

Now might be the perfect time to escape back in time and try your hand at writing a romance novel! And we’re looking for new authors!
The Harlequin Historical series is excited to announce a new blitz for aspiring authors, launching June 5th!
Our readers around the world love Viking, Medieval and Highlander stories, and we’re looking for more talented new voices to write romances against these evocative settings.
These are the times of the ultimate alpha hero—whether he’s a Medieval knight, a Highland laird or a Viking warrior! He’s rough, tough and brave in battle, but also prepared to fight for the woman he loves…
This is an opportunity to showcase your historical warrior romance to our editors and get some helpful feedback in an accelerated time frame—and maybe even become the newest Harlequin Historical author!
If you are interested in submitting to our blitz:
- Join the Harlequin Writing Community group on Facebook.
- Check out the FB group on Monday, June 1st for our bootcamp! There will be information and author and editor chats about what we’re looking for in submissions.
- Keep an eye on the SYTYCW blog and our Warriors Wanted! blitz page.
- Read some of our Harlequin Historicals and our writing guidelines. Submit to our blitz here.
- Follow the editorial team on Twitter @BryonyGreenHqn, @CarlyMByrne and @C_Tricot for more updates!
Warriors Wanted! Blitz—everything you need to know:
- Opens Friday June 5th 2020.
- Make sure your submission is long enough. One chapter should be about 3000-5000 words.
- Submit the first chapter and synopsis to Submittable.
- Closes Sunday June 21st 2020.
- All submissions will be read and responded to by noon EST/5 p.m. UK BST Monday July 6th.
If we love your submission we’ll invite you to submit further chapters and work with you on developing your story. We can’t wait to see your stories!
This blitz is specifically targeting Viking, Medieval and Highlander era romances, but we’re always looking for Historical submissions from underrepresented authors set in other historical time periods. You can submit to Harlequin Historical separately at any time via Submittable. We’d love to read your story!
3 replies on “Warriors Wanted! Announcing…the Harlequin Historical Blitz!”
Hello. I am working on a Medieval at present and wondered if a Prologue of around 2,700 words would be classed as a chapter please? Many thanks.
“This blitz is specifically targeting Viking, Medieval and Highlander era romances, but we’re always looking for Historical submissions from underrepresented authors set in other historical time periods.”
This wording strikes me as really weird, especially as I’m working on a medieval manuscript featuring a POC (which has historical basis, they did exist back then.) Does that mean this won’t work for this blitz? Or that underrepresented authors should steer towards other periods in HH?
i read that and thought something similar lol. it sounds like a whole group of folks are being excluded from the blitz bc it’s not for them. its making an assumption that underrepresented people won’t or can’t write this type of fiction.
i think anyone can write historical fiction. ‘represented’ authors have written plenty of fiction about underrepresented people, some good some bad. and i don’t think the function of underrepresented people is necessarily to always write fiction about people just like them
i dont think any harm was meant but the phrasing there made me blink also
Comments ( 7 )
I spent the entire shutdown working. Had no time to wind down. I didn’t see my son much when school shutdown. My one co worker was told to stay home for 3 weeks so I picked up her hours. This year has been really crappy.
Ugh, Janell. Here’s hoping the rest of your summer is better.
Thanks for the info, Carol! Everyone is different in how they deal with the shutdown! I stay at home all the time since I don’t work so I haven’t been too effected but my shopping and errands sure have been effected!
Valri, I’ve been doing most of my shopping online. My local Target is still low on some items – mostly cleaning supplies. Grocery store is pretty much back to normal. Most of the dining in our town is outdoor. I can’t imagine have school-age kids!
Wow–getting your creative process on track must have been daunting–especially with “extra-large dog” glad to have you home. You don’t like coffee–I love coffee and have enjoyed my fortifying 2 cups in the morning even more than usual! How as COVID affected your story lines and characterizations? Best Wishes for all releases!
Interesting question, Virginia. You’ll have to tell me if the tone of my “COVID” books changed any! LOL
Life has changed so much! My dad passed Feb 2. The assisted living facility my folks were at went into hardcore lockdown the beginning of March. Mom couldn’t leave her apartment for 4 months! She was on the third floor, Will be 89 in two months & doesn’t use the phone. My husband and I remodeled the lower level completely and moved her in with us July 1. What a life change and difficult transition for the 3 of us! But we’re working thru it!