Writing for Harlequin Mills & Boon

Anglea

Hi all

Glowgirl,

I think you are pining all your hope on this one time, and that will be very disheartening if you don't hear back soon.

When I used to write I'd be sending off loads of different things to widen the net at being accepted. It's far easier if you pick an unusual topic or send to a publication that receives less submissions.

Are you wanting to get published by MB because that is the type of writing you want to do or do you want something published regardless of the topic?

If you like raunchy, then why not write stories for online magazines while you are waiting for a reply.

I read all the time, mainly non-fiction. With fiction I love historical, mysteries and thrillers. I fit it in around the day but do find if I've been online too long that picking up a book can feel like a chore either because I feel too wired to concentrate or too tired.

How if affects creative thoughts. What I find really interesting is the contrast between styles of writing eg. some authors are very descriptive, others show you the bare bones yet you can immediately picture the scene.

I also like stories where there are 2 main storylines overlapping that fit like a jigsaw eg Jeffrey Archer - A Matter of Honour.

Sassers

Hi everyone :wave: I've really enjoyed reading this thread and pop back every so often to catch up. I wondered if anyone else has this problem? I've got to about chapter four of my first draft, but my main male character `shouts' all the time and I can't quite catch what my female heroine is saying or what her reaction is!! He's drowning her out - and it's driving me mad. The story is about her but he's taking over.
Does anyone else suffer from `dominating' characters when they write? I've wondered if the solution is writing alternative chapters in each voice, so they both get a say?
...I've just read this back and I'm sure I sound loopy but I'm not - just having problems with a very loud character in my story! Mind you he does get beaten up in one of the chapters...(lol)
Hope everyone's is still writing and enjoying it
Love Sassers x

LuckyLucy11

I was wondering how other people write about destinations they may have never been to before like a private beach or inside a yacht party? It's difficult to describe places like these or wherever else the male character choose to whisk her off to if you've never experienced them for yourself.

In response to Sassers I've noticed in a few M&B novels the male lead can be down right mean, it may be an attempt to create the ultimate alpha male who needs taming or to rachet up the sexual tension but the female has a voice too, given the type of person she is what would she say or do if dominated? what does she want and how resourceful is she at getting it?

Men aren't that good at expressing their feelings through words so how else might he choose to make a point? Introduce the key ingredients that M&B readers crave sex, exotic locations or supreme romantic solutions to their conflict.

Sassers

LuckyLucy11 wrote: »

I was wondering how other people write about destinations they may have never been to before like a private beach or inside a yacht party? It's difficult to describe places like these or wherever else the male character choose to whisk her off to if you've never experienced them for yourself.

What I've done in the past is look at luxury travel brochures. And research either on the internet or in person what a luxury yacht looks like. Perhaps look at the annual Boat show for them - or google images? And look at luxury restaurant menus to see what people eat.
When I have characters and places, I cut out mood boards and visual prompts and stick them on a wall. One of my characters is a female mechanic, so I have a cut-out of what she looks like, her dog, her car, an image of a garage I saw once out on my travels printed from google earth, a swatch of fabric and even one of those sample stick they give you in places like John Lewis, of what perfume she smells of. One the same page I've even got a cut-out of bitten nails (which in my imagination, she has....)
I hope that helps Lucy and I'm sorry to ramble on.........I'm really enjoying this thread:T and thanks for your suggestions. My male character is hard and business-like and prone to teasing, which annoys my female character no end as she is rather fiesty but vulnerable underneath it all. They both are but for different reasons.

Anglea

Hi all

Sassers re your loud character, it could be that some part of you wants to write a very different book than you originally envisaged - perhaps not even a MB?

Alternatively you are writing your male as a 'tell' whereas your female could be written as a 'show but not tell' - so her reactions could be shown in a more subtle way through body language, moods.

LucyL re destinations - A lot of holiday companies send out free DVD's. Watch films with yachts in the setting.

I would also look up those personal experiences websites for holiday destinations to get some authentic details. I've stayed at a quite a very expensive hotels either in cities or with private beaches or marinas and the experiences weren't all the same.

mrsyardbroom

it could be that some part of you wants to write a very different book than you originally envisaged - perhaps not even a MB?

I've toyed with the idea of MB for years but it isn't quite me. I did once write a romance but never really had the heart to go through and edit it and send it in to MB. I'm not quite sure that this kind of romance is for me. I would really love to write something a bit quirky with a bit of humour. It would also be great to set it back in the fifties or sixties. Any ideas as to whether there is a market for this kind of writing? Maybe someone else has had something like this published or read something similar.

Anglea

Hello and welcome to the thread

There are numerous books set in the 50's and 60's, one author that comes to mind is Pam Howe who did a series, hope I got the spelling right.

I also think Gilda O'Neill and Harry Bowling.

As to humour - that crime series Heartbeat set in the 60's lots of quirky characters. Or a school setting would be good as life was very different back then in education - even back in 1974 I remember a girl that was 15 was engaged to a teacher, I also remember the time I went to the cinema with my friends and met the two of them!! That would be unheard of now.

London life with Carnaby Street and East End gansters. Lots to choose from.

mrsyardbroom

Thank you for those authors. I have read a few of Peter Tinniswood's books and of course HE Bates who was brilliant. I just love that era, the late fifties early sixties. I've also read all of the Nicholas Rhea books. Heartbeat was based on these and at first I didn't think the TV series was a patch on the books. I came to enjoy it later though. I thoroughly enjoy the quirky characters you get in series like the Vicar of Dibley! Lots of food for thought.

freeoffers

LuckyLucy11 wrote: »

I was wondering how other people write about destinations they may have never been to before like a private beach or inside a yacht party? It's difficult to describe places like these or wherever else the male character choose to whisk her off to if you've never experienced them for yourself.

This is true. It really depends on how much of a book is set in a certain place. Solaris has very detailed descriptions because of where the book is located and it really works.

In general, I believe in being artfully vague and encouraging readers to imagine the finer points of a place for themselves. Too much description might put some readers off.

freeoffers

ZoeGirl wrote: »

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!

I can't go through the whole of this thread but I can say that this advice is gold. Stephen King writes a book and leaves it for three months before having a look at the first draft and editing it. I have done the same and you look upon it with fresh eyes and a fresh perspective. I'm getting a book ready for an agent who is interested and have done exactly the same thing.

Remember: To be any good at anything you first have to be bad. We weren't born being able to walk!