Writing Romantic Fiction
February 17, 2026 @ 7:00 pm - March 24, 2026 @ 9:00 pm
A 5-week online course taught by award-winning author Alison May, over 5 live and interactive sessions.
This course will run on Tuesdays from 17th February – 24th March 2026 from 19:00-21:00 GMT (please note there is no session on the 10th March)
Course Overview:
Romance is an eternally popular genre and right now it’s making waves with a new generation of readers.
Learning to incorporate love and romance into your stories is beneficial to every writer, whether you aspire to being the next Jilly Cooper, Sarah J Maas or Emily Henry, or whether you simply want to add emotional depth to your fiction.
Alison May is an established romance author, and experienced writing mentor, and freelance editor. Across five zoom sessions she will share the skills and knowledge to create romance on the page and incorporate emotion and love stories in your fiction.
This course will focus on:
• Creating characters who are destined to fall in love (and who your readers will fall in love with)
• Understanding the structure of the perfect romance plot – from meetcute, to darkest moment to happy ever after
• Learning about the genre, the sub-genres, the place of tropes and how best to meet, and subvert, your readers’ expectations
• Creating conflict within, and between, your characters
• Putting emotion on the page in your story – from passion, to the initial sparks or romance to the despair of lost love – we’ll look at how to make that impactful and believable for your reader
• Providing a chance to write, hone and get feedback on the pitch for your romantic story
Participants will benefit from:
• Live Zoom Sessions: Enjoy five interactive live Zoom sessions where you’ll receive expert guidance from an established author and editor. Engage in real-time discussions, Q&A sessions, and personalised feedback to enhance your writing skills.
• Sessions tailored to the needs of the group to give you skills you can use during the course and long afterwards
• Writing Community: Connect with a community of like-minded writers during each live session. Share your progress, exchange ideas, and receive constructive feedback in a supportive online environment.