Sailing Close to the Wind and Pulling it Off!

Let’s set the message straight, once and for all: there are no boundaries in Mills & Boon! Whatever topic or theme you want to write about, as long as it’s sensitively and convincingly handled, we want to read about it.

Having said that, there are some themes that will inevitably provoke strong reactions in readers. This can be a great thing – everyone loves a bit of controversy! – but of course, the aim of the game here isn’t to antagonise readers: it’s to explore a conflict/ theme/ issue in a thought-provoking, ultimately uplifting way that adds unique depth to your romance.

So, for all aspiring authors who love the idea of living dangerously and writing on the edge, here are the Romance HQ tips on how to handle some of those trickier issues…

Do you love wrestling with a moral dilemma?

Issues like infidelity/ abortion/ euthanasia (to select just a few at random from my ‘moral dilemma’ scrapbook…!) can be notoriously difficult to motivate sympathetically and/or weave into a compelling romance. For some readers, they’re just too close to real life to provide that all-important ‘I wish it was me’ escapist hit. However, tackled well, they provide a wealth of emotion that can make the happy-ever-after truly powerful – these characters have fought to get it and by god, they deserve it!

As ever, the advice here is simple – for readers to get on board with behaviour they might disapprove of, the characters’ reasoning needs to be watertight and empathetic. We don’t need to like what they do, but we definitely need to understand it!

Does the happy ending need to be total – for each and every character?

Obviously the hero and heroine need to have a happy ending – in the wonderful world of category romance, this goes without saying.

However, it doesn’t necessarily follow that all secondary characters need a HEA – sometimes, a tragic subplot adds complexity and raw power that throws the happy ending into even more bright relief. (Julia Roberts in Stepmum, anyone?) Don’t shy away from exploring the darker side of life in your romances – particularly in series like Medical Romance which directly confront the battle between life and death. What’s important to remember is that the lower the lows, the higher those highs need to be. If you’re going to make your readers cry with sadness, the joy payoff needs to be H-U-G-E!

There’s also the grey area of ‘temporary’ happy endings – for example, if your hero or heroine is terminally ill and their happy ending is for the next twenty years rather than for life. These stories can be amazingly poignant, and prove just how strong your characters’ love really is. The Modern two-part ‘Epics’ are another great example of a non-final happy-ever-after, as the second book explores what happens after the couple is married / confessed their love etc. But is it a theme you’d like to see explored more, or one that fundamentally clashes with your understanding of series romance? Your input here would be invaluable!

Finally, the deep, dark world of sexual fantasy…!

Now, as to be expected considering our day job, we Romance HQ editors are no prudes. (Although we’re quite good at blushing when things get really steamy on the page...!) But whilst all Mills & Boon books can be categorised as female fantasy fiction to some extent, to our minds even our sexiest fiction falls in the ‘highly sensual’ camp rather than the ‘erotica’ camp because the main purpose is to entertain, not (gulp) arouse.

This doesn’t mean we’re not open to (quite possibly the worst choice of words ever, but no matter!) more explicit exploration of women’s sexual fantasies. Targeting your series is crucial here – if you like writing hot, don’t aim for Cherish! – but don’t be afraid to let your imagination run wild. We’ve already successfully embraced spanking, light bondage and the complete opposite, male impotence. As long as it’s in keeping with your characters, emotionally motivated and not introduced for mere kinky thrills, don’t be shy about giving that sizzle some oomph!

Hopefully this has exploded any notion of ‘taboo’ or restricted subjects within Mills & Boon. We’re looking for authors who aren’t afraid to take creative risks and really push the series forward, so be brave and write that romance you always felt was too close to the edge! If you have a good voice, great characters and believable motivations, we’ll love it.