This competition has now closed.

 

Meet Mills & Boon Editor Bryony Green, who is one of the judges in our Love to Write competition. Read her top tips to help get your writing started!

 

In my experience, hidden talents are usually discovered either by accident or in emergencies. The discovery you can nearly run as fast as Usain Bolt when you have to get the last train home. It was revealed I have a talent for map reading when we had to leave motorway traffic for country roads in order to catch a ferry. Nothing was going to stop my holiday plans!

 

But have you thought you might have a hidden talent: writing romance?

 

The fact is you just don’t know until you give it a go! Our authors (and we have nearly 1000 worldwide) come from literally all walks of life and practically every job and career you can think of is represented amongst them. Some write alongside their day jobs; others discover they’ve found their vocation and now write full time!

 

So, if you fancy having a go, here’s where to start:

 

• • Read read read!

 

Read the series we publish and get to know what kind of voices suit each series. Sexy and dramatic? Warm and emotional? Rich with Historical detail? Only reading widely will show you the breadth and depth of each series. For this exciting competition, we’re looking for authors for Cherish and Medical Romance series.

 

Cherish: romantic escapes that are warm, entertaining, emotional and very focused on the central relationship. Read authors such as Jessica Gilmore, Liz Fielding, Jennifer Faye and Michelle Douglas.

 

Medical Romance:  dedicated professionals who fall in love in the high stakes world of Medicine. Take a look at Annie O’Neill, Fiona Lowe, Tina Beckett, Caroline Anderson and Robin Gianna.

 

• • Be yourself!

 

Find the series you feel most comfortable writing. That might not be your favourite series to read. Getting to know your voice is the best way to find out what series will suit your best.

 

Each author we buy for a series brings a new dimension to the series “party”! Whether that is in the characters, the kinds of stories, the writing style, the depth of emotion – they all bring something wonderful and unique. So, whilst every book in Romance or Medical needs to deliver on the core series promise, there is infinite freedom to do that in your own unique way. Don’t be afraid to be yourself!

 

• • Target your submission

 

There is a wealth of information on writing for Mills & Boon at our website. Also, you can check out all the information available at our So You Think You Can Write blog too.

 

• • Remember conflict is the story!

 

There’s nothing interesting about two characters sappily in love from page 2! It’s the journey to get there that our readers are interested in so don’t make it easy for them!

 

• • Be prepared to revise!

 

We understand your manuscript is your baby. You’ve lovingly poured your heart and soul into writing your story. But our expert team of editors want your book to bring happiness and joy into your readers’ lives and to provide the escape and entertaining experience they are looking for. If you get a request for revisions, embrace them, work with them, and they will help you realise your book’s potential!

 

Go for it! – you might just discover you have a talent for dreaming up sexy men, creating wonderfully relatable heroines and writing romance!

 

Do you love to write romantic fiction and have an idea for a contemporary romance that will entertain the nation? Do you want to be a published author? If so, then our Love To Write competition is for you!

This competition has now closed.

By The Mills & Boon team