<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[Emily Keyes, The Romance Genre Specialist]]></title><description><![CDATA[Experienced romance editor and ghostwriter offering romance plotting, editing, marketing, and author assistance services for romance authors.]]></description><link>https://www.theromancegenrespecialist.com/the-romance-genre-specialist-blog</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Thu, 05 Mar 2026 09:02:19 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.theromancegenrespecialist.com/blog-feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[How to Prep Your Romance Novel for a Developmental Edit]]></title><description><![CDATA[So you've written your romance novel, and now it's ready for developmental editing...or at least, you think it is.  But how do you know  that it's ready? Is there a list of things you have to check off first before you can start reaching out to editors? Sadly, there is no agreed-upon list that every single editor uses, though it would make life easier for all of us. However, there are a few things that most editors will expect you to do prior to getting in touch with them about a...]]></description><link>https://www.theromancegenrespecialist.com/post/how-do-you-know-if-your-romance-novel-is-ready-for-a-developmental-edit</link><guid isPermaLink="false">696a21df022bfc82f766351a</guid><category><![CDATA[Romance Editing]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 10 Feb 2026 12:12:29 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/81c949_8dd4c5baf7f34d82b1e3f109f77bb5b7~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Emily Keyes</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[5 Minotaur Romance Writing Prompts Perfect for Monster Romance Writers and Lovers]]></title><description><![CDATA[When Spooky Season comes round, my mind goes two places: witches, and monsters. And while I love (and honestly, never run out of) witchy romance writing prompts, I wanted to focus on monsters for the first half of this month with writing prompts, and for this week specifically, minotaurs. Because they're the first proper monsters I ever read about in romance, and I'll be honest, at first, I was sceptical. A monster with horns and hooves? How do they wear pants? How would the sexy times work?...]]></description><link>https://www.theromancegenrespecialist.com/post/5-minotaur-monster-romance-writing-prompts</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68e8efcd2a320743a546cb38</guid><category><![CDATA[Romance Writing Prompts]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 16 Oct 2025 10:29:01 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/81c949_c235e35cec344e2cbd539081c452da02~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Emily Keyes</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[How to Write Romance When Your Chronic Illness Gets Worse ]]></title><description><![CDATA[Last month, I wrote a blog post about writing with joint pain, and recommended going for a walk and using your voice recorder on your phone to make notes for yourself as an alternative to writing a full plot outline. It's a romance plotting method that has worked brilliantly for me since I started writing professionally in 2017. I even got an email from an appreciative reader saying she used it herself, and it really helped her. But what happens when you can no longer walk? That's my reality...]]></description><link>https://www.theromancegenrespecialist.com/post/how-to-write-romance-with-chronic-illness-when-your-symptoms-change-or-get-worse</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68f1474a50873aaf5db01148</guid><category><![CDATA[Writing Romance w/ Chronic Illness]]></category><pubDate>Wed, 15 Oct 2025 23:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/81c949_b3e82ca05e9c4eeea8caaf87e9a4fced~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Emily Keyes</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[5 Orc Monster Romance Writing Prompts for Orctober]]></title><description><![CDATA[Spooky season is upon us, which means it's the perfect time to start writing a monster romance novel. And as it's October, we're now also in Orctober, a month-long celebration of all things orc, including orc romance, a monster romance sub-genre that takes elements from both paranormal and fantasy romance and offers readers stories of alpha orcs, golden retriever orcs, and every orc in between. If you've always wanted to write an orc monster romance, now is your time! And I have five writing...]]></description><link>https://www.theromancegenrespecialist.com/post/5-orc-monster-romance-writing-prompts-for-orctober</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68e8e540405534b9b6e48b3f</guid><category><![CDATA[Romance Writing Prompts]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 10 Oct 2025 15:22:30 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/81c949_fb9abf86cd7e4930aa1656268a1e2620~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Emily Keyes</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[12 Exciting New Historical Romance Novels to Add to Your TBR]]></title><description><![CDATA[Speculations about historical romance's demise have circulated the romance world for months, but the sub-genre is far from dead. In fact,...]]