Professional Documents
Culture Documents
(Sapphire Press)
Kwela would like to invite authors to submit romance manuscripts written according to
the following guidelines:
• Roughly 10 chapters
• The story must be set in South Africa, preferably a big city like Johannesburg
o financially independent
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o in her mid-twenties to early thirties
o extremely self-motivated
o at least two girlfriends on whom she can rely for moral & emotional
support
o Intelligent
o good-looking
The plot
The main plot-line
o revolves around the heroine & hero’s struggle to build a romantic
relationship
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o outside forces (at work or in their communities) try to keep them apart
o their own conflicting beliefs about modern society and the role of
women also threaten to keep them apart
One or two intimate scenes should be included (though only between the
heroine and the hero – no other boyfriends/lovers)
Target readers
• All those thousands of people who love Mills & Boon!
• In terms of typical South African readers, think of those who currently read
True Love, Move and Drum.
In order to be able to write for these readers, the writer needs to get to know them,
so
Chapter 2
Expand on the “normal” life of the heroine. Give some indication of the direction the
plot will take, i.e. introduce a new element to her life (hero or new circumstances).
Chapter 3
If the hero has not been introduced in chapter 2, now is the time to bring him to
introduce him – though chapter 1 is often best. This is also the time to indicate the
reasons for the conflict that will develop between him and the hero.
Chapter 4 – 8
Develop the physical & emotional tension between the heroine & hero, as well as
the conflict between them, caused by both outside forces and inner beliefs.
Chapter 9
Final build-up to the climax, which should be a confrontation between the heroine &
hero: conflicting viewpoints have to be faced and dealt with.
Chapter 10
Immediate aftermath of the confrontation and final romantic union.
Absolute no-no’s
• No disillusionments for readers
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Renumeration:
Authors of manuscripts that are to be published have a choice as to how they’d like
to be renumerated. We can offer either a flat fee of R12 000 (ex VAT) payable on
publication of the manuscript, or we can pay a royalty fee on net receipts which
would be deemed standard in the South African publishing industry .
Format of manuscripts
Please send your completed manuscript to kwela@kwela.com. The manuscript
should be in one document (in Word), and be clearly legible.