2004 Romance Author Roundtable

1. AOTW: Romance authors are prolific writers. Knowing that there are so many romance books published each year, how do you keep your ideas fresh and avoid traveling over well-worn territory?

Stephanie Bond: Coming up with fresh plot lines and unique characters is challenging, especially when readers expect that books be fresh, yet familiar enough for them to relate to. I draw from composites of people I've known and situations that I've experienced combined with lots of research, and trust that my individual "slant" on a story (my vocabulary, my humor) will result in a fresh take on a familiar plotline. Plus, since I'm an avid reader, I'm my own toughest filter --- if it doesn't feel fresh to me, it's out!

Lisa Kleypas: I love to take a well-used storyline and give it a fun twist! For example, in the past I had read lots of romance novels in which the hero mistakes the heroine for a prostitute. So in one of my novels, titled Suddenly You, I reversed the situation and had the heroine mistake the hero for a male escort! Also, many years ago I looked for an area in the genre that perhaps not so many writers had ventured in, and I realized that at that time, hardly any writers were featuring common-born characters in their historical novels. So I've featured a lot of professional men in industries such as Victorian publishing, locomotive manufacturing and law enforcement. This gives me the pleasure of learning many new things in my research, and hopefully providing a refreshing change for my readers.

Nicole Jordan: Because I write spicy, emotional historical romances, all my books have certain elements in common. But I make each one different by drawing on my imagination and by telling each story in my own way. What's most important, though, is making my characters come alive with their own unique personalities and passions.

I also keep fresh by developing new and interesting themes for different series. For example, Paradise, my latest Regency era series, is about dangerous rakes and bold adventurers and the women who win their hearts. But it's set partly on a Mediterranean island, in addition to England, and features a secret society of protectors, a bit like The Three Musketeers, only much sexier. This new theme and locale provide more scope for imagination and romance, besides giving me opportunities for intriguing plots that can't usually be found in a strict English/London social sphere.

Jane Feather: As someone once pointed out, there are only so many stories in the world, and a finite number of ways in which to tell them. History itself is a fertile field though for both stories and perspectives, many of them truly "stranger than fiction." However, it's inevitable that authors will sometimes cross similar plot lines and inevitable that any author of more than one book will return to old ground at some point. As a matter of pure self-defense, when I began writing within the genre I gave up reading within it. That way I can be certain that the only author I might plagiarize, albeit unintentionally, is myself.

Kimberly Raye: Every day millions of people go to work, nurture their children, watch television, cook dinner and fall in love. As people, we share a lot of the same situations. At the same time, each situation is different and unique because people are different and unique. The same is true for romance novels. While the basic theme --- man and woman find each other and fall in love --- is shared among all romance novels, what makes a particular book different is the characters themselves --- their individual situations, the way they think and feel and react to their surroundings and to one another.

As an author, I feel that characterization is the biggest challenge for me. If the characters are well-rounded and sympathetic, the reader will bond with them, feel with them, root for them and the story will read as fresh and unique. I also read Cosmopolitan and watch all of the new TV shows (from reality to sitcoms) to keep up with new trends in the dating game and the ever-changing perceptions of love and sex.

Jill Marie Landis: I keep my ideas fresh by reading human interest stories in the papers and magazines, watching television and old movies, and by observing people, noting what moves me to laugh or cry when I see or read something. With each character I try to give them different problems, conflicts and challenges as well as hobbies, talents, hopes and dreams that are unlike those of other characters I've created.

Mary Balogh: I read very little romance. One reason is that because I write romance all day, I look for a different type of literature to fill my leisure hours. Another reason is that I want my ideas to be my own. I don't want to pick up trends from other writers and I certainly do not want to unconsciously plagiarize from anyone else --- and it is easy to do precisely because it is unconscious! As far as keeping my own writing fresh is concerned, it is a matter of constant attention. Sometimes I have a plot idea that seems great and fits the story well --- and then I recall that I used the same idea four books ago. I try not to do the same thing over and over --- and if I do reuse an idea (the fake betrothal, for example) I try to use it in quite different ways each time.

Judi McCoy: For some reason, I've never had a problem with well-worn territory. Each of my ideas for a book starts out with a basic premise, but I always manage to find a way to twist the plot and keep it fresh. Maybe it comes from years of mentally rewriting books and movies I've read or seen until they had the ending I really wanted them to have.

Karen Rose: I think one of the secrets is the characters. Each book has a unique set of characters that will react differently to every conflict, every challenge presented to them. The way they interact with one another will be unique as well. This makes the total story different from any other, so even if the basic theme may be similar to the well-worn territory, the overall result really is fresh.

Laura Lee Guhrke: Every book I write begins and ends with the main characters. If I make them genuine and real, then I am writing their special love story, which is then automatically fresh and different. I strive to dig deep into the psyche of both the hero and heroine. All people are unique. Their love stories are unique.

Susan Elizabeth Phillips: One of the many misconceptions about romance authors is that we're all prolific. I wish. It's taking me close to 16 months to write a book now, which is too long, but this seems to be my process and I've stopped agonizing over it --- although I continue to whine to anyone willing to listen. With only 16 books under my belt, I haven't even come close to running out of ideas.

Cherry Adair: I write about subjects and places that fascinate and intrigue me --- not only the human condition present in every romance, but ideas and concepts that might have been unknown or unexplored by me before starting that particular book. This keeps it fresh for me, and hopefully translates to the reader. To me my characters are real people, with dreams and aspirations, disappointments and failures. Only I can write my people this way, no one else --- just as I can't write someone else's character in just the way he or she does.

Susan Crandall: It is difficult. But I feel that if you allow your own voice to take over and apply all of your own life's experiences, as well as keeping an open eye to the world around you, you'll have a fresh feel to what you write. I firmly believe that you can give five authors the very same basic plotline, and when they're finished with their books you'll have five VERY different stories. It's all about tapping the emotion, developing the individual character that makes the difference.

Linda Francis Lee: One of the reasons I love romance novels is that they tug at primal/universal themes. I think the key to making well-established themes fresh is to read across the board --- all types of fiction, nonfiction, current events. I'm always looking for ways to expand so that I can bring a new, fresh slant or twist to the types of storylines that readers love.

Linda Lael Miller: I think it's impossible not to travel over well-worn territory. The territory has become well-worn because it is also well-loved. I try to write about courageous, proactive heroines, and the kind of men such women deserve. And certainly each writer brings his or her own brand of love, humor and style to any given project.

Lisa Jackson: I write what interests me, and I feed my interests by staying current on what's happening in the world. My sons also provide endless inspiration and tips on the focus of twenty-somethings. Combined, this helps keep my work fresh, with a cutting edge.

Beverly Jenkins: As a writer specializing in 19th century African-Americans, I draw on the history of those times. It's a treasure trove for me. If I write until I'm ninety-five, there will still be fascinating and unique stories to tell.