Q&A for How to Write Romance Novels

Absolutely! You want to be original in your writing, and mixing things up can help your book stand out from other romance novels.

Send it to the literary agent that you have chosen and send them a query. If they like it, then they will ask for you to send them the book, through mail or email. Don't get discouraged if the first agent doesn't choose you -- J.K Rowling had to send Harry Potter to 12 publishers before it was accepted.

Just write it as you would any other relationship. Lesbians are people, they have normal romantic relationships like anyone else.

There are websites for that, such as PublishersMarketplace.com, or AgentQuery.com. Make sure you read and understand the agent's guidelines before submitting material to them. Keep in mind that most agents will not accept a full manuscript unsolicited.

Outline your story. If you have a framework to stick to, it's more difficult to get off track.

Sending your writing to a publisher can make it easier for you to get your work out to a large readership, especially if you land a publishing deal. But you may decide to self publish if you do not want to wait for publishers to get back to you and if you'd prefer to publish your writing on your own terms, independently.

Yes, since it would keep the reader hooked with wondering who the main character ends up with.

Yes, but adults may have an expectation of having this in their novels. You could write romance novels for a tween audience if you prefer not to deal with the question of whether sex-less romance novels would sell to adults.

Think about the characters, their personalities, and how they related to each other throughout the story. Building on that, imagine events that could happen after the story ends, ie: the characters get married. Keep the epilogue brief, and remember to "show" rather than "tell" the events that follow.

Yes, there are plenty of Spanish speaking people living in the U.S who could potentially read your book.

Not at all, as long as they are brief mentions that make sense within the plot, rather than coming out of nowhere.

The inspiration can come from anywhere. Look at couples and people on the street, the internet, public transport, etc. You can even read other books and sometimes get inspired by a certain character or a part of the story. (Of course, you should NEVER copy someone else's ideas.) The story inspiration can also come from your own life or the life of someone you know.

As many or as few as you need to keep the reader interested. It's fully up to you.

First person is a good choice because it lets you in on what the character is feeling and what is in their head, important in a romance novel. Most people find it easiest to write in first person as well.

Yes, and this is encouraged. In the (unlikely) event that more than one publisher was interested, you could choose based on your preference and who was willing to pay more for the manuscript.

It's unusual, so many people may enjoy it, but such a large age gap could also turn some readers off to your story. You'll have to decide how relevant it is to the story before choosing whether or not to include it.

Find a key point in the plot and build from that. For example, if you're writing about a woman who works in an office by day, her main location will be her workplace. Expand the setting to include her street and home. Remember to address the weather; it's key to setting any emotional theme.

Sure. Technically, that would be a memoir, but you could also simply use your relationship as the basis for a fictional story.

Romance novels aren't just about sexual activties. They're about love and encounters and dramatic twists. Just focus on the story and the people.

You can get ideas from other romance novels, online fanfiction, or romantic poetry. Just be careful not to plagiarize other stories!

When the story is centered around a romantic relationship (or the buildup to a romantic relationship). Non-romance novels can feature romances, but it wouldn't be the central focus of the novel. Remember, also, that a book can have more than one genre; for example, a novel about a romance that takes place in a fantasy would could be considered both a romance novel and a fantasy novel.

Sure, it's okay to use your imagination. If you don't know much about lesbians it might be a good idea to do some research, though.

You could, but it wouldn't be as appealing to the audience.

If the book is not written in present tense or first person, certainly. A first person novel or a present tense novel takes place during the present for the character that is telling the story, so using future events as juxtaposition to the events of that moment would make little sense. You could get away with describing future events if the book is written from a reflection standpoint, in past tense, if the character is telling the story after it all happened. If your book is written in an omniscient viewpoint, certainly. You could also do something different and write in future tense, which is not often used. Ultimately it is up to you.

The most important thing is to read your draft out loud. Sappy phrasing and too many doe-eyed stares will be the most obvious when you're forced to hear yourself say them, and anything that makes YOU gag will make the reader gag as well (depending on your audience). As a rule, don't try to publish something that you don't enjoy reading yourself.

Sure, there are all kinds of books about supernatural romances. Your book would probably best suited for the young adult genre, though.

Yes, but people may not be as likely to read it.

That's a good idea, and I bet a lot of people would read it. Just make sure you explain how they're time-traveling.

When writing a love making scene, short and simple may not be the best approach. Explaining the scene in detail could work well. Instead of being explicit, consider evoking sounds, aromas, textures, and other sensual descriptions. Often, this kind of detailed, sensual treatment can be very evocative without being explicit.

It's perfectly okay to have a sad ending! Some people might actually enjoy the angst. Keep in mind though, that this could be a turn off for some people.