Writing a Romance Novel For Dummies

by Leslie Wainger

In love with romance novels? You're not alone!

Romance is today's most popular fiction genre, accounting for more than half of all mass market fiction sold. If you're looking to make a serious effort at writing a romance and getting it published in today's multifaceted markets, you need to learn as much as you can about this highly successful field--especially how to create the perfect heroes and heroines. Now, in this easy, step-by-step guide, a top romance editor gives you the know-how you need to succeed as a romance novelist! Writing A Romance Novel For Dummies is perfect for both beginning and more accomplished writers who are looking to get the leading edge on writing a romance novel and get it published. Leslie Wainger, Executive Editor at Harlequin Books, explains what it takes to become the next Nora Roberts, providing the techniques you need to:

Select a pseudonym Write a compelling, heartfelt story Find the right agent and publisher Submit a manuscript Market your novel Join clubs and associations Packed with insider advice, this plain-English guide helps you grasp the building blocks of a great romance, providing practical tips on the craft of writing as well as savvy pointers on how to hook your reader from page one, write with passion, and shape a proposal that will wow agents and editors. You get lots of expert tips on analyzing the marketplace, creating compelling characters, and finding your own voice. Wainger also:

Demystifies the sub-genres of the romance world, from historical, contemporary, and multicultural to paranormal, romantic suspense, and Christian/inspirational Explains plotting, pacing, and writing those crucial love scenes Discusses how to conduct research, assign credits, and get permissions Helps you decide whether it's best to write alone or with a partner Complete with a manuscript preparation checklist, tips for revising your work smoothly and successfully, guidance in understanding and negotiating a contract, and a list of romance writing resources, Writing A Romance Novel For Dummies is your one-stop guide to becoming a published novelist!

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction, Romance, Reference

388 pages, Paperback

First published May 7, 2004

Reviews

[Steelwhisper · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is awkwardly outdated and it didn't, at all, sit well with me that the author came over as shaming authors in specific genres and sub-genres of romance.

No idea how old she is, but my grandmother used to be less stuffy, conventional and right-wing. Given that she is an editor of a major publisher you needn't wonder why a lot of romances out of these houses are so horrid.

Take this for instance:

So what’s the appeal of the tortured hero? Psychologists say that women are nurturers; they like to fix people and relationships. So a tortured hero is the ultimate challenge. In reality, this kind of guy is probably damaged goods and a bad bet for a relationship. But in a romance novel, he’s a perfect romantic fantasy — a prize worth winning because the heroine alone can heal him.

Isn't she just a lovely person? The whole book bristles which such gems of prejudices, sexism and often enough role models out of the stone age.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the original edition, but I read the 2nd edition by Victorine Lieske, an indie Romance author, which was published in 2023. This cover edition was from 2007, just for perspective.

Victorine gives the aspiring writer the perfect formula for crafting a fun, sexy, romantic story, and how to tackle various hills you may face, including editing, publishing or even addressing my favorite part (intimacy), and providing tips for pitfalls to avoid in characters and other aspects.
She does do a fantastic job of keeping it real with the prospective writer AND providing honest perspective.

One downside is that the book is VERY catered to writing heterosexual ONLY relationships.

A great tool for any aspiring romance writer!

[Erin Klitzke · Rating 1 out of 5]

It's unfortunate that this book hasn't been updated in the past eight years. I assumed after thumbing through it in the bookstore that it would still be useful for my purposes, but shame on me for not thumbing through enough! The entire back third of the book is painfully outdated given how quickly the publishing industry has been changing over the past few years. Anyone who reads this book should be aware that a great deal of the book is out of date--styles, tastes, and the like have changed. Some of the most basic of the basics are good.

I suppose I was most disappointed that the book was written not by an AUTHOR of romance, but by an EDITOR. Ordinarily, that might not necessarily be a bad thing, but I feel that the book could have benefited from a co-author that wrote romance novels, so potential writers would get more insight into what the actual writing process is like--rather than what an editor seems to assume that the process must be like.

Overall, bits and pieces of the book were useful, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend it.

[Sennen Rose]

A bit outdated at times but overall quite useful!

[RachelEmilyMary · Rating 1 out of 5]

Outdated and repetitive. There are better, less dense writing resources. Trust.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

You're not a dummie.

But perhaps you're an aspiring romance author and you're just dipping your toes into the waters of romance novel writing. Or maybe you've got a few manuscripts written and you're looking for some advice to improve your writing.

This book is for you.

Leslie Wainger took everything she learned as a romance editor for Harlequin/Silhouette/MIRA and turned it into a guide for romance novel writers. The beauty of Writing a Romance Novel for Dummies is that it is specific to romance novels. You can find plenty of books about writing characters, plots, scenes, dialogue, etc. But Wainger interprets all these topics as they pertain to the romance hero, heroine, and plot.

Part I covers the world of romance writing, including romance writing at a glance. An overview of the market and the definition of a romance and subgenres are included in this section. Please note that this book was published in 2004 and some of this information is now out of date. I docked the book one-half ♥ for that reason. Don't let that keep you from buying the book, however. There is plenty of classic advice included.

Part II is about the building blocks of a romance. Topics covered are the hero, heroine, plot, setting, and outline. Those starting out or revising a work in progress will find inspiration in this section. Part III covers the actual writing of the novel, such as voice, dialogue, pacing, and love scenes. I don't agree with all of Wainger's lessons in Parts II and III. For instance, she believes that head-hopping is acceptable. You'll have to decide for yourself. But there is invaluable information in these two sections. Part IV is about the crucial hook that captures the reader, doing research, and mechanics.

