15 Tips for Writing Short Romance

with Marilyn Forsyth

Image courtesy of Giphy

I wish I could remember where I read ‘Get in, get out, make every word count’ because it perfectly encapsulates what a short-story writer must aim for. Stories of 3000 words or less are increasingly popular among romance readers with limited time to indulge their passion.

Image courtesy of Giphy

But if you’re an author interested in writing short stories, be warned: their simplicity might make them appear easy to write but, trust me, they’re not! Prior to deciding to concentrate on single title romances I sold more than a dozen short stories to magazines, but I also had many rejections.The following suggestions are based on my experience.

1. DO keep to 2 main characters, maximum 4. The fewer, the better; there simply isn’t time to develop minor characters. And make sure those 2 main characters are sympathetic and believable.

2. DO draw the reader in quickly. Begin in a moment of conflict or emotional upheaval that will steer your protagonist down a particular path.

3. DO provide all the information needed to grasp the who, what, when and where of your story in the first few paragraphs. Ground your reader by establishing a recognisable setting then make it clear who your protagonist is, what she wants and why she wants it, while at the same time providing questions the reader must find the answers to by reading the story.

Not a good place to start! Image courtesy of Giphy

4. DO have your story take place over a short time span-hours or days work best, years are a no-no.

5. DO make it emotionally honest and heart-warming. Your protagonist should face a situation that almost everyone has experienced and can relate to, like rebuilding life after a breakup or falling in love for the first time.

6. DO trust the intelligence of your reader. By leaving gaps for her (or him) to fill in they’ll get more out of your story.

7. DO use a high proportion of dialogue in your story but only if it moves the story along. Pacing is particularly important in short stories.

8. DO ensure the resolution happens quickly but is also satisfying and believable. Coincidence shouldn’t feature.

9. DO minimise adverbs and adjectives, and make strong verb choices.

10. DO consider your title carefully. Look for key words or phrases within the story to use.

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1. DON’T include lengthy descriptions of setting or characters.

2. DON’T head hop. A of point of view change is okay with 2 characters, but with more than that, head hopping will detract from the reader’s connection with the main characters.

Photo by MF

3. DON’T end with a lifetime commitment. It’s just not believable in a short romance.






4. DON’T attempt a complicated plot. Your story should have all the elements of a novel i.e. character arcs, conflict and resolution, but on a much smaller scale.

5. DON’T include distractions like subplots. Just stick to the central theme of your story.

If you’re looking for a short story contest to enter, RWA’s Little Gems is a great place to start. 2017’s 'theme' gem is Onyx. Why not give it a go?

Photo by MF

Love to Love seeing my crit partner Cassandra Samuels receive her award for winning the Ripping Start Contest from Michael Hauge at the RWA Conference in Adelaide.

Photo by MF

Love to Laugh at some of the ridiculous places I've discovered a red feather from the boa given out at the Harlequin Author party.



Love to Learn more about short-story writing. Check out Kurt Vonnegut 's 8 tips for writing a short story.