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You Ought to be in Print:
What it takes to get your writing career started by Lisa Plumley
So, you say you want to be a published romance writer? You already sleep with a copy of Dangerous Men and Adventurous Women under your pillow at night, devour how-to books faster than Snickers bars, and possess a stack of dog-eared RWR issues taller than your husband? Wouldn’t you like to know the one sure-fire, guaranteed, can’t-miss road to publication?
Me, too.
The bad news is—there isn’t one. The good news is, those writers who’ve actually held the newly-printed, glossy-covered results of their blood, sweat and tears are living proof it can be done.
Career experts tell us that, to succeed in your chosen field, it’s an enormous help to find a mentor. Speak to somebody who’s already achieved your goal, they advise. Soak up wisdom, experience, handy tips; take encouragement from the fact that if you listen closely, you’ll probably sidestep the treacherous potholes that others before you have stepped into.
Okay, I made up that last part, but you get the idea. In the spirit of career experts everywhere, I talked to a whole bunch of successful romance authors about the steps they took to publication, and I learned a lot.
I bet you will, too.
OH, YOU READ THOSE BOOKS?
Did you begin writing romance novels because that’s what you love to read? An overwhelming majority of authors in my (admittedly unscientific) survey did, too. Whether they read and write historical or contemporary books, long or short or in-between books, all of them loved the genre they went on to write in—even if they didn’t realize at first that’s what they were writing.
“I was unaware I’d written an ‘historical romance’ until the book came out in 1981 and had ‘Historical Romance’ on the spine,” Rosalyn Alsobrook told me. One book that inspired her—and doubtless many other authors—to try their hand at writing romance was Shanna, by Kathleen Woodiwiss.
For Lorraine Heath, it all started with a book written by another well-known author: LaVyrle Spencer. “Morning Glory was an eye opener and I fell with love with the genre,” Lorraine told me, “and knew I’d found a place for the stories I wanted to write.”
Similar sentiments were echoed by Lori Foster, who said: “I started out writing for my own entertainment, with no intention of ever trying to sell, only wanting to put on paper the type of story I like to read.”
Question of the day: Did you enjoy those romances perched on your “keeper” shelf? Yes? Loved them? Congratulate yourself! You’re on your way.
HIGH HEELS AND HOSE OR A BATHROBE? GEE...
Let me get one thing straight. Despite the popular mythology hoisted onto would-be writers and the general public by TV, movies, and writers’ magazines, I don’t know any romance writers who work in a bathrobe, a feather boa, or even totally in the buff.
But isn’t it nice to know you could, if you wanted to? As far as the perks of a writer’s life go, the freedom to work at home and manage their own careers ranked ahead of the pack for the authors who responded to my survey.
Other pluses cited included making other writer friends, the sense of excitement when starting a new book or penning that perfect turn of phrase, and sometimes, surprises: “Despite having worked out a plot line before I start writing, sometimes I find out what happens next as the hero and heroine evolve,” said Shari Anton.
Not to be overlooked are the flexibility that being your own boss entails, the challenges of managing the push-pull between the art and business ends of publishing, and the fun of sometimes torturing your characters. Yes, you read that right. Patty Salier summed this up nicely: “I love writing sexy scenes where the hero and heroine want each other so bad they can’t stand it.” Not bad, as far as torture goes.
Finally, one underrated benefit to being a writer of any kind, but especially of romance, is the ability to rearrange the world to suit your own vision. As former television reporter Victoria Alexander put it: “In real life the good guys don’t always win and people don’t always live happily ever after. In my books—they do.”
OF COURSE, IT’S NOT ALL A WALK IN THE PARK
Like any other career, working as a romance author has its downside, too. Loneliness, uncertainty, and self-doubt perch like gargoyles beside the PC, waiting for their chance to spring into life. Less ephemeral concerns—how to afford kibbles for Fido on a writer’s income, for instance—hover in the wings, too. A sagging middle (not your own) or rejection letter (that might be yours, I’m afraid) can afflict writers at any stage in their careers. You don’t have to lie back and take it. Fight back!
How?
“Persistence,” recommended Pamela Ingrahm. “I knew I had what it took to be a writer, and I was determined to keep learning, keep working, keep submitting until I broke in.”
“Tenacity,” said Diana Whitney, who also advises education, learning, and continuing to grow and evolve as a writer and savvy business person. “Network support from other writers, which is absolutely invaluable,” she advises. “Establish relationships with people who have been where you want to go. Listen to their advice, and learn from it. Put your ego in a suitcase. Keep it there until you hit the New York Times list.”
Okay. You’re persistent, tenacious, and you’ve smashed the self-doubt gargoyles with a sledgehammer. You’re set, right? Now all you have to do is...wait. The next biggest potential anxiety-maker is waiting. Replies to submissions or proposals languish in some other plane of existence—how else to explain that mythical three-month turnaround time? Months crawl by while you wait for your book to appear in print. And no matter how quickly you work, it’s impossible to finish a book in a day. For an instant-gratification type like me, that’s tough to take. The answer?
Patience.
“As for waiting,” said Rachelle Nelson, “you just work on another story, research, judge contests, try something in another genre, catch up on reading.”
But wait, you cry! The instant you don your writer’s hat and become immersed in something new: a). a water pipe bursts, the dog tracks water across the new carpet, your four-year-old chooses that moment to become a ‘streaker’—and your mother-in-law knocks on the door; or, b). it’s a holiday, a snow day, a weekend, someone’s birthday—who can work amidst all the festivities? or, c). your long-neglected husband/significant other gets that special twinkle in his eye—who can work amidst all the festivities?
