34. Validating and exploring romance w/ Maria Secoy

Erin Canning
February 14, 2023
8:01 am
0 comments

Are you curious about writing romance stories, but you’re not sure what qualifies as romance?

In this episode, you’ll get a deeper look into what constitutes the romance genre. You’ll learn what makes a romance novel literary and what distinguishes the 50+ subgenres from each other.

Joining this conversation is Maria Secoy, a literary romance author and writing coach. Today, Maria shares three story development tips that help you know whether you’re writing a romance story, a love story, or a tragedy.

Topics discussed in this episode

What makes a romance book literary
What the Library of Congress has to say about romance
How many subgenres exist under the romance category
What distinguishes erotica from romance
Where to find the LGBTQ+ romance subgenre
M/M romance and the inadequate classification of LGBTQ+ romance
What’s happening with the newer subgenre sapphic romance
The need for more LGBTQ+ categories
An overview of 35 other romance subcategories
Further breaking down historical romance
Cross listing books in subgenres
Fantasy vs paranormal romance
Three tips for romance writers
What character development means for romance
The only two ways to develop love
What romance requires
How to show happily ever after
Clarifying happily for now endings
Does happy for now imply a sequel
What’s a dealbreaker in the romance genre

About Maria

Maria Secoy has a BA in English and an MEd in Secondary English. She spent more than a decade in the classroom helping students grow as authentic writers.

She wrote and published her first romance novel, Alongside Lucy, in February 2022, which has since reached #4 on the Amazon Best Sellers List. And she released Gloria’s Gumption January 2023.

After hearing stories of editors gone wrong, flopped cover designs, marketing struggles, and anxiety over the entire self-publication process, she launched All Write Well, which has grown to include a team of supportive experts who meet all the self-publishing needs of writers.

Get her books

Alongside Lucy: https://www.amazon.com/Alongside-Lucy-Trail-Adventure-Adventures-ebook/dp/B09WKYLVVZ
Gloria’s Gumption: https://www.amazon.com/Glorias-Gumption-Maria-Secoy/dp/B0BRH2F7WZ/

Connect with Maria

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/msecoywriter
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/msecoywriter
Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/awwromance
All Write Well (self-publishing support services): https://allwritewell.com/

Connect online

Let’s connect via my Facebook group, Parents Who Write, at https://www.facebook.com/groups/parentswhowrite.

Listen or Watch

Feeling stuck in your author journey?

As an experienced editor, I specialize in helping writers like you, especially parents juggling family and creativity, finish and publish their books.

Take action on your writing dreams! Book a FREE 30-minute discovery call to discuss how I can help you implement these strategies and finally achieve your author goals.

Bonus: Book your call and mention this episode for a free publishing check list.

Tags: revision techniques, romance, writing, writing tips

Posted in Podcast

Related

09. Processing infertility struggles through fiction w/ Linnea March

She started writing again as a means to process her infertility struggles. Linnea March, a parent of two boys and former educator, is on today's podcast episode.

35. What is a chapter?

Do you keep toying with an idea for a novel, but you’re not even sure what constitutes a chapter? Learn not only why we use chapters but also what to include in them in this flash episode.

13. Encouraging marginalized voices to speak their truth w/ Iris Imaginoria

Marginalized voices need space to speak their truth. On the show today is Iris Imaginoria, director of a story-based theater camp, cancer and mental health survivor, and parent of a gender-fluid teen.