Must-Read Blogs for the Romance Writer
Keep Up With Industry Trends by Reading Romance Writing Blogs
Nov 13, 2009
Members of Romance Writers of America will receive the monthly Romance Writers Report (RWR) which is essential reading for all romance writers, whether published or not. However, for the latest industry news, a wide array of viewpoints on the state of the industry and predictions about trends, blogs have become indispensable. The following blogs are essential reading for anyone involved in the world of romance publishing.
Romancing the Blog
Romancing the Blog: What’s Hip, What’s Now, What’s Tomorrow in the Romance World is the grandmother of romance writing industry blogs. Established in 2005, industry heavy hitters from published writers, agents and editors provide regular contributions to the site. Everything from industry trends to riffing on attending RWA national to discussing romance novel favorites appear on the site which is updated almost daily.
eHarlequin
Harlequin, the queen bee of romance publishers, recently organized their authors into a series of blogs based around their various lines. For example the Harlequin Super-romance authors share a blog as do the Harlequin Intrigue authors. Reading these blogs is especially important for the romance writer whose goal is to become published in category romance. Regular reading of the blogs of a particular line can give an aspiring writer a feel for what is appropriate for that line and what the current trends are. In particular, the voice, tone and style of each line shines through in the blog posts.
Smart Bitches, Trashy Books
In 2005, Candy Tan and Sarah Wendell established Smart Bitches, Trashy Books: all of the romance, none of the bullshit. Tan and Wendell provide comprehensive albeit sometimes snarky reviews of recently published romance novels. In addition to book reviews, the site includes industry comments on the latest electronic reading devices and romance publishers. Their shared wisdom led Tan and Wendell to co-write Beyond Heaving Bosoms: The Smart Bitches' Guide to Romance Novels (Fireside, 2009).
Writer Unboxed
Writer Unboxed: About the Craft and Business of Genre Fiction was founded by Therese Walsh and Kathleen Bolton in January 2006. Blog entries run the gamut from author interviews to interviews with industry professionals as well as tips on the writing life. To date, the site has posted more than one hundred author interviews, many of whom are romance writers.
Dear Author
Dear Author is hosted by a collaborative of readers who review genre fiction with an emphasis on romance. The site includes book reviews, a weekly film review and publishing industry news. The Monday posts are by authors describing their first sales, which is particularly inspiring.
Concluding Advice
As the aspiring romance writer begins to learn the basics of craft by reading “How-To” Writing Guides, taking on-line writing classes, becoming a member of Romance Writers of America and attending writer’s conferences, another crucial step in becoming a romance writing professional is reading relevant blogs. A side benefit of reading these blogs is to help the author find her niche in terms of the particular sub-genre she wishes to pursue.
Finally, it would appear that blogging is becoming an essential part of marketing books, therefore becoming familiar with the most significant romance writing blogs before publication is an object lesson itself in future promotional opportunities.
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