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Write Romantic Fiction for Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) Select
Love Is ... Very Popular! - My 'Christmastide Romance'
Why Write Romantic Fiction?
I have decided to write romantic fiction for Kindle (see excerpt and front cover, below). It's a very popular genre, and can be very lucrative, I understand, provided the author writes reasonably well and takes the subject seriously.
Everyone seems to love a love story ~ well, almost everyone.
Have you noticed how many films, which are not even advertised as love stories, still managed to contain some romantic elements?
And think about some of the most popular TV series. How about 'Cheers'? Or 'Moonlighting'? Or 'The X-Files'? Do you remember just how romantic they actually were?
What was the most important ongoing storyline in 'The Office'? Can you think of anything, other than the Jim / Pam romance?
Yes, romance is popular, which means that romance sells.
Text books on Creative Writing tell us to write what we know, and most of us know how it feels to be in love.
Sometimes Mr or Miss Right is found, but sometimes the love remains unrequited. Either way, the possibility for a story remains.
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Article copyright Tricia Mason
Why Write E-Books?
In the past, anyone who wanted to write and be published had to go through a middleman. Now, things are changing. We have the Internet, which allows us all sorts of avenues for self-publication. Consider Hub Pages!
And, if you want to write and publish a book ~ be it fiction or non-fiction ~ you don't have to wait for someone else to vet it and put it in the market-place. You can now do it yourself. E-books are very popular with readers and writers, alike.
Readers can get instant access to the book they require ~ often much more cheaply than in print ~ and writers can get their work out to the public, relatively easily and quickly.
Why Write For 'KDP'??
One of the most popular and well-known booksellers on the Internet is Amazon and one of the most popular and well-known e-Book readers is the Kindle.
The Kindle is an Amazon product.
Thus, writing for 'KDP', otherwise known as Kindle Direct Publishing, seems to be a good idea for anyone who wishes to be a published writer.
It's not the only option, but it is a well-known and popular one.
A Book in All of Us?
Is there a book in all of us?
That's what the old adage tells us, but is it true?
Well, there is only one way to find out, and that is to give it a go. Maybe you will produce something that will become as famous as 'War and Peace'; or maybe not. Perhaps, if you cannot complete an entire novel, you might be able to come up with a number of short stories, which could be put together to form a book.
'KDP' gives you the opportunity to try. There are ways of marketing books, which could result in you becoming a top seller. Or you may only sell a few copies of your work, but, at least you will have given it a go.
Do You Want to Write Love Stories?
Larry Brooks
Some Useful Books on Creative Writing.
It is probably a good idea to have a look at some advice from the experts. If you search on Amazon, for helpful books on becoming an author, you are likely to be overwhelmed by the results. There are lots! And lots! Some are specifically for authors who wish to write romance. Others are general, but may be equally useful to the romantic novelist.
Each writer will have his or her favourites. These are some which jumped out at me.
It strikes me that it might be worth reading these books from Kindle Direct Publishing:
~ 'Building Your Book for Kindle' by Kindle Direct Publishing (15 Apr 2012)
~ 'Publish on Amazon Kindle with Kindle Direct Publishing' by K D P (1 Feb 2011)
~ 'Building Your Book for Kindle for Mac' by Kindle Direct Publishing (9 May 2012)
I discovered Larry Brooks via a writers' website, and I think that his ideas are well worth looking into:
~ Story Engineering: Character Development, Story Concept, Scene Construction by Larry Brooks (25 Mar 2011)
~ Story Structure -- Demystified by Larry Brooks (1 Oct 2009)
Romance apparently sells, both on Amazon, and elsewhere. Here are some advice books, specifically on this genre:
~ Liz Fielding's Little Book of Writing Romance ~ Liz Fielding
~ Love Writing - How to Make Money Writing Romantic or Erotic Fiction: How to Make Money Writing Erotic and Romantic Fiction (Secrets to Success Writing Series) ~ Sue Moorcroft
~ The Busy Writer's Tips on Writing Romance ~ Marg McAlister
~ Start Writing Romance ~ Leigh Michaels
~ The Art of Romance Writing: Practical Advice from an Internationally Bestselling Romance Writer ~ Valerie Parv
~ The Virgin's Guide to Writing Your First Romance Novel ~ Elda Minger
~ You Can Write a Romance (You Can Write It!) ~ Rita Clay Estrada, Rita Gallagher
~ Low to Write Romances (Genre Writing Series) ~ Phyllis Taylor Pianka
Is it actually possible to do well, by selling e-books on Amazon? Well, 'How I Made Over $42,000 in 1 Month Selling My Kindle eBooks', by Cheryl Kaye Tardif, tells the story of someone who actually did it ~ and it seems that she is not the only one.
There are many many more such books, available on Amazon ~ for Kindle or in print.
Websites
There are a whole host of websites, dedicated to writers and writing. Some are specifically for writers of romance.
A search on Google, or other search engines, will produce a number of results.
