Writing Romance

My belief system is there is no such thing as a bad how-to write book. Anything that will get an aspiring moving in a positive direction is good. To back this belief system up, I have a shelf full of them. I even had Vanessa Grant's previous addition to this book on my shelf until a year or so ago. Remember the red one? I was curious to see how much had been added and the answer is quite a lot. If you've read books by Victoria Lynn Schmidt, Ph. D., Jordan E. Rosenfeld, and Karen S. Wiesner, this one might not impress you. The character worksheet and other templates are lacking compared to the books mentioned by two of the authors above. What it will do is give a beginner a place to start, and that is very important. Many of the how-to books out now are for intermediates. This one puts you at the starting gate. The book will assist in setting up your story, show you how to build dimensional characters, and explain the subgenres. If you are starting out and writing romance is what you'd like to do, this would make a great first book. There's plenty of meat and very little fact, but don't stop with just this one book. Build a library of how-tos and learn from others.

When I first received this book as a gift, I sat down immediately and read it cover to cover. Being an avid writer of romance fiction, it was the book I had been looking for. Writing Romance is a great source for writers just venturing out into the world of romance fiction, but offers all writers great tips and techniques. Not only does Vanessa explain her techniques in this book, but she also offers examples of how she used the techniques within excerpts of her own published novels, giving the reader a better understanding of how and when to use the technique. When I wrote my first romance novel, I used her book as my 'bible'. In the end, it proved to be an extremely helpful companion to me, and I completed a novel of 75,000 words. In this book, Vanessa provides her reader with a wealth of information as well as samples of query letters, manuscript formats, synopsis, character sketches, data sheets, as well as internet information for romance writers, publishers, agents, and more! If you're a struggling romance writer hoping to see your book hit the shelves, this is the book for you.

Great book. I recommend it to all writers. Full of invaluable information, whether you are starting a novel for the first time, or a veteran like myself.

As an aspiring Romance writer, this book always inspires me to pick up where I last left off regardless of my current mood. A must read for those courting the dream.

In the world of "How To" books this is a masterpiece. With relevant examples and an easy to read style of writing it sorts the wood from the chaff and gets to the basics. For those people serious about writing this is one to always have close at hand.