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Courses >
Writing & Publishing > Romance Writing Secrets
 Learn
the secrets of writing romance novels that get publishers excited.
Facilitated by a bestselling, multi-published romance author, this
course will guide you on your road to writing your first romance and
getting it published.
Romance writing is the hottest fiction
genre going. From Nora Roberts to Jayne Ann Krentz to Linda Howard,
readers gobble up romance novels to the tune of $1.2 billion a year.
This course starts with the fundamentals of organizing your book,
beginning with the overarching theme, and moves on to the basic
elements of good storytelling—character development, structuring your
plot, internal and external conflict, and point of view. The class then
proceeds to the specifics of romance—the importance of writing
emotions, love scenes, witty banter, and romantic imagery. The course
concludes with hints and tips on getting published within the romance
market.
Students will be exposed to real-life examples from
popular romance novels and from the instructor’s 12 years of experience
as a published author of 39 romance novels.
Recommended Courses:
Students who enrolled in Romance Writing Secrets were also interested in the following courses:
Advanced Fiction Writing
Beginner's Guide to Getting Published
Beginning Writer's Workshop
A Writer's Guide to Descriptive Settings
Grammar Refresher
Introduction to Journaling
The Keys to Effective Editing
The Craft of Magazine Writing
Mystery Writing
Pleasures of Poetry
Travel Writing
Writing for Children
Write Your Life Story
Write Fiction Like a Pro
Syllabus:
All
courses run for six weeks, with a two-week grace period at the end. Two
lessons are released each week for the six-week duration of the course.
You do not have to be present when the lesson is released, but you must
complete each lesson within two weeks of its release.
A new
section of each course starts on the second or third Wednesday of each
month. If enrolling in a series of two or more courses, please be sure
to space the start date for each course at least two months apart.
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Week One |
| Wednesday - Lesson 01 |
Have you ever read a romance novel and thought: "Hey, I could write one
of those?" Or maybe you started writing a romance novel because you
loved reading them so much, but you just didn’t know how to finish it? Romance Writing Secrets
is just the course for you. Packed with lots of insider secrets, tips,
hints, and techniques for crafting romantic fiction, this class will
inspire you to become a published author.
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| Friday - Lesson 02 |
Romance
novels are different from other types of fiction because they have two
protagonists: the hero and the heroine. These characters act as each
other’s allies and antagonists. While there may be a villain in your
romance, the main source of conflict comes from the love interest. In
this lesson, you'll discover how to turn up the heat by escalating the
tension between your lovers.
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Week Two |
| Wednesday - Lesson 03 |
Romance
flows rather organically from well-crafted characters, as you've
probably noticed in your reading. In this lesson, you’ll learn the arc
of all romantic novels, from the cute meet to the moment where all
seems lost. Join in the ups and downs as your characters go from the
infancy of love to its full-blown splendor.
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| Friday - Lesson 04 |
Internal
and external conflicts fuel every scene of every romance. Today you'll
learn how to harness the power of these conflicts to round out your
character goals, motivation, conflict, and disaster. Being able to
write strong conflict will guide you in creating compelling,
page-turning scenes populated with interesting and believable
characters.
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Week Three |
| Wednesday - Lesson 05 |
If
you've ever appreciated a well-narrated story, you know the difference
point of view can make. Point of view affects how your story is told on
every level, from tone to pacing to conflict. In this lesson, we’ll
examine the most effective viewpoint for writing romance novels, and
how to stay consistent so that your readers are always getting the best
perspective on your story.
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| Friday - Lesson 06 |
If
there is one key to creating great romance fiction, it’s emotion.
Romance readers pick up your books for the vicarious experience of
falling in love. In today's lesson, you'll learn how to take your
readers on an emotional journey that will leave them talking about your
book for days.
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Week Four |
| Wednesday - Lesson 07 |
Romance
novels can be titillating, but love scenes are about much more than
physical intimacy. Naked flesh is one thing. Naked vulnerability—the
scary and exciting connection that happens when two lovers really
expose themselves—means much more. In this lesson, you'll learn the
tricks behind the hottest secret weapon of romance novels.
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| Friday - Lesson 08 |
Romance
writers don't include great banter just to fill up space. Dialogue can
be fun, amusing, and even brilliant, but it has to be functional.
Today, you’ll learn how to create witty banter that does two important
things for the story—develop characters and draw the reader in deeper.
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Week Five |
| Wednesday - Lesson 09 |
To create a romance that appeals to all senses, you need to pay attention to the visual. Readers need to see
your story unfolding on the page. In this lesson, you’ll learn the
importance of symbols, props, motifs, and how surprises will charm and
delight people into turning the page.
