Just wanted to say hi again… and that I started writing a Harlequin Presents style book three days ago. I’ve already got about 9000 words, it’s going good. I’m browsing the posts here and writing guidelines and it is definately helpful. I’m having fun! Thanks for the resources!

Kate’s advice is spot-on. Conflict in Presents is essentially internal – between the hero and heroine and very much focused on the development of their romantic relationship. This means that what happens to them must primarily arise from what’s working between them and what’s not and how both feel about it. The classic example of a source of internal conflict in a Presents is the revelation of a secret pregnancy.

External conflict, for example, hero and heroine forced to marry by the terms of a will (to pull something out of the air) can get a story going or add another twist. But it will not give the emotional depth that the reader craves.

Tutorial on Generating Emotional Conflct coming soon!

It’s always intriguing to see what we write analysed from the editorial point of view – it makes me wonder how I do it!

carolc – Obviously I’m not Tessa, but as it’s the deep emotional intensity that creates a Presents novel, my personal opinion and the approach I would always follow is to concentrate on that internal conflict. The extrernal conflict can create the internal one but it’s the characters struggles with their feelings that, for me, really matters most. That’s what I have always focused on anyway.

Kate

Thanks so much for this opportunity and the fantastic guidance.

I have a question about yesterday’s post. When you say “Give your reader a tantalising taste of the emotional conflict within the first few pages,” is there any preference for internal conflict, external conflict or conflict in the relationship?

I realise things are not cut and dry in choosing one over the other but it would be interesting to know if you think a particular aspect works better.

Thanks!
Carol

The tips you gave yesterday were really useful and today’s guidelines have really got the juices flowing.

The ironing can wait for another day…

Rach.