Like the title reads. I'm working on a story with a short MMC, but I've heard that 5'6-5'7 is the minimum for some readers when it comes to romance. I wanted to test that theory and ask for opinions about it.

Hihihi, so I was really wondering about this. Because i'm 5 chapters in and I feel like i'm not doing anything about their romance. Should I be giving them romantic tension now? Or like sparks?? Am I rushing this..? 👀👀

I’m posting this because when I first hired Prime Book Publisher, I did not have the information I have now. If another author is searching this company—or one of the other names below—I want this information to be findable.

I was a paying Prime Book Publisher customer for approximately ten months. My signed contract specifically included a 100% money-back guarantee if I was dissatisfied with the results or experience.

Eventually I terminated the relationship and requested my money back. Ross Tyler later emailed me:

“Tomorrow morning, billing will process your funds.”

That refund was not processed.

I was subsequently told in writing that no refund would be issued at that time. In the same communication, I was asked to remove my reviews and provide a written retraction/apology, and possible defamation action was raised.

But there is another part of this experience that concerns me even more.

I had never agreed to AI-generated illustrations for my books. The U.S. Copyright Office independently contacted me regarding four applications and said that, based on its examination, artwork in the works may have been generated by an AI program.

I immediately raised this with Prime Book Publisher.

Ross Tyler then instructed me to respond using the Copyright Office’s Option C, which stated that none of the artwork was AI-generated, that the artwork had been drawn by a human author, and required the illustrator to be identified. Ross told me to identify him as the illustrator.

I actually stopped and asked him whether that was an honest answer or merely a way of trying to push the applications through.

He responded:

“It’s an honest answer, not an attempt to push this through.”

I was not comfortable making a representation to the Copyright Office that I could not independently verify, so I contacted the Copyright Office myself.

There was another thing I didn't understand when I started this process: my Prime Book Publisher documentation identifies different merchant names connected with my payments, including MetaSphere Technologies, Artistic Technologies and Meta Tech.

Then this week I contacted the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi) about what had happened.

Their response changed the picture considerably for me.

ALLi told me in writing that Prime Book Publisher was already known to them and identified the following aliases associated with the operation:

BN Publishers, Amazon Author Center, Kirklands Digital Publishing, KDP Digital Book Publishers, Avail Book Publishing, Prologue Book Publishing, The Authors Central, Panda Book Publishing, NY Book Services, and Amazing Publishing.

I want to be very clear about that statement: I did not personally determine that these businesses are aliases, and I did not purchase separately from all of them. ALLi supplied that list to me in writing in response to my report about Prime Book Publisher.

ALLi has now requested my contract, communications, payment receipts, information about what the payments were for, and an accounting of what I actually received so that the material can be passed to its Watchdog for a full review.

I have preserved the original documentation.

I’m not posting this to tell anyone what conclusion they have to reach. I’m posting it because I wish I had been able to find this information when I was researching Prime Book Publisher before handing over my money.

If you are considering Prime Book Publisher or any of the names ALLi identified above, research the company beyond its own website and testimonials before paying. Look at the people, addresses, merchant/payment names and other business names associated with what you're being offered.

And keep copies of everything.

If anyone here has had direct experience with Prime Book Publisher or any of the names ALLi identified, I’d be interested to know what name you dealt with, when, and what happened.

I cannot stop second-guessing everything I am writing, especially the spicy scenes. What are words, cliches, concepts, locations, positions, etc... What makes your toes curl, or eyes roll, or simply DNF. Are there words and phrases that never go out of style? or need to be put to rest? I know a lot depends on context - like "good girl" that can totally go both ways easily. lol. I see "apex" a lot now - is that standard?

Hi! I finished the manu for a novel last year and I have been editing it this year. I'm trying to determine if the ending of my novel qualifies as a Happily Ever After which I know is crucial in the Romance genre, so I'm wondering if the Romance writers in this subreddit can help me out:

The novel focuses on Dean and Fintan, two movie stars in their mid-50s who reunite after years of animosity, yearning, pining, etc. In the novel, they reunite while testing a digital afterlife. Dean is terminally ill and the promise of being "uploaded" to the afterlife server (a la San Junipero) after testing is complete looms over their reunion as a catalyst for them to work out the issues that drove them apart thirty years prior to the story, while also driving their reunion. Dean is successfully uploaded to the server, and Fintan visits him regularly as part of continuing testing. However, the investors of the project pull their funding and order the server shut down, effectively "killing" Dean. The story ends with a reveal that five years later, a different investor picks up the project, has the server rebuilt, and Dean is uploaded once again to the new server, where they're able to reunite.

I'm looking to see if this ending is happy enough, or if there is something that would make it a more traditional romance novel ending.

Thanks so much for the input!

