If you've always been a fan of Harlequin romance novels and want to consider a career as a romance book publisher, you'll need romance fiction book publishers education and training. As you pursue your education and training, you may find that you'll follow the path of any book publisher, not simply romance book publishers, though there are avenues you can take that are applicable only to romance novel publishing.

From obtaining a certificate in publishing to interning at publishers of romance novels, romance fiction book publishers education and training can be fun and invaluable. Trade books, magazines, websites and even romance writers' groups can also assist in helping you understand all the aspects of publishing a romance novel. Here's how to start your journey toward joining the ranks of romance novel publishers:

1. Get a formal degree or certificate in publishing as your first step toward becoming a romance book publisher.
2. Intern at romance novel publishing companies to get hands-on training and experience.
3. Join romance writers' groups to learn from those working with publishing companies that publish romance novels.
   

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Obtain a degree or publishing certificate before you become a romance novel publisher

Many colleges offer a master's degree in publishing, or a certificate in publishing to graduate students. These programs are designed to introduce to the student the many aspects of book publishing, which you can apply to romance novel publishing.

I recommend: The English Department at Florida State University offers a 12-hour program resulting in a Publishing Certificate to graduate students or writers who hold a bachelor's or master's degree. The George Washington University College of Professional Studies has a master's degree in publishing program that covers every aspect of book publishing, from editorial acquisitions to distribution.

Get hands-on training through an internship program offered by romance book publishers

Although traditional classroom instruction is important and useful, nothing can take the place of hands-on training. Many publishing companies that publish romance novels offer internship programs which introduce students to every aspect of book publishing, from production schedules to advertising.

I recommend: The internship program at Macmillan allows interns to work in different genres, including romance, as they learn about production, marketing, advertising and other aspects of book publishing. HarperCollins, a company that publishes romance books as well as other genres, offers a summer internship program that even gives interns the chance to meet with top senior executives in the publishing industry.

Learn from writers and editors working with publishing companies that publish romance novels

You might find great benefits in joining a romance writers group as part of your romance fiction publishers education and training. Many of these groups offer guest speakers and lectures from published romance writers and editors working for romance book publishers. You can make invaluable contacts and learn from seasoned professionals in the romance book publishing industry through one of these groups.

I recommend: As a member of the Romance Writers of America, you'll be able to attend the annual national conference, where you can meet and learn from many representatives of romance book publishers. The Heart of Carolina Romance Writers group schedules guest speakers like editors from romance book publishers, and offers networking opportunities and other events.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  To learn more about publishing a romance novel, study the websites of popular romance book companies to get an idea about what they're publishing and how they are operating.

Researching how to publish a romance novel is not difficult, but it can be intimidating and time consuming. Remain diligent and committed enough to follow through on what you've learned, and use Web tools available to even the most inexperienced author to demystify your quest to publish a romance novel.

Many romance novel publishing companies request only a couple of chapters, but it's certainly to your benefit to have your manuscript written, edited and polished to the best of your ability before pursuing publication. There are many publishing companies that publish romance novels, but you should consider all avenues and find the one that works best for you:

1. Traditional publishers generally accept solicited agent material. Unsolicited material received from authors is not considered. Research using industry books such as the "Writer's Guide to Book Editors, Publishers, and Literary Agents."

2. E-book publishers welcome new and already published romance authors, without requiring agent representation. There are numerous romance book publishers that specialize in e-books.

3. Vanity presses and self-publishing give an author the most freedom in publishing a romance novel.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Submit your unagented manuscript to publishers of romance novels

The romance genre includes action/adventure, time travel, suspense/mystery, chick lit, historical paranormal and regency, to name a few. The genre's variety makes it popular for publishing houses at every level, and new writers can benefit from publishing with smaller presses and saving themselves an agent's fee. You have an advantage if you follow the submission, manuscript content, and formatting requirements of the publisher. Sounds simple, but many people don't pay attention to the details.

I recommend: Avon Romance is the only division of HarperCollins that accepts unsolicited novel manuscripts. It's a big house with steep competition and you have nothing to lose by pitching your best romance novel to them. Avalon Books is also a large publisher. They seek romantic comedy and historical romances in the 40,000-70,000 word count range.

Search for romance book publishers using publisher databases

Romance is a the largest novel category and with romance sub-genres expanding, the number of publishers is also increasing. It's important to know where your novel fits best so you spend your time in the most productive manner. You may start your search looking at well-known presses, but end up publishing a romance novel as an e-book with a relatively unknown company.

I recommend: Duotrope's Digest is an excellent starting point for any publisher search. It is an extensive database which is constantly updated and includes feedback from writers who submit to markets. SearchForPublishers.com provides free publisher searches by genre. Review each publisher's home page for details and to see what they've published to date, before submitting.

