Writing a Romance

by Phil Houseal as published in the Kerrville TX Community Journal
Jan 7, 2009

Did you ever yearn to write your own romance novel? Students in a recent Club Ed class learned what it really takes to top the bestseller list from successful novelist Mara Fox.

The Harlequin Romance writer lives in Fredericksburg, and spent a few sessions unveiling the secrets behind her first novel I Shocked The Sheriff.

Unlike the faces of many romance heroines, Fox's basic message was unvarnished and stark.

"If you are writing for yourself, self publishing is fairly easy and inexpensive, and you can have a stack of beautiful books for family and friends," Fox said. "But if you want your book in bookshops, you have to do what the publisher wants."

In other words, you have to compromise the "book of your heart" so it "their book."

Fox has had students disagree strongly with that advice, but she points out that her message has nothing to do with the quality of the writing. It is all about creating a saleable product, and to achieve that you must follow certain guidelines.

"The publishers have to be as happy with your product as you are," she said.

At the same time, Fox counsels that authors stand up for their beliefs when dealing with the book market. In her first novel, her heroine was a recovering alcoholic. The editor questioned having that character trait in the main character, but Fox convinced her that the entire book was based on it. There were other details she ended up changing, but she held firm on what became the key to the novel.

Over the years at Club Ed we have noticed a passionate interest in writing among students. Fox believes that is because writing is "closer to thought" than music or art.

"Writing is so personal," she said. "Everything I write involve issues I am dealing with. I think writers are the most vulnerable people in the world, because they want people to know them but don't know how to let people know them."

As a result, she believes the most successful authors are those unafraid to reveal the truth about themselves.

"A great author's book is so gripping because she puts so much of herself in it," she said. "That what makes it fabulous, but it also makes it so risky for the writer."

I have heard the quote that writing is easy - you just sit down and open a vein. Fox would agree.

"Writing," said Fox, "is one of most personal things we do as human beings."


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Club Ed is offering a series of courses on How to Write, Market, and Publish your book in Boerne and Fredericksburg in April. Our Spring 2009 catalog is now online! Visit www.clubed.net to sign up, or call 830-895-4386. Catalogs will be mailed by January 1.

Club Ed is the Community Education program of the Kerrville Independent School District. Each year, we offer more than 400 classes throughout the Texas Hill Country, along with online courses, business and individual training, and after-school and summer camps. Comment online at clubedcomments.blogspot.com.