For those who’ve never tried to write a romance novel, it may be tempting to think that cranking one out and selling it to a publisher is a piece of cake. Invent a couple of protagonists, make them fall in love, end with a baby and a wedding . . .

But creating compelling romantic fiction—the kind that draws readers in with humor and emotion and leaves them clamoring on social media for the next installment—demands a deeper and broader approach, writing beyond surface attraction and the interaction of the couple. To better understand just what makes a bestselling romance, we talked with Stacy Boyd, senior editor at Harlequin Desire.

Writing a Stand-Out Story

“What always seems to stand out in category romance is a distinctive author voice, a story where the chemistry between the main characters sparks right away and where the emotional conflicts really push the reader to the last page,” Stacy said. “That said, I do follow reader responses to what’s out in the marketplace for Harlequin Desire right now, and in addition to the above elements, readers seem to be craving stories with a little more to the narrative than just boy meets girl. They like a world they can come back to again and again. In Harlequin Desire, we see readers responding to the world of our Texas Cattleman’s Club series, which launched [in January 2018] with The Rancher’s Baby by Maisey Yates. And readers have loved the Westmoreland family and friends for years; Brenda Jackson is revisiting her beloved characters in An Honorable Seduction.”

Relaunching Desire

With that in mind, Harlequin relaunched its Desire line last year, with bolder cover designs and acquisitions driven toward “a sexier, edgier feel than we’ve had in the past,” Stacy explained. “We’re publishing stories with high-octane conflicts, huge emotion, and secondary characters that have complex interior lives. We’re aiming to create bingeworthy, addictive, dramatic romance for our readers!”

And the great news for writers is that there’s an open call for submissions.

“I would love to see stories that can pack all of that into a fast-paced, sexy story with a short word count. I am especially looking for romances with high-concept, ‘juicy’ plot twists that will surprise voracious readers like those who love category romance,” Stacy said.

Desire is not the place for a 50 Shades spin-off, though. Stacy encourages writers to steer clear of dark or violent antiheros: “For Harlequin Desire, our alpha hero may be confident and strong, but he’s got a heart of gold too. I’m not interested in romances that are not between two consenting adults.”

Welcoming New Voices in Category Romance

Though many major publishers seem out of reach for self-published and aspiring authors, Harlequin is not one of them. Stacy works with many successful hybrid authors, who publish multiple books a year with Harlequin Desire and other traditional publishers and self-publish other work as well.

“Category romance is quite different from the traditional trade publishing model, and it can be an exciting career opportunity for writers,” Stacy said. “Instead of capitalizing only on author brands, the strength of the category space is the distinctive brand promise for each line. Readers can trust each line to deliver a certain type of reading experience every month, whether they are in the mood for thrilling romantic suspense or passion and drama. Because our readers shop by category brand, as well as by author and theme, new writers can automatically tap into a loyal readership from Book 1. With simultaneous publication in North America, the UK, and Australia in print and digital formats as well as the potential for overseas pickup in more than 14 international offices, category romance writers can reach a very wide audience, even with their debut books. Our writers and their novels reach readers where they are, wherever they are.”

Stacy Boyd is senior editor of Harlequin Desire, a Harlequin category romance line known for its high emotion, sensual tension, and soap-opera plots. Before focusing on short contemporary romance, Stacy acquired and edited a wide variety of fiction, including romance, suspense, fantasy, and YA. She is a past winner of the PASIC Editor of Merit award and currently works with an amazing group of award-winning and bestselling authors. Stacy holds a BA in cultural anthropology from New College, the honors college of Florida, and lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two sons. In addition to staying outside as much as possible, she spends her free time running after kids and volunteering in her neighborhood. Stacy is looking to acquire compelling author voices and sensual soap-opera plots for Desire. Find her on Facebook at facebook.com/stacyboydbooks.