Hii I was wondering if anyone can give me advice on how to write smut since I writing a fanfic and I honestly have no Idea where to start when it comes to writing smut

I’m a first-time romance writer, and I’m learning how hard it is to write jealousy without making a character unlikeable

I’m currently writing an ongoing romance novel called Ache of Wanting, and I’ve reached Chapter 21.

One thing I’m struggling with as a writer is this:

How do you write a female character who starts developing feelings for someone else while she’s still trying to hold onto her existing relationship — without making readers hate her?

I don't want her to suddenly become “the bad guy.” She knows what she’s feeling is wrong, and that’s actually where a lot of her internal conflict comes from.

The next chapter explores that feeling through a metaphor I really love: a soaked sponge.

For romance readers and writers:

Do you find a character more sympathetic when they feel guilty about their conflicting feelings, or does the emotional cheating itself make you lose sympathy for them?

I’d genuinely love to hear how other readers see this.

I am about a three quarters of the way done with my debut book "The Commander's Masquerade" and I would like to know ahead of time how indie authors are doing with their debut book's.

To anyone who writes low fantasy historical romance specifically how did that go?

I'm trying to sort out a scene I have been struggling with. I want it to read as a mind-blowing, insta-love meet-cute. It isn't, but I want it to seem like it is because it’s actually the start of a bait-and-switch (my FMC doesn't actually meet her love interest until later in the book). Insta-love isn’t what is actually going on, but my MC interprets it that way, and I want readers to as well. I can’t seem to get past the fact that I am ‘lying’ to the reader. I know writers do that all the time, but in this instance, for a bunch of reasons, it’s putting up a massive block.

To push myself through it, I want to make it so overblown that it’s ridiculous, and then I can rein it back in where I need to. So I'm looking for all the insta-love, fated mate, stars aligned, ‘this is destiny’ meet-cute tropes you can think of! Think it’s too corny or over done? Perfect - lay it on me!

The scene as it stands is the FMC seeing the MMC through a car window for the first time, so it is just about her bodily reactions to him and how she feels, and how she sees him reacting to her.

The FMC and the MMC do have an innate bond that forms when they first see each other. I want my reader to believe that bond is some sort of fated mate type bond. As if they have always been destined for each other, they are drawn to each other, etc.

I don't want to give any more context as I'm specifically looking for cliches that are common in bad versions of this type of romance. I'm not looking for suggestion based on what is actually going on because I am struggling to write it as believable because I know that, and what will happen later in the story. I'm asking for generic ideas to help get me out of my own head.

Romance writers come to the front.

What's your favorite romance sub genre to publish/write in?

I am writing my debut book, a low fantasy romance and I was wondering if they don't even begin to warm up to each other until halfway through the book then is that even considered romance?

My book is an enemies to lovers trope and I am curious at what point in the book is best for them to start liking each other? Should it be halfway, less, or more?

Hi! I really want to try my hand at writing a romance novel. I have an idea for a monster romance/romantasy book (probably leaning closer to monster romance) that I like, but to be honest I'm not really comfortable writing explicit sex scenes. I'm okay with some intimacy as long as it fades to black, but nothing beyond that.

I know the monster romance genre has a reputation for being extremely sexual. Would people be interested in reading a book without any explicit sex in it?

Hello, I just started doing an outline for a book I have had in the back of my brain since I had my first crush. Any thoughts on things you love to see, hate to see, haven't seen? Are there books you felt nailed this trope or ones you felt missed it so badly it was sad? I have an outline that I'm stoked about but I want to do the theme justice! ty DS

Hi! I'm looking for some advice/opinions on dual POV in romances (my genre is cosy fantasy, but it applies to most romance!) I'm 25k through the rewrite of my novel and only now has it occurred to me that perhaps I should make it dual POV, when the MMC arrives in the story.

This might seem like an odd question, as I suppose it depends on what works best - but I think it could work both ways. (The only issue I might have is that the FMC does not trust the MMC right away, so I'm wondering if adding his own chapters might remove some of the mystery there.)

I think what I'm looking for is advice from readers and writers, who could share their opinions. What do you prefer, and what are your reasons? What works for you, and what doesn't?

(Also I'm always on the lookout for more book recommendations!)

Hi! I'm looking for some advice/opinions on dual POV in romances (my genre is cosy fantasy currently working on a cosy fantasy, but it applies to most romance!)

I'm 25k through the rewrite of my novel and only now has it occurred to me that perhaps I should make it dual POV, when the MMC arrives in the story.

This might seem like an odd question, as I suppose it depends on what works best - but I think it could work both ways. (The only issue I might have is that the FMC does not trust the MMC right away, so I'm wondering if adding his own chapters might remove some of the mystery there.)

i'm looking for is advice from readers and writers, who could share their opinions. What do you prefer, and what are your reasons? What works for you as a writer and reader, and what doesn't?

