On Writing Romance
on writing romance
how to craft a novel that sells
Leigh Michaels
On Writing Romance
© 2007 by Leigh Michaels. Manufactured in the United States of America. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review. Published by Writer's Digest Books, an imprint of F+W Publications, Inc., 4700 East Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45236. (800) 289-0963. First edition.
Distributed in Canada by Fraser Direct, 100 Armstrong Avenue, Georgetown, ON, Canada L7G 5S4, Tel: (905) 877-4411. Distributed in the U.K. and Europe by David & Charles, Brunel House, Newton Abbot, Devon, TQ12 4PU, England, Tel: (+44) 1626 323200, Fax: (+44) 1626 323319, E-mail: [email protected]. Distributed in Australia by Capricorn Link, P.O. Box 704, Windsor, NSW 2756 Australia, Tel:(02) 4577-3555.
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Michaels, Leigh.
On writing romance: how to craft a novel that sells / Leigh Michaels. â 1st ed.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN-13: 978-1-58297-436-1 (pbk. : alk. paper)
ISBN-13: 978-1-58297-698-3 (EPUB)
ISBN-10: 1-58297-436-5 (pbk. : alk. paper)
ISBN-13: 978-1-58297-437-8 (hardcover : alk. paper)
ISBN-10: 1-58297-437-3 (hardcover : alk. paper)
1. Love stories â Authorship. 2. Love stories â Marketing. I. Title.
PN3377.5.L68M52 2007
808.3â²85 â dc22
2006024635
Edited by
Kelly Nickell
Interior designed by Grace Ring
Cover designed by Claudean Wheeler
Production coordinated by Mark Griffin
Leigh Michaels is the author of more than eighty contemporary romance novels and several nonfiction books. More than thirty million copies of her romance novels have been published by Harlequin Books. Her work has been translated and published in 120 countries in more than 25 languages, including Afrikaans, Arabic, Bulgarian, Chinese, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, and Turkish.
Leigh teaches romance writing on the Internet at Gotham Writers' Workshop (
www.writingclasses.com
) and at Barnes & Noble University (
http://university.barnesandnoble.com
). Men and women from around the world have participated in her workshops, and many of them have gone on to publish their own romance novels with commercial publishers. She does a limited number of manuscript critiques for aspiring romance novelists.
Leigh is the 2003 recipient of the Johnson Brigham Award, presented by the Iowa Library Association to an Iowa author for outstanding contributions to literature. Six of her books have been finalists for Best Traditional Romance in the RITA contest sponsored by Romance Writers of America. She has received two Reviewer's Choice awards from
Romantic Times
. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.
A lifelong Midwesterner, she lives in Ottumwa, Iowa, with her husband, artist-photographer Michael Lemberger. She can be contacted through her Web site at
www.leighmichaels.com
.
This book would not have been possible without the help and support of my friends, family, and colleagues. I wish to thank:
My good friend, fellow writer, and expert critiquer, Elaine Orr.
My writing colleagues Rachelle Chase, Roxanne Rustand, Sandra Marton, Lyn Cote, Sophie Weston, Hannah Bernard, Anne Weale, Renee Roszel, Alexandra Sellers, Linda Riff, Doreen Linnen, and Lynn Hoffmann, who never tired of discussing the romance novel, and who pointed me to excellent examples and illustrations.
The students in my online and in-person romance-writing classes, whose comments and questions helped clarify and crystallize the materials in this book.
The many friends who supported me through the process, especially Margaret Trucano, Shelley Kveton, Desiree Johnson, Bev Hart, Janet Jenkins, Cindy Loughman, Edna Dunning, and Marilyn Cremer.
My sister, Linda Smith, for always being there.
My editor, Kelly Nickell, and my agent, Elaine English, for their hard work in bringing this book to life, and Jane Friedman, of Writer's Digest Books, for her encouragement.
The long series of editors who have helped to make me a better writer, especially Jacqui Bianchi, Karin Stoecker, Paula Eykelh of, Jane Robson, and Samantha Bell.
And as always, my husband, Michael Lemberger â who believes in me.
Part One: Getting Ready to Write
Chapter One: Studying the Romance Novel
Chapter Two: Selecting and Researching Your Story
Part Two: Establishing Your Framework
Chapter Three: Essential Elements
Chapter Four: Hero and Heroine
Chapter Six: Relationships and Resolutions
Part Three: Writing Your Romance Novel
Chapter Seven: Starting to Write Your Story
Chapter Eight: Putting Your Story on Paper
Chapter Nine: Populating Your Romance Novel
Chapter Ten: Creating Sexual Tension and Love Scenes
Chapter Eleven: Using Point of View
Chapter Twelve: Writing Dialogue and Introspection
Chapter Thirteen: Building a Believable Plot
Chapter Fourteen: Bringing It All Together
Part Four: Submitting Your Romance Novel
Chapter Fifteen: Revising Your Manuscript
Chapter Sixteen: Marketing Your Romance Novel
Part Five: Appendices and References