There comes a moment in every unpublished novelist's life when she wonders, is
it time? Time to change her name to Valerie Lafayette, take to bed with a
box of chocs, a dreamy smile and a big pink notebook and begin her career as
a romantic novelist for Mills & Boon.
And why should she be ashamed to admit this? Perhaps because Harlequin Mills &
Boon, which celebrates its century this month, is considered by most to be
pretty much the lowest form of novelising.
But this is the publisher that launched P.G.Wodehouse and Jack London. An M&B
is bought in the UK every few seconds and its books are devoured by millions
of women the world over. Plus, it allows readers to stipulate the kind of
stories they want and supplies tailor-made multipacks of books to their
homes - usually four a month. How democratic can you get?
The readers and writers of romance are, of course, women. And herein lies the
politics. Critics argue that supplying conventional love stories to
non-literary readers is not the best way to empower them. That the writers
of such titles as The Playboy's Plain Jane are reinforcing an outmoded
version of femininity and oppressing their sisters. Others just think the
writing's bad. But they probably haven't read one recently.
Kim Young and Tessa Shapcott, senior editors of Mills & Boon's Romance
series, are visibly riled by these “patronising” views. When I meet these
two warm, friendly (and decidedly romantic-looking, with their tumbling
tresses, pink jackets and flowing skirts) ladies at their HQ in Richmond,
they present a united front against those who seek to tell their readers
what not to read.
“It's like the Gothic romance boom of the 18th century,” says Tessa, “with
everyone getting in a twist about what women should be reading. We have a
unique understanding of how women operate emotionally. Our writers tap into
thoughts you don't admit to having. And the fact is, you can think like
that. You can! And you won't die!”
She also points out that their millions of readers are not stupid. They are
simply women who want to escape to somewhere lovely. “Escapism is absolutely
key. You can take risks, too - writing about child loss or illness, for
example. But there's always a happy ending.”
If you've never read a Mills & Boon, you may not know that they do no read
like Roy Lichtenstein cartoon bubbles. Nor are their heroines weak,
humourless Barbie dolls. The Millionaire Tycoon's English Rose, for example,
stars a blind woman who runs her own PR company and has many a witty
observation to make about attitudes to disability in the workplace and the
bedroom.
So I was emboldened to have a go. Choosing the right genre is crucial if I am
actually to enjoy writing it (as I must if I expect anyone to enjoy reading
it). “Medical” was a no-no (how can anyone find hospitals alluring? I'm
loath to touch so much as a doorknob in those places these days, let alone a
man). “Blaze” - the explicitly sexy series - was out, too. To sit at my desk
thinking up new euphemisms for erections is not my idea of a relaxing
afternoon. “Modern” takes us into a world of A-list glamour, and I'm not
sure I have the credentials. Historical was tempting, but in the end I
decided to go for good old-fashioned “Romance”. The real deal. Books in this
series concentrate on the interior obstacles to love, rather than exterior
ones. They are about feeling emotions, not each other.
But there are rules I must adhere to if my story is to make the grade. The
hero, for example, can have a few endearing imperfections, but could not
have a murder conviction or occasionally use cocaine. “Yes, he has to be
perfect,” says Kim. “The one you deserve. Immediately you see him you fall
in love with him.”
Ah, him.
With trepidation, I present my opening chapter and synopsis to my prospective
editors. My story, The Oligarch, His Wife, Their Yacht and His Lover, is
about Lucy, a twentysomething from a country village who goes out to stay
with her retired parents on an idyllic Greek island. The previous summer she
had had a wonderful romance, with a local lad, Costas, but the affair had
ended badly after he disgraced himself with a local good-time girl, claiming
temporary insanity caused by a batch of dodgy ouzo. But morally robust Lucy
refuses to take him back. Swearing off romance for the summer, Chapter 1
opens with her staring out to sea from her bal-
cony, vowing to let no man turn her head as long as she is on the island ...
“At that moment, several miles out to sea, Nikolai Alexievich swept his
thick black hair out of his icy blue eyes, leant on the polished oak rail of
his massive yacht and trained his binoculars the balcony of a little pink
house on the shore. ‘Darling,” he called to his wife in Russian, “we're
going ashore - there's a little property I want to add to my portfolio ...'”
