Do You Have What it takes to write a Romance Novel?
Part I
According to the Romance Writers of America (RWA ) website, Romance Fiction generates $1.2 billion dollars a year in sales, accounts for nearly 55% of all popular mass-market fiction sold, and 39% of all fiction sold. Those are some mighty impressive figures that will likely further ignite your desire to learn more about how to get your own romance oeuvre into the local bookstore.
From the land of the Bronte’s, UK romance novelist Marina Oliver offers manageable check lists, tips and manuscript advice to help you on the way to gripping your first Fabio bedecked novel, or a refreshing point of view for writing second or sixth. Oliver has self-released the “How To” books, Writing a Novel (4th edition), Writing Romantic Fiction, and Writing Historical Fiction, has been published in over 30 historical romance’s including A Civil Conflict and Rebel Heart, as well as a contemporary crime novel, A Cut Above the Rest. She teaches workshops, courses and gives talks as well having served several different roles on the committee of the Romantic Novelists' Association (RNA).
You swear you want to do it. You have read some romance novels and you’ve actively thought, “I could do that, no problem!” Maybe you’ve even scribbled some story notes on a wine glass coaster, back of an envelope, or stylused in your Blackberry. Oliver says there are two prime tests to determine whether one has the stamina to take their idea from coaster to novel. “Firstly, so many who start find it too hard—time-consuming, lack of ideas, self-discipline and give up anyway, so they are self-selecting,” says Oliver, “Secondly, have they the resilience to bounce back after rejections, and most get plenty of those. If they are willing to revise, or start again on a different project, there is hope for them.”
Though the average citizen may perceive the romance novelist to be a Jackie Collins type, the reality Oliver says is, “In England we are many different types—shy, introspective, outgoing, forceful, confident of success, or amazed and gratified when we achieve it!”
So, now that it doesn’t matter an iota what you look like, or if you’re cranky, here is Oliver’s list of 12 general tips to writing a novel—with the first two applying to getting started, “apart from sitting down at the computer and writing something,” says Oliver.
- Read, read, read the competition
- Get to know the industry, network with writers, agents, and editors
- Persevere, practise
- Make your work look professional, as if you know what you are doing
- Cut out words and scenes that don’t add something
- Make your first page compulsive reading
- Get right inside your characters
- Don’t solve problems with coincidences
- Check every fact, historical or contemporary
- Make the ending satisfying
- Be prepared to rewrite, especially if an editor suggests it
- If two or three people make the same comment or suggestion for changes, take this seriously
In regards to number nine on the list, Oliver has this to say about research. “Some initial reading round about the time period, or the location, or the background, is essential in order to begin plotting and using these aspects. But much research can be done alongside the writing, as points crop up. One doesn't always know what facts will be needed until they are germane to the plot.” Having written over 30 historical romances Oliver knows from what she speaks.
Romance lines (i.e. Harlequin Red Dress Ink, Silhouette and Avalon) have very specific guidelines about the type and length of manuscript they wish to see. “Romance writers need to follow these (guidelines) and aim for a particular line, the one they enjoy reading the most,” says Oliver adding a little counsel, “More generalised stories are unlikely to fit specific requirements. So read, analyse, and try to fit.” Because the guidelines are much tighter than other fiction publishers and different lines having specific types of novels they want, “there may not be alternative places to offer a rejected typescript, and because lines differ slightly in what they want, there may not be alternative places to offer a rejected typescript,” says Oliver, whereas, “In more mainstream fiction this doesn't apply. Apart from very general requirements such as a length between 80-100,000 words for a first novel (though that is flexible if it's a saga or big historical theme) these novels can be offered to several publishers.”
You figured out that you have the stamina and wherewithal to really take charge of the romance genre, then it wouldn’t be balanced to offer tips on How To and not expose the How Not To at the same time. Here is Oliver’s list of 17 common pitfalls first time novelists trip into.
- Introduce too many characters in the first chapter
- Unlikeable main characters
- Don't find out what sort of books each publisher wants
- Don't read enough recently published books
- Explain too much that is irrelevant or unnecessary
- Lack of pace and narrative drive
- Static scenes
- Dull, uninteresting dialogue
- Incorrect punctuation and poor grammar
- Assume things without researching or checking them
- Start too early in the story
- Weak plot lacking depth enough for story
- Pad
- Lack originality
- Include every single bit of historical research they’ve done
- Try to copy someone else’s style
- Use too many qualifiers - adverbs and adjectives
In writing teleconferences and interviews several authors have offered up the notion that there are basically only 12 plots that romance writer’s draw from to write their novels, Oliver soundly disputes this. “Various writers say there are a precise number of plots, seven, twenty, sixty-seven. I think it's dangerous to specify, as someone will always be able to produce an extra one,” says Oliver. Especially with the erotica, parapsychology, NASCAR, mystery, Christian, thriller and any number of other genre’s being mixed and matched with romance the variety of plots appears endless. “Clearly there are some basic themes, but these can be varied or combined in a huge variety of ways, so where do we draw the lines and say this is a basic plot and something close to it isn't?”
Oliver says she finds the increasing mixing of genre’s exciting. “There is a danger of the older-style romances being seen as all the same. In fact, many people who say they don’t read romances insist the similarities are what deter them,” says Oliver. Oliver herself most enjoys romantic suspense and historical, which she admits, are of the more familiar variety. She is also editing for a new imprint called Transita (www.transita.co.uk). “Transita is publishing books featuring older women, those over 45, since much of modern fiction features young and city-based women, stories which don't interest the older ones. These books are not formulaic, some are romances, other not. At the moment none are historicals.”
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