Writing for Harlequin Mills & Boon

Anglea

Amara good luck.

I might join you, but instead or writing a chapter I'm going to do some excercises to get me in the right frame of mind as I haven't written fiction in years.

Today in the library there was a 3 for 50p sale, I bought Lost (tv show), 2 MB in one, and a creative writing book about 19th century authors, and at first didn't realise it was aimed at school children. It is so interesting, there are excerpts from books such as Sherlock Holmes, Christmas Carol, Frankenstein, Gulliver's Travels, Time Machine etc and you answer a few questions then you are given assignments.

I think working through the book will hopefully awaken some dormant writing skills and give some ideas for a MB book.

20thcenturycat

Hiya! Would loive to join this thread. Trying to kick myself up the bum to finally write something after telling myself I would for years. The tips on writing for harlequin here are brilliant. Thanks!

Anglea

20thcenturycat wrote: »

Hiya! Would loive to join this thread. Trying to kick myself up the bum to finally write something after telling myself I would for years. The tips on writing for harlequin here are brilliant. Thanks!

Welcome to the thread :j

What kinds of themes do you like?

glowgirl_2

Hi everyone:) Good advice on this thread:j, I fancy giving this a go, I'm looking for a change (I have a very short attention span:o), I have a plot outlined and am going to start writing in the next couple of days, cant wait actually:) I wonder if anyone knows about the cash side of writing for M&B? Is there a more lucrative theme to write for? I quite fancy modern but have got a few *ahem* erotic stories that could be developed from short to full length quite easily, also is everyone having a go at this qualified in English in some way?

Now just to get the family to leave me alone so I can actually get some work done:D and maybe stop hanging around mse:o

Angela, you've inspired me to actually get on with things:T your so welcoming on this thread, I really am procrastinator of the year and this would be a huge change in direction for me plus I'm rather thin skinned and don't take rejection well so I hope I can get something positive out of this:rotfl:

Good luck everyone:)

Anglea

Hi Glowgirl :j

The payments - a while back I found this aricle about the oldest romantic for MB who started back in 1938 and still going strong. She says her current royalties are very small - take a read and see.

It doesn't say how much she was paid up front.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1114443/Britains-oldest-romantic-novelist-spend-101st-birthday-working-130th-Mills--Boon-book.html

If you look on the first post of this thread there's a link to writer's submission tips and you will find all the different imprints including some erotic ones.

I'm on this thread a lot because it is a constant reminder of my goals. I find that if I don't read all the new posts I can talk myself out of carrying on. And it's also nice to know there are people all over the country all working on ideas and not alone because we are linked by MSE.

erine

This thread is very inspiring. I'd like to have a go.... but know from past experience I am absolutely rubbish at plots. I can get the characters and beginning of a novel with no problem but then it's as though my characters end up standing around twiddling their thumbs whilst tumbleweed rolls around in the plotless background! Current idea centres around a meeting between a business woman and football coach.... got the setting, got the romance... then nothing

cazmanian_minx

glowgirl wrote: »

I wonder if anyone knows about the cash side of writing for M&B? Is there a more lucrative theme to write for? I quite fancy modern but have got a few *ahem* erotic stories that could be developed from short to full length quite easily,

Have a look at Blaze or Spice on the Harlequin side

Some info about average earnings for all the category romance lines (not just HM&B) here:
http://www.brendahiatt.com/id2.html

glowgirl_2

Just been hunting around a bit, this is an interesting link although its in dollars it gives you an idea of payments

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

glowgirl_2

cazmanian_minx wrote: »

Have a look at Blaze or Spice on the Harlequin side

Some info about average earnings for all the category romance lines (not just HM&B) here:
http://www.brendahiatt.com/id2.html

Great minds think alike;)

Anglea

Hi erine welcome to the thread :j

Cazmanian minx how are you getting on with your writing?