Join as an aspiring writer

Aspiring Writers membership is for those who are at the start of their writing journey. Aspiring Writers must not be published in any format (for example short story, novella, screenplay etc) either traditionally or independently.

Membership costs £63/annum and includes a range of benefits. Please complete the form below to apply.

What is romance?

The Romantic Novelists Association exists to connect, support and champion writers to create their best romance and romantic fiction stories, as well as championing the genre.

Our definition of romance is:

A love story with a healthy relationship dynamic between the main characters that results in an uplifting, positive resolution.

Further clarification is provided below:

Essential elements

• Romantic love story (“falling in love”, i.e. not friendships, family, self-love, or any other forms of love)
• Integral to the plot i.e. not an add-on or shoehorned in. The romance thread may be the central plot element, or it may be secondary to another main theme or involve secondary characters, but it must be integral. The romance develops as the other plot elements develop.
• Uplifting, positive ending (the main characters are together and with a realistic chance of staying together) – a HEA (Happy Ever After) or HFN (Happy For Now) ending
• Healthy dynamic between the romance characters
• Wide range of spice levels
• The romance arc usually spans a single book, although this may also span multiple books – e.g. in fantasy/romantasy, or in cosy crime, where recurrent characters gradually develop a romance

Relationship elements that mean the work is NOT a romance

• Toxic obsession
• Incest
• Rape
• Abuse (all forms including physical, psychological, financial)
• Stalking
• Non-consensual sex
• Paedophilia
• Power imbalance misused
• Grooming
• Coercion
• Glorification of problematic characters (e.g. a hero/heroine who was a Nazi, took part in the massacre at Wounded Knee, was a groomer, is racist)
• Illegal activities
• This list is illustrative and not exhaustive

Romantic fiction and women’s fiction may include romantic plots or subplots that do not end in a Happily Ever After or a Happily For Now. However, these plots should not include any problematic elements as listed above.