Category: Writing Advice

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Blue to black background with coral curved elements. Text says Write for Harlequin: Writing Advice: Understanding a Villain's Motivation (And How to Write It!). There is a photo of a man in silhouette staring out at the dark ocean.
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Understanding A Villain’s Motivation (and How to Write It)

Of course, your heroes and heroines have clear goals and motivations that resonate with readers. But what about your villains? […]

Posted on: April 17, 2024
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A Romance Glossary Deep Dive: The Synopsis

Synopsis “An outline or summary of the story, including plot and character development, from the beginning to the end. Most […]

Posted on: April 8, 2024
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Staying within Series Parameters without Losing the Creative Spark

There are three main components in the recipe for a perfect Harlequin romance: establishing the characters’ motivations from the beginning, […]

Posted on: March 20, 2024
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A Romance Glossary Deep Dive: Query Letters

Query Letter “A letter accompanying a manuscript submission to a publisher. The query (or cover) letter should showcase the book […]

Posted on: March 18, 2024
A white and pink graphic which reads Goal, Motivation, Conflict: The Key to Character Development with Catherine Tinley. On the right, an author photo and a cover image for her latest novel.
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Goal, Motivation, Conflict: The Key to Character Development

This post has been updated from its previously published version. In one of our recent Roadmap to Writing Romance posts, […]

Posted on: March 14, 2024
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The Roadmap to Writing Romance: 5 Types of Harlequin Romance Novels

Welcome back to the Roadmap to Writing Romance! In the first two installments of this series, we talked about planning […]

Posted on: March 8, 2024
A pile of books on a wooden table. Red wax hearts sit on top of the books.
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Turning Up the Heat: How to Craft a Sex Scene

Let’s talk about sex! To be specific, crafting sex scenes in romance books. First, let’s back it up. A great […]

Posted on: February 14, 2024
Harlequin Author Spotlight featuring four books: Playing the Sicilian's Game of Revenge by Lorraine Hall, An Innocent's Deal with the Devil by Tara Pammi, The Bodyguard's Deadly Mission by Lisa Dodson, and Texas Law Lethal Encounter by Jennifer Bokal
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Intimate Details: Authors Dish on Bringing Emotion to the Reader

There comes a moment in a romance novel when the world stops and nothing else matters – the first kiss, a long look, or a deep and certain feeling that they’ve met someone truly special. We asked Harlequin authors to they created these ultra romantic moments in their new releases.

Posted on: January 23, 2024
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Writing Advice with Harlequin Authors

In need of some writing advice? Well look no further because the Harlequin authors are here to help! Today we’re […]

Posted on: January 15, 2024
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Ready, Set, Write: A Guide to Writing Sprints

If you’re looking for a new writing routine in 2024, writing sprints may be the exercise for you. What are […]

Posted on: January 12, 2024