Think, Write, Edit, Romance

A practical craft guide for romance writers from KJ Charles, former editor and author of over 30 novels-including The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen-focused on writing, revising, polishing, and publishing emotionally satisfying romance novels. Think, Write, Edit, Romance is a smart, practical, and deeply reassuring guide to writing romance novels from one of the genre's most respected voices. Drawing on more than 20 years as a professional editor and the author of over 35 successful romance novels, KJ Charles takes readers through the entire creative process, from the blank page to a clean, submission-ready manuscript. This is not a book of rigid formulas or beat sheets. Instead, it focuses on how stories actually work, helping writers understand character, conflict, structure, and revision at a deep, usable level. Organized as a "Writer's Progress," the book moves step by step through the stages of writing. Early chapters address generating ideas, shaping premises, and developing character and conflict. The middle sections focus on drafting, including point of view, pacing, dialogue, sex scenes, and getting unstuck when a project stalls. The final section offers unusually detailed guidance on revision, covering developmental, line, and copy editing with clarity and candor. Written with Charles's signature wit, authority, and no-nonsense compassion, Think, Write, Edit, Romance respects the intelligence of romance writers and the genre itself. It is a craft book for authors who take romance seriously and want to produce work that is emotionally satisfying, structurally sound, and professionally polished.

KJ Charles spent twenty years as an editor in British publishing, including a long stint at Harlequin Mills & Boon, where she edited more romances than she would care to count. She published her first romance novel, The Magpie Lord, in 2013, and is now a full time writer and USA Today bestseller with more than 40 novels to her credit, both self- and traditionally published. KJ regularly blogs about romance and writing on her website, and can frequently be found having book opinions on Bluesky.