What's your sub?

Chic Chat · Apr 12, 2005

Hey there! I haven't seen much posting going on here so I thought I'd make a little noise. I'm assuming the quiet is due to a tremendous run of productivity as we're all consumed with the brilliance of our current WIP. Am I right?

I've been lurking for a while here, but am still fairly new so I suppose I'll introduce myself. Feel free to call me Chic. I am very pleased to find a Romance board here. I have a great love for romance (just discovered them about a year and a half ago) and decided that I would love to contribute to many fabulous works out there. I am still in the outlining phase of my current WIP. I've never been published. I've spent a lot of time researching the industry, but am pleased to have found others to share with, exchange questions & answers and just generally chat with.

Okay, so in an effort to get to know everyone, I thought I'd ask: What's your (favorite) sub-genre? What do you write?

I know that once I decided to actually take the plunge and write a book I was terrified that I wouldn't have any good ideas. After some brainstorming, I have a couple dozen ideas and have spent some time trying to decide which one to pick. I've narrowed it down to one now (I know you're all breathing a sigh of great relief) and am currently trying to flesh that out.

I'm asking about your subs because I've always been an ecclectic reader and so when I sit to think of plot lines, mine run the gambit. I'm just wondering if this works for anyone else, or do I need to narrow my focus?

veinglory · Apr 12, 2005

I think it pays to have a publisher (or a few publishers) in mind. there are some genre crosses that are in demand.

I write erotic romance as it happens--normally also paranormal, fantasy or historical. My last sub was gay, western, erotic romance. I am still waiting to see what the publisher thought of that.

kmm8n · Apr 12, 2005

I love to read romantic suspense. So that's what I am trying my hand with right now. I have one ms with an agent (as a favor) and I'm planning on starting my second, as soon as I get off the internet!!!

Welcome to the board. I'm new here as well, and there is a ton of really great information here.

SaschaI · Apr 13, 2005

Chic Chat

Hi Chic,

GLad to see you over here. I lurk too, mostof the time I'm actually head deep in manuscripts. Thought I'd takea moment though and stop byhere though. I'm an erotica and sensual romance writer, published with several books out in e-format. I just got into the vampire genre though, LOVE that!

As for plotting, I have a detailed outline that i started using about a year ago thatmakes writing the novel SO much easier, plus I talk with other authors in the houses I'm published in. I get a lot of feedback and it's great to see others enjoy my work and crit it before the editor gets it in hand.

I'd sugget you do find a few potential publishers in mind, learn their styles and then do a search on plot help in erotica. Trust me, it'll help a LOT!

Good luck!

Sascha Illyvich
http://www.sensualsascha.net

writerjenn · Apr 16, 2005

While I like to read a variety of the sub-genres, my fave for writing is comedy. Mostly because I'm a bit of a smartass in real life! I guess it just flows over to my writing, no matter how hard I try to control it.
I write using an outline. I wish I could be one of those 'seat of your pants' writers, but it never works for me. I tend to get lost at around the halfway point and then everything falls to hell until I can somehow work it out.

Welcome to the board!

Jenn

Wendy J · Apr 16, 2005

I write mainly historical, American Romance. I tend to lead toward the old fasioned Man dom, Woman sub. Most women like reading that stuff, but there are some women's liber's who hate it. Give me an authorative man anyday! LOL

EmmaMac · Apr 16, 2005

I generally do contemporary American romantic erotica. I find it easier to identify with my characters, so my writing is usually better than if I were to write something else, though I'd like to expand my sub-genre, simply because I think the challenge would help me grow as a writer.

melodychef · Apr 22, 2005

Intrigue

I'm in the editing process of a mystery/romance. I'm focusing on Harlequin Intrigue. But a woman with 45 books under her belt told me that having an agent is VERY important. So I'm writing for Harlequin, but when I'm done, I'm going to make the rounds of romance agents.

I'm new here too. Nice to see everyone. : )

lindylou45 · Apr 22, 2005

melodychef said:
I'm in the editing process of a mystery/romance. I'm focusing on Harlequin Intrigue. But a woman with 45 books under her belt told me that having an agent is VERY important. So I'm writing for Harlequin, but when I'm done, I'm going to make the rounds of romance agents.

I'm new here too. Nice to see everyone. : )

Harlequin Intrigue accepts unagented mss. You could submit it and look for an agent at the same time. Something Uncle Jim has suggested to me.

