The supplement of The Times had a feature on romance novel writers on August 11 ... but its not online, I think.
It told of Brenda Squires, a psychotherapist who "was one of 200 authors who paid GBP 50 to have their manuscripts assessed by the Romantic Novelists Association (RNA)" (
link) "as part of its New Writers Scheme. Drafts are read on an anonymous basis by a team of 30 mostly experienced authors who provide feedback to help bring the work up to a publishable standard". She got pretty fierce feedback, nothing was right. But so she did rewrite after rewrite to process all the feedback and subsequently won this year's RNA New Writers Award.
They stage an annual three-day conference too, drawing "around 250 novelists" and featuring "workshops on topics from how to write a synopsis, market yourself and find an agent through to the aspects of the writing process such as characterisation, plot development and, of course, love scenes." There's a description of the latter workshop, "entitled Sexy Bits":
Quote:[The teacher] gave everyone in the audience a small packet of chocolate that they were told not to open. "These are to remain on the armrests next to you," she said. "They represent sexual tension." Next came strawberries. We were told to eat them, then write about them. "I want you to describe the sensation of eating them. Engage all your senses, not just the most obvious ones.
"What is the smell like, how does it feel on the tongue, what is the texture like? At the same time, pay attention to what else is going on in the room. Outside noise can add a real intensity [..] what you are thinking is just as important as what you are feeling." [..]
We wrote in secret, but were then asked to read our efforts aloud to our neighbours. "I shall never see you in the same light again", whispered someone to my left.
Heh.
Article also noted that just Piatkus Books, one publisher, alone receives manuscripts from around 1,500 people a year. But then Mills & Boon, "probably the best-known brand", did have "paperback sales of nearly GBP 9 million last year" ...
