Writing the Great American Romance Novel PDF
Preview Writing the Great American Romance Novel
Catherine Lanigan For my beloved granddaughter, Caylin. This is my legacy to you. Should there be a time in your life when you decide you want to write a romance novel and I am not around to help, this would be my guidance. © 2006 Catherine Lanigan All rights reserved. Copyright under Berne Copyright Convention, Universal Copyright Convention, and Pan-American Copyright Convention. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior permission of the publisher. 10 09 08 07 06 5 4 3 2 1 Published by Allworth Press An imprint of Allworth Communications, Inc. 10 East 23rd Street, New York, NY 10010 Cover design by Derek Bacchus Interior design by Mary Belibasakis Page composition/typography by Integra Software Services, Pvt. Ltd., Pondicherry, India ISBN-13: 978-1-58115-455-9 ISBN-10: 1-58115-455-0 ISBN:9781581158380 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data: Lanigan, Catherine. Writing Writing the Great American Romance Novel novel/Catherine Lanigan. p. cm. Includes index. ISBN-13: 978-1-58115-455-9 (pbk.) ISBN-10: 1-58115-455-0 (pbk.) 1. Love stories—Authorship. I. Title. PN3377.5.L68L36 2006 808.3'85—dc22 2006016402 Printed in Canada M y deepest gratitude to Lissy Peace, CEO of Blanco and Peace, who introduced me to my new publishing family at Allworth Press. Without your interception this legacy to my granddaughter might never have been shared with her and all the aspiring romantic souls who have a story to tell. Many thanks to Tad Crawford, my publisher at Allworth, for believing in me and giving this book wings. My appreciation also goes to Jessica Rozler, my editor, whose capable hands helped to polish this stone to its intended brilliance. Thanks as well to Nana Greller of Allworth’s publicity department, who concurs with me that selling this book is just as important as writing it. A book like this is a compilation of personal and professional experiences that money cannot buy, and time will not allow all such stories to be told. I have had many who have encouraged me along the way, and some have been stars of inspiration. For this humble writer, my teachers, many of whom have passed on, taught me to envision my future and that living the life of a scholar was a noble one. Sister Dorothy Smith, my college professor and head of the English Department at Nazareth College and who died in 2005, will always be that quiet encouraging voice in my head that never lets me abandon my novel writing. My high school English teachers, Mr. Shannon Reffett, Mrs. Jo Morgan Thornburg, Mr. Linneman, Mary Ellen McCain, Dorothy MacDonald, and Gert Vernkis (who, though not a teacher, taught me a great deal): whether on this side of paradise or the other, your encouragement rings loudly. I also want to thank my agents both past and present who have continued to support my talent and become something more valuable in my life; you are my friends. Kathy Robbins of the Robbins Agency; Mitch Douglas of ICM; Kimberley Cameron of Reese Halsey Agency; Charlotte Breeze of CDB Literary Management; and, currently, Nancy Yost and Julie Culver of Lowenstein and Yost; Vicki McCarty of Flutie Entertainment; and Dean Schramm of the Jim Preminger Agency; and Jodee Blanco, publicist extraordinaire. I owe much gratitude to the editors in my life who are my partners in collaboration and, at so many times, the electrical spark in my brain that I would call “inspiration.” At Avon: Page Cuddy Ashley and Ellen Edwards; at MIRA/Harlequin: Dianne Moggy, Amy Moore, Martha Keenan, and Karen Taylor-Richman; at Dorchester: Alicia Condon; at HCI: Peter Vegso, Alison Janse, Matthew Diener, and Amy Hughes. And to my family: my son, Ryan Pieszchala, and my daughter-in-law, Christy Pieszchala; my mother, Dorothy Lanigan; my brother, Ed Lanigan, and my sister-in-law, Mary Lanigan; my sister, Nancy Lanigan Porter, and my brother- in-law, David Porter; my brother, Bob Lanigan, and my sister-in-law, Debbie Lanigan; all my nieces, Karen Lanigan Jaworski, Elaine Porter Perez, Elizabeth Lanigan, Meghan Lanigan, Maureen Lanigan, Cathleen Lanigan; and my nephews, Ben Porter and Sam Porter; and my sister-in-law, Susie Garrison. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your patience and love as I navigate this writer’s life. And to Jed Nolan, my husband, my partner in life and in our careers. Your unswerving faith in me and in my writing sustains me every moment of the day. Your encouragement is more than just words; it is a song to my heart. You have all been angels to me. No one could ask for more. Appreciation Introduction Chapter One A Romance by Any Other Name Is Still a Romance Chapter Two Researching Your Romance Novel Chapter Three The Makeup of the Romantic Hero Chapter Four The Makeup of the Romantic Heroine Chapter Five Romance Story Structures and Outlines Chapter Six The Mechanics of Writing a Great Romance Chapter Seven Plotting the Memorable Meet Chapter Eight Writing the Love Scene Chapter Nine Marketing within the Story Chapter Ten Query Letters, Synopses, and Submission Packages Chapter Eleven The Publishing Process, Editors, and Authors Chapter Twelve Self-Promotion (or Please Don’t Wear that Antebellum Costume to the Book Fair) Chapter Thirteen Building a Long-Term Career Chapter Fourteen In Spiritu Appendices Appendix A: Sample Professional Press Release Appendix B: California Moon Story Synopsis Appendix C: List of Romance Publishers Appendix D: Recommended Resources Personal Letter to Aspiring Authors Index
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