Romance is character-driven genre fiction. Forget about ‘the formula’–there’s no such thing. Like all popular fiction, romance writing must delight, surprise and entertain readers. Romance (in all its varied guises) accounts for a huge chunk of the international fiction market, and even adding a thread of romance to a story in another genre will extend the appeal of that book—as long as you do it well.

In this romance writing workshop you will study:

• what readers and publishers want, expect and love in a romance novel
• the importance of creating believable characters with strong reader appeal
• techniques to structure a plot that will keep readers turning the pages
• how conflict/tension drives a novel, and how to create and maintain it
• how to improve writing elements such as dialogue, point-of-view (and the power of deep point-of-view), setting, and foreshadowing.
• the changing face of publishing, what publishers and readers are looking for, and the opportunities of independent publishing (self-publishing e-books—a huge and fast-growing industry)—and some pitfalls to watch out for.

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Expected Learning Outcomes

By the end of the workshop participants will:

1. understand the difference between plot and story
2. have gained a practical appreciation of some of the elements essential in creating a publishable novel
3. learn about some pitfalls and pathways to publication

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Participant Requirements

Pen and paper or preferred device for writing. Please ensure your device is charged.