FWA: Will you tell us a little about how you came to writing romance? What attracted you particularly to the genre?
MB: I have always loved a good romcom film, and I was obsessed as a teen with romantic fiction that had unconventional endings, where the lovers didn’t always end up together, or someone’s feelings were unrequited. As a writer now, I think of a romantic narrative as a way to tell a bigger story about a character – what their identity is, how they engage with passionate feelings and what layers it adds to their character arc. So writing about romance becomes the journey rather than the destination.
FWA: Which romance writers (Australian or international) do you find inspiring to read? What makes then special?
MB: I personally enjoy it when writers do something different with the romance genre, perhaps by adding a layer of depth, or including romantic scenes as part of a larger narrative. In that sense, some of my favourite writers who I think grasp romance and intimacy really well are Akwaeke Emezi, Leone Ross, Graeme Simsion and Brit Bennett – to name a few!
FWA: What is the main thing you hope aspiring romance writers will takeaway from their participation in Writing Romance and Realistic Intimacy?
MB: I hope that aspiring romance writers come away with layered characters and narratives, a deeper understanding of the kinds of intimacy they want to create on the page, and inspiration to get their stories finished!
Writing Romance and Realistic Intimacy
ONLINE
17 – 31 August 2023