Opinions, please!

[Demelza]

Hi everyone,

I am making the move from writing steamy romance to clean romance! I'm really happy to make this transition and looking forward to getting to know you all as well as the genre.

I want to start writing some sweet contemporary novellas in the new year and wondered if you would have any suggestion for which category/ themes I should aim for? I've searched books on Amazon and there is such a variety in this genre. What works, if anything in particular?

Unfortunately, I'm not very good with historical, so will rule this out. Any ideas and suggestions gratefully received!

Thanks so much. :)

[Darlene]

Hi Demelza! Nice to meet you! I write (clean) sweet contemporary romance. My 8th book with Avon Impulse, a division of HarperCollins, comes out next week. My stories are very modern and trendy but focus on themes of family, friendship, mending relationships, and the importance of core traditional values in society. Most of my heroes and heroines are underdogs who persevere, gain self-worth, which helps them success in love and their careers. I add in humor and often a suspense layer to keep tension high. Instead of steamy sensual scenes and sex, my characters are focused on discovering and falling in love with who they each are as a person. You can check out my website to learn more at: www.darlenepanzera.com

[Demelza]

Hi Darlene, lovely to meet you too! Thank you for kindly taking the time to reply to me, your books sound wonderful. I will head over to your site to take a look!
Thanks again :)

[Abigail]

Hi, Demelza, Darlene already gave great and wide-ranging advice, but I wanted to add one thought. I think a lot of readers of clean romance are looking for values and ethics (not necessarily religious ideas, which could be seen as a subset, and a limiting factor for your audience). They’re interested in how people respond to challenges and grow character. Personally, I’d like to see the protagonists of clean romance worry less about “should I or shouldn’t I?” and more about becoming strong, responsible people building a relationship through the story.

[Demelza]

That's wonderful advice to heed, thank you, Abigail. I have a lot of reading to do! ;)

[Darlene]

Good advice, Abigail!

[[deleted user]]

Personally, I like a non-romantic plot line of some kind mixed in with the romance, something that keeps things from getting stale.

[Darlene]

Yes, that's why I add in a suspense subplot in most of my stories.
Rebecca wrote: "Personally, I like a non-romantic plot line of some kind mixed in with the romance, something that keeps things from getting stale."

[Joan]

What angels fear is a clean historical mystery set in 1811 it is the start of a series

[Groovy]

Good for you, Demelza. I, too, write clean, wholesome, PASSIONATE romances and romantic/suspense. At first, only my married characters made love, but I have since changed that. There's just so many ways to describe something you're not comfortable writing about anyway.

Now my main focus, in what was always a big part of my stories, is finding true love, upholding traditional family values, the passionate, yet bonding relationship between the hero and heroine that can't be broken, and the way a man (especially) and woman should treat one another. And like Abigail said, strong heroines.

My suggestion also is to read the type of book you wish to write and see how they're constructed, that's how I got started. (I used to be a Harlequin junkie)

I wish you all the best in this journey:)

http://www.groovylee.com

[Demelza]

Thank you so much for the lovely advice, Groovy! :)