On Writing Romance (42 page)

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Authors: Leigh Michaels

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appendix b
The Cover Letter

Juana B. Writer

321 Lovers Lane Hartsville, IA 55555 (555) 555-5555

[date]

Ms. Buya Booke Senior Editor

Lovelorn Romance 123 Story Lane New York, NY 10000

Dear Ms. Booke:

I'm enclosing the synopsis of my sweet traditional romance, Ties That Blind, for your consideration for Lovelorn Romance's Hometown line. The complete manuscript contains about 53,000 words.

We last met at the 2007 convention of the National Organization of Romantics, and though the idea I pitched to you at that time wasn't quite what you were looking for, you made encouraging comments about my style and the humor in my stories.

Ties That Blind is a family-oriented story with a great deal of humor, about a well-meaning but difficult heroine coming to terms with her short-comings and growing into a loving woman. The full manuscript recently received an honorable mention in the Waytago Romance Contest sponsored by the National Organization of Romantics.

The manuscript is complete, and I would be delighted to submit it immediately upon request.

Sincerely,

Juana B. Writer

321 Lovers Lane Hartsville, IA 55555 (555) 555-5555 [email protected]

This cover letter immediately gives the main information about the book — story type, targeted line, word count — and reminds the editor of a previous meeting with enough detail that she's likely to remember the writer.

The letter then gives a thumbnail sketch of the book (handy in case the letter and synopsis are separated) and mentions the fact that the manuscript has placed in a contest, which immediately gives more credibility to the author.

The quick finish specifies that the manuscript is complete and can be mailed on request. The author's name and contact information are clear.

appendix c
The Synopsis

JB Writer/Ties That Blind

It's a shock to Abbey Stafford when her widowed mother, Janice, announces that she's getting married again — to the neighborhood handyman. Abbey doesn't object to Frank Granger's occupation, but how can the socially prominent and cultured Janice find happiness with a man who mends toilets for a living?

Abbey goes looking for Frank's son Flynn — her old nemesis from school days — for assistance in trying to break up Janice and Frank. Flynn is quite willing to combine forces with Abbey to destroy the romance — because, he says, he would hate to have to face Abbey over the family dinner table at every holiday celebration.

But Abbey's plan to show Janice that Frank doesn't fit with her friends — an elaborate after-symphony party — comes to nothing when Janice and Frank take advantage of the party to announce their engagement. Flynn offers an alternative plan, that he and Abbey feign a flaming public affair that will cause a rift between Janice and Frank. When Abbey rejects that plan, his second brainstorm is a camping trip. He's assuming that the moment the elegant Janice is expected to bait her own fishhook, she'll back out. But that plan too goes awry when Janice has a great time.

JB Writer/Ties That Blind

During the camping trip, Abbey realizes that she must accept her mother's decisions or lose her altogether, and she reluctantly gives her blessing to Frank and Janice's relationship.

When she confesses her change of heart to Flynn, however, he is angry at the halfhearted way in which Abbey has made her peace, and the ensuing argument drives him to leave the camp early, which in turn causes Abbey to realize that she has fallen in love with Flynn.

But Abbey fears that her attitude has eliminated any chance that Flynn might love her in return; she will have to adjust to having the man she loves as a stepbrother. Abbey tries to reestablish a family-level relationship with Flynn, without letting him guess that she feels more than sisterly affection, by trying to return to the easy flirtatious conduct of their early friendship.

Her love for Flynn helps Abbey understand her mother's feelings for Frank, and she begins to open her heart to him as well. Flynn sees the changes in her, but her easy flirting has sent mixed signals, confusing him about how she really feels.

On the morning of Frank and Janice's wedding, Abbey is still trying to conceal her real feelings, but she trips herself up when Flynn kisses her. In the middle of Frank and Janice's wedding reception, Flynn challenges Abbey to tell the truth and confesses his own love for her. Surrounded by the wedding guests, they sort out their love for each other and start to plan another wedding.

The synopsis opens with the heroine's short-term problem and immediately introduces the main characters. It includes the main events of the plot, telling about the episodes in a lighthearted way that mimics the overall tone of the story. It shares the changes of heart experienced by the heroine, and explains why her attitude changes. It also includes the hero's view of events and his reasons for confusion and delay, and goes into some detail about the ending and what brings it about.

appendix d
The Cover Page

Ties That Blind

53,000 words

submitted [date]

for the Hometown line

By Juana B. Writer

321 Lovers Lane Hartsville, IA 55555 (555) 555-5555 Fax: (555) 555-5556 [email protected]

The cover page includes crucial data about the manuscript and about the author, including full contact information. Having the date the manuscript was submitted assists the publisher in making a timely response.

appendix e
Romance Publishers

Because the romance industry changes on an almost-daily basis, publishing an up-to-date list of romance publishers is a daunting task. This list includes publishers currently releasing romance novels, single-title books, and women's fiction. It is intended to guide you in further research to determine which publishers are the most likely markets for your book.

Before sending a submission, check the publisher's Web site or telephone the office to get the most current submission information; in addition, verify the name and title of the editor to whom your submission should be addressed, confirming the correct spelling of the editor's name. If you phone, ask for the editorial department, not a specific editor.

Current market information about each publisher's books, categories, word counts, acquiring editors, submission guidelines, etc., is available from
Romance Writers Report
, the professional journal of Romance Writers of America, and through a members-only section of the RWA Web site (
www.rwanational.org
). Both the printed and online versions of
Writer's Market
are another good source of market information; you can subscribe to the online version at
www.WritersMarket.com
. You also can search publishers' Web sites for specifics.

A good basic source of market information is the nearest large bookstore. By browsing the shelves, you can determine which publishers are most likely to be interested in a book like yours. The publisher's Web site is usually listed on the cover or on the copyright page; by looking up the Web site, you can read more about the company, its current and upcoming publications, and what it's looking for. If the publisher offers tip sheets or guidelines, they can usually be down loaded from the Web site or requested by mail (send a self-addressed, stamped envelope with a request for guidelines or tip sheets).

You can also locate publishers' Web sites by searching the Internet; in your search engine, type the name of the publisher plus the keywords
romance
and
publishing
, and one of the first links to pop up will be the home page of that publisher's romance division.

A listing of publishers is also available on Leigh Michaels's Web site at
www.leighmichaels.com
.

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