CW 113 — Romance Club: A Guided Writing Group
Quarter: Fall
Instructor(s): Jeanne De Vita
Date(s): Sep 23—Dec 2
Class Recording Available: Yes
Class Meeting Day: Wednesdays
Class Meeting Time: 6:00—8:30 pm (PT)
Please Note: No class on November 25
Tuition: $1040
Refund Deadline: Sep 25
Unit(s): 2
Enrollment Limit: 18
Status: Registration opens Aug 17, 8:30 am (PT)
Quarter: Fall
Day: Wednesdays
Duration: 10 weeks
Time: 6:00—8:30 pm (PT)
Date(s): Sep 23—Dec 2
Unit(s): 2
Tuition: $1040
Refund Deadline: Sep 25
Instructor(s): Jeanne De Vita
Enrollment Limit: 18
Recording Available: Yes
Status: Registration opens Aug 17, 8:30 am (PT)
Please Note: No class on November 25
Romance writing is currently the hottest genre in publishing. But writing a successful romance novel requires much more than just a great love story. You also need a compelling premise, concise stakes, fully developed conflict, and the genre's standard beats. This course offers craft instruction, deadlines, accountability, and actionable feedback—equally suitable for fledgling romance writers or those with a novel in progress. Each session includes a craft lecture and discussion of the publishing industry to help identify challenges specific to the genre. We’ll then workshop two students’ novel excerpts (up to 5,000 words). While students are expected to read each submission and fully engage in discussion, no written critiques are required, to ensure everyone has ample time to focus on their own books. The instructor will provide detailed written feedback on each submission and hold conferences with every student. Expect to have a blast in this supportive community filled with others who love the genre as much as you do.
This is the first course in our Romance Club series. The second course of this series will be offered in Winter Quarter 2027, and the third course in Spring Quarter 2027. Completing each course guarantees priority registration in the following quarter. Each course can be taken independently as well.
JEANNE DE VITA
Editor and Literary Agent
Jeanne De Vita is a developmental editor, copy editor, and former acquisitions editor who teaches writing and editing courses privately and at UCLA Extension, Writers.com, and The Ripped Bodice bookstore. She received an MFA in creative writing from the University of Notre Dame, where she taught in the First Year Writing Program. She is a literary manager at Martin-Newens Literary Management with a focus on fiction and select nonfiction. Textbooks for this course:
There are no required textbooks; however, some fee-based online readings may be assigned.