We can’t believe we’ve come to the end of another year at So You Think You Can Write! You’ve met new Harlequin authors, tested your skills and imagination, read tips on submitting and writing for Harlequin, asked questions, and shared your thoughts and advice for other writers. Through it all, your dedication to pursuing your…
By: Katie and Deirdre The holiday season is in full swing and we at SYTYCW couldn’t be more pleased. December brings with it the chance to trim Christmas trees, listen to well-loved carols, bake sugar cookies and hunker down with hot chocolate (or mulled wine, if you’re our kinda gal!). But most importantly, this time…
by Grace Thiele I love the holidays. I am, in fact, a festive fiend. When my boss brought in mince pies, halfway through November, I did a Regency-heroine-of-old faint of ecstasy. I force my housemates to decorate, play Mariah Carey (and sing – badly), and have to resist dressing myself in tinsel for four weeks…
By Carly Silver, Assistant Editor, Harlequin Romantic Suspense What’s the point of going over your novel again? After all, you worked so hard on it that it’s got to be perfect, right? Wrong! In fact, revising a manuscript absolutely essential to its success. Editors often ask their authors to retool their books many times. I…
Working in the romance fiction industry requires some very specialist skills. Read on for the Harlequin editors’ top 10 list! Our internet search histories are not for the fainthearted (or children). It can be weird when the author uses your name for the heroine…especially when things get steamy! Apparently, editing romance doesn’t qualify us as…
By: Katie Gowrie This week on SYTYCW we talked about writer’s block. As the holiday festivities ramp up, it can be hard to maintain focus on your writing. It’s easy to get distracted, or just plain stuck. Maybe a particular scene has come to a standstill and you can’t find your way forward. Or perhaps revising your story through the…
by Grace Thiele Hello, dear aspiring authors! I’m writing to you today, wrapped in several layers of wool and hot chocolate in hand as Christmas marches toward us… about writer’s block! Never mind the dreaded winter cold, the most unfortunate fate to befall a writer is the inexplicable stoppage of creativity. There can be lots…
As we wind down SYTYCW 150, the holidays are just around the corner. Do you have your wish list ready? Well, the editors at Harlequin do! This month, we’re shining a spotlight on our series categories to help you find a good home for that story you’ve been working away at. Whether your story sweeps…
By Patience Bloom Before you celebrate with some chocolate cake and chilled wine, you have a romance novel to complete. Have you mastered the basics? Here are ten items for you to check before you submit your manuscript to a publisher: Are your characters complex and interesting? We editors have seen it all. What we…
Dear Writers, The time has come! This week marks 150 days since we proposed a stretch of time for you to focus on writing your romance novel. Did it go fast or slow for you? We have so enjoyed interacting with you and hope we provided good information and inspiration for you to keep writing.…