My instructors liked my scene setting (I'd furnished the balcony with some
nice geraniums in terracotta pots, and Nikolai's binoculars with a crystal
monogram). But I'd made two schoolgirl errors: my characterisation of
Nikolai as a philanderer and unscrupulous businessman (he goes on to ruin
the island with a new super-yacht marina for his coarse billionaire mates)
is, well, a bit racist. Point taken. And I certainly can't have “something
stirring under the crisp white linen of his monogrammed robe” when he sees
Lucy in her bikini. “But I meant his heart!” I half-heartedly profess,
before being reminded that in the Romance series, sex takes place strictly
behind closed doors.
Finally, Tessa told me a thing or two about female character development:
“She's on a journey - there might be moments when you think ‘No! What are
you doing!' But ultimately she's going to do good. And show, don't tell. We
don't want long passages of introspection.”
Heading home from my day at Romance HQ, I feel cheered by democratic literary
sisterhood that Mills & Boon espouses. And, making up love stories is
fun. And after three or four years, they tell me, you can expect to earn a
nice living from it. With their policy of encouraging promising authors to
branch out into mainstream publishing, I'm wondering: could this be a whole
new way forward for me as a writer?
Will I, as they suggested I should, write some more of my story and send it
back to them? Watch this space ...
Tips for aspiring romance writers:
Many Mills & Boon books have an aspirational, international location. So
have fun choosing a location, but don't get bogged down in local politics.
And don't drown the reader in facts - you're not writing a travelogue.
Base your story on universal emotional truths. Not just love and death, but
renewal, justice, truth, strength, contentment, passion and tenderness.
Tie in these truths with the desires that are common to most women:
unconditional love, safety, affluence and success.
Make your characters resonant and believable as well as aspirational. Have
them communicate with plentiful dialogue, and motivate their actions
soundly.
Be very careful to conform to the sexual mores of your chosen series - nipples
at dawn are not right for Romance but for Blaze, they're a prerequisite.
Who is driving your story? Make sure the conflict always comes from the main
characters and their emotions - not from the supporting cast.
But remember: conflict isn't a continual argument between the hero and
heroine!
Layer the drama with highs and lows, advance and retreat.
There should be more internal than external drama between the hero and heroine
- devices such as unexpected pregnancies (“secret babies” in M&B
speak) are good. They're a way of creating sustainable conflict that is
emotional for the couple yet easy for readers to relate to.
To develop your heroine convincingly, feed her backstory through the action of
the book, avoiding “chunking” - shoving in lengthy chunks of interior
monologue.
Last, but not least... have fun!
I've been reading M&B since I was 12. Love (romance) is a universal language. That's why M&B is so popular worldwide. Every woman can relate regardless of the race. You may call it escapism but it is for entertainment. And readers are not dumb. I'm now a professional nurse and happily married.
Jane, Cebu, Philippines
I've been reading M&B for years, and one day I want to write for M&B. All i can say is that M&B allows a reader to escape into a world where love can fight against the troubles of the world, that in the end will lead to a happy-ending which unfortunatel is becoming an alien belief!
C Franklin, Cheshire,
To Dave Troman (above),
M&B have at least one male author that I am aware of aka Gill Sanderson who writes for the medical romance series. Have a go and Good Luck!
Karen, Staffs, UK
Hi there I really enjoyed reading this article except for one thing. I am a fifty year old male and I absolutely adore Mills and Boon romance novels. I also enjoy attempting to write romance stories on the writing site where I post my prose and poetry (www.writersdock.org)
Escapism is a very necessary part of surviving life and to those who would deride the readers of romance novels I can only say - that is your choice. You read what you want to and I'll read what I want to, as long as no-one is forcing anyone else to do what they don't want I see no problem.
My only mionor issue is that as a blokemy understanding is that M&B wou;d not publish me even if my writing was good enough, but heyho I enjoy the writing anyway.
Dave Troman, Nottingham, UK
It really annoys me that romantic fiction is so derided. The best romantic novels compare with the best novels of any genre. I have read some excellent Mills & Boon novels. So often people are totally dismissive of romantic fiction without either reading it or being open-minded enough to understand that there is a sizeable market for escapist novels in which the reader can emotionally identify with the hero/heroine. What is wrong with enjoying a love story?
Kay, Huddersfield, UK