On A Personal Note.
I have always enjoyed reading and writing.
When I was nine, I listed 'author' as one possible career for me. But have I become an author? Yes and no. I am not known as an author and I don't earn much money from my writing.
I have written a number of items for hub pages ~ mainly non-fiction ~ and I have also contributed elsewhere on the Internet. I have had some letters published ~ in a magazine and a newspaper; the latter was actually published as a leader article, so that was quite rewarding. (Not financially.)
But what about romantic fiction? Am I a famous best seller? Absolutely not!
I have written a few things, which are still on various shelves around the house; I wrote some stories for a writing group that I belonged to, many moons ago; I have published a very short romantic piece on Hub Pages; and I have written two category romance novels.
The first of these two, I wrote in 1990 / 91, when my younger son was a new baby. I had been to some presentations, by Mills and Boon novelists, and thought that this was the career for me. I still like the novel I wrote, but it was returned to me, unpublished. They thought that I wrote very well, but that this particular story was not 'upbeat' enough. It certainly wasn't downbeat, so I still don't understand that comment. If I ever find that manuscript, I shall probably publish it on KDP, and see what happens.
The second of my two romantic novels is the one that I have only just completed and uploaded onto Amazon for Kindle. Will it sell? Will people enjoy it? Will people consider it well-written? I hope so, but only time will tell.
If you would like to read it, it is called 'A Christmastide Romance'. I have used my maiden name as my author name: Tricia Neale. It will be available, on certain dates, free of charge ~ and Kindle readers for PC can be downloaded free, too, so, if you fancy reading it, please do so ~ and please give me and Amazon your feedback. That would be much appreciated! Thank you!
'A Christmastide Romance' by Tricia Neale - Available from Amazon
My First Published Romantic Fiction Novel - Excerpt:
Since it is December, I chose a seasonal tale for my first published love story.
It is called 'A Christmastide Romance' (by Tricia Neale).
Here are some excerpts, from the beginning of the story:
It was late evening. Josie stood back, surveyed her festive handiwork and smiled. She had been busy all evening and, yes, her Christmas tree looked most satisfactory. She loved this time of year. “Advent isn’t just for the young!” she sang out loud, to the tune of ‘Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly’.
Preparations were going well. The chimney had been swept and now a log fire blazed in the grate ~ safely protected by a fire-guard. Her cottage window framed a rural Christmas-card scene; Dean Martin’s ‘Winter Wonderland’ was playing in the background; and she had almost finished decorating the tree with baubles, tinsel and fairy lights. There was just the star left, for the topmost branch, but she wasn’t quite tall enough to reach up there; not even on tip-toe.
Though she lived alone, she had never, ever felt lonely, in her snug thatched country cottage in Warwickshire; no not once in all the four years that she had lived there ~ and, tonight, she felt particularly contented.
Scrappy was joining in with the seasonal preparations, of course, and kept batting the baubles, with his paws, and even trying to climb up the branches. “Come on, silly puss,” she said, as she took the kitten in her arms and turned to look at the golden labrador, who was lying on the rug.
Immediately, she started to feel concerned. “You’re very quiet, Toby. Are you all right?” Toby didn’t move, but started to whine. This wasn’t like him. She settled the cat on the sofa and went to see what was wrong. Toby continued to just lie there, looking very miserable.
Josie felt a knot twist in her stomach. Toby looked ill and unhappy. What should she do? Would she be able to get him seen by an animal doctor, at this time of night, on a Saturday ~ and in this awful weather? Without taking her eyes from the dog, she reached for the phone and called her usual vet.
"I'm sorry, Rosemary, but Mr Jones is out on a call and I don't know what time he'll be back. May I recommend Mr. Richardson, in Rusham? I understand that he is very good and he is on duty this evening."
.....
.....
... Josie heard a knock at the cottage door and rushed to open it. “Hello,” he said, “Miss Merry?”
She nodded. “Come in.” He entered her home, along with a flurry of snowflakes.
"Hi, I'm Matthew Richardson.” He smiled, as he shrugged off his wet coat, and his blue eyes twinkled.
“Thank goodness you’re here. I’ve been so worried!”
“I came as quickly as I could, weather conditions and distance allowing. Please, lead me to the patient."
It didn't take long for Mr Matthew Richardson to diagnose Toby’s problem. ...
...
...
The vet was watching her, with an amused smile on his face. Josie knew that she was rambling, but, as she looked into the depths of those gentle blue eyes, she simply couldn’t help herself ~ and he actually seemed to be listening to her ramblings, very intently ~ and he continued to smile.
And he was gorgeous!
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Copyright Tricia Mason aka Tricia Neale
For More Info on KDP Select, Look Here
Some Related Items by 'Trish_M':
- Will and Ted - A Shakespearean Fictional Short Story
My foray into short romantic fiction on Hub Pages. - Carousels and Kings
The delightful carousel features in my love story. - Saint Valentine - and Romance
Romance and love!