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Course Description
Writing a romance novel is the dream of many people all over the world. It's no wonder: as the most popular fiction genre in the United States for the past three decades, there are more opportunities in romantic fiction than ever before.
What's unique about the romance genre is that it is a very specialized industry. There are standards for plot, characterization, novel length, and even formatting that are required before most literary agents or publishers will even consider turning your manuscript into a published novel. Most readers know exactly what they expect from a romance novel, and you have to meet these expectations in order to succeed.
This course will take you through everything you need to know to write the kind of romance novel that gets noticed. From creating a hero and heroine that sizzle to understanding point-of-view and knowing where to go for more resources, you'll get access to insider information on making the most out of your manuscript.
Learning Outcomes
By successfully completing this course, students will be able to:
Describe the romance industry.
Define the genres in romance writing.
Summarize the processes for transforming ideas in your head into words on paper.
Define style and quality expected in the romance genre.
Define a realistic setting for the romance genre.
Define the hero in the romance story.
Define the heroine in the romance story.
Describe the secondary characters in the story.
Define specific techniques for developing plot in the romance genre.
Define the conflict of the romance story.
Define ways to create convincing love and sex scenes.
Prepare your work for submission, and
Demonstrate mastery of lesson content at levels of 70% or higher.
Course Lessons
Lesson 1: Welcome to Romance Writing
This lesson focuses on the romance industry and getting started in it.
Lesson 2: Genres in Romance
This lesson focuses on romance genres, including how they overlap and the requirements for each.
Lesson 3: Getting Started
This lesson focuses on getting started transforming the ideas in your head to words on the page.
Lesson 4: Romance Writing: Style
In this lesson you will learn what the expectations for style and quality are in romance novels.
Lesson 5: Romance Writing: Setting
In this lesson, you will learn what to do to develop a realistic setting.
Lesson 6: Romance Writing: The Hero
In this lesson, you will learn what to do to develop the best hero for your novel.
Lesson 7: Romance Writing: The Heroine
In this lesson, you will learn what to do to develop the best heroine for your novel.
Lesson 8: Romance Writing: Additional Characters
In this lesson, you will learn what is expected of secondary and additional characters in a romance.
Lesson 9: Romance Writing: Plot
In this lesson, you will learn about romance plot development.
Lesson 10: Romance Writing: Conflict
In this lesson, you will learn about creating effective and convincing conflict.
Lesson 11: Sex and Love Scenes
In this lesson, you will learn about writing convincing sex scenes.
Lesson 12: Preparing for Submission
In this lesson, you will learn about getting your manuscript ready for submission to agents and publishers.
Lesson 13: Additional Resources
In this lesson, you will learn where to go for more information on writing and publishing romance novels?
This is a non-credit course, and is provided for your personal enrichment.
This course is not intended to be a substitute for any state, government, licensing, certification or educational requirements.
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($65.00) From character and plot-conflict development to infusing a unique style and specialized writing techniques, the steps to writing a novel--while not utterly impossible--do require a dedicated, disciplined approach. more
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