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Writing Guidelines and Samples

Read the most up-to-date writing guidelines for the Harlequin and Silhouette series as well as our single title programs including the LUNA, MIRA and Steeple Hill imprints.

• New writing opportunities! Check out the new guidelines!
• Harlequin Teen
• Nocturne Bites
• Nonfiction Editorial
• Harlequin Historical Undone
• Steeple Hill Love Inspired Historical
• Spice Briefs

Want to submit your manuscript to an editor, but not quite sure what your manuscript, synopsis and query letter should look like? Use our handy Submission Samples as models to make sure you've formatted everything properly before you send your masterpiece.

Hear what the editors of this series are really looking for in a book—it could be your story! Listen to the Meet the Editors podcast.

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Share your experiences with fellow writers in Community!

Critique Services

Are you a romance writer who wants professional feedback on your manuscript? Let the romance writing experts at the Romance Novel Critique Service review and assess your story, offering detailed editorial advice.

This Month's Feature

You're here for one reason: to write a Harlequin novel. You love the romance and the conflict, the fantasy and the truth, the drama and the tension. And you want to be a part of it. For it to be a part of you.

But as we all know, there are a lot of preconceptions and misconceptions about Harlequin books. And at 115 titles a month, how do you find the line that fits your style? By going to the source, of course!

It's finally here: our NaNoWriMo! Think you can write a novel in a month? Then sign up here! Also available on The Write Stuff discussion board: transcripts from our recent editor chats. Get the inside scoop from the experts themselves!

Comments? Anecdotes? Have a question about Harlequin that you've always wanted answered? Send an e-mail to Learn_To_Write@Harlequin.ca

Happy writing!

Featured Articles:

• B(u)y the Cover

Previous Articles:

• B(u)y the Cover
• From Slush to Shelf
• Rules for Making Your Own World
• What Turns Your Reader Off?
• The Two-Chambered Heart
• The Agent Primer
• Top 10 Writing Dos and Don'ts
• Top 10 Submitting Dos and Don'ts
• Recipe for Success
• Do You Know Your Series?
• Acting Up: Three Act Structure
• Structure in a Flash
• Mission: Submission
• Short Works: Briefs and Bites
• Writing Dirty
• Is Your Muse Commitment-Phobic?
• Making a Minefield
• Polish Until It Shines
• What eHarlequin.com Can Do for You
• Wanted: A New Story
• The Beginning
• Emotional Conflict—Harlequin Presents Style

Writing Challenges

• Attention aspiring authors! The Harlequin Presents Writing Competition 2009 is now open to entries! Submit your story and you could win an "editor for a year"! For more information, check out the details on the I Heart Presents Blog. Contest closes November 2, 2009.
• Harlequin seeks true stories about ordinary women who are making extraordinary contributions to their communities. Click here for more details!

Winners' Circle

• The Big Finish 2: Congratulations to everyone who entered The Big Finish 2! We were thrilled by all of the creative responses—choosing just three was certainly very difficult. Read the top three entries now!
• Find out who won the Instant Seduction Writing Competition! And click here for some exciting news about one of the winners.
• The results are in! We are pleased to announce the winners of the Ultimate Secret Contest. Thanks once again to all who entered. Read the top three scenes now!

New Author Profiles

Have you ever wondered how you could get published? What it might be like to get The Call? Meet soon-to-be (or newly) published authors and read their writing and publishing tales!

More Articles

• Editors' Pet Peeves
• Organizing Your Writing
• Glossary of Publishing Terms
• Do-It-Yourself Editing

• Proofreaders' Marks
• Quick Query Letter Checklist
• Writing the Dreaded Synopsis
• Learning to Rewrite

• Hitting the Target
• Get Out and Stay Out…of the Slush Pile
• From Slush to Published
• Make Time to Write