How much sexual and
spiritual content?
What do most inspirational
romance readers (and publishers!) accept?
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| Saw these in Texas, 2009 |
This again depends on the readers own personal
background and preferences.
As far as I am aware, most publishers are
primarily marketing to Christian
Bookshops.
However, Barbour Publishing have sold their Christian Romance Book
Club, Heartsong Presents, to Harlequin. It now comes under Harlequin’s Love
Inspired Heartsong Presents line. At least in America they should be more
available in any good shops that already stock the Love Inspired line.
How I
would love to see these released in Australia
and New Zealand
by Harlequin Australia and made readily available side by side the other
Harlequin lines in places like our department
stores.
It is important that whatever kind of inspirational
romance novel you want to write, do read publishers' specific submission guidelines. e.g: They are under Extras on the Harlequin website pages for their
inspirational lines
I noticed their HP line requirements are
still very much the same as Barbour required when I submitted to them back in
1992. For example, it states these are, “Contemporary and historical
inspirational romances with an evangelical Christian worldview focusing on
faith, hope and love.”
Eleven Key elements are then listed, including: “No drugs, alcohol,
gambling, profanity or immodest dress. No dancing in contemporary stories. No
graphic violence or sex within the course of the story.”
I am absolutely delighted that my hard-working friend, Narelle Atkins has
signed a six book contract for Heartsong Presents. As far as I am aware,
besides myself and one from Jennifer Ryan years ago, we are the only three
Australians to have Heartsong Presents books published. I do not know of any in
the Love Inspired line. Where are you all? Would love to have many, many more
available for romance readers in our own countries.
Narelle is one of the administrators for our ACW writers' group and blog. Very Exciting things are happening in her writing life. Do click on her name and check out her website.
The Love Inspired books are longer novels and the guidelines are similar
but also includes: “Relationships that
emphasize emotional intimacy rather than sexual desire.”
And I believe this should be the standard for most, if not all,
inspirational romance novels whether they be the category kind Harlequin
publishes or other single titles.
There are publishers who may accept “edgy” romance manuscripts but I
strongly suggest this is NOT wise for unpublished authors to try. All love
scenes even between a husband and wife stop at that “bedroom door.”
Of course these guidelines also include points about including faith
elements in Harlequin books.
Handling spiritual content.
I hope you read a wide variety of inspirational
romance novels. Which ones did you think included spiritual content the way you
prefer? Were you challenged by the faith elements? Did you like having scripture references so you could look them up yourself? Were you blessed in some way? They should be the kind you need to study and try to write.
Always take note of who published them but remember
also a publisher may vary what they accept. Obtain the submission guidelines for the ones you
would like to submit to. If you cannot find them on the internet, ask for them
to be sent to you via email or post. And I strongly suggest you do that first
before commencing your manuscript. Of course, the very best way is to go to
writers’ conferences where publisher representatives are present so you can ask
them specific questions!
I have read some books over the years (including Heartsongs) that have characters only going to church, saying grace before meals, have ‘good” morals, but the characters really not very much different from many in sweet romance novels. Quite frankly, I expect more in ones I read but there may be other readers who simply prefer that. However, for me the spiritual lives of the characters has to be
woven into every aspect of the novel. Having said that, of course no one likes to be “preached”
at.
For all writers today, the catch-cry is to “SHOW not TELL”. This is even more important in Christian fiction.
Wherever possible SHOW faith by the actions or lack
of action of the characters. Remember it is “by their fruit you will know
them.” However, I believe how realistic
these elements become in your book will ultimately depend on your own personal
experiences – your own Christian walk and what you have observed in others. While
any writer without any active faith of their own can research and study faith elements
for hours, I doubt if those elements will always ring true. Showing your own
faith and how you have seen or heard how God works in your own life will give
the most realistic, spiritual content in your manuscript.
More "help" suggestions:
I have been a member of Romance Writers of Australia since it commenced and owe so much to this great organisation as well as the Faith Hope Love chapter of Romance Writers America. Over the years I have only missed attending a few of the great RWA conferences in Australia. It was such a thrill and privileged to meet other international inspirational romance writers in 1999 at RWAmerica's national conference. If at all possible don't miss at least one American Christian Fellowship Writers conference. The one Ray and I went to simply blew us away.
I have only been able to share so little in these
posts about inspirational romance. There is more you should be aware of that romance readers - and publishers - expect. For example, space has not permitted me mentioning the special element needed for a romance book on that very first page, first paragraph to capture the reader.
There are many “How To...” books and
articles about writing romance and inspirational romance available. As well as searching the websites and blogs of
favourite writers, I strongly suggest you invest in some “How To” books.
Recommended:-
Writing the Christian Romance As well as Christian romance, Gail writes sweet romance for Harlequin.
It is also an e-book. Gail Gaymer Martin
Heart & Craft See the website of Australian romance author,
Valerie Parv, especially her Writing Tips page. As well as her up to date information there,
this book by her contains articles by at least eleven Australasian,
multi-published romance authors.
Plot and Structure (Writers' Digest) The author, James Scott Bell is multi-published in the general as well as Christian market. I am looking forward very much to him being one of
the keynote speakers at the Romance Writers of Australia’s annual conference
next August.
A Novel Idea is fantastic for any Christian fiction writer. Published by Tyndale with articles by many best-selling romance writers like Francine Rivers, Robin Lee Hatcher, Karen Kingsbury, Kim Vogel Sawyer, Jerry B. Jenkins.
So, as well as from these professionals, you’ve read various series like Harlequin’s
Love Inspired Lines and books by your favourite single title authors from
various publishers - hopefully including of course some Australian authors like
Andrea Grigg, Rose Dee. Perhaps some of my own books also?
Have you now re-read your favourite books
as a writer?
Have you tried to discover just how the writer made you want to
keep reading?
You believe you have an
idea that would make a good Christian romance novel. You’ve decided on what you
thing is a good plot, chosen your hero, heroine and perhaps some minor
characters. Better still, I hope you are now a little more aware of at least
some of the expectations of avid sweet and inspirational romance readers.
However, be warned. You need more than just an idea. You
need a really GREAT Idea. The most important thing I can share with you is that
you must have a really powerful, emotional story.
I have read many books over the years that perhaps could have been written
better. Better point of view, less typos and other technical problems that I
wished had been edited. However, there are novels that contain some of these
problems but have such a riveting, fascinating story I could not put the book
down until that last page. And be warned, becoming a writer does make you
notice these problems more than most readers and may jar you out of the story
even more.
Always remember, no matter the genre, “The Story” is the most important
thing of any novel. It should be so powerful it gives many pleasant and
sometimes very challenging “emotional experiences” from that first page to “The
End".
Mary Hawkins is currently revising her latest Christian romance manuscript, Her Outback Cowboy, and still trying to put into practice what she has been learning about romance writing for nearly thirty years. Last December she celebrated twenty years since her first book, Search For Tomorrow, of 19 titles was published in 1993 by Barbour. She is excited it is again available as an e-book through Barbour’s Truly Yours Digital Editions.
Website and blog: http://www.mary-hawkins.com
Currently all her back list Heartsong Presents Kindle editions are on sale. Not sure when they will revert back to full price. (Unfortunately so far only Justice at Baragula, Book Three in her Baragula series, is available as an e-book )
