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Kate Walker's 12-point Guide to Writing Romance (Studymates)

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Kate Walker is a seasoned professional writer. Her first novel was published way back in 1984. She has written over fifty books and currently has two Harlequin Presents books out this year.

This book explains: how to write emotion and create page turning quality. How to create conflict amidst your characters and why it is a major essential component of your novel. Why dialogue is the lifeblood of your knowledge. How to make dialogue sound realistic. How to make your characters real. How to create the required sharp focus on your hero and heroine. How to develop supporting characters that work. Why flashbacks are important in some stories and how to create them in your novel. Why sensuality is imporant and how to develop sensuality between your hero and heroine. How to pace the development of the romance that is occurring between your hero and heroine. How to write the love scene between your hero and heroine and the importance of 'after'. The importance of the hero and his essential 'vital' vulnerability'. The filter role of the heroine for the reader. The heroine's 21st century response to conflict. How to answer the question 'why?'. How to write the intense black moment and why it is so important. She also has a chapter devoted to the practicalities - agents, market study, rejection, revisions, synopsis', queries etc.

In short the book covers everything that romance writer needs to develop their craft. I found this book to be pretty comprehensive and clearly laid out. If you are serious about writing then this book should be on your shelf.

This is a wonderfully written book. I've been writing for some time but it wasn't until I read this book that I realized why my writing wasn't working. This is a MUST read for anyone who wants to write fiction. Easy to read, to understand, and right to the point.

Read it...you won't be disappointed...in fact you'll wish you'd read it sooner.

I was told she's coming out with an updated edition, so watch for that.

Kate Walker's 12-point Guide to Writing Romance (Studymates)

Kate Walker has been a successful romance writer for the last twenty five years. So she is a fountain of information regarding category romance.

Kate Walker's 12-POINT GUIDE to WRITING ROMANCE is perfect for writers who are targeting Harlequin Mills and Boon. However, its teachings are great for any romance writer, regardless of which publisher they are planning to submit their work to. The topics covered in it could be applied to any romance novel and sub-genre.

And the KATE WALKER'S 12 POINT GUIDE TO WRITING ROMANCE is a tremendous writer's tool to have. It's separate Chapters are so much help. There's a chapter on :
Focus
Sensuality
Passion
Characterisation and Heroines
Plotting
The Intense Black Moment
Emotion
Conflict
Dialogue and the
A Beleivable Happy Ending among some others.

It's a great help to aspiring writers who can't be present in her workshops.

Being an aspiring writer, in the last three years I've read all kinds of "how to" manuals and seen lots of advice about writing in my chosen genre, romance. I collect those tips, and pay attention to every word shared by published successful writers. Having all the essential information together in a single book is a wonderful tool for me. Especially when this book is more than theory, it's a workbook as well.

Kate Walker's 12-point Guide to Writing Romance is perfect for writers who are targeting Harlequin Mills and Boon. However, its teachings are great for any romance writer, regardless of which publisher they are planning to submit their work to. The topics covered in it could be applied to any romance novel and sub-genre.

The author has a unique way of conveying her experiences and translating them into tools we can actually use and understand. Some of the themes she explains so well, I realized I'd read about them before without having really understood them.

The whole book is awesome, and these are my favorite parts: 'Emotional punch' - I love how the author explains what it isn't before describing how to achieve it, and why it's so important. 'Conflict' (my favorite theme in writing, I'm a conflict junkie!) - Kate Walker explains everything about it intelligibly. 'Characters' point of view' - which is a great problem for most new writers, the evil head hopping gets dissected here! I also enjoyed 'Types of heroes and what makes a hero' and how to write a love scene.

At the end of every chapter there are questions and exercises. I think some of these could be used again and again, if we ever get stuck with a manuscript.

Kate Walker dedicates a chapter to the business part of our trade, giving us great directions on how to submit our writing and inside details on how the publishing industry works. I like and share her opinion on agents.

The final part of the book is a contribution from more than twenty generous and successful romance writers, who took the time to share with us their experiences and give us useful advice. I highly recommend this book to any romance writer.

This is a fabulous book! But the 1st edition is out of stock....! Amazon, why aren't you carring the newly-released second edition?

Edited to add: 2nd Edition available.

Kate Walker's 12 Point Plan for writing romance is truly fantastic. Not only is Kate a strong storyteller and very successful romance author, but she is a natural teacher and puts the elements of good writing in terms that will click with anyone reading her book. If you are serious about pursuing a career in romantic fiction, I can't recommend Kate's plan highly enough.

What a wonderful resource for not only novice writers, but for those of us who have a few books under our belts. Reading about the craft, about why we do what we do, about what makes a story work...it helped invigorate my current book. Kate Walker has such an easy way, a gift of explaining what's what. From finding your voice, to plot, to characters...it's all there!

of romantic fiction, from a master of the craft. A must have for your writing resource library, 12-Point Guide breaks the information into easily digested bits.

Kate Walker knows romance and she knows writing. Want to put the two together? Read this book.