Finding a Queer Romance Writing Mentor
Photo Caption: Photo by Helena Lopes on Unsplash
When I first landed in the realm of queer romance writing thanks to (the lawless hellscape that is) Tumblr, and eventually Archive of Our Own, my lifelong love of fanfiction was reignited. I ended up authoring (or coauthoring) 15 stories in the Hawaii Five-0 fandom. Over the past decade or so, fanfiction has finally shed its stigma of not being “real” writing. In fact, it’s now academically recognized as a legitimate form of creative expression.
Of course, I’ve previously written about my transition from fanfiction to original fiction. What I haven’t seemed to cover is the impact of the queer romance writing mentors who cleared the path for me. I especially want to discuss what you might look for in your own queer romance writing mentor.
Writing Skill Masters
Your writing journey is unique to your lived experiences. What you do share with those who came before you and those who will come after you is that desire to tell emotionally gripping and powerful stories. Queer romance authors who’ve been around for a while have picked up both general and specific storytelling skills that have helped them achieve that very goal.
If you’re trying to improve your overall writing skills, look to your own favorite authors’ work. Critically analyze their stories. Look for the word choices, phrasing, and descriptive language or events that stand out to you.
After clutching your book (or e-reader) to your chest and sighing in pure awe at their genius, notate what it is about that particular portion that set your heart aflutter, both as a reader and as a writer. Test out that technique in your own fiction writing. Plagiarism isn’t acceptable (or legal).
Emulating your writing heroes as you traverse your own queer romance author journey and work to master your own storytelling skills?
Go for broke.
Peer Mentors
Every single master storyteller, no matter their genre, has started with both feet on the bottom rung of the storytelling ladder. With 11,000 books published daily on Amazon alone, there is a cornucopia of writing peers you can connect and communicate with, across all social media platforms.
Join queer romance writing groups (and engage). Follow queer romance author pages (and engage). Create your own group of newbie and experienced authors (and engage with one another).
I mentioned finding the right critique partners a few months ago. Don’t be afraid to step into the mentor role yourself. Queer romance authors are a tight-knit group, and there’s room at the publishing table for everyone.
Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash
Queer romance writing mentors come in all shapes, sizes, colors, genders, and genres. In seeking your own, consider where you are in right now in your writing career—and where you want your writing career to go. Whether as a side hustle or a full-time author, your writing will say a lot about you and your dedication to your craft.
Social media is more accessible than ever. Craft books are printed daily. Queer romance author websites and newsletters are filled with resources. Find your writing mentor where you deem best, whether its online or in person.
And if you need a shoulder to lean on, an ear to bend, don’t hesitate to book your free story coaching consultation. Let me help you reflect on that queer romance novel idea spinning in your head, one word at a time.
Reflecting On Your Story One Word At A Time!
