Why do you write romance novels and stories?
Is it because you have a story inside you that you want to get out? Put down on paper?
Is it because you love the process of writing?
And surely at some point you’ve read a romance and thought, “I can write better than this.”
You may also be interested in earning some money from your romance stories.
Chances are, several of these “reasons” for writing romance resonate with you. Maybe all of them do.
So, that brings us to the question…
Why aren’t you submitting your stories and manuscripts to agents and editors?
(Note: If you are submitting, share your motivational tips. Help other writers take this step.)
I have spoken to romance writers and presented on this subject of confidence and motivation. During these workshops, I have learned and shared a few success tips.
#1 Create a System So You Don’t Overthink It
Systematize your writing process. Write, edit, revise, and submit. Make the entire process a system so you don’t have to decide whether you’re going to submit, you simply always do. It’s part of your writing process. There is no decision to submit, it’s automatic.
#2 Reward Yourself for Your Efforts (and Bravery)
We’re all motivated by different things. In fact, author Gretchen Rubin has built a career on teaching people how to create habits and find happiness based on their motivation personality. Check her out, she’s amazing and understanding your motivations and personality can be life changing.
If you are motivated by rewards, then find something to reward yourself with every time you take the leap and submit a new manuscript. Buy yourself something nice for your writing office. Take a whole day off and spend it doing things that YOU want to do. Purchase a writing journal, go to the art museum. Find what works for you and embrace it.
#3 Hold Yourself Accountable
Some people are motivated by responsibility and social accountability. For example, if you have people in your life who know that you’re a romance writer working on a novel, it might be nice to have a productive answer to their question, “How is your romance writing coming along?” If you haven’t submitted your manuscript, then answering that question sucks. If you have, then you can share that progress with them.
And if one of the reasons that you’re writing is to earn money and/or share your stories with others then that just isn’t going to happen if you don’t submit to agents or editors.
What About Courage?
Yes, submitting your work is scary. Every single time you send a query to an agent or editor, your heart will hammer, you will feel sick, and that anxiety never really goes away.
Do it anyway.
Be brave.
It gets easier, (never easy).
And it is part of being a writer. You can do it. You are awesome. You are a romance writer.