2012 Creative writing course:
"Writing romantic fiction:
beyond the hearts and flowers"
Saturday 6 October - Saturday 13 October 2012

 

Latest publication:
12 Point Guide to Writing Romance
Publisher: Aber Publishing

Profile

Kate Walker has been writing for Harlequin Mills & Boon since 1984. During that time she has had almost 60 novels published all over the world. She can't remember a time when she didn't want to write.

Kate says: Even before I could write I was making up stories. My mother tells the story of me recounting the tale of the Three Little Raindrops — Drippy, Droppy and Droopy to my two younger sisters when I was four. I can't remember a time when I wasn't scribbling away at something, and I wrote my first 'book' when I was 11, an adventure story, most of it in secret in lessons at school—particularly maths lessons, which I hated.

Her recent titles have all been on the Booktrack Top 100 list in America, they have also been on Borders' Top Ten list for at least two weeks. Her 2010 title The Konstantos Marriage Demand recently won the Best Presents Extra 2010 Reviewers' Choice Award from Romantic Time magazine.

Kate is also the author of the award-winning 12 Point Guide To Writing Romance (Aber Publishing) which gives an introduction to the essential skills needed to succeed as a writer of romance and which Karen Maitland, writing tutor and a successful historical novelist described as: "one of the most helpful books I've read on writing and works for all types of fiction". The 12-Point Guide is now in its third edition and has recently been brought in Kindle format. Kate is also the author of A Straightforward Guide to Writing Romantic Fiction (Straightforward Publishing).

Kate has an MA in English from the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, and worked as a Children's Librarian before concentrating on writing full-time. She has run many writing days and workshops on fiction and regularly teaches residential writing weekends or courses. She is a member of the Romantic Novelists' Association and Romance Writers of America, has taught several times at the RNA Conference and has read and critiqued unpublished novels for their New Writers' Scheme since 2000.

Kate loves working with students who want to learn how to craft a novel that sells in the popular genre fiction market. Talking about writing, explaining how things work is always stimulating and she always returned home from her courses freshly inspired. She has never forgotten how it felt to think she'd never see her name on her book and how family and teachers always said her hopes of writing novels was just a dream that would never come true. As a result she loves helping new writers get closer to achieving their own goal of publication. So far almost a dozen of her former students have had their first books published.

Kate says: Sometimes, when the right words won't come, or an idea hasn't worked out as I'd thought, I wonder why I don't have some regular nine to five job. But when the story's flowing and the characters come alive, I really can't imagine any other way of life.

You can find out more about Kate at www.kate-walker.com

Itinerary


 

Beyond the Hearts and Flowers

Romantic fiction writing is big business, making up almost half the paperback fiction sold and generating billions in sales worldwide. This course is intended to provide information and advice for anyone who wants to learn how to write a popular genre novel. It gives an introduction to all the skills needed for success, from initial research to the final submission of the typescript. With advice and exercises, I'll guide you through creating realistic characters, sustaining pace and conflict, packing emotional punch, writing sex scenes and crafting a satisfying ending. If you're just starting out writing romantic fiction, or you've written a manuscript or two but are not yet published and are interested in honing your skills, this course is for you.

The course is intended to cover the main aspects of writing romantic fiction that from my experience of teaching over the years seem to create the most problems for unpublished writers. While the focus may be on romance novels, the techniques – dialogue, characters, tension, pacing, settings, hooks etc will also be relevant to all forms of popular fiction. I also hope to have plenty of time to discuss your own work with you either in one to one sessions or in an open critique forum with the rest of the group.

In order to be able to do this, please send at least one chapter and a synopsis of the novel you are working on to me by September 6th so that I can read and assess it before the course starts.

If you have particular problems or concerns that you would like me to deal with during the week, please let me know. The basic format will allow for adjustment and additions where needed.

The format of the course will follow this pattern over each of the days:

Each day of the course will follow this basic pattern –

  • Morning: Workshop/Discussion
    After which everyone will be set a writing task
  • Afternoon - Students have free writing time to work on the task applying it to their own writing, either creating a new piece of work or reconsidering a novel you're already working on using what you've learned
    We'll all meet up again later in the afternoon to discuss when you've learned from your writing, what you found hard - or easier – and to provide feedback and help as to where to go from here.

The basic timetable of the course will be:

Saturday
Transportation from Pisa airport and settle in at mill. Get to know your fellow students.

Sunday
Working on characters – how to create successful heroes and heroines, and add more depth to the building of characters. Creating believable motivations for your characters

Monday
Understanding the nature and function of Conflict in a novel. The difference between internal and external conflict and the use of conflict to further the plot and develop the story.

Tuesday
Adding in the vital emotional impact of a story. What is 'emotional punch' and how do you create it? Developing this by answering the question 'Why' and working towards and away from the pivotal moment in the story.

Wednesday - excursion day (everyone goes to Lucca or the Cinque Terre)
A chance for us all to enjoy the stimulus of new, beautiful surroundings.

Thursday
Understanding the role that sensuality and physical passion plays in the development of an emotional story showing how the sexual side of any relationship affects, develops and alters the essential emotional journey.

Friday
Open critique session – discussing everyone's work and offering help and advice – to learn how to assess your own work objectively, accept criticism and editing and apply this to working through revisions

The practicalities – submissions, synopsis, covering letters, working with editors, revisions etc

Question and Answer session to deal with any lingering concerns or information needed.

Saturday am
Farewell breakfast and transport to Pisa airport.