This is our advanced guide to writing a romance. We’ll walk with you step by step as you create your first romantic novel. This course follows on The Guide to Writing Romance, in which you will have learned the basics and worked at your romance skills.
Now is the time to commit yourself. By investing a couple of hours each day, you should have completed a 50 000 word novel by the end of our programme, which is intended to take six months, although, as always, you will work at a pace that is most comfortable to you.
Building on the foundation laid in our Guide to Writing Romance, this programme runs you through the practical application of your skills. We will guide and support you as you turn your idea into a working novel.
Here’s an overview of the steps on the path you’ll take…
• Coming up with the idea and preparing for the writer’s life.
• Creating your hero, heroine and subsidiary characters.
• Creating the world of your story.
• Plotting their journey, and deciding where to begin telling it.
• Deciding which point of view tells your story best.
• Creating the map of your journey – the beatsheet.
• At this point you’ll write your first chapters, with guidance on baiting your hook.
• How to write in compelling scenes and arcs.
• You’re now into the heart of your story. How to balance the romance and drama and maintain suspense.
• Writing convincing dialogue, that reveals character and drives the plot forward.
• How to “show” rather than “tell”.
• Writing sex that doesn’t embarrass the pants off you. Using sex to take the story forward.
• Memory and flashback, and how they help you get over the past.
• You’re on the final stretch. How to maintain suspense to the very end. Happy endings - keeping them believable. How to end: the cliches vs the surprising, quirky finish.
• Assessing the work. Getting constructive feedback. Revision, light and heavy edits.
Modules are designed to be completed as part of your busy week, during the planning phase, and over two weeks while you are writing. But you are free to work through the course as fast or slowly as you like.
This program contains no formal assignments. But after each module, we will suggest what to send us from your work in progress. We’ll respond to each of your submissions with constructive advice. We recommend that you complete The Guide to Romance Writing before embarking on this course, click here to do Module 1 absolutely free.
Price ZAR 4800
Prices are in South African Rands. Use this currency convertor to convert to other currencies.