Beyond the Sheets - Characters Body Language Beyond Steamy Scenes

By Renee Carter
Posted 5/15/2024

Axle rubs his chin. From that movement we know the main character is deep in thought, puzzling through a dilemma. As writers, a key component in the development of realistic characters is the use of body language.

On the Shoulders of Giants: Some Thoughts on Mentorship

By Annie R McEwen
Posted 5/15/2024

Eddie Cantor said it takes twenty years to make an overnight success, but that’s probably because he didn’t have an RWA Mentor.

Tighten Your Writing

By Lara Zielinksy
Posted 4/10/2024

In On Writing, Stephen King recommends a 10 percent word reduction as a good rule for tightening your prose. Removing 10 percent means reducing a 100,000 word manuscript to 90,000 words, or 85,000 words to 76,500 words.

Put Your Novel’s Best Foot Forward With Editing

By Carolyn Rae
Posted 4/10/2024

You’ve finished your novel and gone over it one or more times, but you want it to be the best it can be. Do you need to have your book edited?

Beyond Typos: The “3 Cs” of Editing that Take Your Manuscript to the Next Level

By Ann Kellett
Posted 4/10/2024

You have poured your heart onto the page and had the thrill of typing “The End.” Your critique group has given feedback, and you have implemented the many helpful resources from the Romance Writers of America.

Chapter Spotlight: Rose City Romance Writers

Spotlighting RWA chapters
Posted 4/10/2024

Rose City Romance Writers was founded over 25 years ago and is still a happy place for romance novelists to find their tribe.

Message from the President - April 2024 RWR

RWA President Clair Brett shares her thoughts for the month of April and recognizes the contributions of volunteers.

Writing Across Generations

By Jenna Grinstead
Posted 4/10/2024

Nothing takes a reader out of a story faster than characters behaving in ways that don’t feel authentic. In my own reading I’ve run into the following situations in contemporary novels:

• A hero in his twenties with a tough reputation heads home after a stressful day and makes himself a hot cocoa instead of grabbing a beer.
• A heroine with a teenage daughter whose entire friend group acts like it’s the 1950s—from their clothing to the way they interact with their parents.
•  A grandfather in his 60s who lived through the Great Depression and World War II.

How Copy Editors are Like Mechanics

By Nan Reinhardt
Posted 4/10/2024

Copy editors like me are the mechanics in the publishing process. We’re the ones who come in after you’ve worked out your story with your development editor and finished your revisions.

Don't Be Too Hard On Yourself

By Alessandra Torre
Posted 4/10/2024

Tell me if this sounds familiar... you read a novel. A great novel. One that makes you look at your current work-in-progress and want to drag the entire thing into the digital trash can.