Links & Resources | Terms
Terms
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Houston Bay Area is dedicated to encouraging and supporting the romance writers, both published and aspiring, in its membership.
Quick Links: C D F G H J N P Q R S T
The dramatic moment when the main conflict in the story is resolved. In a romance novel, the climax usually involves the hero and heroine finally coming to terms with the conflict that has kept them apart. In a romantic suspense novel, the climax can involve capturing the villain or rescuing either the hero or heroine as well as a romantic resolution.
The dramatic moment when the protagonist(s) realize all is lost and there's little hope of achieving his or her goal. The dark moment leads directly to the climax.
The complete manuscript -- free of typos, grammatical errors, and logic flaws. Convincing an editor to request the full is the goal of the query letter.
RWA's prestigious annual contest for unpublished writers. Golden Heart finalists are awarded special opportunities at the National Conference, including first choice of editor and agent appointments.
GMC, or Goal, Motivation, and Conflict
GMC is shorthand for Goal, Motivation, and Conflict, which itself is often used to refer to Debra Dixon's book on craft by the same name.
Many writers have benefited from reading and using Dixon's book, which is mentioned on her website along with information on purchasing it from Gryphon Books.
Describes rapid point of view switches in which a scene is told through the eyes of multiple characters, making the reader privy to the thoughts and emotions of those characters.
Novice writers are encouraged to avoid head-hopping; experienced or published authors generally may use the technique as they like.
Term commonly used to describe the emotional state of writers who have received The Call from an editor.
Reference to the fateful Happy Days episode in which Fonzi jumped a penned shark on water skis, signaling the effective end of both that series and Henry Winkler's acting career.
When an author has "jumped the shark," s/he's pushing the limits of what the readership will tolerate and is generally thought should retire.
A short novel of 20,000 to 45,000 words. This form is particularly challenging because of the short amount of space allowed to introduce the goals, motivations, and conflicts of the heroine and hero, and to develop their relationship.
Novellas are typically gathered into collections by publishing houses. Many novella collections are by invitation only, while others are generated via contest-winning entries.
Published Authors Network, a special program within Romance Writers of America that provides support, encouragement, and business insight to published authors. The RWA National Conference offers special workshop sessions for PAN members.
The first three manuscript chapters and a synopsis sent to an editor or agent for consideration.
The main action structure of a novel. A plot has several primary components: turning points, a dark moment, a climax, and resolution. While the plot propels the story's action, it can also produce character development in the protagonist(s).
The perspective from which a scene is told. Acceptable points of view vary from publishing house to publishing house, so check writer guidelines for your target house.
The various POVs are:
- First-person -- Told from the "I" perspective. The reader knows the scene only through the eyes of the narrator. This POV has typically been avoided, but is starting to enjoy a comeback in some lines (e.g., Silhouette Bombshell and some single title houses).
- Second-person -- The "you" perspective. Never used in romance, and extremely difficult to pull off in any genre.
- Third-person limited -- Most romance novels are told from this perspective, usually switching between the heroine's and hero's points of view. When in the heroine's POV, the reader knows only what she is capable of seeing, hearing, thinking, and feeling; when in the hero's POV, the readers knows only the hero's. The reader is, essentially, standing just over the POV character's shoulder and experiencing the scene as that character does. The best third-person limited books cause the reader to feel drawn into the action.
- Third-person omniscient -- The most confusing POV known to man or woman, and generally frowned upon in the romance genre. In third-person omniscient, the narrator (usually the author) knows all and therefore can pull information from the past, project into the future, describe the emotional state of each characters as it suits her, etc. Never (or rarely) used in romance since it creates emotional distance between the reader and the characters (e.g., readers say, "I know I'm reading a book" rather than being pulled in).
A special program within Romance Writers of America that recognizes authors who have taken that first step of submitting a manuscript to a publishing house. Pro members must provide proof that they have submitted a manuscript -- and received some response from an editor -- to qualify.
The PRO program is encouraged and supported by the PAN program.
A professional, one-page, single-spaced letter sent to an editor or agent introducing the author and her work with the intent of persuading the editor or agent to request further information (i.e., a partial or a full manuscript).
Query letters typically open with an interest-grabbing introduction to the manuscript you want the editor/agent to read, then follow with a paragraph about the manuscript's length, intended publishing house line (if a category romance), and level of completion. Finally, a paragraph describing your writing credentials, professional writing organization activities (e.g., you are a member of RWA), and previous publications rounds out the query letter.
A query letter is often the first step in the long journey of getting your manuscript published.
The wrap-up of a novel in which the villain gets what s/he deserves, the protagonist(s) get what they have earned, and all remaining loose plot threads are tied up. Depending on the subgenre, the resolution can be as short as a few paragraphs or as long as several pages.
RWA's prestigious annual contest for published authors. RITA winners are considered to be writing the "best of the best" in romance fiction.
Any of the several lines or brands put out by a major publishing house, each having its own focus, sensibility, and level of sensuality. Harlequin/Silhouette are widely regarded as being the primary "series" publisher. Series books are marketed and sold similarly to periodicals and magazines, having a shelf-life of approximately one month.
The floor-to-ceiling stack of unsolicited manuscripts sitting in the corner of an editor's office. The editor, when time allows, will grab a manuscript off the pile and look at it. However, existing contracts, requested manuscripts, and other duties will often keep an editor too busy to even glance at the slush pile for days or weeks on end.
The slush pile is not where you want your manuscript to languish -- despite stories of writers like Stephen King being discovered there. Be sure to query the targeted editor first, before sending your manuscript to her.
The romance genre is divided into several subgenres that represent various specialized interests. For example, paranormal romance, regency historical, and action/adventure romance are all subgenres of romance.
"Category" or series romances are often considered to be subgenres although the distinctions between the various series are not always as straightforward and well-delineated.
A plot that is complementary or subordinate to the main plot of a novel. A subplot has the same attributes of a main plot (i.e., turning points, dark moment, climax, and resolution), and generally serves to broaden the scope of a story while still intensifying the main plot.
Subplots exist most often in longer novels of 80,000+ words (long contemporary and historical series, or single title).
A highly condensed "telling" of a manuscript's story so that an editor or agent can quickly and easily see the characters, their motivations, their conflicts, the major turning points, the dark moment, and the resolution.
Acceptable length varies from publishing house to publishing house and editor to editor. Check the publishing house's or editor's guidelines before submitting.
An excellent resource for learning how to write selling synopses is Elizabeth Sinclair's The Dreaded Synopsis, available from her website.
Another good resource is the Rose City Romance Writers online workshop (free).
A long "telling" of a manuscript's story used to guide the author while she writes the book. A working synopsis can be anywhere from 5 to 50 pages, depending on how much detail an author gets into.
Working synopses are never sent to a publishing house or editor.
Refers to the phone call a writer receives from an editor offering to buy one or more manuscripts. Usually followed by hysteria and mindless acceptance of the offered terms of contract.
One of several points of a novel in which the protagonist(s) must choose a course of action s/he had not earlier anticipated. Turning points typically produce character development and increase the dramatic tension.
