Lana Pecherczyk's Blog, page 6

6 Insider Pearls of Wisdom I’ve Learned Over the Past 2 Years in Publishing

Since I hit publish on my first novel almost 2 years ago. I’ve learned so much about the industry, both traditional and independent. In that time, I started part-time work in a bookshop as a marketer, I became Vice President of RWA, I wrote three more books… but published only 1. This was because I got a little sucked in to the appeal of being a traditional published author. But after stagnating during that time, I lost myself more than I found myself. After meeting a few awesome Perth writers, who all happen to be women earning over six figures a year as an independent publisher, I’ve decided to return to my roots and focus on self-publishing. My goal is to make a living from my writing, and from what I can see, that’s very hard to do with traditional publishing.

I’m taking my first book down and re-launching it

I had an Urban Fantasy book sitting there since the start of my 2 years in publishing, and because of my time dipping the toe into traditional waters (who doesn’t want to see their book on a physical shelf?), I’ve decided to pull it down, rebrand and then launch myself all over again. I’ve heard of a few authors who have done this, namely Bryan Cohen from the Sell More Books Podcast and Joanna Penn from the Creative Penn. There’s even books out there on how to re-launch a series. The idea is that once you know more about branding, the genres, and what customers want, then you have a better idea of where your book fits in the grand scheme of things. For me, I learned that my covers were off brand, so was my blurb, and I knew my plot needed a tiny bit of tweaking to fit in better with the rest of the series. Now that I know more, I’m taking down Hunting for Witches, giving it a new name, new cover, new blurb, new isbn, and tweaked copy inside. I’ve written the second and the third (just editing) and am in the process of writing the final book. Once it’s done and with my editor, I’m going to publish the first book, followed in quick succession (monthly) with the rest. I’ve heard rapid release helps with Amazon’s algorithms, so here’s hoping.

Well, it’s the end of one year, and almost the start of another. Next year I’m going to be shaking things up for myself in a big way. I thought it’s the best time to share the top 5 tips from what I’ve learned about publishing.

To sum it up, here’s a few things I’ve learned about publishing over the past 2 years:

Cover branding matters: I thought having a pretty and professional cover was okay, but guess what? If it’s romance with sexy times in there, you need a bare naked chest guy. And if it’s a rom-com, you’ve got to have the cartoony character. These genre cover-tropes differ in each country. If you’re looking for where yours fit, the best advice I can give you is to physically go down to your local bookstore or library and check out the shelf where yours fits. Also give Amazon’s top 100 in your genre a look. Then get advice from an online group, whether it’s a forum or a facebook group. Many of these are free.
Blurbs are sales copy, not the story: Seriously, check out some blurbs of popular books … some of them don’t even mention a plot!! Originally I got caught up in having to tell the exact story, that I wasn’t enticing the reader. I’ll write more about how I changed my blurb later, but for now, try using the GMC method – The goal of the character, the motivation and the conflict. If it’s a fantasy or sci-fi, sometimes adding a world building or setting the scene sentence at the start helps
Having an author e-newsletter is awesome: I’ve got a newsletter targeted toward writers, but haven’t yet established a reader newsletter for people who will buy my fiction books. This is important and more blog posts on that coming soon.
Independent Authors are still rocking it! As I mentioned above, I want to make a living of writing one day. Enough to say I do this full time. After doing a private poll of all the traditional published authors, and the independent authors I’ve met, it’s much more lucrative to self-publish. When I hear about trad authors only making 7-10% royalties, I cringe. All that time and effort put in, and you’re getting peanuts! I’d much rather be like these amazing women: Anna Hackett, Michelle Diener, Demelza Carlton and Claire Boston. All are making a stellar effort self-publishing romance & historical.
Have a brand: I thought I knew the meaning to this when I started this blog, but I still thought that for me, it would be different. It’s not. You neeeed a brand. Most of my stories have some sort of romance, a paranormal or spec-fic element, and lots of action. So, I’m going to steer my brand in that direction. It means that any time a reader picks up one of my books, they’ll know what their getting.
It’s not all about the bookstore! I should know, I work in one. When I found out how many units of a mid-range novel would sell in a month at a bookstore, I was gobsmacked. I don’t compare myself to the bestsellers, but I do hope to be mid-range one day, and I can tell you, it’s not that big of a deal – in Australia, anyway. After hearing how much some self-published friends make off ebooks, I knew that was where I had to be. Sure, you get to do your print books for fans and the odd signed book or event, but unless you’re big enough to get into the chain stores (even then!) you’re better off focusing your time and effort online.

