#168. Women's Fiction vs. Romance: What's The Difference?

Fiction Writing Made Easy

If you’re serious about becoming a published author, determining your novel’s genre is one of the most important things you’ll have to do. But sometimes that’s easier said than done, especially if your book toes the line between Women’s Fiction and Romance.

In this episode, I’m going to walk you through the difference between Women’s Fiction and Romance so you can write the best book possible and snag the attention of both agents and readers alike. You'll learn things like:

• [02:12] Five different ways to talk about the genre of your story (and why it’s so important to know where your book fits in the market)
• [04:18] How to tell the difference between Women’s Fiction and Romance—and why this difference really boils down to just one thing
• [07:53] The key characteristics of a Romance novel—including my thoughts on romance genre tropes and creating sizzling character chemistry
• [11:52] The defining traits of a Women’s Fiction novel (and how to develop your story’s plot when these stories tend to be so character-driven)
• [19:13] Episode recap and final thoughts

If you’ve ever struggled to understand the difference between Women’s Fiction and Romance, this is an episode you won’t want to miss!

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🔗 Links mentioned in this episode:

• Download the Women’s Fiction vs. Romance Cheat Sheet
• Ep. 2 - Genre: The Key To Writing A Story That Works
• Ep. 23 - The 6 Key Scenes Every Romance Needs
• Ep. 38 - Romance Genre Conventions
• Ep. 46 - The 6 Scenes Every Worldview Novel Needs
• Ep. 25 - Worldview Genre Conventions
• Ep. 84 - The 6 Scenes Every Status Story Needs

👉 Click here to get access to the FREE limited-episode podcast series "Write Your Book In 2025." Learn the 3 things you need to write your book in 2025, how to silence your inner critic so you can write confidently, practical strategies for finding time to write (even when life's busy), and my clear roadmap from idea to finished draft.

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👉 Looking for a transcript? If you’re listening on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, scroll down below the episode player until you see the transcript.

Kapitler

1. Genre Differences (00:00:00)

2. Crafting Romance and Women's Fiction Novels (00:07:32)

3. Writing Women's Fiction vs. Romance (00:15:57)