The heart of your story is in the hero's growth as a person. Learn how to start plotting the RIGHT story from your very first draft by digging deep into WHAT is holding your protagonist back and WHY they choose to become their best self. Sue's techniques break down storytelling in simple, intuitive ways that traditional writing methods often muddy. Stop wasting time spinning your creative wheels and start writing stories readers will remember... WITHOUT having to rewrite the story a million times.
Published 3 months agoΒ β’Β 5 min readΒ β’Β Guest appearances
Hi Reader!
I just spent a week in Albuquerque at the Romance Writers of America national conference.
And I am so glad I went. π
I haven't been to RWA National since 2019, and I have missed it. The passion for romantic fiction, the shared values, and the education that's curated just for romance writers is only part of it.
The real reason this conference used to be the central event in my business (and, in some years, in my life) is the sisterhood.
This βοΈ is only part of our group (we'd collected even more by the end of the conference). SO many new amazing friends (and randomly, unexpectedly reuniting with old ones).
I went with the hope that I could find someone to eat breakfast and dinner with, maybe sit beside in a few sessions. And I left with a TON of new friends, peers, connections, and a feeling of being SEEN.
π Not just for what I do, but for who I am, even in the messiest of late-night bar confessionals and wild Uber rides to a restaurant (or three).
FOUR of these remarkable women are also (like me) professional romance service providers. They might be able to offer you something that I can't.
π And I love these women so much, I want you to know them too. (And reach out to them!)
β¨ Here are four romance service providers who might be the perfect partner for you.
(Three of them have absolutely no idea I'm doing this. π)
β Be sure to read to the very bottom. There's a FREE workshop from one of these ladies that might be exactly what you need (and she only offers it once a year!).
π¬ Becky Grogan: Book Coach
Becky is an Author Accelerator certified book coach with a gift that is rare. She teaches marketing in a way that makes you want to pour a glass of sweet tea and pull up a chair to listen. Because she is passionate about helping authors lean into what makes you special. (Don't think you're special? Becky will set you straight on that too. π )
She's a southern girl (like me π€), and as soon as I found out she'd been on a friend's podcast, I stalked her episodes, then spent every minute I could talking shop (and personal stuff) with her.
Jennifer is an Author Accelerator certified book coach and a romance writer herself. She's the pro you want in your pocket if you need someone to walk with you, from the very first idea all the way through publication. We met in line for "lunch" (read: light snacks π€£) at one of the receptions, and I liked her cool, collected style right from the start. She's wicked good with detailsβwe deconstructed the sex scenes in Heated Rivalry with much enthusiasmβand there's a compassionate, strategic mind under that calm, serious veneer.
Jennifer's coaching approach is more structured and business-forward than mine, so if you do your best work with someone who keeps things focused and organized on the whole publication journey, she might be your perfect-fit partner. You can book a free discovery call right here π...
Casey is a romance editor (not a coach, but a straight-up editor), and she wants to work with romance writers who already know how to write romance books. At the conference, someone asked us where we met, and we couldn't remember. We've been friends for what feels like forever (my whole career), and she is so easy to talk to. I know I'll always have a good time when I hang out with Casey, and she takes good care of her author clients.
If you've finished a book, if you're deep in the genre, and if you're serious about publishing romantic fiction, Casey wants to hear from you. She's not the right fit if you're still figuring out whether romance is your thing, but if you already know it isβand you need an editor this year or nextβtell her I sent you.
Miranda is the host of the Novel Deep Dive YouTube series that I guest spoke on (about Fourth Wing), and she's one of the sharpest editorial minds I know. Miranda is different from me with her "tell it like it is" Midwest approach to business, writing, and life in general. She also edits outside of romantic fiction.
Miranda has a special free workshop coming up that she only offers once a year. It's usually just for her newsletter subscribers, but she gave me permission to share it with you too. Here's the details:
About: Miranda will walk you through a guided tour of the most popular story structure methods and resources available and give you a decision tree to help you find the best fit for your writing style and creative process.
A few of you found me, said hi, introduced yourselves. You showed up at a conference full of people you'd never met and put yourselves out there. And I am so glad you did. π₯° THANK YOU for sharing your conference with me.
The 2027 RWA National Conference is in Portland, Oregon next July. Scroll down for more details about the Romance Writers of America.
π
Sue Brown-Moore
Story Coach & Developmental Editor for Romance Writers
PS: π€ If you're a previous RWA member who has been on the fence about whether to come back, now is the time. The org is rebuilding, and they're doing it right.
π If you've never heard of RWA, find a local chapter and JOIN. These women (and even a few brave, pioneering men π) are your people. And they want to support you and the stories that only you can write.
β£οΈ I would not be doing the work I do today if not for the welcoming arms and sisterhood support of the San Francisco Area chapter. I met my very first author client at a local meeting. I developed my speaking skills there. And I discovered professional pathways I never could have found on my own.
β‘ RWA won't just improve your romance writing business. It could change the course of your life.
The heart of your story is in the hero's growth as a person. Learn how to start plotting the RIGHT story from your very first draft by digging deep into WHAT is holding your protagonist back and WHY they choose to become their best self. Sue's techniques break down storytelling in simple, intuitive ways that traditional writing methods often muddy. Stop wasting time spinning your creative wheels and start writing stories readers will remember... WITHOUT having to rewrite the story a million times.
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