I find that, to succeed as a writer, you need to keep learning. And reading. So, I imagine, I’ll keep changing.

I’d love to hear what you’ve learned over the past few years. Any tips for me? Please comment below.

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Do You Know the Difference Between a Romance and a Love Story?

If you want to write in the romance genre, there’s one thing you need to know for sure – the difference between a love story and a romance.

Both deal in the relationship between two people, but only one has a happy ever after, or the HEA as it is affectionately known as by the romance community.

Books by Nicholas Sparks and JoJo Moyes  – or the movie La La Land – can tend to have a tragedy at the end of the relationship road, or the couple part ways. The happy ever after a romance reader looks for is  between the two main protagonists. So if you are writing a story, and there is a romance thread in there but one of them tragically dies at the end, do yourself a favour and don’t call it a romance because you may attract readers who will get annoyed.

What classifies as a Happily Ever After? Here are some ideas you can use to ensure you’re being clear with your happy ever after (or happy for now):

The couple get married
They move in together
They have a baby
They officially commit in some way
They announce their love to the world
You write a small chapter about the month after
They buy a puppy
They tattoo each other’s names on their arms

These aren’t very imaginative, but sometimes, you need to speak plainly about the HEA for it to appeal to a romance reader. Come up with your own ways to establish your own HEAs.

About the AuthorLana Pecherczyk Facebook Twitter

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Lana Pecherczyk is an author, artist and bookshop marketer from Perth, Western Australia. She’s the Webmistress for Romance Writers of Australia (and no, that’s not Spiderman’s lover). Is a fan of ‘pro-caffeinating’ and writes in many genres, including romance, comedy, fantasy and paranormal. She also loves Sailormoon. No judgement.

Read all the A to Z of Romance Writing Articles

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How to Write a Kick-Ass Heroine And Get it Right

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Tips for writing!

These days, having a strong female lead is a popular trope in many stories, not just romance. It’s not just a trope, though, is it? Women want to be heard and we want to be equal. If you’re thinking of having a strong female lead star in your story, here’s a few tips to help you get it right.

She literally kicks butt
She leads
She makes decisions on her own
She makes her own way
She stands up for herself
She’s not a door mat
She can protect herself
She’ll ask for help when she needs it.
She learns from her mistakes
She doesn’t wait around for things to happen. She makes them happen.
She rescues herself.

You don’t need to have every single hard-ass personality trait, but a few of them will help your lead female stand out and be extraordinary. We all want someone too look up to, someone who gives us hope and strength.

Examples of Kick-Ass Heroines

Ripley from Aliens
Buffy Summers from Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Furiosa from Mad Max
Kate Daniels (and most Urban Fantasy Female Leads)
Elizabeth Bennett (okay, the actual kicking butt version is in the P&P and Zombies movie)
Sailor Moon – she’s a real wimp to start with, but as time goes on, she learns to be more confident.
Diana Prince aka Wonder Woman
Lara Croft – Tombraider

The list can go on, but I think you get the picture.

Before you go ahead and create your kick-ass lead, don’t forget to give her a great, meaningful backstory. What motivates her to be so super cool?

Did her ex-marine father train her to be great with weapons because their mother was killed during a home invasion when he wasn’t home?

Has she been searching the world for lost artefacts to prove she’s better than the rich, bored kid everyone thinks she is.

Whatever her backstory is, it needs to be relevant to her new story. And just like your super sexy love interest, she needs a flaw to overcome.

Good luck!

Got a favourite kick-ass female lead? I’m always on the lookout for new books and shows to watch. Let me know!

About the AuthorLana Pecherczyk Facebook Twitter

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Lana Pecherczyk is an author, artist and bookshop marketer from Perth, Western Australia. She's the Webmistress for Romance Writers of Australia (and no, that's not Spiderman's lover). Is a fan of 'pro-caffeinating' and writes in many genres, including romance, comedy, fantasy and paranormal. She also loves Sailormoon. No judgement.

Read all the A to Z of Romance Writing Articles

The post How to Write a Kick-Ass Heroine And Get it Right appeared first on Author Zoo.