Susan Gable · Apr 22, 2005

lindylou45 said:
Harlequin Intrigue accepts unagented mss. You could submit it and look for an agent at the same time. Something Uncle Jim has suggested to me.

Well, most agents don't want to rep something that's already been shopped around. Because if it's been rejected, there's not much they can do. But Linda is right that Harlequin doesn't require you to have an agent. I don't. I know a lot of category (i.e. Harlequin/Silhouette) authors who don't.

Sometimes, however, it's easier to get an agent if you make a sale first. (Suddenly you're a proven commodity.) You can do all your research on agents so you know who you'd like to get, submit to Harlequin, and if you get THE CALL, then you call up your first choice agent, tell them you've made a sale but you're looking for someone to rep you. Maybe they'll say yes, maybe not, but it's easier to get them to say yes with that sale in the bank. Many agents will also be willing to take only 10% on a situation like this instead of the usual 15% because they are just picking up to negotiate the contract, not make the sale from scratch.

If you do decide to persue getting an agent first, make sure you only approach agents who are willing to rep category. Not all of them are. Or if you want to try the approach I suggest above, again make sure the agents on your list of people to call after you get THE CALL are ones willing to rep category.

Good luck!

Susan G.

Ralyks · Apr 24, 2005

I never thought I'd be a romance writer, but apparently I am...albeit a literary fiction type romance writer. I write in the Regency Romance sub-genre. I published Conviction in 2004 and am currently working on a second novel--also a regency romance. I guess I've pigeon-holded myself after all!

RhiannonKelley · Apr 29, 2005

HI Chic,

I write erotic romance, mostly fantasy. I also write romantic comedy, because my love life is pretty comical.

Angel-Lija · Apr 30, 2005

I love to read romance suspence and romance mysteries. I'm a picky reader to please so it's hard for me to like a book 100%, but those type of books I enjoy more then others. With suspences and mysteries, you get sucked in and you want to find out who did it. With regular romances, you know the main couple will get married or will get pregnant in the end, they tend to be predictable.

Susan Gable · May 1, 2005

Angel-Lija said:
I love to read romance suspence and romance mysteries. I'm a picky reader to please so it's hard for me to like a book 100%, but those type of books I enjoy more then others. With suspences and mysteries, you get sucked in and you want to find out who did it. With regular romances, you know the main couple will get married or will get pregnant in the end, they tend to be predictable.

Well, with a true romantic suspense, you also know that the couple will be together in the end. That's the promise that a romance makes to its readers. A romance MUST, by definition, end with a HEA - some form of a committment between the hero and heroine.

Romantic suspense is very big right now.

Susan G.

Angel-Lija · May 1, 2005

Susan Gable said:
Well, with a true romantic suspense, you also know that the couple will be together in the end. That's the promise that a romance makes to its readers. A romance MUST, by definition, end with a HEA - some form of a committment between the hero and heroine.

Romantic suspense is very big right now.

Susan G.

True, suspence romances do end with a happily ever after (and I have no problems with HEA) but the suspence of the story makes you want to find out who did something (most of the time, who's the killer) and why? So you actually have to do some thinking and the ending is just a sweet added bonus.

And yes, suspence/romance are big righ now. It's probably because more teens read now (compared to 5 years ago) and teens tend to read that gerne. I have a lot of friends who are teens who read a lot. You whouldn't believe that sometimes, teens read more then adults.

Susan Gable · May 2, 2005

Angel-Lija said:
And yes, suspence/romance are big righ now. It's probably because more teens read now (compared to 5 years ago) and teens tend to read that gerne. I have a lot of friends who are teens who read a lot. You whouldn't believe that sometimes, teens read more then adults.

I believe it. I know I read a lot more as a teen than I do as an adult. Teens have more free time at their disposal.

It's just that now, books have to compete with a lot of other entertainment choices for a teen's time.

Susan G.

What's your sub?

Chic Chat

veinglory

volitare nequeo

kmm8n

SaschaI

writerjenn

Wendy J

Life Is Like A Box Of Choc.

EmmaMac

melodychef

lindylou45

The Stooge Slayer

Susan Gable

Dreamer of dreams, teller of tales

Ralyks

Untold stories inside

RhiannonKelley

Angel-Lija

Susan Gable

Dreamer of dreams, teller of tales

Angel-Lija

Susan Gable

Dreamer of dreams, teller of tales