Writing the Fiction Synopsis by Pam McCutcheon
• Elements of Fiction: Setting by Jack Bickham
• Elements of Fiction: Conflict, Action & Suspense by William Noble
• Elements of Fiction: Description by Monica Wood
• The Writer's Journey by Christopher Vogler
• Character Naming Sourcebook by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Writing Science Fiction & Fantasy into the Romance

• Worlds of Wonder by Dave Gerrold
• Conceiving the Heavens by Melissa Scott
• World-building by Steve Gillett

Historical Romance Resources

• Medieval Costumes in England and France by Mary Houston

In Conclusion

You may be asking yourself what writing romance fiction has to do with business. As with any money-making endeavor, writing is a business, and as such must be undertaken as a business. The writer who expects to succeed must carefully scope out the competition, learn as much as about the business as possible, and learn to properly market the end product -- the romance novel -- in order to succeed.