In Defence of Romance – How to Handle Coming Out of the Romance Writer’s Closet

J is for Judgement – Romance Writing from A to Z

Personally, it took me a long time to come out of the romance writing closet. First I was a teenager, embarrassed to say that I read real books for fear of being labelled a nerd. Then I was too shy to reveal that I loved to read fantasy, and it took until my adult years to peel back the layers of analysis and figure out what it was exactly about those fantasy books that I loved the most. It was the ones with a romance thread in them. It was a real eureka moment for me: I like romance. I love reading it. I love writing it.

There I said it.

I LOVE ROMANCE!

What’s so bad about that?  Why can’t we just admit it, we all love romance!

This question bothers me all the time. First, it was myself who was ashamed as a teenager. Now, to this day, I still get the offhand snide comments about ‘mummy porn’ and ‘joining a cult’ that play into this insecurity, and I’m not alone in this feeling. Many writers feel ashamed, or somehow not worthy of their writing. We’re not shy talking about it to each other, but often, especially when we’re new to writing romance, we can feel a little hesitant to admit it to the world.

So what is romance?

As Kat Mayo said in her article for The Drum on ABC, “The modern romance genre only requires one thing: that by the end of the book, the main characters are together and in love (with each other, of course).”

Romance is the central focus for countless stories dating back thousands of years. When you think about our brains being wired for story, and how romance is the most popular modern reason for writing said stories, then it should be logical to think that romance is what makes the world go round. It’s beautiful when men write their love songs, or brave when John Wayne stars in his movie, or exciting when the latest superhero flick , Love is the central focus for thousands of songs. There’s even romance in video games. So why do we get a bad rap for writing about happily ever afters?

Why do we feel judged?

Many people, not just romance writers, feel something called the ‘imposter syndrome’. This is when you don’t feel like you deserve to be a writer, that even though you put out amazing continuous efforts in the field, you’ll always come back to self-sabotaging thoughts like ‘I’m a fraud’, or ‘someday somebody is going to figure out that I don’t really know what I’m doing.’ Tina Fey is a famous writer who still feels this fear all the time. It’s not just reserved for those of us who are starting out.

“Ah, the impostor syndrome!? The beauty of the impostor syndrome is you vacillate between extreme egomania, and a complete feeling of: ‘I’m a fraud! Oh god, they’re on to me! I’m a fraud!’ So you just try to ride the egomania when it comes and enjoy it, and then slide through the idea of fraud. Seriously, I’ve just realized that almost everyone is a fraud, so I try not to feel too bad about it.” TINA FEY—The Independent, March 2010

So, coupled with the imposter syndrome, romance writers often feel the need to defend the genre as well. I find this extremely HARD! I asked some of my fellow romance writers how they deal with prejudice to their chosen genre.

Many agreed that a lot of this feeling can be in our own heads, but to having some ready to go replies to derogatory comments (which inevitably rear their heads at some point in your career) is a good way to handle your emotions in these situations.

Elizabeth Ellen Carter said “that almost every John Wayne film is a romance.” But, if she’s talking to more of an intellectual then, “I tell them I’m carrying on a tradition of literature that goes as far back as time itself and more specifically romance of the chivalric tradition. Then I follow up with mentions of Beowulf, Arthurian legends and Ivanhoe.”

I love this approach Elizabeth.

Finding your own automatic response for when you feel judged is a good way to prepare yourself for the array of emotions that take over in these situations. I’m not sure what mine is yet, but the more I talk about it, the more I don’t feel I need to justify my genre choices any more.

One last thing: if women are getting a bad rap for writing romance, you can imagine being a man and wanting to come out of the romance writing closet! All I can say, is that if this is you, I highly recommend you join a group such as the Romance Writers of Australia, or a similar organisation in your country.

So, if you enjoy reading or writing romance, hold onto that feeling and acknowledge it. Because in my experience, finding something that brings you joy in this chaotic world is rare and should be held onto with two hands. And then once you’re comfortable with that realisation, then be proud. Most derogatory comments come from ignorance and the minute you point it out, most people are humbled. And if they’re not, no great loss there.

About the AuthorLana Pecherczyk Facebook Twitter

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Lana Pecherczyk is an author, artist and bookshop marketer from Perth, Western Australia. She's the Webmistress for Romance Writers of Australia (and no, that's not Spiderman's lover). Is a fan of 'pro-caffeinating' and writes in many genres, including romance, comedy, fantasy and paranormal. She also loves Sailormoon. No judgement.

