Interview With Novelist Robin D Owens
Romance Writer Shares Publishing Success, Tips on Writing Books
Jan 13, 2009
In an interview with Suite101 writer Jennifer Jensen, romance writer Robin D. Owens shared her writing schedule, how she got her first novel published, the challenges of romance writing, and tips for writers.
About Robin D. Owens
Robin D. Owens is a successful romance novelist, with fifteen novels to her credit, including HeartDance and Echoes in the Dark. She primarily writes futuristic and fantasy romances and has two ongoing series: the Heart books and the Summoning series. In 2002, she won the Romance Writers of America RITA award for the best paranormal romance. She has also received Prism and Pearl Awards for paranormal romance.
First Published Novel
“My first published novel was HeartMate, published by Jove Books of The Berkley Publishing Group [now part of Penguin Putnam]. It was the first futuristic/fantasy romance they published and part of their "Magical Love" line. HeartMate came out in December 2001, about six to nine months before the explosion of paranormal romance. So I was at the leading edge of that.”
Previous Writing Background
“I had been writing seriously for 8-9 years and HeartMate was my fourth completed novel. I had also been a member of Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers for about the same amount of time.”
Writing Contest Led to Publication
“HeartMate won the paranormal category of the Wisconsin Fabulous Five unpublished contest and I sent the full manuscript to Cindy Hwang who judged it.”
Do You Start With Character or Plot?
“I started with a character, a wisp of an idea, of a man who was rolling divination dice and saw that "Today you will meet your HeartMate." So then I had to figure out a world where a man would actually do that and believe in prophecy and still be considered a tough dude. I formed the world around my characters -- they are what come first for me.”
Tips for Romance Writing
“The Heart series is my own world so it is a fantasy world with rules I make up which is very fun, but that also places it in a niche market, and I must always be aware of my rules.
“Romances have certain conventions and romance readers certain expectations, just as any genre such as mystery or science fiction. A romance is focused on the relationship between two people (in my case the hero and heroine), and that is the portion of the plot that tends to be solved last.
“For instance you have two people falling in love and saving the world (thriller, fantasy, science fiction romance). In a romance the focus is on the relationship and the problems regarding the relationship is generally solved last because that's the main reason readers are reading the book and you want to keep them with you to the very last line. You save the world then say your "I love yous." In a thriller, the romantic relationship could be ended earlier and the "save the world" problem is solved later -- again, generally.”
Daily Writing Schedule
“Right now I am writing [about two] big books a year and I should be writing about three smaller books a year. I do have a daily word count. I get up, feed the cats and write. I take breaks throughout the day and write until my word count is done.”
Is a Literary Agent Necessary?
“If you want to publish with a New York print house I think an agent is necessary. The number of publishers has continued to shrink and many New York houses require agented work now.”
Advice for Aspiring Fiction Writers?
“Never quit!”
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