How To Publish—and Sell—Romance Books
Writing a book does not guarantee it will be published or that anyone will ever buy it aside from your mom. The query process can be especially brutal—no matter whether it's an author’s first manuscript to go out on submission or her/his/their fifth. Trying to hook the attention of agents and acquisition editors frequently feels like competing in a do-or-die gauntlet against hundreds of other faceless writers whose names you may never know…until you see their novel in a store while yours is still languishing in dozens of email inboxes. Although no two author journeys are alike, two romance writers share how they continue to successfully navigate the traditional publishing industry.
Lygia Day Peñaflor is the critically acclaimed author of Creep: A Love Story, All of This Is True, Unscripted Joss Byrd, and Beautiful to See You (Again). Her novels have been published around the world in over a dozen languages. Amanda Connolly is a Canadian political journalist and editor. A winner of the EU-Canada Young Journalist Fellowship, she is a dual citizen of Canada and Ireland.
Do you have an agent? If so, how did you find one?
AC: I do! And I would HEAVILY encourage anyone who wants to pursue publication to make sure you do have an agent. A good agent is your creative champion. Your publishing industry guardian. Your business partner. I am incredibly lucky to have the amazing Maddy Belton of Madeleine Milburn Agency as my agent. She was my dream agent, and I queried her just like everyone else—through the slush pile! If you subscribe to my Substack (BY/LINE with Amanda Connolly), you’ll actually get an exclusive Q+A with Maddy about why she picked my book out of her slush pile. As a Canadian who wanted to write highly commercial genre fiction, I really felt like the best fit for me was going to be an agent specializing in the genres I love to write who also had strong connections in the European and North American markets. Maddy has been the most wonderful partner. And I’m so excited to continue working with her on future projects!
LDP: I signed with my first agent in 2013 to handle my debut novel. After that first book, she sold another two for me. I got a new agent to rep Beautiful to See You (Again) in 2024. Both times, I did it the old-fashioned way—I wrote a query letter and sent it to agents who represented authors I admired. I wish there were shortcuts to getting an agent, but there aren’t. I think the querying process was even harder for me the second time, despite having already published three books at that point. No matter what it might look like from the outside, publishing does not get easier with time for the average author. You have to have a strong novel, patience, and a lot of guts to stick with the querying process.
What is your favorite way to share about your book so far leading up to the release?
AC: I love sharing songs that I’m playing while writing! I usually share little bits from them on my Instagram as hints and clues for the vibes of something I’m working on that I can’t share yet.
LDP: A book deal doesn’t feel real until you’re able to tell people about it. So the wait between signing a deal and announcing it is excruciating! It takes a crazy-long time for contracts to be finalized. I had to wait ten months for Publishers Marketplace to announce my latest book deal for Beautiful to See You (Again), which was when I could officially share the news. I was so relieved and excited to finally post that screenshot on Instagram!
How have you sought out community with other authors?
AC: I came into publishing not knowing anyone in this industry, but I feel so lucky to have met such wonderful fellow writers and authors! Maddy’s other clients and I all chat regularly. They've been so supportive—we're always trying to help and champion each other wherever we can. I’ve also met local authors just by grabbing coffee, going to local events, etc. It is nerve-wracking putting yourself out there. But author friends are so wonderful and encouraging!
LDP: I joined an online debut group in 2016 called the Sweet 16ers. Meeting some of the members in person, then going through similar experiences together, helped me to make genuine friends. It’s been ten years now since our debut year. And my current circle is small, but trusted. Writing is a solo mission that can feel isolating and lonely. It’s important to have writer friends who understand how tough the industry is and who will remind you to celebrate your wins—even the small ones.
Was having your book marketed primarily to a young adult audience your intention from the beginning?
AC: To be honest, I never set out to write a young adult book! I wrote this as an adult romantasy. And that’s how it now sits on shelves in Canada and the United Kingdom. But I think it’s amazing that Simon & Schuster has been willing to push the boundaries of what young adult stories can be. We did age the characters down during edits, but nothing else about the book really changed on an age level. This is for teens who are willing to engage with more serious romantasy and fantasy, as well as dark worldbuilding and lore that’s heavily woven with brutal politics. I think now, more than ever, that is really important because teens are trying to learn how to navigate the dark and authoritarian reality we’re facing right now. I hope The Lure of Wolves and Whispers is a story that inspires courage, action, and hope that we can face down tyrants and stand up for our values. We’re always stronger when we stand together with our allies.
LDP: I made Tia a 20-year-old college dropout because it’s easy for readers to imagine the way her life would have been if it had gone as planned. The now/then timeline brings Tia back to the summer after high school graduation, so I knew I’d be writing for my favorite audience—YA and new adult readers.
Check out upcoming Loft classes with the columnist! Rachel will teach Points of Origin: Writing About Home starting October 29 and Resource Sharing for Indigenous and BIPOC Writers as part of our Diversifying Writers series on November 7 and 14. Both are in person at the Loft at Open Book in Minneapolis, MN.