Read all the A to Z of Romance Writing Articles

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Five Stars for Beautiful Messy Love by Tess Woods

Before I start this review, I want to set you in the mood I was before I read it.

Picture this: You’re young, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. You’ve dreamed of visiting this far off wonderland place which everyone keeps talking about.  You’ve seen gorgeous pictures and brochures about the place. People wax poetic about how incredible it is. You look forward to it so much that your insides hurt. You can think of nothing but that place! And then … you step off the plane. The air is humid, you get rained on, some homeless guy urinates on your foot. Yep. You’ve arrived, and do you know what? It’s just a place. It has trees and a sky. It’s still here on earth, so what was all the fuss about? Then you spend a week there, and the beauty of it shines through. A stranger gives you a smile, the coffee is incredible, and you discover the hotel has the best library! Maybe it’s not so bad after all, but it definitely wasn’t what the brochures advertised.

This is how I felt about love when I grew up. I’d heard it was the bees knees, the answer to all my prayers. Well, that’s what the movies and books said. Some perfect guy would come and sweep me off my feet and I’d never have to be sad or alone again. But finding love isn’t all sugar and spice, sometimes it down right hurts.

And when I read the first few chapters of Tess Wood’s new book, I felt like shouting, Hallelujah to the world. Here’s a book that shows love is not just beautiful, but another four letter word: mess.

Beautiful Messy Love follows the journey of two couples as they navigate through the torrid confusion of life. You’ve got Anna (an Egyptian refugee) and Nick (an Aussie Rules Footy star), and then Ben (conflicted husband of a dying woman) and Lily (medical student with a broken heart). Nick and Lily are the children of the main couple you find in Tess’s first book, Love at first Flight, however, you don’t have to read it to enjoy this one.

Of the two couples in Beautiful Messy Love, my favourite by far was Nick and Anna. The story woven for Anna’s background is just amazing, authentic and tragic. After being a progressive politician’s daughter in Egypt and losing half her family to an act of terrorism, Anna is now waiting tables at two restaurants, volunteering at a charity, caring for a sick refugee orphan, and trying to keep her mother’s happiness afloat. You get insight into Anna’s heart when she writes letters to her lost sister, and it’s a truly touching read. For Anna, her religion and ethnicity clash with Nick who is firmly in the media spotlight. It was bittersweet to watch unfold. At times it felt hilarious, like ‘My Big Fat Egyptian Wedding’ and other times it was heartbreaking, because you know that’s exactly how the media would act, you’ve seen it a million times and, quite frankly, it makes you ashamed to be a human.

And then there’s Ben, who is nursing his dying wife, even though she left him. He’s stuck between loyalty and his own heart so much that he doesn’t really know what he wants anymore. Then he sees Lily who’s just had her heart stomped on and they fall in love, lust or something in between. Lily is also dealing with self-discovery and for a while, loses herself again to this new relationship.

There’s an Aussie Rules grand final, boat people, mixed-race relationships, and a girl with mermaid hair. This is the real Australia, and Tess Woods has captured it perfectly.

This book is as much about finding yourself and navigating through the mess of life as it is about love. I think Tess Woods is incredibly brave to tackle issues such as religion, prejudice, and diversity in the world, and incredibly smart for tying it all together in a story that does everything a publisher says not to do in such a way that has you laughing and at the same time reaching for a box of tissues to wipe those stray tears away.

As a budding writer, I always like to take a writing lesson from the books I review, and this is what I learned from reading Beautiful Messy Love: You don’t have to follow the rules. You can start the book with a break-up, you can write each of your characters view-point in first person. You can do whatever the hell you want, as long as you stay true to the story you want to write.

I have no doubt Tess Woods is going places in the world of writing. Do yourself a favour and read this book. It comes out on July the 24th in Australia, and you can pre-order it at Tess Wood’s website.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you HarperCollins.

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How to Craft a Killer Meet Cute for Your Romance Novel

Note from Lana: Thanks Louisa West for coming down to AuthorZoo to provide this fabulous article on getting the most out of your character’s introduction in a romance novel. There are so many good tips in here that you’re sure to leave full of ideas for your story. Here it is:

I is for Introductions – Romance Writing from A to Z

As writers of romance, we all know the drill: a love story starts with a killer first meeting. There’s a lot riding on it, too. There needs to be interest, some form of conflict, and most of all an undeniable spark between the characters. In your character’s version of their own ‘happily ever after’, it’s the story they will tell their fictional grandchildren. And one thing’s for sure – you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression.

