While writing romance novels writers add the romantic touch that is very essential for any romantic relationship. This romantic feeling touches the heart of the reader that is why romantic novels are so popular among all age groups.  The writers try to express their individual ideas and thoughts while writing the romance novels. The novels are based on day to day incidents with which the readers can connect.

The characterization is beautiful, yet very realistic. The plots are dramatic and eventful which keeps the readers connected through out the novel. Writing romance novels can be very complicated if you are new to this field. Before staring your work on it you should first conduct some background research.

Try to read the novels written by other writer of this genre. Learn from their work and take different ideas. There are many types of romantic novels, some are based on suspense and thrill, some have supernatural elements, and some are completely fictions while others contain exotic elements and characters.

Before you begin your work plot out the major characters, scenes and dialogues that your novel would contain. Give your readers a variety of emotions.  In order to make your novel a hit, you must add essential elements like love, romance, jealousy, revenge, intrigue, sorrow, action and plotting in your novel.

Generally almost all novels have a happy ending, but how your novel ends totally depends on you. You can either include a happy ending or you can even end your novel on a sad note. It is completely up to the writer how he or she wants his or her novel to be. It is often said that variety is the spice of life; no one likes to read the same boring stuff written by different writers again and again. Try to experiment with new aspects, make up new plots and characters that were unimagined by any one before.

Depict the relations of your major characters in a realistic manner. In today’s world people easily connect with thing that are closer to the real aspect. Try to feel the magic in order to bring the best out of yourself. So, before writing a romance novel keep all these interesting facts in your mind.

Romantic novels have many sub-genres like regency romance, romance suspense, thriller, vampire romance, pirate romance, mystery, exotica and supernatural romance. Each of these sub-genres has their own standing in the romance market. For every romance novel the settings, the plot and the characters need to be different.

By reading these love novels we get to know about the special relationship that lovers share. The sweet aroma of love that binds them together and even brightens their emotional intimacy. There is love, romance, jealousy, intrigue, suspense, action, thrill, adventure and mystery in these romance novels.

By reading these books one can get the idea of different story lines, characters and scenes. As a lot of women read these books, the writers try to give them a detail of all the things that they are interested in like the home décor and the dressing styles. The love situations that are portrayed in romance novels can even be used in your relationship.

You get to know a lot about love and romance through these novels which help you to recreate special moments with your real life lover. A normal romance novel generally has a female and male, who love each other madly. There are many conflicts and emotional tensions that may occur between them, but in the end they overcome all the obstacles and are together for ever after.

Romance novels are described for their happy ending because the writer has to cater to a large variety of audience. Most of the reader of romance novels love happy ending, where the female and male protagonist end up together. Various strong emotions like love, relationship, suspense, sorrow, happiness, anger are added to these novels in order to bind the reader until they finish the novel.

If you are also interested in reading romance novels, then getting them is not at all difficult. These days you have a lot of online stores operating on the net which would provide you whichever novel you like at reasonable rates.  There are many books which are all time favorites among readers, for getting such books you should research through the various categories and choose the one which you like the most.

So, now let me discuss some things with you that you need to consider while writing a romance novel.

1. Choose your sub-genre
Before you get down to really writing the romance novel, you should first choose the sub-genre. You can choose from romance suspense, thriller, supernatural, exotica, regency, and mystery or vampire romance. But for each particular novel the plot, characters and the tone of the novels should be completely different.

2. Do some background research
If you have never read a romance novel, then before writing one, you should first do a little background research on this subject. Try to read novels of different sub-genres; this would really help you in writing the particular novel that is on your mind.

3. Figure out the plot
The plot is the most important thing in a novel. Unless and until your plot is original and interesting, no one would buy your novels. You can take idea from other romance novels, but never try to copy the work of other well known writers, because you will get caught.

4. Use original material
One very important thing you need to remember is that 90% of romance novel readers are women. For this reason nearly all romance novels are told from the perspective of a female heroine. Give details in which females would be interested in like the clothing styles and home decor.

5. Portray strong characters
Your characters should really be strong. The central character in most of the romance novels is a woman. After you have thought about the central characters, give then a unique name and personality. You should also describe about their physical features.

6. Include love scenes and conflict
Most of the romance novels have well developed love scenes and conflicts. Make sure the love scenes fit into the story, that they happen at the right time and that the characters act consistently. The emotional conflict is a strong part of the appeal of many romances. Try to create strong emotional tension that drives your lovers apart.

