How to Get Started Writing Inspirational Romance If you're looking for information on plotting, character development, internal/external conflict, and so on, check my Links Page for some excellent resources.  This discussion will deal specifically with the spiritual element that makes all the difference between a romance story and an inspirational romance story. You probably know this stuff already, but just to make sure we're all on the same page and that there are no lingering misconceptions... If Silhouette Romance has rejected your story and you think you can inject a little "God stuff" into it and sell it to Love Inspired, you're probably wasting your time.  Sending your characters to church and quoting a few Bible verses will not transform your story into an "inspirational." "Inspirational romance" refers to love stories that are specifically mainstream Christian.  At least by the end of the book, both your hero and heroine must clearly demonstrate faith in Jesus Christ.  (While the books may contain differing degrees of "religiousness," that's the bottom line: the stories are all about Christians.) This market is growing fast, but it's still not one of the better-paying ones, as far as category (or "series") romance goes.  So if you're concerned about making a killing, look elsewhere. If you're targeting this market because you believe it will be easiest for a newbie to break into, think again.  In many ways, it is probably one of the most difficult.  Not only must you nail that whole internal/external conflict thing, you'll have to weave in a spiritual conflict, as well.  And it must not be an afterthought, but a problem so big that if it isn't resolved by the last page, your hero and heroine will never be able to live "happily ever after." Now.  Do you still want to write an inspirational? Great.  Let's get started. Never lose sight of the fact that  Christian women read romance novels for the same reason any other woman does:  entertainment.  No kidding!  When a Christian woman wants to learn how to enhance her prayer life or how to be a godly mother or how to trust God in hard times, she'll go to the nonfiction aisle, not the romance racks. But when she wants to relax with a good love story she'll reach for an inspirational romance because she knows there won't be anything shocking or embarrassing in it.  (I like to call inspirationals "guilt-free entertainment.")  She's also looking for a story that espouses values similar to her own: she wants to read about a hero and heroine who are committed Christians.  And while she insists on a pleasurable read, she also expects to get a spiritual lift. The Christian romance reader wants a story about people just like herself.  A little larger than life, maybe, but not perfect.  She expects the hero and heroine to have flaws and problems similar to her own.  But she wants to see them struggle and overcome, all the while drawing closer to each other and to God. It's a tall order for us writers.  Not quite as simple as writing a secular romance, is it? How will you know whether you have enough (or too much) "religion" in your story?   I'm afraid you won't find any checklists to tell you when you're on the right track.  That aspect of writing inspirationals is more art than craft, so you'll have to read inspirationals until you develop a feel for it.  As you read, be sure to ask yourself whether you're feeling inspired (good) or preached at (bad).   Whatever your answer, try to analyze how the author has managed to make you feel that way. Many inspirational romance novelists choose a Bible verse and then develop their story themes from that.  I would suggest that might be an unwise approach for a new writer.  It seems to me that if you begin by trying to get a particular spiritual point across, it's going to be breathtakingly easy to slip into "preaching."  But maybe that's just me.  Use the sense God gave you and figure out what works for you. What kind of spiritual conflict should you write?  My first book is actually a salvation story, but those appear to be few and far between.  Much more common is the hero/heroine who has wandered away from the faith or turned his/her back on God.  Maybe your hero is feeling bitter toward God because his parents were killed in a plane crash.  Or maybe your heroine believes she just doesn't deserve God's forgiveness after that awful thing she did.  Those are common themes that work great. If your couple can't possibly get together until one or both of them gets past their spiritual roadblocks, you have probably nailed your spiritual conflict.  Just be sure to show your characters growing and changing over time.  A quick conversion isn't believable, so knock down those walls just a few bricks at a time. And then you can let your characters live happily ever after. _____________________________________________________ I hope this page has been helpful to you.  If you hve any questions or comments, e-mail Brenda     Return to Brenda's Writing Tips Go back to home page: Brenda Coulter, Inspirational Romance Novelist