Not all of these are problems, of course. You probably already know exactly how to deal with at least one of them. What about other obstacles, though? Author Peggy Moreland says she’s, “Faced them head-on and dealt with them. That’s the only thing to do. Whether it be distractions from the family, deadlines that loomed inconveniently around the holidays, etc.” It’s a strategy that’s worked for Peggy—she’s always made her deadlines.
So can you.
FASTEN YOUR SEATBELTS...IT’S GOING TO BE A BUMPY NIGHT
With all due respect to Bette Davis’ character in that classic movie, All About Eve, the romance writers I’ve met have no fear of potential up-and-coming Eve Harringtons waiting for their turn in the spotlight. Unlike Margo Channing, veteran writers know there’s room for lots of talent. Here’s their advice to aspiring romance writers everywhere:
“Don’t give up. When I was trying to sell my first book I was writing the second. I decided if the first book didn’t sell, the second would. If the second didn’t’ sell the third would and so on. I’ve been very lucky. All of my books have sold.”
Victoria Alexander—The Emperor’s New Clothes, Love Spell, January 1997
“Always keep in mind that a rejection is usually one person’s opinion. At the most, it may have been the opinion of two or three people, the first having been a general reader. Granted, it is an important person’s opinion, but the fact that person didn’t like the work is not the end of the world, nor that you will never sell the work. Different people have different opinions. Keep looking until you find one whose opinion is more similar to yours. Do keep in mind that if several rejections say the same thing (like “cardboard characters” or “not enough motivation to carry the story”) then you are no longer dealing with “one person’s opinion.” You have a consensus forming and your really should pay close attention to what it being said. Nobody is perfect. Neither are you.”
Rosalyn Alsobrook—For The Love Of Pete, St. Martin’s Press/Seascape, March 1997
“Believe in yourself and take your writing seriously. If you don’t, no one else will.”
Shari Anton—Emily’s Captain, Harlequin Historical, March 1997
“Cherish your voice! It’s the only thing that sets you apart from other writers. Critique groups will kill you given half a chance. Their sole purpose is to look for huge obstacles: a mistake, a gap in the plot, a sluggish area. They are not to tamper with your words or to tell you how to rewrite your story. So hear your advice from the editor’s mouth, not another writer, be she published or unpublished. But you have to really understand, accept and work at what the editor tells you.”
Lori Foster—Outrageous, Harlequin Temptation Blaze, April 1997
“Do your homework! Take a course, read books, especially the lines you want to write for. Write for guidelines. Don't ask everyone for all the answers, how they do it--JUST DO IT. Don't ignore the business side of writing. It's as important if not more so than the actual writing and publishing of your work. Become knowledgeable about the business you're working for. Know who is who. Join a chapter, attend conferences, LISTEN. And above all WRITE, WRITE, WRITE. Find your writing voice, become passionate about your work. If you don't believe in it, who will?”
Diana Fox—New Beginnings, Avalon Books, December 1996
“Write what you enjoy reading. Don’t try to follow the trends or please a certain type of reader. Write from the heart and it’ll come through.”
Lorraine Heath—Texas Destiny, Topaz, June 1997
“Stay teachable! It is utterly amazing to me that new writers get obstinate that they "know" what they're doing and become closed to good, sound advice. Yes, there should be a certain amount of "arrogance" in us that says, "I have a style and while you might not like it, it's my voice," but the other side of that is training that "voice" to "sing" properly! Second advice: Read, read, read! Know your target house, and read every book on writing you can get your hands on. Be wise enough to read these books as tools, as guides--not some kind of sacred bible on "how to write.”
Pamela Ingrahm—Wedding Planner Tames Rancher, Silhouette Desire, July 1997
“Three P’s: Persistence, patience and perseverance! Don’t let anything or anyone stand between you and your dreams. Anything worth having is going to require hard work, so be prepared to give your all to achieve it. Never forget that, though this is a creative business, it is a business. Approach it as such and maintain a professional image in every respect!”
Peggy Moreland—Rugrats And Rawhide, Silhouette Special Edition, February 1997
“Know what your strengths and weaknesses are and work, work, work to hone your skills. Develop a thick skin; try to be subjective about your work, not over sensitive with someone seeking to help you improve it. Meet other writers and find a critique group that is right for you. They are so important for helping you with your skills, but also for support. No one understands a career in writing and all that it entails like another writer.”
Rachelle Nelson—Heartbound, Jove, March 1997
“My advice to romance writers just starting out is to keep your dream of selling always alive in your mind. NEVER let anyone or any rejection stop you from pursuing getting your book published. I truly believe in the power of creative thinking. Just keep seeing your book in the bookstores, keep writing, and believe me, it WILL happen!”
Patty Salier—The Honeymoon House, Silhouette Desire, August 1997
“The people I’ve seen succeed have several things in common: SACRIFICE, DEDICATION, A WILLINGNESS TO LEARN AND CHANGE, and TENACITY. We’ve all learned that successful people set goals, write them down, refer to them regularly, and re-evaluate when necessary. You need attainable short-term and long-term goals. Write long terms goals on separate sheets of paper and list underneath each, the steps it will take to reach it. Then take those steps. Remember the saying, "Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal."
Cheryl St. John—Badlands Bride, Harlequin Historical
“Know your market. Don't write the "story of your heart" if your research proves there's no market for it. I'm sorry, but it will not sell. Be flexible. Listen to everyone's opinion, but remember that the only opinions that count belong to yours and the person who is holding the check. Crass, I'm afraid, but true.”
Diana Whitney—A Hero’s Child, Silhouette Special Edition, March 1997
IF AT FIRST YOU DON’T SUCCEED...REMEMBER THIS
Romance writing is a lot like riding a bicycle. You can learn it by yourself, but it’s easier with help. It takes a lot of practice before you’ve mastered it. And you’ll enjoy it more if you steer around the potholes in your path. So don’t give up—start pedaling!
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Nationally best-selling author