6 Tips for Writing a Summer Romance Novel

Summer. Three whole months of bright sunsets and glittering water and endless possibility. Is there anything more magical? Here are 6 tips for capturing a tiny bit of that magic in the pages of your next summer romance novel.

(Rachael Lippincott: On Coming Back to a Shelved Project)

Is this key? Absolutely. Maybe there’s a new girl in town, a longstanding crush suddenly within reach, or an old flame that wasn’t entirely put out. That spark needs to be there, and it needs to be even hotter than the summer sun at its peak. Remember: The reader needs to fall in love with this person, too! A good love interest is maybe the best hook you can have.

Every summer romance has, and needs, a body of water in it. I don’t make the rules. (Well ... in this case, I do.) Set the story in a charming little beach town! Sweep the main characters away on a weekend lake trip, or a lake trip that lasts the whole summer. Have a group of friends break into the local pool for some after-hours fun. There’s something about splashing around in a glittering body of water or gazing out at one, that gives a summer romance some extra sparkle.

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With warm weather comes warm-weather activities. You can’t have your characters soaking up the sun on a sandy beach and laughing in the waves if it’s twenty degrees out. Make sure your characters are making the most of all that summer has to offer. We’re talking strolls on the boardwalk, bonfires, cookouts, I don’t know ... snorkeling? Make sure they are having fun!

There is nothing more electric than summer when you’re a teenager. Those three months out of the classroom hold so much potential, and from the moment you push through those school doors at the start of summer break you are free. Even as an adult, there’s still that feeling. Make the most of those long summer days, and late summer nights. Have your characters reflect that feeling ... it’s what your readers are searching for when they pick up a summer-set book!

As nice as it would be, no summer is without a couple of cloudy days. (Especially when you live in Pittsburgh as I do). To really hook readers there needs to be a problem. Some tension. Something to balance out all that blissful summer sun. It will give your novel some added depth, and make those sun-soaked highs even sweeter as a result. Two for the price of one!

Summer romances are known for sweeping people off their feet. It’s the hallmark of any summer fling! And, to be honest, it’s what we love about it. Make sure the fire is there. We’re talking love with a capital L! Infatuation with a side of extreme compatibility. Dizzying, all-consuming, completely intoxicating love. There’s nothing better! Especially when that fall breeze sweeps in, and our lovebirds are still head-over-heels for each other.

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