Writing Romances

For the aspiring romance writer who needs a little direction, Writing Romances: A Handbook by the Romance Writers of America is an excellent starting point. Divided into four sections, the business of romance is discussed in the first section, including thorough treatments of subjects such as agents, handling publicity, networking, and "the life and times of a manuscript." The following two sections closely examine the processes of researching and writing a novel--from writing with passion to point of view and writing with a partner--while the final section focuses on writing specific types of romances, including the regency, the short contemporary, and the historical romance. All 25 topics are handled by experts in the field: the business side of romance is presented by successful agents, publicists, and editors, while romance writing is handled by bestselling authors such as Jude Deveraux, Diana Gabaldon, and Janet Dailey.