7. Give a happy ending to your novel
Romance novels can be best described for their happy endings. The main characters usually end up together, no matter what the obstacles had been, they are all overcome in the end.

These are some simple yet effective ways by following which you can easily write a romance novel.

Love brings joy and a special feeling to your heart. It is a very beautiful experience from which no one can stay away. The mesmerizing aroma of love enriches the arousing closeness of the lovers and makes them feel that they are experiencing the most amazing thing in this world.

The effect of love has not stayed away from the books. Many writers have tried their hands at writing romance novels since ages. We have come across books which were written during the Victorian era but they still are popular among the present generation. One can get the actual feeling and emotion that love depicts by reading these romance novels. There are various genres and sub-genres in romance category like suspense, supernatural, thriller, paranormal and regency romances.

A person can choose the category according to their own wish and likings. With the help of romance novels you can even try to improve your relationship with your lover.  Try to Learn about your mistakes through the mistakes of the characters in the romance novels. A normal romance novel always has a courageous hero and a stunning heroine who loves each other madly, the ending of these books is also very satisfactory or happy so that it can interest the readers.

These love stories depict scenes of hatred, jealousy, intrigue, love and war. These emotions are added by the writers in order to keep the readers captivated till the end. The romance novels enjoy huge fan following through out the world because they are written in huge varieties and genres.

As compared to the novels written on other subjects romance novels enjoy a much greater position. If you like reading romance novels then you need not worry there are thousands and thousands of romantic novels available in the world today. You can either go to a book store or order the books from the internet. On the net you can easily get the information about the latest romance novels. These romance novels are not at all expensive but if you can not afford them then you can borrow it from a friend or even hire them.

So, take a plunge into the world of romance novels in order to enjoy a whole new experience.

One of the main things that every reader should keep in mind while writing a romance novel is that the ending of the romance novel should be emotionally satisfying for the readers. The various genres and sub- genres of romance novels are stated below:

1. Historical Romance
Historical novels are those novels which were written before the world war period before 1945, the sub genre of this category includes Regency Romance.

2. Contemporary Romance
The contemporary romance novels include humorous romances and suspense romantic novel. Contemporary novels were set before the year 1945. They focus mainly on romantic relationships.

3. Category Romances
Category romances are shorter than the typical contemporary romance. Like other types of romances, they can be dramatic, humorous, sexy, or mysterious. Category romances are mainly published by a Harlequin and Silhouette.

4. Fantasy Romance
Fantasy Romance, also known as Romantic Fantasy, is a subgenre of fantasy fiction, describing a fantasy story using many of the elements and conventions of the romance genre. The tone of these novels can range from dark and gloomy to whimsical, even fluffy.

5. Erotic Romance
Erotic romance, usually called romantica, is a blend of romance and erotica. Erotic romance novels are characterized by strong sexual content, but can contain elements of any of the other romance subgenres as well. These novels also usually include more sex scenes, often emphasizing more on the sex act rather than being a more traditional love scene, and may include more unusual positions or acts.

6. Paranormal romance
Paranormal romances are most unusual. They blend the real with the fantastic or science fictional. The fantastic elements may be woven into an alternate version of our own world in an urban fantasy involving vampires, demons, and werewolves.

7. Time travel romances
Like futuristic, fantasy, and paranormal romances, time travel romances take place one step beyond the “real” world. Unlike those other stories, however, time travel romances are more likely to be popular with the typical romance reader.

These are the various genres and sub genre of romantic novels which the new writer can use in order to write their own romance novels.

The Mills & Boon Company is one hundred years old. Mills and Boon epitomizes the genre of romance novels. The novels are specifically written for the lady readers by lady novelists, who understand the dilemma of women in love much better than their male counterparts.

Content
Mills & Boon romance novels deal with love in contemporary times. The writers are from different parts of the world and so in their writings, the flavor of the local life and customs are found. Different categories of Mills & Boon novels make an engrossing read while catering to readers with particular preferences.

Modern Romance and Romance deal with men and women finding love in this jet set age. However the Modern Romance category sees more intimacy between the couple. Historical Romance, as the name suggests, are written in the backdrop of historical events and historical characters.

Series

1. Modern
Focus on being glamorous and ’sophisticated’ passionate romance. Titles feature intense relationships, often very sexual, often reflecting shared feelings, desires and dreams within the couple.

2. Romance
These are warm and emotional novels that focus on capturing the feeling of falling in love.

3. Blaze
They are very sexual novels which feature couples in contemporary romantic relationships as they embark on sexual adventures and fantasy journeys.