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| Friday - Lesson 10 |
Writing
is rewriting, or so the saying goes. But many new authors are daunted
by revisions. In this lesson, you'll learn how to revise your fiction,
from the big picture problems to the details in the final polish.
You'll discover how the pros work, and learn how smart revision can
take your story from so-so to spectacular.
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Week Six |
| Wednesday - Lesson 11 |
Your
novel's finished, but now what? Today you'll learn to write the short
cover letter pitch and synopsis that will catapult your story to the
top of the editor's pile. You'll find out how to showcase the romantic
elements and external conflict in your story so that they win editors
over. If you do it right, the synopsis and cover letter might just be
the ticket to a contract with a major publishing house.
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| Friday - Lesson 12 |
Writing
is 90% hard work, and yours has only just begun when you finish writing
your novel. In our final lesson, you'll learn how to skip the slush
pile and get an editor or agent to request your manuscript. There are a
few time-tested tricks that you can use to market yourself and your
book, and I'm going to show you the secrets to keeping your spirits up
while you find a home for your very first romance novel.
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This
course includes a knowledgeable and caring instructor who will guide
you through your lessons, facilitate discussions, and answer your
questions. The instructor for this course will be Lori Wilde.
 Lori
Wilde has published 45 romance novels with Harlequin, Time Warner, and
St. Martin’s Press. Her novels have been translated into 17 languages
and her work has appeared in Cosmopolitan, Redbook, and Quick and
Simple magazines. She is a four-time nominee for Romantic Times
Reviewers’ Choice Award and she is a former finalist for the Romance
Writers of America prestigious RITA award. Several of her books have
appeared on the Waldenbooks bestseller list. Her novels have garnered
accolades from Publishers Weekly and Booklist. She is a former
registered nurse and for the last 10 years has made her living writing
romance.
Requirements:
Internet access, e-mail, the Microsoft Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox Web browser, and the Adobe Flash and PDF plug-ins
(two free and simple downloads you obtain at
http://www.adobe.com/downloads by clicking Get Adobe Flash Player and
Get Adobe Reader).
Student Reviews:
"As an English teacher, I have taken many writing courses,
but none have been as demanding or as hands-on-practical as Romance
Writing Secrets. And that is a compliment, not a criticism. The
instructor has poured a tremendous amount of effort and time into the
preparation of this course, and it shows."
"Fantastic!! This is the fifth course I have taken and it is
the BEST. The lessons were carefully developed to clearly explain
material to you, to motivate you to keep working, and to reinforce what
you had learned. Supplementary resources were beneficial. Cannot say
enough good things about this class."
"For me, the instructor has a very practical teaching style
that cuts to the chase, and provides a way to get successful results
quickly."
"I absolutely loved this course! It helped me improve on the
stuff I wanted and allowed me to ask questions and get answers. The
examples helped me understand. I am most definitely recommending this
course to my friends!"
"I have already recommended this course to several people.
Lori has a wonderful way with presenting the material and helping you
evaluate your writing. She is very encouraging but realistic. I have
enjoyed this course tremendously."
"I have enjoyed this class tremendously and am really excited about putting all this new learning into practice."
"I have learned more in the last few weeks, then in the last
14 months. Lori Wilde definitely has a way of explaining things and I
actually GET IT!"
"I have learned tons from you and am very thankful that you
have taken time to help educate us on romance writing! The lessons were
clear and concise and I will keep them handy as I proceed with my work."
"I loved this course. It was inspiring, instructive, and
useful. I hope to take it again -- and am already recommending it to
everyone I know."
"I'm sorry to see this class end - I have enjoyed it
tremendously and am really excited about putting all this new learning
into practice."
"Invaluable, prompt feedback provided by an unflappable, enthusiastic teacher."
"I realized that in a certain sense I was considering my
writing to be more of an exercise (hobby perhaps) than a job. This
class turned me around and I am now much more self-disciplined about
it, and adhere to a strict schedule every morning."
"I thoroughly enjoyed this course. The material was
presented in a well organized thoughtful manner. The feedback was done
in a timely fashion, and was very helpful. I enjoyed Lori's teaching
style and the helpful comments of herself and her assistants. This
course was very worthwhile. In fact I would like to see a second level
course on Romance writing."
"I very much appreciate all the time the instructor put into
the material she presented. It was very thorough and much more than I
hoped for. She is a caring and responsive person. It shows clearly in
her work. This is the first online class where I felt like I was in a
classroom. I will be forever grateful for all the knowledge and
experiences she shared with us."
