So you want to be a romance author? Maybe you’re not sure you can take your brilliant idea and turn it into a book. Or perhaps you’ve already written the world’s greatest novel since Jane Austen and have no idea how to pitch it?
Then you’re in luck because internationally acclaimed, best-selling romance author Rachael Johns sat down with me to chat about books, writing and her seven best tips for aspiring authors.
It’s not every day you get to spend 45 minutes chatting with an author you’ve been fangirling over for more than a decade. But here we are. And with the world currently clouded in a Barbie-pink mist of feminism, I have to admit – I was nervous about this interview.
Why?
Because I wanted her to be Writer Barbie. Internationally acclaimed but still lovely and down to earth. Living her best life as a successful author but still willing to reach back and help others. She could even be Weird Barbie. As long as she wasn’t Mean Girl Barbie.
I shouldn’t have worried because, while she may be the reigning Queen of Australian Women’s Fiction, Rachael’s still a country girl who loves to talk about books, writing and helping other women achieve their dreams.
So here are seven things Rachael wants aspiring writers to know.
1) Read books!
If you want to know how and what to write, you need to read. And then read some more. Read as broadly as you can, as often as you can. Don’t forget to read lots and lots of books in the genre you want to write in. How else are you to know what people want to read? Let’s face it, nobody wants to write a book only their friends and family will buy out of obligation.
Want to support indie authors as well as their traditionally published colleagues? Jump onto #BookTok, find your favourite genre and start supporting them. Because I enjoy instant gratification, I love my Kindle. Click, buy and BOOM… it’s ready to read!
2) You don’t need a uni degree to write a novel
It’s easy to feel envious of those who can successfully debate the merits of the Oxford comma or discuss how to extrapolate an extended metaphor while you cry in Year 12 English. And while a literary degree is a wonderful thing to have – and Rachael does indeed have a literary-based university degree – it doesn’t guarantee you’ll be able to write a successful novel.
I mean did any of the Bronte sisters have a uni degree? Exactly.
3) Treat it like a business
Rachael is very serious about her writing – and she’s not the only one.
“Romance writers have always been very professional in how they approach their writing,” she explains.
“They treat it like a business. Obviously, they love the art side of it and the creativity too, but romance writers in Australia make their money from this. It’s their day job. Even though you never hear about them because you only hear about a certain percentage of authors in Australia who are making a living, most of the successful authors are romance writers.”
So there you have it. Treat it like a business and there’s money to be made – even if everyone doesn’t know your name. Not to mention, romance remains the biggest-selling book genre in the world so don’t give up as there’s money to be made.
4) Find a support network
“I was 17 when I started writing,” Rachael tells me.
“And there wasn’t a lot of information around. Of course, this was before everything was on the internet, so the most I had was a few books from the library. And no one to talk to. Join a really good group of people who support your dreams and goals.”
Rachael talked a lot about the support she found in other writers and writing groups, but there was always something missing. Then she found the Romance Writers of Australia (RWA) and she hasn’t looked back.
5) Join the Romance Writers of Australia
When talking to people about the RWA and they say ‘oh that’s not for me, I’m not published yet‘ Rachael likes to share her own journey with the organisation.
“I tell them I started writing at 17, I joined RWA in 2006 and wasn’t published until late 2011. And I think that’s the magic of this organisation. I’ve been in other writing organisations and it’s how people are treated. Whether they’re aspiring (authors) or have 100 books, you’re all the same.”
Rachael feels this group has given her so much over the years, she’s dedicating her next book to them.
6) Writing a romance novel is hard
Some people will roll their eyes when you tell them you’re writing a romance novel. They think it’s easy and they scoff. For all the writers reading this, we know the only people more annoying are those who tell you ‘I’d write a book if I had the time, when you tell them you’re a writer. Grrrrrrrrr
Writing a book is hard work! And it’s exactly the same when penning a romance novel. Not only do you have to read all those books in your preferred genre, you probably have to squeeze it all in around a job and maybe even a family.
As many of us already know – and industry insiders freely admit – the publishing world rides on the back of the romance genre. From clean and cute to down and dirty, there’s something for everyone. And (mostly) women are absolutely devouring these books. That also means they know what they want and aren’t afraid to DNF a book that doesn’t grab them because there are a hundred more waiting in their TBR pile.
7) The RWA Sydney conference is for everyone
When I told Rachael I didn’t think the conference was for me as I hadn’t finished my novel and had nothing to pitch, she stopped me.
“The magic of the Romance Writers of Australia organisation is it’s really for everyone. And the conference is definitely a space for people who’ve written a lot of books, people who are thinking about writing a book – no matter what stage you are in writing. It’s definitely worth coming along.
“And it’s great watching The Ruby Awards’ (the jewel in the RWA crown) and wondering if one day that will be you.”
If you’re keen to join the group or attend the RWA conference in Sydney, be quick because it’s next weekend from 11- 13 August 2023. Tickets are still available.
Shameless pitch!
Now, I’m not an experienced interviewer so maybe this is standard but Rachael and I chatted for about ten minutes before we really got stuck into things. She was quick to put me at ease, asking me questions about myself and was genuinely interested in my best tech buy to date – my fancy pants reMarkable.
It turns out reMarkable is involved in the Romance Writers of Australia (RWA) Conference! Ummmm so …..hi ReMarkable! I love your stuff and am available to write things for you! Call me! 😉
Who is Rachael Johns?
Rachael Johns is an English teacher by trade, a mum 24/7, a Diet Coke addict, a cat lover and chronic arachnophobe. She rarely sleeps and never irons. She is also the bestselling, ABIA-winning author of The Patterson Girls and a number of other romance and women’s fiction books, including her recent bestseller, Something to Talk About. Rachael is currently Australia’s leading writer of contemporary relationship stories around women’s issues, a genre she has coined ‘life-lit’. She continually places in Booktopia’s Top 50 Aussie Authors poll.
