There is also the craft and business of writing. I know from a cursory glance over my past books that my knowledge of craft has changed over the years. This knowledge is often hardwon and sometimes self taught. The result of trial and error, rewrite after rewrite, constant critique and a keen editorial eye that grows more astute with each word written. However as a life long learner I am always looking for ways to facilitate the next step in my writing whether it be deeper characterization, stronger POV or a tighter plot. And, in part, this is the brilliance of RWA-WF. We, as a group, are able to participate in workshops, critiques (soon), meetings, and panels to help us learn our craft and the business of writing.

I hope you will join me March 26, 27, 28 & 29 as Leanna teaches her workshop Direct Your Book! Theatrical Techniques to a Blockbuster Novel. This workshop is sure to bring many insights to all writers of all levels.

Happy Writing!

Maggie Marr
VP-Programming

Here’s some advice from a somewhat-newbie romance writer: There’s a lot to learn about writing than just sitting in front of a computer and putting fingers to keyboard. Yes, it is important to write every day, hone your craft and read within your genre every day. But, there’s one crucial thing I think aspiring writers omit: being proactive.

By being proactive, I’m talking about involvement in your professional and intellectual growth as a writer, i.e. learning about the business before you’re published. Our craft and love is for writing, but every day we have reminders this is a business as well. Be proactive – learn the craft, learn the business.

We’re all new when we start, no matter what the background. Many of the names you see here at RWA-WF have the experience to provide invaluable insight to help you make informed decisions when your career kicks off.

Even RWA-WF is new to RWA, but the chapter is evolving quickly. Workshops will be starting soon. A critique group is in the works. A seminar with a major speaker is planned for this year’s RWA conference.

With less than three years under my belt with RWA, I consider myself a newbie. And, I’m certain being a part of RWA-WF is helping me stay proactive about my writing career.

We are starting a new year, and we are a very new chapter. That’s exciting enough. But when you take into account the massive talent of the members of this chapter, the calibre of writers in our little community, it is more exciting still. I think we are in for an amazing year in 2010, not least of all because this chapter now exists, is finding its feet and moving forward.

As we grow and develop as a group, I am sure we will become a real source of inspiration, information and support for each other. Welcome to RWA-WF, and here’s to an amazing 2010 for us all.

Michelle Diener
VP-Commnincations

Therese Walsh came up with the idea that women’s fiction needed a solid home ground, a place dedicated solely to the understanding and advancement of this genre. And I’m so very thankful she did!

We discovered as we created this chapter that defining women’s fiction is a very difficult task. After much wrangling, discussion, brainstorming, and revising we finally created a definition for the purposes of this chapter. It’s very eloquently stated by our president in the “What is RWA-WF” section of this website. We welcome members who are writing women’s fiction as well as those who are supportive of the genre.

I’d like to invite you to browse RWA-WF’s website, whether you’re here as a member or a visitor. You’ll be amazed at the variety of information available on this site – I supposed that’s because women’s fiction has such a myriad of faces. This group is filled with such an incredible well of talent you’ll want to dip deeply and return often so you don’t miss anything.

Welcome to you all,
Susan

I wrote a blog post sometime in early summer of 2009, in which I complained a little. (I know, not a good-karma thing.) I complained that there wasn’t a place for me within RWA, even though it’d been the only writers’ organization I’d been part of for years. See, my writing journey began when I put pen to paper for what I thought would be a romance. But the road dipped and curved and took me elsewhere, as roads are wont to do. It wasn’t until years later when I realized I would and should write women’s fiction—a cousin to romance in many cases and certainly in mine. But there wasn’t a women’s fiction group in RWA.

Why didn’t RWA support women’s fiction authors whose works were, well, romantic? Whose stories would appeal to romance readers craving something…more?

Some who read my post agreed with me. More still emailed privately to agree with me. But my critics really caught my attention: Stop complaining about it and set something up, they said. Who’s stopping you?

They were right, of course, but I couldn’t do anything about it.

I didn’t have time. I had a debut novel coming out.

I didn’t have time. I was busy with my blog and publicity, and I had to write another book.

I didn’t have time. I had two kids and a husband. I had a Jack Russell terrier, come on!

I didn’t have time.

I’m not sure why I did it—took the step and contacted National to see if this chapter, whose boundaries would exist outside the scope of romance, would even be considered. What a surprise! They responded to my request and sent preliminary paperwork. I filled out the section regarding the chapter’s purpose:

…to support authors (published and not-yet published) of romantic women’s fiction. All authors will write in the women’s fiction genre but will adhere to RWA standards re: a satisfying resolution of the romantic storyline.

I waited and was again surprised when the chapter was approved. Next came more paperwork. We would need chapter bylaws and to become incorporated, and we would need members—at least 15 in order to proceed. Oh, and officers—some people willing to stand beside me and work like crazy to get things done.

