Harlequin is always on the lookout for talented writers – from established authors to those just starting their writing careers. At Write for Harlequin, we want to help you prepare your best manuscript for submission. This page offers resources, tips, and advice from Harlequin editors to help you develop your craft alongside our regularly scheduled writing posts which can be found on our blog.
Explore what we have to offer!
All About Category Romance
The Roadmap to Writing Romance
The Roadmap is an ongoing Write for Harlequin Blog series where our editors cover the important topics for planning a story – the elements that you should think about before you put pen to paper (or fingers to keys!) on your next romance novel. This series will help build the foundation on which your story can grow!
Back to Basics
Brush up on your skills in this popular blog series designed to hone your writing craft.
Creating Characters : 5 Questions for Romance Writers
What’s at Stake? 5 Tips for Writing High-Stakes Romance
Plotting Tips from Harlequin Editors
Top Tips on World Building
Creating Emotional Intimacy in Steamy Scenes
POV Tips from Editor Kathryn Lye
Setting the Scene
The Romance Glossary
The Write for Harlequin Romance Glossary contains over 100 definitions for commonly used romance writing, publishing, and editing terms. This easy-to-understand glossary provides the essentials for understanding the language of romance writing, especially as it applies to Harlequin and Carina Press. Find definitions for romance subgenres, character types and tropes, the different stages of fiction editing, and more.
HEA Writing Week 2023:
A Weeklong Writing Challenge
In this series, focus on a new topic each day and take on the daily challenges to jumpstart your next project over the course of 5 days.
From Pitch to Purchase: The Journey of a Harlequin Novel
Want to learn more about how a Harlequin novel is made? Below our editors talk about how these stories went from a pitch to a purchased novel!
Downloadable Materials
Download this helpful PDF and learn how to meet your personal and professional deadlines when it comes to completing your manuscript.
Keep track of the elements in your story, including word count, setting, and your overall plot.
Important Links
The ever-popular Write for Harlequin newsletter has grown to over 6,000 subscribers since its inception in 2020. It’s the best way to stay up to date about submission calls, events, new authors for Harlequin’s romance lines and Carina Press — as well as invaluable writing advice direct from editors.
Subscribe to the Newsletter now!
Looking to join a like-minded writing community? The Write for Harlequin Facebook group is an inclusive community of over 5,000 aspiring writers, as well as published Harlequin authors, as they work together towards their writing goals.
Join the Write for Harlequin Facebook Community!
Not sure which Harlequin series is the best fit for your story? Check out Try Harlequin – here you can sample free Harlequin books to get a feel for the series you’re interested in.
Ready to Submit?
If you’re ready to submit, make sure to check out our step-by-step guide to submission and our FAQs on the common questions writers have when preparing their submission.
