Review of 12-Point Guide to Writing Romance
Kate Walker’s Helpful Book for Romantic Fiction Writers
Sep 9, 2008
Kate Walker, classed as an expert in her chosen field of romance writing, regularly gives speeches to writing groups, and has written many, many books for Mills and Boon. According to Amazon, Kate has sold over 15 million romance novels in over 50 countries. No-one, therefore, can doubt the vastness of her knowledge and experience when writing category romance novels, or when writing about how to create this kind of fiction in 12-Point Guide to Writing Romance (Studymates Ltd 2008, ISBN 978-1842851319).
The author’s evident teaching experience at various workshops shines through in her sensible approach to writing romance fiction, particularly category romance, and in her clear style of encouraging writing, which would appeal to anyone from the young creative writer through to the older and far more experienced writers with a few publications already under their belts.
Concepts Covered for the Romance Writer
Key points to create a sizzling romance novel are covered in this book and, as the title suggests, are split up into twelve comprehensive sections. Their range is wide, covering everything from finding the writer’s own voice, to plot, dialogue and character in the novel.
But many general “how to” guides cover this, you may be thinking. Kate Walker takes this further, explaining the necessary reasons for conflict and darker moments, even in a romance novel, and how it can be created. And, in contrast to this, a section has been included relating to the ways in which a believable happy ending can be dealt with – a must for just about all romantic fiction, particularly category romance.
One of the most important concepts for an aspiring romance writer to understand, too, is the difference between sensuality and passion. Kate Walker works through the differences between the two and explains how to use them both for full effect.
Added Extras to Create a Fantastic Writing Guide
Coverage of the necessary concepts is exactly what the reader of this book would want, but this guide has more than just a discussion of the factors needed to create that perfect romance. It is the little extras which can make a book special, and they are here in abundance.
Questions and exercises are included for all sections, to aid the aspiring writer (or even the more adept ones) in thinking about their own work more deeply and encouraging improvement in the content and in the writer’s own technical skills.
One of the main alterations between the original book and this new, revamped version is the inclusion of a large section on other authors’ tips of the trade, written by those in the romance category business. Read them and see what works for you. The more differing ideas you read, the more choice there is when it comes to trying out the options.
Another very useful feature of the book, as with many good reference books, is the list at the rear of the book of useful addresses for further research and development. All writers could do with a helping hand and this handy information means that some of the leg work has been done for you. In fact, the only thing this book cannot do is write your romance for you!
Kate Walker has successfully produced a guide for writers which contains less of the technical jargon, which usually succeeds in bamboozling an aspiring writer, and much more of the practical advice, encouragement and useful exercises that every writer of romance needs to be able to produce saleable romantic fiction. With this book, you are guaranteed to tap in on the expertise of a writer whose first edition of the book has helped other authors to achieve success. And if it has already worked for others, who knows what success it might bring you!
Reference: Kate Walker, 12-Point Guide to Writing Romance, Studymates Ltd 2008.
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