My latest story ‘The Late Shift’ in the romance anthology A Bouquet of Love features Vanessa, a goth bridal shop assistant who is minding the shop late one night and whose very own horror-novel-inspired hero COMES IN FROM THE RAIN. Let’s have a look at a few other examples.

Examples of great meetings

I’m a very visual writer, and take a lot of cues from movies. Introductions are ripe for wow-moments that kickstart an audience’s heart – think Leonardo and Claire gazing in wonderment at each other through a fish tank in Romeo + Juliet. What about Heath Ledger embracing Julia Stiles’ sass and determination in 10 Things I Hate About You? The brilliant thing about the essential meet-cute is that it doesn’t have to be super romantic in order to really set the tone for romance. Applying romance tropes gives us an edge when writing – what about ‘enemies to lovers’, or ‘mistaken identity’? What weird and wonderful ways could people in those situations meet? More importantly, what else flows on from the initial meeting?

It sets the tone for your story

Are you writing a rom-com? Romantic suspense? A contemporary romance, where your character is a woman of the world? This is your opportunity to show us your character in a defining moment, a moment that will flavour their interaction with their love interest for the remainder of your story. It doesn’t have to tie in with your central themes but it’s probably wise to do so – setting a strong foundation for the conflict your character will experience both personally and within the relationship with their love interest is key for any romance story! As my mother always says, ‘start how you mean to carry on’. Think about how Julia Roberts meeting Richard Gere in Pretty Woman sets the tone for their characters’ trust and intimacy issues which become the central theme of the film.

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How to craft a killer meet-cute for your romance story.

It shows the nature of the relationship between your characters

The course of true love never did run smooth, and conflict is integral to any relationship. It’s the fire that drives us forward into the unknown, the passion behind the motivations our characters hold dear. The first meeting is a chance to show the reader all of these things without needing to tell them throughout the rest of the story – and if you make the event memorable enough, you won’t have to. A perfect example is the proud and haughty Mr Darcy attending a ball he thinks is beneath him at Netherfield and being surprised in the lively and forthright Miss Elizabeth Bennet!

Don’t forget that conflict doesn’t necessarily have to be conflict between the characters at the time of their first meeting. Your main character could be upset with the state of their life, or have had a bad day. Perhaps your character didn’t achieve some personal goals they had set for themselves that week and they get caught beating themselves up about it. Think deeper than ‘me vs. you’ ideas!

The more unique your meet-cute, the more memorable it will be for your reader. When writing romance it can seem impossible to break new ground when so many fabulous writers have come before you. The key is to be true to yourself and add in the spice that only you can provide; draw from your own experiences of meeting new people. Go to a cafe or park and watch people interacting – or my newest source of inspiration is scrolling through stock image photos and finding random images to get my creative mojo flowing. Then get writing!

I can’t wait to meet your characters for the first time.

Meet-cutes with a difference

It’s awfully tempting to have your heroine meet her guy by bumping into him – literally. There’s nothing wrong with it either; there’s a reason why familiar-style meetings work within the romance genre. But if you’re looking for a little something out of the box, then check out these five ‘meet-cutes with a difference’:

Your character sits down to have lunch somewhere and her can of soda explodes when she opens it. The hero offers her a handkerchief… or does he?
Your character is running late for work. Every traffic light is red, and then she gets rear-ended by the car behind her. What happens next?
Your character’s dog manages to slip its collar and run through the park like a wild thing. It lifts its leg to pee on the leg of a guy who is busy looking at his phone.
Your heroine has an intense craving for a jam donut, but the last six are bought from under her by the guy ahead of her in the line. She tries to haggle with him to buy one.
The fire alarm goes off in the shopping centre where your heroine is. She ends up getting stuck in the fire escape space with a stranger.


Meet Louisa West



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Louisa likes Pina Coladas and gettin’ caught in the rain. Determined to empty her brain of stories, she writes across several genres including fantasy, speculative fiction, and romance. She is an avid writer of short stories – some of which are available for free here.

She lives in Mandurah, Western Australia, and drinks more coffee than is good for her. When she’s not writing or researching projects, Louisa enjoys spending time with her family. Hobbies include playing video games, watching copious amounts of tv, and various craft-related initiatives.

