Looking for a way to make a little extra money and work from home? Or perhaps a new romance writing career? If you have a way with words and a penchant for a happy ending this may be for you
- If you have a burning ambition to write your own story?
- If you are striving to be a published author?
Mills and Boon would love to see your work!
This is how you can do it, in 4 steps.
Step 1: Read loads!
This is the best advice we can give for finding your favourite Mills & Boon series and the one you want to write for.
Step 2: Great, you’ve chosen the series you want to target!
Now read the writing guidelines for that series to find out exactly what we’re looking for.
The editors have written guidelines that reflect the key promises of each series but do remember there is no formula for writing a publishable romance!
Step 3: Some final tips!
HOW TO WRITE THE PERFECT ROMANCE!
Before you put finger to keyboard, preparation is key:
If you’d like to write for Mills & Boon, we’d expect you to enjoy reading romance fiction. If you are already a fan, this will really shine through in your writing. Know and respect your readers – choose the most recent novels and read widely across the romance market. Then target the series/genre that excites you and suits your voice.
Remember that reading is an emotional experience so write from the heart! When you put pen to paper (or finger to keyboard), do so because you have something to share with other readers.
Innovate, don’t imitate! There is no formula – only a format, as with all genre fiction, which allows room for creative expression, unique writing voices and memorable characters. So throw those clichés out of the window!
Step 4: Send your fabulous story to Mills and Boon
Submissions are sent via the online system Submittable. To submit to any of the series go to https://harlequin.submittable.com/submit where you can view the guidelines and select which series you are aiming for. Then upload your synopsis and the first three chapters of your book in two separate Word documents.
When submitting, your synopsis should give a clear idea of both your plot and characters and be no more than two pages. Your covering letter should outline pertinent facts about yourself as a writer including your familiarity with the romance genre and previous publishing experience. Please remember to double space your manuscript!
Please note the following information:
- Harlequin Enterprises UK publishes category romance and fiction. Please see the guidelines for each series for details.
- All material should be the author’s own original work. Stories that contain scenes or plot lines that bear a striking resemblance to previously published work are in breach of copyright law and are not acceptable.
- All material must be typewritten and double-spaced. Each page should be numbered sequentially and please type your name and title in the upper left-hand corner of each page.
- Please submit via https://harlequin.submittable.com/submit and read the instructions on that page carefully. Please note that any further correspondence will then be sent to you by way of the email address you supply.
- If you are posting your work, do not submit your material bound in binders, boxes or containers of any kind. Secure material by rubber bands. Cover sheets must have your complete name, address and phone number. You must enclose a self-addressed envelope if you wish the return of your material. Please send an envelope large enough to accommodate your work and adequate postage in the form of stamps, international postage coupons or an international money order, as appropriate.
- All material will be evaluated in as timely a fashion as volume allows. You will be notified when your submission has been received. We do our best to respond to submissions within 12-18 weeks.
- Do not send any material that is being considered by another publisher. Multiple submissions are not acceptable. A literary agent is not required in order to submit.
- These guidelines should help you understand our requirements and standards. However, there is no better way to determine what we are looking for than reading our books.
- We enter into discussions about payment only when a contract is offered.
- We take every reasonable care of manuscripts while they are with us and will return any which prove unsuitable (provided return postage is supplied), but we cannot take responsibility for the vagaries of the post office, or cyberspace, so please be sure to retain a copy of your manuscript.
Further Reading
