How to Get a Romance Novel Published

Romantic fiction accounts for over one quarter of all books sold, and each year that genre is read by 51 million people. There's no question that romance novels are in high demand, and the fans of romance novels are very passionate about their favorite fiction genre. Every year hundreds, if not thousands, of would-be authors attempt to break into publishing and many find their work rejected. No need to lose hope! Some do find their way to the right editor at the right publishing house at the right time, and these writers get to realize their dream. If you're passionate about reading romance and passionate about writing, you may be one of the luck ones.

Instructions

1. Read romance novels. Know what it takes to write a great one by reading many, both good and bad.

2. Examine and evaluate the type of romance novels you most enjoy reading. You should write about something you are passionate about, and you will be more successful if you try to write the type of book you like to read. This will also help you determine which publisher or series line to target for your submission.

3. Research the major publishers of romantic fiction and determine where the type of book you are writing will best fit. There are many publishers producing romantic fiction, but probably the biggest and most well known in the romance industry is Harlequin Enterprises. Be sure to target your book to the appropriate publisher.

4. Find people who you trust to be honest and whose opinion you value. Ask them to read and critique your manuscript. It is especially important to find people who read and know romance.

5. Attend conferences, workshops, seminars, and retreats sponsored by your local chapter and other chapters around the country. Frequently these activities will afford you the opportunity to meet editors and agents.

6. Write a query letter and synopsis. Submit them to the correct editor at the appropriate publishing house. Most publishers won't accept unsolicited manuscripts so the query letter and synopsis are your introduction and the teaser used to get the editor interested in your work. Never forget that the query letter and synopsis are samples of your writing, and they will determine whether or not you get invited to submit the whole book.

7. Submit the whole manuscript if requested by the editor. Be sure it is professional in appearance and is in the correct format. This usually means quality bond paper, double spaced, single sided, one inch margins all the way around, and 12 point font, usually Arial. Check with the publisher's website for their specific requirements.

8. Wait for a response from the editor. If you're very lucky it will be accepted and you'll have your book published. If it is rejected, then you repeat the submission process with other publishers. Keep writing and improving your skills.

Tips & Warnings

• Harlequin does not require an agent in order to submit to its series lines. Other publishers will ONLY accept submissions through an agent. If it turns out that you will need an agent then the submission process is essentially the same. Identify agents and contact them with a query letter.

• Consider entering legitimate writing contests. Many of them are judged by other published writers, editors, and agents. They will offer you exposure. Additionally you may also receive a critique of your work.

• If it is something you really want to do, don't give up. Very few people are successful with their first submission.

• Don't mistakenly believe that being a published writer will make you rich and famous. A few are very lucky to get published. Even fewer are lucky enough to become wealthy and famous. Most are making a living like everyone else. They're just doing it by being paid to write.

• Legitimate publishers and agents DO NOT require a fee up front or charge you money to represent you or to publish your work. They take a percentage of profits made.

Resources

• Harlequin's "Learn to Write" page
• Romance Writer's of America