Hi! I'm currently working on a cosy fantasy/romance as I fell in love with the genre a little while back. I'm 25k through the rewrite of my novel and it's now occurred to me that perhaps I should make it dual POV, when the MMC arrives in the story.

It seems an odd question, as I suppose it depends on what works best - but I think it could work both ways. (The only issue I might have is that the FMC does not trust the MMC right away, so I'm wondering if adding his own chapters might remove some of the mystery there.)

I think what I'm looking for is advice from readers and writers of this genre, who could share their opinions. What do you prefer, and what are your reasons?

Hi :) I am working on my first romance novel. I had romanticised the idea of becoming an author so hard that the actual writing process now paralyses me from time to time. But I am determined to see it through. I am making this post in the hopes of finding accountability buddies who may or may not be going through the same paralysis. We could share our daily/weekly writing struggles, track our progress and bounce of ideas!

If there are any such groups already in existence, I’d love the recommendations!

Happy writing!

Now weekly!

Blurbs can be the bane of an author's existence - both for self-published authors, who have to come up with an enticing hook all by themselves, as well as for authors seeking traditional publishing, as they are usually included in queries.

We want to help! Post your blurb draft and let the community help shape it into the perfect snippet of info.

To participate, please comment on this thread with the following info:

• The title or working title of your WIP
• The romance subgenre of said WIP
• The draft of your blurb you've got so far
• Any content warnings and additional info you deem necessary!

Anyone who wants to help can then reply to your comment to workshop your blurb.

Happy crafting!

I had the idea to write her one and thought it would be something she'd like, i wanted to check with all dark romance lovers here first

Not much to report. I am just finished with my first draft and wanted to tell someone!

For those who are interested:

Cozy Romance/Paranormal horror about a small town girl (our MC) going home for the holidays and rekindling her love affair with her high school ex-boyfriend. Who is a vampire! Murder follows and they end up in prison fighting for the lives on death row. I know that is not the typical framing of a cozy romance, but trust me, it works.

Hey there,

Recently I completed my first novel, which is exciting but daunting. When I wrote it, it ballooned to 160,000 words (no lie) but I have slowly trimmed it 113,000.

Now, speaking to other people, there is a feeling amongst smarter people than me that because it is a m/m sports romance, it should be more around 80,000 words.

However I strongly feel that trimming anymore would hurt my characters - is there any tips, is 113,000 words too much?

Any advice would be great.

Just a quick update - the story has been beta read, which is how it got to 113,000 - by six different people. That said, another two friends saw the page total and was like 'omg we can't' < which is the general vibe I'm getting/

Having trouble getting this to post so let me preface this by saying, this post is about whether or not writers of historical romance have any hope publishing their books. I write HR and I'm really worried!

I was just on a thread in r/historicalromance and people are talking about how most bookstores aren't carrying more than one or two Bridgerton books, publishers are canceling series contracts, and of course, Harlequin has discontinued their entire HR line. WHY?? I don't get it. People love Bridgerton and Jane Austen. There are, I think, two new Austen adaptations coming to Netflix. Why is this happening?

I know genres can have ups and downs. Sometimes sci fi is more popular than fantasy and vice versa. Is there hope for HR to make a comeback?

I write HR and I love it and now I have the sads. I have a HR/fantasy series that's published through an app but I want the current non-fantasy HR series I'm working on to go the trad publishing route. Is it just no longer possible?

I’m working on the early stages of plotting a romance story that is turning out to span long enough for a series, I’d say maybe 3 books by the end of it. It’s a why-choose with a primary partner and the other two partners also being significant and not just “for fun,” and everyone is eventually involved with everyone. The guys all have significant history together and by significant I mean thousands of years. Because they are Egyptian gods 😅

On that note, the story is deeply rooted in Egyptology, archeology, and Ancient Egyptian mythology and history. The FMC is a PhD student focusing on various fields Egyptology. This story started out as just a personal passion project and a way to learn more about Egyptology, which I’ve been obsessed with since I was little. I’ve honestly learned so much over the last month.

So what I’m curious about is how a series like this should be paced? With multiple relationships, a significant “end of the world” thing prevented in book 1, more significant world-threatening stuff planned later on, realistic info on ancient and modern day Egypt, and a bit of creative licenses for the obvious elements. And two weddings, one impromptu and one official (that’s a whole thing.)

I can research beat sheets and outline strategies all day long, but I want to hear from regular people and romance readers/writers. I personally have only read one interconnected series, and haven’t even finished the most recent book. My attention span is unfortunately very short, so I typically only read novellas. But I have been loving this series and how deep the plot is going. I just want to make sure I keep pacing in mind as I continue brainstorming, even if I’m no where near an official outlining process. This is a years down the line project.

Thanks!