So You Want to Write a Romance Novel
What you need to know before you start
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When people learn that I’m a romance novelist, they often pull me aside to confess that they’ve considered writing romance, too. Often it’s because they’ve heard it’s a good way to make money on the side, sometimes it’s because they think it’s easy. Then they ask if there’s anything they need to know.
There is.
It can be a way to make money on the side, or as a full-time profession, but it’s neither easy nor something to leap into blindly. There are a few things to know before you make that decision.
The romance genre is a very specific thing
First, you need to know what it is.
A romance novel has (1) a central love story and (2) an emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending. That’s a hard rule. It’s the definition set by the RWA (Romance Writers of America) and it’s what readers expect when they buy a book marketed as a romance.
There’s nothing wrong with writing a love story that ends in tragedy, but that story won’t be a romance. The romance needs to be central (i.e. not a subplot) and it has to end with an emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending.
This is usually the point where someone asks why anyone bothers to read romance if they already know the ending. The answer? Because people are reading for the emotional journey.
Horror, suspense, psychological thrillers — these are stories structured around twists and unexpected endings. But romance is structured around the challenge of falling in love. The focus is on the development of the relationship.
The market is huge but highly competitive
The romance genre is a billion-dollar industry, comprising about 23% of the total fiction market, according to a study conducted by the RWA. Romance readers are voracious, so the demand is there. But you should know that the market is also crowded with writers. If your goal is to make money, it can be done but it will take work.
The RWA, which is geared toward traditional publishing, has over 9,000 dues-paying members. One Facebook group dedicated to indie romance publishing has over 8,000 members. On freelance sites, you’ll see romance ghostwriting jobs posted by marketers looking to pay a flat rate so they can package the manuscript and publish it on Amazon as their own. It’s a crowded field.
There was a time when romance, particularly high-heat or erotic romance, was a bit of a gold rush among indie authors, but that time has passed. The market has settled into a competitive equilibrium of supply and demand. It takes work and commitment to make your name, build your readership, and stand out.
There’s pressure to write quickly
Readers expect romance novelists to publish at a relatively high rate. In other genres, it’s not uncommon to publish a book a year. In romance, novelists often publish three to four books per year. Some put out books at twice that rate.
This doesn’t mean you have to write quickly to be successful, but you will feel the pressure.
Romance isn’t formulaic
Occasionally you’ll hear someone claim that romance is formulaic, as if it’s just a matter of plugging in the right combination of plot points. This isn’t true. Romance is plot-propelled but not plot-driven. What drives romance is the emotion.
There are tropes and conventions, but they function as tools to use at your discretion. Plenty of authors break conventions, subvert tropes, and forge new paths. What successful romance novelists have in common is the ability to hook the reader with a great story so they become emotionally invested in the relationship between two well-crafted main characters. A plot formula won’t get you there.
I should also mention that romance is more than boy-meets-girl (or girl-meets-girl, or boy-meets-boy). It thrives in wide variety of sub-genres: sci-fi, paranormal, fantasy, dystopian, historical, romantic comedy, contemporary, inspirational, YA (young adult), NA (new adult), suspense, erotic, and so on.
Within every sub-genre, there’s a broad spectrum of tone, from light and witty to suspenseful and dark. Some romances are emotional rollercoasters, others are gentle and fun. Some are larger than life, others are grounded in gritty realism. There’s a range of heat from virtually non-existent to sexually explicit.
There’s plenty of room for creative expression.
You need to read (and respect) the genre
Romance readers consume books at an astounding rate. They’re smart. They know the genre. They have highly sophisticated palates. If you’re considering writing romance, the single most important step you can take is to read the books.
Here’s a short list to get you started: The best romance novels of 2019 (WaPo)
Everyone who reads and writes romance is familiar with the dismissive attitude that romance is inherently inferior to other genres, a belief that seems to be rooted in some combination of ignorance and internalized misogyny. Some romance novels are brilliant, some are not, but if you don’t fundamentally respect the genre and still want to write a romance (presumably because you think it’s easy), don’t. Trust me. We can smell the disdain a mile away.
Also: romance isn’t easy, because…
The story structure is slightly different
Craft books on story structure tend to stress the relationship between protagonist’s arc and the external plot, but in romance, there are typically two protagonists, which means you have two major character arcs. You’re also working with a romance arc as well as the external plot arc. So, generally speaking, you’re working with at least four major arcs, not two.
For example, let’s say you’re writing a romantic suspense novel. You’ve got the external plot arc (the thriller/suspense), the romance arc (the development of the emotional relationship), and at least two character arcs, both of which evolve over the course of the story. If you’re writing an erotic or high-heat romance, there’s likely a fifth arc, the progression of the sexual relationship, which serves the romance arc and the character arcs.
Romance is fun and rewarding to write, but it’s also challenging.
Indie vs. traditional publishing
If you’re interested in traditional publishing, you have a few options. You can query agents who’ll submit your book to publishers that only accept agented submissions, or you can submit to publishers directly. Harlequin, Sourcebooks, and Avon (Impulse) are three major publishers that accept direct submissions.
If you’re interested in self-publishing, it’s definitely a viable option but it’s fiercely competitive and requires a broad skill set. You’d be responsible for everything from editing to formatting to marketing. Quite a few romance writers have done spectacularly well as indie authors, but their workload extends well beyond writing. Successful indie authors aren’t just writers, they’re entrepreneurs.
It’s diverse and inclusive
Love is love. The genre is inclusive of every sexual orientation and marginalized identity. There are polyamorous romances, asexual romances, queer and non-binary romances. These stories aren’t niche — they’re increasingly mainstream and widely read. So if you’re interested in romance, don’t feel limited by heterosexual pairings. Love is universal and human, and there’s a readership for every conceivable love story.
If you’re interested in writing romance, read widely in the genre, ideally books that have been published recently. Romance is always evolving so older books might given you an outdated sense of the market. Follow writers on social media. Connect with the RWA. Read reviews on Goodreads to get a sense of what readers love (and hate).
Then go forth and write something beautiful. The world needs more love stories.