></description><link>https://www.theromancegenrespecialist.com/post/12-exciting-new-historical-romance-novels-to-add-to-your-tbr</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68d2784ea14cb1a1a09d275a</guid><category><![CDATA[Romance Trends]]></category><category><![CDATA[New Romance Releases]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 03 Oct 2025 10:44:22 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/81c949_89608dc29a6d4178b102ad9c02fe7f84~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Emily Keyes</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[How to Overcome Romance Writer's Block]]></title><description><![CDATA[Writer's block. It is an oft-talked about thing in the writing community, and it comes for all of us at one time or another. My worst...]]></description><link>https://www.theromancegenrespecialist.com/post/5-ways-to-overcome-romance-writer-s-block</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68936867e55579268fb5f0e6</guid><category><![CDATA[How to Write a Romance Novel]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 25 Sep 2025 10:36:30 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/81c949_6c036fbff8474ea790760df789f0cd77~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Emily Keyes</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[How to Write the Single Dad Romance Trope]]></title><description><![CDATA[I'll be honest: I'm not sure when the single dad romance trope became so popular. Unlike some tropes that have positively blown up in...]]></description><link>https://www.theromancegenrespecialist.com/post/how-to-write-the-single-dad-romance-trope</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68b527a31d66bce9aa9fde38</guid><category><![CDATA[Romance Tropes]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 12 Sep 2025 16:58:04 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/81c949_441f1ecffb524f748b53146b6c7eb0b8~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Emily Keyes</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[How to Write the Black Cat x Golden Retriever Romance Trope]]></title><description><![CDATA[One of my favourite new romance tropes that's cropped up in the last few years is the black cat x golden retriever trope. It's like...]]></description><link>https://www.theromancegenrespecialist.com/post/how-to-write-the-black-cat-x-golden-retriever-romance-trope</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6867e04cb74f155a1d1715df</guid><pubDate>Wed, 03 Sep 2025 15:03:49 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/81c949_53a33155a46c4c6e9111cde5183d8ad8~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Emily Keyes</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[5 Small-Town Autumnal Romance Writing Prompts]]></title><description><![CDATA[We're nearly in September, which, if you're in the northern hemisphere, means one thing: it's time for cozy autumnal books. Romance...]]></description><link>https://www.theromancegenrespecialist.com/post/5-small-town-autumnal-romance-writing-prompts</link><guid isPermaLink="false">689366a6fa7c833bf024b5f1</guid><category><![CDATA[Romance Writing Prompts]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 29 Aug 2025 10:12:54 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/81c949_fbb913c1fdd4419aab1a31c34de61975~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Emily Keyes</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Romance Beta Readers: What They Are, Why You Need Them, and Where to Find Them]]></title><description><![CDATA[If you have even dabbled in romance self-publishing, you've probably heard the term word beta reader. They're an important part of the...]]></description><link>https://www.theromancegenrespecialist.com/post/the-difference-between-romance-editors-and-beta-readers</link><guid isPermaLink="false">682b1b0cf5939c53105e5b56</guid><category><![CDATA[Romance Editing]]></category><pubDate>Wed, 27 Aug 2025 10:33:52 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/81c949_e8379fff00da4131b1e781fefe44da17~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Emily Keyes</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[How to Write a Romance Novel When You Have Joint Pain]]></title><description><![CDATA[Imagine this: you've gotten your writing set-up all perfect, with a cup of tea nearby, a notebook, your favourite pen, and your laptop...]]></description><link>https://www.theromancegenrespecialist.com/post/how-to-write-a-romance-novel-when-you-have-joint-pain</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6880babe3fd33c2c585b8aa6</guid><category><![CDATA[Writing Romance w/ Chronic Illness]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 12 Aug 2025 11:58:49 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/81c949_b92a6aa2fd6e41f7bd35ca1bfcb865a4~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Emily Keyes</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[7 Romance Novels with Fibromyalgia Representation]]></title><description><![CDATA[I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia in the spring of 2021, and four years on, I'm happy to say my condition is mostly under control. But it...]]></description><link>https://www.theromancegenrespecialist.com/post/11-romance-novels-with-fibromyalgia-representation</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6867e09cd7f2edd2bbac9a11</guid><category><![CDATA[Chronic Illness Rep in Romance]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 22 Jul 2025 15:16:41 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/81c949_b55bd972bcfb40cd8d4c8595c1bebf0e~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Emily Keyes</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[How to Write a Romance Novel When You Have Chronic Fatigue]]></title><description><![CDATA[Every book is written word by word, line by line. This is true no matter the way you write your novels, and it's that edict we're going...]]