4. Medical
Contemporary romances set against the background of the medical profession.

5. Historical
Romance set in a specific historical time and place.

6. Desire
Daring provocative and sensual love stories, also known as “Desire 2 in 1″.

7. Super romance
Realistic, passionate, contemporary novels those are longer and more involved.

8. Intrigue
Romance suspense at its best: Danger, deception and desire.

Appeal

The books are relatively short, often around fifty thousand words and the plots are formulaic within each series and every series ends in the same fashion. Regardless of the characters’ situations throughout the story, the final denouement will always produce a satisfying conclusion. They are also often bought on a subscription basis in a similar way to magazines.

Criticisms
There are, unfortunately, other factors about the Mills and Boon series which have set the critics in motion. Feminist critics have condemned them as male dominated, failing the cause for the emancipated woman. The company has been criticized for repeating plots, the inevitability of their happy endings, and a simple writing style. Some critics have claimed that the genre promotes misogyny and the sexual submission of women to men.

Despite all the critics, the Mills and boon novels continue to grow in popularity and diversity. These novels had delighted, and continue to delight innumerable readers worldwide.

Living happily ever after

‘Happily ever after’ ending is just one element of romantic fiction and almost every fairy tale concludes with these words. These words tend to give the reader the security that every story in these romance novels will always have a happy ending. There has been much controversy in the romance fiction world in the last few years about one specific romantic convention, the ‘Happily Ever After’ ending, that is been used to separate ‘romance fiction’ from ‘women’s fiction’.

Romance Subjects

There is a lot of controversy on one subject in romance novels. That subject is whether a ‘happily ever after’ ending defines the romance genre, or does it limit it.  This is very controversial subject and will keep haunting the next generations also. Basically it is said that these three worlds are mainly used to separates a romance novel from other fiction with a love story in it.

There are “Two basic elements comprise every romance novel: a central love story and an emotionally-satisfying and optimistic ending.” Many Romance authors tend to believe although the ‘happy ending’ is a vital component; a romance novel must also include other elements to be publishable.

Important Elements of Romance Fiction

1. Conflict

Without some central conflict that divides the lovers, there is no story. The conflict should rely on issues between the lovers that divide them, and not external forces only to keep them apart for much of the book.

2. Growth

It is very necessary for the characters to grow with the story. Characters that do not grow throughout the novel are unsatisfying to the reader.

3. Resolution

Problems between the two at the heart of the novel need to be resolved for readers to believe in that Happily Ever After, but the reader won’t be satisfied if he or she doesn’t believe that the resolution to the lovers’ central conflict is permanent and deep.

4. Ending

It is not always but readers do like a happy ending. So, a romance writer should try to incorporate a conclusion in which everything is well in the ending.

Arguments

Critics point to the requirement for a happy ending in romance as formulaic, but beyond that, the definition of ‘formula’ is arguable; some publishers have strict requirements as to length, amount of sensuality, etc., but others leave it very much to the discretion of the writer. As long as people bring differing views and expectations to the genre, the argument will continue.

Diversity

The romance genre is welcoming stories that include couples of the same gender, different cultures, and even, in the case of paranormal and science fiction romance, different species.

Leaving the arguments about genre definitions, readers and writers of romance fiction agree on one thing and that is no matter whom the lovers are, ultimately it is that satisfying ending that brings readers back to the romance genre time after time.

Scholars have alleged that romance novels help create subservient readers, who are largely women, by confining heroines to stories that ignore issues other than love and marriage.

Brief History
In the starting of English Renaissance, women’s fictions were mainly written by men and were guided by masculine notions of relevant feminine subject matter. In effect, patriarchal ideals were reinforced through literature, even promoted in areas considered the female sphere at a time when female literacy was on the rise.

One of the earliest romance novels was Samuel Richardson’s popular 1740 novel Pamela, or Virtue Rewarded, which was revolutionary on two counts: it focused almost entirely on courtship and did so entirely from the perspective of a female protagonist. In the next century, Jane Austen expanded the genre, and her Pride and Prejudice is often considered the epitome of the genre. Austen inspired Georgette Heyer, who introduced historical romances in 1921.

The popularity of the Renaissance romance is attributed to the new wider audience, which included literate women of the middle class. The commercial success of Renaissance romances was attributed to the emergence of more female readers. Many Elizabethan and Jacobean romance authors credited their popularity to “gentlewomen” readers who were women of middle rank in society, for their commercial success.