Weeks and months passed, and these things were accomplished. I worked on the bylaws and becoming incorporated, and added Leslie Scantlebury’s phone number to my speed dial. Several helpmates rounded up the names of interested parties within RWA. Our numbers climbed: 20, 30, 50, 70, 90. Ninety people who were interested in becoming charter members of the chapter. I was astounded by the support.

And we had officers. Great officers. A Vice President of Communications, Michelle Diener, who would establish a website and newsletter, and manage a staff of volunteer helpers. (A special and sincere thanks to Mica Stone for her amazing work with this website.) A Vice President of Programs, Maggie Marr, who would establish our workshops and experiment with new technologies and create a slew of forward-thinking plans for our chapter. A treasurer, Barbara Braun, who would keep track of our dues as they rolled in and would be hard to overwhelm. A secretary, Susan Crandall, willing to share her organization skills, take mountains of notes and brainstorm with the best of them.

There was another: A Wise Woman—a position I added to the bylaws to ensure our chapter would always have someone on the board published in women’s fiction and willing to lend her advice to our unique group of writers. If there’s any doubt that Barbara Samuel O’Neal is not perfect for this position, please read her welcome letter. You’ll see what I do.

So, finally, here we are.

Thank you, my dear critics, for advising me to shut up and ACT. And thank you, RWA, for making room for us.

Tenacity can be a weakness, a fault, but it can also be a good thing. I’d like to think that in this case, the tenacity of all of our officers, who worked to create the foundation for this new chapter, was indeed a great thing. We have a home now, and isn’t it lovely? Please explore, settle in, join the conversation.

Welcome.

Therese Walsh

Admittedly, there is confusion about where the line is between the two genres–in the press and review community, among publishers and editors, and among ourselves. It took quite a lot of discussion for us to agree on a definition that would be inclusive, but also allow us a chance to clearly define the kind of books we love to read and write.

As a romance writer who began writing women’s fiction nine years ago, I’m often pressed to define the difference for reporters or bloggers or book clubs. It is not as complicated as you might imagine. Romance novels are always, always, always about a woman finding and forming a bond with her mate. Women’s fiction is often also partially about forming a bond, but there is a larger question she must solve, too. It is the resolution of that question that will bring about her happy ending. In younger women’s fiction, that quest might be to find her place in the world, or to find a balance between work and family. In midlife books, there is often a loss–children growing up, a marriage breaking down, or the death of a friend–that forces a reckoning with redefining identity. In books about older women, there might be issues of reconciliation. There are usually relationship issues with children, siblings, parents, even animals, and those need to be resolved for the protagonist to take the next healthy steps in her life.

Roughly. The truth is, women’s fiction is often more easily defined by what it isn’t. These are not easily books–which, for most of us, is a huge part of the appeal. There is freedom to play more with styles or themes or voice. We might tackle social issues or character history or any number of other things that would overwhelm the basic promise of a romance novel, which is that it will be a safe place to escape, even if the world around you is falling apart. Women’s fiction doesn’t make that promise. Sometimes, we know, children do not survive an illness. Sometimes, a marriage cannot be healed. Sometimes, people make terrible decisions and then have to live with the consequences.

After writing 27 contemporary and historical romances, I migrated to women’s fiction for several reasons. I needed a bigger canvas for the cultural and social questions that fascinate me. I wanted to write more about how work matters to women’s lives. And frankly, I needed to write about people with a little more wear and tear than a classic romance structure would allow–to write about women who didn’t skate through their youths without having an encounter with tequila shots or a really bad relationship or too many lovers.

But I also knew what I didn’t want. I didn’t want to give up the exploration of love and sex and the power of finding a partner, a witness to make our lives better. It’s big stuff–and it’s fun to write about. I also had no desire to false tragedy, ala Nicholas Sparks. As a spiritual person, I believe an uplifting ending has the power to offer a person a chance to keep going for another day.

In women’s fiction, I can have my cake and eat it, too. And although we come to women’s fiction from many directions, we share this vision. The promise we offer in romantic women’s fiction, as opposed to mainstream women’s fiction, is the possibility of healing. Hope. The promise that people can triumph over even very challenging odds. We promise an upbeat ending, a chance (or a second chance, or even a third chance) at love with a true partner. Sarah Addison Allen’s work is magic realism with happy endings (she is the happy version of Alice Hoffman). That makes her one of us. Kristin Hannah, on the other hand, wrote many titles of women’s fiction (and in fact won a RITA for Best Novel With Romantic Elements), but crossed into mainstream fiction with her more recent books, beginning with Firefly Lane. Jodi Picoult is mainsteam women’s fiction all the way, and there are never any happy endings guaranteed there.

I don’t pretend to have all of the answers. Ours is an exciting arena, one that is expanding and changing in form as we each bring out own particular voices and talents to it. One thing our chapter will do is give us a chance to talk among ourselves, offer insights and experiences and a helping hand, and help find and recruit every single reader who is looking for what we write. We can define for ourselves what we’re doing here.

Welcome!
Barbara Samuel O’Neal