"I was totally impressed with Lori Wilde and her ability to
communicate as if she were in person standing in front of the
classroom. I would most certainly consider taking another course with
her as the instructor."
"Lori is an exceptional instructor. Her sincerity comes
through in her posts. She writes with warmth, a positive attitude &
a great love for her subject. I am extremely happy with this course
& have told others about it."
"Lori is an experienced writer. She is concise, direct and
masterful in her craft and has the generosity to share her knowledge
with others. What a privilege to have her as a teacher."
"Lori, this has been the best class I have taken on writing
so far. I’m really excited to put all the knowledge I have learned into
my writing and with that in mind, hoping you will see my name in print
in the not to distant future. You are a great teacher with lots of
passion for this art. Thanks for being so patient and giving out great
advice. Are there any other classes you teach? I would love to join up
for another go."
"Lori was an excellent instructor. I will value this course
to help me in my future. It was interesting that it was an on-line
course because she made you feel like you were right there in a
classroom."
"Lori Wilde is a dedicated and compassionate instructor. I
was thrilled to have personal interaction with her in the Discussion
Area. As a first time student in her class, I felt somewhat inadequate
in relation to the expert work posted by her returning students. Ms.
Wilde's class is outstanding and I would gladly take more classes from
her--and, return to this one again when I am further along in my
writing efforts! Thank you so much!"
"Really enjoyed the course and got valuable information from
it. Lori was always prompt, positive and full of constructive criticism
which was greatly appreciated. I strongly recommend this fun and
informative course."
"Romance Writing Secrets was one of the best online classes
I have taken. I would have made numerous mistakes with my first attempt
at a romance novel if not for this class. Ms. Wilde's step by step
instruction gave me the information I needed to properly construct a
sellable romance novel. The expert advice and knowledge of the romance
industry Ms. Wilde shared was invaluable. Having Ms. Wilde for the
instructor was an added bonus."
"Teacher was simply fantastic, she made it fun and gave
great directive feedback. I feel I learned a lot and wish there was a
Romance Writers 2 class, I would take it!"
"Thanks so much for the best writing class I've ever taken.
You're a gifted teacher and you're one of the truly fortunate people in
this world who are doing exactly what you’re meant to do."
"Thank you for a very enjoyable and educational class. Aside
from the good material, it has been your thoughtfulness and the time
you've spent answering our many, many questions. It sure means a lot to
'wannabe' writers!"
"The course and instructor more than met my expectations.
Course materials were easy to comprehend and contained a wealth of
information. The instructor was superb and I would gladly take another
class from her in the future."
"The lessons were informative and the assignments were
engaging. I was sad to see this class end. I now have a much better
understanding of how to go about the editing process as well as the
once dreaded synopsis (and so much more)."
"There was a huge amount of information in this course,
making it difficult to participate as much as I would have liked. That
is not a complaint! The lessons set a strong foundation for being able
to continue on your own long after the course is over. I've taken many
courses through ed2go, and enjoyed most of them, but this has to be my
favorite. I got far more than I expected. The instructor is
approachable, easily understood, and prompt in answering your
questions. She is a professional in this field and is willing to share
her experience and knowledge. I highly recommend this course."
"This course was so much fun that I was sorry it ended. The
lessons were very informative with lots of helpful tips. Lori is an
indefatigable instructor! Her diligence and invaluable comments to our
assignments and numerous questions greatly reinforced the lessons."
"This was fun. I learned a lot and have enjoyed returning to
the writer's world. I hope to see more classes offered by you in the
near future."
"What a fantastic course! I found myself taking notes on every aspect of the lessons- it was all incredibly helpful."
"What a great class! Lori's lessons were so packed, and yet
to the point. I learned so much in such a short time. I have read many
books and articles on writing and yet I still learned so many new
things. If you are a writer in need of direction, take this class!"
"You have the uncanny ability to instill confidence in
people. Thank you, for turning me around and letting me see things in a
different light."
"Your lesson plans and assignments were perfect mixture of
challenging and enjoyable. The amount of time and care that you put
into organizing this class beforehand was obvious, but then once class
started, you went above and beyond the call of duty to quickly respond
to our questions with thoughtful answers/solutions. Thank you so very
much for all that you’ve done. It’s been really inspiring to work with
a talented writer who has successfully turned her dreams into reality."
"What a fantastic course! I found myself taking notes on every aspect of the lessons- it was all incredibly helpful."
To purchase this course, click the Enroll Now button below:
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