What Readers Don’t Know About Being a Romance Author

Whenever I mention to people that I’m a romance author, I’m met with ooohs and aaahs. It sounds so glamorous, doesn’t it? And it certainly can be at times, like when you’re holding your book for the first time or when a reader reaches out to gush about what you wrote. But behind every swoon-worthy kiss, all the clever banter, and the heart-wrenching moments, there’s a whole lot more going on behind the scenes. Here’s what readers don’t know about being a romance book author.

Writing Believable Chemistry is TOUGH

If the chemistry hasn’t yet caused reader’s to melt from how hot it is, then all of those big moments—the meet cute, the first kiss, the sex scenes—just don’t have as much of an impact. As an author, we want you to feel for our characters and root for them to be together, one hundred percent. But the reality behind making that happen is not just based on vibes. It requires plotting out all the touches, glances, and sighs that build tension between the two main characters. We’re trying to play a symphony of emotions for you without any of it feeling forced, and that takes a lot of work.

Most of Us Don’t Become Instantly Famous

There are absolutely authors you’ve read who seemed like they had an overnight success, and maybe they did! But more than likely, your new favorite author that’s suddenly all over Bookstagram has spent a long time honing their craft, creating a plan, and growing a community of readers with equal parts patience and stubbornness. That’s why it means so much to us when readers reach out and tell us how much they loved our book and can’t wait for the next one…building readership is half the battle!

Also, for every household name of romance—like Emily Henry and Abby Jimenez—there are plenty of other romance authors out there producing equally incredible books. As a reader, it only benefits you to widen your reads and the authors you pick up, because you may just find your next fave.

We Do Listen to Readers

Every author is a little different, and some really try to write to market—which means they look at what’s popular and publish what readers are really into at the moment. Others, like myself, focus on what we’re most interested in and look forward to attracting our ideal readers that way. But even then, we’re still listening to readers. I had a few readers yearning for a second epilogue for The Half of It that gave them a peek at the couple even further into the future, so I’m definitely keeping in mind what readers want from an epilogue as I work on Book #2. Readers have also requested novellas on other characters from my books, and it’s super helpful to know whose stories you’d want to see! I’m following my heart, but I’m always thinking of the reader, too.

We Research Everything (and then some)

I have googled some bizarre things for my books, from sustainable HVAC systems to the adoption system to popular pastries in Ireland. A lot of research never ends up in the books—it’s not a research essay, after all—but it does help make the world come to life. Our goal is that you become so immersed in it that you forget you’re reading fiction.

The Publishing Timeline Pressure is Real

Traditional romance authors typically publish a book every year. Indie authors can, and often do, move on a faster timeline, publishing multiple books a year. Every six months is my goal, although some authors aim for every 3 months (or less!). Part of why we do this is because we want to stay at the top of readers’ minds and not lose momentum as we grow our readership. The easiest way to keep people excited is to constantly have something new to share with them—new release dates, new cover reveals, new blurb reveals, new preorder links.

I honestly haven’t hit my stride yet with publishing, and it’s a little anxiety-inducing. I’m hoping that in 2026 I’ll get a better groove going, but until then, I’m going to have to focus on what I can do and not stress so much about the timeline (she mutters to herself as a reminder…)

We Do a Lot More than Write

This is true for any author, but the job entails a lot of other tasks than just sitting down to write the book. There’s editing, working with cover designers, working with editors and proofreaders, the countless read-throughs of the manuscript, the research, the revisions, the marketing, the graphics creation for social media the self-promotion, the events…it’s a lot! For me, a good day is 3-4 hours of working on my current manuscript, and then I spend other time doing admin tasks. In a dream world, I’ll eventually have an assistant who can handle some of the other stuff for me, but for now—and for many authors—it’s just me.

We Have a Love/Hate Relationship with Amazon

I can’t speak for every romance author out there, but Amazon—in particular Kindle Unlimited—gives me mixed feelings. On the one hand, readers who never would have purchased my book have taken a chance on what I write with the low-risk option of being a KU subscriber. I’ve had months where I’ve earned more from KU reads than book sales, and I am so grateful for that. On the other hand, KU really locks me in as an author. It is a little disheartening to know I get literal pennies per page read when I put so much effort into every single page.

Eventually, I would love to have enough readership to go wide and break free from the shackles of The Zon, but for now, I’m grateful to the opportunities it gives me—and a lot of romance readers feel this way. Here’s a little tip if you want to show an author some love: if you’ve read and adored their book on KU, go ahead and also buy a digital copy. Many romance ebooks are in the $.99-$5.99 range, and it’s not only a little boost in sales for us, but seeing the sale means the world.

It’s the Best Job in the World

I wouldn’t publish books if I didn’t enjoy it, and I do feel a flicker of pride any time I tell someone my job and they light up. Becoming a romance author isn’t without its challenges, but it’s worth it when we find our readers and the people who champion our work. So the next time you crack open a romance book (or turn on your Kindle), remember that swoon, tear, and laugh is all because of an author who worked to make it all feel real. 🫶