Romance Novel Editing and Proofreading

WordsRU - Romance Novel Editing

"You can't lose if you give them handsome highwaymen, duels, 3-foot fountains and whacking great horses and dogs all over the place."
—Barbara Cartland, record-holding, prolific British romance novelist (9 July 1901-21 May 2000)

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Famously known as the "Queen of the Romance Novel," Barbara Cartland was named a Dame of the British Empire in 1992. She published her first novel in 1923 (Jig-Saw) and never looked back. From the 1970s through the 1990s, she set world records by writing around two dozen novels a year. She did not pretend to be a great writer and although reviewers generally ignored her work, Cartland was immensely popular. She published more than 700 books in her lifetime, including five autobiographies and several books on cooking and health.

Her novels were heartwarming, intensely romantic — and predictable. Sex was unwelcome in a Barbara Cartland novel. Her preference was for tales of feminine virtue (swathed in her preferred pink chiffon), combined with manly ideals. Barbara Cartland was famous for her disciplined approach to writing, producing 6000 to 7000 words of dictation to her secretary in an afternoon, and completing a novel in seven afternoons.

How WordsRU Will Help You With Your Romance Novel

The professional editors and proofreaders at WordsRU understand that the sub-genre represented by Barbara Cartland’s body of work is but  one element in a huge market for the romance novel – within that genre there are many sub-genres including contemporary romance, historical romance, ‘category’ romance (Mills and Boon in the UK, and its Harlequin and Silhouette associate in North America — who generally provide their authors with story guidelines), Regency romance, Gothic romance (or romantic suspense), and of course the cybersexual frisson that comes with paranormal / science fiction / fantasy romance.  There is also the question of sex; in a historical romance  if there is any it will be discreet; in a Regency romance there is none —it is replaced with love while in most of the other sub-genres, it can be quite explicit.

Irrespective of the type of romance novel you are writing, the experienced professional editors and proofreaders at WordsRU understand that authors are looking for a combination of editorial services; an editor who can improve the quality of their writing; someone who will enhance their writing style, but not change it or alter the narrative. Whether you are attempting your first novel or you already make a living as a professional writer, WordsRU ensures correct and appropriate English usage, and in checking your work for trouble spots leaves you free to concentrate on giving voice to your creative skills.  

Our online editorial service will thoroughly check your manuscript for grammar as well as correcting punctuation, tense, spelling and typographical errors. We help wherever it is required — sentences will be strengthened or reworked as may be beneficial in heightening the impact, flow and readability of your narrative. In addition to academic editing and esl editing, our fiction and non-fiction editors and proofreaders edit all genres, including autobiographies, biographies, e-books, short stories, poetry, children's books and even the cookbooks that Barbara Cartland loved to write!

Our experienced, professional editors and proofreaders will look at such things as word choice and sentences. We will help you with sentences, paragraphing and chapters, and make sure that the overall presentation of your manuscript is consistent and carries your story in a fluid and readable way, with appropriate layout and formatting ready for submission.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ROMANTIC NOVEL:

  • A romantic novel features a hero and heroine for whom there is:
    • Delayed happiness
    • A pilgrimage that leads to that happiness
    • Absolute longing for something that may or may not be there
    • A moral conundrum
  • The story entwines emotions and plot intricacies and challenges in such a way as to establish complete and uncompromising love.
  • There must be a clear turning point.
  • There must be a resolution.

Here are a few other tips from WordsRU’s experienced professional editors on writing fiction:

  • Use your own unique perspective on life as the basis for your writing
  • Prepare a story outline that includes all the characters and plot developments. Use it as a ‘map’ as you create your story. The map is not locked in concrete – it can be altered to reflect developments that occur once you are under way — but it will keep you on track
  • Develop your plot so that every action/scene builds and reinforces the tension/conflict and impact (and be flexible in moving sections around to achieve this).
  • Establish your characters with telling details that make them appear real — make them compelling and interesting.
  • Remember that a reader’s own imagination plays a large part in their understanding and enjoyment of what they are reading.
  • Be flexible – if you are on the wrong path, start again. What you have done is not wasted as you will carry forward what you have learnt to the next manuscript.
  • Make sure you keep control of your chosen voice (or voices) throughout the work and check for any unintentional slips or lapses. 
  • Dialogue should serve to advance the story otherwise it can become tedious.
  • Strong writing evokes each of the senses. Active voice is stronger than passive voice. Similarly, strong verbs work better than verbs supported by adverbs.
  • Make sure that there are no loose ends (the outline ‘map’ is a big help in keeping things ‘tidy’).
  • Have your manuscript professionally edited, but not by your best friend who might do it as a favor. Be prepared to invest in yourself — you will be surprised at the potential that may be unlocked through a fresh pair of eyes editing and critically reviewing your work, and how helpful the feedback and comments are in not only taking your work to the next stage, but improving your writing skills. 

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WordsRU Writer Services:

WordsRU will ensure that your romance novel is edited and proofread to attract the highest possible quality outcomes.
SUBMIT YOUR REQUEST FOR A COMPLIMENTARY, NO OBLIGATION
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