Locate smaller romance novel publishers, e-book publishers open to new authors

Getting caught in the catch-22 of locating the perfect publisher for your manuscript to discover they only seek work from published authors is frustrating. Persist in your research. Romance fiction book publishers need engaging novels for their readers. Many may offer non-traditional publication in the form of an e-book.

I recommend: Draumr Publishing is open to any novels of at least 45,000 words that fall under the romance genre. They publish in trade paperback and e-book formats. Red Sage is an e-book romance publisher seeking romance manuscripts ranging from the conte (15,000 words) up through the epic (90,000+ words).

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  The romance novel publishing market is competitive, so don't get frustrated with negative responses when you know you have a strong manuscript. Use the Web's many resources to prepare your manuscript and query: genre-based author sites, general and specialized e-mail loops and blogs and peer editing boards.

Romance fiction novels have exploded in popularity in recent years, and if you're looking to capitalize on the action, you'll need to brush up on the key terms associated with the business. Romance fiction books fall into several very specific categories that serve very specific markets, making it extremely important for you to understand the terms that describe each.

If you want your books to reach the right audience, you need to learn about the industry's biggest publisher, Harlequin, and industry-specific terms like inspirational, regency and bodice-ripper.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Harlequin

The gold standard in romance fiction publishing, Harlequin, has become synonymous with the romance novel. Based in Toronto, Harlequin publishes books by more than 12,000 authors.

I recommend: Read all about Harlequin Enterprises Limited on the company's About Harlequin page.

Inspirational

Inspirational romance novels focus on readers who prefer their romance novels to include stories with religious or spiritual undertones. Generally, these stories weave inspirational messages about God into the romantic happiness of the couple at the story's center.

I recommend: Romance writer Brenda Coulter provides an in-depth explanation of inspirational romance on her website.

Regency

Regency romance is a popular genre that focuses on tales that take place during England's Regency period in the early nineteenth century.

I recommend: Look to writer Allison Lane for an excellent description of the hallmarks of a Regency romance story.

Bodice-ripper

Bodice-ripper is a dirty word in the serious romance fiction publishing world. The term was coined in the 1970's to describe period romance novels which included acts of violence against the novels' heroines, such as bodice-ripping. Most of the romance readers of today are not looking for bodice-rippers.

I recommend: Read the definition of bodice-ripper and other important industry terms provided by the San Francisco News SF Weekly.

Contemporary single-title

Contemporary single-title is a term that describes individual romance novels that take place after 1945 and are not part of a greater series.

I recommend: The Romance Writers of America website provides the definition of contemporary single-title novels and other related sub-genres.

Category

Category (also known as series) describes a set of romance novels that all follow the exact same set of parameters, including length, style, tone and level of sensuality. Books in a category are usually numbered, short in length and follow a very simple formula that always concludes with a happy ending.

I recommend: Go to CataRomance.com for a thorough description of category romance novels.

As recently as 2008, romance book publishers had the biggest share of the book market, doing over a billion dollars in business. Publishers of romance novels look for old-fashioned romance but also science fiction romance novels, too.

If you're looking for info on how to publish a romance novel, the web has a lot to offer. Romance book publishers are using contemporary media as a way to publish. You need to find out what kinds of romance publishers are publishing and take advantage of the information provided by romance book companies and romance writers about the "rules" of romance fiction.

1. There are sub-genres within the romance novel genre. Know your audience and what genre you're writing for—teen romance, Gothic romance and others.

2. Join a romance novel community on the web to get information and support.

3. Follow the romance book news from romance novel publishers to see what is currently popular.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Check out online book websites for romance fiction book publishers

You can find romance fiction book publishers news and trends from very basic, easy-to-access websites. You can even spot trends in the market yourself if you keep track of what kind of romance fiction is being published and how well it is selling. Romance novel publishing companies usually report on the trends they are noticing with readers.

I recommend: The New York Times weekly best-seller listings will included any romance novel that reaches best-seller standing. Check both hard and soft cover listings. eHarlequin has different imprints for different romance markets. You can read brief descriptions of the books it publishes for those markets and how well these books are doing.

Find romance novel publishers commentary from romance writers

Romance writers form their own niche in the publishing world. Publishing a romance novel requires knowing what the trends are and where your kind of romance novel fits in the scheme. You may find out through your reading that you might have to tweak your manuscript to fit into today's market.

I recommend: All about Romance is a blog that follows industry issues and news, usually providing commentary as well. Romance at Heart has a special news section with contributors ranging from romance writers to romance publishers.

Keep up with associations that follow romance fiction book publishers news and trends

Join or follow organizations or blogs that follow the news and trends in romance book publishers.

I recommend: Romance Writers of America is a non-profit international organization for romance novelists. It supports the writer and continually updates news on the romance publishing world. Here it breaks down the sub-genres to romance writing. Book Bug blog discusses the romantic hero from the perspective of a dozen romance writers--and is a good source on the changes in romance fiction.