Help with my Romance Writing

princess_nevaeh

Hello! I would really like to start writing a romance noval soon but I haven't got much of an idea how to go about it. I need help with developing my charecters and an interesting plot. Even naming my charecters is proving to be tricky! I really need as much help and advice as possible! Thanks!

Love you all!
Nevaeh

Lothaar

So... you don't have a plot or any interesting characters.


You should talk to Cecilia Ahern's agent!

(I'm here all week, folks. I recommend the fish!)

chupacabra

I suggest for names you could use historical refrences, if you dig deep enough into old Greek or Roman history and literature youll find some names that will be perfect for roles of characters, as for a plot.........well thats the job of the writer right;) but maybe if you avoid the obvious cliche of the romeo and juliet style romantic tradgedy it would be good in itself. Most romantic novels appear to be all the same latley tho.

mell61

I read recently from a successful romance writer that she tended to use the credits from films for finding names for characters!
Check out the online resources that are on the mills and boon / harlequin websites, there they give you a basic outline of what they are looking for, what sort of characters they want in which romance series, how to submit a book for consideration, etc.
Read some of the current books on the market, if you like reading a specific series of romance books and enjoy them, what are the characteristics of that series: international setting / wealthy characters / what are the conflicts facing the 2 main characters that need to be overcome in order for the happy ending...
As you read a selection of different types of romance (historical, current, etc)you will find that there are different attributes for the characters.
My main suggestion is read up on a few books published in the past year (series seem to change every few years), read some of the more prolific writers (after 20-30 books along the same lines they know what works for the audience), search the web, there are a few good sites out there that can help.
I don't have time to link them now, but google 'romance writers of america', 'mills and boons', 'harlequin', try some of the writers for personal websites, see if they explain their writing processes.

Abby D Cody

Forget about names, forget about interesting characters, think of your own saddest infatuation, your lost love, your unfulfilled dreamboat, and after describing the initial eupohoria from that first encounter to the loss and the heartache of the last farewell, write yourself a happy ending. I don't know if that works, but it sounds like it ought to.

Oh, and use the spell-checker more. Whatever people say about spelling not being important if the story's any good, I once submitted a novel to an American publisher who said he loved the story but the spelling confused him. Why, he wanted to know, was there a flattened tyre, as I had until then made no mention of ancient Greek cities (American's spell tyre 'tire')? Misspelling such fundamental words to your trade as 'novel' and 'character' will just lead people to believe you don't really care for your craft.

And start getting ready for your second and third novels now, because the first is unlikely to sell until the third has been picked up.

BEAT

I suggest you start writing and see what you can come up with, I can better help you when I see your writing style. Feel free to send me a Pm with your work. I am a freelance writer and currently write articles for a local magazine as well as write novels. If you'd like some constructive criticizm feel free to send it my way.