></description><link>https://www.theromancegenrespecialist.com/post/how-to-write-a-romance-novel-when-you-have-chronic-fatigue</link><guid isPermaLink="false">687a2dafb9407fa469303294</guid><category><![CDATA[Writing Romance w/ Chronic Illness]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 18 Jul 2025 12:31:55 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/81c949_bbd1e027f70840e48f3acd4d5b7acb55~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Emily Keyes</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[How to Write a Romance Novel When You Have Vertigo]]></title><description><![CDATA[In honour of disability pride month, this July I'm creating posts that offer tips on how to write your romance novel despite certain...]]></description><link>https://www.theromancegenrespecialist.com/post/how-to-write-a-romance-novel-when-you-have-vertigo</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6867e1a98e3c93c7719cb068</guid><category><![CDATA[Writing Romance w/ Chronic Illness]]></category><pubDate>Mon, 14 Jul 2025 11:08:45 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/81c949_aff0caad2d68405db8b6ddee97e9b451~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Emily Keyes</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[10 Ways of Naming Your Romance Novel's Small-Town that Don't Involve Using Chat GPT]]></title><description><![CDATA[Fact: In the last two years, I have had no less than 10 manuscripts cross my desk set in the small town of Willow Creek. At the point...]]></description><link>https://www.theromancegenrespecialist.com/post/10-ways-of-naming-your-romance-novel-s-small-town-that-don-t-involve-using-chat-gpt</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6867dbfbd7f2edd2bbac8cfb</guid><category><![CDATA[How to Write a Romance Novel]]></category><pubDate>Wed, 09 Jul 2025 15:25:47 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/81c949_517ef8d9f7ae4da4b72efc4dcdc3c63a~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Emily Keyes</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[10 Underrated Hockey Romances to Add to Your TBR]]></title><description><![CDATA[If you look at lists of the best hockey romances, you'll notice a pattern: the same authors listed over and over. And while those authors...]]></description><link>https://www.theromancegenrespecialist.com/post/10-underrated-hockey-romances-to-add-to-your-tbr</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6825cbe6cb9d75bf7156101e</guid><category><![CDATA[Romance Sub-genres]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 01 Jul 2025 12:35:40 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/81c949_3ba1ca30a7154b6eaa05130c78d4c59d~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Emily Keyes</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Romance Daddy Kink, Explained]]></title><description><![CDATA[It was inevitable that, in covering the romance genre's favourite tropes and kinks, I would write a blog post about the daddy kink....]]></description><link>https://www.theromancegenrespecialist.com/post/the-romance-daddy-kink-explained</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6776b84fe171ae1f292ab55f</guid><category><![CDATA[Romance Kinks]]></category><pubDate>Wed, 25 Jun 2025 10:58:24 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/81c949_142d442e8a984fc89415d39547e70a7d~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Emily Keyes</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Where to Put Chapter and Scene Breaks in Your Romance Novel]]></title><description><![CDATA[One of the more deceptively difficult aspects of writing a romance novel is deciding where to end your scenes and chapters. There's no...]]></description><link>https://www.theromancegenrespecialist.com/post/where-to-put-chapter-and-scene-breaks-in-your-romance-novel</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6811d6e0d7aab542e7f63c98</guid><category><![CDATA[How to Write a Romance Novel]]></category><pubDate>Wed, 21 May 2025 02:00:22 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/81c949_f147e6c1e35e48fd887ada0791fd197a~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Emily Keyes</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[16 Romance Novels with Transgender Heroines to Read Right Now]]></title><description><![CDATA[It's a very difficult time for trans people the world over right now, especially trans women. There are many things you can do in...]]></description><link>https://www.theromancegenrespecialist.com/post/16-romance-novels-with-transgender-heroines-to-read-right-now</link><guid isPermaLink="false">680a21b5150c80953f031f2b</guid><category><![CDATA[Romance Sub-genres]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 15 May 2025 10:44:21 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/81c949_c6f83f6a7cdb401e9e71b4fb31cdf90e~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Emily Keyes</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[4 Sapphic WhyChoose Romance Writing Prompts]]></title><description><![CDATA[Last week, I covered the new sapphic whychoose romance  sub-genre, and today, I'm sharing writing prompts to inspire anyone interested in...]]></description><link>https://www.theromancegenrespecialist.com/post/4-sapphic-whychoose-romance-writing-prompts</link><guid isPermaLink="false">681494b56eea33cd6f3d8909</guid><category><![CDATA[Romance Writing Prompts]]></category><pubDate>Mon, 05 May 2025 09:36:22 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/81c949_d63f3c9d9af2451883d2d3a4346acb3e~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Emily Keyes</dc:creator></item></channel></rss>