Subject of Romance Novels
The main plot of a romance novel usually revolves around two people as they develop romantic love for each other and work to build a relationship together. Both the conflict and the climax of the novel are directly related to that core theme of developing a romantic relationship, although the novel contains subplots that do not specifically relate to the main characters’ romantic love. Furthermore, a romance novel has an “emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending.”

As long as a romance novel meets those two criteria, it can be set in any time period and in any location. There are no specific restrictions on what can or cannot be included in a romance novel. Even controversial subjects are addressed in romance novels, including topics such as date rape, domestic violence, addiction, and disability.

Romance novels are sometimes referred to as “smut” or female pornography. While some romance novels do contain more erotic acts, in other romance novels the characters do no more than kiss chastely. The romance genre runs the spectrum between these two extremes. Because the vast majority of the romance novel audiences are women, most romance novels are told from a woman’s viewpoint, in either first or third person.

King Arthur, Alexander the Great, Charlemagne. These three Kings and the knights who served them were popular in the middle ages. Their stories were told by troubadours, traveling minstrels who either copied the stories from others, or made up their own. The Romance tradition was all about the adventures of the characters as they encountered fantastical beings like dragons or similar beasts.

The Hero

Many medieval romances recount the marvelous adventures of a chivalrous, heroic knight, often of super-human ability, who, abiding chivalry’s strict codes of respect and conduct, goes on a quest, and fights and defeats monsters and giants, thereby winning the favor with a lady. The story of the medieval romance focuses not upon love and sentiment, but upon adventure.

The first romances heavily drew on the legends and fairy tales to supply their characters with marvelous powers. Romancers wrote many of their stories in three, thematic cycles:

1. The Arthurian (the lives and deeds of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table).
2. The Carolingian (the lives and deeds of Charlemagne, and Roland, his principal paladin.
3. The Alexandrian (the life and deeds of Alexander the Great).

In this oppressive time, a new kind of Romance emerged, one that not only removed the fantastical elements of the Medieval Romance, but used a character similar to the troubadour to expose the oppressive church and other social ills. That formula that the Jester was the one at court who was allowed to speak the most freely, because he was allowed to mock the King holds true for this new kind of Literature, known as the Picaresque.

Named for the Picaro, (Spanish for Rogue), the Picaresque’s main characters were men who lived by their wits in a world surrounded by hypocrites, especially among the ruling class. They would often portray Kings, nobility and even the clergy in a negative light, in order to expose the real life hypocrisy of “Spain’s Golden Age” and the simultaneous Inquisition.

The romances of medieval days featured high-born Kings, knights and squires as the courageous heroes for all, and now the common man was the hero of the common people. Such boldness has echoed through the centuries to where the common people and the common man are idolized and all are free to scorn leaders, the powerful and the clergy.

So, let us now let you about some myths and facts associated with romance fiction.

1. Romance readers love scandals
While it is very much true that many romance novels have clear descriptions of love scenes, many novels don’t. Romance fiction comes in many different varieties, from the ‘celestial blue’, chaste representations of spiritual love in inspiration romance fiction, to the gritty indigo of erotica, with every shade in between.

Readers who do read novels with explicit love scenes do not  just buy them for that reason; however, sexual contact is as much a part of real life as working and conversing, so it is represented within the pages of a romance novel.

2. Romance readers are read by only frustrated  lady spinsters
Most female romance readers are married, the most recent readership survey on the RWA (Romance Writers of America) website indicates that 50% are married, 8% widowed, 4% divorced and 1% separated. Also, 75% are under the age of 54. And 22% of romance readers are men. This is not to imply that male readership is necessary to garner respect for any genre, it is just another fact that goes against the stereotype.

3. Romance readers are brainless
A very famous myth goes against the romance fictions readers that, a large number of these readers are stupid and the lack creative imagination. But this is not at all true because 23% of readers responding to the RWA survey reported having ‘only’ a high school diploma, while 42% have a bachelor’s degree or higher.

4. Romance readers need a life of their own
Romance readers have lives of their own, which is why they read romance novels. The average woman’s life is full of problems; she often has a job outside the home, and has to juggle that against responsibilities to her children, spouse, parents, in-laws and friends, and has to fit in time for cooking, cleaning, and keeping herself in some kind of adequate repair.

Those who do not have a job outside of the home manage additional responsibilities, such as caring for other people’s children, caring for elder parents and volunteer positions. Romance novels allow the reader an ‘escape’, but it is not an escape from an empty life, rather it is a break from a life too full, and devastating, at times. Reading romance fiction relieves many women and men from stress and other related problems.

These are some common myths and facts related with romance fiction novels.