The Art of Romance Writing: Practical Advice From an Internationally Bestselling Romance Writer

Aspiring romance writers will appreciate the industry-insider tips and practical advice offered in this fully revised and updated guide written by a top romance novelist. Step-by-step explanations to creating believable characters, handling dialogue, choosing settings, developing workable conflicts, and crafting effective plots are provided. Writers will stay on track and motivated with checklists that are included throughout. In addition to creative advice, a marketing section educates would-be authors on the major publishing houses and how to match their manuscripts to the publishers' romance lines. Writers will also learn how to pitch and hopefully sell their book in 10 minutes to an editor at a writers' conference, where to find such opportunities, and how to make the most of them. An insider's look at the kinds of manuscripts that editors are seeking in genre romance, including paranormal themes, action-adventure, inspirational, and chick lit, provides valuable insight into achieving success in a competitive marketplace. Title page......Page 1 Contents......Page 5 Preface......Page 9 1 Why romance?......Page 13 Who reads romance fiction?......Page 15 Can men write romances?......Page 17 Chick lit......Page 20 Romantic comedy......Page 22 Paranormal romances......Page 23 Single-title romances......Page 24 Erotica......Page 26 Inspirational romances......Page 27 Mastering the art......Page 29 Submitting your manuscript......Page 30 2 Sense and sensuality......Page 33 People and places......Page 34 The fantastic hero......Page 36 Love and sex......Page 39 Sweet romances......Page 41 From spicy to erotica......Page 46 Sexual tension checkpoints......Page 48 3 Characterisation......Page 49 Naming the baby......Page 55 Know your characters inside and out......Page 58 External profile......Page 62 Getting inside your characters......Page 63 Bring on the hero......Page 77 Internal profile......Page 80 Memory reveals character......Page 81 Flashbacks......Page 84 Character checklist......Page 89 4 Viewpoint......Page 91 Omniscient......Page 92 First person......Page 93 Third person subjective......Page 94 Multiple viewpoint......Page 96 Viewpoint as a writing tool......Page 98 Expressing viewpoint......Page 100 Which viewpoint should you use?......Page 102 How to switch viewpoints......Page 105 Viewpoint checklist......Page 108 5 Dialogue......Page 110 Claim the reader's attention......Page 113 Allow characters to reveal themselves......Page 114 Impart information......Page 115 Add pace and tension, create mood......Page 116 Move the story along......Page 117 Variety in dialogue......Page 119 Avoid repeating information......Page 120 'She said angrily'......Page 121 Dialogue presentation......Page 122 Dialogue checklist......Page 125 6 Plot and conflict......Page 127 Old ideas, new plots......Page 130 Internal or external conflict......Page 133 Outline the romance......Page 134 Some writing hints......Page 136 Story structure......Page 137 What happens next?......Page 142 The importance of pace......Page 145 Happy endings......Page 148 Plot checklist......Page 151 Plot chart......Page 153 7 Setting......Page 154 Professions......Page 158 Getting the facts right......Page 159 Art brief......Page 160 8 Query and outline......Page 162 How to present your synopsis......Page 164 The query letter......Page 165 Sample synopsis......Page 167 Sample query letter......Page 171 9 A pitch in time......Page 172 Keep it simple......Page 174 Ten-point plan......Page 176 Questions to ask......Page 178 10 To market, to market......Page 180 How to do a word count......Page 181 Writer's organisations in Australia and overseas......Page 183 Magazines and websites of interest to romance writers......Page 185 Critique services......Page 186 International manuscript appraisals......Page 188 Contests......Page 189 Some frequent queries answered......Page 192 Romance-friendly publishers......Page 194 11 Questions and answers......Page 209 Appendix I Sample writers' guidelines......Page 213 Appendix II How to submit a novel......Page 218 Select Bibliography......Page 221 Index......Page 228 With more than twenty million books sold internationally, Valerie Parv has made love and romance a career. This fully revised and expanded new edition is a necessity for the bookshelves of all hopeful romance writers. The Art of Romance Writing is an up-to-the-minute practical guide to the romance writing genre, written by the international best-selling author Valerie Parv. Clearcut examples of romance writing show exactly what works, what doesn't and why, unravelling the myth of the formula' and highlighting the subtle differences between the lines put out by major publishers. Step-by-step, Parv explains how to create believable characters, handle dialogue, choose settings, develop workable conflicts and effective plots. There are also invaluable checklists to keep you on track every step of the way. Valerie Parv details marketing information that explains what editors are buying today - from paranormal themes to action-adventure and inspirational, chick lit and mainstream romance. New in this edition is how to sell your book in ten minutes direct to an editor at a writers' conference, where to find opportunities and how to make the most of them. Fully revised and expanded, this new edition will help fulfil every romance writer's dreams. The Art of Romance Writing is an up-to-the-minute practical guide to the romance writing genre, written by the international best-selling author Valerie Parv.

Clearcut examples of romance writing show exactly what works, what doesn't and why, unravelling the myth of the formula' and highlighting the subtle differences between the lines put out by major publishers. Step-by-step, Parv explains how to create believable characters, handle dialogue, choose settings, develop workable conflicts and effective plots. There are also invaluable checklists to keep you on track every step of the way.

Valerie Parv details marketing information that explains what editors are buying today - from paranormal themes to action-adventure and inspirational, chick lit and mainstream romance. New in this edition is how to sell your book in ten minutes direct to an editor at a writers' conference, where to find opportunities and how to make the most of them.

Fully revised and expanded, this new edition will help fulfil every romance writer's dreams. This second edition is an up-to-the-minute, practical guide to the romance writing genre, based on Valerie Parv's professional experience