She strongly believes that the truth is still out there.

Her books and free short stories are available from her website www.louisawest.com.

Follow Louisa on Social Media: Twitter | Facebook

Read all the A to Z of Romance Writing Articles

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Interracial Romance: Room for Everyone | Guest Post by Claire Boston

I asked Claire to write a blog post about her feelings on Interracial Romance. It’s a hot topic at the moment, and more people around the world are screaming for diversity in their stories. Claire just so happened to have written an interracial and MM romance titled ‘Place to Belong‘ as part of her Flanagan Sisters Brother Series. Thanks so much for stopping by Claire and sharing your thoughts. Here is the post from Claire:

[image error] I is for Interracial – Romance Writing from A to Z

When I first decided to write an interracial romance, I really didn’t consider that I was doing anything special. I wanted to increase the diversity of characters in my romance and making my next hero Native American seemed like a good idea. I was completely ignorant of terms such as cultural misappropriation – I just wanted to explore a culture I was unfamiliar with. I did worry that I would get it wrong, so I researched a lot and that’s when I discovered that writing interracial romances was a hot topic. Part of the issue is that some people believe it is wrong to write about a culture you aren’t a part of. Others suggest that people of colour should be able to write their own stories and if white people write those stories, it leaves no room for them.

I disagree.

The growth of independent publishing means that the publishing world is expanding and there is room for everyone.

I also don’t believe that culture should be a barrier to anyone. We want to be inclusive and show every form of relationship and that means some of those relationships are going to be interracial. It’s a part of day-to-day life. So I continued writing interracial romance – my whole Flanagan Sisters series has interracial couples, from the sisters who are from El Salvador, to the heroes of Place to Belong who are Irish and African-American. I enjoy researching cultures as much as I enjoy researching occupations, hobbies and settings.

But I also do everything I can to make sure I’m accurate and don’t fall to stereotypes. I read books and blogs, I watch documentaries, I talk to people and I let all that information simmer until I feel I have a decent understanding.

And then I allow the story to take me where it needs to go.

About Claire Boston

[image error]Claire Boston is the best-selling author of The Texan Quartet. In 2014 she was nominated for an Australian Romance Readers Award as Favourite New Romance Author.

She fell in love with romance novels at eleven when, after complaining she had nothing to read, her mother handed her Hot Ice by Nora Roberts. She was instantly hooked and it was only a matter of time before she decided to write her own romance. In her novels, she enjoys exploring real life issues on her way to the happily ever after.

Claire likes volunteering and has been the first female president of the Vintage Motocross Club of Western Australia and has been involved with several writing organisations including Romance Writers of Australia. She particularly enjoys helping beginner writers on their path to publication.

You can connect with Claire through Facebook and Twitter, or join her reader group here.

Visit Claire’s Website here: http://www.claireboston.com

View all articles in the A to Z of Romance series.

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What’s Hot Right Now in Romance?

H is for Hot Right Now in Romance | Romance Writing from A to Z

Want to know what’s the latest in romance books and publishing trends in 2017? Look no further. I’ve scoured the internet, asked my fellow Romance Writers of Australia, checked publishers websites and looked at big data from Amazon. Here’s what I’ve found.

This report from data guy is his latest on the romance genre and was shown at the USA RWA conference in October 2016. It’s not right now, but it’s as close as you can get. In a nutshell, it says these top 10 sub genres earn the most money:[image error]

Contemporary
Romantic Comedy
New Adult & College
Mystery & Suspense
Paranormal
Historical Romance
Military
Sports
Fantasy
Young Adult

But I’m interested in what tropes, too. A quick scan of what’s popular on Amazon and what Publishers are putting calls out for makes me think these trends in themes:

Liane Moriarty style secrets but with romance thrown in. Considering her TV show has just hit the screens, that’s not a surprise.
Sexy Romantic Comedies seem to be ranking well. And we all know what makes a romantic comedy – deception. There’s always some sort of lie being skirted around in this genre.
Fairytale retellings are still going strong
Carina Press has recently put calls out for Paranormal Romance, Contemporary Cowboy and Contemporary Royal Romance

This video just released by k-lytics has shown some of the highest selling romances plot categories next to erotica categories.  Some of the most popular tropes to write about are

wealthy
the secret baby
weddings
beaches
second chances
royalty and aristocrats
spies (p.s. read my Robin Lockslay book if you love that)
gambling (lol. Also in my Robin book)

 Watch the full k-lytics video here:

Why do you care? Because writing to market will sell you more books. Does this make you a sell out? Only if you write stories that you don’t love. Find a trope or topic that suits you, maybe blend and merge a couple to create something fresh.

