Writing the Great American Romance Novel [Paperback]

Catherine Lanigan (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1581154550 | ISBN-13: 978-1581154559 | Publication Date: August 1, 2006 | Edition: 1st

The complete guide to turning romances into cash



Romance novels are the top-selling genre in fiction. How can aspiring writers break into this lucrative field? With Writing the Great American Romance Novel, the most complete guide to writing that novel, getting it published, working with editors, agents, and publicists, and promoting it once it’s out! Step-by-step instruction shows how to create romantic heroes and heroines, structure a story, and write love scenes, as well as how to plan outlines, use timelines and grids, conduct personal interviews, and do historical research. With extras such as a list of publishers, a sample press release, a sample synopsis, and much more, this book is must-have for any aspiring romance writer passionate about writing.




• Romance accounts for $1.2 billion in sales and 55 percent of the paperback market

• The group Romance Writers of America has almost 10,000 members

• Takes writers beyond writing to selling and promotion

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A must for anyone hoping that their dream of a romance novel will end up on an actual bookshelf." (Shana Abe, Bestselling Author of The Smoke Thief )

From the Inside Flap

If you love writing love stories, this comprehensive guide shows how to break into the romance genre, which accounts for more than half of all mass-market paperback sales. Bestselling romance author Catherine Lanigan offers every writing tool you need as well as insight into the writer's relationship with agents, editors, and publicists. Learn about:

Romance story structures and outlines Researching your romance novel The makeup of the romantic heroine and hero The many sub-genres of romance Plotting the memorable "meet" Writing love scenes Query letters, synopses, and submission packages The publishing process Promoting yourself Building a long-term career

Also included are a novel synopsis, along with a list of publishers and resources for writers.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Allworth Press; 1st edition (August 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1581154550
• ISBN-13: 978-1581154559
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.6 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #717,134 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

CATHERINE LANIGAN

Catherine Lanigan is the bestselling author of over thirty published titles in both fiction and non-fiction, including the novelizations of ROMANCING THE STONE and THE JEWEL OF THE NILE, as well as over a half dozen anthologies, including "Chicken Soup for the Soul: Living your Dream", "Chicken Soup for the Writer's Soul", "Chocolate for a Woman's Heart" and "Chocolate for a Woman's Spirit." Ms. Lanigan's novels are sold globally and have been translated into over a dozen languages including French, German, Italian, Russian, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese and Japanese. Ms. Lanigan's novels are also available on audio-cassette, CD and electronic downloads for Kindle on Amazon.com. Several of her titles have been chosen for The Literary Guild and Doubleday Book Clubs. Her novel, "The Christmas Star", won the Gold Medal Award Top Pick from "Romantic Times Magazine" and has also won Book of the Year Romance Gold Award from "ForeWord Magazine" as well as "Book of the Year Romance from "Reader's Preference". Allworth Publishing has released Lanigan's "how-to" book on writing: "Writing the Great American Romance Novel." She is the author of "Evolving Woman" which deals with true stories of domestic abuse. She has recently completed a non-fiction compilation book dealing with substance abuse,"NotMYkid", for the NotMYkid foundation. Ms. Lanigan is a frequent speaker at literary functions and book conventions; conducts hands-on writing workshops and seminars; as a cancer survivor, she is invited to speak on raising awareness for early detection; as well as inspiring audiences with her real stories of angelic intervention from her ANGEL WATCH series. She has been on numerous radio programs including "Coast to Coast" and on television interview and talk show programs such as "Montel."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the BEST Romance Writing Books Out There!, May 15, 2007

By 

Monica Main "Monica Main" (Valencia, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Writing the Great American Romance Novel (Paperback)

If you saw my bookshelf you would be blown away at how many books I have on the topic of writing. Then, you would be even more flabberghasted at how many romance writing books I have. I don't know why I have so many. I think I got stuck in a mode of collecting them or something.

Most of the romance writing books aren't worth the paper they are printed on. They are usually lacking in some very important topics. Maybe they'll cover a romance novel's structure but leave out what you're supposed to do with the manuscript when you're finished. Many are outdated because the market does change rather rapidly.

When looking for a romance writing "how-to" book, consider the date it's been published. The newer the book, the better. Again, the romance writing market changes so fast that you need the most up-to-date information.

This book, next to the Complete Idiot's Guide to Writing Romance, is one of the best books on the topic out there. Catherine thoroughly discusses the topic without bogging down the reader with too-technical writing advice. (After all, there has to be a "creative" element.)

Most importantly, however, she goes into the aftermath of the novel. What to do with the manuscript once it's finished. No other book that I've read on this topic covers EXACTLY how to write a synopsis. Some books will cover how to write a query letter. Again, because you need to be up with the current times, most publishers like Silhouette and Harlequin are asking for a synopsis and three sample chapters. I've scoured books high and low to figure out how to write a GOOD synopsis and this is the ONLY book that covers it in detail.

If you can only afford one book on writing romance, GET THIS BOOK and forget about the rest. This book will give you all you need to get started as a successful romance writer.

Good luck!

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great beginner's book, November 23, 2006

By 

Liane Francis (Huntington Beach, Ca) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Writing the Great American Romance Novel (Paperback)

I bought this book since it looked like a good place to start writing, and I have not been disappointed. The information is concise, to the point, and has great examples. I have treated this book like a textbook and my highlighter never sees its cap! I highly recommend for a first time writer or romance books!!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good book, February 9, 2009

By 

Ashley "Dolly" (TN USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Writing the Great American Romance Novel (Paperback)

I'm not a writer, but I do think it's fun to write and this book has helped me see how a romance novel would be pieced together, and what readers would look for. If you're interested in how to make a good romance novel, you should read this. :]