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CW 73 W — Getting to the Heart of the Story: Romance Novel Workshop

Quarter: Summer
Instructor(s): Jeanne De Vita
Duration: 10 weeks
Location: Online
Date(s): Jun 24—Aug 26
Class Recording Available: Yes
Class Meeting Day: Wednesdays
 
Class Meeting Time: 12:00—1:00 pm (PT)
Tuition: $1000
   
Refund Deadline: Jun 26
 
Unit(s): 2
   
Enrollment Limit: 18
  
Status: Registration opens May 18, 8:30 am (PT)
 
Quarter: Summer
Day: Wednesdays
Duration: 10 weeks
Time: 12:00—1:00 pm (PT)
Date(s): Jun 24—Aug 26
Unit(s): 2
Location: Online
 
Tuition: $1000
 
Refund Deadline: Jun 26
 
Instructor(s): Jeanne De Vita
 
Enrollment Limit: 18
 
Recording Available: Yes
 
Status: Registration opens May 18, 8:30 am (PT)
 
While authors of other genres are having difficulty getting into print, sales of romance novels keep breaking new records. While writing a romance novel is within your reach, it requires more than a love story. In this course, we will study the current publishing landscape and debunk myths about “writing to market.” We’ll explore concepts of genre, subgenre, and niche, analyzing best-selling work by authors such as Emily Henry, Jayci Lee, and Mia Sosa to learn to avoid common mistakes and follow what the pros do. You’ll develop a solid premise, define your characters’ goals and stakes, identify the beats of your story, and complete a plot grid to use as a template for future books. Open to authors writing at any “heat” level, this course will include a Q&A about publishing and creating a career as a romance writer, along with workshopping weekly writing assignments.

JEANNE DE VITA
Author and Editor

Jeanne De Vita is a developmental editor and former acquisitions editor who teaches writing and editing courses privately and is a literary agent with Martin Literary Management representing commercial fiction. She received an MFA in creative writing from the University of Notre Dame, where she taught in the First Year Writing Program. In addition to publishing an Amazon Editors' Pick series on Kindle Vella and horror and fantasy romance novels under a pen name, she has ghostwritten more than a dozen books, including romance novels, romantic suspense, and nonfiction.

Textbooks for this course:

See syllabus for details., Students should read two books from the list.