What do you think? Do you have any tips for hot selling romance? Comment below.

View all articles in the A to Z of Romance series.

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38 Clichés to Avoid when Writing Romance

H is for Heaving Bosoms and other Romance clichés to Avoid

I asked my fellow members of RWA (Romance Writers of Australia) what sort of clichés they dislike reading about in the genre. The following discussion was fun, informative and light-hearted. But at the end of it, even though I came up with a wide variety of suggestions for clichés to avoid in your romance, the general consensus it to write how you want to write because we all have differing opinions. I thought I’d share it anyway, because it was a fun activity to learn more about what goes on behind the eyes of others. Some of these you might agree with, some are more pet hates than clichés and some you might actually like to read, it’s up to you. I’d love for you to add to the list by commenting at the end of the article.

[image error]The most agreed with clichés are at the top.

Helpless Women
Too Stupid To Live heroine
Pointless romance – jerk hero does NOT equal conflict!
Throbbing members
The Alpha Asshole male
Pointless Sex Scenes
Unnatural HEA – HEA that comes from nowhere. No natural progression to it.
Someone leaving in a huff after overhearing or seeing something, without waiting for an explanation or even asking for one.
Being late to a date so as she rushes out, just brushes her hair quickly and only needs a dab of lip gloss because she’s a ‘natural beauty’.
The Billionaire who never works
H & H who hate each other but five minutes later fall inexplicably fall madly in love where nothing and no one has changed.
Sex that would need contortionists to perform
Not enough romance
Predictable and/or boring GMC (i.e. not well defined conflict)
Sexy heroes with amazing bods that never seem to do any exercise (except have sex!)
Immediate ‘readiness’ for intimacy
Conflict driven entirely by an “You’d be better off without me” martyr
Boring sex
Teeny tiny petite slender obscure shade of red headed emerald green eyed delicate perfect at everything porcelain skin damsel in dat dress
Plots that have been done (comment)
“They’re all bodice rippers.”
Gross-sounding sexy descriptions e.g. ‘weeping’ anything.
Many romance heroines seem asthmatic as they seem to gasp a lot.
Jerk heroes who are shitty to every woman except the heroine.
Man-whores
Men that every woman throws herself at
Books in which every woman but the heroine is depicted as a Nasty Man-Stealing Witch. Basically, the ‘Not Like Other Girls’ trope.
Books that don’t pass the Bechdel test.
Books where EVERYONE is gorgeous
The ‘brutish hero who’s really a scared little kitten’. Baggage is great, but sometimes it’s so contrived.
Boy / girl next door is a cliché that has been done to death.
Man-whore heroes who say they only slept with women who know the score and if the women want more somehow it’s her fault, not his, that she is hurt.
The lizard-like visual when you read ‘his tongue thrust in and out of her mouth’ type moments.
Purple or other disco-coloured described penis’s.
“Heavy lidded eyes” makes the guy seem sleepy, not aroused.
When a hero has clever hands. What are ‘clever hands’?
Billionaire in their 20s
Describing a character as clenching their hands as ‘fisting’

At the end of the game, we all agreed that if done correctly, many of these can pass the test. So don’t be afraid of not using them, just make sure you’ve got a reason for doing it.

Do you have something to add?

Please comment at the end of the post.

View all articles in the A to Z of Romance series.

 

About the AuthorLana Pecherczyk Facebook Twitter

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Lana Pecherczyk is an author, artist and bookshop marketer from Perth, Western Australia. She's the Webmistress for Romance Writers of Australia (and no, that's not Spiderman's lover). Is a fan of 'pro-caffeinating' and writes in many genres, including romance, comedy, fantasy and paranormal. She also loves Sailormoon. No judgement.

The post 38 Clichés to Avoid when Writing Romance appeared first on Author Zoo.

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Lana Pecherczyk is an author, artist and bookshop marketer from Perth, Western Australia. She's the Webmistress for Romance Writers of Australia (and no, that's not Spiderman's lover). Is a fan of 'pro-caffeinating' and writes in many genres, including romance, comedy, fantasy and paranormal. She also loves Sailormoon. No judgement.

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