Hailed as a billion-dollar industry by Writer’s Digest, romance has fascinated publishers, writers, and readers throughout the decades, making it one of the safest project ‘choices’ for all authors. Always high on best-selling lists, not only because of hot trends and popular sub-genres but also because niche markets have sprouted with the coming of Amazon’s self-publishing platform, romance might seem easy to read, but it’s as hard to write successfully.
In this workshop, we discuss what makes a romance book climb up the ranks. We’ll learn to decode market trends, craft compelling romance beats and characters, and identify which tropes to include. We'll learn the plot points we should spend time with and the recipe for both a clean and spicy romance. Finally, we’ll look at the importance of a logline, a book summary, and a full press kit even before you start drafting.
Whether you are writing commercial, literary, or upmarket romance, understanding how romance works and the expectations the audience has are key - even if romance comes secondary to your main plot.
This workshop is open to writers of any level, blending theory and practice. Writers will come away with industry insights, a brainstorming and writing system they can use for future projects, and specific ideas they can polish for their own romance projects! Let’s crack romance together!
We’ll also be touching on sexual scenes, specifically how to write them and what’s expected of you to include, so please keep this in mind when purchasing a ticket for this workshop.
Your Workshop Leader
When she doesn’t edit genre fiction for a living or when she doesn't passionately argue about Greek representation in the Anglophone sphere, Sophia-Maria (she/her) scribbles literary fever dreams and technological horrors inspired by her heritage. Originally hailing from Athens but dropping anchor in Thessaloniki, her work haunts the halls of Apex, the Deadlands, Hexagon MYRIAD, Penumbric, Aurealis and other venues. Her poetry books, a bit goth and a bit cottagecore, linger in bookshops around the world. She has worked as an Editor-in-Chief at a leading online romance and adventure publishing house, and as a developmental and structural editor for both traditionally published and self-published authors. She’s a member of the ESFF group of writers and Codex. She often waxes poetic about Shakespeare, cats, anime, and powerlifting. Find her online on Bluesky @sophiamweaves.bsky.social and on Instagram @lostlenore_
About the event:
Running time: 105 minutes including breaks
Tickets: £16.50/£14.50 (plus 50p booking fee)
The workshop will be take place in Zoom meetings. You will receive the Zoom link 48 hours before the event. Workshops are not recorded.
Please note there is no physical space provided at the festival venue to participate in this workshop. Workshops are not included In a weekend pass.