Some would argue that Romance is inherently feminist in nature. Others view it as patriarchy-affirming, regressive, trash. And those judgments only apply to the content that exists within the pages. When you take it a step farther, and ask whether Romance novels lead to empowerment and positive life outcomes for women readers…that’s when the debate gets really interesting.

This workshop will deconstruct feminism in romance through the lens of popular tropes. It will highlight ways in which trope choice drives perceptions of feminism in Romance and other genre fiction. It will cut to the core of what feminism in fiction is really about (hint: power dynamics). It will talk about the levels of power (e.g., personal, positional, financial, familial) authors must consider as they craft effective characters.

Finally, it will discuss stigmas related to writing on either end of the spectrum—Romance viewed as overly feminist vs. not feminist enough—and provide concrete advice around how to signal in a way that will satisfy prospective readers.

This workshop is being offered exclusively to Contemporary Romance Writers. You can sign up for it right here.