| So you want to know how to write a romance | | | | or newspaper or a box of old photos, but they |
| novel. That's great! What most people don't know | | | | must be people you don't know. If it's your family |
| is a huge portion of average readers are romance | | | | photos, it won't work. If your parents or |
| readers (whether they admit it or not). | | | | grandparents have an old box of photos with |
| A lot of beginning authors think there is a magic | | | | people you don't know, that would work |
| "formula" for writing romance fiction. This may be | | | | perfectly. You can ask friends as well. If you can't |
| due to the series romances like Harlequin which | | | | find any photographs you can use a magazine or |
| seem to follow specific guidelines. Actually some | | | | newspaper. |
| of those series novels do have some guide | | | | If using the latter, cut various pictures out. Find |
| sheets you can ask for but there is not one | | | | the ones that appear interesting with more than |
| formula that encompasses all of romance writing, | | | | one person in the frame. If using photos, just pick |
| and nothing that you can follow that will guarantee | | | | out some of them that are interesting to you. |
| fame and fortune as an author. | | | | Now, go ahead and take one of them and give |
| Even the "formula" series novels are a lot harder | | | | them names, and then write a short story about |
| to write than they appear to be when reading | | | | them based on what you can see in the photo. |
| them. Ask anyone who has sat before a blank | | | | Use your imagination. Give them a background |
| sheet of paper with "chapter one" written on it. | | | | and a reason for being in their current situation. |
| It's also a common misconception that readers of | | | | You'll be amazed at how much your imagination |
| romantic novels belong to a certain age group or | | | | will be engaged just from looking at a "real" |
| demographic. Women of all ages (and men too) | | | | picture rather than trying to think of things in |
| read these books. | | | | your head. Do this exercise anytime you feel |
| Anyway, the first thing you need to do to get | | | | stuck, or even make it a ritual and do it each |
| started writing is simply that....get started. But it's | | | | morning before you start writing (or evening if |
| also what most people find the hardest, most | | | | you're a night owl). This is a great way to learn |
| difficult thing about writing. They simply can't get | | | | how to write a romance novel or any other type |
| going! | | | | of novel. Keep a file of these short stories you |
| So to get you going on your way to a successful | | | | write as exercises, and you'll be able to use them |
| writing career, try this exercise. Find a magazine | | | | later in your manuscript. |