Part V covers submitting your manuscript, handling rejections, and making the sale. Again, this section is out of date. The submission advice is geared toward submitting to Harlequin and the big New York publishing houses. There is no mention of e-books or self-publishing. Part V is the Dummies' "Part of Tens," lists of ten tips, such as how to come up with a title and how to beat writer's block.

In short, while some of the information is out of date, there are enough timeless lessons on the craft of writing a romance novel to make this a well-highlighted addition to your reference library.

You may also be interested in On Writing Romance: How to Craft a Novel That Sells

See my paranormal romance reviews at Paranormal Romance with Lisa Annesley

[Tessa Barding · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have always loved writing stories but it got lost along the way. Then I discovered fanfiction (yes, and I am not ashamed of it) and thought this was a good way to worm myself back into a hobby that I though I had lost forever. Although I think I'm an OK enough writer for the internet platform I'm using, there's always things to learn and to improve and as we all know, practice makes perfect. I stumbled across this book through browsing and bought it without thinking twice.
What a good idea! It's very helpful, very insightful - it touches plotting, character development, conflict approach, romance-related dynamics, outlining, and it does all that without raised fingers and preaching undertone. It's clearly written by someone who knows what she's talking about and who enjoys passing her knowledge on.

If you'd like to tackle your own romance novel but are unsure about how to get it done... this book will be a great friend in need!

[Becky Black · Rating 4 out of 5]

A useful reference and a lively and entertaining read too. I'll keep this close to hand for reference.

[Daire Faust · Rating 1 out of 5]

I admit I only made it part way through. The advice was terrible. While there were many points I disagreed with, the one that honestly irritated me enough to give this book only 1 star and warn friends against it was this quote:
"Don't let your heroine realize she's beautiful because the reader needs to relate and women focus on their flaws."
This is sexist bullshit. How dare anyone tell you that women, in literature and reality, cannot realize they are beautiful? Romance is about the fantasy. We can't even imagine or fantasize a confident woman? Wow.

[Lisa Swinton · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you ever wanted to know how to write a romance novel from A-Z, this is the book for you.

Ms. Lieske takes you step by step through the process: from brainstorming to rough draft, to formatting, to publishing and marketing.

This is a treasure trove of knowledge by a successful author who knows what she's doing at a bargain price.

Definitely add this to your craft collection. You'll refer to it again and again.

I received an ARC of this book.

[Wendy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This seems pretty unhelpful for the aspiring writer. Most of this stuff is either too obvious to mention, or vague enough that the advice won't help. It gets one star for convincing me I should write an outline though. So there's that.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good points but a little dated

This book had a lot of good tips, but in a world driven by technology and self-publishing, some of the information was a little dated. Overall I did learn some very helpful information so I am glad I read it.

[Kenya Wright · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a good recap, but provided nothing new for me. I think this is a great reference for first time romance writers.

[Conejo Literario · Rating 4 out of 5]

Muy útil para cualquier aspirante a escritor de romance. La información es muy acertada y está presentada de forma clara.

[Joanna Omura · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's great. A little hard to get into but it's informative.

[Deb Moncrief · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the book somewhat useful. At least it gives a starting point to begin writing. Overall, a decent book as a starting point into writing a romance novel.

[Tamara Ludgarda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm ready now

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Needs an update for current subgenres.

[Colie Hathaway · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just what I needed before Camp NaNoWriMo

[Daniel Te · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm going to be honest: this is one of my favorite books of all time. I know that sounds really strange, but bear with me here.

Romance is probably one of the hardest genres of books to write, period. Why? Because love is complicated. REALLY complicated. I would be lying if I said that I still have no idea what love is, and I doubt that I ever truly will. But there are tendencies in the romance industry, and it was just completely fascinating to think about the inner workings of it, ranging from the character tropes to the marketing to everything.

I know it's not the book for everyone, but it was surprisingly great for me. Give it a try sometime.

[Leonard · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is interesting book if you're starting out in writing. It appears to give all the particulars when creating a Romantic Novel, but it feels like it concentrates on the process of getting the book out there, instead of what's being put into the book. It's very informative, but I had more fun with "On Romance Writing" by Leigh Michaels.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been working on romance novels off and on since I was a teenager. I picked this book up three or four years ago, and it has a permanent place on my bookshelf as a reference manual. While I agree that it does discuss the process of sitting down to actually write the novel more than the actual nitty details of writing, it does enable you to think about new ways of writing your novel.

[Tasneem · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fabulously helpful book that shows you the practicalities of writing romance. I had dipped into this book time and time again when struggling to write my work. It is a very useful tool and I can't recommend it enough. The guidelines are simple to understand and the tips so clearly laid out that it is impossible to not get a full and complete understanding of the key requirements.

[Lexington · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book won't teach you how to write a romance novel, but it will teach you what to write and who the audience is as well as what they expect. Honestly, there isn't much information in this that can't be found online. Unless you have absolutely no idea what you're doing, it won't be of much help to you.

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I gave this book four stars because I read it in 2015. If it was up to date, this would probably be higher. There was a reference to backing work up on a floppy disc, and how to submit manuscripts was probably out of date. However, the information on conflicts, creating characters and lists of what to avoid were still useful.

[Jo Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gives you and easy and understandable guide to writing your movel. It teaches you how to plot, POV,write loves scene, which is really important if you are writing a romance.
I recommend this book to aspiring writers.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

No, I'm not planning on writing a Harlequin. It was written by an/the executive editor at Harlequin Books. I wanted to see the break down and what drove the plot in a romance novel. Thought it would help me with another project I'm working on. It definitely did.

[Christine (AR) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I keep going back to this one. Very basic in some respects, but that just makes it a good reference. The relationship building section is outstanding.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hope to one day thank the author in an acceptance speech!!

[Theresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The sections dealing with romantic characters are particularly useful.