Sarah MacLean: If It Feels Scary, You’re Writing It Right
A life-long romance reader, Sarah MacLean wrote her first romance novel on a dare, and never looked back. She is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of romances translated into more than 25 languages, and the co-host of the weekly romance novel podcast, Fated Mates.
A graduate of Smith College and Harvard University, she lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Sarah MacLean
In this post, Sarah discusses why she believes romance is a deeply political genre, how her historical romance lines up with modern themes, and more.
Name: Sarah MacLean
Literary agent: Holly Root, Root Literary Agency
Book title: Knockout
Publisher: Avon Books
Release date: August 22, 2023
Genre/category: Historical Romance
Previous titles: Bombshell; Heartbreaker
Elevator pitch for the book: A chaotic bluestocking and the buttoned-up detective enlisted to keep her out of trouble can’t help but stay out of trouble because spoiler alert: She is the trouble.
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What prompted you to write this book?
The entire Hell’s Belles series was conceived as a celebration of the power of women’s rage, which might seem oppositional to the core of a romance novel, which is supposed to be about the transformational power of love. But that’s it, isn’t it? Our brightest emotions—the ones that consume us and engage us and evolve us—are transformational. They move us into action. They inspire us to be better, to live bolder, to take up space, and romance is more than the genre of love—it’s the genre of emotion.
The Hell’s Belles is a vigilante girl gang in Victorian London, seizing power that is not expressly given to them because the world is cruel to the people on the margins. And Imogen, the heroine of Knockout, is pure emotion—full of joy and hope and desire and a commitment to justice…and not above blowing things up to make change. The book is her story, and the story of her finding a partner to support her while she changes the world…which is what we all deserve, no?
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
While every one of my books can be read on its own, I’m known for a massive universe of interconnected characters. The hero and heroine of this book have been in multiple prior books, and Knockout is the third book in the Hell’s Belles series, and the final turning point in the larger series arc, so I knew it was time to go big or go home, so to speak.
Imogen is an explosives expert who has blown up, among other things, a church that was a gang hideout, workhouses that were using child labor, and the Scotland Yard jail, so I knew that when we got to her book, it was going to be a banger (pun intended). Her hero was obvious to me from the jump—Thomas Peck, a Detective Inspector at Scotland Yard, which made the conflict so clear…two different people fighting for their own conflicting ideas of justice, and falling in love in the balance.
The idea never changed—these two, more than maybe any of my preceding characters, had very clear true norths in terms of motivation. The fun was in helping them let go and fall in love along the way.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
I knew Knockout was going to take on something pretty modern and heavy, as well—the realization that criminal justice and social justice are often at odds. This is a massive conflict—one that hits at the core of a person’s identity, especially when they realize they are part of a problem, not a solution. So I was excited and very nervous about tackling it. But I’m very proud of where I ended up.
Romance is a deeply political genre because it deals with such fundamental issues—who is afforded happiness, whose love is valued, what joy and hope and triumph look like in the hands of those who are not always prioritized for those things. I have always written with this as my true north. And every book, I feel like I have to prove it to publishing, to reviewers, to readers. I think the learning moment is always the same…the realization that I will always have to convince people that this genre is a powerful, important reflection of not just who we are, but who we might become.
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
My whole writing process is a surprise! I don’t outline and I only have a vague idea of the path I’m taking to the end of the book (which is usually pretty clear from the turning point of the third act on), so every day is a new experience, because I have no idea what’s coming! You’d think that after 18 books this would be normal for me, but no, it’s just a general sense of terror the whole time, as I feel like I’m going to lose control of the whole thing at all times. Don’t do it my way!
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
Joy. Absolute, chaotic delight. Certainty that good guys win. Happy sighs. A desire to read more romance.
If you could share one piece of advice with other writers, what would it be?
If it feels scary, you’re writing it right.
While there’s no shortage of writing advice, it’s often scattered around—a piece of advice here, words of wisdom there. And in the moments when you most need writing advice, what you find might not resonate with you or speak to the issue you’re dealing with. In A Year of Writing Advice, the editors of Writer’s Digest have gathered thoughts, musings, and yes, advice from 365 authors in dozens of genres to help you on your writing journey.