Getting Published: The Romance Genre.

INFORMATION FOR GETTING PUBLISHED

Romance Writing
Criteria Needed
A sympathetic heroine
A strong irresistible hero
Emotional Tension
A believable plot
A happily-ever-after-ending.

Romance readers dislike heroes from certain locales, namely, Germany, Scandinavia and the former Soviet Union and its current descendent states, these locales do not sell.

The hero’s occupation matters!  For the readers certain jobs are shorthand for masculine: cowboys, spy, soldier, CEO and policeman.  Occupations that indicate the opposite: playwright, dancer, sculptor, painter do not sell books.

Athletic endeavours.  Sports superstars do not make super heroes.  Readers don’t want to hear about a hero that is sport obsessive, it can remind them of their partner at home and offers little escapism.

Publishers have their own criteria for writers see websites below to download specific information.

www.harpercollins.com/hc/aboutus/imprints/avon/asp

www.dorchesterpub.com

www.kensingtonbooks.com/

www.mirabooks.com

www.randomhouse.com/BB

www.randomhouse.com/bantamdell

www.stmartins.com

www.eharlequin.com  (this one features an entire ’Learn to Write’ section along with a section called Community that between them off tip sheets for the company’s series as well as submission procedures, articles, bulletin boards and even chat rooms.  Published authors and editors also log on from time to time.