Writing for Harlequin Mills & Boon

cazmanian_minx

Any other aspiring authors here?

One of my long-held ambitions is to be a Mills & Boon author - my problem is that although I've been able to sell romantic short stories to various magazines I have real difficulty writing novel-length fiction. I hit the middle, start thinking everything I'm writing is crud and abandon it.

So I was wondering if anyone else would like to join me in trying for HMB and we could encourage each other along? If you get accepted, the rewards are pretty healthy - here's a list of advances and total earnings for the various American romance publishers (Harlequin and Silhouette included):

http://www.brendahiatt.com/id2.html

Mills and Boon have a helpful section for aspiring authors here:

http://www.millsandboon.co.uk/aspiringauthors.asp

as does Harlequin:

http://www.eharlequin.com/store.html?cid=535

Of all the lines they publish, I love Intrigues the most - they're a 50:50 split of romance and crime/suspense/thriller - so that's what I'm trying to write.

Anyone up for it?

Caz

vanpiggy

So you're looking for a writing buddy? You should start a thread or diary somewhere! I always find reading other people's very motivational.

I''m interested in writing, mostly working on my short stories at the moment though. That said if the inspiration struck me....

Thanks for the useful links.

mumto2monkeys_2

I'm up for having a go, though I'm not a very experienced writing buddy. I've written lots, but most of it is unfinished and I've never attempted to get published.

What I like about this is that I would almost be writing to a formula.

I've not read any M&B since I stole my mum's when I was 10, so I may need to do some research.

How should do we proceed? Is it a matter of formulating a plot and producing the first few chapters, or do you have to write the lot?

Thanks for the links; food for thought. :T

nickiboop

Hmm, always wanted to write may have to give it a go. need to read a couple first though, these are not normally on my reading list!:j

mumto2monkeys_2

Although according to the website, there is no formula...

Maybe I should do some reading.

Abcynthia

I am writing something at the moment but I wasn't really thinking about trying to get it published...but hey ho its worth a go! I don't think it will suitable for mills and boon though. Too much supernatural for their liking I think lol

Its just finding the time to fit it in with a young baby at the moment!

ZoeGirl_3

I am keen enough. Have written several chapters, but always think it is crap and stop as well. Actually if you leave it a while and go back to it later it is generally a lot better! Have had some short stories done as well, but tend to be more literary type than romance ... have written some of those recently. Just need to polish and send off. Yikes...always hate the idea of that hehe.

Maybe if several people were interested you could have a chapter every two weeks or something as a goal. That sounds do-able to me if I am motivated by others hehe ...

ZoeGirl_3

Abcynthia wrote: »

I am writing something at the moment but I wasn't really thinking about trying to get it published...but hey ho its worth a go! I don't think it will suitable for mills and boon though. Too much supernatural for their liking I think lol

There are some lines that are more supernatural etc, maybe read the guidelines for the Nocturn line?

cazmanian_minx

Mumto2monkeys - yup, definitely do some reading, they've changed a lot. Charity shops are a really good source for nearly up to date ones, libraries usually keep a good stock as well.

Abcynthia - they've got a supernatural/paranormal line called Nocturne and there's a short story version called Nocturne Bites. In fact, Nocturne Bites is running a competition for new writers at the moment, details here:
http://community.eharlequin.com/forums/write-stuff/editor-pitch-silhouette-nocturne-bites
The only catch is that you need to have the full manuscript ready by the closing date - so if you can get a 10,000-15,000 word paranormal/supernatural romance written by 1st February, go for it! Nocturne Bites guidelines are here:
http://www.eharlequin.com/articlepage.html?articleId=1336&chapter=0

Caz (planning an attack on chapter two today!)

Rosemary_Jane

cazmanian_minx wrote: »

Any other aspiring authors here?

One of my long-held ambitions is to be a Mills & Boon author ...

So I was wondering if anyone else would like to join me...

Anyone up for it?

Caz

Hi Caz, sorry I can't join in at the moment. I think it was about thirty years ago that my sister and I had a competition to see who would actually write a M&B and get it published ...

Well, I did finish it and sent it off, and got rejected. But I was doing other stuff then and never took it further. I looked at it a few years later, and it was embarrassingly naive - I was very young.

Really I just looked in to say, very good luck, finishing a novel-length work is a success in itself.

I like this page on how to plot fiction properly. I find it helpful with non-fiction too, though it's meant for fiction.

http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/art/snowflake.php

It's about using the snowflake method of plotting your novel. I know some people think plotting ruins their creativity, but I need to, or I write myself into a corner when the characters take over what happens!

Hope the link is useful, hope you enjoy being an author;

Rosemary

cazmanian_minx

1350 words added today :j:j:j

Going to see if I can add 500 a day...

Caz