I love to hear about how other writers approach the craft.

When I’m feeling stuck, uninspired, or struggling with self-doubt, pulling up an article or interview with one of my favorite writers is one of my go-to’s to get me back on track. A piece of advice will often knock an idea loose or offer me a fresh perspective I hadn’t previously thought of.

Here is a collection of advice on writing romance from some of the most successful authors and screenwriters in the genre to inspire you.

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Writing Advice from Famous Romance Writers

Nora Roberts

Nora Roberts is one of the most prolific authors in history, having published over 225 novels (and counting) since 1981. She was the first author to be inducted into the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame and also writes thrillers under the pseudonym J.D. Robb.

She shared her writing process in the post “Here’s How I Work” on her blog and talked storytelling in an interview with Writer’s Digest. She also talked about the elements that make up her signature style with Lifetime:

Shonda Rhimes

Shonda Rhimes is the award-winning creator and showrunner of the popular primetime dramas Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice, and Scandal, all of which include juicy, complex romantic storylines.

If you love her work, I highly, highly recommend taking her MasterClass on Writing for Television, even if you are a novelist. She focuses mainly on the craft of storytelling, which applies to every medium, and is a gifted educator. It’s one of my favorite classes I’ve taken on MasterClass. So much juicy information. Check out the trailer in my full review of the class.

Shonda also shared her insight and advice on writing in an interview published by the Writers Guild Foundation in 2014:

Nancy Meyers

Nancy Meyers is known for being the screenwriter and director behind iconic romantic comedies such as The Holiday, It’s Complicated, The Parent Trap, and Private Benjamin.

She has done a couple of great interviews where she offers in-depth tips on writing romantic comedies:

Nicholas Sparks

Nicholas Sparks is the author of over 20 romance novels, many of which have been adapted into popular films such as The Notebook, A Walk to Remember, and Dear John.

He has dedicated a section of his website to his advice for writers that includes tips on the craft and business advice.

Here are a couple of videos where Nicholas shares tips for aspiring writers and talks about his choices when writing a romance novel:

Diana Gabaldon

Diana Gabaldon is a research professor-turned-author of the historical romance/fantasy series Outlander, which has been adapted into a popular television series on Starz.

She has a section on her website dedicated to writers that includes writing tips for aspiring authors, insight into her writing process, and other resources. She’s also written an entire ebook on how to write sex scenes called “I Give You My Body…” How I Write Sex Scenes since it’s one of the most popular questions she’s asked.

Diana has also been very open in interviews about her writing process and the tips she has for aspiring romance authors. Below are two of the more in-depth ones I’ve found:

Danielle Steel

Danielle Steel is the bestselling author alive and the fourth bestselling fiction author of all-time. She has written over 179 books that include a few different genres, but she is best known for her romance novels.

In a post on her blog, she explained her entire writing process from start to finish. She also answered various questions about it in the Hello Giggles article “Danielle Steel on what it really takes to be a published author.”